10 Wildcats Set for USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene
June 24, 2015
EUGENE, Ore. — Ten members of the Kentucky track and field teams will compete against some of the world’s best during the United States Track and Field Championships this week at Oregon’s Hayward Field.
Many from UK’s contingent will be returning to the site of their NCAA Runner-up team finish two weeks ago. This time they’ll compete against some of their NCAA rivals in addition to professionals — many of them Olympic Medalists.
The USATF Championships run from Thursday through Sunday.
The Wildcats enter the meet looking to earn spots on the 2015 IAAF World Championships team set for August 22-30 in Beijing, China, as well as on the Pan American Games, Thorpe Cup, Pan Am Juniors and NACAC Championships teams.
The top-3 finishers in each event, providing they have the qualifying standard time/mark, will be selected for the U.S. World Championships’ team — of which UK head coach Edrick Floréal is the men’s head coach.
The U.S. track and field team at the World Championships and Olympic Games is considered the toughest team to make in sports, because of the nation’s comparative depth and strength in the sport.
Thursday events will feature Wildcats in the preliminary heats of the women’s 100 meters and Adriana Brown in the junior discus.
Bowerman Award semifinalist Dezerea Bryant will compete alongside teammates Keilah Tyson and Dominique Booker in the 100m prelims.
Two weeks ago Bryant claimed the NCAA Bronze Medal in the 100m on the same track, while Keilah Tyson placed seventh in the NCAA Final. Later that day, Bryant set the low-altitude collegiate record in the 200m (22.18).
Also competing this week at USAs are Kentucky hurdles stars Kendra Harrison and Leah Nugent, in addition to Jacklyn Howell who qualified for both the USATF Senior and Junior Championships in the 100m hurdles.
Sha’Keela Saunders, who claimed NCAA Bronze at Hayward Field earlier this month, is entered in the long jump. Should she earn a top-3 finish, she would qualify for the World Championships as she has the IAAF standard mark. Kenyattia Hackworth is also entered in the long jump.
Logan Bryer is entered in the junior hammer throw.
Team USA scored 282 points as a team at the 2013 IAAF World Championships for the most ever by a U.S. team. Team USA captured 25 medals, tying its second-highest medal output.
The track & field portion of the Pan American Games takes place July 20-26, 2015 in Toronto, Canada at CIBC Pan/Parapan Am Athletics Stadium at York University.
