Gators Closes Out The Clemson Invite With 12 Total Titles

Day 2 of the Clemson Invite saw the Gators win five individual event titles and two relays

CLEMSON, SC. – Day two of the Clemson Invitational is in the books and the Florida Gators track and field team started off the season with success in a variety of events. Florida totaled 12 titles at the Clemson Invite, 10 of them coming in individual events, and had 14 student-athletes achieve personal bests.

On day two of the Clemson Invite, Jasmine Moore, Sean Dixon-Bodie, Talitha Diggs, Imogen Barrett, and Vasileia Spyrou all captured individual titles. Additionally, Florida swept the men’s and women’s 4×400 relays to end the day.

Next up, the Gators travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas on January 27th and 28th to take part in the Razorback Invitational. It will the first of three trips to Fayetteville during the indoor season.

Saturday’s Finals Recap

High Jump

Women- In the first event of the day, Claire Bryant took second in the high jump. Her weekend included a pair of top-2 finishes, her finish in the high jump and her victory in the long jump competition.

Triple Jump

Women- Jasmine Moore continues her historic success in horizontal jumps. Her first-place finish in the triple jump, with a distance of 14.44m (47’4.5″) is the leading mark in the world so far this year, 0.48m better than the previous best mark. Moore’s victory was the Gators fourth title of the day.

Men- Four Gators competed in the men’s triple jump with Sean Dixon-Bodie finishing first in his Gator debut, marking the first title for the Gators on day 2 of the Clemson Invite. Malcolm Clemons strong performance earned him runner-up. Clemons and Michael Holloway II jumped personal bests in the competition.

Shot Put

Men- In his collegiate debut, Logan Montgomery led the way for the men’s throwers, finishing fifth with a distance of 17.10m (56’1.25″). Calvin Bostic put up a personal best performance (15.85m, 52′) in his Gator debut.

300m

Women- The Gators swept the women’s 300m event. Talitha Diggs, Laila Owens, and Ramiah Elliott came in first, second, and third respectively. Diggs time of 36.12 is a PR, breaks her own school record in the event, is the third fastest time in NCAA history, and is also the fastest in the world so far this year. Her finish gave the Gators their second title of the day. Owens and Elliot were both making their Gator debuts in the event.

Men- Ryan Willie (32.942) finished just ahead of Robert Gregory (32.950) to take third place in the men’s 300m. Gregory made his Gator and indoor 300m debut, coming in fourth.

800m

Women- Imogen Barrett led the race from start to finish, running a 2:04.89. Her time is the fastest in the NCAA this year and the third fastest time in the world this year. Her victory in the event was the Gators third title of the day.

Men- Chase Ruskin raced hard, finishing sixth with a time of 1:53.75.

200m

Women- In just her second event competing as a Gator, Kynnedy Flannel secured her first podium finish, placing third in the 200m with a time of 23.52. Jasmine Montgomery finished seventh, running the 200m in a time of 24.02.

Men- Making his indoor 200m debut, Pjai Austin finished third (20.85). This marked Austin’s second top-3 finish of the weekend.

3000m

Women- In the longest race of the weekend, Vasileia Spyrou (9:31.83) and Jordan Shapiro (9:43.29) went the distance, finishing first and second in the women’s 3000m. Spyrou’s victory marks the Gators tenth title of the weekend and fifth of the day.

4x400m

Women- Laila Owens, Jayla Hollis, Ramiah Elliott, and Sterling Lester teamed up for the women’s 4×400 relay and after a strong start from Owens, the Gators were in command. They relay team led wire to wire, marking the eleventh event title for the Gators at the Clemson Invite.

Men- Two men’s 4×400 teams competed in the final event of the meet. In the first heat, the team made up of Jacory Patterson, Emmanuel Bamidele, Jacob Miley, and Ryan Willie got off to a strong start when Patterson broke away from the other runners, setting the pace for the race. Their time of 3:05.29, the fastest in the world this year, was enough to take first place. The second team of Robert Gregory, Jevaughn Powell, Miles Green, and Ryan Maseman fought hard and finished sixth.

Saturday, January 14 (Q denotes qualifying, All others are finals)

Event

Place, Gators (Time/Distance), Notes

High Jump (W)

2. Claire Bryant (1.81m, 5’11.25″)

Triple Jump (W)

1. Jasmine Moore (14.44m, 47’4.5″), Leading distance in the world this year

Triple Jump (M)

1. Sean Dixon-Bodie (16.53m, 54’2.75″), 2nd best distance in the world this year

2. Malcolm Clemons (16.13m, 52’11”), PR, 5th best distance in the world this year

7. Michael Holloway II (14.92m, 48’11.5″), PR

10. Jordan McCants (14.5m, 47’7.75″)

Shot Put (M)

5. Logan Montgomery (17.10m, 56’1.25″‘), Collegiate debut

10. Calvin Bostic (15.85m, 52′), PR

300m (W)

1. Talitha Diggs (36.12), PR, Fastest time in school history breaks School Record she held, Fastest time in the world so far this year, 3rd fastest time in NCAA history

2. Laila Owens (37.21), Gator debut, 3rd fastest time in the world this year

3. Ramiah Elliott (38.53), Collegiate debut

300m (M)

3. Ryan Willie (32.942)

3. Robert Gregory (32.950), Gator and 300m debut

12. Jacob Miley (33.99)

19. Miles Green (35.62)

800m (W)

1. Imogen Barrett (2:04.89), Fastest NCAA time this year, 3rd fastest time in the world this year

800m (M)

6. Chase Ruskin (1:53.75)

200m (W)