Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Kansas State University sophomore Erik Kynard Jr. has been added to the “watch list” for collegiate track and field’s top award, The Bowerman.

Kynard, a Kentucky Invitational high jump champion as a high school athlete, rose to the watch list after clearing 7-7 3/4 in the Tyson Invitational, Feb. 12, at Arkansas. Only two other collegiate athletes ever have jumped high indoors, Hollis Conway and Brian Brown.

Kynard is unbeaten in five competitions this season, including the Big 12 Championships, and has cleared 7-3 3/4 or higher in each.

The 10 athletes now on the watch list:

Jeshua Anderson

Jeshua Anderson, Washington State, sr., from Woodland Hills, Calif.
IN 2011: His season best in the 400-meter dash of 46.93 places him in the collegiate top 35. The outdoor season is where Anderson is expected to shine when he can compete in his specialty event – the 400-meter hurdles.

Robby Andrews

Robby Andrews, Virginia, soph., from Englishtown, N.J.
IN 2011: Has yet to compete officially. Ran unattached and successfully was the “rabbit” for Bernard Lagat’s attempt to break the American two-mile record.

Sam Chelanga

Sam Chelanga, Liberty, RS sr., from Nairobi, Kenya
IN 2011: In his first 5K of the indoor season, Chelanga recorded a then world-leading and current collegiate-leading time of 13:41.35 on his home 200-meter, flat track on Jan. 29. Chelanga notched a would-be collegiate leader of 7:48.24 in the 3,000 meters at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix where he finished fourth in a professional-loaded field. Because no collegians were involved in that competition. Chelanga tallied a 7:50.92 clocking at 3,000 meters in placing fifth overall at the Flotrack Husky Classic. Chelanga added to his tally of Big South Championships with a mile crown (4:16.88) this season.

Will Claye

Will Claye, Florida, jr., Phoenix
IN 2011: Claye stand second nationally in the triple jump with a season’s best of 56-4 (17.17 meters) achieved in finishing runner up to teammate Christian Taylor at the SEC Championships. Claye is also eighth in the country in the long jump, having notched a season best of 26-1 (7.95m) in taking third at the Tyson Invitational. Claye added a third-place showing in the long jump at the SEC meet, placing behind only Arkansas’ Tarik Batchelor and LSU’s Zedric Thomas -– both members of the national top five of the event this year.

Jeff Demps

Jeff Demps, Florida, soph (indoor)/junior (outdoors), from Winter Garden, Fla.
IN 2011: After opening the season with a 6.57 in winning the Virginia Tech Elite, Demps has twice more clocked sub-6.60 in the 60 meters, including when he won the SEC title in the event for the second straight year with a 6.55. Demps ranks No. 2 nationally in the 60, behind only Oklahoma’s Mookie Salaam (6.54).

Mason Finley

Mason Finley, Kansas, soph., from Salida, Colo.
IN 2011: Finley has three wins in the books so far in 2011 in his signature event -– the shot put. His opener, a 67-11½ (20.71m) heave to win at the Missouri-Kansas dual leads the rest of Division I by more than two feet feet. Last weekend, at the Big 12 Indoor Championships, Finley was upset by Nebraska’s Luke Pinkelman who now stands No. 2 on the descending order list (65-10¼, 20.07m).

Walter Henning

Walter Henning, LSU, sr., frm Kings Park, N.Y.
IN 2011: Henning continues not to miss in the weight throw. The LSU strongman has won 10 straight against collegiate competition with the 35-pound weight –- four of which have come in the 2011 season, including his third straight SEC crown. At the LSU Twilight on Feb. 18, Henning notched his season-best throw of 76-6¼ (23.32m). Henning’s personal best in the event is 78-1 (23.80m).

Kirani James

Kirani James, Alabama, soph., from Gouyave, Grenada
IN 2011: On every occasion in which he has stepped on the track for the 400 meters this season, James has set a new world-leading mark. Starting on Feb. 12 when he ran 45.47 (oversized) to win Notre Dame Meyo Invitational, then on Feb. 26 for the preliminary round of the SEC Championships when he ran 45.37. And, for the trifecta, James, who is 18, clocked 44.80 in the SEC finals to not only set another world record, but it also set a new world junior all-time best. The time places him in the top five of the all-time world indoor list and only Kerron Clement’s (Florida) world record of 44.57 set in 2005 stands as a better all-time collegiate mark.

