👟 Kansas Starts Strong on Day One of Big 12 Championship
LUBBOCK, Texas – The Kansas men’s and women’s track and field teams got off to a strong start on day one of the Big 12 Outdoor Championship in Lubbock, Texas on Friday, with three Jayhawks making the podium along with several personal bests being set.
Friday’s action began with the men’s decathlon and women’s heptathlon competition, in which freshman Alexander Jung positioned himself in podium contention after day one. Friday also marked the finals for several field events, which was highlighted by sophomore Oleg Klykov placing fourth in the men’s hammer throw.
In the decathlon long jump, both Jung and senior Grant Downes set personal bests with Jung jumping 7.00m (22-11.75 ft.) to place fifth and Downes jumping 6.94m (22-9.25 ft.) to place eighth. In the next event, Jung placed fourth in the decathlon shot put by throwing 13.17m (43-2.5 ft.). Jung would finish the day positioned in seventh place with 3,852 points, followed by Downes in 10th with 3,623 points and Clay Eckert in 15th with 3,352 points.
While the decathlon and heptathlon competitions were underway, the Jayhawks were in action in the men’s hammer throw, where Klykov became the No. 4 performer in KU outdoor history with a throw of 64.90m (212-11 ft.), which placed him fourth overall. Kansas’ Patrick Larrison also had a big day in the hammer throw ring, setting a personal best 59.32m (194-7 ft.) to place seventh overall.
Later on in the afternoon, Kansas’ Alyse Moore and Lexy Farrington competed in the women’s javelin throw final, where Moore placed eighth overall with a throw of 42.69m (140-0 ft.), and Farrington placed ninth with a throw of 40.54m (133-0 ft.).
In the women’s heptathlon competition, freshman Lauren Heck competed in her first appearance at the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, where she currently stands in 11th with 2,866.
Kansas will be back in action for day two of the Big 12 Outdoor Championship, which begins at 11 a.m. CT.
