Harrison & Neal Medal on NCAA Championships Friday
By Jacob Most
June 13, 2014 –
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EUGENE, Ore. – A pair of Wildcats, Kendra Harrison in the 400-meter hurdles and Keffri Neal in the 800m, earned medals during the third day of the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in front of 10,104 at Oregon’s Hayward Field on Friday.
The Wildcats began the day with a combined 10 points in the women’s 400m hurdles. Kendra Harrison claimed the NCAA 400m Hurdles Silver Medal with a time of 55.55 out of lane four.
Running in lane one, Leah Nugent scored the first two NCAA Championship points of her career with a seventh-place time of 58.25.
Texas A&M’s Shamier Little won the race in 55.07 as the Southeastern Conference had the top-5 finishers and six of the top-7.
Keffri Neal claimed the NCAA Bronze Medal in the 800m, with more than a one-second PR of 1:46.39. He broke Sharif Webb’s three-year-old school-record by 0.6 seconds.
Neal, known as a kicker, started out of lane six and was in last place when the field broke inside off the first turn. He remained at the back nearly two body lengths off the rest of the field for the duration of the first lap.
With 250 meters remaining, Neal made his move, but coming off the Bowerman Curve he was only in seventh position.
He found an extra gear with 50 meters remaining, passing four runners before the finish to score the first six NCAA-Championship points of his career.
Andrew Evans, the SEC Discus Champion, did not make the final in that event. The senior finished 14th overall with a mark of 187-10/57.26m.
Keffri Neal (left). Photo by Spencer Allen, Sports Image Wire
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Entering the final day of competition, the UK women’s team is in a four-way tie for seventh place with 18 points. The UK men’s team is in a two-way tie for 30th with six points.
The UK women’s team will have three scoring opportunities on Saturday, while the men will have one.
Harrison will race in the 100m hurdles final, Allison Peare will be in the 1,500m final and Cally Macumber will compete in the 5,000 meters.
Raymond Dykstra will throw in the first flight of the men’s javelin at 3:35 p.m. ET to begin UK’s Saturday program.
