| Jayhawks |
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As the 2012 Kansas Relays came to an end, I couldn't help but think that, although I enjoyed the meet, I left with an unsatisfied feeling. Maybe it was because, for no apparent reason, some old timer said to me on the way out, "Well, it was nothing like the old days when 30 thousand people came to Memorial Staium to watch this meet." I don't really expect that anymore, but I get his point, given the mere thousands of spectators/athletes who peppered the stands this year. Bershawn Jackson sure came to throw down. He set another meet record and world leading time with a 48.20, going away victory in the 400 hurdles. Dee Dee Trotter also set a meet record and world leading time of 50.94 in the 400 for the victory. But the men's mile was a complete let down. Former U of Nebraska runner and South African Peter van der Westhuizen won in 3:56.90, essentially going out with the rabbit in a separate pack from our illustrious Oregon guys who appeared to be on a training run collecting a pay check for the appearance, excepting AJ Acosta, who finished second in 3:57.08. Will Leer looked pretty slow, considering past performances. I hope this meet continues, becuse it is one of the few full high school, college, and professional meets left, but can some American distance guys step up and make for some excitement, considering Jim Ryun shows up every year to greet and shoot the gun off for the high school 1600 and men's mile events. http://www.deltatiming.com/results/events_byschedule.aspx?yf=2012&mf=2012-kansas-relays Delta Timing Group - Contractor License 2012 KANSAS RELAYS Memorial Stadium - University of Kansas - 4/18/2012 to 4/21/20 Event 92 Men 1 Mile Run Invitational =============================================================== Glenn Cunningham Men's Invite Mile Sponsored in Memory of Charles Bekaert, class of 1937 KU Relays: M 3:54.70 1967 Jim Ryun, Kansas Name Year School Finals =========================================================== Finals 1 Peter van der Westhuizen Unattached 3:56.90 2 AJ Acosta Nike 3:57.08 3 David Adams Lincoln Track Club 3:58.44 4 Nick Symmonds Oregon Track Club 4:01.57 5 Jordan McNamara Unattached 4:02.22 6 Will Leer Nike 4:02.50 7 Michael Coe Total Sports 4:04.70 8 Josh Munch Kansas 4:04.83 9 Joseph Eby Shocker Track Club 4:14.60 10 Jake Wike JR Wichita State 4:17.82 -- Matt Scherer Unattached DNF |
| TheEagle |
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How was that a mile? Looked like 1600m to me. |
| face palm |
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It's a 440y track that they ran around 4 times. |
| Round Table Knight |
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440 yard track. One of the only major tracks left like that. |
| TheEagle |
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Thanks. Interesting for a European to see. |
| Pid |
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The track is an unbelievable piece of shit too. Patches and bubbles and crap. Unless they have redone it in the last couple of years. |
| Was there |
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World leaders or top marks for 2012 in the men's 400m hurdles, men's 110m hurdles, women's 400m and women's 100m. And a 3:56 outdoor mile wasn't too shabby. They had a lot of great athletes, the downtown shot put and long jump were great. It's a tough sell for some reason in the midwest. Huge stadium, twice as big as Drake. |
| Kick Like a Boss |
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props to Josh Munsch, I watched him run in high school and he's gone from a 9:40ish, 4:20ish miler to 4:04 in a year and a half. |
| AnotherYear |
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Real jerk running the meet. Singlehandedly killed the spirit of KU relays. |
| jsquire |
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Don't you believe him. The only time this meet cracked 30,000 was Ryun's comeback year of '72. The next best one-day attendance was 23,000, a year in the early 80s when the Soviets showed up. Ten or fifteen years ago this meet was about ready to disappear, but not now. |
| awwwsum |
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Thank you to the Kansas Relays one of the six legendary foundation meets (Penn, Texas, Drake, Stanford Invite, Mt Sac) which have made the USA the #1 track & field team in the world. |
| Was there |
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Probably the biggest crowd I've seen there in the past 20 years was back around 2004 when Maurice Greene brought his crew with him. Since he was from KC and the world record-holder, a large crowd came to watch (and he got beat). |
| entrants run |
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track and field is a participation sport. the great legacy meets such as k relays have an astounding number of heats and entrants. if alls you want fat drunken bods in the stands try american football. |
| moosekaka |
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thanks! I didn't know 440 yard mondo tracks existed! and I am in socal |
| John Brown |
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There were a number of huge crowds just 10 years ago. High schools from TX to MN and most of the big 8 schools. I saw billboards and posters everywhere and the stands were packed. Overnight this event went downhill. Looking at the heat sheets there are maybe half the teams and athletes from before. Looking at the stands just makes you sad. |
| 2013 |
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Any update for 2013? |
| kansas1 |
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I have not seen any reports on committed professional entries, but they do have the college and high school heat sheets up, and will hold the elite men's shot put and women's long jump at the downtown Lawrence location. http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/c-relay/spec-rel/032713aaa.html 2013 Schedule: http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/kan/sports/c-relay/auto_pdf/2012-13/misc_non_event/2013RelaysSchedule.pdf FYI, looks like this will be the last year for holding the meet in Memorial stadium, as the new track and field facility is planned to be open in time to host the 2014 Kansas Relays: http://www.kuathletics.com/sports/c-track/spec-rel/011513aab.html |
| kansas1 |
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Sorry, after clicking on the heat sheets, they are from 2012. So it doesn't appear that any entries have been posted yet. |
| Count de Monet |
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Entries won't be posted until this weekend. Coaches have from today until Saturday to update entry marks and scratch entries. |