FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Gators posted five NCAA top-10 performances, including two world top-10 times, to close the last day of competition in this year's Tyson Invitational Saturday inside the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Freshman
Talitha Diggs got things going for the Gators after crossing in 22.94 seconds in the 200 meters. A new personal best for Diggs, her time is the fifth-fastest in the NCAA, the eight-fastest in the world and the second-fastest in school history.
Shortly after Diggs' historic performance, fellow 200-meter sprinter
Joseph Fahnbulleh added to Florida's record book on the men's side. The sophomore posted the No. 4-ranked time on UF's Indoor All-Time Top 10 list after finishing in 20.42 seconds, the second-fastest time in the NCAA and in the world.
Meanwhile,
Gabrielle Wilkinson improved her personal record in the 800 meters. The redshirt sophomore crossed in 2:05.57, recording the seventh-fastest time in the NCAA this year.
As the Gators continued to post top-notch performance throughout the afternoon, jumper
Natricia Hooper leapt for 13.31 meters (43 feet, 8 inches) in the triple jump, landing on the No. 8 spot of this year's NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying list.
Back on the track, the Gators women's 4x400-meter relay squad—headlined by
Taylor Manson,
Talitha Diggs,
Sterling Lester and
Doneisha Anderson—logged the last NCAA top-10 performance of the afternoon. The quartet posted a time of 3:34.02, which ranks ninth nationally.
On the distance front, the Gators added to what seemed a campaign to rewrite Florida's record books.
Redshirt sophomore
Trevor Foley made his first track and field appearance this year Saturday to post a time of 14:03.50 in the 5,000 meters. Having set a new personal record, Foley moved up UF's Indoor All-Time Top 10 list with the fifth-fastest time in program history.
On the women's side
Imogen Barrett, who made her season debut Friday with Florida's seventh-ranked DMR team, returned to the track Saturday to post UF's sixth-fastest time in the mile. The junior crossed in 4:39.44, entering UF's Indoor All-Time Top 10 list and setting a new personal record.
Other notable performances included new personal-best times by
Semira Killebrew (23.62) and
Tyler Davis (20.89) in the 200 meters, and
Jacob Miley in the 800 meters (1:50.47). A complete list of results for the Gators is below.
The Gators will be back in action on Feb. 25 as they return to Fayetteville for this year's SEC Indoor Track and Field Championships. The championship meet will take place over the course of three days, from Feb. 25-27.
TYSON INVITATIONAL MEET INFORMATION
| Friday, February 12 (* denotes preliminary; all other events are finals) |
| Event |
Place, Gators – Time / Mark | Notes |
| 60m (W) |
5. Semira Killebrew – 7.33 |
| 60m (W)* |
6. Semira Killebrew – 7.31 |Advanced to finals (time); matched season best |
|
14. Alexis Brown – 7.56 | First collegiate 60-meters appearance |
| 60m (M) |
7. Joseph Fahnbulleh – 6.73 | Matched personal best |
|
Raymond Ekevwo – DNS |
| 60m (M)* |
1. Raymond Ekevwo – 6.57 | Advance to finals (automatic); tied for second-fastest time on NCAA Division I Indoor Qualifying list; seventh-fastest time in the world; season debut |
|
6. Joseph Fahnbulleh – 6.73 | Advance to finals (automatic); matched personal best |
|
9. Dedrick Vanover – 6.76 |
|
14. Tyler Davis – 6.79 |
|
20. Cameron Mahorn – 6.96 |
| 400m (W) |
7. Taylor Manson – 52.74 |
|
11. Sterling Lester – 55.13 |
| 400m (M) |
4. Ryan Willie – 46.41 | New personal record |
|
8. Ian Davis – 47.77 |
|
9. Chantz Sawyers – 47.97 | Season debut |
|
14. Denzel Villaman – 48.35 |
|
17. Cole Johnson – 48.94 |
| 3,000m (M) |
8. Caden Monk – 8:24.10 | Personal best; season debut |
| 60mH (W) |
1. Grace Stark – 7.96| NCAA Leader; No. 8-ranked time in the world; season best |
| 60mH (W)* |
2. Grace Stark – 8.10 | Advanced to finals (automatic) |
| 60mH (M)* |
14. Joey Stravato – 8.32 |
| DMR |
5. Gabrielle Wilkinson – Talitha Diggs – Abbie Harrelson – Imogen Barrett – 11:09.82 | Seventh-fastest time in the NCAA; No.7-ranked time on UF's Indoor All-Time Top 10 list; season debut for DMR team; Barrett's season debut |
| LJ (W) |
4. Claire Bryant – 6.23 meters (20 feet, 5.25 inches) |
|
5. Alexis Brown – 6.06 meters (19 feet, 10.75 inches) |
|
7. Kala Penn – 6.01 meters (19 feet, 8.75 inches) |
| LJ (M) |
5. Malcolm Clemons – 7.69 meters (25 feet, 2.75 inches) |
|
7. PJ Austin – 7.49 meters (24 feet, 7 inches) |
|
16. Michael Holloway II – 6.43 meters (21 feet, 1.25 inches) |
| WT (M) |
2. Thomas Mardal – 22.19 meters (72 feet, 9.75 inches) |
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