Mitchell, Alums Take On World's Best

Saturday, August 25th 2007, 8:25 pm

By: News On 6

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) _ Oklahoma senior Jacobi Mitchell and three former Sooners take to the track against the best in the world this weekend at the 11th IAAF World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Mitchell and OU alums Michael Blackwood, Laverne Jones and Danny McFarlane end their impressive 2007 track and field seasons at the meet.

McFarlane is making his seventh trip to the World Championships. Blackwood has run at the meet three times and Jones twice. It is the first appearance for Mitchell.

McFarlane starts first in the 400-meter hurdles preliminary heats today. Fellow Jamaican Blackwood runs the 400-meter dash on Tuesday.

Mitchell, a 2007 NCAA All-American and Pan American Games qualifier, will represent his native Bahamas in the 200-meter dash.