Thursday, April 20, 2006
The 79th Annual Kansas Relays could go down in history as the meet that breaks the attendance mark.
With strong match ups from the high school level to the professional level, the entertainment factor could bring in a record number of fans, one that the Kansas Relays haven’t seen since 1972 when Jim Ryun ran the mile in a time of 3:57.1 in front of a crowd of 32,000 people.
“A great track meet draws a great crowd, and to draw a great crowd, a meet must assure people that they will be entertained,” Kansas Relays meet director Tim Weaver said.
With celebrity names of the track and field world such as Justin Gatlin, Maurice Greene and Allyson Felix, the GOLDZONE II should be quite an experience.
“There are only so many household names in track and field. The fact that many of them will be in Memorial Stadium on April 22 speaks to the strength of the Kansas Relays and the reputation that the local fans are getting around the world. Athletes want to go where the crowds are,” Weaver said.
Shawn Crawford, Olympic gold medalist in the 200-meter dash, said on the Memorial Stadium track after some practice runs, that he feeds off of the crowd.
“Athletes get hyped with the energy the crowd brings,” Crawford said.
Many of these athletes said they used the Kansas Relays to prep for their seasons around the world.
Top match ups will be found not only within the GOLDZONE II, but in the collegiate events as well, where pride will be on the line.
Kicking off the collegiate side of the Relays will be the women’s and men’s hammer throw featuring a number of Jayhawks who are coming off of very strong performances.
Freshman Zlata Tarasova set the Kansas women’s hammer record at the Texas Relays April 14.
Last weekend, Tarasova broke that record at the Mesa Classic with a toss of 199 feet, 11 inches.
Also competing in the event will be new Kansas hammer throw distance holder Egor Agafonov.
The sophomore from Togliatti, Russia crushed former Jayhawk Scott Russell’s previous hammer record by more than 10 feet.
Agafonov’s heave of 228-6 broke the old record of 218-5 moving him into fourth on the national performance list.
Also competing in the men’s hammer throw will be Kansas senior Sheldon Battle.
Battle’s personal best this season in the hammer has been 197-3.
Not to be overlooked by Agafonov and Battle is the 2-time Kansas Relay hammer throw champion, Nick Welihozkiy.
Keeping in the field side of the match ups, Battle will compete against former Missouri athlete Christian Cantwell, a World, U.S. and NCAA champion, and Kansas State’s senior TJ Staab, a Junior Olympic champion.
On the track will be a 100-meter dash of 111 competitors whose personal bests are within a second of one another.
Finishing the Kansas Relays will be Main Event, featuring Maurice Greene’s 4x100-meter dash squad, HSI, against Justin Gatlin’s relay squad, Sprint Capitol.
With the weather predicted to be perfect all weekend long, Weaver said the environment should be good for everyone.
“Even if you don’t know track, the Kansas Relays will be a great meet to watch.”
Kansas track and field head coach Stanley Redwine said he wanted the student body to come check out the only home meet the team will have this outdoor season.
Much like the saying, “if you build it, they will come” the Kansas Relays are built to entertain.
The meet has been built, now the fans must come.
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