Track & Field 2k21: Jesse Owens Invitational Recap

Ohio State's Emma Nwofor won the 100-meter hurdles at the Jesse Owens Invitational ... or was it the Jesse Owens Track Classic? It was referred to as both by its host, Ohio State. Whatever the meet was called, it was nice to see collegiate athletes competing on the campus of Ohio State for the first time since 2019, before our world was changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nwofor, a senior who stole the show at the 2020 Big Ten Indoor Championships by winning the 60-meter hurdles, placing second in the high jump and third in the pentathlon, while leading Ohio State to the conference title. A transfer who previously competed collegiately at Arkansas State and Great Brittan, Nwofor wasn't able to have her first and only outdoor season in an Ohio State uniform, after it was cancelled last year.

In her first outdoor meet for Ohio State Nwofor competed in the javelin throw and 100-meter hurdles. She threw the javelin to a sixth best mark of 39.09 in a competition that Madison Smith of Penn State won on April 30. The next day Nwofor raced to a time of 13.54 in both the prelim round and the finals. She was the only competitor that finished under 13.6 in either round. Penn State's Ekaterina Hupalo (13.87) and Purdue's Jayla Ellis (13.90) placed second and third in the final.

Due to the unstable climate of the health crisis, many track and field fans may not know that Nwofor is one of the most accomplished athletes to wear an Ohio State uniform. She became an All-American after last year's indoor season and also won a national championship in Great Brittan when she finished first in the heptathlon in 2018.

In other events, Bryanna Murphy ran a winning and personal best time in the 400 meters of 53.50, upsetting Purdue senior Samara Miller who entered the race with the top time of 53.38. Miller finished the race as a runner-up at 54.41, ahead of her teammate Cierra Williams at 55.26.

Ohio State earned a win in the 400-meter relay at 44.81, with the foursome of Devine Parker, Anavia Battle, Nya Bussey and Yanique Dayle. Battle won the 200 meters at 22.27 with a wind assistance of 6.3. Dayle had a second place finish in the 100 meters. She finished the race at 11.53 with a 4.3 wind assistance. Her teammate Nya Bussey placed fourth in the same final at 11.75. The 100 meters was won by Purdue's Camille Christopher at 11.38. She also placed second to Battle in the 200 meters at 23.30. Dayle was third in the 200 meters at 23.54.

Eleven high jumpers competed at Ohio State last weekend. Rutgers' Courteney Campbell won the competition clearing 1.75 meters in one attempt. Her teammate Alivia Ash also cleared 1.75 but only after her third attempt. Neither jumper was able to clear 1.78. Ohio State's Amaya Ugarte placed third clearing 1.70 in one attempt. Purdue's Alexis Zatta, was fourth as she hit the 1.70 mark after two attempts.

Penn State's Hiley Zurich earned a win in the pole vault competition, at 4.08. Her teammate Breana Gambrell, was first in the long jump (6.27) and triple jump events (12.67). Rutgers' Nyamekye Opoku-Agyemang was second in the long jump at 5.87. Ohio State's Cierra Pyles was second in the triple jump at 12.58.

Ohio State dominated in the throws competitions. Adelaide Aquilla won the shot put with a throw of 17.81. Her teammate Sade Olatoye was second at 17.08. In the discus competition, Divine Oladipo led Ohio State to a win with a mark of 54.90. Aquilla, was second at 53.24 and Olatoye took third at 52.93.

Along with its win in high jump, Rutgers got a win in the 5,000 meters with Olympia Martin (17.03.11) and Lou Mialhe took the 3,000-meter Steeplechase (10:49.99).