👟 Kansas Continues Impressive Marks at Texas Relays, ORU Invitational
LAWRENCE, Kan. – After a strong start to the Texas Relays on Thursday, the Kansas men’s and women’s track & field teams continued its successful weekend on Friday at the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays and ORU Invitational, notching 16 top-three finishes.
Among the notable performances, both Zach Bradford and Hussain Al-Hizam cleared 5.70m (18-8.25 ft.) in the pole vault at the Texas Relays, which ties for the fifth-best performances in KU outdoor history.
Bradford, who owns the KU outdoor record in the event, ties his fourth best performance outdoors in the event, while Al-Hizam climbs into KU history as the fourth best performer in the event, tying Pat Manson (1991, NCAA Outdoor Championships). The Kansas duo becomes the first since at least 2010 to clear 5.70m (18-8.25 ft.) in the same season.
Kaansas junior Kyle Rogers also recorded a personal best in the men’s pole vault on Friday, clearing 5.50m (18-0.5 ft.) to place sixth.
At the Oral Roberts Invitational in Tulsa, Oklahoma, senior Gleb Dudarev made his highly-anticipated outdoor season debut in the hammer throw.
The Bowerman Award Watch List honoree threw over 70 meters on five of his six attempts, with his farthest throw landing at 72.28m (237-02 ft.) on his second attempt. Friday’s hammer throw competition marked the first for Dudarev since competing at the 2019 NCAA Outdoor Championships.
The Jayhawks also saw success on the track in Tulsa, winning four events from Anna Siemens (400-meter hurdles), Colin Dwyer (800 meters), Ally Ryan (800 meters) and Eric Gawlick (3,000-meter steeplechase).
Friday’s action marked the second day of three that the Jayhawks will compete this weekend, as Kansas will continue at both meets on Saturday. Kansas opens the ORU Invitational beginning at 8 a.m, on Saturday, before staring the Texas Relays at 10:30 a.m., CT.
