Landers, Patterson and Heimann all move to Saturday’s finals in the 800

Oxford, Miss. – The Kentucky track and field team sent three student-athletes to Sunday’s finals in the men’s and women’s 800-meter qualifying trials Friday at the Southeastern Conference Championships in Oxford, Miss. For the men, Kris Landers advanced to the finals, while Brooke Patterson and Beth Heimann will be one of nine women competing in the event Sunday.

Landers had the fifth-best overall time in the 800 with his mark of 1:48.44. The Cats’ Hunter Spencer was just two spots away from landing in the top-nine that advance on, as he finished 11th overall in 1:49.79, an NCAA regional qualifying mark. For the women, Patterson blazed to a personal-best and No. 6 time overall in the event with her mark of 2:06.00, also hitting an NCAA time. Heimann qualified for the 800 finals for the fifth time in her career, crossing the finish line in 2:06.45.

UK returns to action tomorrow at the championships with the trials and finals of the women’s discus and high jump, men’s shot put, in which Jeff Chakouian is a heavy favorite, and preliminary competition in the 1,500, 110-meter hurdles and the 400 and 100-meter dashes.