Williams Nabs World-Leading Time, Multiple Meet Records Fall on Final Day of 83rd Annual Kansas Relays

April 17, 2010

QUOTES | COMPLETE RESULTS |

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

A lightning-fast start for Nike’s Ivory Williams enabled the U.S. sprinter to record a world-leading 100-meter time of 9.95 seconds Saturday afternoon at Hershberger Track in Memorial Stadium. Despite enduring two false-start resets, Williams flew out of the blocks on the third go-around and kept pace for the full 100 meters. He crossed the finish line a quarter of a second ahead of the rest of the field, which included several multiple-time Olympians. In addition to running the fastest time in the world thus far in the 2010 season, Williams set a new Kansas Relays record with his blistering 9.95 sprint. He replaced Bredan Christensen in the Relays’ record book, who owned the previous record of 10.01, set in 2007. For his stellar efforts in the 100-meter dash, Williams was named the 2010 Kansas Relays Most Outstanding Male Performer.

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown etched her name in the Relays’ record book as well, sprinting across the 200-meter finish line in 22.32 to best the previous record by more than three tenths of a second. That record was held by Campbell-Brown’s 2008 Olympic teammate, Aleen Bailey, since 2001.

Minutes after Campbell-Brown won the women’s 200 meters, her husband, Omar Brown, captured the crown in the men’s Invitational 200 meters with a time of 20.84. Brown edged two-time Olympian and Antiguan record-holder of the 100, Brendan Christian, who finished second in 20.93.

In addition to the individual Relays’ records set on Saturday, Kineke Alexander, Valerie Brown, Shellene Williams and Halimat Ismali (International All Stars) combined for a new meet record-time of 3:35.65 in the women’s 4×400-meter relay.

In the high school division, Tiffani McReynolds of Pembroke Hill ran the third-fastest prep time in the nation this year in the 100-meter hurdles, clocking in at 13.73. Her winning time also marked a new Relays’ record by nearly two tenths of a second. The previous record of 13.92 had stood since 2000.

McReynolds also won the girl’s 100-meter dash with a time of 11.79. The high school senior was honored as the Most Outstanding Female Performer of the 2010 Relays after capturing two individual titles, one of which was a new meet record.

Invitational Events Recap

Saturday’s Invitational events opened with an exciting finish in the men’s 4×100-meter relay. In the final 50 meters, Rasheed Dwyer of GC Foster sprinted past the anchor for the Lincoln All Stars to claim the victory with a time of 40.50.

The title in the women’s Invitational 4×100-meter relay went to Lincoln (Mo.), as Nyoka Cole, Semoy Hackett, Sudian Davis and Tia Rolle combined for a winning-time of 45.34.

After conquering the 110-meter hurdles title as a collegiate athlete for Barton County Community College (Kan.) in 2003, Nike’s Dexter Faulk returned to the Relays as a professional athlete in 2010. He sprinted to victory in the Invitational event, recording a time of 13.55, which is the fourth-fastest time in the U.S. this year.

Kelly Wells won the women’s Invitational 100-meter hurdles after running the only sub-13 second time in the field. This was her first outdoor competition since returning from injury in 2009. Wells turned in an impressive time of 12.90 to claim her first Relays’ gold.

Peter Van Der Weshuizen was the victor in the ever-popular Glenn Cunninghman Mile, recording a time of 4:06.84. Van Der Weshuizen was the runner-up in the event last year, after crossing the finish line in 3:59.54; one of only two sub-four minute mile times at the 2009 Relays.

The women’s pole vault competition had a unique twist this year, as the athletes were “vaulting for dollars,” but ironically, the winner was not able to pocket any cash, as she is a collegiate athlete from Nebraska. Natalie Willer jumped 4.30m (14-01.25 ft.) to earn the W.

In the final event of four-day Kansas Relays meet, the men’s Invitational 4×400-meter relay, the International All Stars team of Jordan Boase, Omar Brown, Kirkland Thornton and Erison Hurtault combined for a winning-time of 3:08.30.

College Division Recap

The fourth and final day of the 83rd Annual Kansas Relays got off to a scintillating start with the men’s and women’s sprint medley relays. The Tigers of Missouri claimed the men’s title with a time of 3:36.67, while the squad from Seton Hall took home the women’s trophy for the second year in a row. Janay Mitchell, Krista Simkins, Nijgia Snapp and KeAira Dickerson combined for a winning-time of 4:00.30, successfully defending Seton Hall’s title.

