Gators Tune Up and Cement Legacies at Holloway Pro Classic
Saturday, July 20, 2024 | Track and Field
Gator legend Christian Taylor sealed his career with one final jump in Gainesville, while Jevaughn Powell, Grace Stark and Anna Hall lit up the track in their final reps before the Summer Games in Paris
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The stars were out at Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressley Stadium on Friday night, as the American Track League hosted the Holloway Pro Classic in Gainesville just one week ahead of the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. The Holloway Pro Classic, named for Florida's legendary Head Coach Mike Holloway, featured many of the top athletes in the world that live and train in Gainesville including many current and former Gators.
Stars of the Gators' 2024 season Grace Stark, Jevaughn Powell, Wanya McCoy, Malcom Clemons and Robert Gregory were among the top finishers in their respective events, with Powell claiming a personal best in the last event of the season at Percy Beard Track.
The night concluded with one final jump for the Gator legend, Christian Taylor. The two-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time Worlds gold medalist, two-time NCAA Outdoor Triple Jump champion, and the holder of the second-best triple jump mark in history sealed his awe-inspiring career where it began, with Coach Holloway the first to greet him at the pit.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Men's 100m
PJai Austin was the first man to cross a finish line on the night, delivering a stellar 9.94 time to win the first heat. In the final, Austin's 10.06 time netted him third place.
Wanya McCoy joined Austin in heat one, placing third to advance to the final with a 10.19 mark. He kept near that pace with a 10.21 time in the 100m final. McCoy will represent the Bahamas in the Paris Games next week.
Joe Fahnbulleh participated in the 100m as well, first setting a 10.05 mark in the second heat of prelims. Fahnbulleh finished second in the final, improving his mark to an even 10.00, finishing second behind his fellow Liberian national, Emmanuel Matadi. Fahnbulleh will represent Liberia in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays in the upcoming Olympics.
Men's Long Jump
Malcom Clemens, a member of Team USA for the upcoming Olympics and 2024 NCAA Outdoor bronze medalist in the long jump, leapt to a 7.62m mark in his final tune up before making way to Paris.
Earlier this week, Clemons said of his experience thus far at the University of Florida, "You get a really hands on experience… from all of the mentors they have at this school from the academic, leadership, coaches and athletic trainers who have molded me into what I've become today athletically, mentally, and physically… It's been a really great experience."
Women's 200m
Former Gator Anna Hall competed in the Women's 200m ahead of her trip to Paris to compete in the Heptathalon. In this final tune-up for one of the seven events, Hall managed a 23.81-second time.
Women's 100m Hurdles
2024 NCAA Outdoor Champion and Team USA Standout Grace Stark dominated in the 100m hurdles, as she has done all year, winning her heat with a 12.42 mark, and the final with a time of 12.58. Stark was the youngest competitor in both fields.
Before competing in the Holloway Pro Classic, Stark said of choosing to compete for Florida and training with Coach Holloway, "There have been a lot of Olympians to come out of [Florida], and that's because of coach Holloway and all of the other coaches here. Coach Holloway is one of the biggest reasons that I decided to come [to Florida]… I knew that he was going to be the coach that was going to be able to get me here."
Women's Triple Jump
Jasmine Moore, a member of Team USA competing in both Triple Jump and Long Jump at the Paris Games, posted a mark of 14.06 in the women's Triple Jump final. Moore is set to make U.S. history in Paris, as she will become the first Woman to compete in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump for Team USA in an Olympic Games.
Men's 200m
Two key members of the 2024 NCAA Outdoor National Championship squad, Jevaughn Powell and Robert Gregory, finished second and third in the men's 200m with times of 20.21 and 20.33, respectively. For Powell, the mark was a new personal record, a great note to end on before his trip to Paris. He will represent Jamaica in the men's 400m.
Men's Triple Jump
2024 First Team All-American Sean Dixon-Bodie collected a 16.49 mark in the Triple Jump, rounding out an impressive 2024 Outdoor season in Gainesville.
The story of the evening was that belonging to two-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time World champion, and two-time NCAA Outdoor champion in the Triple Jump, Christian Taylor. Back in Gainesville, where his championship career began, Taylor declared that this event would mark his final jumps of his storied career. Surrounded by friends, family, coaches, and many fans, Taylor soared into the pit, and his long-time mentor, Coach Holloway, was the first to meet him in the sand for an embrace.
