Coach Holloway Previews Virginia Tech Elite Meet, Looks Back on Record-Setting Weekend
Monday, January 30, 2012 | Track and Field
University of Florida track and field head coach Mike Holloway addressed the media Monday morning as part of the Gators' All-Sports Media Day.
Coach Holloway recapped the Texas A&M Challenge, which saw three athletes automatically qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in March and two of those athletes set new Florida records.
Senior thrower Kemal Mesic (Sarajevo, Bosnia) bested his own men's indoor shot put record with a toss of 20.31m/66-7.75, the best shot put mark in the country this season. Mesic already qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships while at the Crimson Tide Indoor Opener and improved on his mark from a few weeks ago.
Senior multi-event athlete Gray Horn (Waynesfield, Ohio) set a new Florida record in the heptathlon with a mark of 5,971 points, making him the seventh-best performer in collegiate history and qualifying him for the NCAA Indoor Championships.
Sophomore Sean Obinwa (Tampa, Fla.) hit an NCAA automatic qualifying time in the 800 meters on Saturday afternoon, sprinting his way to the second fastest time in Florida history with a personal best 1:47.22, finishing second on the afternoon.
Holloway also discussed the recent performances of the distance squads, including the women's distance medley relay. The foursome, comprised of Genevieve LaCaze (Queensland, Australia), Ebony Eutsey (Miami, Fla.), Shelby Hayes (Winter Park, Fla.) and Cory McGee (Pass Christian, Miss.), set a new school record of 11:04.53, narrowly missing an NCAA automatic qualifying time.
The Gators, coming off of three consecutive weekends of competition, travel to Blacksburg, Va. for the Virginia Tech Elite meet on Friday and Saturday, February 3-4.
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