2016 Kansas Relays Day 1 Results

LAWRENCE, Kan.—South Dakota junior Danielle Waldner furthered her school shot put record for the second time this spring to win at the 89th Kansas Relays inside Rock Chalk Park. Seniors Kyle McKelvey and Kelsey Barrett captured event titles in the shot put and 5,000 meters, respectively.
 
Waldner threw the shot 52 feet, ¾ inch, a distance more than four feet further than the runner-up. It also improves her 51-11 ¼ school record set earlier this month at the Husker Invitational. Senior Meghan Dennis took fourth with a throw of 46-6 ¼.
 
"I felt pretty good," Waldner said. "I started off a little slow, but got it going by the end of the day. It's always good to finish the day off with your best throw."
 
McKelvey became the second Coyote to win an event at the Kansas Relays when his final throw of 57-11 ¼ moved him past the rest of the field.
 
"I wasn't pumped on how far I threw, but it was exciting to compete well," McKelvey commented. "I had to come back in the very end and throw a good throw to win it. Even though it wasn't by best throw, it was fun to compete."
 
Barrett led the race from the gun, but used a strong finishing kick in the last lap to handily win the 5,000 meters in 17:10.32. Sophomores Bailey Oettel and Lindsay Joyce remained within a second of Barrett through 3,000 meters before dropping back to fifth and sixth place, respectively. Oettel crossed the line in 17:28.96 and Joyce clocked 17:39.44.
 
"We were hitting 83s (lap splits) pretty consistently throughout the race and that's exactly what coach wanted me to run," Barrett said. "Sometimes I can get a little anxious and get out too fast, so my goal was to not do that. By hitting pace all race, I was able to kick the way I wanted to."
 
Three-time Olympian and throws coach A.G. Kruger launched the hammer 235-7 to win the event. Kruger's mark broke the facility record by over seven feet. It was the best performance by a hammer thrower at the Kansas Relays since current meet record holder Yuri Tamm (USSR) posted a 244-2 in 1983.
 
Waldner added to her shot put victory with a runner-up performance of 178-5 in the hammer throw.
 
Sophomore Jake David was the top collegiate and second overall in the pole vault after clearing 16-6 ¾. Senior Peter Chapman placed third overall at the same height. Senior Erik Jorgensen took sixth with a jump of 16-0 ¾.
 
While passing on all three final attempts, senior Analisa Huschle finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 18-2 ½.
 
Dennis added a fifth-place throw in the javelin with a mark of 153-6. Senior Janelle Noga posted a javelin personal best, throwing 134-10, which moves her to seventh on USD program record books.
 
Junior Tyler Frank tied for fifth in the high jump after clearing 6-6 ¾.
 
The Coyotes resume competition at Rock Chalk Park tomorrow at 10:15 a.m.