OSU Outdoor Track & Field Men’s and Women’s 4x400 Relays Qualify for Finals

OSU Outdoor Track & Field Men’s and Women’s 4x400 Relays Qualify for Finals

March 25, 2022 | Cowgirl Cross Country & Track

AUSTIN, Texas – Oklahoma State outdoor track & field continued its opening weekends with more impressive performances on Friday during its second day at the 94^th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at the University of Texas.

Saara Hakanen opened up the day for the Cowgirls, competing in her first event since the 2021 West Prelims last May. She cleared the first two bars in the event, clearing a height of 1.72 meters (5'-7.75") and finishing just one bar shy of the eventual winner of the event.

Immediately following Hakanen was Olivija Vaitaityte in the women's 100 Meter Hurdles. Vaitaityte competed in the event for the first time in her collegiate career, posting a time of 14.61 seconds, which placed her just outside the program's all-time top-10 list.

Brooke Givens was up next for the Cowgirls in the 100 Meter Dash timed final. Givens placed second in her heat and finished with a personal-best time of 11.96 seconds overall.

Up next for OSU was the women's 4x400 Meter Relay. The Cowgirl squad of Kalaya Ali, Nickie Dixon, Christina Ollison and Tori Ortiz qualified for finals (top nine teams advance) with their fifth-place time of 3:35.72, which moves them up to third on the program's all-time list in the event.

In the only event of the day for the Cowboys, the men's 4x400 crew of EJ Berry, Koryee Wyatt, Cash Merutka and DJ McArthur also qualified for finals tomorrow with their sixth-place time of 3:06.59, which puts them second on the school's all-time list. McArthur's anchor split of 45.65 seconds ended up being the third-fasted anchor leg and was just .09 seconds off from being the fastest anchor in the race.

Both 4x400 squads will compete again tomorrow in the finals, each looking to possibly break the school record in the event, with the Cowgirl record being set last year at the West Prelims and the men's record set all the way back in 1983 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

For more information on the Cowboys and Cowgirls, continue to check back with okstate.com.

Men's Individual Results

4x400 Meter Relay
6. Elijah Berry, Koryee Wyatt, Cash Mertuka, DeJuana McArthur – 3:06.59 (Q)

Women's Individual Results

High Jump, Section B
9. Saara Hakanen – 1.72m/5' 7.72"

100 Meter Hurdles U/C Timed Final
32. Olivija Vaitaityte – 14.61

100 Meter U/C Timed Final
26. Brooke Givens – 11.96

4x400 Meter Relay
6. Kalaya Ali, Nicolette Dixon, Christina Ollison, Tori Ortiz – 3:35.72 (Q)