Texas Relays Results (Friday)
| Nikoloff Results (Friday)
March 28, 2014
AUSTIN, Texas and CINCINNATTI – The Kentucky track and field teams produced multiple notable performances on Friday to set up what promises to be an action-packed Saturday at both the 87th Clyde Little Field Texas Relays and the Oliver Nikoloff Invitational.
Kentucky’s Friday was made up of a few field event finals in addition to running-event prelims and the first day of the Nikoloff decathlon.
Kendra Harrison made an impressive outdoor season debut as she shattered the Kentucky 100-meter hurdles record to qualify for the Saturday final in the poll position. Harrison crossed the finish line in 12.94 seconds, which entering the day would be the second-fastest time in the world this year only behind 2012 Olympic Gold Medalist Sally Pearson.
Harrison and Pearson are the only women to break 13 seconds this very young season (based on results entering the day), and Harrison is the only Wildcat to ever complete the 100m hurdles in fewer than 13 seconds.
The UK women’s 4x100m relay (Dominique Booker, Dezerea Bryant, Keilah Tyson and Kayla Parker) also qualified for a stacked Saturday final with the second fastest time in school history, 44.62.
The Wildcats ran the fourth fastest qualifying time and they will go up against Florida, Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, Houston, Kennesaw State, Clemson and Baylor on Saturday at 2:35 p.m. ET.
Parker ran 13.41 in the women’s 100m hurdles and Leah Nugent ran 13.62. Parker’s time was the first one out of the final by .02 seconds as she finished 10th, while Nugent finished 14th.
Bryant, like Harrison, made her outdoor season debut two weeks after running in five races at the NCAA Indoor Championships and qualified for the 100 meters final with a time of 11.50. The 100m dash final is scheduled for 4:20 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Kenyattia Hackworth finished second in the women’s long jump university/college section b with a top mark 6.06m/19-10.75, while Sha’Keela Saunders placed fifth (5.97m/19-7).
Bradley Szypka began the 2014 season in strong fashion with a fourth-place performance in the Texas Relays “A” Shot Put behind a mark of 19.13m/62-9.25.
Raymond Dykstra placed fifth in the Texas Relays Javelin with a top throw 71.03m/233-0.
Rebecca Famurewa and Madison Jacobs placed sixth & seventh respectively in the Texas Relays A discus with marks of 50.01m/164-1 and 49.64/163-0.
Isiah Kent placed eighth in the Texas Relays University/College “B” Discus Throw with a top mark 51.78m/169-10.
Justin Kretchmer finished 11th in the Texas Relays Men’s High Jump University/College B completion with a top clearance 2.05m/6-8.75.
UK had a light schedule at the Nikoloff Invitational, with just five decathlon events and the women’s hammer throw.
Through five events (100m, long jump, shot put, high jump and 400m) Ibn Short leads with 3,725 points, while Nathan Donnellon is second with 3523 and Daniel Buckles is third with 3,182.
Brandi Walker placed ninth in the Nikoloff hammer throw with a top mark 45.29m/148-07 while Cassidy Shippy was 16th (36.71m/120-05).
Other Saturday events to watch include the Texas Relays Women’s Invitational Mile-Relay and the men’s discus featuring 2013 NCAA Bronze Medalist Andrew Evans.
