Oregon junior javelin thrower Matt Adams has been learning how to add finesse to
complement his strength when throwing
the javelin.
Working with throwing coach Lance Deal and getting advice from fellow javelin thrower All-American Sarah Malone, the transfer from Glendale Community College in Chino Valley, Ariz., has already improved on his personal best throw of 199 feet, 10 inches and is looking for more.
Last week in the Pepsi Invitational, Adams finished third in the javelin, a-foot-and-a-half behind eventual winner Rigel Wise of Washington. Adams improved on his personal record with a throw of 203-2.
“It’s tough,” Adams said of finishing third. “It’s a personal record, but it’s nothing like winning.”
Adams said the biggest thing that he has learned is what the coaching staff has taught him about proper technique and credits the coaches as the biggest change coming from Arizona.
“Definitely the coaches,” Adams said. “The coach is really passionate about his job and just having a good group of people, coach and Sarah Malone. It’s good to have them, to learn from them, and it’s good to have coach to come in and kind of mesh everything together.”
Oregon runners getting it done
Between the Oregon Preview and last week’s Pepsi Invitational, the Ducks have captured seven individual titles on the track.
“It just shows you this team is really deep when guys compete like they are capable of,” sprinter Jordan Kent said. “We got guys putting up marks already. We just got to take it one day at a time, and we will be a force to be reckoned with.”
Junior hurdler A.K. Ikwuakor has led the way, with Pepsi Invitational titles in the 400-meter hurdles and the 4×400 team relay. Ikwuakor also claimed the 400 hurdle title at the Oregon Preview. The native of Arvada, Colo., also placed second in the 110-meter hurdles at the Pepsi
Invitational, finishing only .05 seconds short of his personal record with a time of 14.14 seconds.
Ikwuakor finished second in the 110 to teammate Eric Mitchum, the Ducks’ top returning hurdler from last year. Mitchum earned a qualifying mark with his time of 13.72 in the 110 hurdles at the Pepsi Invitational and finished third in the 400 with a time of 52.20.
Ikwuakor also helped the 4×400 relay team to victory last week in a meet record 3:07.79 and was part of the relay team that took fifth in the NCAA Indoor Championships this year. The team’s 3:05.25 mark was the second fastest in school history indoors and was good for fifth overall.
Not to be outdone, the Oregon men’s distance runners exhibited their All-American form when they finished first, third and fourth in the 3,000 meters last week.
Ducks ranked nationally
According to the April 12 rankings by trackwire.com, the Oregon men are placed eighth nationally, holding their spot from last week. Oregon is behind fellow conference rivals Arizona, Arizona State and Southern California.
The Pacific 10 Conference has four teams in the top eight, the most of any conference in Division I. Stanford is just outside the top eight, tied for ninth with Wisconsin
and Texas.

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