Saturday, April 18
Florida Gators
vs
Tom Jones Memorial
Women’s 4X400-Meter Relay Sets School Record, Gators End Tom Jones Memorial With Strong Performances
Saturday, April 18, 2026 | Track and Field
Florida records 10 personal best performances to close out the homestand.
GAINESVILLE, Fla.– Saturday was a sweltering day on the Percy Beard Track at Pressly Stadium, but that didn't stop Florida track & field from adding eight top 10 marks to the outdoor record books on the final day of the Tom Jones Memorial.
HIGHLIGHTS
Sprints/Hurdles
One meet removed from setting the women's 4X400-meter relay school record, the Gators put their foot on the gas once again in the last event of the day. The team of Quincy Penn, Tyra Cox, Gabrielle Matthews and Sydney Sutton cut over two seconds off of the record set at the Pepsi Florida Relays, racing across the finish line with a time of 3:23.95 to place third in the invitational heat, just .01 away from second place. With their school record, this iteration of the women's 4x400-meter relays squad boasts the fourth-fastest time in the NCAA.
Florida shuffled the lineup for their men's 4x400-meter relay squad in the invitational section, going with Nicholas Spikes, Justin Braun, Daneil Wright and Miguel Pantojas. The quartet placed third overall behind a time of 3:03.22, allowing the group to make an appearance on the NCAA performance list at No. 9.
The invitational sections of the 400-meter dash saw multiple Gators put on their best performance in their outdoor career. Junior All-American Braun battled with South Carolina's Josiah Wrice, who owns the top time in the nation, in the men's race on his way to an outdoor personal-best time, crossing the line at 45.07 which moves him to No. 6 in the nation. Spikes claimed victory in the final heat of the 400-meter dash with a time of 45.62, a new overall collegiate-best and the No. 12 time in the NCAA East Region.
On the women's side Cox used a quick start off the blocks to earn an overall personal-record time of 51.54, giving her the 10th-best time in UF outdoor history and a top 20 spot in the NCAA at No. 17.
Jade Brown led the way for Florida in the women's 100-meter dash invitational section, finishing with the No. 24 time in the NCAA and season-best time of 11.17 (-0.9) while finishing 11th overall.
In an SEC-dominated heat one of the women's 4x100-meter relay, the squad composed of Penn, Brown, Matthews and Sutton placed fourth in their heat and seventh overall en route to a time of 43.43, tied for 10th-best in UF outdoor history. Their time currently sits at No. 13 in the NCAA.
The men's 4x100-meter relay team made up of Jayden Horton-Mims, Jesse Myers, Trenton Howard and Braun picked up a victory in heat three with a time of 39.25, good for fifth overall and No. 21 in the country.
Mid-Distance
A trio of Gators earned personal-best times in the invitational section of the men's 800-meter, led by Pantojas who recorded the seventh-fastest time in school history at 1:46.44, now No. 9 on the NCAA performance list. Sophomore Jonah Kirspel earned ninth overall, finishing with a time of 1:47.26 while freshman Alejandro de Bastos crossed the line at 1:52.18.
Layla Haynes was the lone representative for the Orange & Blue in the women's invitational 800-meter. The junior placed ninth overall and ended with a new overall personal-record of 2:02.49, keeping her among the top 24 in the NCAA at No. 21.
Jumps
The invitational triple jump featured an impressive performance from sophomore Asia Phillips, who recorded an all-conditions personal-record jump of 13.44m/44-01.25 (+2.1) to place fourth. With the NCAA allowing wind readings up to +4.0 meters per second for qualifying marks, Phillips will hold the No. 6 slot in the NCAA.
Throws
After posting the fifth-best mark in outdoor school history in the shot put on Friday, Jarno van Daalen carried momentum into the discus throw, using his third attempt of the contest to record a personal-best toss of 60.64m/198-11, moving him to fourth all time in UF history. For the event, the freshman placed fourth, with his improved mark now ranking No. 7 in the NCAA.
In the women's discus competition that featured the top two athletes in the country, Akari Isaac earned a top three finish, claiming third behind a No. 3 UF mark of 56.77m/186-03, a new personal-best and No. 11 mark in the NCAA.
