For the first time since 1993, Ohio State has a national champion in men's outdoor track and field.
Zack Bazile ended that 25-year drought on Wednesday night, when he leaped 8.37 meters (27 feet, 5.5 inches) to take the top spot on the podium in the long jump at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
It's official.
— Ohio State T&F/XC (@OhioState_TFXC) June 7, 2018
With a jump of 8.37m (27-5.5), Zack Bazile wins the first national title for OSU since 1993! Bazile breaks his personal record and the school record!
This is day one of #NCAATF Championships folks. #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/RFeVGmHzUo
Bazile's winning jump was not only the senior's career best, but also a school record, breaking the previous mark set by Michael Hartfield (26 feet, 9 inches) in 2013. Bazile had the four best jumps of the competition, beating the second-place finisher – Akron's Jordan Latimer (26 feet, 3.75 inches) by more than a foot.
Going into Wednesday's competition, Bazile's previous best outdoor jump of his Ohio State career was only 8.03 meters (26 feet, 4.25 inches).
Additionally, Bazile was part of Ohio State's 4x100-meter relay team that also set a school record on Wednesday. The Buckeyes' team of Eric Harrison Jr., Duan Asemota, Drelan Bramwell and Bazile ran a time of 38.67 seconds, the fourth-fastest time among all schools in preliminaries, to qualify for Friday's final in the event.
Bazile is the Buckeyes' first outdoor champion in men's track and field since Chris Nelloms and Ohio State's 4x400-meter relay team (Rick Jones, Aaron Payne, Robert Smith and Nelloms) both won national championships in 1993. He is the Buckeyes' first outdoor track national championship from either gender since Donna Merriman won the 100-meter hurdles title in 2001.
