The Gators got off to a great start at the Texas A&M Challenge
thanks to a record-breaking performance and an impressive
debut.
Junior Gray Horn broke his own first-day heptathlon school record
from the 2009 NCAA Indoor Championship with 3,242 points in
Friday’s four events.“It was a big
day for Gray with a new first-day school record,” Florida head
coach Mike Holloway said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing him
come out tomorrow with that same focus and drive.”
Horn set two personal-best marks Friday, placing first in the
60-meter hurdles (6.98 seconds) and sixth in the shot put
(13.41m/44-0). The record-setting junior also won the long jump
(7.26m/23-10) and high jump (1.98m/6-6), giving him three victories
in four events.
Horn, who currently sits in first place, has a chance to break Mike
Morrison’s UF record for most heptathlon points (5,792) in his
three remaining events Saturday.
Florida’s other performer was freshman Brittany Harrell, who
recorded 3,731 points in her collegiate debut.
“I am really proud of Brittany for
coming out in her first pentathlon as a freshman and having one of
the top-15 scores in the country (this season),” said
Holloway.
Harrell currently ranks fourth among all competitors and is within
300 points shy of setting a new UF women’s pentathlon record.
Harrell’s two best performances of the night were a third-place
finish in the 800m (2:28.31) and a fifth-place mark in the high
jump (1.70m/7-5) and Harrell placed sixth in her other three
events: the 60-meter hurdles (8.88 seconds), the shot put
(10.92m/35-10), and the long jump (5.28m/17-4).
“We’re big on not holding on to today
and we understand that tomorrow is a completely different day,”
said Holloway.
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Quotes and statistics courtesy of UF Sports
Information.