Freshman Basel Abosina continued the strong start to his outdoor career, improving his already top ten UF hammer throw mark. In a field of competition that featured five of the top 20 hammer throwers in the nation, Abosina recorded a distance of 67.40m/221-01 to place fifth, moving him to sixth in Florida history. He now boasts the No. 19 throw in the NCAA this season.
Saturday's competition concluded a stacked weekend of split squad action, with a distance crew competing at the Wake Forest Invitational as well. Between the Tom Jones Memorial and Wake Forest Invitational, the Gators set four school records and compiled 18 total top 10 marks in the Florida outdoor record book.
UP NEXT
Florida Track & Field will return to action on Friday, May 1 for a final regular season tune-up meet before the SEC Championships, traveling to Jacksonville, Fla., for the East Coast Relays hosted by the University of North Florida.
RESULTS
SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH
(PB) indicates new personal best mark
(SR) indicates new school record
^ indicates new program top-10 mark
FOLLOW THE GATORS
Instagram: @GatorsTF
X: @GatorsTF
#GoGators
HIGHLIGHTS
Sprints/Hurdles
One meet removed from setting the women's 4X400-meter relay school record, the Gators put their foot on the gas once again in the last event of the day. The team of Quincy Penn, Tyra Cox, Gabrielle Matthews and Sydney Sutton cut over two seconds off of the record set at the Pepsi Florida Relays, racing across the finish line with a time of 3:23.95 to place third in the invitational heat, just .01 away from second place. With their school record, this iteration of the women's 4x400-meter relays squad boasts the fourth-fastest time in the NCAA.
Florida shuffled the lineup for their men's 4x400-meter relay squad in the invitational section, going with Nicholas Spikes, Justin Braun, Daneil Wright and Miguel Pantojas. The quartet placed third overall behind a time of 3:03.22, allowing the group to make an appearance on the NCAA performance list at No. 9.
The invitational sections of the 400-meter dash saw multiple Gators put on their best performance in their outdoor career. Junior All-American Braun battled with South Carolina's Josiah Wrice, who owns the top time in the nation, in the men's race on his way to an outdoor personal-best time, crossing the line at 45.07 which moves him to No. 6 in the nation. Spikes claimed victory in the final heat of the 400-meter dash with a time of 45.62, a new overall collegiate-best and the No. 12 time in the NCAA East Region.
On the women's side Cox used a quick start off the blocks to earn an overall personal-record time of 51.54, giving her the 10th-best time in UF outdoor history and a top 20 spot in the NCAA at No. 17.
Jade Brown led the way for Florida in the women's 100-meter dash invitational section, finishing with the No. 24 time in the NCAA and season-best time of 11.17 (-0.9) while finishing 11th overall.
In an SEC-dominated heat one of the women's 4x100-meter relay, the squad composed of Penn, Brown, Matthews and Sutton placed fourth in their heat and seventh overall en route to a time of 43.43, tied for 10th-best in UF outdoor history. Their time currently sits at No. 13 in the NCAA.
The men's 4x100-meter relay team made up of Jayden Horton-Mims, Jesse Myers, Trenton Howard and Braun picked up a victory in heat three with a time of 39.25, good for fifth overall and No. 21 in the country.
Mid-Distance
A trio of Gators earned personal-best times in the invitational section of the men's 800-meter, led by Pantojas who recorded the seventh-fastest time in school history at 1:46.44, now No. 9 on the NCAA performance list. Sophomore Jonah Kirspel earned ninth overall, finishing with a time of 1:47.26 while freshman Alejandro de Bastos crossed the line at 1:52.18.
Layla Haynes was the lone representative for the Orange & Blue in the women's invitational 800-meter. The junior placed ninth overall and ended with a new overall personal-record of 2:02.49, keeping her among the top 24 in the NCAA at No. 21.
Jumps
The invitational triple jump featured an impressive performance from sophomore Asia Phillips, who recorded an all-conditions personal-record jump of 13.44m/44-01.25 (+2.1) to place fourth. With the NCAA allowing wind readings up to +4.0 meters per second for qualifying marks, Phillips will hold the No. 6 slot in the NCAA.
