Florida Gators
Drake Relays
Stockbarger, 4x200m Pace No. 9 Gators At Drake Relays
Saturday, April 29, 2006 | Men's Track and Field
The ninth-ranked University of Florida men's team posted one regional mark and posted a victory in the 4x200m relays, while qualifying a pair of relays for finals on the second day of competition at the prestigious Drake Relays on Friday.
Sophomore Wes Stockbarger (Port Charlotte, Fla.) extended his streak of reaching an NCAA regional qualifying mark to 10 by accomplishing the feat in the shot put, while UF's 4x200m relay of sophomore All-American Bernard Middleton (Jacksonville, Fla.), senior All-American Sekou Clarke (Kingston, Jamaica), freshman All-American Chris Gilchrist (Broken Arrow, Okla.) and freshman All-American Willie Perry (Lenoir, N.C.) claimed a victory. In addition, UF's 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay both qualified for finals on Saturday.
Stockbarger had the most impressive performance for the Gators on Friday as he finished fifth in the shot put with a regional mark of 17.75m/58-3. The throw was the third-best of his career and 1-5.25 away from his personal best.
The 4x200m relay clocked a time of 1:23.48 to pick up Florida's first relay victory of the outdoor season. The Gators out-ran Illinois for the Drake Relays crown as the Illini came in second in 1:23.82.
Florida's 4x1600m relay missed setting the school record by less than two seconds and took seventh. The foursome of senior All-American Daniel Parker (Orlando, Fla.), sophomore Jeremy Miller (West Palm Beach, Fla.), senior All-American Shane Stroup (Highland, Md.) and sophomore Ryder Leary (Yulee, Fla.) clocked a time of 16:40.08.
The 4x400m relay of Middleton, Clarke, freshman Afolabi Aromire (Springdale, Md.) and Gilchrist won their heat and clocked the sixth-best time of the day (3:11.16).
UF's 4x100m relay of Middleton, Clarke, Gilchrist and Perry claimed the final spot in Saturday's final after taking third in their heat and eighth overall with a mark of 40.96.
The Gators will wrap up competition at the Drake Relays on Saturday. Live results of the event can be found at www.drakerelays.org.
