GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Gators Track & Field program concluded the SEC Outdoor Championships on Saturday. From a team standpoint, the Gators' men's program finished fourth while the women's team claimed third. However, from an individual standpoint, the Gators tallied ten total medals in Saturday's action. Five medals were of the gold variety while five other medals came in a variation of silver and bronze.
Gators obtaining SEC Individual Titles include Flomena Asekol, Parvej Khan, Grace Stark, Parker Valby and Alida van Daalen. Other medal finishers include Kai Chang, Wanya McCoy (2x) and the Men's 4x100m and 4x400m relays.
Outlined below are the results from the Florida Gators performance on the final day of the SEC Championships.
SEC INDIVIDUAL CHAMPION FINISHES
TWO YEARS IN THE MAKING
Two years ago at the SEC Outdoor Championships, Grace Stark broke her leg in the 100m H. Now, she stands alone at the top of the Southeastern Conference. The graduate student from White Lake, Michigan set her personal record for the second time this season, further extending her program record and NCAA lead with a time of 12.53. Said time is No. 12 in NCAA history in the event. Stark is the first University of Florida athlete to claim gold at the outdoor conference championships in the 100m H in 31 years (1993 - Monifa Taylor (13.15)).
KHAN MEDALS TWICE
Parvej Khan continued his dominant freshman campaign during Saturday's contest. With a gold medal finish in the Men's 1500m and a time of 3:42.73, Khan secured his second SEC gold medal in 2024 as the freshman also placed first in the mile at the SEC Indoor Championships in February. Khan is the first Florida Gator to win the 1500m at the SEC Outdoor Championships 41 years (1983 - Todd Sinclair (3:48.28)).
Khan claimed his second medal of the day while competing in the 800m finals. His time of 1:46.80 was good for third place and bronze medal finish, just an hour after competing in the 1500m.
ASEKOL CLAIMS 1500m TITLE
Asekol was the second Gator to claim gold in the 1500m. After finishing as the top qualifier in the prelims on Friday, the senior earned first place in the finals crossing the finish line in 4:12.40. This marked Asekol's third gold medal of the 2024 season and the first Gator Women's 1500m SEC Outdoor title since Imogen Barrett (4:17.29) in 2019.
VAN DAALEN WINS DISCUS GOLD
Sophomore thrower Alida van Daalen added another gold medal to her collection while competing in the Women's Discus Throw. Her best toss of the competition landed at 61.72m/202'8". The newly crowned SEC Champion also boasts gold medals in the Shot Put at the 2023 SEC Indoor and 2023 SEC Outdoor Championships. Van Daalen becomes the first Gator to win gold at the SEC Outdoor Championship in the Discus Throw in 11 years (2003 - Rachel Longfors (180'9")).
VALBY CAPTURES BACK-TO-BACK 5000m CHAMPIONSHIP
Racing at James G. Pressly Stadium for the first time in her collegiate career, Parker Valby became the back-to-back SEC Outdoor Champion in the Women's 5000m recording a time of 15:07.86. The time stands as a new program record, topping her own time by nearly 18 seconds (15:25.03 - 2023 SEC Outdoor Championships). Her time is also the new SEC Outdoor Championship meet record and Percy Beard Track facility record.
MEDAL FINISHES
Men's Discus Throw
Kai Chang notched a silver medal in the Discus Throw with a mark of 60.91m/199'10".
Men's 4x100m Relay
The Gators 4x100m team took home bronze in the relay. Florida's finish of 38.73 was achieved by strong execution by Jevaughn Powell, Wanya McCoy, Caleb Foster and Robert Gregory. A reach to the line by Gregory, the anchor, gave Florida the podium spot by a mere 0.04 seconds over fourth-place Kentucky.
Men's 200m
Wanya McCoy notched a silver medal in the Men's 200m, his first of two medals during Championship Saturday. His mark of 19.93 set a new personal record, earned him the No. 2 time in NCAA Division I for the 2024 season and the No. 4 time in program history. Most importantly, McCoy achieved the 2024 Paris Olympic standard for the event.
