FAYETTEVILLE - Arkansas sprinter Akheem Gauntlett is 5 for 5 the last two weekends.
Gauntlett, a senior from Kingston, Jamaica, won two races at Saturday’s Arkansas Invitational at John McDonnell Field after winning three times to help the No. 3-ranked Razorbacks beat No. 4 Oregon in a dual meet at Eugene, Ore., last week.
Gauntett, a seven-time All-American, opened Saturday’s meet by running a leg on Arkansas’ winning 400-meter relay team, which finished in 39.52 seconds to beat teams from No. 1 Florida and No. 23 Ohio State. Also running on the relay for the Razorbacks were junior Neil Braddy, freshman Jarrion Lawson and senior Marek Niit.
Gauntlett then won the 400 meters in 46.13 to finish ahead of three sprinters from Florida.
Last week at Oregon, Gaunlett clinched the 86-77 victory for the Razorbacks by holding off Oregon All-American Mike Berry on the anchor leg of the 1,600 relay. Gauntlett also won the 200 and ran on Arkansas’ winning 400 relay at Oregon.
When the Razorbacks won the NCAA indoor title last month, Gauntlett anchored the victorious 1,600 relay and took fourth in the 200.
“Akheem might be the most underrated sprinter in the country,” Arkansas Coach Chris Bucknam said. “He doesn’t get any love from Track & Field News. All he does is go out there and beat people.
“He beat a great group of Florida runners today. He beat some great runners at Oregon. What he’s done the last two weeks is pretty impressive.”
Gauntlett helped provide some highlights for the Razorbacks on a cool, damp afternoon.
“It wasn’t a real sexy meet in term of high-level performances, but the weather prevented that,” Bucknam said of the 50-degree temperatures and wet conditions. “On a day like today, you’re looking at effort more than anything.”
“The conditions weren’t good, but there’s nothing we can do about it. You’ve got to battle through it.
Arkansas sophomore Andrew Irwin, a two-time NCAA champion in the pole vault, cleared 16 feet, 11 inches to win Saturday’s competition.
Razorbacks senior All-American Tarik Batchelor, who missed last season because of a knee injury, scratched from the long jump.
“The last thing we need to do is have Tarik slip,” Bucknam said.
In other events involving the Razorbacks, senior Brede Ellington won the high jump at 6-7½; senior Caleb Cross took second in the 110 hurdles in 14.19; senior Anthony Lieghio took second in the 800 (1:50.55), and Lawson took third in the long jump (24-9 ¾ ).
Arkansas junior Kevin Lazas, the NCAA heptathlon champion, is third in the decathlon through five events with 3,860 points. The decathlon will conclude today, when the weather is supposed to be in the 70s.
In the women’s competition, Arkansas freshman Jessica Kamilos won the 1,500 in 4:24.55.
Sports, Pages 31 on 04/28/2013