Track & Field Claims Eight Wins in Home Opener
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Jan. 13, 2024) – Saturday was a home opener to remember for Gamecock Track & Field as South Carolina captured eight wins and dropped four new facility records in the first meet of the 2024 calendar year.
South Carolina women led the way with five wins overall and three new facility records. Freshmen phenoms Judy Kosgei and JaMeesia Ford accounted for a pair of wins and new records. Kosgei, the Kenya native that stole the light in cross country, opened her track career with a program record and facility record win in the 1,000 meter with a time of 2:46.04. Ford, who put the world on notice at Clemson, was back at it again in the 300m with a win and a new facility record after running 36 seconds flat.
The Gamecock women earned two more individual wins in the form of Hannah Togami and Aalliyah Francis. Togami won her second pole vault event in just her second collegiate meet after clearing 3.87m (12-8.25). Meanwhile on the track, Francis clocked 55.20 in the women’s 400m for the title.
The final win of the evening for the Gamecock women came in the final event of the meet, the women’s 4×400 meter relay. Carolina’s relay team of Jahnile Registre, Jayla Jamison, Zaya Akins and Ford set a new facility record in the women’s 4x400m after clocking 3:31.27 for the win and the third best time in the NCAA this season.
The Gamecocks also saw a couple of runner-up finishes on the women’s side as Sylvia Chelangat ran 1:31.80 in the 600m for the second-fastest time in South Carolina history, while Staci Sumpter finished second in the 60m sprint with a time of 7.62.
Three more wins came from the Gamecock men, in addition to one more facility record. George Luke was the first of the trio of wins as he captured the 1,000 meter title with a time of 2:27.72 for the new facility record and the fifth fastest time in Gamecock history. Anthony Greenhow captured the podium finish in the men’s 200m when he ran a personal best time of 20.74 for the fifth best time in program history and the sixth fastest time in the NCAA this season.
Dylan Targgart rounded out the wins with a season-best throw of 19.19m (62-11.5) in the men’s shot put, currently ranking sixth in the NCAA leaderbord.
The Gamecock men also saw six runner-up finishes throughout the event. Andrew Bond was the fastest collegiate runner in the 60m finals, running 6.80, while Dillon McCarthy was the best collegiate finisher in the men’s pole vault after clearing 4.96m (16-3.25). Jayson Ward finished runner-up in the men’s 400m with a time of 47.76, while Sean Sanders finished second behind teammate George Luke in the men’s 1,000m with a collegiate best time of 2:29.72.
The final individual runner-up finish was Channing Ferguson in the high jump after clearing a season-best height of 2.11m (6-11) to rank eighth in South Carolina indoor history. The men’s 4x400m relay team of Jayson Ward, Greenhow, Prescott Jefferson and Jasauna Dennis rounded out the night with a second-place finish following a time of 3:12.17.
The Gamecocks will be back in action next weekend when the squad splits up to host the Carolina Challenge on Friday, Jan. 19 and Saturday, Jan. 20; while some members of the team will head to Boston, Mass. for the Track @ New Balance Collegiate Showdown on Saturday, Jan. 20.
Men’s Individual Results
60 Meters (Prelims)
1. Anthony Greenhow – 6.75Q
4. Andrew Bond – 6.82Q
19. Prescott Jefferson – 6.92q
60 Meters (Semis)
4. Anthony Greenhow – 6.75Q
8. Andrew Bond – 6.81q
15. Prescott Jefferson – 6.92
60 Meters (Finals)
2. Andrew Bond – 6.80
200 Meters
1. Anthony Greenhow – 20.74*
11. Andrew Bond – 21.96
300 Meters
11. Prescott Jefferson – 34.68*
400 Meters
2. Jayson Ward – 47.76*
5. Jasauna Dennis – 48.21*
600 Meters
4. Aidan Hatton – 1:20.31*
9. George Luke – 1:23.32*
11. Sean Sanders – 1:24.54*
12. Hugh Willcox – 1:24.91*
14. Carlos Lanzagorta-Ruiz – 1:25.52*
1000 Meters
1. George Luke – 2:27.72*
2. Sean Sanders – 2:29.72*
3. Carlos Lanzagorta-Ruiz – 2:30.56*
— Hugh Willcox – DNF
4×400-Meter Relay
2. Ward, Greenhow, Prescott, Dennis – 3:12.17
High Jump
2. Channing Ferguson – 2.11m/6-11
6. Nate Figgers – 1.96m/6-5
Long Jump
5. Jaden Price-Whitehead – 6.82m/22-4.5
Triple Jump
7. Spencer Eison – 13.84m/45-5*
Pole Vault
2. Dillon McCarthy – 4.96m/16-3.25
3. Parker Samuelson – 4.66m/15-3.5
— Jonathan Togami – NH
Shot Put
1. Dylan Targgart – 19.19m/62-11.5
Weight Throw
5. Ridge Dowe – 16.09m/52-9.5
Women’s Individual Results
60 Meters (Prelims)
5. Cynteria James – 7.53Q
6. Staci Sumpter – 7.64Q
25. Hailey Duncan – 7.88*
26. Devyn McMichael – 7.89
41. Camille Ellison – 8.22*
60 Meters (Semis)
3. Cynteria James – 7.41Q
4. Staci Sumpter – 7.54Q
60 Meters (Finals)
2. Staci Sumpter – 7.62
200 Meters
3. Jayla Jamison – 23.45
4. Zaya Akins – 23.71*
9. Anastasia Sumpter – 25.03
13. Hailey Duncan – 25.17
300 Meters
1. JaMeesia Ford – 36.00
6. Jahnile Registre – 37.88
7. Cynteria James – 38.66*
400 Meters
1. Aalliyah Francis – 55.20
600 Meters
2. Sylvia Chelangat – 1:31.80*
8. Greta White – 1:43.63*
1,000 Meters
1. Judy Kosgei – 2:46.04*
3. Ally Wilson – 2:58.35*
4. Emily Pierontoni – 3:00.38*
5. Greta White – 3:05.68*
7. Sarah DiVasta – 3:10.43*
1 Mile
3. Claudia Satzke – 5:02.47*
4. Lily Weeks – 5:04.58*
5. Gabriella Gait-Smith – 5:05.00*
6. Hope Dominique – 5:06.64*
9. Maria Lombardi – 5:10.70*
10. Anya Arroyo – 5:11.11*
— Emily Pierontoni – DNF
3,000 Meters
5. Molly Parker – 10:21.63*
8. Emma Torbert – 10:22.28*
10. Caitlin Gemmill – 10:26.94*
21. Kathleen Abrams – 11:05.48
22. Sarah Neville – 11:06.72*
25. Aubrey Pierontoni – 11:27.57*
4×400-Meter Relay
1. Registre, Jamison, Akins, Ford – 3:31.27
6. Francis, James, Lindley, Sumpter – 3:47.69
11. Duncan, McMichael, Childress, Ellison – 4:04.43
High Jump
14. Markia Anderson – 1.46m/4-9.5
Long Jump
6. Madison Childress – 5.67m/18-7.25*
Pole Vault
1. Hannah Togami – 3.87m/12-8.25
7. Lena Richardson – 3.62m/11-10.5*
8. Emma Stone – 3.47m/11-4.5
9. Mia Joseph – 3.32m/10-10.75
13. Julia McBride – 3.12m/10-2.75*
— Rachel Valentine – NH
* – denotes indoor PR
