April 30, 2011

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By Miquel Jacobs
Media Relations Assistant

Five Former Gamecocks Compete In USA vs. The World at Penn Relays

PHILADELPHIA – South Carolina junior Kierre Beckles had a Penn Relays welcome to remember as the Pinelands, Barbados native hit her country’s national record in the 100-meter hurdles to pace the final day of competition for the South Carolina contingent at the 117th running of the Penn Relays Carnival held at Franklin Field.

Beckles had a strong Penn Relays debut with a runner-up finish in the 100-meter hurdle Championship of America final. Beckles ran a personal best 13.20 to take second, becoming the highest-placing Gamecock in the 100-meter hurdles at the Penn Relays since Ronnetta Alexander placed third overall in 2006.

“It was my first time at the Penn Relays and a national record,” Beckles said of her run. “It’s been a lot of firsts for me at South Carolina, especially since I only ran in Arizona (while at Central Arizona College).”

Senior Lakya Brookins took home silver medal honors in the 100-meter dash after placing second at 11.39. Brookins finishes her career with the medal trifecta after getting gold in 2010, silver in 2011 and bronze in 2009 in the 100-meter Championship of America final.

Both short sprint men’s relays took fourth in their Championship of America finals with the same quartet of men running each of the prestigious finals. The team of Clayton Gravesande, Antonio Sales, Chris Royster and Chris Maxwell finished fourth overall in the 4×100-meter relay final with a time of 40.35. They then returned to the track an hour later and placed fourth in the 4×200-meter relay at 1:22.85, which ranks as the third-fastest time run in program history.

The men’s 4×400-meter relay placed third in the college final as Gravesande, Sales, Andre Carter and Aaron Anderson ran a season best time of 3:07.47. In the women’s college final, Sanura Eley-O’Reilly, Vashti Bandy, Kierre Beckles and Amber Allen ran 3:40.62 to place fifth overall.

The women’s 4×800-meter relay team ran the fifth-fastest time in school history, led by the strong anchor from Scola Jepngetich (2:11.72 split). The team of Sierra Henderson, Liz Locke, Radiance Basden and Jepngetich ran 9:04.09 to place 11th overall in the first women’s relay of the day.

Sophomore Lincoln Carr finished as the runner-up in the men’s triple jump with a top mark of 50’8 ¼ (15.45m). Teammate Dorian Johnson placed fifth overall at 48’9 ½ (14.87m). In the men’s pole vault, Marvin Reitze had a season best mark of 16’6 ¾ (5.05m) to place fourth overall. Andrew Vaughan placed 25th in the javelin throw at 173’2 (52.80m).

South Carolina travels to UNC next Saturday before competing at the SEC Outdoor Championships in Athens, Ga., from May 13-15.