Feb. 9, 2007
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — South Carolina’s women’s 4×400-meter relay team stayed unbeaten in 2007, running its second-fastest time this year at the Tyson Invitational on Friday in Fayetteville, Ark. The Gamecocks posted a time of 3:31.85 for their second consecutive automatic NCAA qualifying mark.
The Tyson Invitational featured two meets with one consisting of professional and collegiate athletes competing together and another involving just collegiate athletes. South Carolina’s win in the 4x400m came in a race against a select group of colleges in conjunction with the pro event.
The men’s 4x400m team also competed during the professional meet, finishing with its best time of 2007 at 3:08.22, good for fourth place.
Individually in the women’s 400m college division, senior Stephanie Smith had her best run of the year with a 53.58 clocking that gave her second place. Freshman Brandi Cross was ninth at 54.39, followed by classmate Krystal Cantey with a 54.89 time that finished 13th. Junior Faraign Giles took 16th in a time of 55.31.
Senior Chiquita Martin reached the finals of the women’s college 60m hurdles after an 8.49 time was 10th in the prelims. She ran 8.61 to finish eighth in the final race. Sophomores Brittney James and Trier Young ran in the prelims as well, finishing 13th and 30th with times of 8.59 and 8.88.
Redshirt senior Thomas Hilliard, IV, ran in both divisions of the men’s 60m hurdles. He placed fifth in the pro event with a 7.91 time and qualified for the finals of the college version with a 7.87 in the prelims that was the sixth-fastest mark. Hilliard did not run in the finals.
In the field events, James was 13th in the long jump in the college event with a leap of 19-2 1/2. Senior Precious Akins had her second-best effort of the season in the college 20-pound weight throw, heaving it 59-7 1/2 to take eighth-place honors.
The Tyson Invitational concludes Saturday.
Men’s College 60-Meter Dash (Prelims)
T37. Nick Lytle 7.01
Men’s College 400-Meter Dash (Finals)
21. Keith Hinnant 47.80, 31. Quentin Moore 48.16, 40. Jamil James 48.75, 41. Jonathan Fortenberry 48.85
Men’s College 60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
6. Thomas Hilliard, IV 7.87
Men’s Invitational 60-Meter Hurdles (Finals)
5. Thomas Hilliard, IV 7.91
Men’s Invitational 4×400-Meter Relay (Finals)
4. South Carolina 3:08.22
Women’s College 400-Meter Dash (Finals)
2. Stephanie Smith 53.58, 9. Brandi Cross 54.39, 13. Krystal Cantey 54.89, 16. Faraign Giles 55.31, 61. Trier Young 58.79
Women’s College 60-Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
10. Chiquita Martin 8.49, T13. Brittney James 8.59, T30. Trier Young 8.88
Women’s College 60-Meter Hurdles (Finals)
8. Chiquita Martin 8.61
Women’s Invitational 4×400-Meter Relay (Finals)
1. South Carolina 3:31.85
Women’s College Long Jump (Finals)
T13. Brittney James 19-2 1/2
Women’s College 20-Pound Weight (Finals)
8. Precious Akins 59-7 1/2
