Florida Gators
UAB Blazer Invitational
Bridgette Owens Takes Down 60m Hurdles School Record in No. 1 Gators’ Indoor Debut
Friday, January 9, 2015 | Track and Field
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The No. 1 Florida track and field teams debuted the 2015 indoor season with a bang on the first day of the UAB Blazer Invitational at the Birmingham CrossPlex. Senior hurdler Bridgette Owens highlighted the evening with a school and meet-record performance in the 60-meter hurdles (8.10), and is one of six Gators returning to Saturday finals.
Pending other Friday meet results across the country, Owens heads into Saturday finals at the Blazer Invite with the fastest 60mH mark in the world so far on the young 2015 indoor season.
The Orange and Blue took a contingent of 12 sprinters and hurdlers to the Blazer Invitational, six of whom garnered finals berths following Friday prelims. Sophomore hurdler Yanick Hart (60mH; 7.97), junior sprinter Antwan Wright (60m; 6.68) and Owens (60mH; 8.10) all solidified the top seeds in their respective events heading into Saturday's main event. Junior women's sprinter Shayla Sanders qualified second in the 60m dash (7.44) to advance to finals.
Junior Mo Pitt (8.17) will join Hart in finals of the men's 60-meter hurdles, while freshman Damien Daniels (6.81) had an impressive Florida debut to qualify fourth and join Wright in finals of the 60-meter dash. Sophomore Ryann McEnany (8.64) notched a PR to advance alongside Owens in the women's 60mH.
Finals of both the men's and women's 60m hurdles and 60m dash begin Saturday at 12:50 and 1 p.m. (ET), respectively, from the Birmingham CrossPlex.
HEARING OUT HOLLOWAY
“I was very pleased with Bridgette's run. She made a couple of very small errors, but she did a wonderful job of applying the things we've been working on in practice in the meet today. A school record in the first meet; we're on our way to big things.
I was also very pleased with Antwan (Wright) in the 60m and proud of Damien (Daniels), a freshman, for winning his heat and running a PR in his first race in a Gator uniform. Ryann (McEnany) did great today, a new PR for her in the hurdles, and I thought our men's hurdlers did a very good job with both Yanick (Hart) and Moriel (Pitt) making the final.
Shayla was Shayla -- she did enough today, but you can guarantee she'll be better tomorrow in the final. Even though he did not make the final, I thought Jabari Hill did a really good job in his first collegiate race. Transferring from the high school high hurdles to the college highs is challenging. Overall, it was a very good day.”
NOTABLES
· Owens, who already held the UAB Invite Meet Record and No. 2 performance in school history (8.20) from last season notched an 8.10 PR to take down an 11-year school record in the event (Andrea Bliss, 8.17, 2/28/04)
· At the conclusion of Owen's race, the senior has the fastest time in the world and among women's collegians on the young 2015 indoor season
· A total of six Florida athletes notched PRs in their season debut, including sophomore Ryann McEnany, who qualified for finals of the 60-meter hurdles with her 8.64 race
· Both Damien Daniels (60m; 6.81) and Jabari Hill (60mH; 8.25) made their Orange and Blue debuts, Daniels as one of two Gators who qualified for finals of the 60-meter dash, and both of whom established collegiate bests in their first meet at UF
MEET INFO | FOLLOW THE GATORS
· UAB Blazer Invitational Meet Central | Meet Records
· Follow the Gators: Twitter and Facebook | Women's Instagram
· Florida Track and Field Record Book
FRIDAY RESULTS
| Men's 60M Hurdles | |||
| 1. Yanick Hart | 7.97 -- qualifies for finals | ||
| 5. Moriel Pitt | 8.17 -- qualifies for finals | ||
| 10. Jabari Hill | 8.25 -- PR | ||
| 11. Caleb Chambliss | 8.29 -- PR | ||
| Men's 60M Dash | |||
| 1. Antwan Wright | 6.68 -- qualifies for finals | ||
| 4. Damien Daniels | 6.81 -- qualifies for finals | PR | ||
| 11. Tyler Osorio | 6.99 -- PR | ||
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| Women's 60M Hurdles | |||
| 1. Bridgette Owens | 8.10 -- qualifies for finals | University of Florida record | Meet Record | PR | world and college leader | ||
| 7. Ryann McEnany | 8.64 -- qualifies for finals | PR | ||
| 17. Tyjah Eady | 8.92 | ||
| 25. Ashley Favors | 9.09 | ||
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| Women's 60M Dash | |||
| 2. Shayla Sanders | 7.44 -- qualifies for finals | ||
IN THE POLLS
Women: No. 1
Men: No. 1
UP NEXT
The second day of competition at the UAB Blazer Invitational in Birmingham kicks off at 12:50 p.m. ET Saturday with finals of the 60m hurdles, followed by the 60m dash. Following the Blazer Invite, the Gators will have a two-week training period before swinging back into action Jan. 23-24 at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational in Lexington, where UF will additionally duel with both Kentucky and Miami at Nutter Field House.
