April 5, 2014
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a day dominated by relay competition, South Carolina posted four top-five finishes in the most competitive field in recent memory at the 2014 Florida Relays. The results came on the final day of competition at the Percy Beard Track on the University of Florida’s campus.
The men’s 4×100-meter relay team of sophomore Kendall Kee, senior Chris Royster and juniors Eric Winfrey and Chris Walker, ran the fastest Gamecock time of the season at 39.84. The time placed them ninth overall and fifth amongst collegiate teams.
Joined by freshman Jussi Kanervo, Winfrey, Royster and Walker later ran the seventh-best 4×200-meter time in school history. The quartet’s 1:23.23 was the sixth best overall and behind just two collegiate squads.
The women also had a strong showing in the 4×200-meter relay, covering the distance in 1:33.61. The time from sophomores Ahtyana Johnson and Tyler Brockington, senior Vashti Bandy and freshman Briana Haith finished fourth overall and was bested by just one collegiate team.
South Carolina showed off their men’s hurdle depth, posting a fourth-place finish in the shuttle hurdle relay. Sophomores Dondre Echols and Jermaine Collier along with Kanervo and freshman Alexandre Asselin ran a 57.31 race.
The women also had success in the shuttle hurdle relay, with Brockington, freshman Mollie Williams and sophomores Chalese Davis and Sarah Graham taking fifth with a 54.69.
The men’s 4×800-meter relay finished fourth with senior Drew Ricci, junior Daniel Novak, sophomore Alex Sullivan and junior Kevin Keating running a 7:40.18
In the final event of the day, the women’s 4×4 ran a season-best 3:36.09 to finish seventh in the college ranks and eighth overall.
South Carolina also competed in a few field events on Saturday. In the women’s triple jump, freshman Natasha Dicks finished sixth with a leap of 41’7 ¼” (12.68m) on her first attempt of the day. Freshman Austin Eckenroth set a new personal record in the men’s pole vault, clearing a height of 16′ 2 ¾” (4.95m) to finish eighth.
The Gamecocks continue the outdoor season next weekend at the Bill Carson Invitational at East Carolina University.
| MEN • FLORIDA RELAYS • SATURDAY, APRIL 5 | ||
| Men’s 4x100m Relay | ||
| 9. Kee, Royster, Winfrey, Walker | 39.84 Season Best | |
| Men’s 4x200m Relay | ||
| 6. Winfrey, Royster, Walker, Kanervo | 1:23.23 | |
| Men’s 4x400m Relay | ||
| 18. Walker, Winfrey, Kanervo, Collier | 3:09.19 Season Best | |
| Men’s 4x800m Relay | ||
| 4. Ricci, Novak, Sullivan, Keating | 7:40.18 | |
| Men’s Sprint Medley Relay | ||
| 16. Bermudez, Winfrey, Walker, Ricci | 3:28.71 | |
| Men’s Shuttle Hurdle Relay | ||
| 4. Echols, Collier, Kanervo, Asselin | 57.31 | |
| Men’s Pole Vault – University | ||
| 8. Austin Eckenroth | 4.95m // 16-02.74 Personal Record | |
| WOMEN • FLORIDA RELAYS • SATURDAY, APRIL 5 | ||
| Women’s 4x100m Relay | ||
| 11. Johnson, Harris, Bandy, Brockington | 44.99 | |
| Women’s 4x200m Relay | ||
| 4. Johnson, Brockington, Bandy, Haith | 1:33.61 | |
| Women’s 4x400m Relay | ||
| 8. Holmes, Haith, Brockington, Bellamy | 3:36.09 Season Best | |
| Women’s 4x800m Relay | ||
| 11. Evans, Todd, Miller, McCoy | 9:30.20 | |
| Women’s Sprint Medley Relay | ||
| 14. Bellamy, Bandy, Evans, Todd | 4:01.55 | |
| Women’s Shuttle Hurdle Relay | ||
| 5. Brockington, Williams, Davis, Graham | 54.69 | |
| Women’s Triple Jump – University | ||
| 6. Natasha Dicks 12.68m // 41-07.25 (+0.8) | ||
| Women’s Shot Put – University | ||
| 14. Kaysee Sullivan | 13.61m // 44-08.00 Personal Best | |
