Florida earned two gold, seven silver, and four bronze finishes at the Pepsi Florida Relays
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s home track season and Senior Day concluded as the Tom Jones Memorial finished on Saturday evening. Florida collected two gold, seven silver, and four bronze finishes at the meet.
On Saturday, Liina Winborn added a second event title to the Gators haul this weekend. Winborn competed in the 3000m race at the end of the day, running possibly the best race of her career. The Finland native battled the competition and pulled away in the final laps. She finished first with a time of 9:54.38, over 10 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher Ramat Jimoh of Mississippi State.
Winborn’s gold added to the one Jasmine Moore earned in the women’s long jump invite (6.98m/22’10.75″) on Friday.
Florida’s four silver finishes came from two running and two field events. Alida van Daalen earned the first of the day in the women’s discus invite (56.82m/186’5″), continuing her incredible freshman campaign. The 4×100 team of Ryan Willie, Jacory Patterson, Pjai Austin, and Robert Gregory ran the second fastest 4×100 in the country this year, the sixth fastest in the world this year, and the eighth fastest in school history on their way to a second-place finish (38.54). Imogen Barrett just barely missed out on running a sub two-minute 800m, as she cruised to a silver medal in the 800m with a time of 2:00.96. Barrett’s time was the second fastest in school history and the country this year. The final silver medal came from Jasmine Moore, who jumped the second farthest mark in the country and fourth farthest in the world this year (13.91m/45’7.75″).
The Gators’ two bronze finishes were in the women’s discus competition, where Akari Isaac threw a personal best (51.12m/167’8″), and in the women’s 4×400 relay made up of Ramiah Elliott, Talitha Diggs, Jayla Hollis, and Vanessa Watson (3:29.27).
Florida concludes the Tom Jones Memorial with 30 new outdoor or overall personal bests. Sixteen of these career performances came on Friday, with an additional fourteen more on Saturday.
Next up for the Gators is the Virginia Challenge on April 21-23 in Charlottesville, Virginia. This is the second to last weekend of competition for the Gators’ outdoor regular season.
TOM JONES MEMORIAL MEET
Saturday’s Finals Recap
Discus
Men- The duo of Calvin Bostic and Logan Montgomery competed in the men’s discus competition. Bostic finished twenty-second with a mark of 43.99m/144’4″. Logan Montgomery placed twenty-fifth (41.36m/135’8″).
Women- Akari Isaac led the day of competition with her best finish as a Gator. The freshman has steadily improved in the discus throw, capturing third (51.12m/167’8″). This mark is a new personal best for Isaac and her best finish as a Gator. Da’Moni Kelly finished eleventh (44.37m/145’7″), and senior Thea Jensen finished fourteenth (44.12m/144’9″).
Discus Invite
Women- Alida van Daalen continues her incredible freshman campaign. After being named SEC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Pepsi Florida Relays, van Daalen followed it up with silver at the Tom Jones Memorial (56.82m/186’5″).
Shot Put
Men- In the men’s shot put competition, Calvin Bostic placed ninth (16.77m/55’0.25″).
Women- A trio of Gators competed in the women’s shot put competition. Da’Moni Kelly was the top finishing Gator thrower, placing tenth with a new personal best in the event (15.13m/49’7.75″). Imani Washington finished thirteenth, also with a new personal best (14.53m/47’8″). Sterling Lester finished twenty-seventh (10.95m/35’11.25″).
Triple Jump
Men- Malcolm Clemons (15.68m/51’5.5″) finished sixth, and Michael Holloway II (14.73m/48’4″) finished twelfth in the men’s triple jump.
Women- The Gators continue their success in horizontal jumps with the pairing of Jasmine Moore and Alissa Braxton. Moore (13.91m/45’7.75″) earned silver for her performance with the second-farthest jump in the country and the fourth-farthest in the world this year. Braxton, in her second competition of 2023, placed fifth (12.94m/42’5.5″).
High Jump Invite
Women- Claire Bryant placed sixth in the women’s high jump invite (1.73m/5’8″).
