Eight Gators Advance to Final Event Rounds on Second Day of SEC Indoor Championships
Justin Braun becomes the NCAA No. 3 400m runner on the season with Jayden Horton Mims tying the World U20 400m all-time placement at fourth
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Personal best performances and qualifying marks powered the Gators through day two of the SEC Indoor Track and Field Championship, as Florida advanced multiple athletes across the distance and sprints while continuing its pursuit of a conference title.
Florida’s women currently sit in fifth place with 26 team points, while the men stand in seventh with a total of 10 team points.
HIGHLIGHTS
Throws
Imani Washington started the day for the Gators, throwing a personal best mark of 21.03m (69’0″) in the women’s weight throw. The new heave for Washington came on the senior’s fourth attempt to give her a sixth place finish in the field and place her at No. 9 on the program’s all-time marks in the event.
John Luke Witte concluded his collegiate career with an eighth place launch of 21.89m (71’10”) in the men’s weight throw, contributing one point to Florida’s team total after his third attempt.
Distance
Tia Wilson, the 2025 SEC mile champion, will defend her title alongside Claire Stegall after each advancing from the preliminary rounds, posting times of 4:36.98 and 4:36.30, respectively, in the first heat. The Orange and Blue recorded five of the eight fastest splits in the opening heat and led from start to finish, with Wilson and Stegall alternating at the front throughout the race.
Oussama Allaoui advanced to Saturday’s championship round in the men’s mile after he won the third preliminary heat in 4:01.45.
Sprints
Justin Braun and Jayden Horton-Mims led the way in the men’s 400m preliminary, each securing a berth in Saturday’s final with personal best performances. Braun clocked a 45.30 to finish second overall and rise to No. 3 in the NCAA this season, while Horton-Mims placed third overall in 45.36, tying for fourth on the World U20 all-time list.
UP NEXT
The Gators will continue their hunt for a conference title on Saturday, with events beginning at 3:00 p.m. EST.
STREAMING AND LIVE RESULTS
Live Results<https://flashresults.com/2026_Meets/Indoor/02-26_SEC/index.htm>
Saturday (SECN+) – 3 p.m. ET Broadcast<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/90b854a4-acea-4563-bd2f-9c2a816a464a> / 4:55 p.m. ET Broadcast<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/c83ca215-1a11-4722-b1bd-93d7c7c182ca>
Sunday (SEC Network) – Highlight Show<https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/0f6cdbe3-4ee0-4931-849d-93f01eff42f0>
RESULTS
FRIDAY, FEB. 27
Event / Time (ET)
Athlete Results
Weight Throw Final (W)
6. Imani Washington: 21.03m (69’0″) (PB)^
Weight Throw Final (M)
8. John Luke Witte: 21.89m (71’10.0″)
Mile Prelims (W)
2. Claire Stegall: 4:36.30 (Q)
3. Tia Wilson: 4:36.98 (Q)
15. Beth Morley: 4:43.07
16. Isobelle Jones: 4:44.27
Mile Prelims (M)
1. Oussama Allaoui: 4:01.45 (Q)
20. Riley Novack: 4:07.92
60m Prelims (W)
12. Jade Brown: 7.27
14. Gabrielle Matthews: 7.28
19. Payton Payne: 7.33 (PB)
60m Prelims (M)
11. Wanya McCoy: 6.64
28. Jaden Wiley: 6.81
30. Trenton Howard: 6.85
34. Garrett Fox: 6.89
400m Prelims (W)
6. Sydney Sutton: 52.27 (PB) (q)^
9. Quincy Penn: 52.42
10. Tyra Cox: 52.46 (PB)
35. Malia Campbell: 54.13
400m Prelims (M)
2. Justin Braun: 45.30 (PB)(q)^
3. Jayden Horton-Mims: 45.36 (PB)(q)
22. Nicholas Spikes: 46.76
25. Malique Smith-Band: 46.85 (PB)
800m Prelims (W)
3. Layla Haynes: 2:05.01 (q)
800m Prelims (M)
7. Miguel Pantojas: 1:49.42 (Q)
10. Jonah Kirspel: 1:49.50
11. Gavin Nelson: 1:49.76
60mH Prelims (W)
22. Aleesa Samuel: 8.26 (PB)^
(PB) indicates new personal best
(Q) indicates automatic qualifying mark
(q) indicates qualifying mark
^ indicates new top ten mark on school record
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