KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ? University of Kentucky track and field hurdler Mikel Thomas broke the school?s varsity record in the 110 meter hurdles Friday before rain storms delayed the completion of the first full day of the Sea Ray Relays hosted by Tennessee shortly after 5:00 p.m. ET in Knoxville, Tenn.
Thomas, a junior, broke one of the oldest records in the UK annals with his third-place time of 13.85 earning an NCAA regional-qualifying mark. In 1972, Chuck Peters ran a converted time of 14.04 that has stood for 36 years. This is the second time this year that Thomas has broken a record held by Peters from 1972, after besting the alum?s 60m hurdles record during the indoor season.
Sophomore Geoffrey Daley climbed the school?s top-10 list in the event with his personal-best time of 14.36, placing him in fifth all-time.
School records were broken on the women?s side as well as Danielle Sampley continued a phenomenal rookie season, setting three new standards.
The freshman broke the UK women?s first-year long jump record Thursday evening while competing in the women?s heptathlon. Sampley?s jump of 20-5 is fourth all-time at Kentucky and earns her a regional-qualifying mark. Her distance beat Ola Sesay?s 1998 mark of 20-4.25 and is only seven inches off of Sesay?s varsity record.
Sampley finished third in the heptathlon, second collegiately, with a score of 5,196 setting new UK varsity and freshman records in the event. Junior Ashley Trimble finished fourth with 5,086 points for the second-best point total in school history. Sampley and Trimble both earned NCAA provisional marks for their efforts.
Freshman Ashley Newby joins her teammates on the heptathlon top-10 list placing fifth all-time after finishing eighth with a total of 4,671 points.
In her first collegiate track and field competition, freshman Victoria Dunlap earned a regional-qualifying mark after soaring 5-10 in the high jump to post the third-best height all-time in school history. Dunlap claimed top honors in the event beating the second place competitor by more than an inch.
Four sprinters also nabbed regional-qualifying marks. In the men?s 100 meter dash, juniors Gordon McKenzie (10.34) and Brandon Austin (10.50) each garnered a mark. In the 400 meter dashes, senior Nathan Browning notched a qualifying time of 46.98 while sophomore Jenna Martin beat the regional standard clocking in at 54.29.
Freshman Bianca Tyson just missed becoming the first female since 1998 to break into the school?s 100 meter dash top-10 list. Tyson?s time of 11.83 was just 0.02 seconds shy of tenth place.
Finally four other Cats claimed top-five finishes. Sophomore Kristin Smith placed second in the women?s hammer throw with a toss of 175-01. Freshman J.D. Horton crossed the line in second (15:44.61) during the men?s open 5,000 meter run. In the men?s steeplechase, senior Zach Wilder (9:49.28) and sophomore Will Rover (9:58.02) finished two-three at the finish.
The Cats continue competition with several Friday evening events to be completed in a revamped schedule on Saturday. A complete recap of top UK results will be available after conclusion of the day?s events.
