Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Seven women and six men from Kentucky colleges were awarded at-large bids Tuesday to the NCAA Track & Field Championships, June 10-13, at Arkansas.

Joseph Maina (EKU photo)

From Eastern Kentucky, Joseph Maina was added to the men’s 5,000-meter field.

From Kentucky, Rondel Sorrillo made it in the men’s 100, Emily Strot in the women’s discus.

From Louisville, Steve Hnat was added in the men’s shot put; Josh Greenwald and Andrew Hackney in discus; Matt Hughes in the steeplechase. U of L additions to the women’s field are Chinwe Okoro and Khadija Abdullah in the shot put, Rachel Gehret in the high jump and Seidre Forde in the triple jump.

From Western Kentucky’s women’s team, Miaie Williams was added in the 100, Janet Jesang in the 5,000.

The at-large recipients will join automatic qualifiers at Arkansas. Automatic berths went to the top five in individual events and top three in relays at the Mideast Regional, held Saturday at U of L.

Here’s what the combined at-large and automatic lists from Kentucky schools look like, with NCAA seeding; a = at-large berth; q = automatic qualifier.

MEN

Rondel Sorrillo

Gavin Smellie

100 meters — 24 a, Rondel Sorrillo (UK).

200 — 3 q, Gavin Smellie (WKU); 5 q, Rondel Sorrillo (UK).

5,000 — 26 a, Joseph Maina (EKU).

3,000 steeplechase — 2 q, Cory Thorne (U of L); 14 a, Matt Hughes (U of L).

4-by-100 relay — 6 q, Kentucky.

4-by-400 relay — 11 q, Western Kentucky; 12 q, Kentucky.

Shot put — 8 q, Rashaud Scott (UK); 17 a, Steve Hnat (U of L).

Rashaud Scott

Chase Madison

Discus — 1 q, Rashaud Scott (UK); 7 q, Chase Madison (UK); 16 a, Josh Greenwald (U of L); 17 a, Andrew Hackney (U of L).

Long jump — 7 a, Mandhla Mgijima (WKU).

High jump — 9 q, Tone Belt (U of L).

Long jump — 16 q, Tone Belt (U of L).

WOMEN

Tarah McKay

Janet Jesang

100 — 19 a, Miaie Williams (WKU).

1,500 — 24 q, Tarah McKay (U of L).

5,000 — 6 a, Janet Jesang (WKU).

4-by-100 relay — 12 q, Western Kentucky.

Shot put — 10 q, Jere’ Summers (U of L); 20 a, Chinwe Okoro (U of L); 23 a, Khadija Abdullah (U of L).

Kristin Smith

Ashley Trimble

Discus — 4 q, Ashley Muffet (UK); 6 q, Jere’ Summers (U of L); 17 a, Emilee Strot (UK).

High jump — 19 a, Rachel Gehret (U of L).

Triple jump — 24 a, Seidre Forde (U of L).

Heptathlon (entries based on pre-regional results) — 11. Ashley Trimble (UK).

USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week: Tyson Gay

The third-fastest 200-meter dash of all time makes Tyson Gay the USA Track & Field choice for athlete of the week.

From Tyson Gay's facebook photo gallery

Gay, a Lafayette High School graduate who later starred for Arkansas, uncorked a 19.58-second 200 Saturday at the Reebok Grand Prix, in New York’s Icahn Stadium. Only a pair of Olympic champions have ever run faster: Michael Johnson (19.32) and Usain Bolt (19.30).

Gay swept the 2007 World Championships in the 100 and 200 meters, and also ran on the gold-medal 4-by-100 relay.

After winning the 100 in American-record time at last year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, Gay suffered a severe hamstring injury during preliminaries of the 200. He went on to run the 200 at the Beijing Olympics, but the missed practice time left him far off his usual form. A dropped baton in the 4-by-100 put a disappointing end to his Olympic experience.

Saturday’s result, his first 200 since the Olympics, means Gay now has the third- and fourth-fastest 200s ever. No. 4 is 19.62, his winning effort at the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships.

