On a day when everyone affiliated with the Kansas Relays praised Kansas University sprinter Leo Bookman and his Olympic-class potential, perhaps the highest praise came from the oldest man in the audience.

“He’s such a talent, and being as strong as he is with all that skill, I don’t think there are limitations on your future,” said legendary former KU track coach Bob Timmons, turning away from the media to address Bookman on Tuesday in Hadl Auditorium.

“I don’t see any,” Bookman answered back with a big smile.

Timmons has seen talent of Bookman’s caliber before. Under Timmons, Kansas won four NCAA team championships, and he had 11 NCAA champions.

Timmons again will be in attendance during this weekend’s 77th installment of the Relays, where he and six others will be inducted as the inaugural class of the Kansas Relays Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, Bookman officially will begin his attempt to qualify for this summer’s Olympics on Saturday. However, the 6-foot-2, 214-pound senior won’t be running his specialty — the 200-meters — on Hershberger Track.

He’ll run the 100 meters, either on Friday or Saturday, and the 400 on Saturday.

“It’s just like the start of indoor season where we started him off doing the 400 meters and then started doing more speed orientated things,” KU coach Stanley Redwine said. “The season is going to be long, and the idea is to make sure to get strong enough to show up at the end of the season.”

That strategy paid off for Bookman during his final indoor season this winter. He won his second straight NCAA championship in the 200 on March 12 in Fayetteville, Ark., with a personal-best time of 20.42 seconds.

Kansas University's Leo Bookman fields questions from the media. Bookman discussed his Olympic dreams during a Kansas Relays news conference Tuesday at KU's Hadl Auditorium.

That clocking is still the fastest 200 in the world this year.

Bookman concurs with Redwine’s strategy.

“It will be a meet to let me know where I am at,” said Bookman. “It will provide strength and endurance in the 400 and the speed work in the 100.”

In order to concentrate on the Olympics, Bookman is taking a red-shirt during the outdoor season, but plans to complete his college eligibility. He’ll compete unattached in the Relays.

As a high school senior, Bookman snagged Texas state titles in both the 100 and 200, but said he never could top his prep 100 time of 10.36. He also hasn’t run the 400 outdoors except for a few relays in high school.

Bookman, who also won the 2003 NCAA outdoor title in the 200 with a time of 20.47, said he wasn’t worried about his lofty Olympic goals.

“Not really pressure, but a sense of motivation,” he said. “I try to take pressure and the nerves and stuff and try to turn it around into positive motivation.”

Making the U.S. Olympics team won’t be a breeze because six of the top 10 sprinters in the world last season were from the United States and only three Olympic spots are up for grabs.

Teammate Kim Clark envies Bookman.

“It’s pretty inspirational to see someone who has trained with you, and is going to the next level and has a chance to go to the Olympics and compete with the world’s elite athletes,” said Clark, a sprinter and middle-distance runner on the women’s team.

But Bookman says he hasn’t given up on his first love — football.

Bookman was recruited to KU as a running back and saw time as a defensive back and receiver from the 2000 season up until spring football last year, when he decided to focus on track.

“There’s been times when I missed it,” Bookman said. “But no regrets at all. It was my first love, so I’m always going to love football — and I hope to play one day. I think I have a chance, I think I have a chance at doing anything once I put my mind to it.”

Bookman’s self-described “confidence, not cockiness” is why Redwine said his standout sprinter could make an international splash this summer.

“Leo is just a special person,” the KU coach said. “He’s a very good competitor. He’s the kind of guy that wants to win. Whatever it takes to win, he’ll step up to. As a coach, I can’t coach that. It’s something he has.”