Agafonov Wins Hammer Throw, McGregor Takes 3,000 Meter Title at Day Two of Kansas Relays
LAWRENCE, Kan. – In the early afternoon of Day Two at the 81st Annual Kansas Relays, senior Egor Agafonov proved to be the first Jayhawk to claim a title at the 2008 edition of the meet. Agafonov won the hammer throw for the second-consecutive year, while senior Alicia McGregor won the 3,000-meter run. The Relays were temporarily delayed at Memorial Stadium Thursday afternoon for one hour and 40 minutes after severe weather passed through Lawrence.
“It’s a great competition – one of the biggest in the U.S. and I’m glad I won this event again,” Agafonov said. “It’s kind of sad. It’s my last Kansas Relays.” Agafonov also won the hammer throw in 2007 with a toss of 69.31 meters (227-05).
On his final throw, Agafonov bested his regional mark from a week ago with the winning toss of 67.41 meters (221 feet, 2 inches). It was a shaky start for the two-time hammer throw All-American after two fouls on his first two attempts in his flight.
“It’s stressful in competitions, especially when there are a lot of good guys, like the ones that are here,” the Togliatti, Russia, native said. “We fixed the mistakes and hoped that the finals would be all right.”
McGregor won her second straight 3,000-meter run. After taking the event at the John Jacobs Invitational five days ago, she claimed the title on her home track with a finish of 10:04.00.
“It feels great,” the Independence, Mo. native said of her victory. “I think this is the first race that I have ever won at home. I was just trying to finish strong.I really trust my fitness right now, so I decided just to go for it.” Running with McGregor most of the way, Jayhawk senior Hayley Harbert was third (10:22.40) and sophomore Alison Knoll finished fifth (10:52.04).
KU’s women also found success in the 5,000-meter run. Freshman Kara Windisch (17:39.62) and Amanda Miller (17:57.30) finished third and fifth, respectively. In the men’s event, freshman Nick Caprario led all KU runners with an eighth-place time of (15:05.97).
In the Candace Mason Heptathlon, Minnesota junior Liz Roehring broke a 24-year-old record in winning the event. Her score of 5,740 points topped the Kansas Relays record set by Deb Clark of Nebraska in 1984. KU sophomore Chelsea Helm was 10th with 3,929 points.
All other results from Day Two of the 81st Kansas Relays can be found at www.kansasrelays.com.
The Kansas Relays begin Wednesday, April 16 and conclude Saturday, April 19. Admission into the meet will be allowed only by those people wearing a 2008 Kansas Relays button. Buttons cost $10 for adults and are good for admission to all four days of the Kansas Relays. Children under the age of five and KU students are free. A 30% group discount will be applied to all orders of 20 or more adult Kansas Relays admission buttons. Discount buttons for Senior Citizens and all students with a valid ID are $5. A Kansas Relays Family Pack consisting of two adults and two students admissions will be offered for just $20.
Contact the Kansas Athletics ticket office at 800-34-HAWKS (2957) or go to http://kuathletics.collegesports.com/tickets/kan-tickets.html to purchase admission buttons.
KU Results:
Men:
800m Unseeded: 33-Peterson (1:58.91), 49-Schmitt (2:01.52)
1500m Unseeded: 25-Huseman (4:08.53)
5,000m: 8-Caprario (15:05.97), 17-Van Orsdel (15:30.56), 19-Schweitzer (15:35.17)
Hammer: 1-Agafonov (67.41m)
Decathlon: 8-Breth (6,077)
Women:
1500m Unseeded: 18-Morissey (4:52.60), 20-James (4:53.99)
3,000m: 1-McGregor (10:04.00), 3-Harbert (10:22.40), 5-Knoll (10:52.04)
5,000m: 3-Windisch (17:39.62), 5-Miller (17:57.30), 23-Coen (18:51.68), 26-Wertenberger (19:10.75)
Hammer: 7-Tarasova (54.03m), 24-Umbarger (35.48)
Heptathlon: 10-Helm (3,929)