Saturday’s runner-up, Gay’s former training partner and Arkansas teammate Wallace Spearmon, finished in 19.98. Former LSU standout Xavier Carter was third in 20.27.

“It made me very, very happy; 19.5 had been one of the goals I had, but to do that in the first race is very pleasing,” Gay told reporters. “I wanted to work on my reaction and my start. Then I just ran. I ran for my life. When I came toward the finish line, I got kind of tight and I just wanted to bring it on in. I tried to push all the way through, just to see where my body is at.”

Several of the week’s leading national marks were turned in on Louisville’s Cardinal Park facility, site of the NCAA Mideast Regional.

Cory Thorne

Louisville’s Cory Thorne had the fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase of the week (8:36.98).

Three winners in men’s field events ranked No. 1 for the week: Kentucky’s Rashaud Scott in the discus (216-2); LSU’s Walter Henning in the hammer throw (231-6), and Arkansas’ Mychael Stewart in the long jump (25-10 3/4).

And two of the women’s field event champions at Louisville led the nation: Purdue’s Kara Patterson in the javelin (192-1), and Indiana State’s Lauren Martin in the triple jump (44-4 3/4).

BEST MARKS BY AMERICANS FOR WEEK ENDING MAY 31
 
MEN
 
100 - 10.04 Jacoby Ford (Clemson) - Greensboro, N.C. 5/30
200 - 19.58 Tyson Gay (adidas) - New York, 5/30     World leader
400 - 44.75 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) - New York, 5/30
800 - 1:46.00 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) - New York, 5/30
1500 - 3:34.14 Leo Manzano (Nike) - New York, 5/30     U.S. leader
3000SC - 8:36.98 Cory Thorne (Louisville) - Louisville, 5/30
5000 - 13:03.06 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - New York, 5/30    U.S. leader
110H - 13.12 Terrence Trammell (TSA) - New York, 5/30
400H - 48.52 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - New York, 5/30
HJ - 2.25/7-4.5 Scott Sellers (Kansas State) - Norman, Okla., 5/29
PV - 5.56/18-3 Jason Colwick (Rice) & Maston Wallace (Texas) - Norman, Okla., 5/30
LJ - 7.89/25-10.75 Mychael Stewart (Arkansas) - Louisville, 5/29
TJ - 16.81/55-2 Will Claye (Oklahoma) - Norman, Okla., 5/30
SP - 20.99/68-10.5 Ryan Whiting (Arizona State) - Eugene, Ore., 5/29
DT - 65.90/216-2 Rashaud Scott (Kentucky) - Louisville, 5/30
HT - 70.56/231-6 Walter Henning (LSU) - Louisville, 5/30
JT - 80.34/263-7 Chris Hill (Georgia) - Greensboro, N.C., 5/29
Dec - 8516 Trey Hardee (Nike) - Gotzis, Austria, 5/31     U.S. leader
  
WOMEN
 
100 - 11.04 Shalonda Solomon (Reebok) - New York, 5/30
200 - 22.34 Lauryn Williams (Nike) - New York, 5/30     World leader
400 - 50.50 Allyson Felix (adidas) - New York, 5/30     World leader
800 - 1:59.29 Anna Willard (Nike) - New York, 5/30     World leader
1500 - 4:03.96 Christin Wurth-Thomas (Nike) - New York, 5/30     U.S. leader
3000SC - 9:26.20 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) - Norman, Okla., 5/30     World leader
5000 - 15:32.39 Jen Rhines (adidas) - New York, 5/30
100H - 12.88 Seun Adigun (Houston) - Norman, Okla., 5/30
400H - 55.44 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) - New York, 5/30
HJ - 1.93/6-4 Sharon Day (Asics) - Havana, Cuba, 5/29
PV - 4.81/15-9.25 Jenn Stuczynski (adidas) - New York, 5/30     World leader
LJ - 6.72/22-0.75 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) - Belgrade, Serbia, 5/29 & Brianna Glenn (adidas) - New York, 5/30
TJ - 13.53/44-4.75 Lauren Martin (Indiana State) - Louisville, 5/30
SP - 18.43/60-5.75 Michelle Carter (unat) - New York, 5/30
DT - 63.97/209-10 Stephanie Brown Trafton (Nike) - New York, 5/30
HT - 69.76/228-10 Amber Campbell (Mjolnir) - Havana, Cuba, 5/30
JT - 58.56/192-1 Kara Patterson (Purdue) - Louisville, 5/30
Hept - 6,063 Sharon Day (Asics) - Havana, Cuba 5/30     U.S. leader

