USC Qualifies 8 for Sunday’s finals at SEC Outdoor Championships

May 15, 2004

Summerville’s Precious Akins threw the discus 169′ 9 feet – a personal best by more than a foot and a half – to finish fourth in the women’s discus as USC qualified five more for Sunday’s finals, eight total, at the SEC Outdoor Track and Field Championships in Oxford, MS. The final day is Sunday.

USC had three qualify for the 200m finals on Friday evening.

“We did what we expected to do today,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye. “We got through who we thought we would. Summerville’s Precious Akins did a nice job with the discus. The athletes are competing to the best of their ability. It’s gonna be a battle on the women’s side at the end with LSU, Tennessee, Florida and South Carolina.”

Akins was fourth in the discus with a foot and a half personal best of 169′ 9. Her mark also betters her own NCAA regional qualifying mark. Her mark is a USC freshman record, third all-time in school history, and the best mark by a Gamecock in eight years.

Tony Allmond was fifth in the long jump, jumping 25′ 3 1/4. He has already qualified for the NCAA regional meet. Greig Cryer was 12th with a jump of 23′ 8.

Chelsea Hammond jumped 19′ 9 1/2 to finish fifth in the long jump with teammate Kemesha Whitmire hit 19′ 8 1/4 to collect sixth place. Both previously qualified for the NCAA Regional Championships.

Hammond later tied for seventh in the high jump with a jump of 5’6. Monica Bozenski hit a personal PR with a jump of 5’6 as well, finishing 10th.

Cheryl Terrio was 11th in the finals of the pole vault, jumping 12’0. She has qualified for the NCAA regional. Adam Bishop was 10th in the shot put with a season-best throw of 55′ 3 – improving his own NCAA regional mark.

USC qualified 1-2-6 for the women’s 400m hurdles tomorrow with the NCAA leader, Lashinda Demus, shattering the track record to win her heat in 56.60. Shevon Stoddart also won her heat with a time of 57.18 and Chiquita Martin was third in the same heat at 59.98.

USC qualified two in the 100m hurdles finals with Lashinda Demus finishing third in her heat at 13.22 and Ronetta Alexander also finishing third in her heat at 13.37. Both have already qualified for the NCAA Regional.

Stephanie Smith qualified for the 400m finals in the sixth position, finishing second in her heat at 53.03 (she already has qualified for the NCAA regional). Monica King was sixth her heat at 58.32 – a personal best.

Other athletes not making the finals but competing included: freshman Tristan Rackow was ninth in her heat, 18th overall, with a time of 4:407 in the 1500m; Defensive back Taqiy Muhammad was fifth in his heat of the 110m hurdles (15.10); Derron Flood was fifth in his heat of the 400m and ran a 48.24; Aaron Luster was seventh in his heat at 52.74; and Chiquita Martin was sixth in her heat of the 100m hurdles finishing with a time of 14.85.

South Carolina’s SEC Scorers on Saturday

W Long Jump

Chelsea Hammond – 19′ 9 1/2 – fifth place Kemesha Whitmire – 19′ 8 1/4 – sixth place

M Long Jump

Tony Allmond – 25′ 3 1/4 – fifth place

W Discus

Precious Akins – 169′ 9 – fourth place

W High Jump

Chelsea Hammond – 5′ 6 – tied for seventh place

South Carolina’s SEC Qualifiers on Saturday for Sunday’s finals

W 400m hurdles

Lashinda Demus – won heat – 56.60 (top time of the day) TRACK RECORD