Born September 18, 1992, Kendra Harrison is an American hurdler who held the world record in the women's 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.20 seconds set on July 22, 2016, at the London Müller Anniversary Games. She broke the previous world record of 12.21 seconds which had stood for nearly 28 years set by Bulgarian athlete Yordanka Donkova.
Harrison competed for the University of Kentucky Wildcats in her college years winning NCAA championship titles in 2015. She was runner-up in the 100m hurdles at the 2015 USA Outdoor Championships. She finished sixth after tripping at the 2016 Olympic Trials and missed the Olympics. Despite this setback, Harrison broke the world record between the US trials and the Olympic Games.
Harrison won the 60m hurdles at the 2018 World Indoor Championship and the 100m hurdles at the 2018 NACAC Championships. She placed second in the 100m hurdles at the 2019 World Championship and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Where did Keni Harrison go to School?
Keni Harrison attended Clayton High School in Clayton, North Carolina.
During High School, She won state championship titles in the 100m and 300m hurdles at the 2010 and 2011 North Carolina Class 4A state meets. In 2011, she won the 100m hurdles at the New Balance Nationals and was named Gatorade North Carolina Girls Track & Field Athlete of the Year.
Keni Harrison’s College Career
Keni attended Clemson University in 2012 but transferred to the University of Kentucky after the 2013 season.
How much did Keni Harrison average in College?
Clemson University
Keni Harrison attended Clemson University. As a freshman in 2012, she became the Atlantic Coast Conference champion in the 400m hurdles and the 4×400m relay. She also qualified for the NCAA championships in both hurdle events. At the 2012 Olympic Trials, she competed in the 100m hurdles but was eliminated. Harrison placed fifth in the 100m hurdles with 12.88 seconds and fourth in the 400m hurdles with 55.75 seconds at the NCAA outdoor championships in 2013.
University of Kentucky
Keni Harrison transferred from Clemson to the University of Kentucky after the 2013 season, along with sprinter Dezerea Bryant and coach Tim Hall. In 2014, Harrison won both the 100m hurdles (12.86) and the 400m hurdles (54.76) at the Southeastern Conference (SEC) championships becoming the first athlete to win both events since 1999. Despite entering the NCAA outdoor championships as the leading favorite and collegiate leader in the 400m hurdles, she failed to match her personal best and lost to Texas A&M's Shamier Little. She placed fifth in the 100m hurdles for the second consecutive year.
Harrison's progress was briefly hampered by a hamstring injury in the winter of 2014–15 causing her to miss the early part of the 2015 indoor season. However, she returned by winning the 60m hurdles at the SEC and NCAA indoor championships. She set personal bests in both meets with her time of 7.87 seconds in the NCAA meet ranking her fourth in the world for that indoor season.
In 2015, Harrison won her first NCAA title in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.55 seconds. She placed second to Shamier Little setting a personal best of 54.09 seconds in the 400m hurdles which was the second-fastest time in the world that year.
In recognition of her achievements, Harrison was named a recipient of the NCAA's Today's Top 10 Award in November 2015. This prestigious award is presented annually to 10 individuals who completed their athletic eligibility the previous school year, honoring their successes on the field, in the classroom, and in the community.
FAQ's On Keni Harrison College
A. Keni Harrison is 31 years old.
A. Keni Harrison’s Hometown is Clayton, North Carolina, U.S.
A. Keni Harrison is 1.63 m tall.
A. The parents of Keni Harrison are Karon Harrison and Gary Harrison.
A. Keni Harrison is American by nationality.
