Four Gamecocks Advance to Saturday Finale in Opening Day of SEC Championship

AUBURN, Ala. (May 14, 2026) – The opening day of the 2026 SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships concluded for the Gamecocks with four individuals qualifying for Saturday’s finale.

South Carolina’s women’s team secured three of the team’s four qualifying marks, including two in the same event. Akala Garrett and Kyndall Harrington-Spain each advanced in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, with Garrett earning the automatic spot after winning her heat with a mark of 55.89 and Harrington-Spain advancing on time after running 57.68 for the final spot in the finale on Saturday.

Alexis Brown captured her heat in a competitive women’s 200 meter preliminary round that featured eight heats with only the winners advancing plus the overall next fastest time. The veteran sprinter secured a time of 22.87 (-0.5) for the sixth fastest time in the field, punching her ticket into Saturday’s finale.

On the men’s side, Kaleb Burroughs was the lone qualifier, advancing out of the men’s 800 meter preliminary race. The freshman middle distance runner turned in a personal best time of 1:47.55 for the fourth fastest time in school history, advancing on time as he earned the final qualifying spot into Saturday’s 800m finals.

Eline Mast, competing in her first SEC Outdoor Championship, ran the sixth fastest 800 meter time in program history after crossing the line in 2:06.55 during the preliminary round.

The Gamecocks return to action tomorrow for day two of the SEC Outdoor Championship for another preliminary day. South Carolina will compete in five finals events tomorrow as well as eight preliminary events, beginning with the women’s long jump at 5 p.m. (ET) and ending with the men’s steeplechase at 9:30 p.m. (ET).

Men’s Team Standings
1. Ole Miss – 21
2. Florida – 17
3. Texas A&M – 15
—
— South Carolina – 0

Men’s Individual Results
200 Meters (Prelims)
23. Robert Stitts Jr. – 21.03 (1.5)

800 Meters (Prelims)
9. Kaleb Burroughs – 1:47.55q*
24. Knox Eaton – 1:50.72
29. Edouard Lecrivain – 1:51.48

Javelin
9. Ellis Neighbors – 67.95m/222-11

Women’s Team Standings
1. Alabama – 21
T2. Florida – 16
T2. Missouri – 16
—
— South Carolina – 0

Women’s Individual Results
200 Meters (Prelims)
6. Alexis Brown – 22.87Q (-0.5)
12. Cynteria James – 23.04 (-0.5)
22. Kymora-Lee Williams – 23.41 (1.3)
34. Maya Love – 23.80 (-0.5)
37. Joslyn Hamilton – 23.94 (0.6)
51. Jasmine Cook – 24.54 (-0.5)

800 Meters (Prelims)
15. Eline Mast – 2:06.55*
20. Sylvia Chelangat – 2:08.77

10000 Meters
14. Emma Torbert – 34:57.98
18. Anya Arroyo – 35:43.60

400 Meter Hurdles (Prelims)
2. Akala Garrett – 55.89Q
9. Kyndall Harrington-Spain – 57.68q

Javelin
20. Hailey Sharkey – 42.62m/139-10

* – denotes outdoor collegiate PR