South Carolina Opens Tiger Paw Invitational on Friday

Feb. 10, 2017

CLEMSON, S.C. — The University of South Carolina track & field team moved one step closer to the indoor postseason as they turned in another set of strong performances at the Tiger Paw Invitational. Juniors Aliyah Abrams and Rougui Sow climbed higher on the national leaderboards at the Clemson Indoor Track Facility, while Jordan Fields, Kara Lyles and Yann Randrianasolo finished on the podium.

Abrams set a new season-best in the 400m, while Sow hit a PR in the long jump. Both student-athletes entered the week within striking distance of a bid to the NCAA Division I Indoor Championships and strengthened their postseason hopes on Friday.

Several other Gamecocks placed in the top-five of their respective events, with Isaiah Moore, Taranisha Taylor and Ncincilili Titi each logging a fourth-place result.

The first event of the day to finish was the pentathlon, with Fields placing second at 3,643 points and Lyles coming in third at 3,281 points. Fields won three of the five events in a very close competition, with Lyles coming in victorious in the 800m as both Gamecocks set a PR in the final event.

After winning at The Armory last week with a new personal record of 8.25, Taylor matched the time Friday to advance to the 60mH finals along with Sow. Taylor ran an 8.28 in the finals to finish fourth, while Sow came in eighth.

In the men’s 60mH, Moore continued his run of good form. The nation’s 10th-ranked competitor in the event coming into the weekend, Moore finished fourth in a run of 7.80.

Randrianasolo was the top collegiate finisher last week at The Armory, and he grabbed another podium spot in the long jump on Friday. His best leap, at 24-6 ¼, was good for third place.

In the women’s long jump, two Gamecocks finished with top-8 results. Sow placed second, with a new PR of 20-9. That mark is the 13th-best in the nation this season and ranks fourth in Carolina history. Makyla Stanley added an eighth-place finish with a mark of 19-5 ½.

Abrams ran a new season-best in the 400m, a time of 53.39. That time was good for fifth place on Friday and is now 15th-best in the NCAA Division I ranks.

Titi notched a new PR in 60m prelims, clocking a 6.76 to advance to finals. He matched that time in the evening session and finished in fourth position.

In the last event of the night for the Gamecocks, Carson Strom added a strong finish in the 5000m. His time of 15:24.14 was a new personal best and good for eighth place on Friday.

NOTABLE

Through four of seven events, Markus Leemet has a big lead in the heptathlon. Leemet’s score of 3,080 is 312 points ahead of the field. The senior won the 60m, long jump and shot put, including new personal bests in the last two events.

QUOTING HEAD COACH Curtis Frye

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

The Gamecocks continue the Tiger Paw Invitational on Saturday with the second and final day of competition. The meet resumes at 9 a.m. ET.