Richard GwinThe weather conditions for Day Two of the Kansas Relays seemed to resemble the difference in success Kansas University junior Zlata Tarasova is having compared to KU senior – and fellow Togliatti, Russia, native – Egor Agafonov.
After Agafonov won the men’s hammer throw Thursday, rain showers moved in on Memorial Stadium.
Agafonov’s first throw in the finals (66 meters) was plenty to win the event, but Agafonov capped his final collegiate Kansas Relays appearance with a bang – a toss of 67.41 meters, 1.43 meters farther than runner-up Chris Rohr of Missouri.
“It’s a great competition, one of the biggest in the U.S., and I’m glad I won this event again,” Agafonov said. “It’s kind of sad. It’s my last Kansas Relays, but I’m glad that I won this event.”
After waiting out a nearly a two-hour rain delay, Tarasova – coming off a 2007 season in which she won the Big 12 Conference title in the hammer throw – struggled.
She ultimately finished seventh.
“It was kind of the worst competition I have ever had,” a rain-soaked Tarasova said. “For me, rain is just a terrible thing. But I just can’t understand right now what’s going on (with my throws). Last year was so good, and my first year here I was awesome and had improved each competition, and right now I’m just stuck.”
Though Tarasova continues to try to find her form from a year ago, she still can take pleasure in seeing Agafonov shine.
Technically, she recruited Agafonov to KU.
When Kansas began recruiting Tarasova, she thought Agafonov – who had the same throwing coach as Tarasova in Russia – should look into studying abroad.
“If not for me, he’d probably be somewhere else – maybe still in Russia or not throwing the hammer anymore,” Tarasova said. “He was about to finish his career in Russia, and I just got an idea, ‘Egor, there’s a great chance to go there.’ And he took that chance.”
And KU has been the beneficiary ever since.
Agafonov is a two-time Big 12 champion and a two-time All-American selection in the hammer throw, as well as a two-time NCAA indoor national champion in the weight throw.
So far this year, Agafonov won all five meets he competed in during the indoor season – with the fifth earning him the national championship in the weight throw.
The senior’s win at the Kansas Relays now makes him a perfect 2-for-2 in hammer competitions during the outdoor season.
The Relays resume today. Events start at 8 a.m.
