2022 Kansas Relays postponed; KU planning 100th anniversary celebration in 2023

By Matt Tait     Nov 30, 2021

Photo courtesy of Kansas Athletics
Kansas freshman Zach Bradford soars over the bar during the pole vault event at this weekend's Kansas Relays at Rock Chalk Park. Bradford broke a 36-year-old KU record in the event by clearing 18 feet, 11 inches during one of his attempts on Saturday, April 20, 2019.

Because of “ongoing challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic,” Kansas Athletics Inc., announced Tuesday that the 2022 Kansas Relays have been postponed.

According to the news release announcing the postponement, the plan is for the Relays to return April 13-15 of 2023, when KU will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first running of the storied track and field event.

“We are incredibly proud of the history of the Kansas Relays as well as the significance of the event for our university, the sport of track and field, Lawrence and the state of Kansas,” KU Athletic Director Travis Goff said in announcing the news. “The Kansas Relays is a signature event with a rich history and we are committed to making the 2023 version the best yet.”

KU has hosted the Kansas Relays every year since 1923 with the exception of a three-year absence from 1943-45 because of World War II, stadium renovations forcing a postponement in 1998 and 1999 and 2020, 2021 and 2022 because of COVID-19.

KU track coach Stanley Redwine said the decision to postpone the 2022 event was “disappointing and difficult,” but he added that he was already looking forward to the Relays’ return in 2023.

“It will be a special year for the Relays as we honor the cen-tennial anniversary and welcome back great high school, col-legiate and professional athletes,” Redwine said.

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Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.