100m
Men- Once again, Pjai Austin led the way for the men’s 100m runners. A meet after running 10.10, a world-leading mark at the time, Austin improved his performance by running 10.09 for a new personal best and a fourth-place finish. This new personal best is the eighth fastest time in the country this year and the sixteenth fastest time in the world. Jacory Patterson (10.30) and Robert Gregory (10.36) finished fourteenth and twenty-first respectively. Jalen Chance crossed the finish line fourty-eighth (10.69).
Women- Talitha Diggs earned fifth place in the women’s 100m. Her time of 10.96 had a wind speed 2.4 meters per second, since it was over 2.0 her run was not wind legal nor eligible for records. Had it been legal, Diggs run would have been a school record. This is the second straight competition Diggs has run a school record time that was not wind legal. Kynnedy Flannel finished eleventh (11.25). Her time would have been the fifth fastest time in school history had it been wind legal. Jasmine Montgomery finished fourty-seventh (11.70), and senior Tymiah Montgomery (12.37) finished sixty-second.
100m Hurdles (Prelims)
Women- In the women’s 100m hurdles prelims, Jayla Hollis advanced to the finals, running a time of 13.13 in the prelims, and finished eighth. Sterling Lester (13.52) and Imani Carothers (13.71) finished twenty-first and twenty-eighth respectively.
110m Hurdles (Prelims)
Men- Caleb Foster finished twentieth in 110m hurdles qualifying (14.05).
400m
Men- Emmanuel Bamidele (45.57) was the top men’s 400m finisher, placing sixth. JeVaughn Powell (46.10) and Jacob Miley (46.80) finished fifteenth and thirty-third respectively.
Women- Freshman Kayla Davis, in just her second 400m race as a Gator, placed thirtieth (53.95) with a new personal best.
800m
Men- In the men’s 800m, four Gators finished the race with a time sub 1:50. Sam Austin placed sixth (1:47.00) with the eighth fastest time in school history and the sixth fastest time in the country this year. Joe Wester (1:48.90) and Ryan Maseman (1:49.22) finished twelfth and thirteenth respectively. Matt Mule’ the final Florida runner to run sub 1:50, placed seventeenth (1:49.73). Senior Deshay Fernandes finished twenty second in his final collegiate race at home (1:50.23). Caden Monk finished twenty-sixth (1:50.36), Jonathan Pitchford finished thirtieth (1:50.60), Adrian Bichara placed thirty-first (1:50.62), and Michael Fiore finished forty-fifth (1:52.16). Hugh Brittenham (1:53.04) and Chase Ruskin (1:53.96) placed fiftieth and fifty-fourth respectively. Five of the eleven runners recorded a new 800m personal best. Those runners were Wester, Mule’, Fernandes, Monk, and Fiore. Sam Austin ran a new outdoor personal best.
Women- Seven Gator women competed in the 800m competition. Imogen Barrett was the top Florida finisher, securing silver with a time of 2:00.96. Her time is the second fastest in school history and in the country this year. It is also the eleventh fastest time in the world this year. Gabrielle Wilkinson also finished in the top-5, earning fifth (2:03.87), the ninth fastest time in the country this year. A day after a stellar performance in the 1500m, Ashley Klingenberg recorded a new personal best and finishing twenty-ninth (2:08.69). In her event debut, Australian Lucinda Rourke placed thirty-seventh (2:09.63). Vasileia Spyrou finished forty-third (2:10.78). In her event debut, Jess Edwards finished forty-ninth (2:12.96), and Emily Culley placed fifty-fourth (2:14.05). Culley’s time was a new personal best.
3000m
Women- In her 3000m debut, Liina Winborn ran an incredible race, finishing first with a time of 9:54.38. Winborn finished over 10 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, Ramat Jimoh of Mississippi State.
4×100 Relay
Men- The 4×100 relay team of Ryan Willie, Jacory Patterson, Pjai Austin, and Robert Gregory finished second (38.54) in the relay. Their time is the eighth fastest in school history, second fastest in the country this year, and the sixth fastest in the world.
