Norman, Okla. ? Kansas University’s Zlata Tarasova advanced to the NCAA Championships in the hammer throw on Friday at the NCAA Midwest Regional track meet at Jacobs Track and Field Complex.
Tarasova, a senior from Togliatti, Russia, placed fifth overall with a throw of 183-4 feet on her first attempt.
“We’re excited that Zlata made it through,” KU coach Stanley Redwine said. “She stepped up and did what she had to do.”
KU’s Keith Hayes and Nickesha Anderson qualified for today’s finals in the 110-meter hurdles and 200 meters.
Hayes, a freshman from Wichita, ran a personal-best 13.73, good for third in his heat. Anderson, a senior from Hanover, Jamaica, was timed in 23.45, good for third. Battling a lingering injury, Anderson fell short of the regional finals in the 100. She was clocked in 11.53, placing third in her heat.
“Nickesha didn’t advance to the final in the 100, but we still think she has a great opportunity to make it to the NCAA championships based on her previous time this year,” Redwine said. “Hopefully by then she will be 100 percent. She made it to the final today in the 200, and hopefully we’re able to get her well and ready to go so she can compete at 100 percent.”
Hayes is looking forward to today’s final, especially after not advancing to the finals at the Big 12 meet.
“I’m trying not to get too overwhelmed about my PR, because I still have the finals tomorrow. I’m just focused now. I’m ready to take care of business tomorrow and try to hopefully get to NCAAs,” Hayes said.
Top five finishers advance to NCAAs.
Freshman Keyen Porter did not qualify for the finals in the 110-meter hurdles. He was 17th overall in the prelims in 14.52.
Several Jayhawks will be competing in event finals today.,
“It is a really big day for us,” Redwine said. “We have two young ladies in the shot put in Emily Reimer and Stephanie Horton, Brian Bishop in the discus, Kirk Cooper in the pole vault, Corey Fuller in the triple jump, Lauren Bonds in the 1,500 meters, and then the people that made it to the finals today, so it should be a really good day for us.”