BEIJING — Safe to say, the Beijing Olympics have not turned out the way Tyson Gay had envisioned after he ran the fastest any-conditions 100 meters of all time (9.68 seconds) at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

A few days later, he pulled his left hamstring during the quarterfinals of the 200-meter dash.

The reigning world champion in both the 100 and 200, he missed nearly six weeks of training between the Trials and the Olympics.

The graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington was eliminated in the semifinals of the 100-meter dash.

Thursday night, with the U.S. leading its semifinal heat of the 4-by-100 relay, the final pass of the baton from Darvis Patton to anchor-man Gay amounted to a swing-and-a-miss. The baton appeared to barely graze Gay’s hand and fell to the track. With it went the U.S. relay hopes.

Rodney Martin and Travis Padgett ran the legs preceding Patton.

Live from National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games …

             Tyson Gay’s dream of running for a gold medal in the men’s 100-meter dash came to a screeching halt Saturday night (a.m. in the U.S.) at the Beijing Olympic Games.

            Gay, a graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington, will miss the finals (10:30 p.m. in Beijing, 10:30 a.m. EDT) at National Stadium, also known as Bird’s Nest.

            World record-holder Usain Bolt led all qualifiers in 9.85 seconds.

            Gay, running in the next heat, placed fifth in 10.05 seconds, tied for ninth overall.

            The top four from each semifinal heat qualified for the finals.

            Bolt, from Jamaica, practically loped to victory in the first heat, 9.85. NCAA champion Walter Dix, out of Flordia State, took second in 9.95, followed by Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago (9.97), Michael Prater of Jamaica (10.01) and Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis (10.05).

            Former world record-holder Asafa Powell, also from Jamaica, won Gay’s heat in 9.91. Then came Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago (9.93), Churandy Martinia of Netherland Antilles (9.94), Darvis Patton of the U.S. (10.03) and Gay. Behind Gay was Portugal’s Francis Okikwelu (10.10), silver medalist at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

            Gay was trying to do what few thought possible just a few days ago.

            The reigning world champion at 100 and 200 meters set an American record of 9.77 during quarterfinals of the U.S. Olympic Trials at Eugene, Ore. In the finals, he ran the fastest 100 of all time, 9.68, although a tailwind negated the effort from record consideration.

A few days later, Gay cruised through one round of the 200. In the quarterfinals, though, he tumbled to the track with a strained left hamstring. That knocked him out of the 200 and, many speculated, possibly the 100.

Until coming to Beijing, he had not competed since being injured about five weeks ago.

His first race here was a tepid 10.22. He improved to 10.09 in the quarterfinals.

Women’s 800

Semifinals of the women’s 800 meters — the top two finishers in each of three heats advance to the finals, plus the next two fastest finishers.

Automatic qualifiers by heat:

One: 1. Svetlana Klyuka (Russia) 1:58.31; 2. Maria Mutola (Mozambique) 1:58.61.

Two: 1. Pamela Jelimo (Kenya) 1:57.31; 2. Hasna Benhassi (Morroco) 1:58.03

Three: 1. Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya) 1:57.28; 2. Yuliya Krevsun (Ukraine) 1:57.32.

Next-fastest two qualifiers: Tatiana Andrianova (Russia) 1:58.16 (heat three); Kenia Sinclair (Jamaica) 1:58.28 (heat three).

