Track and Field . March 31, 2023

Gamecocks Record Nine Season-Best Marks on Opening Day of Florida Relays

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 31, 2023) – The opening day of the 2023 Pepsi Florida Relays proved to be a strong day for the Gamecocks with nine season-best marks falling in line, including a new program record in the women’s 1500m.

Silan Ayyildiz made her outdoor Gamecock debut a memorable one, competing in the College Invite 1500m race and walking away with silver. The Turkey native clocked a new program-record time of 4:14.13, besting the previous record held by Anna Kathryn Stoddard (2021) of 4:25.74. In addition, Ayyildiz’s mark ranks seventh in the East Region and seventh overall on the NCAA Outdoor leaderboard.

The women’s 4×800 meter relay team of Kieley Gayle, Alex Costantino, Grace Zamrowski and Sylvia Chelangat took home gold in their respective event, winning with a time of 8:45.92. The quartet’s time set a new season-best mark for the Gamecocks, while also climbing the program leaderboard into the number two spot.

Jayla Jamison also turned in a season-fastest mark in the women’s 200m, finishing fifth overall in the race. The Columbia native ran 23.17 (-0.5) for the seventh best time in the East and ninth overall in the NCAA.

Gabriella Gait-Smith, Rachel Valentine, and KD Young also accounted for top marks this season by the Gamecocks. Gait-Smith ran the fastest 5K of the season with a time of 17:28.41, finishing fifth overall in the event. Valentine vaulted 3.48m (11-5) for a new outdoor personal record, while Young threw the women’s hammer 57.03m (187-1).

The Gamecock men posted three season-best marks, led by the men’s 4x800m relay team of Will Wright, Aidan Hatton, Jackson Dawson, and Jack Mensch. The Gamecock distance runners posted the second best 4x800m time in South Carolina history, crossing the line at 7:25.33.

Veteran competitors, Kobe Franklin and Evan Miller, put together strong individual performances. Miller finished third in the men’s 200m with a mark of 20.48 (-0.5) for the third fastest time in the East and in the NCAA. Meanwhile, Franklin cleared 2.06m (6-9) in the men’s high jump to rank 15th in the East, narrowly missing his personal best of 2.07m.

The Gamecocks will close out the 2023 Pepsi Florida Relays tomorrow with a full slate of events, beginning with the women’s and men’s 4x200m relay at 10:30 a.m.

Men’s Individual Results
200 Meters
3. Evan Miller – 20.48 (-0.5)

1500 Meters
13. George Luke – 4:00.65*

4×100 Meter Relays
— E. Brooks, Miller, Junkins, Black – DQ

4×800 Meter Relays
2. Wright, Hatton, Dawson, Mensch – 7:25.33

Long Jump
8. Blair Brooks – 7.11m/23-4

High Jump
5. Kobe Franklin – 2.06m/6-9

Women’s Individual Results
200 Meters
5. Jayla Jamison – 23.17 (-0.5)

1500 Meters
2. Silan Ayyildiz – 4:14.13*
14. Svenja Sommer – 4:41.22

5000 Meters
5. Gabriella Gait-Smith – 17:28.41*
10. Ella Zeigler – 18:13.74*

4×100 Meter Relays (Prelims)
8. Frank, Jamison, Registre, Sumpter – 44.73q

4×800 Meter Relay
1. Gayle, Costantino, Zamrowski, Chelangat – 8:45.92

Pole Vault
10. Rachel Valentine – 3.48m/11-5*