Erik Kynard Jr.

Erik Kynard Jr., Kansas State, soph., from Toledo, Ohio
IN 2011: Kynard leaped on to the scene with a 7-7¾ (2.33m) clearance in winning the high jump at the Tyson Invitational on Feb. 12. Only two other collegians (Hollis Conway and Brian Brown) in indoor history have jumped higher than Kynard. The sophomore has won all five competitions in which he has entered this year, including the Big 12 Championships. Kynard has won each of those competitions by clearing at least 7-3¾ (2.23m).

Christian Taylor

Christian Taylor, Florida, jr., from Fayetteville, Ga.
IN 2011: Taylor sent quite a message in winning the SEC Championships triple jump on his final attempt. With a mark of 56-11½ (17.36m) that not only won the event for the third straight time and set an SEC record, he became the third all-time best collegian indoors in the event. Only Charlie Simpkins (Baptist, 17.50m, 57-5, 1986) and Mike Conley (Arkansas, 17.40m, 57-1, 1985) have jumped farther in indoor collegiate history than Taylor. The Gator also finished eighth at the SEC meet in the long jump and has a season’s best in the event of 25-0 (7.62m), good for the national top 25.

The Bowerman Advisory Board appointed four of its members to comprise The Bowerman Men’s Watch Committee and another four of its members to make up The Bowerman Women’s Watch Committee. The committee will release their next men’s update on Wednesday, March 16. The three men and three women finalists will be named late June.

Tyson Gay at a press conference during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Lexington’s Tyson Gay was named Wednesday as USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week.

Gay whipped Olympic gold-medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaica in the 100-meter dash at the DN Galan – Samsung Diamond League meet Friday at Stockholm.

Gay, a graduate of Lafayette High School who went on to star at Arkansas, clocked 9.84 seconds to Bolt’s 9.97.

In an interesting twist, Bolt noted that this was his “easy season,” as the World Championships come next year. He dominated the 2009 Worlds.

What Bolt didn’t note was that this is the “easy season” for Gay as well. Gay swept the 100, 200 and 4-by-100 relay golds at the 2007 Worlds.

Also at Stockholm, Chris Solinsky ran the second-fastest 5,000 meters ever by an American, finishing fifth in 12:55.53. Bernard Lagat set the American record of 12:54.12 earlier this year. Solinsky set the U.S. record for 10,000 meters earlier this season, becoming the first American to break the 27-minute barrier.

Best American marks of the week (ending Sunday)

MEN
100 – 9.84, Tyson Gay (adidas), at Stockholm
200 — 20.18, Wallace Spearmon (Saucony), Nottwil, Switzerland
400 – 45.40, LeJerald Betters (Nike), Nottwil
800 — 1:45.32, Nick Symmonds (Nike/Oregon TC), Stockholm
3,000 — 7:54.61, David Torrence (Nike), Nottwil
5,000 — 12:55.53, Chris Solinsky (Nike/Ore. TC), Stockholm
110 hurdles — 13.51, Joel Brown (unattached), Nottwil
400 hurdles — 47.65, Bershawn Jackson (Nike), Stockholm
High jump — 7-3 1/4, James Harris (Alabama H.S.), Norfolk, Va.
Long jump — 25-10, Trevell Quinley (Nike), Rakvere, Finland
Shot put — 72-5 3/4, Christian Cantwell (Nike), Stockholm
Decathlon – 8,090, Joe Detmer (unattached), Marburg, Germany 

