Gamecocks Add Two More Wins at Spec Towns Invitational

April 8, 2017

ATHENS, Ga. — The University of South Carolina track & field team completed the Spec Towns Invitational on Saturday, and the Gamecocks added two more event victories. Josh Awotunde brought home the discus throw title, while the women’s 4x100m relay lowered their season-best time to collect a victory.

The victories were two of the 11 podium finishes achieved by the Gamecocks on Saturday. Overall, Carolina tallied 17 podium finishes at Georgia.

The highlight of the meet came Friday, when Rougui Sow set a school record in the long jump. Not only did Sow’s mark of 6.72m rank as the best in Carolina history, it’s also the top outdoor long jump performance in the world this season.

First off on Saturday was the 5000m run, with two Gamecocks in the women’s top-three. Mary Reiser placed second in 17:25.13, and Anna Kathryn Stoddard was right on her heels, at 17:33.46.

Men’s shot put is always a strength for the Gamecocks, and Saturday was no different as three Carolina student-athletes placed in the top five. The nation’s leader at the start of the week, Josh Awotunde came in second at 61-11 ¾, and Ben Bonhurst placed third with a throw of 59-2. Eric Favors added a fifth-place result, at 56-10 ¾.

Another Gamecock earned a podium position in the women’s shot put. Freshman Alycia Springs tallied an effort of 48-1 ¾, finishing second at the meet.

Awotunde added to his strong day with a win in the discus throw. His effort of 180-3 ranks 16th in the NCAA East Region this season.

In the triple jump, Funlayo Oluwole recorded her first podium of the season. The sophomore came in third, with a top effort of 38-2 ¾.

Nakita Gray matched a personal best in the triple jump last week in Florida, and she was just a quarter-inch off of that mark on Saturday. The senior entered the week ranked second in the region, and she placed third at Georgia by clearing 5-11 ¼.

The Gamecocks entered the day with the region’s fourth-best men’s 4x100m time, and they grabbed bronze on Saturday. DeVon Lewis, Darrell Singleton Jr., Yohance Thomas and David Winters clocked a time of 40.00.

On the women’s side, Carolina lowered their season-best and won the 4×1 relay. Maiya Dendy, Oluwole, Milan Parks and Rougui Sow shaved .01 of their top 2017 mark with a time of 44.48, which is eighth in the NCAA East Region.

Otis Jones has been strong in the 800m throughout 2017, and that continued on Saturday, The sophomore came in second, at 1:50.48, and he was the top collegiate finisher.

Freshman Jordan Griffin notched the best finish of his young collegiate career in the 400m. The Lexington, S.C., native placed third in a time of 54.13.

NOTABLE

Two Gamecocks are midway though the Bulldog Decathlon, which began on Saturday. Markus Leemet stands in sixth, with 3.940 points, and Alexandre Asselin is ninth, with a score of 3,608 points. Leemet set a PR in both the long jump and the shot put, and Asselin matched his personal best in the high jump.

QUOTING HEAD COACH Curtis Frye

UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS

Asselin and Leemet compete in the final five events of the Bulldog Decathlon Sunday, beginning at 10:45 a.m. ET. The full Carolina squad is back in action next Saturday, April 15, for the Gamecock Invitational, the second event at Sheila & Morris Cregger Track.