May 14, 2009
GAINESVILLE, Fla. –
Kentucky track and field senior Ashley Trimble stands third after four events of the women’s heptathlon, leading a quintet of Wildcat multi-athletes on a rain-soaked opening day of the 2009 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships Thursday at host University of Florida’s Percy Beard Track within James G. Pressly Stadium.
The meet continues Friday with field events beginning at 12:30 p.m. ET while running events will get out of the blocks at 6:00 p.m.
After a rain delay of just under three hours, Trimble completed trio of season-best marks to claim third place after the first day of competition. She finished second in the high jump clearing a personal-best mark of 5-5.25. Trimble also placed second in the shot put with a personal-best mark of 38-1.25. In the 100m hurdles, she ran a season-best regional-qualifying time of 13.48, crossing the finish in third. After placing fifth in the 200m dash, Trimble is just 19 points out of second place with a total of 3,389 points.
Freshman Precious Nwokey ranks ninth overall with a total of 3,007 points aided by a second-place finish in the high jump at a height of 5-5.25. She also notched personal-best in the 100m hurdles and shot put. Sophomore Ashley Newby recorded personal-best marks in the 100m hurdles and the shot put to occupy the 10th spot with 2,998 points.
Two UK men made their SEC Championship debut in the men’s decathlon. Freshman Imani DuPerry notched personal-best marks in the shot put, high jump and 400m dash to stand ninth overall halfway through the event totaling 3,309 points. Classmate Kevin Carney ranks 11th after five events with 3,157 points. He placed third overall in the men’s shot put with a personal-best toss of 40-11 and finished sixth in the high jump with a personal-best clearance of 6-2.25.
The Wildcats hope to build upon their solid finishes from last season. At the 2008 Outdoor Championships in Auburn, Ala., the UK men notched 72 points for sixth place, the most since 1996.
Meanwhile, the Wildcat women placed fifth with 84.50 points, just four out of third, the most tallies since the Cats posted 150 in 1981 at the first SEC women’s outdoor championship meet.
The UK men are ranked at No. 25 coming into the meet, one of seven SEC squads ranked nationally in the latest top-25 poll. Other conference teams in the rankings include No. 2 Florida, No. 7 South Carolina, No.8 Arkansas, No. 12 LSU, No. 13 Auburn and No. 20 Georgia.
On the women’s side, Kentucky will compete against four top-25 teams. No. 4 LSU leads the SEC pack, of No. 12 Tennessee, No. 14 Auburn and No. 19 Arkansas.
Video coverage of the Championships will be aired on a tape-delayed basis by FSN South on Sat. May 23 at 6:00 p.m. ET. Live stats will be available at UKathletics.com.
A full recap of the Cats’ performances will be available after each day of competition on UKathletics.com.
Kentucky SEC Outdoor Championship Participants Competing on Friday May 15
Men’s Decathlon – 12:30 p.m. ET
Kevin Carney
Imani DuPerry
Women’s Heptathlon – 1:30 p.m. ET
Ashley Newby
Precious Nwokey
Ashley Trimble
Men’s Hammer Throw – 2:00 p.m. ET
Alek Grietens
Women’s Hammer Throw – 5:00 p.m. ET
Ashley Muffet
Heather Smith
Kristin Smith
Men’s 800 Meter Run Prelims- 6:00 p.m. ET
Matt Frawley
Will Rover
Stephan Smith
Women’s 800 Meter Run Prelims – 6:15 p.m. ET
Jessica Ortman
Men’s 200 Meter Run Prelims – 6:35 p.m. ET
Jose Acevedo
Brandon Austin
Gordon McKenzie
Rondel Sorrillo
Alex Williams
Women’s 200 Meter Run Prelims – 6:50 p.m. ET
Jazmyn Shorter
Men’s 400 Meter Hurdles Prelims – 7:20 p.m. ET
Geoffrey Daley
Mikel Thomas
Women’s 400 Meter Hurdles Prelims – 7:35 p.m. ET
Precious Nwokey
Ashley Trimble
Men’s 10000 Meter Run Final – 7:50 p.m. ET
Bruce Hordusky
Women’s 10000 Meter Run Final – 8:30 p.m. ET
Katherine Peterson
