AUSTIN, Texas – Kentucky track and field junior Daniel Roberts equaled the previous 40-year-old collegiate record, 13 seconds flat, en route to an epic NCAA 110-Meter Hurdles Silver Medal in the fastest college hurdles race ever on Friday at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
Rival junior Grant Holloway of Florida won in 12.98, which broke the NCAA record Renaldo Nehemiah set in 1979 running for Maryland.
Roberts earned the second NCAA Silver of his career (60H indoors earlier this year). The eight points he scored amounted to all of the Kentucky men’s team’s 2019 haul at outdoor nationals as the Wildcats finished in a two-way tie for 34th.
“Today was nothing short of a tremendous run for Daniel,” UK assistant coach and Roberts’ event trainer Tim Hall said. “He was excellent in the first three hurdles. Got a little loose after No. 3. He started pressing a little, but nonetheless today was a great race for him. It took a collegiate record to beat him — we’re good with that.
“There’s more to come with D-Rob. He’s a special kid, special talent. I just can’t say enough about him. I’m super proud of him. The future is so bright for him. He’s just a humble kid. So proud of all the things he’s accomplished.”
Of course Roberts ran a new personal best as he’s done over and over this season. He ranks second in the world this year to Holloway, who won the NCAA 110H for the third year in a row.
Roberts stands No. 2 all-time on the collegiate performers’ list. He tied two other men for No. 22 on the world all-time list.
“It’s been an awesome rise,” Kentucky head coach Lonnie Greene said. “People might not understand how fast that race was. It took the world lead, right off the world record to beat Daniel. Coach Hall has done a great job with him. He’s an excellent coach, Daniel is an excellent pupil.
“And he’s represented the brand very, very well. That’s what I think future Wildcats out there and Big Blue Nation want. They want us to represent the University well and I think Daniel is the epitome of that.”
Roberts and Holloway will figure among the favorites at the USATF Outdoor Championships July 25-28, which will serve as Team USA’s qualifying meet for the 2019 IAAF World Championships, to be held Sept. 28-Oct. 6 in Doha, Qatar.
Sophomore Rahman Minor cleared 7’1.75”/2.18m in the men’s high jump to place 15th in his NCAA Championships debut.
Junior Charles Lenford Jr. (186’6”/56.86m) and senior Noah Castle (179’2”/54.63m) placed 15th and 19th respectively in the men’s discus.
