Most of the ASU men’s and women’s track teams will compete in their final home meet of the outdoor season this weekend at the Sun Devil Open, which will be held at Sun Angel Stadium.
A handful of other Sun Devils will test their strength at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif.
With the Pac-10 Championship and NCAA Outdoor Championship meets looming the near future, ASU coach Greg Kraft has decided to rest some of his top athletes this weekend. With his athletes competing two weeks in a row and facing tough competition, he said he wants to make sure their legs are fresh for the stretch run.
“There was quite a bit of racing at a high level [and] we kind of need to give them some extra recovery,” Kraft said. “It’s time to get some training in.”
For the athletes who are competing this weekend, Kraft said it’s an opportunity to shine and compete for a spot at the Pac-10 Championships.
The men’s team, which is ranked seventh in the nation, will take 28 of its 55 athletes to the conference meet in three weeks. But this weekend’s meet is an opportunity for all athletes to improve their marks and prove something to their coaches.
“This is a chance for them to still get their seasonal- or lifetime-best marks,” Kraft said. “There is enough at stake for the student-athletes.”
The Sun Devil Open will mostly consist of in-state schools, as UA, NAU and Central Arizona College are scheduled to compete. There will also be a large number of unattached entries as well.
The meet starts Saturday at noon with the hammer throw. The discus will start at 2 p.m., and running events will begin at 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, a few throwers will head to southern California for the Triton Invitational.
Kraft said the breeze from the nearby Pacific Ocean gives the throwers a complimentary wind environment and a chance for some lengthy throws.
“The meet has a reputation as a place where it has favorable wind conditions,” Kraft said.
The Sun Devils plan on sending seniors Ryan Whiting and Jason Lewis to compete, as well as freshman Jordan Clarke. Whiting and Lewis are two of the top throwers in the nation, while Clarke is coming off a successful meet at the Mt. SAC Relays last weekend.
Whiting, who threw 21.71 meters (71-02.75) two weeks ago, should have a good chance to break the UCSD stadium record, which is held by John Godina and stands at 70-05 feet.
For the women, sophomore Cj Navarro will compete in the discus, the event in which she is the Pac-10 leader after her heave of 51.24 meters (168-01 feet) last weekend.
The Triton Invitational will feature teams from Stanford, UCLA, USC, Tennessee and Auburn.
Reach the reporter at eric.l.smith@asu.edu