Throws
After posting the fifth-best mark in outdoor school history in the shot put on Friday, Jarno van Daalen carried momentum into the discus throw, using his third attempt of the contest to record a personal-best toss of 60.64m/198-11, moving him to fourth all time in UF history. For the event, the freshman placed fourth, with his improved mark now ranking No. 7 in the NCAA.
In the women's discus competition that featured the top two athletes in the country, Akari Isaac earned a top three finish, claiming third behind a No. 3 UF mark of 56.77m/186-03, a new personal-best and No. 11 mark in the NCAA.
Freshman Basel Abosina continued the strong start to his outdoor career, improving his already top ten UF hammer throw mark. In a field of competition that featured five of the top 20 hammer throwers in the nation, Abosina recorded a distance of 67.40m/221-01 to place fifth, moving him to sixth in Florida history. He now boasts the No. 19 throw in the NCAA this season.
Saturday's competition concluded a stacked weekend of split squad action, with a distance crew competing at the Wake Forest Invitational as well. Between the Tom Jones Memorial and Wake Forest Invitational, the Gators set four school records and compiled 18 total top 10 marks in the Florida outdoor record book.
UP NEXT
Florida Track & Field will return to action on Friday, May 1 for a final regular season tune-up meet before the SEC Championships, traveling to Jacksonville, Fla., for the East Coast Relays hosted by the University of North Florida.
RESULTS
SATURDAY, APRIL 18TH
| Event | Athlete Results |
|---|---|
| Hammer Throw Invitational (M) | 5. Basel Abosina: 67.40m (221-1) (PB)^ |
| Triple Jump (W) | 11. Gabrielle Pierre: 12.41m (40-8 ¾) |
| Triple Jump (M) | 5. Jaden Lippett: 15.02m (49-3 ½) |
| 100m H Invitational (W) | 30. Aleesa Samuel: 14.14 |
| Hammer Throw Invitational (W) | 11. Imani Washington: 59.04m (193-8) |
| 4x100m Relay (W) | 7. Cox, Brown, Matthews, Sutton: 43.43 ^ |
| 4x100m Relay (M) | 5. Horton-Mims, Myers, Howard, Braun: 39.25 |
| Discus Throw Invitational (M) | 4. Jarno van Daalen: 60.64m (198-11) (PB)^ |
| 800m Invitational (W) | 9. Layla Haynes: 2:02.49 (PB)^ |
| 800m Invitational (M) | 6. Miguel Pantojas: 1:46.44 (PB)^ 10. Jonah Kirspel: 1:47.26 (PB) 24. Alejandro de Bastos: 1:52.18 (PB) |
| 400m Invitational (W) | 9. Tyra Cox: 51.54 16. Quincy Penn: 52.30 35. Malia Campbell: 54.11 |
| Discus Throw Invitational (W) | 3. Akari Isaac: 56.77m (186-3) (PB)^ 7. Gracelyn Leiseth: 55.58m (182-4) |
| 400m Invitational (M) | 4. Justin Braun: 45.07 (PB) 10. Nicholas Spikes: 45.62 (PB) |
| Triple Jump Invitational (W) | 4. Asia Phillips: 13.44m (44-1 ¼) (PB)^ |
| 100m Invitational (W) | 11. Jade Brown: 11.17 |
| 4x400m Relay (W) | 22. Campbell, Wright, Haynes, Fitzgerald: 3:44.43 |
| 4x400m Relay (M) | 19. Myers, Howard, Kirspel, Johnson: 3:12.77 |
| 4x400m Relay Invitational (W) | 3. Penn, Cox, Matthews, Sutton: 3:23.95 (SR)^ |
| 4x400m Relay Invitational (M) | 3. Spikes, Braun, Wright, Pantojas: 3:03.22 |
(SR) indicates new school record
^ indicates new program top-10 mark
FOLLOW THE GATORS
Instagram: @GatorsTF
X: @GatorsTF
#GoGators
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Players Mentioned
FR/FR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Distance
/ Track and Field
JR/R-SO | Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Jumps
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Sprints/Hurdles
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Mid-distance
/ Track and Field
JR/JR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Jumps
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Jumps
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Hurdles
/ Track and Field
SO/SO | Sprints
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Sprints
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Throws
/ Track and Field
SR/SR | Throws
/ Track and Field
FR/FR | Hurdles
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