Kentucky’s women’s sprinters and hurdlers displayed impressive explosiveness in dominating events that place a premium on that trait at Arkansas’ Tyson Invitational, while UK’s group at the Iowa State Classic made some major dents in the school record book on Friday.
Kentucky boasted the winner of both the Tyson Invitational women’s elite and open long jump, in addition to the women’s 60-meter dash.
Sha’Keela Saunders, whose mark of 22’1”/6.73m recorded in December remains the best in the world this season, won her first long jump competition of the calendar year. The senior won the Tyson elite section long jump with a best mark on her second attempt: 21’2.5”/6.46m.
Earlier in the evening Destiny Carter claimed the open section of the long jump with an indoor personal best 20’9.25”/6.33m, which moved her up a spot to No. 4 on the UK all-time performers list. She also ran a 60m PR 6.30 in qualifying. That tied her for No. 5 on the UK all-time performers list.
Carter did not make the loaded 60m final, but teammates Javianne Oliver and Kianna Gray did.
There, Oliver added another notch to her becoming more impressive by the week 2017 regular-season belt. She won in a final that included both the defending NCAA and Southeastern Conference Champions with a time of 7.19, which was .01 off her PR. Gray placed sixth in 7.31.
Nick Anderson ran two solid 60m hurdles races, eventually placing fourth in a strong final with a time of 7.80.
Coming off a PR and Puerto Rican record 8.03 last week Jasmine Camacho-Quinn finished third in a loaded Tyson 60m hurdles final with a time of 8.08.
Katy Kunc made the headline at the Iowa State Classic as she placed sixth in the 5k with more than a 20-second PR 16:08.55 to become the No. 2 performer in school history, an impressive feat considering the prior top two performers on that list won NCAA titles in the 1980s.
Brandi Walker placed sixth in the ISU Classic weight throw with a PR 63’9.75”/19.45m making her the No. 3 UK performer all-time.
Michelle McKinney ran a PR 4:47.61 to win her heat and place 10th overall in the mile at the ISU Classic, moving up to No. 9 on the UK all-time performers list.
This weekend’s meets will serve as a final regular-season tune-up for the Wildcats as the calendar inches to two weeks out from the start of the postseason. The Wildcats’ schedule includes meets at Clemson and Ohio State next weekend, but the Wildcats will want to get their last competitive work in now and be able to rest next weekend ahead of the Southeastern Conference Championships Feb. 24-25with Vanderbilt as hosts.
The Tyson Invitational continues at noon on Saturday. The meet will be broadcast on SEC Network+ Saturday. FlashResults will cover live results.
The Iowa State Classic will continue Saturday at 2 p.m. ET. FloTrack’s subscription service will broadcast the meet. PTtiming will handlelive results.
The group in Arkansas is made up mostly of sprinters and jumpers. The group competing in Iowa consists of distance runners and throwers.
The Kentucky women’s team moved up two spots to No. 6 in this week’s USTFCCCA computer rankings. The UK men’s team is up 20 spots to No. 27.
| Tyson Invitational Friday Kentucky Results | ||
| Running Events | Rnd | Result |
| Men 400 Meter Dash | Final | 41. William Walker: 49.57 |
| Women 60 Meter Hurdles QUALIFYING | Prelims | 2. Kori Carter (Jordan): 8.11q 6. Faith Ross: 8.31q (PR) |
| Men 60 Meter Hurdles QUALIFYING | Prelims | 18. Cameron Short: 8.29 |
| Women 60 Meter Dash QUALIFYING | Prelims | 1. Destiny Carter: 7.30Q 37. Kayelle Clarke |
| Men 60 Meter Dash QUALIFYING | Prelims | 3. Kenshard Hamilton: 6.76q 24. Craig Green: 6.89 |
| Women 60 Meter Hurdles | Prelims | 2. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn: 8.14Q 6. Kori Carter: 8.21q 10. Jacklyn Howell: 8.27 24. Faith Ross: 8.42 |
| Men 60 Meter Hurdles | Prelims | 4. Nick Anderson: 7.82 23. Caleb Wilt: 8.16 27. Cameron Short: 8.29 |
| Women 60 Meter Hurdles | Final | 3. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn: 8.08 8. Kori Carter (Jordan): 8.32 |
| Men 60 Meter Hurdles | Final | 4. Nick Anderson: 7.80 |
| Women 60 Meter Dash | Prelim | 1. Javianne Oliver: 7.23Q 8. Kianna Gray: 7.33q 9. Destiny Carter: 7.35 |
| Men 60 Meter Dash | Prelim | 16. Kenshard Hamilton: 6.79 |
| Women 60 Meter Dash | Final | 1. Javianne Oliver: 7.19 6. Kianna Gray: 7.31 |
| Field Events | Rnd | Result |
| Women Long Jump | Final | 1. Destiny Carter: 20’9.25”/6.33m 8. Marie-Josee Ebwea Bile: 19’5.5”/5.93m |
| Men Long Jump | Final | 3. Fred Dorsey: 24’5”/7.44m |
| Women Long Jump Invitational | Final | 1. Sha’Keela Saunders: 21’2.5”/6.46m |
| Iowa State Classic Friday Kentucky Results | ||
| Running Events | Rnd | Result |
| Women’s 5k | Final | 9. Avery Bussjager: 17:01.99 |
| Men’s 5k | Final | 16. Mick Iacofano: 14.42.22 |
| Women’s Mile (Invitational) | Final | 10. Michelle McKinney: 4:47.61 – PR – No. 9 UK all-time |
| Women’s 5k (Invitational) | Final | 6. Katy Kunc: 16:08.55 – PR – No. 2 UK all-time |
| Men’s 5k (Invitational) | Final | 22. Jacob Thomson: 14:07.33 |
| Field Events | Rnd | Result |
| Men’s Weight Throw | Final | 7. David Cline: 64’8”/19.71m 11. Logan Bryer: 61’8.5”/18.81m 20. Charles Lenford: 54’4.5”/16.57m |
| Women’s Weight Throw | Final | 6. Brandi Walker: 63’9.75”/19.45m – PR – 22. Nicole Fautsch: 49’8.5”/15.15m |
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