UF TF: Florida Wins Four Medals on Day Two of the SEC Outdoor Championships

Sterling Lester, Alida van Daalen, Jasmine Moore, and Claire Bryant won medals for the Gators on the second day of competition

BATON ROUGE, La – The Florida Gators wasted no time on day two of the SEC Outdoor Championships, earning a medal in the first event of the day. Sterling Lester competed in the final three events of the heptathlon competition, earning bronze in the women’s heptathlon (5778 points). Her performance was a new personal best in the event.

Alida van Daalen continued her stellar freshman campaign, winning gold in the women’s shot put competition (18.07m/59’3.5″). Van Daalen has won both the SEC Indoors and SEC Outdoors shot put title this season. She will seek to add another event title to her already impressive resume, when she takes part in the women’s discus competition on Saturday.

The women’s long jump duo of Jasmine Moore and Claire Bryant found the podium once again. Moore continues her unparalleled dominance of the horizontal jumps, winning gold in the women’s long jump (6.88m/22’7″). Her mark was a new school record, the farthest in the country this year, and the third farthest in the world this year. Moore has won every long and triple jump competition at SEC and NCAA competitions as a Gator. Claire Bryant earned bronze in the long jump (6.68m/21’11”), her fifth straight medal in the event at an SEC Championship.

Florida qualified athletes through to the finals in all events competed in on the track on Friday with the exception of the women’s 100m.

On day two, the Gators advanced six runners from prelims to finals on the men’s side. Pjai Austin and Robert Gregory advanced in the 100m. In the 400m, Emmanuel Bamidele, Ryan Willie, and Jevaughn Powell all qualified for the finals on Saturday. Matt Mule’ was the final men’s runner to advance and will compete in the 1500m final. Overall Florida has nine men’s runners in finals on Saturday.

On the women’s side on day two of the competition, Florida advanced six runners to finals. Both Grace Stark and Jayla Hollis automatically qualified for the 100m hurdles finals on Saturday. Talitha Diggs advanced to her second finals of the weekend, this time in the 400m. The final three women to advance to finals were Gabrielle Wilkinson, Imogen Barrett, and Lucinda Rourke in the 1500m. The Florida women have ten runners competing in finals on Saturday.

Tomorrow the Gators begin the final day of the SEC Outdoor Championships at 3:00 p.m. ET, as Logan Montgomery competes in the men’s discus competition. The first running event begins at 6:05 p.m. ET with the men’s and women’s 4×100 relays. The final day concludes with the men’s and women’s 4×400 relays. Saturday will include all remaining SEC Outdoors finals.

SEC OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS MEET

Friday’s Finals Recap

Heptathlon

Women- Sterling Lester came into day two of the heptathlon competition in second place with 3603 points. She began the day with the fifth event, the long jump, finishing fifth with a mark of 5.92m/19’5.25″. Following the long jump was the javelin throw where Lester finished ninth on a throw of 28.65m/94′. In the final event, Sterling Lester finished first in the 800m (2:14.53), securing bronze in the heptathlon. Lester finished with 5778 points, a new personal best. She earned the Gators first medal of the competition.

Shot Put

Men- In his first SEC Outdoor Championship as a Florida Gator, Calvin Bostic finished ninth with a new personal best mark of 18.02m/59’1.5″. Logan Montgomery placed thirteenth (17.38m/57’0.25″).

Women- Alida van Daalen won gold in the outdoor shot with a mark of 18.07m/59’3.5″. Van Daalen has now won SEC gold in the shot put for the second time this season, also winning the event title at SEC Indoors. Thea Jensen (15.67m/51’5″) finished twelfth with a season best mark and Da’Moni Kelly (15.30m/50’2.5″) finished thirteenth with a new personal best.

Long Jump

Men- Four Gators competed in the men’s long jump competition. Malcolm Clemons and Jordan McCants advanced to the finals where Clemons earned fourth (7.91m/25’11.5″) with a new personal best jump. McCants also recorded a new personal best mark (7.63m/25’0.5″), finishing ninth. Jalen Chance finished fifteenth (7.30m/23’11.5″) and Caleb Foster finished eighteenth (7.04m/23’1.25″).

Women- Jasmine Moore continues her dominance in horizontal jumps winning gold in the women’s long jump (6.88m/22’7″). She broke Yanis David’s school record that was set at the 2019 NCAA Championship. Moore’s mark was also the farthest in the country this year and the third farthest in the world this year. As a Gator, Moore has won every horizontal jump competition at championship events that she competed in as a Gator. Claire Bryant earned bronze (6.68m/21’11”), winning her fifth straight long jump medal at an SEC Championship.

3000m Steeplechase

Women- In her first SEC Championship as a Gator, Kathryn Nohilly finished fourth in the steeplechase (10:14.29). Her time was a new personal best. In each successive steeplechase race this season Nohilly has improved her time.

Friday’s Prelims Recap

100m

Men- Pjai Austin continued his strong form in the 100m, finishing sixth in prelims (10.14) and advancing to the finals on Saturday. Robert Gregory also advanced to the finals, securing ninth overall in qualifying (10.23). Jacory Patterson finished seventeenth (10.33).

