\nGAINESVILLE, Fla.\/WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. \u2013 The Florida Gators completed their first day of the Tom Jones Memorial and wrapped up the Wake Forest Invitational Friday evening, highlighted by nine personal bests across both meets and three new school records in the men’s distance events.\u00a0<\/p>\n
TOM JONES MEMORIAL Running in her first 400-meter hurdles competition for the Gators, Sydney Sutton<\/a> went head-to-head with some of the nation’s top athletes. The freshman crossed the line at 56.62 in a deep field, marking the seventh-best time in UF outdoor history and a No. 16 time in the NCAA this season.<\/p>\n On the men’s side of the track, sophomore Trenton Howard<\/a> earned a personal-best in the 200-meter dash invitational section, winning his heat en route to an 11th place finish with a time of 20.66, good for No. 17 in the NCAA East Region.<\/p>\n The duo of Vance Nilsson<\/a> and Daneil Wright<\/a> represented the Gators in a stacked invitational competition in the 400-meter hurdles that saw the top time in the world and top time in the NCAA for 2026. Nilsson recorded a personal-best time of 50.79 to place second in his heat, good for 22nd in the NCAA East Region with Wright finishing sixth in the heat at 51.61.<\/p>\n A trio of Gators made their first appearances in the outdoor 200-meter dash collegiate section early in the day. On the women’s side, Malia Campbell<\/a> posted a time of 24.10 (+1.3), while Jesse Myers<\/a> and Jordaine Johnson<\/a> finished at 21.50 (+0.8) and 21.72 (+1.5), respectively, in the men’s race.<\/p>\n Freshman Marianna Wright<\/a> made her 400-meter hurdles debut on Friday afternoon as well, placing third in the collegiate section with the 18th-best time in the NCAA East Region of 58.25.<\/p>\n Throws Jarno van Daalen<\/a> put together a strong start to his outdoor shot put career, placing third with a toss of 19.51m\/64-00.25 on his third throw in the invitational section of the event. His mark moves him to No. 10 on the NCAA performance list and No. 5 on Florida’s all-time list.<\/p>\n Jumps WAKE FOREST INVITATIONAL Running his first collegiate 10,000-meter in the Orange and Blue on Thursday night, Cheruiyot was the first Gator to walk away as a new program No. 1, clocking a 28:25.28 for a No. 24 NCAA time. The newest mark gives the freshman his third program title for the Gators after a record breaking indoor season in the 3000 meter and 5000 meter.\u00a0<\/p>\n Allaoui and Ruiz each found their newest title Friday evening, with Allaoui checking in at 3:35.30 in the men’s 1500-meter for a No. 4 NCAA mark, and Ruiz clocking a 13:50.12 in the men’s 5000-meter for a personal and program record.\u00a0<\/p>\n Three women grabbed hold of all-time top-10 marks across two events, including Tia Wison, Claire Stegall<\/a> and Judy Chepkoech<\/a>. Wilson (4:06.43) and Stegall (4:06.47) each nabbed No. 2 and No. 3 all-time marks in the 1500 meter, with Chepkoech settling in at No. 3 all-time in the 5000-meter with a 15:15.98 first place finish and a No. 2 NCAA mark.\u00a0<\/p>\n UP NEXT RESULTS WAKE FOREST INVITATIONAL
(PB) indicates new personal best mark FOLLOW THE GATORS
\nHIGHLIGHTS
\nSprints\/Hurdles
\nGabrielle Matthews<\/a> led the Orange & Blue in Gainesville with an impressive performance in the invitational 200-meter dash, getting off the blocks fast to pull away in heat three of the event and record an overall personal-best time of 22.41 (+1.5). Finishing third overall, the senior now owns the second-best mark in outdoor school history and boasts the No. 4 time in the NCAA this season.<\/p>\n
\nIn the field for the men, Leikel Cabrera Gay<\/a> recorded his best mark of the outdoor season in the javelin, improving his top throw to 75.78m\/248-07.00, good for third in the competition and No. 6 in the NCAA this season. The junior improved from his previous mark at the Florida State Relays in March at 75.50m\/247-08.00.<\/p>\n
\nSophomore Asia Phillips<\/a> competed in her first outdoor women’s long jump competition at the Tom Jones Memorial, jumping to a third-place finish at 6.26m\/20-06.50 (+4.0). With the NCAA allowing a 4.0 meters per second wind reading for qualifying marks, she enters the NCAA East Region list tied at No. 14. Not far behind Phillips in fifth place was India Alix<\/a> who recorded an overall personal-best jump of 6.09m\/19-11.75 (+0.9).<\/p>\n
\nThree Gators now boast new school records after their performances at the Wake Forest Invitational, as Kelvin Cheruiyot<\/a>, Oussama Allaoui<\/a> and Josh Ruiz<\/a> each find themselves atop their respective events.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nThe Gators will continue the Tom Jones Memorial on Saturday, April 18 with field events beginning at 9 a.m. ET and track events beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\nTOM JONES MEMORIAL
\nFRIDAY, APRIL 17TH
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\nTHURSDAY, APRIL 16TH<\/p>\n
\nFRIDAY, APRIL 17TH<\/p>\n
\n(SR) indicates new school record
\n^ indicates new program top-10 mark<\/p>\n
\nInstagram: @GatorsTF
\nX: @GatorsTF
\n#GoGators\u00a0
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