May 31, 2000

DURHAM, N.C. — University of Kentucky senior Jeff Limpert finished hisfinal track campaign by tying the UK 800-meter outdoor record and earningAll-America honors Wednesday at the 2000 NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Limpert crossed the finish line in a time of 1:48.02, shaving 0.37 secondsoff his personal-best set at the 2000 Southeastern Conference OutdoorChampionships. His time was tied for the eighth fastest of the day, buteven though the top eight moved on to the finals, Limpert did not advance.The top two in each heat, along with the next two fastest times, qualifiedfor the finals. Limpert, however, finished fourth in his heat while therunner with whom he tied automatically advanced by claiming second in his.

“There are mixed emotions about his performance,” head coach Don Webersaid. “It is great that he set a personal best and earned All-America, butwe believe if he had qualified for the finals, he could have run evenfaster against this competition to possibly qualify for the Olympic Trials.He has been invited to run at another meet for one last opportunity to makethe Trials. So he is excited by that.”

By virtue of finishing sixth among American runners, Limpert claimed hisfirst outdoor All-America honor to go along with his 1999 indoordistinction. He now holds the school 800-meter record indoors and outdoors,as well. Limpert established the top indoor mark in 1999 with a time of1:49.25, and he now shares the outdoor mark with Brian Masylar, who hasheld the record since 1988.

UK will be represented once again when senior Matt Kavanagh takes thefield Thursday, June 1, to attempt to become an All-American for the thirdtime in the hammer throw. Action gets underway at 11 a.m. in Wallace WadeStadium at Duke University.

AGATE: (First place and UK finishers – Preliminaries only)

Men’s 800-Meter Run:

1.) Trinity Gray – Brown – 1:46.40
9.) Jeff Limpert – Kentucky – 1:48.02