Alcide and McKnight of Razorbacks Track Excel at Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays

Courtesy University of Arkansas Athletics Department

AUSTIN, Texas – On day two of the 86th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays at Mike A. Myers in Austin, Texas, University of Arkansas senior Makeba Alcide wrapped her season-opening heptathlon with a third-place finish. The Razorback multi-event standout finished the seven-event, two-day competition with 5,576 points. In preliminary competition Thursday, junior transfer Sparkle McKnight qualified for the event final in the 400-meter hurdles.

Alcide capped day two of the heptathlon with a personal-best performance at 800 meters, finishing first in section two and third overall with a time of 2:16.22. With the performance she surpassed her previous best of 2:17.10 from the 2012 Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. Alcide posted marks of 5.54m/18-2.25 in the long jump and 31.68m/103-11 in the javelin to begin Thursday’s slate of events. 

Including her performance at 800 meters, the Razorback senior collected two lifetime-best results during the two-day competition. In Wednesday’s final event, Alcide lowered her personal best at 200 meters to 24.38. This week’s showing represents a high point score and finish in three career appearances at the Texas Relays. She previously had bests of 5,543 points scored and a fourth-place finish at the 2011 event.

Arkansas’ preliminary action got underway Thursday with a qualifying performance by McKnight in the 400-meter relays. Running in heat eight of 11, the Razorback newcomer clocked a time of 58.58 and was the fourth-fastest overall qualifier for Friday’s nine-person final which will be run at 6:45 p.m. (CT). McKnight entered the weekend as the NCAA leader in the event with her time of 56.62 last weekend at the Texas State Elite.

Friday competition for Arkansas at the Texas Relays will include preliminary heats at 100 meters, in the 100-meter hurdles and 4×100- and 4×400-meter relays. Running event finals are set for the 400-meter hurdles and in the sprint-medley relay. The Razorbacks will also have field entries in the high jump, pole vault, triple jump and javelin. Arkansas has 17 Texas Relays event titles in program history.

The Razorbacks are also scheduled for competition this weekend at their home Spring Invitational in Fayetteville and the Stanford Invitational in Palo Alto, Calif. Arkansas’ home meet begins Saturday at John McDonnell Field with field events slated for a 9:30 a.m. start. Running events begin at 1:30 p.m. The Razorbacks’ distance crew opens its season Friday at the Stanford event.

For more information regarding Razorback track and field or University of Arkansas athletics, please visit ArkansasRazorbacks.com. Fans can also keep up with Arkansas cross country and track and field through the team’s sport-specific RazorbackTF Facebook and Twitter pages.

Thursday Results

400m Hurdles (prelims)

4. Sparkle McKnight – 58.58Q

19. Gwendolyn Flowers – 1:00.93

Javelin (‘B’ section)

13. Rebecca Gorden 37.13m/121-10

Heptathlon (Day 2/Final)

3. Makeba Alcide – 5,576 points

9. Long Jump – 5.54m/18-2.25 [712 points]

13. Javelin – 31.68m/103-11 [508]

3. 800 Meters – 2:16.22 (PR – prev: 2:17.10) [876]