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Wildcats advance to finals in Eugene
The Kentucky Wildcats completed day two of the 2026 NCAA Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. today, totaling four national final qualifiers.
Emmi Scales kicked off the opening day of the women’s events of the championships for the Wildcats in the 100m hurdles semifinal, running the second-fastest qualifying time of 12.72 to advance to Saturday’s final. Scales, in the culmination of an incredible junior season, will enter the final unbeaten against collegiate runners this season and earn her first career national title.
Freshman Rukia Nusra Omulisia and junior Camden Bentley’s concluded their standout seasons in the hurdles semifinal, as they were unable to qualify for the final, placing 14th and 17th, respectively, with times of 12.99 and 13.10.
In the women’s 400m semifinal, Hannah Douglas did not qualify for Saturday’s final, finishing 22nd with a time of 52.68.
Janet Jepkemboi Amimo featured as the second final qualifier of the day for Kentucky, running the fifth-fastest time in the 800m semifinal at 1:59.75. The Wildcat sophomore featured as the final automatic qualifier in the third heat and finished fifth overall.
In the 400m hurdles semifinal, freshman standout Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera, after a slow start to the race, used an impressive final 100 meters to secure her spot in the national final on Saturday. Kerubo Nyagisera was the second to cross the finish line in the third and final heat, marking the third-fastest qualifying time of 55.41.
In the lone field event of the day for the Wildcats, senior Sarah Ferguson, in her first NCAA Championship appearance, placed 23rd in the women’s pole vault final with a height of 4.09m/13-5.
In the final event of the night, the Wildcats’ women’s 4x400m relay team, consisting of A’Laji Bradley, Douglas, Kerubo Nyagisera and Cha’iel Johnson, secured the final qualifying spot with a time of 3:29.28 to advance to the final.
Tomorrow’s events will conclude the men’s portion of the championship schedule, starting with Theo Mudzengerere competing in the triple jump final and Collins Kiprop Kipngok in the 3000m steeplechase final. Julia Gunnell is also set to get underway in the opening events of the women’s heptathlon Friday afternoon, starting with the 100m hurdles event.
Courtesy: UK Athletics
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