Three-peat: Dudarev wins third hammer throw title to open 2019 Big 12 Outdoor Championship

NORMAN, Okla. – Kansas junior Gleb Dudarev picked up his third conference hammer throw title on Friday to highlight the KU action on the first day of the 2019 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship at John Jacobs Track & Field Complex in Norman, Oklahoma. The Kansas men sit in third in the team standings with 15 points through the first day of competition, while the KU women stand in fourth with 12 points.

Not at 100% due to a stomach bug, Dudarev fought through his ailment to pick up the conference crown and earn 10 points for the KU men’s team. The Vitebsk, Belarus native heaved his first attempt 69.35 meters (227-6 ft.) to take the lead in the first round. Dudarev never relinquished the top spot, even with passing on his third, fourth and fifth attempts. The junior gave it another go in the sixth round where he recorded his best mark of the afternoon of 70.48 meters (231-3 ft.) to solidify the win.

With his third conference title in the event, Dudarev became the third Jayhawk (Scott Russell – 1999-2000, 2002; Egor Agafonov – 2006-08) and fourth-ever athlete (Nick Miller, Oklahoma State – 2012-14, 2016) to win at least three Big 12 hammer throw crowns.

The Kansas women’s javelin throwers picked up a combined 12 points on Friday afternoon to mark the first scoring for the team. Senior Shaylyn Stallbaumer notched a second-place finish with eight points, propelling herself from ninth place to second on her third attempt, which was her best mark of the day at 45.39 meters (148-11 ft.). Sophomore Bailee Swift placed sixth for three points with a mark of 42.54 meters (139-6.75 ft.) and junior Allie Twietmeyer took eighth to earn one point with a throw of 40.88 meters (134-1.5 ft.).