Aug. 12, 2013

MOSCOW – Former Gamecocks Natasha Hastings and Jason Richardson finished in the top-five of their event finals at the 2013 IAAF World Championships at Luzhniki Stadium on Monday. Hastings posted a fifth-place finish in the women’s 400-meter dash final while Richardson crossed the line fourth in the 110-meter hurdle final. Lashinda Demus moved on to the semifinal round of the 400-meter hurdle finals as well.

Including Richardson, four Americans lined up for the 110-meter hurdle finals on Monday afternoon. Running with the lead group, Richardson seemed to snag the last hurdle and missed the podium by .03 seconds. His time of 13.27 landed him in fourth place. Richardson advanced to the finals after winning the first heat of the semifinals earlier in the day.

South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye is overseeing the sprint and hurdle group in Moscow. Team USA grabbed gold and silver in the 110-meter hurdle final. Two Americans advanced to the men’s 400-meter final as well.

The defending world champion and reigning Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles, Demus crossed the line second in her heat with a time of 54.94. The finish automatically moved her to the semifinal round, and her time was the third fastest of the opening round. All three of the American athletes who moved to the semifinals train together and are coached by Demus’ mother Yolanda Demus.

The semifinal is scheduled for 11:05 a.m. ET tomorrow. Demus is the only Gamecock in action on Tuesday.

South Carolina assistant head coach and Team USA women’s jumps and multi coach Delethea Quarles had a busy day as Team USA completed in the first day of the heptathlon. With the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put and 200-meter dash competed, American Sharon Day sits in third place with 3,836 points.