Illini Add Talented Duo to 2009 Squad
December 10, 2008 | Men's Track & Field
Dec. 10, 2008
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois men's track and field head coach Wayne Angel announced today the addition of two talented student-athletes joining the Illini program in January. Sprinter Hendrik Maartens (Vereeninging, South Africa) and multi-event athlete Andrew Riley (Kingston, Jamaica) will both be freshmen competing with the Orange and Blue in the 2009 season.
"I have always said that talent raises the potential of a team," Angel said. "There is no doubt in my mind that these young men will help us to raise the bar with our overall team performance at the 2009 Big Ten Championships."
Both Maartens and Riley are expected to be immediate contributors at Illinois, with Maartens owning personal-bests of 47.14 in the 400m, 21.5 in the 200m and 10.70 in the 100m and Riley boasting a personal-best high jump mark of 6-10 ¾ and a time of 13.89 in the 110m hurdles.
They also add international experience to the Illini, as Maartens has competed at the World Youth Championships as well as the African Championships and Riley was a silver medalist at the 2007 Carifta Games in the Turks & Caicos Islands.
Profiles of the Newest Illini:
Hendrik Maartens // Vereeninging, South Africa // Sprints
Notes: Fifth-ranked 400m junior in Africa and the number two ranked 400m runner in South Africa ... South African junior national champion in the 400m ... Finalist in the 400m at the 2007 World Youth Championships in Ostrava, Czech Republic ... Has also competed at the ISF World Gymnasiade in Greece and the African Championships in Madagascar, Mozambique and Botswana ... Team captain for the 2006 ISF World Gymnasiade team in Greece and the African Championships team in Botswana ... Six-time South African Sportsman of the Year ... Boasts personal-bests of 47.14 in the 400m, 21.5 in the 200m and 10.70 in the 100m ... Born Oct. 7, 1990.
Coach Angel on Maartens: "We are very happy with the addition of Hendrik to our family. He brings depth and strength to our already talented sprinting corps. I am confident that Hendrik will make an immediate impact on this program just as his fellow African and new teammate Gakologelwang Masheto has."
Andrew Riley // Kingston, Jamaica // Calabar High School // Multi-Events
Notes: Three-time Jamaican National Champion, winning two heptathlon titles and one high jump title ... Silver medalist in the heptathlon at the 2007 Carifta Games in Turks & Caicos, British West Indies ... Attended Calabar High School, the same high school as Illini legend Herb McKenley ... Boasts personal bests of 6-10 ¾ (2.10m) in the high jump and 13.89 in the 110m high hurdles ... Born Jan. 1, 1988.
Coach Angel on Riley: "We are very pleased that Andrew has chosen the University of Illinois to further his education as well as his athletic pursuits. He adds strength and depth to our sprinting and jumping corps and should be a formidable presence in the multi events".
