Gamecocks Battle Through Elements at Charlotte Invitational

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The University of South Carolina track and field team completed competition through windy and rainy conditions at the 2021 Charlotte Invitational, picking up 10 victories and along with a number of improved national and regional marks at the Irwin Belk Track and Field Center. 

“Our team was resilient this weekend, battling through the elements to still put down some great performances was great to see,” South Carolina head coach Curtis Frye said. “These are lessons to be learned, competition goes on in the sport of track and field. Since today wasn’t a conference-level meet, we all decided to pack it in towards the end of the day due to the weather and conditions.”

Senior Jordan Fields produced one of the best performances of the day, leaping over a bar at 1.78m (5-10) to win the event. The leap for Fields is a new outdoor personal record, improving her name up to the sixth-highest outdoor jump in school history. The mark is also good enough for a tie for 20th in the nation and tied for 11th in the East Region. 

“It’s really great to see Jordan progress the way she has this season,” Frye said. “Now next week she has a big opportunity to put on a show in her hometown in Jacksonville. We’re really glad she is starting to hit her rhythm.”

Noah Walker also produced a quality performance in the men’s 400m hurdles on Saturday. The senior won the event in a time of 52.16, a season-best, and is now among the top-30 in the region in the event this season. 

“Noah did a great job to power through and stick to the race plan despite the conditions,” Frye said. “We had actually decided to call it a day right before that race, but they were already set to go and he still put on a season-best time. To see a senior step up, and not lean on any excuses, and have the mental strength to still perform was incredible.”

The day began with a win in the decathlon for Benjamin Womble. The senior completed the Gamecocks first decathlon of the season with 5,074 points that was highlighted by a personal best in the discus event. Womble nearly eclipsed his point total in the event from 2018 when he scored at the SEC Championships. 

Shortly later the Gamecocks swept the high hurdles events with Destinee Rocker (100m hurdles) and Filip Demsar (110m hurdles) earning the victories. William Spencer Jr. took his talents to the open 400m on Saturday, clocking a 47.24 to win the event. Carisma Holland added another victory in the field with her first win of the season in the women’s shot put with a mark of 14.41m (47-3 1/2). 

Jackson Junkins aided in a pair of the Gamecocks’ wins on Saturday. He led he way in the men’s 4x100m relay win and used a personal record 21.49 to win the men’s 200m by over a second. 

For a recap on Carolina’s performances on day one of the Charlotte Invitational, click here. Next weekend the Gamecocks will wrap up their regular season at the UNF Invitational in Jacksonville, Fla. The meet begins on April 29 and will conclude on April 30. 

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