Summerville’s Akins wins SEC Discus Title

May 13, 2007

Already the 2006 East Region Champion and an All-American with the discus, Summerville native and South Carolina senior Precious Akins can now add SEC CHAMPION to her resume as she won the title Sunday afternoon with a toss of 167′ 11. USC has 17 athletes in the finals tonight and four relays in addition to the men’s triple jump, men’s shot put and women’s pole vault. (see complete list of those in the finals below).

She is the first Gamecock to win the discus since former USA Olympian Dawn Ellerbe won the discus for the Gamecocks in 1995 and ’96. Akins, who has a season-best of 170’2 and the school record set last year at 185′ 9, led the competition from start to finish. She has already qualified for the NCAA Regional in two weeks in Gainesville, Fla.

Akins threw with a sprained ankle she suffered last night when she fell in a hole walking out to watch the men’s discus at the track. She has also been battling an injured back – a herniated disc – all season.

“I am excited to win title, but the win is bittersweet,” said Akins, who attended Summerville High School. “I wanted to win, so it’s sweet, but I would like to have thrown a lot farther. This gives me confidence heading to regionals and it makes me hungrier to throw a lot further.”

“She’s been through a lot this season already with her back and then spraining her ankle last night so this is a big, big win for her,” said USC throws coach Mike Sergent. “She threw a solid throw to start the competition and led from start to finish. She has already won the East Region title and finished fourth at NCAAs so this is just another feather for her to add to her cap. Even though the throw wasn’t what she wanted, only good can come from her winning this title. It should give her great confidence going to the East Region meet.”

GAMECOCKS IN THE FINALS ON SUNDAY, MAY 13 The men’s and women’s 4x100m relays and 4x400m relays will also compete in the finals as will the men’s shot put, women’s pole vault and the men’s triple jump.

Men Name Time Place in Prelims Notes 110m Hurdles

Thomas Hilliard 13.73 * 2nd in heat 3rd best time of the day

400m Derron Flood 46.77* 3rd in heat Regional Qualifier

Ray Miley 46.99 * Won heat Regional Qualifier

400m hurdles

Thomas Hilliard 49.63* won heat Personal best; Top time of the day 3rd fastest time in school history

Jussi Heikkila 50.78* 2nd in heat Personal best; 5th best time of the day

Women

100m

Shalonda Solomon 11.43* 2nd in heat Ran 11.33 earlier this year

400m

Natasha Hastings 51.10* Won Heat Top of the time