LEXINGTON, Ky. ?University of Kentucky track and field sprinter Jenna Martin broke the women?s 400 meter dash indoor school record while freshman Derrick Locke tied UK?s all-time freshman long jump mark Friday at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.
Martin broke the team?s fourth varsity school record this year with her time of 52.72 in the 400m dash prelims. The sophomore finished fourth and recorded the nation?s second-fastest collegiate mark this year to qualify for Saturday?s final. Martin broke a decade-old record held by Roshell Russell (52.90) set in 1998.
In just his second collegiate competition, freshman Derrick Locke continued to climb the UK all-time long jump chart. Locke tied the Kentucky freshman record in the event hitting the dirt at 24-6.25. The two-sport athlete tied Tony Woods’ mark set in 1996 placing him in a tie for third on the all-time varsity long jump list.
Four new all-time UK top-10 marks were set at the Randal Tyson Track Center, home of the 2008 SEC and NCAA Indoor Championships. Two of those marks were also NCAA provisionals and went to Wildcat men?s squad classmates.
Junior Rashaud Scott finished second with another personal best in the men?s shot put, replacing the distance he set last week in New York. Scott?s throw of 59-11 moves him into seventh-place in the UK annals. Meanwhile, Jose Acevedo narrowly missed the men?s 400m dash finals by 0.001 seconds. He finished ninth overall in a time of 47.200. It established Acevedo?s best indoor performance and placed him seventh all-time at Kentucky in the event.
The women?s weight throw accounted for the other duo of top-10 marks. Sophomores Kristin Smith and Emily Bernhardt finished sixth and seventh, respectively in the event. Smith?s distance of 59-7.75 set a personal best as she moved into fourth all-time at UK. Bernhardt eclipsed her personal-best mark set last week by 0.75 inches (57-5.75) to replace her top-10 all-time school listing.
Current UK record-holder Mikel Thomas qualified for the men?s 60m hurdle final on Saturday with a provisional time of 7.90.
The UK men?s 4x400m relay team received an invitation to the Friday evening showcase invitational featuring many of the nation?s best track and field athletes to be broadcast Sunday on ESPN2. The Cats finished fourth overall in a race won by defending National Indoor Champion Baylor who set a new world-best time of 3:06.89, knocking UK into second-place on the globe this year.
Wildcat field event specialists and sprinters resume competition Saturday at 11 a.m. ET. Live results can be found at www.Hogwired.com with a live broadcast on www.ladybacks.com. ESPN2 will show portions of the event on a tape-delayed basis Sunday, February 17, 5-7 p.m. ET.
UK middle distance and distance runners start competition Saturday at 11:15 a.m. ET in Washington?s Dempsey Indoor Facility at the Husky Classic. Representatives from nine ranked teams will compete this weekend in Seattle. Last year’s Husky Classic produced 95 NCAA qualifying performances by collegiate athletes, including 13 automatic qualifiers and 82 provisional marks. Live results will be available at www.GoHuskies.com. In addition, each race will be archived on www.flocasts.org/flotrack/coverage.php?c=178 starting Saturday evening.
The UK men remain 10th, while the Wildcat women rank 21st in the latest U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association polls released Wednesday.
Complete results and a recap of this Saturday?s action will be available at UKathletics.com.
