Keaton Daniel, a senior from Henderson, Nevada, made history at the Razorback Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas, by breaking his own school record in the men’s pole vault for the third time during the indoor season. He ascended to a height of 18 feet, 10.25 inches (5.75 meters) on Friday, thereby raising his school record by five inches. Daniel is now the collegiate leader and remains undefeated in all four indoor meets this season.
Kennedy Lightner, a senior from North Little Rock, Arkansas, also shone in the event by claiming the men’s 200-meter dash with a time of 20.71 seconds. This marks back-to-back wins for Lightner, who also dominated the 200 in the Red Raider Open last week. Graduate student Josh Sobota from Knoxville, Tennessee, earned his third victory this season in the shot put with a heave of 65’11” (20.09m).
Sophomore Anthaya Charlton from Nassau, Bahamas, also made a personal best in the women’s long jump with a soar of 20’7″ (6.27m), landing in sixth place on the University of Kentucky’s all-time indoor list. The Wildcats ended the evening on a high note as the team of Sydney Steely, Christal Mosley, Jenna Schwinghamer, and Tori Herman set a school-record time of 10:58.26 in the distance medley relay.
A total of 16 women’s teams and 15 men’s teams, including host Arkansas and other top universities such as Arizona State, Baylor, and Texas A&M, are competing in the weekend’s event. Saturday’s action starts with running events at 9:10 a.m. and field events at noon.
In conclusion, the Razorback Invitational was a successful event for the University of Kentucky, with six personal bests notched and a new school record set in the distance medley relay. The Randal Tyson Track Center, the host site of the 2023 Southeastern Conference Championships in February, provided a fantastic backdrop for the competition.
| Women’s Pentathlon | Friday, January 27 | ||
| 60 Hurdles | Final | 12. Annika Williams: 8.85, 941 pts. |
| High Jump | Final | 7. Annika Williams: 5’7.25”/1.71m, 867 pts. |
| Shot Put | Final | 2. Annika Williams: 42’9.75”/13.05m, 731 pts. |
| Long Jump | Final | 12. Annika Williams: 18’2.25”/5.54m, 712 pts. |
| 800 Meters | Final | 8. Annika Williams: 2:26.10, 743 pts. |
| Pentathlon | Total | 4. Annika Williams: 3994 pts. |
| Men’s Heptathlon | Friday, January 27 | ||||
| Day One | ||||
| Men | 60m | Final | 10. Jacob Sobota: 7.16, 826 pts. | |
| Men | Long Jump | Final | 9. Jacob Sobota: 22’7.75”/ 6.90m, 790 pts. | |
| Men | Shot Put | Final | 10. Jacob Sobota: 40’4.75”/12.31m, 625 pts. | |
| Men | High Jump | Final | 11. Jacob Sobota: 6’2.25”/1.89m, 705 pts., personal best | |
| Day One Total | 9. Jacob Sobota: 2946 pts. | |||
| Day Two: Saturday, January 28 (All times central) | ||||
| 10:15 AM | Men | Hept. 60 Hurdles | Final | Ja. Sobota |
| 11:00 PM | Men | Hept. Pole Vault | Final | Ja. Sobota |
| 2:10 PM | Men | Hept. 1000 Meters | Final | Ja. Sobota |
| Total | Heptathlon | Total | Ja. Sobota |
| Friday, January 27 (all times Central) | ||||
| 3:00 PM | Men | Pole Vault | Final | 1. Keaton Daniel: 18’10.25”/5.75m | Raises his school record by five inches, 2023 collegiate leader to date 10. Dalton Shepler: 16’6.75”/5.05m |
| 3:30 PM | Women | Shot Put | Prelim/Final | 18. Simi Akinrinsola: 43’6.5”/13.27m |
| 4:15 PM | Women | High Jump | Final | 7. Mallory Mullen: 5’8”/1.73m |
| 4:30 PM | Men | Long Jump | Prelim/Final | 11. Robbie Springfield: 25’2.75”/7.69m |
| 5:45 PM | Women | Long Jump | Final | 5. Anthaya Charlton: 20’7”/6.27m, PB, No. 6 on UK all-time indoor list |
| 5:50 PM | Men | Shot Put | Prelim/Final | 1. Josh Sobota: 65’11”/20.09m 9. Dennis Ohene-Adu: 57’4.25”/17.48m |
| 6:10 PM | Men | 200 Meters | Final | 1. Kennedy Lightner: 20.71 7. Brandon Miller: 21.02 17. Jordan Anthony: 21.32 (Volunteer Assistant Coach Christian Coleman won the “open 200m” in 20.64) |
| 6:50 PM | Women | 200 Meters | Final | 8. Masai Russell: 23.54 18. Tamiia Fuller: 23.80, PB 25. Shadajah Ballard: 24.04 32. Colleen Branch: 24.28, PB 36. Yasmin Brooks: 24.43 39. Reynei Wallace: 24.51, PB 53. Iantha Wright: 24.98, SB (UKTF alumna Alexis Homes won the “open 200m” in 23.40) |
| 7:45 PM | Women | Distance Medley Relay | Final | 6. Sydney Steely, Christal Mosley, Jenna Schwinghamer, Tori Herman: 10:58.26, school record, No. 6 in the nation as of Friday |
| Saturday, January 28 (all times Central) | ||||
| 9:10 AM | Men | 3000 Meters – Open | Final | Withrow, Watts, Brush |
| 9:35 AM | Women | 3000 Meters – Open | Final | Kenne |
| 9:45 AM | Men | Mile – Open | Final | Alston |
| 10:00 AM | Women | Mile – Open | Final | Kruger, McCowan, J. Williams |
| 10:30 AM | Men | 400 Meters – Open | Final | Nyandoro, Wilson |
| 10:45 AM | Women | 400 Meters – Open | Final | Wallace, Wright |
| 11:25 AM | Women | 60m Hurdles | Prelim | Brooks, Ballard |
| 12:00 PM | Women | Weight Throw | Prelim/Final | Akinrinsola |
| 12:10 PM | Women | 60 Meters | Prelim | Perrow, Russell, Charlton |
| 12:30 PM | Men | Mile | Final | D. Allen |
| 12:50 PM | Women | Mile | Final | Herman, Schwinghamer, Steely |
| 1:18 PM | Women | 60m Hurdles | Prelim | Brooks, Ballard |
| 1:20 PM | Men | 400 Meters | Final | Lawrence Jr. |
| 1:30 PM | Women | Triple Jump | Prelim/Final | Galloway |
| 1:45 PM | Women | 400 Meters | Final | Miles, Moss, Mosley |
| 2:30 PM | Women | Pole Vault | Final | Szerencsits, Phillips |
| 2:30 PM | Men | Weight Throw | Prelim/Final | Browning, Coles, Ohene-Adu |
| 2:32 PM | Women | 60 Meters | Final | Perrow, Russell, Charlton |
| 2:35 PM | Men | 800 Meters | Final |