Men's 100m Finals
McCoy once again flashed before the crowd's eyes as he set a new personal record of 10.02 in the Men's 100m finals. The speedy Gator secured a silver medal in the process and No. 6 on the Florida All-Time Top 10 List, behind Gator Great Joe Fahnbulleh.
Men's 4x400m Finals
The quartet of Reheem Hayles, Jevaughn Powell, Ashton Schwartzman and Jenoah McKiver recorded a bronze medal finish courtesy of an outstanding time of 2:59.48. The time is now No. 3 on Florida's All-Time Top 10 List behind two times (2:57.74 and 2:58.53) which at the time of being set stood as the Collegiate Record in the 4x400m.
ADDITIONAL FINALS RESULTS
Men's Discus Throw
Clavin Bostic also competed, recording a 14th place throw of 49.19m/161'4".
Women's Discus Throw
In addition to Van Daalen, three Gators tallied scoring placements in the Women's Discus Throw. Gracelyn Leiseth recorded her second personal record at the SEC Championships with a mark of 54.26m/178'0". Akari Issac (52.92m/173'9") and Da'Moni Kelly (52.02m/170'8") placed seventh and eighth respectively.
Women's High Jump
Claire Bryant notched a seventh place finish in the Women's High Jump, jumping a season best mark of 1.79m/5'10.5".
Women's 4x100m Relay
The Gators clinched fifth place in the Women's 4x100m Finals, crossing the finish line with a time of 43.69. The placement was earned by Kayla Davis, Grace Stark, Jayla Hollis and Anthaya Charlton.
Men's 1500m
Joe Wester also represented the Gators as he recorded a season best 3:44.51 which was good for sixth.
Men's 400m Finals
Jenoah McKiver finished eighth in the Men's 400m Finals with a pace of 45.74.
Men's 800m Finals
Along with Khan, Sam Austin also competed in the championship race, benefiting the Gators with three points, running a time of 1:47.73.
Women's 5000m Finals
After winning 1500m gold,
Flomena Asekol placed sixth in the 5000m earning the No. 8 time on Florida's All-Time Top 10 List at 16:06.42.
Allison Wilson earned a ninth place finish with a time of 16:08.19.
Caroline Bauer recorded a time of 17:18.49.
RESULTS
| Saturday, May 11 – Track |
| Events |
Athlete Entries |
| 4x100m FINAL (M) |
3. Powell, McCoy, Foster, Gregory - 38.73 | Bronze Medal |
| 4x100m FINAL (W) |
5. Davis, Stark, Hollis, Charlton - 43.69 |
| 1500m FINAL (M) |
1. Parvej Khan - 3:42.73 | Gold Medalist
6. Joe Wester - 3:44.51 | SB, 3 team points |
| 1500m FINAL (W) |
1. Flomena Asekol - 4:12.40 | Gold Medalist |
| 100m H FINAL (W) |
1. Grace Stark - 12.53 | Gold Medalist, School Record, Personal Record |
| 400m FINAL (M) |
8. Jenoah McKiver - 45.74 | 1 team point |
| 100m FINAL (M) |
2. Wanya McCoy - 10.02 | Silver Medalist, No. 6 on UF All-Time Top 10 List |
| 800m FINAL (M) |
3. Parvej Khan - 1:46.80 | Bronze Medalist
6. Sam Austin - 1:47.73 |
| 200m FINAL (M) |
2. Wanya McCoy - 19.93 | Silver Medalist, NCAA '24 No. 2, Personal Record, Olympic Qualifying Standard
9. Robert Gregory - 21.47 |
| 5000m FINAL (W) |
1. Parker Valby - 15:07.86 | Gold Medalist
- School Record
- Meet Record
- Facility Record
6. Flomena Asekol - 16:06.42 | No. 8 on UF All-Time Top 10 List
9. Allison Wilson - 16:08.19
31. Caroline Bauer - 17:18.49 |
| 4x400m FINAL (M) |
3. Florida Relay Team - 2:59.48 | Bronze Medal, No. 3 UF All-Time Top 10 List |
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