Carolina Sets Focus on Razorback Invitational
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (Jan. 25, 2024) – South Carolina Track & Field is set to compete in the high-level Razorback Invitational this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark. The 2024 Razorback Invitational will begin on Friday afternoon and conclude on Saturday afternoon at the Randal Tyson Track Center.
Follow the Meet
Live results for the Razorback Invitational can be found by clicking here. Both days of the event will also be streamed on SEC Network+ with Friday’s stream starting at 6 p.m. (ET) and Saturday beginning at noon (ET). For Friday’s stream click here and for Saturday, click here. Fans can also follow along with updates on Twitter by following @GamecockTrack.
Meet Information
The Razorback Invitational will be a two-day meet featuring 16 of the top teams from across the country. This weekend’s meet will serve as a preview of the SEC Championship that will take place in Arkansas at the end of February as 10 of the 16 teams competing are SEC squads.
On the men’s side, nine of the 16 teams can be found ranked inside the Top 25. Southern California enters as the highest ranked men’s team at No. 4, followed by Kentucky (No. 5), Florida (No. 6) and Georgia coming in at No. 8. Meanwhile on the women’s side, 10 of the 16 teams are ranked inside the Top 25, led by host Arkansas who sits second in the latest standings. The Razorbacks are followed by Florida (No. 3), Southern California (No. 4), Texas A&M (No. 5) and Oregon (No. 8) to round out the Top-10 women’s teams.
The first event for the Gamecocks on Friday will be the women’s 3,000 meter race at 6:10 p.m. (ET). The Gamecocks will compete in five events on Friday, capped off by the men’s 200m sprint at 7:50 p.m. (ET). Saturday’s festivities for Carolina will begin at 12:40 p.m. (ET) with the women’s mile and conclude with both 4x400m relays at 5:15 p.m. (ET) and 5:40 p.m. (ET).
Nothing Runs Like a Ford
JaMeesia Ford continues to pick up the hardware from the league office as she has twice been named SEC Women’s Freshman of the Week. Ford is coming off a world leading time of 51.60 in her 400m debut while in Boston last weekend. Ford’s time was good enough for the win and the top time in the NCAA this season. The freshman phenom ranks first in program history in the 300m (35.83) and fourth in the 400m (51.60). She will be making her 200m collegiate debut on Friday at 7:10 p.m. (ET), while running her first 60m sprint on Saturday at 1:20 p.m. (ET).
Eyes in Boston
Two Gamecock distance runners will be making their season debuts in Boston on Friday night at 5:40 p.m. The Moroccan duo of Anass Essayi and Jaouad Khchina will open up their 2024 seasons by running the 3,000 meter race at the John Thomas Terrier Classic. For live results of the event, click here.
Coming Down to the Wire
With five competition weeks left before the NCAA Championship, things are coming down to the wire for qualifying marks. The top 16 marks for individual events will qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championship, while the top 12 times on relay teams will advance to Boston in March.
Heading into this weekend, the Gamecocks are currently qualified for seven events. Anthony Greenhow (20.74) and Jayla Jamison (23.45) are both ranked ninth in the 200m sprint, while JaMeesia Ford (51.60) and Zaya Akins (52.67) are holding firm to the first and seventh spot in the 400m race. Three more individuals are currently inside the Top 16 in their respective events: Rogerio Amaral in the men’s mile (3:58.41 – 12th), Theo Mudzengerere in the triple jump (16.00m – 6th) and Dylan Targgart (19.19m – 6th).
South Carolina’s women’s 4x400m relay are sitting second in the NCAA as Jahnile Registre, Jamison, Akins and Ford clocked 3:31.27 at the Gamecock Opener earlier this month.