Live from National Stadium, a.k.a. Bird’s Nest, at the Beijing Olympic Games …

We’re about 20 minutes away from Saturday’s second session of track and field, scheduled for 7 p.m. local time (7 a.m. EDT).

Of course, the buzz is building for one race in particular: the men’s 100-meter dash finals.

To get there, Lexington’s Tyson Gay will first have to negotiate through the semifinals, schedueld for 8:05 and 8:13. Finals are set for 10:30. 

Gay is in the second of the two semifinal heats. The top four from each heat, plus the fastest fifth-place finisher, will advance to the finals.

Gay, the reigning World champ at 100 and 200 meters, will be in the outside lane (nine), next to 2004 silver-medalist Francis Obikwelu of Portugal.

The rest of the field, from lane two out (lane one is vacant): Martial Mbandjock, France (personal best 10:06); Naoki Tsukahara, Japan (10.15); 2004 relay silver-medalist Darvis Patton, U.S. (9.89); World Championships finalist Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles (9.99); former world record-holder and 2007 Worlds bronze-medalist Asafa Powell of Jamaica (9.74); and Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago (9.93).

Heat one, from the inside out: Worlds silver-medalist Derrick Atkins of Bahamas (9.91); Asian champion Samuel Francis of Qatar (9.99); Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago (9.96); three-time Worlds medalist (including gold in 2003) Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis (9.98); NCAA champion Walter Dix of the U.S. (9.93); world record-holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica (9.72); Texas A&M’s Tyrone Edgar of Great Britain (10.06); and TCU’s Michael Frater of Jamaica (10.00).

First event on tonight’s schedule is the javelin portion of the women’s heptathlon.

BEIJING — Lexington’s Tyson Gay advanced to the semifinals of the men’s 100-meter Olympic dash Friday night (a.m. EDT).

With the top three from each of five heats, plus the fastest fourth-place finisher, moving on to Saturday’s semifinals, Gay ran easily to a second-place heat finish, timed in 10.09 seconds. Earlier in the day, he passed his first-round test in 10.22.

His quarterfinals heat was won by Trinidad and Tobago’s Richard Thompson in 9.99. After Gay, who had the night’s ninth-best time, came Martial Mbandjock of France in 10.16.

“I felt good and relaxed,” Gay said. “I’m just trying to make it through.”

He said his left hamstring, injured at last month’s U.S. Olympic Trials, “felt good” through two races.

All three Americans and all three Jamaicans advanced — Walter Dix and Darvis Patton for the U.S., Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Michael Frater for Jamaica.

Bolt, the world record-holder, seemingly ran without effort to the fastest time of the semis, 9.92. Powell ranked fourth overall at 10.02, one spot ahead of Patton’s 10.04. Dix ranked eighth at 10.08. Frater tied Gay for ninth in the rankings.

BEIJING — Heat and lane assignments have been made for the quarterfinals of the Olympic men’s 100-meter dash, set for 9:52 p.m. local time (9:52 a.m. EDT).

Lexington’s Tyson Gay will run out of lane four in the second of five heats.

The top three finishers in each heat, plus the next-fastest time, will advance to Saturday’s 16-man semifinals.

Fifteen of the 40 quarterfinalists have sub-10-second personal bests.

Two of them will be in lanes five and six in Gay’s heat.

Gay is the reigning World Champion and is the American record-holder at 9.77 seconds.

Next to him will be Nigeria’s Olusoji Fasubi, fourth at last year’s Worlds, who has a personal best of 9.85.

Next to Fasuba will be LSU’s Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, who has run 9.93 this season.

Also in the heat are Andrew Hinds of Barbados (10.16 PB), Daniel Grueso of Colombia (10.24), Martial Mbandjock of France (10.06), Jose Carolos Moreira of Brazil (10.16) and Simone Collio of Italy (10.14).

World record-holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica will run in the fourth heat, which includes Team USA’s Darvis Patton and 2004 Olympic silver-medalist Francis Obikwelu of Portugal.

The final heat includes former world champion Asafa Powell of Jamaica, Team USA’s Walter Dix and 2007 Worlds runner-up Daniel Bailey of Antigua and Barbuda.

