April 27, 2018

Outdoor Meet #8 — 124th Penn Relays

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PHILADELPHIA — Yann Randrianasolo brought home a Penn Relays title for the second-consecutive season as he captured the long jump championship Friday afternoon at Franklin Field. Randrianasolo’s title was one of four podium finished attained by the Gamecocks on the second day in Philadelphia.

Hanifah Abdulqadir (championship triple jump), Josh Awotunde (championship shot put) and the women’s shuttle hurdle relay squad also finished in the top-three on Friday. Those Gamecocks join Hailey Sweatman, who finished second Thursday in the championship pole vault.

Randrianasolo won the championship flight of the long jump for the second consecutive season. His top mark of 25-1 ¼ (7.65m) was just .04 meters ahead of the second-place finisher, Shawn-D Thompson of G.C. Foster. The victory is Randrianasolo’s fifth in six meets during the outdoor season.

Rivaldo Leacock opened the day for the Gamecocks with a strong effort in the 400m hurdles. The freshman battled through a steady downpour to post a time of 51.79 and take a fifth-place finish.

Abdulqadir posted another quality effort Friday in the triple jump championship. The junior represented the Gamecocks at Penn Relays for the first time and placed second with a mark of 42-9 ½.

Carolina finished fourth in the women’s 4x100m college final. Stephanie Davis, Tatyana Mills, Milan Parks and Amecia Pennamon posted a time of 46.04.

A two-time Penn Relays individual champion, Awotunde finished third Friday in the championship shot put. His top throw of the day was 63-3, while Eric Favors made a late charge to qualify for finals and finish sixth overall.

Bryce Simpson battled a lengthy weather delay to score a big finish in the college section of the pole vault. Simpson’s top clearance, 15-7, was good for seventh place.

The Gamecocks came up second in the Shuttle Hurdle Relay Championship of America Invitational. Parks, Caitlyn Little, Jordan Fields and Morgan Hubbard trailed only Notre Dame with their time of 55.42.

Parks and Little came right back in the individual 100mH prelims with blazing-fast times. Parks finished second in her heat and second overall with a time of 13.54, and Little won her heat, placing third overall with a mark of 13.58. Both Gamecocks will run in the championship finals Saturday at 3:15 p.m.

In the men’s 4x400m relay preliminary round, the Gamecocks qualified for the Eastern Final. Carolina’s quartet of Leacock, Ty Jaye Robbins, Simon Gyllensten and Otis Jones posted a time of 3:15.65, good for 24th-place on Friday, and they’ll run again Saturday at 5:45 p.m.

Carolina ended the day with a seventh-place finish in the men’s sprint medley relay Championship of America. Darrell Singleton Jr., Parker Howard, Robbins and Jones came around in 3:21.84, the 10th-best time in Gamecock history.

FROM THE COACH