April 24, 2010

Brookins Wins The 100m To Lead Carolina At The Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA – Former South Carolina track athletes comprised a large component of the Team USA contingent in the USA vs. The World section of the 116th annual Penn Relays, and Coach Curtis Frye’s former protégé’s put on a strong show for the record crowd of 54,310 at historic Franklin Field.

Former Gamecocks competing in the event included Miki Barber, Lisa Barber, Lashinda Demus, Leroy Dixon, Kenneth Ferguson and Natasha Hastings.

Miki and Lisa Barber ran on the 4x100m relay team that won at 42.74. Lisa opened as the leadoff runner before passing it to Allyson Felix, and Miki ran the third leg before handing it off to Carmelita Jeter. It was the first time the sisters ran on the same relay since 2008, the year they also won the 4x100m relay crown at the Penn Relays.

Two Gamecocks ran as members of America’s 4x400m relay teams. Demus ran the second leg of USA Blue that won the 4x400m relay at 3:26.12. Demus, a four-time NCAA Champion at South Carolina, ran a 51.3 split to keep the Americans ahead of the Jamaicans. Hastings, a 2008 Beijing gold medalist on USA’s mile relay, ran anchor for USA Red team that took third at 3:28.48. Hastings ran 51.05 as the anchor.

“Physically I felt good, and I was just happy to have another chance to run with the 4×4 team,” Demus said after the win. “It was a good day for me.”

Hastings also ran the leadoff leg of the USA Blue sprint medley relay team that claimed second overall at 3:38.53.

Ferguson, a three-time All-American at South Carolina, ran the second leg of the USA White distance medley relay team that claimed third at 9:25.04. Ferguson ran his 400 split at 47.34 as the team finished only seven one-hundredths behind Kenya’s winning team.

Dixon placed third in the Olympic Development 100m dash at 10.40. A two-time All-American, Dixon competed in the 4x100m relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.