4×400 Relay
Women- Ramiah Elliott, Talitha Diggs, Jayla Hollis, and Vanessa Watson teamed up to earn bronze in the women’s 4×400 relay with a time of 3:29.27.
Tom Jones Memorial Results (All events are finals unless otherwise noted)
Event
Place, Gators (Time/Distance), Notes
Discus (M)
22. Calvin Bostic (43.99m/144’4″)
25. Logan Montgomery (41.36m/135’8″)
Discus (W)
3. Akari Isaac (51.12m/167’8″) Personal Best
11. Da’Moni Kelly (44.37m/145’7″)
14. Thea Jensen (44.12m/144’9″)
Discus Invite (W)
2. Alida van Daalen (56.82m/186’5″)
Shot Put (M)
9. Calvin Bostic (16.77m/55’0.25″)
Shot Put (W)
10. Da’Moni Kelly (15.13m/49’7.75″) Personal Best
13. Imani Washington (14.53m/47’8″) Personal Best
27. Sterling Lester (10.95m/35’11.25″)
Triple Jump (M)
6. Malcolm Clemons (15.68m/51’5.5″)
12. Michael Holloway II (14.73m/48’4″)
Triple Jump (W)
2. Jasmine Moore (13.91m/45’7.75″) 2nd Farthest Jump in the Country this Year, 4th Farthest Jump in the World this Year
5. Alissa Braxton (12.94m/42’5.5″)
High Jump Invite (W)
6. Claire Bryant (1.73m/5’8″)
100m (M)
4. Pjai Austin (10.09) Personal Best, 8th Fastest Time in the Country this Year, 16th Fastest Time in the World this Year
14. Jacory Patterson (10.30)
21. Robert Gregory (10.36)
48. Jalen Chance (10.69)
100m (W)
5. Talitha Diggs (10.96)
11. Kynnedy Flannel (11.25)
47. Jasmine Montgomery (11.70)
62. Tymiah Montgomery (12.37)
100m Hurdles Prelims (W)
8. Jayla Hollis (13.13) Qualified for the Finals
21. Sterling Lester (13.52)
28. Imani Carothers (13.71)
100m Hurdles (W)
Jayla Hollis (DNF)
110m Hurdles Prelims (M)
20. Caleb Foster (14.05)
400m (M)
6. Emmanuel Bamidele (45.57)
15. Jevaughn Powell (46.10)
33. Jacob Miley (46.80)
400m (W)
30. Kayla Davis (53.95) Personal Best
800m (M)
6. Sam Austin (1:47.00) Outdoor Personal Best, 8th Fastest Time in School History, 6th Fastest Time in the Country this Year
12. Joe Wester (1:48.90) Personal Best
13. Ryan Maseman (1:49.22)
17. Matt Mule’ (1:49.73) Personal Best
22. Deshay Fernandes (1:50.23) Personal Best
26. Caden Monk (1:50.36) Personal Best
30. Jonathan Pitchford (1:50.60) Event Debut
31. Adrian Bichara (1:50.62)
45. Michael Fiore (1:52.16) Personal Best
50. Hugh Brittenham (1:53.04)
54. Chase Ruskin (1:53.96)
800m (W)
2. Imogen Barrett (2:00.96) Personal Best, 2nd Fastest in School History, 2nd Fastest in the Country this Year, 11th Fastest Time in the World this Year
5. Gabrielle Wilkinson (2:03.87) 9th Fastest Time in the Country this Year
29. Ashley Klingenberg (2:08.69) Personal Best
37. Lucinda Rourke (2:09.63) Event Debut
43. Vasileia Spyrou (2:10.78)
49. Jess Edwards (2:12.96) Event Debut
54. Emily Culley (2:14.05) Personal Best
3000m (W)
1. Liina Winborn (9:54.38) Event Debut
4×100 (M)
2. Ryan Willie, Jacory Patterson, Pjai Austin, Robert Gregory (38.54) 8th Fastest in School History, 2nd Fastest in the Country this Year, 6th Fastest in the World this Year
4×400 (W)
3. Ramiah Elliott, Talitha Diggs, Jayla Hollis, Vanessa Watson (3:29.27)
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