Gators Set Personal Best and NCAA-Leading Marks at Tom Jones Memorial Invitational
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gators Track and Field concluded day two of the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville on Saturday, ending the meet by taking back the collegiate lead in the 4x400m relay. The day’s action held multiple career-best performances in the Sprints, Relays, and Throws events.
Highlights
Relays
The Gators, who had twice set the NCAA lead in the 4x400m relay after originally claiming it at the FSU Relays, entered the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational at the No. 2 spot on the NCAA Leaderboards behind Texas A&M. The Aggies took the lead two weeks ago at the Pepsi Florida Relays, posting a time of 3:02.15, with the Gators just a step behind in that race.
Ashton Schwartzman and Justin Braun combined to reach the 800m mark at 1:31.09, in third place behind Alabama’s and Georgia’s teams. Rios Prude Jr. took the stick and managed to run down Alabama’s Oussama El Bouchayby. Trailing Georgia by a stride, Prude passed the baton and marked the much-anticipated return of one Jenoah McKiver.
McKiver, who missed the back half of the Gators indoor season after a record-breaking start and rise to national prominence, quickly took the lead from the Bulldogs and coasted to a 45.25-second split. The senior crossed the line and sealed the collegiate-leading time 3:01.52, announcing his return in an all too familiar fashion for him – at the top of the NCAA Leaderboards.
Throws
One day removed from a season best in the Shot put, Gracelyn Leiseth stole the show again in the Discus, posting a personal best of 56.30m [184′ 8″]. Her mark was an improvement on her previous best by over five feet. Her effort vaulted her five spots up Florida’s all-time performance list in the Discus, from the No. 8 spot to the No. 3 spot.
In the men’s Shot put, Logan Montgomery improved on his season best, reaching 18.16m [59′ 7″].
Sprints
The aforementioned Justin Braun paced the Gators’ contingent in the 400m open, racing to an impressive 45.37-second time. Braun’s mark is an all-time personal best, and slots him in at the No. 9 spot on the NCAA leader boards this season.
Anthaya Charlton, after just yesterday taking the world lead in the outdoor Long Jump, turned heads once again with a blazing 11.12-second performance in the 100m dash. If not for a narrowly-illegal wind of +2.1 m/s, Charlton’s race would have reset Florida’s program record for the women’s 100m.
In the men’s 100m, freshman Jaden Wiley posted a new personal best at 10.13, a sizable step forward from his previous best of 10.30.
Looking Ahead
The Gators will compete again in two weeks at the LSU Invite in Baton Rouge, La. The LSU Invite will be the final regular season efforts before SEC Championships in Lexington Kentucky.
Tom Jones Memorial Invitational Results – Florida Gators Participants
Saturday, April 19
Highlights
Relays
The Gators, who had twice set the NCAA lead in the 4x400m relay after originally claiming it at the FSU Relays, entered the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational at the No. 2 spot on the NCAA Leaderboards behind Texas A&M. The Aggies took the lead two weeks ago at the Pepsi Florida Relays, posting a time of 3:02.15, with the Gators just a step behind in that race.
Ashton Schwartzman and Justin Braun combined to reach the 800m mark at 1:31.09, in third place behind Alabama’s and Georgia’s teams. Rios Prude Jr. took the stick and managed to run down Alabama’s Oussama El Bouchayby. Trailing Georgia by a stride, Prude passed the baton and marked the much-anticipated return of one Jenoah McKiver.
McKiver, who missed the back half of the Gators indoor season after a record-breaking start and rise to national prominence, quickly took the lead from the Bulldogs and coasted to a 45.25-second split. The senior crossed the line and sealed the collegiate-leading time 3:01.52, announcing his return in an all too familiar fashion for him – at the top of the NCAA Leaderboards.
Throws
One day removed from a season best in the Shot put, Gracelyn Leiseth stole the show again in the Discus, posting a personal best of 56.30m [184′ 8″]. Her mark was an improvement on her previous best by over five feet. Her effort vaulted her five spots up Florida’s all-time performance list in the Discus, from the No. 8 spot to the No. 3 spot.
