June 25, 2006

Columbia, SC – Suffering through a two and a half hour rain delay in the middle of the last day, USC former/current athletes won four medals in the final day of the USA Track and Field Championships, including a gold, two silvers and a bronze. USC’s rising junior Shalonda Solomon won a silver medal in the finals of the 200m at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Indianapolis, Ind. In addition, former Gamecocks’ Lashinda Demus won the 400m hurdles with a personal best, Terrence Trammell won a silver medal in the 110m hurdles and Rodney Martin won the bronze in the 200m.

“We had a good day for Carolina graduates – we are all proud of them. Our thought process here was to get our young athletes through the rounds for further advancement next year in the NCAA Championships and on to the USA and World Championships,” said Frye. “We met our goals. Jason got through one round and didn’t make the finals by two slots, but it was a great experience for him. To have Shalonda get second in this meet was big. She’s run over 20 races since the SEC Championships and her last race she was second at the USAs – I am just thrilled.”

Solomon ran a 22.47 to win the silver medal, second only to Rachel Boone-Smith who ran a 22.31.

Demus ran a personal best 53.07 to win the 400m hurdles for the second straight year. Her time is the fastest time in the world this year. Demus won the silver medal at the World Championships last season. Tiffany Ross-Williams was fourth at 54.84.

Two-time Olympic silver medalist and USC graduate Terrence Trammell ran a 13.13 to win the silver medal in the 110m hurdles. His time is the second fastest time in the world this year.

USC had two Gamecocks in the finals of the men’s 200m with senior Leroy Dixon was seventh with a personal best 20.44. Former All-American Rodney Martin hit a personal best at 20.14 to finish with the bronze medal in the 200m.

Jason Richardson ran a 13.63 in the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles and finished sixth in his heat and did not advance.