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April 28, 2017

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PHILADELPHIA, PA. – The South Carolina track and field team continued to show its dominance in the field events Friday, as the men’s team joined the fold at the Penn Relays and recorded three wins. The team also saw the men’s and women’s 4x200m relay teams qualify for the Championship of America final.

In the early afternoon, Josh Awotunde scored a win in the shot put championship, reaching a season best on the way to earning his gold watch. The junior threw 19.96 meters (65-6), a mark that is second only to his 65-11.75 distance that he threw over the summer in Olympic qualifiers. Awotunde’s mark, coming on his fifth throw, was two feet further than any other competitor Friday.

The men’s field athletes weren’t done there, as Yann Randrianasolo also hit a big PR en route to a win in the long jump championship. The first-year Gamecock hit 7.76m (25-5.5) on his fifth attempt, helping him hold off a strong field for the win. The mark added almost an inch to his previous best, and he strengthens his place at number five in the program’s record book.

Capping off the win streak was Armand Woodley in the pole vault collegiate competition. The Sophomore also pulled off a new personal best, as he cleared the bar at 5.05m (16-5.75) on his very first attempt to clinch the win over Penn State’s Patrick Anderson and Navy’s Stefano Pineda. It’s a five-inch improvement over his previous best, set two weekends ago at the Gamecock Invitational.

For the women, Natasha Dicks kicked the day off with a second place showing in the triple jump championship. The senior leader hit her best distance of 13.16m (43-2.25) on her fifth attempt, moving her up to the runner-up position as the competition reached its end.

On the track at Franklin Field, the relay teams were the center of attention Saturday. The South Carolina women’s shuttle hurdle relay team finished second in a nailbiter, missing out on a Wagon Wheel by just .06 seconds to San Diego State.

The women’s 4x200m relay group of Precious Holmes, Tyler Brockington, Aalayah Sanders and Maiya Dendy finished with the top qualifying time in the field of 43 teams, running a time of 1:34.99. The men’s 4×200 — the defending Penn Relay champions — finished second in the qualifying round, with the team of Darrell Singleton Jr., Ncincilili Titi, David Winters and Ryan Bermudez crossing in 1:22.77. The 4x100m relay team of Singleton, Winters, Titi and DeVon Lewis also qualified for the Championship of America final, as they ran 39.92 to finish seventh overall.

Quotable: Head Coach Curtis Frye

“Today was an outstanding day, the kids were just really competitive and the Penn Relays are just a great way for us to get into our championship season. Everything is coming together for our field events, we’ve got some really good coaches and our kids are really strong right now. Everybody is having a great meet so far, we have a young lady (Anna Kathryn Stoddard) in the 5K qualify for junior nationals, our shuttle hurdle girls just missed getting a win and we have three more Championship of American relays going tomorrow. We have a lot of exciting things ahead of us tomorrow in front of 50,000 people.”

UP NEXT

Saturday will see the track and field world tune in for the fiercest relay competition in the country. South Carolina will have three teams running for a Wagon Wheel — the men’s and women’s 4x200m, and the men’s 4×100. The 4×400 teams will also compete in the collegiate division’s championship race. Individually, there will be field competitions in the men’s high jump, discus and hammer, and the women’s high jump.

APRIL 27-29 • 123rd PENN RELAYS • MEN’S RESULTS •
400m Hurdles (Final)
23. Jordan Griffin 53.93
4x100m Relay (Prelims) — 9 Fastest Teams to Final, Next 9 to College Final
7. Darrell Singleton, David Winters, DeVon Lewis, Ncincilili Titi 39.92
4x200m Relay (Prelims) — 9 Fastest Teams to Final, Next 9 to College Final
2. Darrell Singleton, Ncincilili Titi, David Winters, Ryan Bermudez 1:22.77 q
4x400m Relay (Prelims) — 9 Fastest Teams to Final, Next 9 to College Final
12. Ryan Bermudez, Ty Jaye Robbins, Markus Leemet, Otis Jones 3:11.48
Shuttle Hurdle Relay (Final)
–. South Carolina DNF
Pole Vault / College Division
1. Armand Woodley 5.05m | 16-6.75
Shot Put / Championship Division
1. Josh Awotunde 19.96m | 65-6
–. Eric Favors NM
Long Jump / Championship Division
1.Yann Randrianasolo 7.76m | 25-5.5
APRIL 27-29 • 123rd PENN RELAYS • WOMEN’S RESULTS •
100m Hurdles (Prelims)
–. Taranisha Taylor DQ
4x100m Relay / Championship of America
8. Rougui Sow, Tyler Brockington, Taranisha Taylor, Maiya Dendy 45.28
4x200m Relay (Prelims) — 9 Fastest Teams to Final, Next 9 to College Final
1. Precious Holmes, Tyler Brockington, Aalayah Sanders , Maiya Dendy 1:34.99
Sprint Medley Relay (Final)
20. Funlayo Oluwole, Milan Parks, Maya Evans, Allie Mueller 4:02.81
Shuttle Hurdle Relay (Final)
2. Rougui Sow, Funlayo Oluwole, Taranisha Taylor, Milan Parks 54.34
Triple Jump / Championship Division
2. Natasha Dicks 13.16m | 43-2.25