Also on tap tonight is the first round of the men’s 1,500 meters. Heat three includes Lexington’s David Freeman, the former University of Kentucky standout, who will represent Puerto Rico out of lane one. That race is scheduled to go off at 7:28 p.m. (a.m. EDT).

Louisville native Reese Hoffa, the world champion, will compete in finals of the men’s shot put at 9 p.m. (a.m. EDT).

BEIJING — All three Americans and all three Jamaicans made it through first-round preliminaries of the Olympic men’s 100-meter dash Friday morning.

But it was Brit who was fastest of all at National Stadium, also known as the Bird’s Nest.

Tyrone Edgar of Great Britain led qualifiers for Friday night’s quarterfinals with a time of 10.13 seconds.

Michael Frater, the least known of Jamaica’s trio, had the next-best time, 10.15.

Then came four-time world record-holder Asafa Powell in 10.16, who was trailed in his heat by 2004 Olympic finalist Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis in 10.17.

Fifth overall was world record-holder Usain Bolt in 10.20.

Lexington’s Tyson Gay, in his first race since straining his left hamstring at last month’s U.S. Olympic Trials, led the American contingent in 10.22. That was good for first in his heat, tied for seventh overall.

Darvis Patton was second in Edgar’s heat and tied for 12th overall in 10.25. Fellow American Walter Dix finished in 10.35, third in his heat and tied for 27 overall.

The top three finishers in each of 10 heats automatically qualified for the next round, along with those with the 10 next-best times.

BEIJING – Tyson Gay passed his first-round qualifying test Friday morning in the men’s 100-meter dash at Olympic Stadium, familiarly known as The Bird’s Nest.

Gay, testing his left hamstring for the first time in competition since straining it at last month’s U.S. Trials, won his heat in 10.22 seconds.

Co-favorite Jamaican standouts Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell easily won their heats, as did countryman Michael Frater.

The top three finishers in each of 10 heats, plus the next 10 fastest finishers, advanced to the quarterfinals (Friday night Beijing, Friday morning U.S.).

Gay, the reigning world champion at 100 and 200 meters, set an American record of 9.77 at the U.S. Trials, and later ran the fastest 100 of all time, a wind-aided 9.68. But he made it through only one round of the 200 before tumbling to the track early in his quarterfinals heat.

“A little sluggish,” Gay said after Friday’s race, “but my body’s awake now.”

The Lexingtonian out of Lafayette High School said his hamstring “felt fine.”

Second and third in Gay’s heat, both time in 10.29, were Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria and Jose Carlos Moreira of Brazil.

Bolt, the world record-holder at 9.72, got things going in the first heat. Barely breaking a sweat, Bolt loped easily to a win in 10.20. Runner-up Daniel Bailey clocked 10.24.

Powell, who had the world record (9.74) until Bolt bettered it May 31, was a little more business-like in his approach to the second heat, then eased the last 20 meters. His heat victory came in 10.16, followed by 2004 Olympics finalist Kim Collins of St. Kitts and Nevis in 10.17.

Louisville native Reese Hoffa was first to automatically qualify for finals of the men’s shot put, popping 66 feet, 11½ inches on his only attempt. Teammates Adam Nelson (67-5 ½) and Christian Cantwell (67-2 ¼) also advanced.

BEIJING – Heat assignments for the men’s 100-meter dash were released Wednesday night (a.m. EDT).

            The first of 10 heats will feature world record-holder Usain Bolt, with former world record-holder and fellow Jamaican Asafa Powell going in the second heat. Tyson Gay’s first race since the U.S. Olympic Trials will come in heat five, running out of lane 1. Based on personal and seasonal bests, Gay’s top competitor in the heat is Olusoji Fasuba of Nigeria, who has run 9.85 and, this season, has a best of 10.10.

            Darvis Patton of the U.S. will run in the sixth heat, followed in No. 7 by teammate Walter Dix. Also in Dix’s heat is Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu, the 2004 silver medalist.