What to know about record-setting Kentucky Wildcats track star Abby Steiner
LEXINGTON — Kentucky track and field star Abby Steiner won her third career individual national title in the 2022 NCAA Outdoor Championships in June.
Here is what you need to know about the Wildcats’ record-setting sprinter.
1. Abby Steiner holds multiple national records
The two-time indoor national champion in the 200-meter dash, Steiner broke the American indoor 200-meter record (22.09 seconds) in February at the Southeastern Conference championships. It was the second-fastest indoor time in the event ever, behind only Jamaican Merlene Ottey’s 21.87 world record.
Earlier this spring, Steiner was part of the Kentucky 4×400-meter relay team that broke the NCAA record (3:21.93). She also holds the NCAA indoor record for the 300-meter (35.8 seconds). In winning her first outdoor title in the 200-meter in June, Steiner broke the collegiate record for that event (21.8 seconds)
Steiner broke the school record in the outdoor 100-meter with a wind-legal time of 10.92 seconds earlier this season.
2. An injury kept Abby Steiner from trying to qualify for Tokyo Olympics
While former UK track stars piled up medals in Tokyo last summer, Steiner had to watch from home after missing the Olympic trials due to Achilles tendinitis.
“I could allow myself to be upset, but that was not going to change anything,” Steiner told the Bowling Green Daily News. “I just had to focus on what I could do better. There was no real rehab for this injury other than rest. I went to physical therapy but there was a lot of just taking time off, which was difficult for me.”
While Steiner rehabbed her injury, former Kentucky track stars swept the gold medals in the women’s hurdle competitions in Tokyo. Former Wildcats Sydney McLaughlin (400-meter hurdles) and Keni Harrison (100-meter hurdles) are the world record holders in those events.
3. Abby Steiner played soccer at Kentucky too
Steiner arrived at UK as a two-sport athlete with the chance to compete for both the track and field and soccer teams.
As a freshman, she started all 19 games for the women’s soccer team, tallying two goals and five assists. She was the only UK player to start every game that season.
The physical toll of playing both sports proved too much, so Steiner chose to focus on track after her freshman year. That decision quickly paid off as Steiner earned NCAA Indoor All-America honors as a sophomore in three events (60-meters, 200-meters, 4×400-meter relay).
