South Carolina Invitational Set to See Fast Times, World Best Attempt
Olympic gold medalist Steve Gardiner and United States champion Quanera Hayes are set to run in Columbia this weekend
COLUMBIA—The Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex is set to see fast times at the South Carolina Invitational on Friday.
The meet features a World Best attempt, the reigning United States women’s 400-meter champion and they are set to run on one of the fastest tracks in the country.
Tokyo Olympic 400-meter gold medalist Steve Gardiner is set to attempt the World Best time in the 300 meters on Friday at the South Carolina Invitational. Gardiner is attempting to take down Noah Lyles’ five-year old World Best time of 31.87.
Gardiner won the Olympic 400 meters in August, running a time of 43.85. Gardiner also won the 400 meters at the 2019 World Championships. He is a six-time national champion in the Bahamas and six-time Diamond League champion.
The men’s 300 meters is set for a 5:30 p.m. start on Friday.
United States champion and Olympic finalist Quanera Hayes is also set to run in Columbia this weekend. She is slated to run the 400 meters and lead a field with former Gamecock and Olympian Aaliyah Abrams and current Gamecock Stephanie Davis, who is No. 4 in the NCAA in the event.
Hayes won the United States title in July at the Olympic Trials with a time of 49.78. Hayes went on to finish seventh at the Olympics in August. She is a two-time World champion and five-time United States Championship medalist.
The women’s 400 meters is slated to begin at 5:55 p.m. on Friday.
Athanas Kioko returns to the Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex after setting the facility’s men’s 3,000-meter record last weekend. Kioko’s time of 7:49.28 is the No. 2 time in the NCAA in the 3,000 meters. He is set to run the Mile and the Distance Medley Relay and has a shot to run fast times.
The men’s Mile is set to kick off at 2 p.m. on Friday and the men’s Distance Medley Relay will be at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The Carolina Indoor Track and Feld Complex has proven fast times are not only a goal for athletes, but an expectation.
So far this season, the Gamecocks’ home track has played host to 48 top-25 NCAA Division I marks. Of those 48 marks, 16 of them are in the top 10.
The Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex has seen two No. 2 times so far this season. Kioko’s 3,000-meter time of 7:49.28 is the second-best time in the country and Ohio State’s Anavia Battle ran a time of 22.76 in the 200 meters for the No. 2 time in the country.
Fans can expect fast times and entertaining competition this weekend. Action begins at 10 a.m. on Friday and at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. Tickets can be purchased at the door and are cash only. Tickets are $10 per day, $5 per day for children 17 and under, while children under 2 years old are free.
