May, 14 2005 Nashville, Tenn. ? The weather caused a four hour rain delay for both the men?s high jump and the women?s long jump at the SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Nashville, Tenn. However, that did not stop University of Kentucky freshman Michael Mason from claiming second in the men?s high jump and breaking the outdoor freshman high jump school record.
Mason?s performance was his second runner-up finish of his career, as he also took second place at the SEC Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Ark. The Nanoose Bay, B.C., native recorded a season-best leap of 7-02 1/2, behind two-time SEC Outdoor High Jump Champion Michael Morrison?s leap of 7-03 ?. Mason earned his second All-SEC honor of his short collegiate career and improved on his previous top regional qualifying mark by over two inches. Earlier this season Mason had tied the outdoor freshman school record of 7-00 1/2, but now holds both the indoor and outdoor freshman high jump school records.
?It means a lot to finish so well at both the indoor and outdoor SEC Track & Field Championships,? said Mason. ?It is such an exciting feeling and I had so much fun. The competition gets so intense when it gets down to two or three competitors and I do my best under pressure.?
In the women?s discus junior Ildiko Varga took fifth with a toss of 172-00, earning her second regional qualifying mark of the season and capturing four points for the women?s squad. Sophomore Andy Fryman added points to the men?s squad total with an eighth-place finish in the men?s discus. Fryman?s heave of 165-10 was his second regional qualifying mark of the season.
UK will be represented by three women?s 1,500-meter runners, including freshman Liliane Sparkes who finished with the second-fastest qualifying time of 4:30.61. Sparkes? mark was her first regional qualifying time of the season, while senior Brooke Patterson also qualified with a time of 4:35.38. Freshman Lavera Morris claimed the Cats third spot in the finals crossing the finish line with a time of 4:36.10.
Senior Gennessa Guzman finished 10th for Kentucky in the women?s discus with a heave of 150-04. Guzman has recorded two regional qualifying tosses in the discus and will compete at the Mideast Regional in Bloomington, Ind., in two weeks. Freshman Andre Silva recorded a personal-best time of 3:56.16 in the men?s 1,500 meters for the Cats, but failed to qualify for Sunday?s finals.
Kentucky?s women?s squad is currently in 12th place after three days of competition, while the men?s squad is in ninth going into the final day. The weather caused the men?s pole vault to be moved to Sunday?s festivities at 1 p.m. EDT. Senior five-time SEC Champion in the shot put will attempt to claim a sixth title Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. EDT. The championship events conclude with the women?s 4×400-meter relay at 10:50 p.m. EDT.
