Running to the Big Apple

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Junior sprinter Nickesha Anderson and sophomore pole-vaulter Jordan Scott seemed extremely winded after Monday’s practice.

“I’m about to pass out,” Anderson said.

Photo by Jon Goering

Senior pole vaulter Kate Sultanova.

It seems that hard work in practice is paying off for the University of Kansas Track and Field team. Last weekend, the Jayhwaks took home three titles at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska, facing off against nationally ranked teams like Baylor, Kansas State and Arizona.

Tougher competition and an atmosphere away from home didn’t faze the Jayhawks.

“There was a lot of stiff competition with teams like Nebraska and Baylor. It was a bit more competitive than it had been in the past four meets,” Anderson said. “Overall we did excellent. We are gradually improving each time.”

Senior pole-vaulter Kate Sultanova was not fazed a bit, posting an automatic qualifying jump for the NCAA Championships and bringing home a victory in the women’s pole-vault with a jump of 4.20 meters (13-09.25 ft.).

At the time of the competition, Sultanova’s jump was the highest women’s vault in the country.

She was given the top female award at the Invitational, and was named Big 12 Athlete of the Week earlier this week. This is Sultanova’s second time receiving the Big 12 honor.

Also victorious was Anderson in both the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash.

pullquote

It was my first meet this season and it went really well. It was a good start.

-defending NCAA weight throw champion Egor Agafonov

“For the 60-meter dash, I actually stumbled in the semi finals and in the finals,” she said. “But I maintained my composure and didn’t lose my focus after I stumbled. The 200 [meter dash] just went smoothly.”

Anderson tied her 7.38-second school record time in the 60-meter dash and set a new school record in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.75 seconds.

For the first time this season, defending NCAA weight throw champion Egor Agafonov was able to compete. The senior from Togliatti, Russia took home first place in the weight throw with an NCAA provisional mark of 21.24 meters (69-08.25 ft.).

“It was my first meet this season and it went really well,” he said. “It was a good start.”

While Jordan Scott did not win the men’s pole vault for the first time this season, he did tie his season best performance of 5.35 meters (17-06.50 ft.), giving him second place.

He commented on his performances so far this season.

“I’ve been consistently over 17.2 (feet) every meet,” he said. “I’m constantly improving on technique and objectives. I just hope the bigger bars come soon.”

Scott credited his impressive performance at the Husker Invitational to using a bigger pole. Scott said that using a thicker and stiffer pole demands more strength and technique, but allows him to be sent higher, as the recoil is much stronger.

“I’m constantly jumping on bigger poles. I jumped on the biggest pole I’ve ever jumped on in my life in this meet,” he said. “A bigger pole is key at this point. I’m getting faster and stronger.”

Also impressive was senior Crystal Manning’s season best effort in the women’s triple jump at 12.99 meters (42-06.25 feet) giving her second place.

Junior Victoria Howard placed second in the 200-meter dash to Anderson, breaking the 24-second mark for the first time in her career.

On the men’s side, sophomore Bret Imgrund and senior Patrick McGrowan took second and third in the 3,000-meter run with times of 8 minutes, 31.2 seconds and 8:32.88 respectively.

Next weekend the Jayhawks travel to New York City for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Anderson and her teammates are not worried about the tough competition ahead.

“We as a team are not intimidated by other teams because we believe we’re just going out there to have fun,” she said. “You know, everybody puts their pants on the same way: one leg at a time,” she said.

—Edited by Madeline Hyden

Eight KU athletes compete track and field ...

The championships will be in Fayetteville, Ark.

/news/2008/mar/14/track/

Jayhawks set new records for men’s weight ...

Three athletes broke records and automatically qualified for the NCAA Championships in ...

/news/2008/feb/14/track/

Track and field team impresses at home ...

A new facility record, first-place performances and personal bests for the Jayhawks

/news/2008/jan/22/track/

Jayhawks succeed, break records in Kansas Relays

High school and college athletes, along with world-class Olympians, competed last week ...

/news/2008/apr/21/kansas_relays/

Hawks fly high in Nebraska

The Jayhawks excelled in pole vaulting and weight throwing, winning almost half ...

/news/2008/mar/04/hawks_fly_high_nebraska/

Jayhawks to compete in Texas Relays

After a successful meet last weekend, the team looks to build on ...

/news/2011/apr/07/jayhawks-compete-texas-relays/

Track and field team surpasses expectations at ...

This is the team’s second home meet in a week and hope ...

/news/2008/jan/28/track_and_field/

Jumper, vaulter leap past records

/news/2005/feb/07/sports_track_jumper/

Track and Field head to NYC and ...

Some are competing in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, others in the ...

/news/2009/feb/06/track/

Track team splits up to head to ...

