LEXINGTON, Kentucky – This weekend saw many exciting moments for the Kentucky Wildcat track and field team as they participated in two events – the Vanderbilt Invite and the Corky Classic. Two standout athletes, Kate Powers and Sharmelle Holmes, continued to shine brightly as they both broke records and achieved personal bests.
Kate Powers made waves at the Vanderbilt Invite, where she set a new school record in the weight throw, recording an incredible distance of 22.63m/74-3.00. This new throw exceeds her previous record, adding more than three feet to the distance she achieved last week at the Rod McCravy Memorial. Although Powers finished fourth in the Weight Throw Invite, she emerged as the top collegiate thrower, marking the best distance in the NCAA this season.
At the same event, Janet Jepkemboi Amimo made her collegiate debut dazzling the crowd by clinching first place in the 1000m race with a time of 2:43.23, placing her third in the school’s all-time rankings. Meanwhile, Jenna Schwinghamer took third in the same event with a time of 2:44.45.
On the sprinting front, freshman Sharmelle Holmes showed her prowess by breaking her own freshman record in the 60m dash at the Corky Classic. Holmes set a personal best time of 7.24 seconds in the semifinal and later finished second with a final time of 7.25 seconds. This achievement has placed her tied for sixth all-time at Kentucky after just three competitions.
The men’s side also showcased impressive talent, as Carlie Makarawu clocked in a personal best time of 6.60 seconds in the 60m semifinal, tying for the fourth-fastest mark in school history. In the 60m hurdles, freshman Kori Martin also ran a significant personal best of 8.25 seconds, landing her in the top ten of UK All-Time rankings for that event.
Senior Payton Phillips continued to maintain a strong season, with her third consecutive second-place finish in the Women’s Pole Vault, clearing a height of 4.21m. Meanwhile, graduate student Shane Racey achieved a new season best of 5.21m in men’s pole vault, earning fifth place.
As they look ahead, the Wildcats will continue their competitions tomorrow, with distance runners and throwers wrapping up the Vanderbilt Invite while sprinters and jumpers gear up for a challenging day at the Corky Classic. Stay tuned for more updates on these remarkable athletes!
