Current and Former Gamecocks Set to Compete at World Athletics Indoor Championships
Filip Demsar, Josh Awotunde and Aliyah Abrams are entered in the field at the World Championships in Serbia
COLUMBIA—Three athletes with Gamecock ties are set to take on the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, this weekend.
Current student-athlete Filip Demsar qualified for his home country of Slovenia in the 60-meter hurdles. His season-best time of 7.75 came at the SEC Indoor Championships on Feb. 26. That performance earned him third place in the conference and All-SEC honors.
Demsar is set to run in the men’s 60-meter hurdles heats at 5:05 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday.
“I’m proud of Filip,” said head coach Curtis Frye. “I’m proud of the fact that we monitored his development. He didn’t get to NCAA Nationals, but he beat NCAA finalists at the conference meet. We want all of our athletes to reach the potential of making it to Worlds and the ultimate goal of the Olympics.
“We’re so proud of him. He’s an excellent student. He has worked and he is gifted. This benefits him, our track team and the University of South Carolina.”
Former student-athlete and volunteer assistant coach Josh Awotunde along with former student-athlete Aliyah Abrams also qualified for their respective home countries.
Awotunde finished second at the U.S. Indoor Championships in the shot put to qualify for the World Championships. He will represent the United States of America this weekend in Serbia.
Awotunde’s season-best mark in the shot put came at the U.S. Indoor Championships in Spokane, Washington, when he tossed the shot 21.74m/71-4. The former Gamecock athlete is set to compete in the men’s shot put final at 2:40 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday.
“We think Awotunde can make a final and possibly medal,” Frye said.
Abrams is set to compete for her home country of Guyana in the 400 meters. Abrams ran her season-best time in the 400 meters of 52.05 at the South Carolina Invitational on Jan. 28.
Abrams is a two-time Olympian for Guyana and ran at the 2019 World Outdoor Championships. She has made it to the semifinal round twice at International Championships. Abrams is set to run in the heats of the women’s 400 meters at 6:45 a.m. Eastern time on Friday.
“Aliyah Abrams is in great shape,” Frye said. “She comes in and works out with us. She’s a recent graduate and has run on two Olympic teams. We think she can make a final at the World Championships.”
For more information about the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships, please visit https://worldathletics.org/competitions/world-athletics-indoor-championships/belgrade22.
