Gators Return to S.C. for Second Meet of the Season

Friday, February 5

Columbia, S.C.

Florida Gators

South Carolina Invitational

Gators Return to S.C. for Second Meet of the Season

Thursday, February 4, 2021 | Track and Field

By: Rick Hurtado

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida track and field will return to action this weekend as they travel back to Columbia, S.C. to compete in this year's South Carolina Invitational Friday and Saturday inside the Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex.

Junior Sterling Lester will kick off the weekend for the Gators Friday during the women's pentathlon portion of the two-day meet. Sterling made her Gators debut two weeks ago during Florida's season opener in South Carolina, where she competed in the 60-meter hurdles, the high jump and the 4x400-meter relays.

Returning senior Raymond Ekevwo will make his season debut Saturday in the 60 meters. Ekevwo, who was the NCAA leader in 2020 for that event, will look to improve his 6.53 personal-best time which currently ranks third in school history.

Sophomore hurdler Grace Stark will also compete for the first time this season as she will represent the Gators in the 60-meter hurdles. Stark, who was named the 2020 SEC Freshman Runner of the Year after breaking the under-20 world record in that event, owns a personal-best time of 7.91 seconds that ranks second on UF's All-Time Top 10 list.

Florida's throwers will also make their debut this weekend. Senior Thomas Mardal and redshirt senior Connor Bandel will compete in the weight throw and shot put, respectively. Meanwhile on the women's side, sophomore Thea Jensen kick off her season in the shot put.

Mardal ranked fourth in the nation last year and was crowned the SEC Indoor champion in the weight throw. The Gopplen, Norway native ranks second on UF's All-Time Top 10 list with a personal-best mark of 22.89 meters (75 feet, 1.25 inches). Meanwhile, Bandel earned silver at the SEC Indoor Championships in 2020 in the shot put and ranks third in school history with a mark of 19.64 meters (64 feet, 6.50 inches).

After an impressive first collegiate meet, freshmen Talitha Diggs, Malcolm Clemons and Claire Bryant and will return to action this weekend.

Diggs, who posted the third-fastest time in school history and currently ranks sixth in the world in the 200 meters, will compete in the 400 meters in Columbia. Diggs, who was named the SEC Women's Freshmen of the Week, will be joined by senior sprinter Taylor Manson in the race.

Clemons, who entered UF's top 10 list in the long jump with a mark 7.85 meters (25 feet, 9.25 inches) two weeks ago, will look to do the same in the triple jump. The freshman ranks sixth in the NCAA in the long jump and was the SEC Men's Co-Freshman of the Week after his first meet. He will be joined by fellow jumper Jonathan Miller.

Meanwhile Bryant, who secured the No. 9 spot on UF's All-Time Top 10 list in the long jump with the her very first career leap, will look to improve her 6.28-meters (20 feet, 7.25 inches) mark this weekend. Sophomore Alexis Brown will join her.

A complete list of Gators participating in this weekend's meet, along with the full schedule of events and entries, is below.

Saturday's competition will be streamed live on SEC Network+ beginning at 11 a.m. ET, and it can be watched here.

SOUTH CAROLINA MEET INFORMATION (all times Eastern)

Live Results / Start Lists (Adkins Results)
Venue: Carolina Indoor Track and Field Complex
Coverage: Saturday's competition will be streamed live on SEC Network+ beginning at 11 a.m. ET, and it can be watched here. Additionally, follow the Gators on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for coverage and updates, and stay tuned to FloridaGators.com for a full recap of the two-day meet.
COVID-19 Protocol: During the 2021 track season there will be no fans permitted at South Carolina Track and Field events. In accordance with SEC policy, no unattached athletes will participate at any meets throughout the season. Additionally, athletes, coaches, staff and officials will adhere to social distancing and masking measures. More information regarding SEC protocol for winter sports can be found here.

*Friday, February 5 (unless denoted otherwise, events are finals)*
Time	Gators – Event
9:30 a.m.	Sterling Lester – Women's Pentathlon

*Saturday, February 6 (unless denoted otherwise, events are finals)*
Time	Gators – Event
11 a.m.	PJ Austin; Jalen Chance; Michael Holloway II – Men's Long Jump
	Alexis Brown; Claire Bryant – Women's Long Jump
	Thomas Mardal – Men's Weight Throw
	Thea Jensen – Women's Shot Put
11:05 a.m.	Grace Stark – Women's 60-meter Hurdles (prelim)
11:25 a.m.	Joey Stravato – Men's 60-meter Hurdles (prelim)
11:40 a.m.	Semira Killebrew – Women's 60 meters (prelim)
12 p.m.	PJ Austin; Tyler Davis; Raymond Ekevwo; Joseph Fahnbulleh; Jadon Maddux; Cameron Mahorn; Dedrick Vanover – Men's 60 meters (prelim)
12:15 p.m.	Jordan Shapiro – Women's Mile
12:30 p.m.	Hugh Brittenham – Men's Mile
12:50 p.m.	Joey Stravato – Men's 60-meter Hurdles
12:55 p.m.	Grace Stark – Women's 60-meter Hurdles
1 p.m.	Talitha Diggs; Taylor Manson – Women's 400 meters
1:20 p.m.	Ian Davis; Denzel Villaman; Ryan Willie – Men's 400 meters
1:40 p.m.	Semira Killebrew – Women's 60 meters
1:45 p.m.	PJ Austin; Tyler Davis; Raymond Ekevwo; Joseph Fahnbulleh; Jadon Maddux; Cameron Mahorn; Dedrick Vanover – Men's 60 meters
1:50 p.m.	Gabrielle Wilkinson; Abbie Harrelson – Women's 800 meters
2 p.m.	Natricia Hooper; Kala Penn – Women's Triple Jump
	Jonathan Miller; Malcolm Clemons – Men's Triple Jump
	Connor Bandel – Men's Shot Put
2:10 p.m.	Deshay Fernandes; Dalton Brown; Jacob Miley; Chase Ruskin – Men's 800 meters
3 p.m.	Lauryn Ghee; Semira Killebrew – Women's 200 meters
3:20 p.m.	Tyler Davis; Joseph Fahnbulleh; Cameron Mahorn; Dedrick Vanover – Men's 200 meters
5:30 p.m.	Florida 'A'; Florida 'B' – Men's 4x400 Relay
5:45 p.m.	Florida 'A'; Florida 'B' – Women's 4x400 Relay

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