Mardal, who improved to No. 2 all-time in Norway and elevated to the No. 13 competitor in collegiate history, leads seven top marks in Division 1 at two-day meet; Cockrell pulls off impressive double for USC, including world-leading effort in 400-meter hurdles, joining Samuel in sweeping event for Trojans

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

New season, different implement, same dominance for Florida senior Thomas Mardal.

Following one of the most exceptional weight throw performances in NCAA history to capture his first career Division 1 Indoor title March 11 at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark., the Norwegian standout was back in the ring Friday at the Pepsi Florida Relays and got the two-day event off to an impressive start in the men’s hammer throw.

Mardal opened his series with a program record of 248 feet, 7 inches (75.77m) to equal the No. 11 performance in the world this year, elevating to No. 2 all-time in Norway, along with No. 13 in collegiate history.

Mardal had four of his throws surpass 73 meters to prevail against Alabama’s Bobby Colantonio, who ascended to No. 9 in Division 1 this season with a mark of 223-6 (68.12m). Iowa State’s Vlad Pavlenko elevated to No. 10 in Division 1 by throwing 222-9 (67.89m) to take third.

Mardal achieved one of seven leading marks in Division 1 this year, with five of them coming in the women’s competition, including the 100, 200 and 400 meters. USC produced the top collegiate performances in both the men’s and women’s 400-meter hurdles, with the women’s 1,500 meters showcasing the top two efforts in the NCAA this year.

Anna Cockrell enjoyed an impressive two days for USC, winning both the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles, running a world-leading 55.65 in the latter Friday in addition to holding off freshman teammate Jasmine Jones by a 12.89 to 12.91 margin in the 100 hurdles.

Cockrell prevailed against five of the top 10 collegiate competitors in the 400 hurdles this year, including Kentucky’s Masai Russell (57.55), who ranks No. 7.

South Carolina’s Ashton Lindley, already No. 4 this season at 57.42, took third in 57.68, with Clemson’s Nicolee Foster (57.73) and Kentucky’s Faith Ross (57.80) moving up to Nos. 8 and 9 overall.

Cockrell improved to No. 3 in Division 1 this year, with Jones at No. 4 and Tiara McMinn of Miami (Florida) clocking 12.92 to improve to No. 5.

Cameron Samuel won the men’s 400 hurdles in 49.67, running the collegiate leader to finish just ahead of Alabama’s Robert Dunning (49.70), who now ranks second. Florida’s Denzel Villaman clocked 50.21 to rank No. 6, with Auburn’s Malik Metivier winning his section in 50.37 to improve to No. 7.

Alabama’s Tamara Clark ran a collegiate-leading 22.50 seconds in the 200 meters, with Lanae-Tava Thomas of USC clocking 23.03 to also move into the top 10 in Division 1.

Clark also took second to USC’s Twanisha “Tee Tee” Terry by an 11.08 to 11.12 margin in the 100-meter dash final, with Florida State’s Jayla Kirkland taking third in 11.15 and Alfreda Steele of Miami (Florida) finishing fourth in 11.26. Kirkland elevated to the No. 4 competitor in Division 1 and Steele ranks ninth.

USC’s Kaelin Roberts, the two-time Division 1 indoor 400 champion, ran the outdoor leader by clocking 51.23, with teammate Bailey Lear placing second in 51.57, the No. 4 effort in Division 1 this season.

Auburn’s Presley Weems and Florida’s Imogen Barrett achieved the top two collegiate performances in the women’s 1,500. Weems prevailed in 4:14.35, with Barrett clocking 4:15.67 and Alabama’s Esther Gitahi placing third in 4:16.50, good for No. 9 in Division 1.

There were also several outstanding efforts in the men’s sprints and middle-distance races.

Florida’s Joseph Fahnbulleh ran a wind-legal 20.10 in the 200, in addition to anchoring the Gators’ 4x100 relay to a 38.89 performance. Fahnbulleh elevated the No. 2 collegiate competitor in the 200 and helped Florida ascend to No. 5.

Kentucky’s Lance Lang clocked 20.51 to win his 200 section, improving to No. 10 in Division 1.

The men’s 400 resulted in three of the top four collegiate efforts this year, giving the Southeastern Conference the top five overall.

Kentucky’s Dwight St. Hillaire ran 44.74 to edge Virginia Tech’s Jacory Patterson in 44.81, with Florida freshman Ryan Willie clocking 45.12.

