Track and field team prepares to compete with over 5,000 athletes this weekend.

April 5, 2000

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky track and field team beginscompetition Thursday, April 6, at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays on themeet’s second day. The 73rd edition of this prestigious meet is being heldin the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas, and runs through Saturday,April 8.

Leading the way for the Cats will be senior Matt Kavanagh and juniorRebecca Wedel. Kavanagh, already an NCAA outdoor provisional qualifier, iscoming off a second-place finish in the hammer throw at Auburn where hisheave was the second furthest in school history. Wedel, who also claimedsecond in the hammer throw at Auburn, broke the school record by more thansix feet with her toss.

Also qualifying for the Relays are senior Jeff Limpert and freshmen HunterSpencer, Thomas Morgan, and Chad Johnson. These four will represent UK inboth the distance medley relay and the 4×800-meter relay. Each of thefreshmen competed well in the 800 meters during the indoor season,improving steadily as the season progressed. Last week at Auburn, Limpertran the third best outdoor 800-meter time in school history while Johnsonbroke the UK outdoor freshman 800-meter record.

The Texas Relays annually draw many of the best collegiate andinternational talent. This year’s competition, which also includes a largerepresentation of Texas high school teams, has drawn over 5,000 athletes.The top names include Maurice Greene, the current world-record holder inthe 100 meters, along with Donovan Bailey and Jon Drummond, all of whomwill compete in the invitational events.

The Cats will see action in the men’s and women’s hammer throw as well asthe men’s 4×800-meter relay on Thursday beginning at 3 p.m. EST.