Women- Kynnedy Flannel and Jasmine Montgomery competed in the women’s 100m prelims. Flannel finished eleventh with a time of 11.44. Montgomery ran a season best 11.52, finishing eighteenth.

100m Hurdles

Women- The duo of Grace Stark (12.97) and Jayla Hollis (13.06) finished fifth and sixth respectively in the 100m hurdles prelims. Both automatically qualified for the finals on Saturday. Imani Carothers finished fourteenth in the prelims (13.35).

400m

Men- Emmanuel Bamidele ran one of his best races as a Gator, finishing first overall in the 400m prelims. His time of 44.80 was the fifth fastest in school history, second fastest in the country this year, and eleventh fastest in the world. He automatically qualified for the finals. Ryan Willie finished fourth in qualifying (42.25), also automatically qualifying for the finals on Saturday. Jevaughn Powell ran a season best time in the 400m (45.17), placing eighth in the prelims, making him the third Gator to advance to the finals of the men’s 400m. Jacob Miley finished twenty-third (46.98) in the prelims.

Women- Talitha Diggs finished second (50.78) in 400m prelims, winning her heat and automatically qualifying for the finals. Her time was a season best. Laila Owens finished eighteenth (53.33) and Kayla Davis finished twenty-second (53.55). Davis’ time was a new personal best.

1500m

Men- Matt Mule’ finished twelfth (3:44.93) in the men’s 1500m, qualifying for the finals. Joe Wester (3:48.89) and Jonathan Pitchford (3:56.13) finished seventeenth and twenty-ninth respectively.

Women- All three Gators who competed in the women’s 1500m prelims advanced to the finals. Gabrielle Wilkinson earned fifth (4:22.65) and Imogen Barrett secured ninth (4:24.53), both automatically qualifying for the finals. Lucinda Rourke also advanced to the finals, finishing eleventh (4:24.78).

HOLLOWAY’S WORDS

On day two of the SEC Outdoor Championship…

“We had another solid day. We qualified athletes through to the finals on all the events we competed in on the track with the exception of the women’s 100m. I extremely proud of the women in the long jump with Jasmine [Moore] winning and extending her national lead in the event and also for Claire [Bryant] for finishing third. Also, a big win in the shot put for Alida van Daalen. Overall it was a great day and I am looking forward to some great performances and exciting events for all the Gators tomorrow.”

SEC Outdoor Championships Results (All events are finals unless otherwise noted)

Event

Place, Gators (Time/Distance), Notes

Heptathlon (W)

Long Jump

Javelin

800m

3. Sterling Lester (5778 Points) Personal Best

(5.92m/19’5.25″) 5th in the event, 3rd overall after event 5

(28.65m/94′) 9th in the event, 3rd overall after event 6

(2:14.53) 1st in the event, 3rd overall after event 7

Shot Put (M)

9. Calvin Bostic (18.02m/59’1.5″) Personal Best

13. Logan Montgomery (17.38m/57’0.25″)

Shot Put (W)

1. Alida van Daalen (18.07m/59’3.5″)

12. Thea Jensen (15.67m/51’5″) Season Best

13. Da’Moni Kelly (15.30m/50’2.5″) Personal Best

Long Jump (M)

4. Malcolm Clemons (7.91m/25’11.5″) Personal Best

9. Jordan McCants (7.63m/25’0.5″) Personal Best

15. Jalen Chance (7.30m/23’11.5″)

18. Caleb Foster (7.04m/23’1.25″)

Long Jump (W)

1. Jasmine Moore (6.88m/22’7″) Personal Best, School Record, Farthest in the Country this Year, 3rd Farthest in the World this Year

3. Claire Bryant (6.68m/21’11”)

3000m Steeplechase (W)

4. Kathryn Nohilly (10:14.29) Personal Best

100m (M) Prelims

6. Pjai Austin (10.14) Qualified for the Finals

9. Robert Gregory (10.23) Season Best, Qualified for the Finals

17. Jacory Patterson (10.33)

100m (W) Prelims

11. Kynnedy Flannel (11.44)

18. Jasmine Montgomery (11.52) Season Best

100m Hurdles (W) Prelims

5. Grace Stark (12.97) Automatically Qualified for the Finals

6. Jayla Hollis (13.06) Automatically Qualified for the Finals

14. Imani Carothers (13.35)

400m (M) Prelims

1. Emmanuel Bamidele (44.80) Personal Best, 5th All-Time in School History, 2nd Fastest Time in the Country this Year, 11th Fastest Time in the World this Year, Automatically Qualified for the Finals

4. Ryan Willie (45.25) Automatically Qualified for the Finals

8. Jevaughn Powell (45.17) Season Best, 8th Fastest Time in the Country this Year, Qualified for the Finals

23. Jacob Miley (46.98)

400m (W) Prelims

2. Talitha Diggs (50.78) Season Best, Automatically Qualified for the Finals

18. Laila Owens (53.33)

22. Kayla Davis (53.55) Personal Best

1500m (M) Prelims

12. Matt Mule’ (3:44.93) Qualified for the Finals

17. Joe Wester (3:48.89)

29. Jonathan Pitchford (3:56.13)

1500m (W) Prelims