April 29, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Junior Keith Hayes led the way for the University of Kentucky track and field team, qualifying for the finals of the 110-meter hurdles Friday at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. Hayes will compete for the 110m hurdles title at 3:50 p.m. ET in front of an expected capacity crowd of more than 10,000 patrons at Drake Stadium.
Hayes finished fifth in the 110m hurdles with a time of 14.38, just surpassing his season-best time of 14.39, set at the Kentuckiana Border Battle in Lousiville, Ky. The senior battled a slight head wind during the race, the highest of any other competitor in the top five, leaving room for a much improved time and finish in the finals.
The women’s 4x400m relay that consists of Jenna Martin, Julie Nunn, Jazmyn Shorter and Shiara Robinson, claimed UK’s next-best performance of the day with a ninth-place finish. The foursome ran a season-best time of 3:40.52, narrowly eclipsing their mark of 3:40.80 ran at the Florida Relays on April 2. The Wildcats finished one spot out of the finals, with the top-eight finishers moving on to Saturday’s competition.
Also with a season-best performance, junior Terri-Ann Grant finished tied for 15th in the women’s high jump. Grant used a jump of 1.70m/5-07.00 to secure her finish, which stood an inch taller than her previous season high of 1.68m/5-06.00.
Kentucky will have five athletes in action on the final day of the 102nd running of the Drake Relays:
Women’s Long Jump – Precious Nwokey
Men’s Triple Jump – Keenan Hall, Steve Crouse, David Banks
Men’s 110m Hurdles Final – Keith Hayes
Both the Drake Relays and Payton Jordan Invitational can be seen live on Flotrack.com.
For continuous updates on UK track and field follow @Kentuckytrack on twitter and at UKathletics.com.
Friday’s Results
Women’s 100m Hurdles
24. Precious Nwokey – 14.70 (-3.4)
28. Kayla Parker – 14.97 (-3.4)
Women’s 4x100m Relay
15. Kentucky ‘A’ – 47.14
Women’s 4x400m Relay
9. Kentucky ‘A’ – 3:40.52
Women’s High Jump
T15. Terri-Ann Grant – 1.70m/5-07.00
Women’s Pole Vault
T21. Shelby Kennard – 3.55m/11-07.75
Men’s 100m Dash
31. Kyron Joseph – 11.20 (-5.0)
Men’s 110m Hurdles
5. Keith Hayes – 14.38 (-1.9)
Men’s 4x400m Relay
15. Kentucky ‘A’ – 3:15.64
