Harrison ready for another record run

Already world record holder in 100-meter hurdles, former Kentucky star has sights set on Jones’ American best and Kallur’s global standard in 60-meter hurdles in Albuquerque

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Hurdling to Keni Harrison is an art form, the ideal combination of technical mastery and creativity, speed and strength, power and finesse.

The former Kentucky star created her own masterpiece July 22 when she broke a 100-meter hurdles record that had stood for nearly 28 years by clocking 12.20 seconds at an IAAF Diamond League meet in London.

But just like with drawing or painting or sculpting, the little details matter the most in hurdling, which is why despite being the world leader in the 60-meter hurdles entering Sunday’s competition at the USATF Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, N.M., Harrison isn’t taking anything for granted.

“You’ve got to think about those tiny things, that’s what makes the difference,” said Harrison, who moved into a tie for the No. 2 performer in American history and equal to sixth all-time in the world after running 7.74 in the prelims.

“I am running really fast, so the smallest difference, it counts, especially when you want to do something special.”

Harrison, the 2015 NCAA Division 1 indoor 60 hurdles champion, opened her indoor season Jan. 21 at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational in Lexington by producing the world-leading time of 7.75. But the mark wasn’t enough to impress Kentucky coach Edrick Floreal, who has continued to train Harrison as a professional.

“That race, my start was not good, I popped straight up. Some of the collegiates were with me and I finally got my act together and I pushed away from them, but I didn’t dive at the line, which he was upset about,” Harrison said. “He said he gave me a C-minus on that race, but everything he is saying makes perfect sense.

“I was a little taken aback with all the negativity that came my way, but I know why he’s doing it. He’s really passionate about myself and where I can go in the future.”

Harrison ran 7.76 in her only other tuneup Feb. 4 at the IAAF Indoor Meeting in Karlsruhe, Germany. No other American this year has broken 7.80, with only Germany’s Pamela Dutkiewicz clocking 7.79.
“Keni is so intense all the time, she just wants to work,” Floreal said. “She expresses herself more through the hurdles. She doesn’t really get vocal as a person. When she goes over the hurdles, that’s her form of expression.”

Harrison continues to express a desire to challenge the 2010 American record of 7.72 set by Lolo Jones.

“It’s a fast time. I give respect to anyone who is running that fast,” Harrison said. “Hopefully this weekend I can just go out there and put my race together and do what I know I can do and do what my coach says I can do and hopefully it’s a fast time.”

Floreal knows if Harrison can execute a complete race, she not only has the opportunity to pursue Jones’ standard, but the 2008 world record of 7.68 by Sweden’s Susanna Kallur.

“It means a lot. That’s a hard record. All the respect to her. It’s such a short race that the smallest thing can matter. In the sprints, that’s a lot,” Harrison said. “I’ve been training really hard and I’m excited and I’m ready. That would be amazing. I’m at a loss for words just to think about that.”

After last year’s loss to Brianna Rollins by one-hundredth at the national indoor final, followed by an eighth-place finish in the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Oregon, Harrison is hoping the altitude of Albuquerque will lead to her first USATF Indoor title and a possible record-setting performance.

“I am trying to set the sport on fire and trying to go for all the world records, so I am just going to listen to (Edrick) and fix what I need to fix,” Harrison said. “He knows the smallest thing can make the difference.”