WOMEN
100 — 10.99, Marshevet Myers (adidas), Nottwil
200 — 22.41, Alyson Felix (Nike), Stockholm
400 –  50.59, Debbie Dunn (unattached), Stockholm
800 — 1:58.67, Morgan Uceny (Reebok), Nottwil
1,500 — 4:02.72, Morgan Uceny (Reebok), Stockholm
3K steeple — 9:37.98, Lisa Aguilera (Nike), Stockholm
5,000 — 15:50.55, Jen Rhines (adidas), Stockholm
100 hurdles — 12.70, Queen Harrison (unattached), Stockholm,
                   and Lolo Jones (Asics), Stockholm
400 hurdles — 55.28, Sheena Tosta (Nike), Nottwil
High jump — 6-6 3/4, Chaunte Lowe (Nike), Stockholm
Pole vault — 14-5 1/2, Lacy Janson (unattached), Stockholm
Long jump — 22-7 1/4, Hyleas Fountain (Nike), Nottwil
Shot put — 61-5 3/4, Jill Camarena (New York AC), Stockholm
Discus — 205-5, Becky Breisch (Nike), Nottwil
Hammer — 205-7, Shelby Ashe (Georgia H.S.), Marietta, Ga.
Heptathlon — 5,984, Bettie Wade (Nike), Marburg, Germany

Bernard Lagat

Bernard Lagat is USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week.

A two-time Olympic medalist and the 2007 double Worlds champion, Lagat won an unprecedented eighth Wannamaker Mile title Friday night in New York’s Madison Square Garden, site of the 103rd Millrose Games.

Lagat, timed in 3:56.34, came into the meet sharing the lead in Wanamaker titles with Irishman Eamonn Coghlin.

Best American marks for the week ending Jan. 31, compiled by USATF.

MEN
60 meters — 6.59   Casey LaCour (unattached), Houston, Jan. 30
200 — 20.69 Curtis Mitchell (Texas A&M), College Station, TX, Jan. 30
400 – 46.48     Calvin Smith (Florida), College Station, Texas, Jan. 30
800 — 1:47.98  Cas Loxsom (Penn State), State College, Pa., Jan. 30
Mile — 3:55.75*o Chris Solinsky (Nike), Seattle, Jan. 30
3,000 — 7:51.48*o Galen Rupp (Nike), Seattle, Jan. 30
5,000 — 13:40.79  David Jankowski (Zap Fitness) Boston, Jan. 30
60 hurdles–7.49 Terrence Trammell (Trackstar Appeal), N.Y., Jan. 29
High jump — 7-7 1/4  Dusty Jonas (Nike), Trinec, Czech Rep., Jan. 26
Pole vault–18-4 1/2 Mark Hollis (ua), Derek Miles (Nike), NY, Jan. 29
Long jump–26-2 3/4 Trevell Quinley (HPC Elite) Albuquerque, Jan. 30
Triple jump–53-2 1/4 Brandon Roulhac (HPC E) Glasgow, Scot., Jan. 30
Shot put — 72-0 1/4  Christian Cantwell (Nike), New York, Jan. 29
Weight throw — 77-4  Jake Freeman (IBAC), New York, Jan. 29
Heptathlon — 6,256  Ashton Eaton (Ore.), College Station, Jan. 30 COLLEGIATE RECORD
*o — denotes oversized track.

WOMEN
60 — 7.19  Carmelita Jeter (Nike), Glasgow, Scotland, Jan. 30
200 — 23.16  Shavon Greaves (Penn St.), State College, Pa., Jan. 30
400 — 52.05  Allyson Felix (adidas), Albuquerque, Jan. 30
500–1:08.70 Shana Cox (adidas), State College, Jan. 30 U.S. RECORD
800 — 2:03.77  Erin Donohue (Nike), Boston, Jan. 30
Mile — 4:31.50  Sara Hall (Asics), New York, Jan. 29
3,000 — 8:58.45*o  Amy Hastings (adidas), Seattle, Jan. 30
5,000 – 15:20.05  Molly Huddle (Saucony), Seattle, Jan. 29
60 hurdles — 7.90  Lolo Jones (Asics), Karlsruhe, Germany, Jan. 31
High jump — 6-4 1/4  Chaunte Howard (Nike), Glasgow, Scot., Jan. 30
Pole vault — 14-9 1/2  Chelsea Johnson (Nike), New York, Jan. 29
Long jump — 21-11  Hyleas Fountain (Nike), State College, Jan. 29
Triple jump – 44-10 3/4  Amanda Smock (unatt.), Mankato, MN, Jan. 30
Shot put — 57-0  Sarah Stevens (unattached), Flagstaff, Ariz., Jan. 30
Weight throw — 79-4 3/4  Amber Campbell (Nike), New York, Jan. 29
Pentathlon — 4,731  Hyleas Fountain (Nike), State College, Jan. 29

For more information on USATF, visit usatf.org

Tracking Team USA at the Winter Olympic Games

Opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympic Games at Vancouver are little more than a week away, Feb. 12.

