It was a matter of seconds for the Kansas University track and field team Thursday at the Kansas Relays.

Though the Jayhawks didn’t grab any victories, they did garner four runner-up showings in the opening-day events.

Egor Agafonov and Zlata Tarasova (hammer), Matt Baysinger (800 meters) and Adrian Ludwig (1,500) each posted a second-place performance.

Mike Putzke was third in the men’s 5,000.

¢ Watch and win: Kelli Benton swears she came to watch the Kansas Relays.

She just happened to end up winning them.

The Prairie Village native won the women’s open 5K run with a time of 19:23.08.

“My sister runs the 800 here for Kansas,” Benton said. “My mother and I decided to run the race because we were already here to watch her.”

Mother Martha O’Rourke was second behind her daughter in the open 5K with a time of 22:59.57.

Meanwhile, Melissa O’Rourke – a junior for KU – placed eighth in the 800 earlier with a time of 2:19.00.

Benton’s feat was especially impressive given her recent life events.

“I just wanted to come out and run,” Benton said. “I just had a baby, and I have not been able to run in so long.”

¢ Close to 1,000: Kansas track officials estimated the first day’s attendance at 900 spectators.

¢ Big day today: The Relays gets under way in earnest today, with events slated to start at 8 this morning.

The GOLDZONE II showcase extravaganza will run from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday.