July 15, 2012

BARCELONA – South Carolina’s rising sophomore Erika Rucker earned her second medal in three days after leading Team USA to gold in the 4×400-meter relay at the 14th IAAF World Junior Championships held at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain.

Rucker ran the lead-off leg for the team with a split of 50.89 to pace the Americans to a nearly three-second victory time of 3:30.01. Rucker, Olivia Ekpone, Kendall Baisden and Ashley Spencer combined to run a new World Junior leader for this year in the event after an emotional weekend that initially saw the relay get disqualified in the semifinals Saturday before an appeal allowed the team a rerun which resulted in qualifying for the Sunday final.

The gold medal is the second this week for Rucker as the IAAF World Junior Championships close in Barcelona. Rucker earned bronze in the 400-meter dash after setting a personal best time of 51.10.

Rising junior Jeannelle Scheper competed for St. Lucia in the women’s high jump finals and improved upon her ranking and preliminary performance by taking eighth overall in the event at5’11 ½ (1.82m). Scheper passed the opening two heights before successfully clearing 5’10 (1.78m) on her second attempt. Her clearance at 1.82m was followed by three attempts at a would-be personal best of 6’1 (1.85m), but the St. Lucian would settle for eighth overall.

Gamecocks At IAAF World Junior Championships
Dondre Echols – Incoming Freshman – USA – Placed 6th in the men’s 110m hurdles finals at 13.71
Erika Rucker – Rising Sophomore – USA – Bronze in the women’s 400m dash at 51.10; Gold in 4x400m Relay at 3:30.01
Jeannelle Scheper – Rising Sophomore – St. Lucia – Placed 8th in the women’s high jump finals at 1.82m