Mt. SAC Relays Sprint Out of the Blocks This Weekend

What was a mere appetizer last week will give way to the main course when the 53rd annual Mt. Sac Relays resume this weekend.

Some of the best collegiate, local and professional distance runners and track and field athletes will descend upon Walnut to compete in all types of running, relay and field events.

Friday's action will feature the elite, open and university competitors, including international competitors. On Saturday, high school athletes will take over the track with hundreds of competitors from high schools all throughout California ready to run, throw, jump and hurdle.

Some of the top California high school competitors include Covina sprinter Remontay McClain, the defending State champion in the 100-and 200-meter races. McClain, a senior, will compete in five events on Saturday, including the 100,  200 and three relay events.

Agoura High School hurdler Jonathan Cabral will also be competing. Cabral is coming off an impressive showing at last weekend's highly-regarded Arcadia Invitational, where he posted the nation's best times in the 110-and 300-meter hurdle events. Cabral will be competing in both events on Saturday.

On the girls side, La Puente Bishop Amat's Kylie Price and Long Beach Poly's Akawkaw Ndipagbor will be two to watch. Price and Ndipagbor have posted the best times in California this year in the 100 and 200 respectively.

Long Beach Poly, which is bringing a large contingent of over 30 competitors and 29 relay teams. will have two girls' relay teams to watch in the 4 x 100 and 4 x 400 relay teams, who both have posted the best times in California this season.

Among the top professional racers include Shalane Flanagan, one of the top American runners in the 1,500. Flanagan is coming off a third-place finish at the World Cross Country Championships and is seeking a spot on Team USA.

Flanagan will compete in Friday's 1,500 race alongside the NCAA cross country champion, Villanova's Shelia Reid.

One of the most competitive races stand to be the women's 5,000 race, which features American record holders Molly Huddle and Jenny Simpson. Huddle is the 5,000 record holder and finished among the top 20 at the recent World Cross Country Championships.

Simpson won two indoor championships this past February.

Some of the stronger male competitors include British miler Tim Bayler, World Junior silver medalist Cas Loxsom, Brigham Young's Miles Batty and Jorge Torres, a 2008 Olympian that will be making his return to the track after competing in road racing in 2010. Torres will compete in the 5,000 on Friday.

The box office and gates for the Mt. Sac Relays will open at 8 a.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Saturday.

Julian Ambrosine (Discus), Rebecca Carey (4 x 100 relay), Kevin Chen (Triple Jump), Aminat Irafen (4 x 100 relay), Chang Lee (Triple Jump), Frankie Martinez (High Jump), Jaelin Milner (4 x 100 relay), Udodiri Okwandu (4 x 100 relay)

Jalise Beamon (Triple Jump), Marquise Cherry (100/Long Jump/4 x 100 relay/4 x 200 relay), Andrew Fischer (300 Hurdles/4 x 100 relay/4 x 200 relay), Richard Harris (High Jump), Frederick Higgins (4 x 200 relay), Kilan Pace (110 Hurdles/4 x 100 relay), James Patterson (4 x 100 relay/4 x 200 relay)

NOTE: Starting times of events/races can be found at http://www.mtsacrelays.com/

TICKET INFORMATION FOR FRIDAY
ADULTS (13 and older): $12
SENIORS (55 and older): $10
CHILDREN (12 and under): $5

PARKING: $5
PREFERRED PARKING: $10

TICKET INFORMATION FOR SATURDAY
ADULTS (13 and older): $15
SENIORS (55 and older): $10
CHILDREN (12 and under): $5

PARKING: $5
PREFERRED PARKING: $10
NOTE: Only cash will be taken for parking