Jumpers Williams, Sow and Randrianasolo make history for Gamecocks

South Carolina junior high jumper breaks 29-year-old program record, with French long jumpers producing first sweep of college titles at Penn Relays

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

South Carolina will be hosting its biggest meet of the outdoor season May 11-13 at the Southeastern Conference Championships.

But the Gamecocks shined on the most impressive stage of their regular season with a historic performance for the program at the 123rd Penn Relays.

South Carolina won five titles in the field events, more than any school, surpassing its previous record of three in both 1998 and 1999.

Rougui Sow, who entered the meet as the world leader in the women’s long jump, prevailed with a leap of 20 feet, 8.5 inches (6.31m) to become the first South Carolina long jumper to win at Franklin Field since Chelsea Hammond in 2004-05. Sow, who has a personal-best 22-0.75 (6.72m), and Yann Randrianasolo both compete internationally for France.

“It was just amazing. I was so glad to be here. I used to see the Penn Relays in France by video, so just to be here, I was like, ‘Wow, that’s really good.’ It’s a really nice meet,” Sow said. “I know I am in good condition to perform, so now we are just adjusting with my coach (Delethea Quarles). I know it’s going to be a good summer and things will be good at SECs and nationals and that’s what is important for me.”

Randrianasolo captured the men’s long jump with a mark of 25-5.5 (7.76m), helping the Gamecocks become the first college program to sweep both long jump titles since the women’s competition was added to the schedule in 1978.

“I’m really happy and proud to win. I wanted to come and win because it was my first Penn Relays. The fans are amazing, the opponents, everything is amazing,” Randrianasolo said. “I’ve worked with my coach (Delethea Quarles) to be more consistent and to be better and it’s worked.”

Perhaps the most impressive victory came from junior Tye Williams in the men’s high jump, following a personal-best 7-4.5 (2.25m), an improvement of nearly three inches to move to No. 2 on the NCAA Division 1 rankings this season. Paul Wiechern was the last South Carolina men’s high jumper to earn the gold watch at Penn Relays in 1988 and Williams broke his program record of 7-3.25 (2.22m).

“This is one of the greatest meets I’ve ever competed in in my life and this was an awesome crowd and I would not have been able to do this without them. The energy from the crowd was great,” Williams said. “I learned to stop holding myself back from my goals. Me and my coach (Delethea Quarles) talked about my goals at the beginning of the year and I told her my goal was 2.25m and I achieved that goal. Those are achieved and now I have to set new goals. The goals don’t stop, the only way is up from here.”

Josh Awotunde secured the shot put with a personal-best 65-6 (19.96m), becoming the sixth collegiate performer this season to surpass 65 feet, becoming the first Gamecocks male athlete to win at Penn Relays since Brad Snyder in 1998-99. Awotunde represents Nigeria in international competition and is closing in on the qualifying standard of 67-3.25 (20.50m) for the IAAF World Championships in August in London.

“I just don’t want to try to force it out there. I just want to work on the little things at practice I’ve been working on as of late,” Awotunde said. “I don’t like losing on my home turf (at SEC Championships), so I’m just going to have to go out there and do what I’ve been doing.”

Clarence Gallop also had a personal-best 220-11 (67.35m) to win the men’s hammer throw, helping the Gamecocks earn their first championship in the event.

“We all feel really confident. We’re all putting good numbers up there, so that puts us at a high level and ready to compete at the best,” Gallop said. “This builds some great confidence for me heading into SEC Championships and regionals to hopefully get into nationals. This is a historic meet with an amazing crowd.”

The Gamecocks added a victory in the women’s 4x200-meter relay, with Tyler Brockington, Precious Holmes, Maiya Dendy and Aalayah Sanders clocking 1 minute, 33.79 seconds.

It marked the third year in a row South Carolina won at least one relay and the first time since 2007 the women captured a Championship of America 4x200 wheel. The Gamecocks rank sixth in meet history with 15 women’s relay titles, including four in the women’s 4x200, and are 15th all-time with 21 relay championships overall.

South Carolina has a male athlete ranked in the top 10 in the SEC in 11 of 17 events, plus both relays. The Gamecocks have four female athletes ranked in the top five in the conference, with both relays in the top 10.

Although South Carolina and Auburn were the only conference programs competing at Franklin Field, with Florida hosting its own Tom Jones Memorial, Missouri participating at the Drake Relays, Georgia taking the weekend off from competition and the remaining nine programs at the SEC Relays at LSU, it was a beneficial decision for both the Gamecocks and Tigers.

Auburn closed the meet with a victory in the men’s 4x400 relay in 3:05.19, with Randall Ceneus, Teray Smith, Akeem Bloomfield and Nathon Allen helping the Tigers capture the Championship of America title for the first time since 1991 and third time in program history.

It was Auburn’s first Championship of America relay victory since capturing the women’s 4x100 shuttle hurdles in 2014.