Sprinters head to Arkansas while distance runners go up to Iowa.

/news/2009/feb/13/team_splits/

Track team splits up to head to ...

Sprinters head to Arkansas while distance runners go up to Iowa.

/news/2009/feb/13/track_splits/

Track team breaks out in Arkansas tournament

The Jayhawks head home for their first home meet.

/news/2008/mar/27/track/

Track & field athletes advance to championship

Ten athletes will compete in the NCAA Outdoor Tack and Field Championship ...

/news/2008/jun/09/track/

Jayhawks perform well in invitational

The Jayhawks came away from Norman with strong individual and team performances.

/news/2011/apr/17/jayhawks-perform-well-invitational/

Scott vaults over the competition

After two Big 12 championships, Jordan Scott is going for a third, ...

/news/2009/feb/26/vault/

Webb runs sub-four mile, 'Batman' withdraws

Kansas Relays concludes its fourth and final day of events with record-setting ...

/news/2009/apr/18/Relays/

Track team success despite loss to MU

The track team suffered a narrow defeat to rival, but boasted many ...

/news/2010/jan/19/Track-team-success/

Track and Field hopes to keep momentum ...

The Kansas Relays will showcase some world-class athletes, including World Champions and ...

/news/2008/apr/16/track_and_field_hopes_maintain_momentum_kansas_rel/

Vaulter looks forward to renewing rivalry

Senior pole vaulter Jordan Scott will compete with the nation’s elite in ...

/news/2010/feb/05/vaulter-looks/

Penn Relays disappointing for Jayhawks

Neither men’s nor women’s teams qualified in the 4x400 meter relays.

/news/2009/apr/27/penn_relays/

Track and field team prepares for championships

This weekend's Big 12 Championships will bring together track and field teams ...

/news/2008/feb/29/track/

Lone pole-vaulter prepares for NCAA Championship

Jordan Scott was the only member of the Kansas Track and Field ...

/news/2009/mar/13/polevaulter/

Jayhawks break records at home invitational

Friday’s Jayhawk Invitational featured new records for the school’s in the 3,000 ...

/news/2010/feb/01/jayhawks-break-records-home-invitational/

Kansas track and field sweeps pole vault

Kansas meets high expectations as the women’s team earns sixth and the ...

/news/2007/feb/26/track/

Jayhawks place in weekend relays

Only one Jayhawk won an event, but four others placed second at ...

/news/2011/apr/10/jayhawks-place-weekend-relays/

Jayhawks slip in place but still travel ...

Although the women fell from third to ninth, Wissel and Bonds will ...

/news/2009/mar/02/track/

Track opens first day at Texas Relays

The track team is also competiting at the Emporia State/State Farm Relays ...

/news/2007/apr/06/track/

Track and field performs well in NYC

Despite struggles, the team placed in many events and learned from east ...

/news/2009/feb/10/track_and/

Track heads to Big 12 Championships

The Kansas track and field team heads to Ames, Iowa focused on ...

/news/2007/feb/23/track_heads_big_12_championships/

Track wins seven events in Invitational

The Kansas track team won seven events in the John Jacobs Invitational. ...

/news/2007/apr/16/track/

Kansas track and field athletes begin season

Two Jayhawks provisionally qualify for NCAA championships, as both men’s and women’s ...

/news/2009/dec/07/kansas-track-and-field-athletes-begin-season/

Pole-vaulting in a foreign land

Pole-vaulter Kate Sultanova didn't know she was coming to the University of ...

/news/2008/may/02/sultanova/

Track team still optimistic despite losses

Overall, the men placed fourth and women second against Nebraska.

/news/2009/feb/02/track/

Relay fans witness history in the making

Two runners break a four-minute mile and Kansas’s own Lauren Bonds qualifies ...

/news/2009/apr/20/relay_fans/

Track team prepares for Missouri duel

Big 12 Athlete of the Week leads team to Columbia for Friday ...

/news/2010/jan/15/track-team/

Cold start to the outdoor track season

The Jayhawks travel to Columbia, Mo., for the Missouri Relays this weekend.

/news/2009/mar/27/track/

Junior breaks 100-meter dash record

Along with Ashley Brown’s record-setting run, several Jayhawks improved their regional marks.

/news/2007/may/07/track/

Track teams start competition in New York

The Kansas men's and women's track teams will be competing against the ...

/news/2012/feb/02/track-competition/

Track team sets personal records, wins events ...

Jumpers, pole vaulters and sprinters all won weekend events.

/news/2012/apr/29/track-team/

Two track athletes set NCAA-leading marks at ...

Sophomore sprinter Diamond Dixon and junior jumped Andrea Geubelle lead the NCAA ...