A couple of tips on where, in addition to kentucky.com, to look for the latest news.

1. Register on Teamusa.org to access late-breaking news and updates involving Team USA, courtesy of the United States Olympic Committee.

2. If you’ve grown accustomed to reading my reports, well … my 11th Olympics will mark my first as a freelance writer. I’ll be taking vacation time from this web site. However, you can still follow me on my newly launched personal web site: www.site.monkeyalarm.com.

Even though Kentucky isn’t often associated with the Winter Olympics, there will be plenty of Bluegrass connections in Vancouver. (More on that topic later.)

Reed writes again: Celebrating Freedom Hall

Billy Reed's latest work.

Former Herald-Leader sports columnist Billy Reed is the author of a new book: Celebrating 54 Years at Freedom Hall.

Published by Butler Books of Louisville, the work retails for $29.95. Reed will be on hand to sign copies of the book at every University of Louisville men’s and women’s basketball game for the rest of the season.

Reed says the book is heavy on basketball, including chapters on U of L, Kentucky, six NCAA Final Fours, the Kentucky Colonels, high school all-star games and the State High School Sweet Sixteen. Other topics include the World Championship Horse Show, National Tractor Pull, boxing (Muhammad Ali’s first fights), concerts, the Mason-Dixon (track and field) Games and family entertainment.

Fans attending Eastern Kentucky University’s home basketball games this week are invited to take part in the fifth annual Colonel Holiday Toy Drive.

The drive, operated by the EKU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and the Salvation Army, opened Monday at the Alumni Coliseum ticket office. Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted from 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily through Friday.

Wednesday night, when the EKU men (6-2) play host to Ohio Valley (1-4) at 7 p.m., fans who donate to the Toy Drive will gain free admission.

Friday, when the EKU women (4-4) meet Davis & Elkins at 6 p.m., donations will earn free admission.

Bluegrass tinge to USATF annual meeting

Award winners at the USA Track & Field annual meeting in Indianapolis include several Kentucky connections.

Lexington native Tyson Gay won both the Harrison Dillard and Jesse Owens awards.

Sprinter Tyson Gay (Lafayette High School/Univ. of Arkansas) received both the Jesse Owens and Harrison Dillard awards. World-champion long-jumper Dwight Phillips (Univ. of Kentucky) took the Jim Thorpe Award.

Gay, the World Championships silver medalist at 100 meters, equaled or bettered his own American record three times in 2009. Other finalists for the award were Phillips, Christian Cantwell, Kerron Clement, Trey Hardee, Bernard Lagat and LaShawn Merritt.

USATF’s chairman and president, Stephanie Hightower (Louisville Stuart H.S./Ohio State), commended the board of directors who, over the last 11 months, have developed a ”comprehensive strategic plan.”

Also, five new members were inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame — four-time Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs; Olympic long jump gold-medalists Randy Williams and Willie Steele; Olympic gold-medalist 400-meter hurdler Andre Phillips; and one of the all-time coaching greats, Dr. Ken Foreman.

Updating Charley Taylor’s recovery

Charley Taylor

Long-time Lexington Legends pitching coach Charley Taylor’s post-surgery cancer treatment is running ahead of the schedule that was posted on this blog Tuesday.

He already has returned to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for chemotherapy. All indications are that his recovery is going well five weeks after the surgery.

Here’s hoping Charley is back tutoring young pitchers soon on a bullpen mound.

Lyles, Clemens honored by Astros

Jordan Lyles

Koby Clemens

RHP Jordan Lyles, who went 7-11 with a 3.24 ERA for the Legends last season, is Pitcher of the Year in the Houston Astros organization.

Lyles, who turned 19 in October, ranked fourth in minor-league baseball and set a Legends record by striking out 167. He fanned 10 or more batters in four games and walked only 38 over 144 2/3 innings. The Astros landed Lyles with a 2008 supplemental first-round draft pick (38th overall).

Former Legend 3B Koby Clemens is Offensive Player of the Year in the Astros organization.

Clemens, now a catcher, hit .345 with 22 homers and 121 RBI for the Lancaster JetHawks of the High-A California League.