14 April 2023
LAWRENCE (KSNT) – The Kansas relays is celebrating its 100th anniversary, its first meet since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Jayhawks are receiving an honor given to some of track & field’s most prestigious meets.
The Kansas Relays were honored with the World Athletics Heritage Plaque. The plaque is awarded for an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track and field athletics. Events such as the Boston Marathon have also been given this award.
“The annual three-day celebration of the very best of track and field in Lawrence, Kansas, which thoroughly deserves this recognition, has been the stage of countless great performances by world and Olympic medalists and world record-breakers,” Willie Banks, USA’s World Athletics Council Member, said. “Over the last hundred years, the Kansas Relays, from seniors to high schoolers, has established itself as one of the most important invitational track and field competitions in the USA.”
The Kansas Relays were founded on April 21, 1923. The event has been held every year since, except for 1943-1945 (World War II), 1998-1999 (stadium renovations) and 2020-2022 (Covid-19).