DES MOINES, Iowa and SAN DIEGO ? Junior Jessica Ortman set a new varsity record in the women?s steeplechase while Grant Lindsey tied the men?s freshman high jump record at the 99th annual Drake Relays. The pair collected two of nine regional-qualifying marks posted by the University of Kentucky track and field team Saturday.
Ortman?s time of 10:40.88 on the Drake Stadium Track broke the UK record by over six seconds in the women?s steeplechase. The new record-holder finished ninth in the event and as the sixth collegian to make the Mideast Regional cut.
Lindsey?s leap of 7-2.50 tied the men?s freshman high jump record set by Michael Mason in 2005. His jump is also tied for the third-highest clearance in school history, while earning Lindsey an opportunity to compete in Fayetteville, Ark., next month at the regional.
The Wildcat relay teams continued to impress taking home three regional marks in event finals.
The men?s 4x100m relay team of sophomore Kwasi Obeng and juniors Jose Acevedo, Brandon Austin and Gordon McKenzie finished fourth overall with a qualifying time of 40.52. Later, senior Nathan Browning, Obeng, junior Mikel Thomas and Acevedo garnered another regional ticket with a third-place finish in the 4x400m relay, clocking in at 3:07.32
The women?s 4x400m relay squad also beat the regional standard. The team of sophomore Jenna Martin, junior Ashley Trimble and freshmen Danielle Sampley and Jazmyn Shorter sprinted across the line in 3:40.52, placing third. Earlier in the day, the women?s 4x100m relay squad consisting of Shorter, Sampley, Martin and freshman Bianca Tyson finished sixth in a time of 45.90.
Lavera Morris? second-place time of 4:24.86 in the women?s 1500 meter run earned the senior a spot in the regional. Junior Jenna Ortman placed seventh in the race running in 4:28.
After breaking the freshman record in the men?s 110 meter hurdles the day prior, Brendan Ames competed in the event final, placing eighth. Ames? mark of 14.25 made the regional cut, his second in the event in as many days.
Rookie Ke?Undra Bishop improved upon her seventh-best all-time mark at UK with a personal-record triple jump measuring 38-8.75.
Senior John Richardson turned in UK?s best men?s 800 meter run time this season with his seventh-place finish of 1:52.09.
The final two regional-qualifying marks were earned out West at the UC-San Diego Triton Invitational.
Both marks occurred in the women?s discus competition as junior Emilee Strot threw a distance of 169-06. Freshman Jennifer Svoboda continued her incremental season improvement with a throw of 158-10, bettering her 10th-place mark that she set on Thursday.
Final results from the Triton Invitational competition will be posted Sunday on UKathletics.com. Scheduled events with Wildcat competitors include women?s and men?s shot put, men?s discus and men?s hammer throw.
Stay tuned to UKathletics.com for the latest updates.
