SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Kentucky’s track and field athletes are currently in their second day of competition Thursday at the 2007 NCAA Championships in Sacramento, Calif., at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex.
A live blog of this evening’s competition will be available below. Please continue hitting REFRESH on your computer for the latest live updates.
7:41 p.m. EDT – As thrower Gavin Ball (Cottage Grove, Wisc.) prepares to compete in the men’s shot put qualifier at 8:15 p.m. EDT, the rest of the Wildcvats have now arrived at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex prepare for their races or cheer on their teammates.
7:44 p.m. EDT – It is currently 79 degrees here in Sacramento with partly cloudy skies. The winds have significantly died down from yesterday, as the wind is from the south at 6 mph. By the time the 4×400 relay team runs at 9:45 p.m. EDT, it will be about 62 degrees and clear out.
7:56 p.m. EDT – As those competing in the shot put continue to warm up, Ball is the 13th thrower in the first of two flights tonight that commence at 8:15 p.m. EDT. There are 13 throwers in each flight with the best 12 marks advancing to Saturday morning’s final.
8:39 p.m. EDT – Ball is currently competing in the qualifying round of the men’s shot put. There are two sectors set up for the shot put, so both flights are going on concurrently.
9:14 p.m. EDT – Ball fails to qualify for Saturday’s final in the shot put, finishing 22nd with a toss of 56-0.
9:22 p.m. EDT – Junior mid-distance runner John Richardson (Ocean City, N.J.) struggled in his race, finishing the 1,500-meter run in a time of 3:58.75. Richardson appeared to be cut out of his lane while running and fell down at the 800-meter mark. The Wildcats will try to file an appeal.
9:24 p.m. EDT – Everyone is eagerly anticipating the men’s 4×400 relay semifinals which commence at 9:45 p.m. EDT.
9:47 p.m. EDT – The appeal on Richardson was denied as it was said that video evidence on the situation was ruled inconclusive.
9:59 p.m. EDT – The men’s 4×400 team struggled down the stretch. Nathan Browning (Petersburg, Ill) and Jose Acevedo (Caracas, Venezuela) had the Wildcats in first place, but junior Justin Harrison (Wheaton, Ill.) bobbled the handoff from Acevedo and ran a rough 400 meters that dropped the Cats to fifth place. Senior Luis Luna (Barquisimeto, Venezuela) ran a valiant anchor leg, but the Wildcats were unable to recover.
Kentucky Results (Thursday, June 7, 2007 – Sacramento, Calif.)
Men’s Shot Put Qualifying
22. Gavin Ball – 56-0
Men’s 1,500-Meter Semifinals
27. John Richardson – 3:58.75
Men’s 4×400 Relay Semifinals
25. Kentucky – 3:07.68 N. Browning, J. Acevedo, J. Harrison, L. Luna
