March 05, 2005

Mims Breaks Ryun's Record, Automatically Qualifies

March 5, 2005

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Kansas senior Jeremy Mims broke one of the oldest KU records and in the process automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships with a 1:47.04 effort in the 800-meter run at the Iowa State Qualifier Saturday afternoon.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

Mims broke the record of Jayhawk legend Jim Ryun that he set in 1967.

“Jeremy had an excellent race,” Kansas head coach Stanley Redwine said. “He went into the race determined that he could automatically qualify and in the process beat the old school record.”

This is the second Ryun record that has been broken this season. Earlier this year, junior Benson Chesang broke Ryun’s mark in the 3,000.

Chesang one-upped that record with a provisional mark of 7:57.86 in the 3,000 today. Chesang held the previous record of 7:59.46,which he broke a month ago at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

Senior Brooklyn Hann also improved on her previous school record in the triple jump. Hann provisionally qualified in the event with a personal best jump of 43-02.25, en route to a second place finish. Her previous best mark of 42-04.25 was set at the Husker Invitational on February 5^th.

Freshman sprinter/hurdler Julius Jiles also provisionally qualified in the 60-meter hurdles with the second best effort in school history of 7.89. Former KU great Anson Jackson holds the school mark of 7.86.

“We had a lot of good performances today,” Redwine added. “Not only the people that qualified or broke school records, but the people in the middle that PR’d. This is a continued step in the right direction for Kansas track.”

Junior Sheldon Battle, who has already provisionally qualified in both events, took first place in the weight throw (66-10.50) and finished second in the shot put (59-11.25).

Coach Redwine and the provisionally qualified athletes will wait and see if there times are good enough for the NCAA Indoor Championships, which will be held next weekend in Fayatteville, Ark. Mims will join senior pole vaulter Amy Linnen, who has also automatically qualified.