Feb. 17, 2007
COLUMBIA, S.C. — An exciting women’s 55-meter dash highlighted the 2007 Gamecock Invitational on Saturday at the USC Field House in Columbia, S.C.
South Carolina’s Shalonda Solomon and Kya Brookins, an unattached sprinter, each broke the facility record of 6.82 by former Gamecock Miki Barber in the prelims, semifinals and finals. Solomon finished second in each race with times of 6.80, 6.78 and 6.80, while Brookins ran 6.76, 6.73 and 6.76. All three of Solomon’s times were NCAA provisionals, and her 6.78 in the semis was just three-hundredths of a second from an automatic time.
The Gamecocks’ top male sprinters found success Saturday as well. Nick Lytle was second in the prelims and semis with times of 6.47 and 6.42 before taking fourth overall with a final run of 6.47. Johnathan Hancock improved his initial time of 6.53 to 6.45 in both the semis and finals for a third-place overall finish.
In the women’s 55m hurdles, Carolina’s Ronnetta Alexander finished first in the prelims, semis and finals in times of 8.01, 7.89 and 7.91. Her teammate Trier Young placed third overall with an 8.08 that came after she ran a PR 7.96 in the semifinals.
Precious Akins won the shot put for the Gamecocks with a toss of 49-3, the top mark of her career. Freshman thrower Aimee Kodat competed unattached in the event and recorded a 39-10 1/2 throw. Akins took second in the 20-pound weight at 58-6 1/2, and Kodat was fifth reaching a distance of 41-3 3/4.
USC dominated the men’s throwing events, taking first through fourth in the shot put and second to sixth in the 35-pound weight. Jim Mitchell won the shot with a 54-4 mark, followed by Jason Cook (53-8 1/4), David Zaycek (53-3, unattached) and Michael Zajac (49-1, unattached). Tyler Trout was the top finisher in the weight with a throw of 59-0 3/4, followed by Zajac (58-1 1/4, unattached), Zaycek (55-11 1/4, unattached), Cook (54-8 1/4) and Anthony Faulkner with a PR 53-7 3/4.
Other USC Field House records established in addition to Brookins’ 6.73 in the women’s 55m included Amber Campbell’s heave of 79-3 1/4 in the 20-pound weight, breaking the previous mark of 75-4 by former South Carolina great Dawn Ellerbe. Derrick Harpe of Claflin tied the high jump record originally set in 1997 by Steve Owens with a clearance of 6-10 1/4.
Complete results for South Carolina’s men’s and women’s teams can be found below.
Men’s 55-Meter Dash (Prelims)
2. Nick Lytle 6.47, 3. Johnathan Hancock 6.53, 26. Aaron Searles 6.90
Men’s 55-Meter Dash (Semis)
2. Nick Lytle 6.42, T3 Johnathan Hancock 6.45
Men’s 55-Meter Dash (Finals)
3. Johnathan Hancock 6.45, 4. Nick Lytle 6.47
Men’s 800-Meter Run (Finals)
5. Keith Romero (Unattached) 2:05.68
Men’s 3,000-Meter Run (Finals)
5. David Johannesmeyer 9:38.91
Men’s 55-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
3. Eddie Stoudemire 7.86, 16. Scott Pierce (Unattached) 9.18
Men’s 55-Meter Hurdles (Semis)
3. Eddie Stoudemire 7.73, 15. Scott Pierce (Unattached) 8.99
Men’s 55-Meter Hurdles (Finals)
3. Eddie Stoudemire 7.79
Men’s High Jump (Finals)
T3. Scott Pierce (Unattached) 6-0
Men’s Pole Vault (Finals)
T1. Dan McKenzie 16-0
Men’s Shot Put (Finals)
1. Jim Mitchell 54-4, 2. Jason Cook 53-8 1/4, 3. David Zaycek (Unattached) 53-3, 4. Michael Zajac (Unattached) 49-1, 16. Eddie Stoudemire 35-1 1/4
Men’s 35-Pound Weight (Finals)
2. Tyler Trout 59-0 3/4, 3. Michael Zajac (Unattached) 58-1 1/4, 4. David Zaycek (Unattached) 55-11 1/4, 5. Jason Cook 54-8 1/4, 6. Anthony Faulkner 53-7 3/4
Women’s 55-Meter Dash (Prelims)
2. Shalonda Solomon 6.80, 12. Dishari’ck Howze 7.44, 13. CaAdrian Norman 7.45, 29. Terrilyn Stephens 7.93, 33. Liza Todd 8.17, 34. Emily Pease 8.25, 35. Sallie Gurganus 8.33
Women’s 55-Meter Dash (Semis)
2. Shalonda Solomon 6.78, T11. Dishari’ck Howze 7.39, T11. CaAdrian Norman 7.39
Women’s 55-Meter Dash (Finals)
2. Shalonda Solomon 6.80
Women’s 400-Meter Dash (Finals)
1. Dishari’ck Howze 59.56, 5. Jessica Nichols (Unattached) 1:01.38
Women’s 800-Meter Run (Finals)
1. Alyse Shayer 2:33.54
Women’s Mile Run (Finals)
2. Becky Woods 5:54.82, 3. Megan Robers 6:03.38
Women’s 3,000-Meter Run (Finals)
3. Karen Wigal 11:38.82, 6. Katarina Cap (Unattached) 12:05.42
Women’s 55-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Ronnetta Alexander 8.01, 3. Trier Young 8.12, 5. Reanna Townsend 8.30
Women’s 55-Meter Hurdles (Semis)
1. Ronnetta Alexander 7.89, T4. Trier Young 7.96
Women’s 55-Meter Hurdles (Finals)
1. Ronnetta Alexander 7.91, 3. Trier Young 8.08
Women’s High Jump (Finals)
1. Reanna Townsend 5-1
Women’s Pole Vault (Finals)
T2. Sallie Gurganus 12-0, 4. Liza Todd 11-6 1/4, 5. Emily Pease 11-0 1/4, T6. CaAdrian Norman 10-6 1/4, T12. Terrilyn Stephens 8-0 1/2
Women’s Shot Put (Finals)
1. Precious Akins 49-3 1/2, 4. Aimee Kodat (Unattached) 39-10 1/2, 7. Reanna Townsend 35-3 3/4
Women’s 20-Pound Weight (Finals)
2. Precious Akins 58-6 1/2, 5. Aimee Kodat (Unattached) 41-3 3/4
