Webb sets new UK, meet record on opening day of Florida relays

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Senior middle-distance runner Sharif Webb won the 800m run for the second-consecutive year while setting Kentucky’s 800m record and snapping a 25-year old Florida Relays record, as the Kentucky track and field team earned two wins and five top-four finishes on opening day at the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Fla.


Webb, an indoor All-America honoree last season, claimed a demonstrative win in the men’s 800m run with a career-, school- and meet-best time of 1:47.19. The senior surpassed Jean Balan’s Kentucky school-record mark of 1:47.22 set in 2003 and blew by the Florida Relays meet record of 1:47.49, which had stood since 1986. Webb’s previous career-fastest time was 1:47.64 set last season in Knoxville, Tenn.
“It was a very fast race with windy conditions,” head coach Don Weber said. “Sharif finished very strong and that was very encouraging. I think coming into the race he was pretty confident after winning last year combined with missing the NCAA indoor final by so little provided some additional motivation.”
At the 2011 SEC Indoor Championships, Webb had an unlucky fall after entering the finals with the events fastest qualifying time. Webb had earned an automatic qualifying time earlier in the year and made his way to College Station, Texas for the NCAA Championships where another unlucky fortune occurred. The senior ended the preliminary round with the sixth fastest time overall in the 800m run at 1:48.87 but with the way the prelims and finals are structured did not qualify.
For continuous updates follow the UK track and field team on twitter @KentuckyTrack, and at Ukathletics.com. Also find Fridays full results of the Florida Relays listed below and attached.
Content from this story is from UKathletics.com
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Webb interview after the race