The No. 25 Alabama men’s track and field squad aims to keep their momentum from the UTEP Invitational and Mt. SAC Relays rolling as the prestigious Drake Relays draw near.
Before the Tide headed to Des Moines, Iowa, they competed in Oxford, Miss., in the Mississippi Open on April 23.
Alabama couldn’t have asked for a more perfect launching pad going into the Drake Relays as they posted some of their fastest times of the season.
The meet was highlighted by sophomore Kirani James. James, the defending NCAA champion in the 400-meter, made his season debut in the event and continued his record-setting ways as he finished first in the event.
James ran a 45.12, a new track record, eclipsing 2004 Olympian Kelly White’s record of 45.16. This year, his time was also the fourth fastest 400-meter time in the nation, as well as the fastest time in the Southeastern Conference.
Senior Emmanuel Bor was also impressive with a first-place finish in the 1,500-meter with a time of 3:48.34. The 4×400 meter-relay squad made up of freshman Dwayne Extol, junior Bobby Onyeukwu, sophomore Joel Lynch, and James finished third in the event, posting a time of 3:08.65.
The Drake Relays will be a time of celebration as head coach Harvey Glance will be inducted into the Drake Relays Hall of Fame. He will be the first inductee to be inducted as both an athlete and coach.
“I’ve always been about making history,” Glance said. “Anyone that knows me knows that I’ve always been very, very, highly competitive. I’ve never been one to seek publicity, I’ve always felt like that’s something you’ve got to earn…but it’s a great honor.”
Glance has accomplished just about all one can accomplish in the sport of track and field. He is a three-time Olympian and in 1976 won a gold medal. However, being inducted as a coach will mean more to him than being inducted as an athlete.
“Honestly, this will mean more than going in an athlete,” Glance said. “It means that I helped facilitate someone else as opposed to individual accomplishments.”
In recent years, one of the Tide’s best assets has been their relay team. With runners such as James, senior Fred Samoei, Emmanuel and Julius Bor, Alabama has been at the top of most relay events they compete in.
However, this weekend, Glance said they will be resting seniors Emmanuel and Julius Bor in preparation for the SEC Championships and Regionals.
Instead, the Tide will rely on their individual events to showcase their skills at the Drake Relays.
For the Tide to come out on top at the Drake Relays, they will need to rely on the consistency they’ve displayed throughout the entire season.
“We really need to show the consistency we’ve showed all year long,” Glance said. “We’ll change absolutely nothing towards preparation, because this is what we do week in and week out, trying to be consistent.”
The Drake Relays will take place on April 28-30 at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
