June 11, 2009

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – After enduring a three-hour, 13 minute inclement weather delay, the South Carolina track and field team advanced five to their respective finals and two more to the semifinals in the first day of competition at the SEC Outdoor Championships held at John McDonnell Field on the campus of the University of Arkansas.

Senior Jason Cook was the first Gamecock to compete and started the day on a positive note by qualifying for Thursday’s final in the shot put. Cook, the 2009 SEC champion, placed sixth in Wednesday’s qualifying round with a throw of 60-11.25 (18.57m) to join 11 other shot putters in the final that will begin Thursday at 6:15 p.m.

“It wasn’t as good as I had hoped, but I did well enough to make finals,” Cook said. “I’m ranked sixth now heading into finals. I think it was good preparation for tomorrow because I’ve been in and thrown out of both rings now. Even if they switch the rings, I’ll be ready to go. I’ll look at the video tonight and see what I did wrong and fix it before tomorrow so I can try to come out and win it.”

Cook will attempt to become South Carolina’s first shot put All-American since three-time Olympian Brad Snyder earned the honor in the 1999 season. He placed 13th at the NCAA Indoor Championships in March at College Station, Texas.

The women’s 4x100m relay team of Lakya Brookins, Shayla Mahan, Gabrielle Glenn and Breehana Jacobs won its heat and placed fourth overall to qualify for Friday’s final after running at a time of 43.85. The team of three sophomores and one freshman will race for the title Friday at 6:05 p.m. in hopes of improving on the seventh place finish the team placed at the 2008 outdoor championships.

The men’s 4x100m relay also advanced to the final after placing sixth overall at 39.17.The team was composed of Johnathan Hancock, Antonio Sales, Quentin Moore and Obakeng Ngwigwa. The final will be run Friday at 6:15 p.m. as the team looks for redemption after earning a disqualification in 2008 due to a the third leg running out of the zone. Six of the nine finalists come out of the SEC.

Sophomore Johnny Dutch had a strong qualifying round in the 400-meter hurdles, winning his heat and placing fifth overall at 50.47 to advance to Thursday’s semifinal round. The semifinals will begin at 7 p.m. tomorrow as Dutch looks to get closer to earning the rare triple crown after earning the SEC and NCAA East Region titles.

In the men’s pole vault, freshman Marvin Reitze continued his strong late season push in qualifying for the finals after tying for 11th place with a clearance of 17-02.75 (5.25m). Reitze took second at the East Region Championships two weeks ago at 17-03.00 (5.26m) and will look to become the first Gamecock to earn All-America honors in the event since Chris Steddum did in 2002. The finals will begin Friday at 3:45 p.m.

Teammate Elliott Haynie finished in a tie for 19th with a clearance of 16-08.75 (5.10m), ending a solid first season for the transfer from Gardner-Webb. Haynie finishes the season at the top of the South Carolina record books with one more season of eligibility.

The Gamecocks had two sprinters run personal bests in the 100m dash as Brookins and Hancock both hit their best times in the qualifying round. On the women’s side, Brookins ran an 11.20 to place 13th in the qualifying round to advance to the semifinals where she ran an 11.56 to place tenth. Fellow sophomore Glenn also competed in the 100m dash, placing 24th in the qualifying round at 11.60.

Hancock ran a 10.31 in the qualifying round to hit his PR in the event. An All-American, Hancock placed 17th to advance to the semifinals where he ran a 10.49 to place 14th.

Following the three-hour, 13 minute weather delay, junior Brandi Cross advanced to Friday’s semifinal round in the 400m dash after placing 11th overall at 53.39. The event began at 10:15 p.m. despite originally being scheduled to run at 7 p.m. before rain and lightening hit the Fayetteville area. The six-time All-American will hit the track again Friday at 7:15 p.m.

Senior Liza Todd ended her Gamecock career with her first appearance at nationals where the Columbia native tied for 21st in the ole vault with a clearance of 12-03.50 (3.75m). Junior Erik Heymann placed 24th in the javelin throw at 202-00 (61.56).

Competition will continue Thursday at 10:30 a.m. with the women’s discus throw. The first Gamecocks to hit the track will be the SEC gold and silver medalist duo of Jason Richardson and Booker Nunley in the 110-meter hurdles at 5:50 p.m. (CT).