Relays and rain are KU rites of spring

Former KU runner Charlie Gruber pumped his fist as he hit the finish line of the Glen Cunningham Mile at Saturday's Kansas Relays. Gruber's 4:05.21 mile out distanced the heralded Alan Webb. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

A celebrated KU tradition continued April 10-13 with the 76th running of the Kansas Relays. More than 4,000 high school and college athletes competed in 136 events over the four-day event.

This year's featured event was the invitational mile run. Young distance runner Allen Webb, who broke high school records held by Jim Ryun, j'70, was the favorite to win the event.

However, former Jayhawk Charlie Gruber, c'02, defeated Webb. Gruber is now taking graduate classes and serving as a volunteer coach for the KU Track team.

KU's Brooklyn Hann won the Women's 100 meter College Hurdles event at the Kansas Relays Saturday with a time of 14.21. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

"I didn't want anyone to come in here and beat me on my home track," said Gruber, who defeated Webb with a time of 4:05.21.

KU's Yvonne Calzonetti finished third in the Women's Pole Vault Saturday at the Kansas Relays. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

Rain and lightning caused some events to be canceled for the second year in a row.

"One of these years we're going to get great weather to go along with the already great performances," said meet director Tim Weaver. "But, just like last year, we were certain that we made the right decision for our athletes."

Several Jayhawks experienced success throughout the relays. For the Kansas men, junior T.J. Hackler won the high jump (6-09.50), senior Jeremy Hull took second in the invitational pole vault (16-04.75) and senior Anson Jackson came in third in the 110m hurdles (14.02).

Kevin Toth unleashed a spectacular throw of 74-04.5 to win the Invitational Shot Put at the Kansas Relays Saturday. Toth's mark is the longest in the world since Randy Barnes set the world record of 75-10.5 in 1990. Jeff Jacobsen/KUAC

The Kansas women were led by sophomore Brooklyn Hann's first-place finish in the 100m hurdles (14.21), freshman Yvonne Calzonetti's third-place finish in the pole vault (12-00.00) and sophomore Kim Clark's fifth-place finish in the 800m run (2:14.79)