Track and field opens new complex with wins
April 22, 2013
By Sabirah Rayford | @KyKernelSports
UK track and field hosted the inaugural Heart of the Bluegrass Classic on Saturday at the new UK Outdoor Track and Field Facility, in the first home outdoor meet since 1996.
The Cats won 28 out of 29 events, and members of the team set school records.
Senior Cally Macumber set the record in the outdoor 3,000-meter with her time of 4:37.75, edging out former NCAA champion Lisa Breiding’s all-conditions school record.
Sophomore Michelle Canterna set the outdoor school record in pole vault, clearing 3.87 meters.
Competing in his first and last home outdoor meet, senior Keith Hayes anchored the men’s 4×400-meter relay, taking the baton from senior teammate Ben Mason and winning the race.
Hayes won every event he entered.
The women’s 200-meter hosted four of the fastest Cats at that distance. Freshman Morganne Phillips edged sophomore Keilah Tyson for first place with a time of 23.78 seconds (wind-aided).
Sophomore Tamyah Pipkin placed third and sophomore Angelica Whaley landed in fifth place.
In field events, junior Andrew Evans won both the discus and the hammer throw.
Toward the end of the afternoon, the home meet allowed for a chance to honor the team’s seniors. Katy Achtien, Kevin Bonfield, Hayes, Shelby Kennard, Mason, Shiara Robinson, Danielle Sampley, Luis Orta and Megan Wright all received recognition for their track and field careers at UK.
“I told the seniors that I just wanted them to do one event so they could be part of the action, but they all refused,” UK head coach Edrick Floreal said. “They wanted to do multiple events because this was their first time ever competing at home. We let them run and they went out there and enjoyed it.”
Former Cats and current staff took part in the action as well. Two-time Olympian long jumper and current volunteer assistant Arantxa King won the long jump.
Rashaud Scott, the 2008 NCAA discus champion, placed third in the discus and fourth in the javelin.
Fans and spectators got a chance to donate shoes to help the less fortunate, as for the third consecutive year the Cats are hosting a shoe drive.
May 10 is the last day of the UK shoe drive. Other shoe drive drop-off locations include the Johnson Center, Shively Sports Center (next to Cliff Hagan Stadium) and CATS (attached to Memorial Coliseum).
