UKTF Alumna Kendra Harrison Claims First USATF Gold
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Photo Gallery (courtesy: USATF)
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Kendra Harrison’s first United States Gold completed a full house of medals for Kentucky Class of 2015 alumnae this weekend at the 2017 USA Track and Field Indoor Championships inside the Albuquerque Convention Center.
Harrison won the 60-meter hurdles, Dezerea Bryant took silver in the 60m, and Kenyattia Hackworth earned bronze in the long jump.
Harrison, who continues to live and train in Lexington (also serving as a volunteer assistant coach at UK) under Kentucky head coach Edrick Floréal, claimed silver at this meet in 2016 – her first season as a professional. Sunday’s gold was her third senior USATF medal as she also claimed silver outdoors in the 100m hurdles in 2015 – an event in which she now holds the world record (12.20) – to make the U.S. World Championships team.
Harrison won the final in 7.81 after running a personal best 7.74 in the semifinals earlier on Sunday. Her semifinal time tied Gail Devers’ USATF Indoor Championships meet record, and put a scare into Lolo Jones’ American record of 7.72. Coupled with the fact that she owns the world record in the short hurdles outdoors, heading into the final Susanna Kallur’s 2008 World Record of 7.68 appeared in to be in play.
While the records didn’t quite go, Harrison finished her second professional indoor season equal the second fastest American all-time and the sixth fastest 60m hurdler in world history.
Most importantly having finally claimed a U.S. title she now has a major gold – she won the NCAA 60m hurdles and 100m hurdles in 2015 as a college senior – to put on her résumé.
“I’m blessed and grateful to have won my fist USA National Title,” Harrison said. “It’s meets like this that will prepare me for London (host sight of the 2017 IAAF World Championships in August). I have come a long way.”
Bryant – 2014 Southeastern Conference 60m Champion and two-time NCAA 200m Champion (indoors at the Albuquerque Convention Center in 2014, and outdoors in low-altitude collegiate-record time in 2015 in Eugene, Oregon) earned her first USATF medal.
Now representing Nike as a professional, Bryant used her patented explosive start to run a personal-best 7.11 and claim silver. Morolake Akinosun won in 7.08.
Hackworth took bronze – her first USATF medal – in the long jump with a mark of 20’11”/6.38m. Hackworth made the finals of the U.S. Olympic Trials last season, and was SEC Silver Medalist in the indoor long jump in 2015.
UK alum Andy Fryman placed fifth in the men’s weight throw with a mark of 74’1.5”/22.59m on Sunday.
Note: With Albuqurque approximately 5,000 feet above sea level many record keepers will note the altitude in keeping sprints records, but altitude does not nullify records the way say tailwinds greater than 2.0 meters per second do.
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