April 26, 2018
Outdoor Meet #8 — 124th Penn Relays
PHILADELPHIA — The University of South Carolina track & field team opened the 124th Penn Relays on Thursday with several Gamecocks getting the meet off on the right foot. Sophomore Hailey Sweatman led the way as Carolina competed on the first of three days at Franklin Field.
Women’s events made up the bulk of Thursday’s schedule, with the Carolina men’s squad taking center stage for the first time on Friday.
Carolina’s top performer on the day was Sweatman, who earned second place in the championship flight of the pole vault. The sophomore just missed a PR, clearing 13-5 ¼ for her first-career Penn Relays podium.
In the throws arena, KD Young scored a pair of strong finishes. The freshman threw 51-4 for a seventh-place result in the championship section of the shot put. Later, in the college flight of the hammer throw, Young’s mark of 174-10 was good for another seventh-place finish, and it went down as the eighth-best throw in Carolina history.
In the women’s 4x100m relay, Carolina qualified for the College Final. The quartet of Aliyah Abrams, Stephanie Davis, Milan Parks and Amecia Pennamon finished 14th on Thursday with a time of 45.95.
The Gamecocks also made the College Final of the 4x400m Relay, as Precious Holmes, Davis, Jordan Fields and Tatyana Mills crossed the line in 3:45.89. That was the 13th-fastest time of the day.
The day ended with Carolina’s distance runners competing under the lights at Franklin Field. Colleen Openshaw led the group, running a new 5000m personal best of 17:21.19. Carson Strom ran his first career collegiate 10000m as the clock approached midnight, posting a time of 31:21.30. That’s the eighth-best time in school history and the program’s top mark since 1994.
FROM THE COACH
“We’ve really had a good meet. It was nerve-wracking for our girls, being at Penn Relays, where it’s exciting and there are high expectations. They came through, particularly Hailey. She did a wonderful job. She was nervous on her first two jumps. She missed two times at 13-1, and then on her last one she blew it away. Her first attempt at 13-5, she was locked in. She went for 14-1 and she missed it, but we think she’s on her way to doing something special this year.”
“KD always comes through. This is a big meet — Penn Relays. We put her in an environment like this, because she has great possibilities. She’s young, but she managed to make the finals and finish seventh at her first Penn Relays. We’re excited about that.” – Head Coach Curtis Frye
UP NEXT FOR THE GAMECOCKS
The Gamecocks continue the Penn Relays Friday, with the competition running throughout the day. The first Gamecock is in action beginning at 9 a.m. ET.
| THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018 • 124TH PENN RELAYS • MEN’S RESULTS | ||
| 10000m | ||
| 22. Carson Strom | 31:21.30 | |
| THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018 • 124TH PENN RELAYS • WOMEN’S RESULTS | ||
| College Pole Vault | ||
| 12. Adele Blalock | 3.65m | 11-11 3/4 | |
| Shot Put Championship | ||
| 7. KD Young | 15.65m | 51-4 | |
| College Shot Put | ||
| 14. Alycia Springs | 13.73m | 45-0 1/2 | |
| College Hammer Throw | ||
| 7. KD Young | 53.29m | 174-10 | |
| 13. Amanda Murphy | 51.63m | 169-4 | |
| Pole Vault Championship | ||
| 2. Hailey Sweatman | 4.10m | 13-5 1/4 | |
| Javelin Championship | ||
| 10. Shelby Freedman | 44.02m | 144-5 | |
| College 4x100m Relay Heats | ||
| 14. Abrams, Davis, Parks, Pennamon | 45.95 | |
| College 4x400m Relay Heats | ||
| 13. Holmes, Davis, Fields, Mills | 3:45.89 | |
| 3000m | ||
| 24. Allie Mueller | 10:15.30 | |
| 5000m | ||
| 41. Colleen Openshaw | 17:21.19 | |
| 48. Heather Stone | 17:47.18 | |
| 51. Kaylee Wessel | 18:08.32 | |
