FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Day one of the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas saw three top-10 performances on the track on Friday, highlighted by junior Lona Latema winning the women’s 3,000 meters in 9:29.37.
Latema’s time makes her the fourth-fastest Jayhawk in school history, while it was the 11th fastest time overall in school history. Only Sharon Lokedi (8:59.69), Hannah Richardson (9:16.02) and Natalie Becker (9:20.84) have run faster.
In addition to Latema’s personal best, sophomore Kenadi Krueger ran to a personal best 9:40.75 in the 3,000 meters, which is over 19 seconds faster than her previous best of 9:58.98 set at last year’s Husker Invitational. Krueger would go on to place sixth in the event on Friday night.
Only one race prior to Latema’s first-place finish, junior Chandler Gibbens cracked his way into the top-10 in school history by placing second in the men’s 3,000 meters in 8:05.16. Gibbens’ time made him the top collegian in the event, finishing behind only USA’s Nate Osterstock, while also making him the ninth-fastest Jayhawk in school history.
After breaking the KU school record in the 60-meter hurdles last week, senior Gabrielle Gibson put up another strong performance on Friday, running 8.36 in the event prelims on Friday afternoon. Gibson would return for the semifinals and run even faster, finishing in 8.34 to place 11th overall. Gibson’s semifinal time of 8.34 was the fifth-fastest time in school history, while she now owns three of the top-five fastest times in school history.
In the field events, sophomore Jaden Patterson and junior Tyler Pride each set personal bests in the men’s long jump, with Patterson marking 7.28m (23-10.75 ft.) to place seventh and Pride jumping 7.27m (23-10.25 ft.) to place eighth. Junior Oleg Klykov had another strong performance in the men’s weight throw by placing third with a throw of 19.94m (65-5 ft.).
In the women’s pole vault, junior Taylor Starkey and sophomore Gabby Hoke each cleared 3.98m (13-0.75 ft.) with Starkey placing fourth and Hoke in fifth.
The Jayhawks will return to action on Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m.
