2018 49er Classic

Kyron McMaster In The Hurdles, Sang/Goule In The 1500: 49er Classic Preview

Kyron McMaster In The Hurdles, Sang/Goule In The 1500: 49er Classic Preview

Kyron McMaster, Caroline Sang, and Natoya Goule headline the action at the 2018 49er Classic.

Mar 15, 2018 by Kevin Sully
Kyron McMaster In The Hurdles, Sang/Goule In The 1500: 49er Classic Preview

The indoor season hasn’t been over for an entire week and attention has already turned outdoors. This weekend UNC-Charlotte hosts the 49er Classic, a meet that features collegians and professionals all itching to get an early start on their outdoor season. 

You can watch the meet live on FloTrack and find the full schedule and entries here. Below are a few athletes and events to watch. 

Watch The 2018 49er Classic Live On FloTrack

Women’s 1500m: Friday, 5:10 PM ET

Caroline Sang kicks off her outdoor season on her home track in the 1500m and 3000m. Sang didn’t qualify for the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships, but she turned in strong performances in cross country and the 2017 outdoor season. Sang was sixth in 2017 NCAA Cross Country Championships in November, eighth in the 10,000m outdoors, and 12th in the 5000m outdoors. Sang’s personal bests in the 1500m and 3000m are 4:25 and 9:18, but perhaps a bigger marker to monitor is the 4:34.19 she ran in this meet last year. 

Natoya Goule should provide the best competition for Sang. The Clemson alum will be moving up in distance after competing at the 2018 World Indoor Championships for Jamaica in the 800m. At the end of January Goule ran 1:59.86, a time that's almost faster than her outdoor personal best—so she's in shape. Goule’s personal best in the 1500m is 4:18.74 PR and she opened her season in Charlotte last year with a 4:26.

Men’s 400m Hurdles: Friday, 3:55 PM ET

Kyron McMaster was the top 400m hurdler in the world last year. A disqualification at the world championships prevented him from getting the medal to cap off of his season, but if you are evaluating the season as a whole, the 21-year-old from the British Virgin Islands was a cut above the field. He had the fastest time of the year, a 47.80 in Kingston, and he owned four of the top five marks in the world. 

McMaster's only appearance during the indoor season came when he ran a 500m at Clemson in December. Nobody should challenge him on Friday, and it will give an early indication if McMaster is going to set the world on fire again this year. 

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase: Friday, 4:30 PM ET 

Six days after she ran in the finals of the mile at the 2018 NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas, West Virginia's Amy Cashin toes the line in Charlotte in the 3000m steeplechase. 

During the indoor season, Cashin’s converted 4:36—she ran 4:39.63 on a flat track—placed her 19th on the descending order list. After scratches, she made it into the meet as the 10th seed. Cashin ran 4:40.15 in the heats to qualify for the heats where she placed ninth. 

On Friday, she returns to the steeplechase, her outdoor priority. Cashin qualified for the NCAA championships in 2017 after she ran a personal best of 10:01 in the regional meet. 

Men’s 800m: Saturday, 1:30 PM ET

Bershawn Jackson announced his retirement from track and field last season, but the 400m hurdle legend is listed on the entry list in the 800m. Jackson has won four gold medals at the world championships in the 4x400m and 400m hurdles and has made some early-season appearances in the 800m in recent years. His best mark is 1:51.75, a mark he put up in the 2016 season. Despite announcing his retirement early last year, Jackson had a strong 2017. He ran 48.63 and made the final of the U.S. championships. 

Mpho Makofane, a senior from Clemson, is also entered in the 800. Makofane didn’t compete during the indoor season but ran 1:47.83 last spring. He's also entered in the 1500m, which takes place Friday at 5:55 PM ET. 

Men’s 100m/200m: Friday, 1:35 PM ET (100m), Saturday, 2:50 PM ET (200m)

Quarter miler Manteo Mitchell is entered in both the 100m and 200m in Charlotte. Mitchell has been a mainstay in the U.S. 400m scene and took a silver for his contributions to the silver medal squad at the 2012 Olympics. Mitchell famously ran on a broken leg in the semifinals, but was still able to get the baton around. 

Mitchell ran his 100m personal best at this meet in 2014, a 10.31 clocking. His best 200m time is a 20.47. The 30-year-old raced at four meets during the indoor season, though he did not compete at the U.S. indoor championships.