Oxon Hill's big weekend continues with berth in C of A 4x400

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By Jim Lambert for DyeStat

PHILADELPHIA- Oxon Hill of Maryland continued its stunning and sizzling weekend at the 123rd Penn Relays by qualifying for its second Championship of America race Saturday at Franklin Field.

A day after running a Maryland state record 7:40.35 to earn the top seed in the 4x800 C of A that will be run at 4 p.m. today, the Oxon Hill boys lit up the track again Saturday by running a US#4 3:12.72 to place third in its qualifying 4x400 heat to earn a spot in the C of A 4x400 race.   

Oxon Hill is the only U.S. team to qualify for the boys 4x800 and 4x400 Championship of America races. Three Jamaican teams, Jamaica College, Kingston, and Calabar, also made both finals.

Oxon Hill was in the fastest 4x400 heat of the day and perhaps the fastest in meet history. Jamaica College won the heat in 3:09.95, the fifth-fastest time in meet history, and Kingston College was second in 3:09.96, tied for No. 6 in Penn Relays history.

The 4x400 meet record of 3:08.72 set in 1997 by John Muir of Pasadena, Calif. could go down in the final.

Oxon Hill’s 4x400 lineup was Daniel George (49.80), Aaron Robinson (46.69), Randy Serville (49.09), Gary Ross (47.15). Robinson, Serville and Ross also ran on the 4x800 in the trials.

Also advancing to the 4x400 C of A race from the U.S. were Bullis MD (3:13.24), and East Orange N.J. (3:13.92). Cory Poole, who won the 400 hurdles Saturday in 50.71, No. 3 in meet history, anchored for East Orange in 47.39.