Gamecocks Conclude Third Home Indoor Meet of the Season
COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 3, 2024) – South Carolina Track & Field wrapped up the South Carolina Invite on Saturday afternoon competing in a handful of events at the Carolina Indoor Track & Field Complex.
Judy Kosgei continued to elevate her name up the Gamecock leaderboard on Saturday, running a new program record and facility record in her 800-meter debut. The cross country phenom clocked 2:05.10 for the win, surpassing the previous program record of 2:06.05 set by Shay Shelton in 2006 as well as the facility record of 2:05.68 set by Martha Bissah of Norfolk State in 2020. She then turned around to win the 3,000-meter race later in the afternoon, running 9:24.31 for the second-best time in program history.
Teresa Cherotich made her home debut in the 3,000 meter, finishing second behind Kosgei with a mark of 9:29.01. Hannah Togami finished runner-up in the women’s pole vault when she cleared a height of 3.90m (12-9.5). In the women’s 400m, Aalliyah Francis finished as the top collegiate runner, finishing with a season-best time of 54.41 to finish fourth overall.
The Gamecocks also had two women in the 60-meter finals in Cynteria James and Jayla Jamison. James ran 7.44 in the qualifying trials, followed by 7.46 in the prelims to advance to the finals. James then finished seventh in the finals with a time of 7.42. Jamison clocked 7.49 in both the qualifying round and the prelims before finishing sixth in the finals with a time of 7.41.
For the men, the Gamecocks saw a lot of individual success led by Channing Ferguson who cleared a personal best height in the high jump for the victory, jumping 2.16m (7-1) to rank 4th in South Carolina history and 21st in the NCAA rankings.
Newcomers Conor Reilly and Joshua Kosgei finished top three in their respective events as well for South Carolina. Reilly cleared a personal best in the pole vault at 5.15m (16-10.75) for the runner-up finish, while Kosgei clocked 1:51.51 in the men’s 800m to finish third overall.
Another young freshman shined for the Gamecock men in the form of Nyck Harbor. The standout freshman made his home debut on Saturday in both the 60m dash and the 200m. Harbor began his day by running 6.75 in the 60m qualifying round before clocking back-to-back times of 6.67 in the prelims and finals to finish fourth overall. Harbor’s time of 6.67m ranks sixth in Gamecock history. Meanwhile in the 200m, the Washington D.C. native ran the 20th fastest time in the NCAA and the eighth fastest indoor 200m in program history after clocking 20.86 to finish third.
The men’s 4x400m relay consisted of a quartet of distance runners, turning in the fourth best relay time by the Gamecocks this season. Aidan Hatton, Joshua Kosgei, Ethan Mathis and George Luke won their heat with a time of 3:21.41 to finish fifth overall in the event.
South Carolina will be put to the test next weekend when the Gamecocks travel to Clemson for the Tiger Paw Invite that will begin on Friday, Feb. 9 and conclude on Saturday, Feb. 10.
Men’s Individual Results
60 Meters (Qualifying)
1. Nyck Harbor – 6.75q
2. Andrew Bond – 6.87q
3. Prescott Jefferson – 6.89q
60 Meters (Prelims)
5. Nyck Harbor – 6.67q*
9. Prescott Jefferson – 6.84*
12. Andrew Bond – 6.86
60 Meters (Finals)
4. Nyck Harbor – 6.67*
200 Meters
3. Nyck Harbor – 20.86*
800 Meters
3. Joshua Kosgei – 1:51.51*
6. George Luke – 1:52.59*
10. Carlos Lanzagorta Ruiz – 1:54.99*
11. Sean Sanders – 1:55.46*
17. Ethan Mathis – 1:57.70*
— Aidan Hatton – DNF
— Hugh Willcox – DNF
4×400 Meter Relay
5. Hatton, Kosgei, Mathis, Luke – 3:21.41
High Jump
1. Channing Ferguson – 2.16m/7-1*
2. Nate Figgers – 2.11m/6-11
Triple Jump
7. Spencer Eison – 14.20m/46-7.25*
Pole Vault
2. Conor Reilly – 5.15m/16-10.75*
3. Dillon McCarthy – 5.00m/16-4.75
4. Parker Samuelson – 4.85m/15-11*
5. Jonathan Togami – 4.70m/15-5
Weight Throw
10. Ridge Dowe – 16.88m/55-4.75*
14. Brandon Dennis – 16.07m/52-8.75*
Shot Put
7. Brandon Dennis – 14.45m/47-5*
Women’s Individual Results
60 Meters (Prelims) – GARNET
3. Madison Childress – 7.72Q*
60 Meters (Finals) – GARNET
2. Madison Childress – 7.72*
60 Meters (Qualifying)
1. Cynteria James – 7.44q
2. Jayla Jamison – 7.49q
3. Anastasia Sumpter – 7.63q
31. Camille Ellison – 8.29
60 Meters (Prelims)
4. Jayla Jamison – 7.49Q
7. Cynteria James – 7.46q
16. Anastasia Sumpter – 7.69
60 Meters (Finals)
6. Jayla Jamison – 7.41
7. Cynteria James – 7.42
200 Meters
40. Camille Ellison – 27.34*
400 Meters – GARNET
3. Ashton Lindley – 58.54
400 Meters
4. Aalliyah Francis – 54.41
800 Meters
1. Judy Kosgei – 2:05.10*
16. Greta White – 2:22.02*
— Sylvia Chelangat – DNF
— Ally Wilson – DNF
1 Mile
4. Ally Wilson – 5:04.43*
8. Emma Torbert – 5:09.07*
14. Caitlin Gemmill – 5:21.70
15. Brooke Donoghue – 5:22.47
22. Aubrey Pierontoni – 5:36.91*
— Maria Lombardi – DNF
3,000 Meters
1. Judy Kosgei – 9:24.31*
2. Teresa Cherotich – 9:29.01
7. Hattie Jennings – 10:20.18*
9. Kathleen Abrams – 10:34.37*
13. Sarah Neville – 11:05.95*
— Caitlin Gemmill – DNF
— Maria Lombardi – DNF*
5,000 Meters
4. Anna Boyd – 18:06.68
High Jump
11. Markia Anderson – 1.41m/4-7.5
Long Jump
5. Prommyse Hoosier – 5.62m/18-5.25
— Madison Childress – NM
Triple Jump – GARNET
7. Maleah Tidwell – 11.37m/37-3.75*
Pole Vault
2. Hannah Togami – 3.90m/12-9.5
13. Mia Joseph – 3.30m/10-10
16. Julia McBride – 3.30m/10-10*
— Lena Richardson – NH
— Emma Stone – NH
* – denotes indoor PR