Only Texas A&M’s Bryce Deadmon, who ran 44.62 on March 27 at the 93rd Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, has been faster in the world this year than St. Hillaire and Patterson.

USC’s Isaiah Jewett ran 1:46.99 in the 800, second among collegiate competitors, only trailing Oregon’s Cole Hocker, who clocked 1:46.60 on Saturday at the Hayward Premiere.

Alabama freshman Eliud Kipsang ran 3:40.35 in the 1,500, the No. 6 performance in Division 1 this season, with Florida’s Trevor Foley improving to No. 9 in the collegiate ranks in the 3,000-meter steeplechase with a victory in 8:53.27.

USC edged Kentucky by a 3:04.05 to 3:04.98 margin in the men’s 4x400, both achieving top 10 collegiate marks this season.

Florida added other fantastic performances in the men’s field events, including Connor Bandel in the men’s shot put with a 64-1.25 (19.54m) effort in the third round to ascend to No. 7 among Division 1 outdoor competitors this year.

The men’s high jump showcased Florida’s Clayton Brown and USC’s Earnie Sears both equaling the No. 2 collegiate height this season at 7-3.75 (2.23m). Brown cleared the bar on his second attempt and Sears achieved the height on his third try, with Florida State’s Jordan Wesner matching the No. 5 performance in Division 1 by clearing 7-2.50 (2.20m).

USC’s Jordan Scott prevailed in the men’s triple jump with a second-round effort of 55-7.75 (16.96m), second only to Texas’ O’Brien Wasome at 55-11.75 (17.06m) in Division 1 this season.

Florida State’s Isaac Grimes, who surpassed the 8-meter mark in the indoor long jump, ascended to the No. 4 collegiate outdoor competitor with a leap of 26-0.75 (7.94m) in the sixth round.

Mississippi State freshman DJ Jonsson, representing Iceland, produced a sixth-round throw of 253-5 (77.25m) in the men’s javelin to elevate to the No. 3 collegiate competitor. Auburn’s Cade Antonucci finished second with a 241-foot effort (73.46m) to improve to No. 9 in Division 1 this year.

The women’s javelin produced two of the top five collegiate competitors this season, with Auburn senior Kylee Carter producing a fifth-round throw of 188-3 (57.38m) to ascend to No. 3, with Florida State’s Kelechi Nwanaga placing runner-up with a 178-7 (54.43m) effort to rank fifth in Division 1.

Florida State took the top two spots in the women’s discus throw, with Shanice Love improving to No. 3 in Division 1 this year with a sixth-round effort of 192-10 (58.79m). Caisia-Marie Lindfors threw 183-3 (55.86m) and now ranks 10th overall.

Auburn’s Madi Malone moved into the top 10 in the NCAA by throwing the hammer 215-11 (65.81m) in the second round.

Florida’s Gabrielle Wilkinson won the women’s 800 in 2:03.88, the No. 4 outdoor performance in Division 1 this year, with Auburn’s Weems clocking 2:04.58 to achieve an impressive weekend double and elevate to No. 8 overall. Kayla Johnson of Miami (Florida) finished third in 2:04.79 and ranks ninth in Division 1.

Freshman Claire Bryant added another victory for the Gators in the women’s long jump with a third-round effort of 21-11 (6.68m). Bryant, the top freshman indoor jumper in Division 1 history, elevated to No. 2 all-time outdoors among athletes in their first collegiate season to finish ahead of Georgia Tech’s Bria Matthews at 21-2.75 (6.47m), the No. 8 outdoor competitor this year.

Bryant also cleared 5-8.75 (1.75m) to join a group of four athletes to tie for second behind Auburn’s Kamiya Dendy, who cleared 5-10.75 (1.80m) to equal the No. 6 collegiate effort this season.

Florida’s Natricia Hooper won the triple jump with a mark of 44-2 (13.46m). Hooper, who already ranks No. 2 among collegiate performers this season at 44-8.75 (13.63m), prevailed against USC’s Temitope Ojora, who jumped 43-2.25 (13.16m) to move into the top 10 in the NCAA overall.

Three of the top six women’s 4x100 performances in Division 1 were achieved, with USC clocking 43.46 to edge Miami (Florida) at 43.56 and Florida State at 43.80.

Kentucky led four of the top 10 outdoor efforts in the NCAA in the women’s 4x400 relay, clocking 3:29.91 to prevail against USC (3:30.54), Alabama (3:31.19) and Florida (3:32.66).