Horton Leads Jayhawks On Day Three of Relays
April 17, 2009
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Stephanie Horton won the women’s shot put, Jordan Scott won the men’s pole vault and two Jayhawk legends recorded wins in their return to the Kansas Relays to highlight a sunny, action-packed third day of the Relays Friday at Memorial Stadium.
Horton won the championship in the women’s shot put, posting a personal season and Kansas season-best throw of 15.47 meters (50-09.25 feet). The senior from Tigard, Ore., defeated runner-up and teammate Emily Reimer, who recorded a throw of 15.14 meters (49-08.25 feet). Both Horton and Reimer had qualified for regionals prior to this meet, and both of their marks met the regional standard once again.
Scott, competing unattached, soared to victory in the men’s pole vault with a jump of 5.50 meters (18-00.50 feet). The victory was Scott’s first-ever at the Kansas Relays. Fellow KU vaulter Kirk Cooper was the runner-up, equaling his season-best, regionally qualifying vault of 5.05 meters (16-06.75 feet).
Former KU All-American Crystal Manning, the triple jump runner-up at the 2009 U.S. Indoor Championships, took the title in the women’s triple jump. Manning recorded a mark of 13.59 meters (44-07.00 feet) to run away with the title by 3-04.75 ft.
Kansas hall of famer Scott Russell, a 2008 Olympian for Canada, earned his fourth consecutive Kansas Relays title and sixth in seven years in the men’s javelin. The Windsor, Ontario, native recorded a throw of 75.08 meters (246-04 feet) to win by 9-07 feet over John Hetzendorf, also competing unattached.
Kelsey Erb nearly pulled out the victory in the women’s high jump, tying for second place with the same mark recorded by the winner, Tako Niare of Lindenwood. Erb’s jump of 1.70 meters (5-07.00 feet) was a season-best for the junior from Bucklin, Kan.
Corey Fuller continued his successful freshman campaign, recording the day’s best jump with a legal wind, 15.25 meters (50-00.50 feet). Despite having the best legal jump, the freshman from Baltimore, Md., placed second behind Pittsburg State’s Kiara Jones. Jones leaped a wind-aided 15.26 meters (50-00.75) to get the win. Fuller’s mark was yet another regional qualifier.
Freshmen Keyen Porter and Keith Hayes earned their way into Saturday’s finals of the 110-meter hurdles with victories in their respective heats. Porter, who hails from Blue Springs, Mo., ran 14.49 in heat three to rank second among all competitors. Hayes, a product of Wichita, Kan., posted a time of 14.55 in heat four to give him the No. 3 overall time. Freshman Lawson Montgomery earned the eighth and final spot in the finals after recording a time of 14.89, third-best in the first heat.
Hayes would later qualify for the finals of the men’s 400-meter hurdles as well, gliding to victory the fourth heat with a time of 54.55. His time ranked No. 5 overall.
In the prelims of the women’s 100 meters, Victoria Howard won her heat to qualify for Saturday’s finals. The senior from Overland Park, Kan., ran a season-best time of 11.82, good for the No. 3 spot overall.
Sha’Ray Butler won the fifth heat of the women’s 400-meter hurdles prelims with a time of 1:03.29 to qualify for tomorrow’s finals. The senior from Lancaster, Texas, had the fourth-best time overall among the five heats.
Kansas had three athletes qualify for the finals in the men’s 400 meters, which will take place tomorrow. Reggie Carter won the third heat in a season-best time of 48.45 to take the fourth spot overall. Jarrell Rollins also won his heat, finishing with a time of 48.47, also a season-best. Keron Toussaint tied his season best of 48.54 to earn the seventh spot in the finals.
The KU women took second in the prelims of the 4×100-meter relay, qualifying for the finals with a season-best time of 45.82. The Jayhawk women’s 4×400-meter relay team qualified for the finals as well, dominating heat one to earn the third overall spot at 3:48.62.
The Kansas men’s 4×400-meter relay team likewise qualified for Saturday’s finals, clocking in at 3:13.82 to earn the third spot in the finals.
In his final Kansas Relays, Patrick McGowan tied for second in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase. The senior from Springdale, Ark., posted a time of 9:29.07 to finish 2.03 seconds behind the winner, Jackson Toroitich of Butler County CC.
Freshman Rebeka Stowe placed third in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, running a time of 11:25.25.
The fourth and final day of collegiate action at the Kansas Relays begins Saturday at 8:40a.m. CDT with the women’s sprint medley relay. Continued live results can be found for the 2009 Kansas Relays at www.kuathletics.com, www.kansasrelays.com or http://www.deltatiming.com/results/events_byschedule.aspx?yf=2009&mf=kansas_relays.