2008 Jamaican Olympian Semoy Hackett, who runs for Lincoln University (Mo.), sprinted to victory in both the 100 and 200-meter dashes. She ran an 11.68 in the 100, while posting a winning-time of 24.27 in the 200.

Terrel Cotton of Speedway Track Club easily won the men’s 200 meters with a time of 21.18. Cotton went on to finish second in the 100 meters, behind Kawayne Fisher, who was competing unattached. Fisher recorded a winning-time of 10.50, while Cotton clocked in at 10.53.

Missouri swept the Bob Timmons two-mile relays, with the men’s team finishing first in 7:39.25 and the women’s squad posting a time of 9:09.73. MU has now captured nine titles in the men’s two-mile relay since the first running of the event in 1923, while the Tiger women have won five times since 1978.

There was another Big 12 sweep in the collegiate 4×100-meter relay, Nebraska won both the men’s and women’s titles. The men recorded a time of 40.58, while the women crossed the tape in 46.73.

Kansas went 1-2 in the women’s 1,500 meters, with Rebeka Stowe claiming the first-place trophy in a personal-best time of 4:28.69 and Cori Christensen earning runner-up honors with her time of 4:31.26.

The Jayhawks also claimed the victory in the men’s 1,500 meters as Donny Wasinger finished in the front of the pack with a season-best time of 3:51.55.

In a race that featured several of the Big 12’s top sprinters, Lehann Fourie of Nebraska took home the gold in the finals of the men’s collegiate 110-hurdles. Fourie clocked in at 13.68, which was just one second off his season-best time that currently ranks fourth in the nation. It was a close battle for second, as Jeffery Julmis of Kansas State and Keith Hayes of Kansas crossed the finish line in a near tie but the photo finish captured Julmis two hundredths of a second ahead of Hayes at 13.81. Hayes’ time of 13.83 did mark a season-best for the sophomore.

Nebraska captured the first two spots in the women’s 100-meter hurdles final, as Karyn LaCour broke the tape at 13.70 and Arna Erega finished second in 13.78.

The Cornhuskers earned another victory in the men’s 400-meter hurdles, as Eric Lund recorded the top time in the field at 51.24. Michelle Cumberbatch of Lincoln (Mo.) won the women’s trophy in the 400 hurdles with a time of 59.17.

KU freshman Kyle Clemons was crowned champion in the 400-meter dash, registering a near season-best time of 46.94. Tiandra Ponteen of St. Kitts & Nevis won the women’s title in the same event after crossing the finish line in 53.65.

Host school Kansas added one more victory to its tally when Lauren Bonds surged past conference-rival Shannon Leinert (Missouri) in the final 50 meters to capture the win in the women’s 800-meter run. In her last race at Memorial Stadium, Bonds, a senior from Hutchinson, Kan., turned in a personal-best time of 2:10.02 in the event.

The men’s 800-meter title went to the Mizzou’s Blake Irwin, who turned in a winning-time of 1:50.52.

In the final collegiate events on the track, the men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relays, the state of Iowa swept the titles, as Wartburg took home the women’s championship in 3:46.56 and Iowa Central Community College won the men’s crown with its time of 3:12.45.

The field event finals also delivered a great deal of excitement to the spectators in attendance on Saturday. Bettie Wade (unattached) leapt to victory in the women’s long jump with a mark of 6.29m (20-07.75 ft.), while Malcolm Pennix of Kansas City Community College recorded the top mark of 7.63m (25-0.50 ft.) in the men’s field.

Kansas freshman Mason Finley, who holds the national high school record and U.S.A. Juniors record in the discus, captured a narrow victory in the event with his mark of 57.51m (187-06 ft.). He edged Micheal Torie (unattached) by a mere seven inches.

The women’s discus title went to Amanda Latsch of Nebraska, who also snatched the shot put title on Friday. Latsch recorded a mark of 48.44m (158-11 ft.) in the discus.

William Moses (unattached) was the victor in the men’s high jump, leaping 2.10m (6-10.75 ft.).

The 83rd running of the Kansas Relays featured over 5,000 athletes at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. It was the second-largest outdoor relays event so far this season. Next year’s Relays are scheduled for April 20-23, 2011.