Kelly Named Pac-12 Men's Track Athlete of the Week
April 17, 2018 | Track & Field
LOS ANGELES โ UCLA sophomore distance runner Riley Kelly has been named the Pac-12 men's track Athlete of the Week, it was announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon.
Kelly, a native of Brisbane, Australia, set a new PR in the 800m at Saturday's Rafer Johnson/Jackie Joyner-Kersee Invitational, finishing the race with a time of 1:49.41.
That mark is the best in the 800m by a Bruin this year, fourth-best by a Pac-12 runner, and 17th best by a Western region athlete in the 2018 outdoor season.
Kelly has improved his 800m time in each of the five times he's competed in the event in 2018, going from a 1:51.83 time on Jan. 27 to Saturday's sub-1:50 mark.
He is UCLA's first recipient of a men's track weekly honor since Arturo Sotomayor was tabbed on Apr. 11, 2017.
UCLA freshman Alyssa Wilson (recorded first career triple) and sophomore Marian Spannowsky (70.54m javelin throw, eight-best in UCLA history) were nominated for field athlete of the week awards after strong showings at the Rafer Johnson/JJK Invite.
UCLA's track and field teams will compete at three different meets around the country this week:ย the Brian Clay Invitational Multi (Azusa, Calif.), the Mt. Sac Relays (Torrance, Calif.), and the John Jacobs Invitational (Norman, Okla.).
Players Mentioned
