Rocker, Spencer Jr. Stand Out on Day One of Bob Pollock Meet
Rocker got the Gamecocks off on a positive note right off the bat. The Lithonia, Ga., native, raced out to a lifetime best 8.13 in the preliminary round of the 60m hurdles, besting her previous best of 8.18 that she set at Colorado State. Rocker would follow her 8.13 with an 8.15 in the finals to finish as the runner-up. Rocker’s 8.13 is a top-five time in the country and is the No. 1 time in the SEC this season.
“The best thing that happened today had to be Destinee Rocker’s performance,” South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye said. “She basically ran 8.15 without getting the reaction out of the blocks that she wanted. It was just a tremendous run. I would say it was an eight-flat kind of run. It’s just a matter of time before she reaches that kind of time. She’s going to be tough, we know she is going to be in shape to have a great run at the conference meet this year.”
Spencer Jr. was the star for the Gamecocks in the men’s 400m. The Henrico, Va., native, posted a lifetime best of 46.78, dropping his previous best by a quarter of a second that was set last indoor season. Spencer’s performance was good enough for second overall at the meet but was the fastest among the collegiate competition. The time for Spencer also puts him among the top 10 in the country this season and at No. 8 in indoor program history.
The rest of the 400m men’s squad continued to show big improvement as well. Sophomore EJ Richardson clocked a personal record of 47.22 while Bailey Rogers broke through the 48-second barrier for the first time in his career for a 47.92. Richardson’s time helped him finish fourth overall and second among the collegiate group while Rogers’ time was seventh overall and fourth among the college ranks.
KD Young was the story in the field for Carolina on Friday. The junior cranked an 18.35m (60-2 1/2) on her first toss of the women’s weight throw competition. The mark was good enough for fifth but also improved her top 10 ranking in program history to No. 8 and puts her among the top 50 in the nation this season.
Other performances on the opening day of the Bob Pollock Meet included a fifth-place finish from Malik Paul in the weight throw (18.56m) and Evan Miller’s 6.84 that got him into the 60m final where he posted a slightly better 6.83 to finish in seventh.
Carolina continues the Bob Pollock Meet on Saturday with events like the 200m, the 4x400m relay and high jump to still come. The Gamecocks then will return home for the South Carolina Invitational from Feb. 5-6.
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| JAN. 29-30, 2021 • BOB POLLOCK MEET • MEN’S RESULTS | ||
| 60m | ||
| Gatlin Lawson | 11th. 6.89 (PR) | |
| Evan Miller | 7th. 6.83 (6.84 in prelims) | |
| 200m | ||
| Gatlin Lawson | Saturday 1:00 p.m. | |
| Evan Miller | Saturday 1:00 p.m. | |
| Jordan Sessom | Saturday 1:00 p.m. | |
| 400m | ||
| Rivaldo Leacock | 9th. 48.22 | |
| Bailey Rogers | 7th. 47.92 (PR) | |
| Jackson Junkins | 20th. 49.23 | |
| EJ Richardson | 4th. 47.22 (PR) | |
| William Spencer Jr. | 2nd. 46.78 (PR) | |
| 800m | ||
| Ian Fladd | Saturday 12:10 p.m. | |
| Kyle Reers | Saturday 12:10 p.m. | |
| 60m Hurdles | ||
| Filip Demsar | 2nd. 7.93 (7.86 in prelims) | |
| Stephon Torrence | –. FS (7.73 in prelims) | |
| 4x400m | ||
| Team A | Saturday 2:40 p.m. | |
| Team B | Saturday 2:40 p.m. | |
| Weight | ||
| Malik Paul | 5th. 18.56m | 60-10.75 | |
| High Jump | ||
| Kobe Franklin | Saturday 1:30 p.m. | |
| Jackson Marseille | Saturday 1:30 p.m. | |
| Desmond Gaillard | Saturday 1:30 p.m. | |
| Long Jump | ||
| Christian Lewis | –. No mark | |
| Pole Vault | ||
| Timothy McEvoy | Saturday 1:00 p.m. | |
| Jonathan Togami | Saturday 1:00 p.m. | |
| Dillon McCarthy | Saturday 1:00 p.m. | |
| JAN. 29-30, 2021 • BOB POLLOCK MEET • WOMEN’S RESULTS | ||
| 60m Hurdles | ||
| Destinee Rocker | 2nd. 8.15 (8.13 in prelims) | |
| 4x400m | ||
| Team A | Saturday 2:20 p.m. | |
| Team B | Saturday 2:20 p.m. | |
| Pole Vault | ||
| Hailey Sweatman | –. NH | |
| Kelsey Worthington | 9th. 3.50m | 11-5.75 | |
| High Jump | ||
| Dymier Jeffery | Saturday 11:30 a.m. | |
| Long Jump | ||
| Synclair Savage | –. No mark | |
| Rachel Glenn | 23rd. 4.47m | 14-8 | |
| Shot Put | ||
| Alycia Springs | Saturday 11:30 a.m. | |
| KD Young | Saturday 11:30 a.m. | |
| Carisma Holland | Saturday 11:30 a.m. | |
| Weight | ||
| KD Young | 5th. 18.35m | 60-2.50 (PR) | |
