June 24, 2002
PALO ALTO, Calif. - Arizona senior Mike Kenyon went from a virtual unknown
at the beginning of the weekend to a fifth-place finish in the men's 400
meters at the U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Sunday at
Stanford University's Cobb Track and Angell Field.
Kenyon clocked a time of 45.83 seconds, moving up from sixth to fifth in
the final five meters. He edged Calvin Harrison, who ran 45.86, at the tape
to collect the $500 prize money that goes with fifth place.
"I came here to prove that I belonged and that I was going to be around for
a while," Kenyon said. "I think that I did that. People now know a little
better who I am and that I am going to be around for more than a minute."
Alvin Harrison won his first U.S. Championship in 44.62, while Angelo
Taylor was second (45.00) and Antonio Pettigrew was third (45.17). Leonard
Byrd was fourth in 45.28.
Kenyon, who was the Pacific-10 Conference champion and seventh in the NCAAs
in this event, started slowly in the first 100 meters of the race, but
picked it up at the 200 meter mark. He was in seventh place coming off the
final turn, but quickly moved ahead of Jerome Young, who finished seventh,
and then caught Calvin Harrison at the finish.
"I gave myself a chance early in the race," Kenyon said. "I knew that I
had to stay in it because if it was close at the end, there are not a lot of
people that can out-kick me. It's all about place at this meet, and I just
wanted that extra place."
By finishing fifth, Kenyon also qualified to be a part of the 400m-relay
team at the 2002 World Cup that will be held in Madrid, Spain, in September.
"Mike's turnaround in the course of a half-year is the biggest that I have
ever dealt with in an athlete," Arizona's director of track and field/cross
country Fred Harvey said. "This is a guy who went to the Indoor NCAA meet
with one of the top five times in the country and didn't make it past the
first round.
"Less than half a year later, he goes through all three rounds at the U.S.
Championships, finishes fifth and makes the relay team for the World Cup.
It brings tears to my eyes every time I think about it."
Arizona sophomore Amy Linnen was also in competition on the final day of
the meet. She finished 13th in the women's pole vault with a clearance of
13-5 Ľ (4.10m). Former Arizona vaulter Andrea Dutoit was ninth in the
competition at 13-9 Ľ (4.20m) World-record holder Stacy Dragila won the
event with a meet record of 15-3 (4.65m).
Another Tucson resident and Drachman Stadium trainee, David Krummenacker,
won the men's 800m in 1:47.32. Krummenacker trains with former Arizona
athlete Patrick Nduwimana.
Seneca Lassiter, who trains with Arizona's new assistant coach/cross
country coach James Li won the men's 1,500m in 3:40.90. He held off a
challenge from Bryan Berryhill, who finished in 3:40.98, down the
homestretch.
The Wildcats completed an outstanding weekend of competition at the meet.
Brianna Glenn won the women's long jump on Friday and finished seventh in
the 100m yesterday. Freshman Sean Shields won the shot put and was second
in the discus at the U.S. Junior Championships held concurrently. Former
Arizona athlete Abdi Abdirahman finished second in the 10,000m Friday night.
Each of the Arizona athletes that competed at the event made the finals in
their respective competition.
"This was one of the greatest national meet weekends in the history of
Tucson, Arizona. You have three national champs that train on our track.
With the performance level that we have, these things are huge. I don't
think there are many towns in the country that can match that.
"I think that the things that we did this weekend are going to bring a lot
of respect to this town for a while."
