ATLANTA, Ga. - North Florida outdoor track & field concluded its weekend at the Georgia Tech Invitational with new lifetime marks and top heat performances on Saturday afternoon.
Rey Hernandez almost clinched another meet record in consecutive days in the final road regular-season meet day of the season. The freshman crushed the 400-meter hurdles in 53.01, which was only half a second shy of the school record.
FINISH LINE
Men
- Rey Hernandez clinched a new lifetime mark of 53.01 in the men's 400mH, just shy of another program record.
- Jacob Hippo and Tariq LaJoie tied in the top 10 of men's high jump after clearing 1.91m.
- Jonathan Bailey notched a new lifetime mark of 22.46 in the men's 200m after securing third in his heat.
- Christian Ruocco snatched a new lifetime mark of 1:55.89 in the men's 800m, earning a third-place finish in his heat.
Women
- Smilla Kolbe crushed top 15 overall and finished fourth in her heat for the women's 400m.
- Celine D'Anna went top 20 overall in the women's 400mH.
- Renske Drenten clinched top 15 overall in women's high jump.
PIGG'S POINTS
"For the high jumpers, it was good to see those guys get back on track, get healthy and kind of really starting to head in the right direction, so we're excited about them. Renske [Drenten] after the Florida Relays had a really high starting height and it was tough on our kids that went over there. So this was nice for all three jumpers to clear the opening bars and really get their confidence back. It was good to see Celine [D'Anna] run another quality hurdle race and I think she's really starting to get really consistent down to that 63-second mark. Smilla [Kolbe] did a really nice job, which was a best for her. In an event that when you run the mile one day and the 400m the next is pretty big. That's a pretty big difference and so it was a good, speedy day for her. Rey [Hernandez] did a great job running 53 seconds, which is as fast as he's ever been in his life. He competed well, so that was exciting to see coming off the school record yesterday. We had a lot of opportunities, in some cases, we took advantage of it and in some cases we didn't. I think it was a good trip and we'll be home next week."
-- head coach Jeff Pigg
UP NEXT
The Ospreys will prepare for the East Coast Relays, which will take place on the home grounds of Visit Jax Track in Hodges Stadium next weekend from Apr. 26-27.
OSPREY RESULTS
Women's HJ
Renske Drenten - T14th - 1.60m (5-3)
Men's HJ
Tariq LaJoie - T10th - 1.91m (6-3.25)
Jacob Hippo - T10th - 1.91m (6-3.25)
Women's 4x100m
Camryn Batt, Celine D'Anna, Melissa Epting & Mariama Kamara - 20th - 48.27
Women's 400mH
Celine D'Anna - 19th - 1:03.10
Serenity Miller - 36th - 1:08.38
Men's 400mH
Rey Hernandez - 10th - 53.01
Women's 400m
Smilla Kolbe - 15th - 55.70
Ella Chandler - 31st - 57.03
Melissa Epting - 59th - 59.99
Men's 400m
Ladarius Tellis - 58th - 51.26
Women's 800m
Navia Casa - 66th - 2:25.37
Men's 800m
Christian Ruocco - 43rd - 1:55.89
Women's 200m
Mariama Kamara - 54th - 25.77
Camryn Batt - 65th - 26.08
Melissa Epting - 85th - 26.79
Men's 200m
Jonathan Bailey - 44th - 22.46
