The Florida Gators track and field team traveled to College Station, TX to compete in the Indoor Track and Field SEC Championships this past weekend.
The Gators got off to a hot start, placing three inside the top seven of the pentathlon resulting in 18 points to start the weekend. The group of ladies was led by Anna Hall, who put an exclamation mark on her day with a 2:05.33 in the 800m. Hall scored 4618 points, which is not only a school record, but this is also the leading mark in the NCAA, and the world. She becomes the first pentathlon champion in school history. Sterling Lester finished in third with a total score of 4143, a season best for her and good enough for ninth in the nation. Asia Smith also finished in seventh place for the Gators.
Heading over to the runway, the duo of freshmen Caleb Foster and Malcom Clemons posted seven points for the men’s side of things. Foster leaped to a mark of 7.77m, a personal best for him. Clemons was right behind him with a jump of 7.75m. Foster and Clemons finished fifth and sixth in the competition. For the women, Jasmine Moore captured not only the school record in the long jump but also now holds the leading mark in the nation at 6.75m. Claire Bryant also placed third in the long jump with a mark of 6.42m. Moore and Bryant combined for 16 points.
The Gators got off to a great start on Saturday with Claire Bryant coming right back to action. Bryant jumped a personal best of 1.82m in the high jump resulting in four more points for Florida. This jump also places her fifth in school history.
Keeping it over on the jumps side, some things never change. The duo of Jasmine Moore and Natricia Hooper were at it again in the triple jump. Moore took first followed by Hooper in second adding 18 more points to the women. The ladies continue to hold the top two marks in the nation. For the men, Jonathan Miller tacked on two points finishing in seventh.
Taking it over to the straightaway, the Gators had a solid showing in the 60m dash. Grace Stark and Semira Killebrew tallied eight more points for the women. Then, everyone in the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium was shocked. The rare occurrence of a tie in the 60m dash happened not just for first place, but also for fourth place. Florida’s Dedrick Vanover finished in a time of 6.633, tying with Georgia’s Matthew Boling. This added nine points to the men's score.
Following the 60m dash, the quarter milers took the track. The ultra-talented Talitha Diggs was at it again adding six more points for the women as she finished in third with a time of 51.25 seconds, a season best for her. The men took three out of the topfour places in their 400m race, combining for 23 more points. Jacory Patterson finished in fourth with a time of 45.97 seconds, a personal best. Ryan Willie posted a season best of 45.63 seconds taking second place. Then, Champion Allison accelerated to first place with a time of 45.04 seconds, a personal best for Allison. Not only is this time second in school history it is also second in the nation.
The Gators also had a solid showing for both men and women in the 800m. Imogen Barrett ran a time of 2:03.39 seconds, a big-time personal best. This placed third and added six more points for the women. Gabrielle Wilkinson also upped the women’s total by a point placing eighth. For the men, Sam Austin also posted a personal best while finishing in third with a time of 1:47.76.
The Gators continued to show out when the hurdles were placed on the track. Grace Stark in her second race of the day came out of the blocks and never looked back. She added 10 more points for the women while she captured gold in the 60mH. Kurt Powdar wasted no time in his SEC Championship debut as he ran 7.73 seconds, finishing second. That time is also a big personal best for Powdar.
In the 200m dash, Talitha Diggs continued her day. She tacked on five more points for the women finishing with a time of 22.92, good enough for fourth. For the men, Sophomore Cameron Miller made his SEC Indoor Championship debut gliding to a time of 20.595 seconds, finishing in second and adding eight points for the men. To end the day, the men’s 4x400m relay team tallied eight more points and finished in second, taking home the silver medal.
Next, The Florida Gators men and women will travel to Birmingham, Alabama to compete for a national championship March 11th and 12th.
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