In the men’s Shot put, Logan Montgomery improved on his season best, reaching 18.16m [59′ 7″].
Sprints
The aforementioned Justin Braun paced the Gators’ contingent in the 400m open, racing to an impressive 45.37-second time. Braun’s mark is an all-time personal best, and slots him in at the No. 9 spot on the NCAA leader boards this season.
Anthaya Charlton, after just yesterday taking the world lead in the outdoor Long Jump, turned heads once again with a blazing 11.12-second performance in the 100m dash. If not for a narrowly-illegal wind of +2.1 m/s, Charlton’s race would have reset Florida’s program record for the women’s 100m.
In the men’s 100m, freshman Jaden Wiley posted a new personal best at 10.13, a sizable step forward from his previous best of 10.30.
Looking Ahead
The Gators will compete again in two weeks at the LSU Invite in Baton Rouge, La. The LSU Invite will be the final regular season efforts before SEC Championships in Lexington Kentucky.
Tom Jones Memorial Invitational Results – Florida Gators Participants
Saturday, April 19
| Event | Participants – Time or mark//place in heat (overall) | Notes |
| M 100m | Garrett Fox – 10.48//1st (12th) Toby Makoyawo – 10.55//3rd (19th) Trenton Howard – 10.57//4th (22nd) Ryan McCloskey – 10.62//6th (27th) Nathaniel Smith – 10.62//3rd (28th) |
[10.611] [10.619] |
| W 800m | Ashley Klingenberg – 2:13.95//2nd (11th) Lindsey Kiehl – 2:17.76//7th (16th) |
|
| M 800m | Adrian Bichara – 1:51.38//2nd (2nd) | |
| W 100m Hurdles invite | Habiba Harris – 13.23//1st (4th) Thalia Waters – 13.71//7th (24th) |
|
| M 110m Hurdles invite | Joey Stravato – 14.21//5th (18th) Regan Lawrence – 14.76//8th (27th) |
|
| W Hammer Throw | Imani Washington – 59.40m [194′ 10″]//8th | |
| M 4x100m relay | Justin Braun, Garrett Fox, Malique Smith-Band, Jaden Wiley – 39.12//4th (9th) | SB |
| W 800m Invite | Jessica Edwards – 2:07.84//7th (25th) | |
| M 800m Invite | Gavin Nelson – 1:47.98//3rd (7th) Miguel Pantojas – 1:48.11//4th (8th) Ryan Maseman – 1:52.28//6th (24th) Jonah Kirspel – 1:52.60//13th (27th) |
|
| W 100m Hurdles Invite Final* | Habiba Harris – 13.83//7th | |
| W Discus Invite | Gracelyn Leiseth – 56.30m [184′ 8″]//4th Akari Isaac – 52.58m [172′ 6″]//6th |
PB, UF All-time No. 3, NCAA ’25 No. 18 |
| M Shot Put | Logan Montgomery – 18.16m [59′ 7″]//3rd | SB |
| W Triple Jump Invite | Asia Phillips – 12.99m [42′ 7.5″]//4th | |
| M 400m Invite | Justin Braun – 45.37//1st (3rd) Ashton Schwartzman – 45.87//5th (7th) Rios Prude Jr. – 46.07//6th (8th) Malique Smith-Band – 46.24//4th (13th) Reheem Hayles – 46.31//7th (14th) Nicholas Spikes – 47.03//4th (25th) |
PB, NCAA ’25 No. 9 SB PB |
| W 100m Invite | Anthaya Charlton – 11.12//1st (1st) | [+2.1], PB, NCAA ’25 No. 12 |
| M 100m Invite | Jaden Wiley – 10.13//3rd (9th) | [+2.6], PB |
| M 4x400m Relay | Ashton Schwartzman, Justin Braun, Rios Prude Jr., Jenoah McKiver – 3:01.52//1st (1st) Nicholas Spikes, Malique Smith-Band, Reheem Hayles, Markevus Jackson – 3:04.39//3rd (7th) |
NCAA ’25 No. 1
|
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