Taylor said after his final jumps, "The nerves went to another level when everyone came down [to the track] … I was hearing the accolades, hearing my journey, and that obviously made me very emotional. I was thinking about what I've been able to accomplish, the sacrifices that you do to make dreams come true. When I looked down and saw all of those bodies at the end of the pit, it just felt like I was jumping into a cloud of love. I'm so grateful for this experience… and to be able to end my career here."
Stars of the Gators' 2024 season Grace Stark, Jevaughn Powell, Wanya McCoy, Malcom Clemons and Robert Gregory were among the top finishers in their respective events, with Powell claiming a personal best in the last event of the season at Percy Beard Track.
The night concluded with one final jump for the Gator legend, Christian Taylor. The two-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time Worlds gold medalist, two-time NCAA Outdoor Triple Jump champion, and the holder of the second-best triple jump mark in history sealed his awe-inspiring career where it began, with Coach Holloway the first to greet him at the pit.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Men's 100m
PJai Austin was the first man to cross a finish line on the night, delivering a stellar 9.94 time to win the first heat. In the final, Austin's 10.06 time netted him third place.
Wanya McCoy joined Austin in heat one, placing third to advance to the final with a 10.19 mark. He kept near that pace with a 10.21 time in the 100m final. McCoy will represent the Bahamas in the Paris Games next week.
Joe Fahnbulleh participated in the 100m as well, first setting a 10.05 mark in the second heat of prelims. Fahnbulleh finished second in the final, improving his mark to an even 10.00, finishing second behind his fellow Liberian national, Emmanuel Matadi. Fahnbulleh will represent Liberia in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relays in the upcoming Olympics.
Men's Long Jump
Malcom Clemens, a member of Team USA for the upcoming Olympics and 2024 NCAA Outdoor bronze medalist in the long jump, leapt to a 7.62m mark in his final tune up before making way to Paris.
Earlier this week, Clemons said of his experience thus far at the University of Florida, "You get a really hands on experience… from all of the mentors they have at this school from the academic, leadership, coaches and athletic trainers who have molded me into what I've become today athletically, mentally, and physically… It's been a really great experience."
Women's 200m
Former Gator Anna Hall competed in the Women's 200m ahead of her trip to Paris to compete in the Heptathalon. In this final tune-up for one of the seven events, Hall managed a 23.81-second time.
Women's 100m Hurdles
2024 NCAA Outdoor Champion and Team USA Standout Grace Stark dominated in the 100m hurdles, as she has done all year, winning her heat with a 12.42 mark, and the final with a time of 12.58. Stark was the youngest competitor in both fields.
Before competing in the Holloway Pro Classic, Stark said of choosing to compete for Florida and training with Coach Holloway, "There have been a lot of Olympians to come out of [Florida], and that's because of coach Holloway and all of the other coaches here. Coach Holloway is one of the biggest reasons that I decided to come [to Florida]… I knew that he was going to be the coach that was going to be able to get me here."
Women's Triple Jump
Jasmine Moore, a member of Team USA competing in both Triple Jump and Long Jump at the Paris Games, posted a mark of 14.06 in the women's Triple Jump final. Moore is set to make U.S. history in Paris, as she will become the first Woman to compete in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump for Team USA in an Olympic Games.
Men's 200m
Two key members of the 2024 NCAA Outdoor National Championship squad, Jevaughn Powell and Robert Gregory, finished second and third in the men's 200m with times of 20.21 and 20.33, respectively. For Powell, the mark was a new personal record, a great note to end on before his trip to Paris. He will represent Jamaica in the men's 400m.
Men's Triple Jump
2024 First Team All-American Sean Dixon-Bodie collected a 16.49 mark in the Triple Jump, rounding out an impressive 2024 Outdoor season in Gainesville.
The story of the evening was that belonging to two-time Olympic gold medalist, four-time World champion, and two-time NCAA Outdoor champion in the Triple Jump, Christian Taylor. Back in Gainesville, where his championship career began, Taylor declared that this event would mark his final jumps of his storied career. Surrounded by friends, family, coaches, and many fans, Taylor soared into the pit, and his long-time mentor, Coach Holloway, was the first to meet him in the sand for an embrace.
Taylor said after his final jumps, "The nerves went to another level when everyone came down [to the track] … I was hearing the accolades, hearing my journey, and that obviously made me very emotional. I was thinking about what I've been able to accomplish, the sacrifices that you do to make dreams come true. When I looked down and saw all of those bodies at the end of the pit, it just felt like I was jumping into a cloud of love. I'm so grateful for this experience… and to be able to end my career here."
Players Mentioned
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Sprints/Hurdles
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