Randrianasolo Leads Carolina at Spec Towns Invitational
April 6, 2018
Outdoor Meet #4 — Spec Towns Invitational
ATHENS, Ga. — Yann Randrianasolo took on one of the toughest long jump fields in the nation on Friday, and the senior earned a victory as the University of South Carolina track & field team competed at the Spec Towns Invitational. The senior posted a mark of 25-8 ¾ (7.84m) to win his event by six inches on Friday afternoon.
Overall, Carolina sent eight student-athletes into action Friday at Spec Towns Track. In addition to Randrianasolo’s victory, the Gamecocks got a podium finish from Armand Woodley and a new season-best from Rougui Sow.
Randrianasolo led the men’s flight of the Lewis Gainey Long Jump competition from start-to-finish on Friday. The Toulouse, France native jumped 24-9 ¾ on his first attempt and 25-8 ¾ on his second; that mark would stand as the best of the day. One year after finishing second in Athens, Randrianasolo brought home the victory, his second of the 2018 outdoor campaign.
The mark of 25-8 ¾ was just shy of Randrianasolo’s PR. He entered the week ranked seventh in the NCAA after jumping 25-9 ½ two weeks ago at the Weems Baskin Invitational.
Jordan Fields occupies third place through four of seven events in the Bulldog Heptathlon. The redshirt freshman accumulated 3,084 points and is 565 points back with three events remaining. Her top performance was in the high jump, where the 2018 NCAA indoor qualifier’s mark of 5-7 ¾ ranks sixth in Carolina history.
Markus Leemet is in fifth place midway through the Bulldog Decathlon. The senior’s best event of the day was shot put, where he led the field with a new personal best, 48-8 ¼. With five events remaining, Leemet has 4,026 points, 542 points back of the lead.
Woodley finished with a podium spot in the pole vault. The junior cleared 16-10 ¾, matching his season-best for the third straight week. He finished in third place on Friday.
Sow returned to the scene of her greatest triumph on Friday, one year after she set a Gamecock record by jumping 22-0 ¾ at the 2017 Spec Towns Invitational. The Le Havre, France, native finished fourth on Friday; her mark of 21-6 is the fourth-best long jump in the NCAA this season.
FROM THE COACH
“That’s a big deal for Yann, to go to Georgia and get a win against tough competition. That kind of effort, which has become commonplace for him, will score big points at conference and could be in the scoring mix at the NCAA Championships. Now we’re looking for him to hit another level and get up to eight meters; if he does that, he’ll have a chance to accomplish special things in the postseason. Rougui also had a nice bounce back week. We sent her to Georgia because we knew some of the best jumpers in the NCAA would be there, and she hung with them. We know she’s capable of jumping further, just like Yann, and if she can do that at the right time she’s proven that she can go toe-to-toe with the best in the nation.
“Overall, today was a good day for our student-athletes in Georgia; we’re hoping the weather holds off both in Athens and at our home meet tomorrow and expecting to see more great performances from our student-athletes at both locations.” – Head Coach Curtis Frye
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
The Gamecocks in Athens will complete their weekend tomorrow at the Spec Towns Invitational, while the majority of the squad competes at the Gamecock Invitational beginning at 9 a.m. ET at Cregger Track.
| FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2018 • SPEC TOWNS INVITATIONAL • MEN’S RESULTS | ||
| Decathlon 100m | ||
| 5. Markus Leemet | 10.93 | |
| Decathlon Long Jump | ||
| 7. Markus Leemet | 7.06m | 23-2 | |
| Decathlon Shot Put | ||
| 1. Markus Leemet | 14.84m | 48-8 1/4 | |
| Decathlon High Jump | ||
| 6. Markus Leemet | 1.86m | 6-1 1/4 | |
| Decathlon 400m | ||
| 4. Markus Leemet | 48.96 | |
| Decathlon Overall (Through 5 of 10 Events) | ||
| 5. Markus Leemet | 4,026 | |
| Pole Vault | ||
| 3. Armand Woodley | 5.15m | 16-10 3/4 | |
| –. Bryce Simpson | NH | |
| Lewis Gainey Long Jump | ||
| 1. Yann Randrianasolo | 7.84m | 25-8 3/4 | |
| FRIDAY, APRIL 6, 2018 • SPEC TOWNS INVITATIONAL • WOMEN’S RESULTS | ||
| Heptathlon 100mH | ||
| 4. Jordan Fields | 14.13 | |
| Heptathlon High Jump | ||
| 2. Jordan Fields | 1.72m | 5-7 3/4 | |
| Heptathlon Shot Put | ||
| 6. Jordan Fields | 8.44m | 27-8 1/4 | |
| Heptathlon 200m | ||
| 4. Jordan Fields | 25.77 | |
| Heptathlon Overall (Through 4 of 7 Events) | ||
| 3. Jordan Fields | 3,084 | |
| Pole Vault | ||
| –. Hailey Sweatman | NH | |
| –. Adele Blalock | NH | |
| Lewis Gainey Long Jump | ||
| 4. Rougui Sow | 6.55m | 21-6 | |
