Cross Country Hosts Gamecock Challenge
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Sept. 14, 2023) – South Carolina Cross Country will host its first of two meets in the Columbia area beginning tomorrow with the Gamecock Challenge. The event will be held at Charwood Golf Club, the site of the 2023 SEC Cross Country Championship.
The Gamecocks will be competing in the 5K circuit at 8:45 a.m., followed by the men’s 6K event at 9:20 a.m. For a map of the 5K, click here. For anyone interested in the 6K map, please click here.
Live results for the Gamecock Challenge can be found by clicking here.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Admission is free for all patrons who wish to attend the event. Spectators NEED to park at the Midland Sports Complex where there will be a shuttle that will transport attendants to Charwood Golf Club. Parking at the golf course is for golf course staff and meet staff ONLY. For a link to the parking map, please click here.
Restrooms will be located at the start and finish line of the race, in addition to the bathrooms inside the clubhouse that will be open to the public. Outside food and beverage are allowed, but patrons are strongly encouraged to visit the grill inside the clubhouse that will be fully operational and open to the public.
PARTICIPATING TEAMS
There will be six competing teams in tomorrow’s Gamecock Challenge. South Carolina will be playing host to fellow SEC foes Georgia and Tennessee. Tennessee enters the meet ranked sixth in the South Region. South Carolina State, The Citadel and Claflin will round out the list of teams participating this weekend.
GAMECOCK RUNNERS
The Gamecocks look to build off their season opener in which they finished fourth at the Eye Opener on Sept. 1 in Spartanburg, S.C. Carolina was led by freshman Judy Kosgei who ran a program-record time of 16:52.6 for the individual win. Kosgei earned SEC Women’s Runner of the Week for her efforts, besting the entire field by nearly 19 seconds and breaking the program record by a full 11 seconds.
The Kenya native was followed by Gabriella Gait-Smith who ran a personal-best time of 17:57.3 to finish 15th overall, turning in the 12th-fastest time in Carolina history. Freshman runner Hattie Jennings rounded out the top three for South Carolina, turning in a time of 18:20.6 to finish 23rd overall with the 36th-best time in Gamecock history. Ella Zeigler (18:30.1) and Sofie Kurzawa (18:30.9) rounded out the scorers for Carolina in the opening meet.
Overall, the Gamecocks ran 22 individuals in the season opener, including 10 individuals making their Carolina Cross Country debuts. Sixteen of the 22 runners in the season-opening meet set new personal records.
