Reising, Campbell Highlight Day One of 83rd Annual Kansas Relays

April 14, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

It was a warm and windy opening day of the 83rd Annual Kansas Relays, as 28 athletes competed in various events of the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon. The men completed five of their 10 events, while the women wrapped up four of their seven on Wednesday at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan.

Skyler Reising, who is competing unattached, leads the men’s decathlon field with 3,937 points. Reising took a commanding lead after leaping 2.07m (6-09.50 ft.) in the high jump, which was nearly a foot higher than any of the competition.

Aaron Hannon of Baker is in second place after the first five events, as he earned 3,615 points on the day. He won both the 100 and 400-meter dashes, which contributed 1,643 points to his score.

After the first day of the women’s heptathlon, Anna Kay Campbell of Lincoln University (Mo.) holds a slim 22 point-lead on Megan Wheatley of Nebraska. Campbell finished the day with 3,197 points, while Wheatley, a two-time Big 12 champion in the heptathlon, is currently in second with 3,175 points.

Campbell was trailing Wheatley by 102 points going into the final event, but she ran an impressive 24.24 in the 200-meter dash, garnering 958 points to take over the lead. Wheatley’s best event of the day was the 100-meter hurdles, where she tallied 928 points after posting a winning-time of 14.36.

Kansas’ Kelsey Grimm was among the field of multi-event athletes competing at the Relays on Wednesday, marking the first heptathlon competition of her career. Grimm tallied 2,082 points through the first four events, with her best performance coming in the 200-meter dash. She clocked in at 28.15, earning 619 points.

The combined events will continue Thursday, starting with men’s decathlon 110-meter hurdles at 8:30 a.m. The hammer throw events begin at 12 p.m. with the men’s competition, followed by the women’s at 4:30 p.m. Kansas’ standout thrower Alena Krechyk will compete in the women’s hammer throw as the top-ranked athlete in the West region of Division I track and field. Krechyk is the school-record holder in the event with her mark of 211-10 ft., set at the Texas Relays two weeks ago. Thursday evening will feature several distance events, including finals for both the men’s and women’s 5,000 and 10,000 meters.