TF2K22: Lex is Back

After leaving Indiana where we will watch the Hoosier Open on Friday night, we will travel to Louisville, Kentucky to see the Cardinal Classic.

Athletes from Louisville, Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky, Cambellsville and Cumberlands will be competing at this meet.

The 60 meters look to be an exciting event as Louisville's Brooke Raglin looks to win on her home track. The senior ran her fastest time of 7.35 when she won at the 2020 Notre Dame Invitational. Last outdoor season she qualified for the 100 meters final at the ACC championship meet for the first time of her career.

Kentucky sprinters Shadajah Ballard, Kaylyn Heath and Anthaya Charlton should provide a challenge for Raglin in her pursuit of a win. Eastern Kentucky's Quantasia Perry competed last year at Louisville's Lenny Lyles Cardinals Invitational meet and won the 60 meters at 7.58. Perry looks to make noise in the 60 meters and the 200 meters. Last season she placed second in the OVC Championships during the outdoor final with a time of 23.59.

Ballard and Charlton will race against Perry and her teammate Kayla Smith in the first of five heats in the 200 meters. Heath (23.89) will face two of her Kentucky teammates, Darci Khan and Masai Russell as well as Eastern Kentucky's Aniya Matthews in the second heat of the 200 meters.

Khan and Russell's main business are the 60-meter hurdles. Along with teammate Ballard, Kentucky enters the event with the top three times. Russell, who just signed a Next In Line deal with the WWE is the fastest coming into the meet at 8.10. She recorded that time last season at the Tiger Paw Invite where she placed second.

Russell placed fourth in the 60-meter hurdles at the SEC championship meet last season and qualified for the NCAA indoor prelim round. During the outdoor season she competed in the finals of both the 100-meter hurdles and 400-meter hurdles placing sixth and fourth respectively. Ballard's top time is 8.25 and Khan's is 8.28.

New blood will be competing for Kentucky in the 400 meters as Tayler Camp, Mandy Dickerson and Jasmine Jackson will all be at the starting line. The three freshmen will face Eastern Kentucky seniors Cassandra Reed, Felicia Phillips and junior Alicia Recio.

All-American 400 meters runner Alexis Holmes will be competing in the 500 meters alongside teammate Megan Moss. They will also run against Katie Martin and Mia Edwards of Louisville as well as Nevaeh Warren and Cora Stevens of Cumberlands.

Holmes is returning from an injury that shortened her 2021 season. The decorated sprinter has won 400 meter titles in the SEC (2020) and Big Ten, when she competed for Penn State in 2019. During her freshman year at Penn State she was fourth in the NCAA indoor 400 meters final. In 2019 she was a silver medalist at the U20 Pan American World Championship and the U20 USA Nationals. She won the gold as part of the 1,600-meter relay at the U20 Pan American World Championship.

Holmes will compete in the 1,600-meter relay this weekend with teammates Moss, Dajour Miles and fellow All-American Abby Steiner. Kentucky is set to have five foursomes compete in the 1,600-meter relay. Cumberlands has three squads, Louisville has two and Eastern Kentucky will have one.

Other athletes to look out for during the meet include: Gabriela Leon, who is Louisville's top pole vaulter. She has the best mark of 4.40 among the seven competitors, four of which are her teammates.

Multi-event competitor Annika Williams of Kentucky will be seen in the shot put competition, going up against her teammate, favorite Molly Leppelmeier, who enters the event with the top throw of 16.18.