Gainesville, FL – The Georgia Tech men’s and women’s track teams battled the wet conditions at the Florida Relays and were able to turn in strong performances, including a pair of record-setting results on the women’s side. The four-day meet is being held at Percy Beard Track on the campus of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Fla.
In the women’s competition, the Yellow Jackets’ first record-setting performance of the day came in the morning in the shuttle hurdle relay competition. Tech won the event with a time of 56.05, and set not only a new school record by a second, but also was a new track and meet record as well. Breaking Tech’s own time of 57.05 a year ago.
In the early afternoon, the Tech school record in the women’s shot put fell for the second time in as many weeks, as Cassandra Worthy turned in a toss of 46-1.50, which broke the record that she set at the Alabama Relays (44-6.00), by over a foot. The distance was good for a third-place finish. Worthy was followed in the event by Dana Hall, who was fourth with a toss of 45-7.25, also breaking the school record, with the second-best distance in school history.
Tech’s women were not done recording top finishes on the day, as the Jackets continued their success in the women’s 100-meter hurdles by placing three athletes in the top 10 of the event. Junior Mishanta Reyes was the top finisher as she placed second with a time of 14.15, and was followed in the event by Tosan Osaigbovo in fourth with a time of 14.26 seconds. Nikole Jeffery was the final runner in the top 10 of the event as she placed eighth in a time of 14.37 seconds. In the day’s other hurdle event, Priscilla Reed finished fifth in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:05.38.
Freshman Amandi Rhett was the final top-10 finisher in the track event area as she placed 10th in the 100 meters with a time of 12.41 seconds.
The Jackets’ final two top-10 performers came in the field events as both Julie Conlon and Jodie Nettles finished in the top 10 in their respective events. Conlon placed seventh in her first heptathlon competition of the spring with a score of 4,297, while Nettles was fifth in the pole vault with a height of 10-10.00.
In the men’s competition, Tech had an equally successful day by recording six top-five finishes. Heading up the list of performers was Brian Fraser in the long jump, as he recorded a season-best leap of 7.01 meters to finish second in that event. Fraser was followed in the field events later in the day by Scott Reida, who placed third in the discus with a throw of 150-7.00.
In the sprint and hurdle events, the Jackets found success as well with Sharif Azim leading the way in the 400 meters. Azim placed third in the event with his time of 48.27, as he won the opening 400-meter heat of the day. In the 400 hurdles, both Montrell Person and Aaron Sink had top-five finishes with Person recording a season-best time of 52.67 in finishing fourth, while Sink placed fifth with a time of 53.27 seconds.
Tech’s 4×100 meter relay team was the final top-five performer as it recorded a very quick time of 41.60 seconds to finish second by just .07 seconds in a close heat with Kansas State.
The Florida Relays conclude on Saturday with the final day of competition at Percy Beard Track.
