The first ever dual meet between track and field powers Oregon and Arkansas lived up to expectations as the No. 2 Razorbacks trailed most of the afternoon but made a late charge, clinching the victory in the 4×400 meter relay, the final event of the meet.
The Ducks led for the first 16 events, but with just the triple jump and 4×400 relay remaining, the Razorbacks could reach the 82 points needed to win the dual by sweeping the triple jump, an event they were expected to do well in. The Razorbacks took the top two spots, but Oregon’s Tyler Pinkney jumped into third place in the triple jump, setting up a winner-take-all final event.
Arkansas would win in 3:07.14, but it came down to the final 100 meters as the Ducks’ Mike Berry was neck-and-neck with Akheem Gauntlett as the two rounded the Bowerman Curve for the last time. Moments earlier, Berry had won the 400 meters in the seventh fastest time by a collegian this year, clocking a 45.92, but his legs failed him as Gauntlett pulled ahead for the win.
Berry wasn’t the only Duck to turn in a time among the nation’s best. Elijah Greer left everybody else in his dust, winning the 800 meters in 1:46.20, faster than anybody else in the nation has run this year. Not to be outdone, Mac Fleet set a personal best in the 1500, finishing in 3:40.21, also the fastest time in the nation this year.
“I didn’t really have too much of a race plan,” Fleet said. “I don’t think the race plan was to take it from 450 (meters) out, that’s for sure.”
Oregon turned in quality marks in the field event as well, with Sam Crouser in particular having a productive day, picking up two event wins. Crouser opened his day by winning the discus competition on the final throw of the event, recording a personal best throw of 174-2, then took first in the javelin with a monster throw of 240-7.
Despite the loss, the dual offered Oregon a chance to go stride-for-stride with the second-ranked team in the nation. With the NCAA championships headed to Hayward Field in June, it won’t be the last time the Ducks run against the Razorbacks, either.
“I feel like the team can bounce back from this loss and put up a great showing at the NCAA championship,” he said. “It’s unfortunate we weren’t able to come through at the end, but we kept it close through the final meters. I know we certainly showed that Oregon is a contender.”