Florida Gators
Tyson Invitational
Ponteen Wins Third Straight 400m Race To Lead T & F
Sunday, February 13, 2005 | Women's Track and Field
The No.4 University of Florida women's track and field team had five athletes post NCAA automatic or provisional qualifying times Saturday at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark. Sophomore All-American Tiandra Ponteen (St. Kitts) led the way for the Gators claiming her third straight title in the 400-meter dash darting to an automatic qualifying time of 51.68.
Ponteen won for the third consecutive time in the 400-meter as she dashed to an automatic time of 51.68, which stands as the second-fastest time in the country this season.
"Tiandra ran a smart, fast race," Florida women's coach Tom Jones said. "It was a nice win for her. It was a nice team effort but we have a young team and they need to learn how to compete at this level."
Senior All-American Candice Scott (Port of Spain, Trinidad) recorded another automatic mark in the weight throw by placing second with a toss of 23.26m/76-3.75. Also in weight throw action, junior All-American Rachel Longfors (Erhard, Minn.) posted a provisional mark of 20.01m/65-7.75 to place her sixth.
Senior Liz Wanless (Belleville, Ill.) impressed again in the shot put competition by posting another automatic qualifying mark of 17.55m/57-7, which was good enough for second and also stands as a career best. Scott added an automatic mark of her own (17.00m/55-9.25) to take fourth place in the shot put to compliment her runner-up finish in the weight throw. Scott's toss was also a season and career best.
Senior All-American Krystle Moss (Alexandria, Va.) leaped to her first provisional mark in the high jump of the season clearing the bar at 1.80m/5-10.75, good enough for third place in the event.
"I was really proud of Krystle," Jones said. "She set a seasonal best and that was important. She also had some great attempts at 1.85 (meters) which would have been a school record."
Two newcomers to running on a banked track impressed coach Jones. Freshman Natalie Knight (Snellville, Ga.) just missed posting the first provisional mark of her career in the 200m missing by just .02 seconds clocking in at 23.92. Sophomore Nadine Palmer (Manchester, Jamaica) would have set a provisional time in the 200m (23.57) but was disqualified when she lost her balance in the final turn.
"Nadine has never run on a banked track in her life," Jones said. "She just lost focus in the last turn, it doesn't help you that much (to break the lane) but it is a violation. I thought Natalie did very well in her first time on a banked track. She was feeling her way in the first 100 meters and then turned it on."
Florida women's throwers and vaulters are back in action Saturday, Feb.19 at the Hoosier Hills Invitational in Bloomington, Ind.
