South Carolina Invitational Sees New World Best, No. 2 NCAA Time

COLUMBIA—The South Carolina track and field teams hosted the first day of the South Carolina Invitational, which saw a new all-time World best and a Gamecock run the No. 2 NCAA time in her event.
 
“Today was awesome,” said head coach Curtis Frye. “Anytime we get together with these kinds of athletes, we’re going to get a lot of excitement. I’m thrilled. Our kids did a great job. The atmosphere was awesome. We had a moment during the Mile where it felt like a championship atmosphere. That turned into great performances.”
 
Professional runner and reigning Olympic 400-meter Gold medalist Steven Gardiner set a new all-time World best in the indoor 300 meters. Gardiner ran a time of 31.56, which unseated Noah Lyles’ previous World best time of 31.87 from 2017.
 
Gardiner’s World-best run was one of many moments that featured Olympians and World champions. Olympic Gold medalist Jasmine Camacho-Quinn and U.S. champion Quanera Hayes also ran impressive races on Friday.
 
For the Gamecocks, Stephanie Davis highlighted the day, running the No. 2 time in the NCAA in the 400 meters. She ran with three Olympians and finished with a time of 52.47 in the first heat of the women’s 400 meters’ invitational section. Davis improved on her season best by over .20 seconds to move into second on the NCAA list.
 
Frye said the next step for Davis is to perform in different atmospheres at away meets, which the Gamecocks will face the next two weeks.
 
“When you’re at home, this is your Olympic stadium,” Frye said. “So, you’ve got to be careful so you don’t get that false sense of home field. In track, running where the fans are your fans, the bed is your bed, and the officials are the same people you see every week, removes that fear level.
 
“She’s running fast,” Frye said. “She is one of our best quarter Milers and we’ve had World class kids in that event, and she’s coming along. The kids before her who have performed like that, have done special things, so we’re going to see if we can continue in that direction.”
 
Destinee Rocker finished as the top collegian in the women’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.22. Rocker ran a time of 8.18 in the prelim round, which matched her season best time.
 
On the men’s side, William Spencer Jr. won the 400 meters’ invitational with a time of 47.24. That time is just .10 seconds off his season-best time. Spencer Jr. led a trio of Gamecocks to top-five finishes. EJ Richardson took third (47.74) and Jackson Junkins finished fourth (47.76) for Carolina.
 
Filip Demsar ran a season-best time of 7.79 in the men’s 60-meter hurdles. Demsar finished as the top collegian and moved into No. 13 in the country in the event.
 
The Gamecocks return to action for the second day of action at the South Carolina Invitational tomorrow morning at 9:30 a.m. Doors open at 8 a.m. and fans can purchase tickets at the door for $10, cash only. Children 17 and under are $5 and children 2 and under are free.
 
“The atmosphere we had today will be back tomorrow,” Frye said. “We’ve got Camacho-Quinn in the 200 meters and our kids get the chance to run 4X400-meter relays. We’ve also got our great guys in the pole vault today. Tomorrow is going to be a continuation of the greatness of today.”
 
Men’s Individual Results
 
60 Meters (Qualifying)
7. Dominic Dutton – 6.97q
10. Gatlin Lawson – 6.98
 
60 Meters (Prelims)
T5. Evan Miller – 6.79q
17. Dominic Dutton – 6.97
 
60 Meters (Final)
7. Evan Miller – 6.88
 
400 Meters
11. Jordan Sessom – 49.45
 
400 Meters Invitational
1. William Spencer Jr. – 47.24
3. EJ Richardson – 47.74
4. Jackson Junkns – 47.76
7. Doval Simmonds – 48.56
 
Mile
8. David Olds – 4:12.13
14. Sean Petersen – 4:15.69
36. Aidan Hatton – 4:28.11
63. Henry Wood – 4:43.85
 
3,000 Meters
9. Rogerio Amaral – 8:22.76
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Filip Demsar – 7.82Q
9. Elisha Brooks – 8.23
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Final)
3. Filip Demsar – 7.79
5. Elisha Brooks – 8.09
 
Long Jump
4. Elisha Brooks – 7.10m/23-3.50
28. Desmond Gaillard – 6.26m/20-6.50
–. Jalen Clark – FOUL 
 
Triple Jump
4. Desmond Gaillard – 14.42m/47-3.75
 
Women’s Individual Results
 
60 Meters (Qualifying)
5. Anastasia Sumpter – 7.76q
 
60 Meters (Prelims)
3. Jayla Jamison – 7.43Q
6. Tierra Frasier – 7.52Q
7. Angel Frank – 7.54q
19. Anastasia Sumpter – 7.88 
 
60 Meters (Final)
4. Tierra Frasier – 7.48
6. Angel Frank – 7.60
 
400 Meters
16. Macie Kavanaugh – 58.91
 
400 Meters Invitational
3. Stephanie Davis – 52.47
7. Alysia Johnson – 55.55
8. Pearl Nagbe – 56.07
13. Jahnile Registre – 57.66
 
Mile
18. Savannah Bowers – 5:12.13
19. Isabella Pisani – 5:13.24
36. Emily Pierontoni – 5:20.62
38. Emily Smith – 5:20.88
40. Hannah Cella – 5:25.29
42. Elizabeth Davison – 5:27.32
45. Jenna Pellizzari – 5:30.10
 
3,000 Meters
13. Katerina Hendrix – 10:26.57
14. Kira Jenkins – 10:46.04
15. Claudia Satzke – 10:46.44
17. Kathleen Abrams – 10:50.43
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Qualifying)
40. Kiera Hughes – 9.83
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
1. Destinee Rocker – 8.18
 
60-Meter Hurdles (Final)
2. Destinee Rocker – 8.22
 
Pole Vault
3. Kelsey Worthington – 3.50m/11-5.75
9. Mia Joseph – 3.30m/10-10
14. Brianna Stamps – 3.10m/10-2
 
Pole Vault Invitational
9. Emily Valentine – 3.80m/12-5.50
11. Alyssa Rice – 3.60m/11-9.75