For Florida sprinter Ebony Eutsey, setting a personal record was not an issue.
The senior from Miami was Florida’s last link in the women’s 4x400-meter relay and powered through the run to help earn Florida the Razorback Invitational title with a record-breaking 3:31.68 time.
“I called her (Eutsey) the PR machine this weekend,” said Florida track and field head coach Mike Holloway. “She [set a personal record] in the 200 yesterday, she ran a PR today in the 400 and then put up the No. 2 time in school history with the 4x4. We’ve been working hard with her on her sprinting and it’s certainly paying off.”
Eutsey’s 52.89 personal record in the women’s 400-meter run puts her at the second fastest position in the NCAA this year, and she is just one of the women who gained Florida its victory Saturday.
Florida totaled 101 points overall, beating LSU for the top spot by a point.
Sophomore Ciarra Brewer led the Florida women on the field with a 13.06m/42-10.25 leap in the women’s triple jump event, tying her career best.
“Ciarra is getting used to working with a new coach (jumps coach Nic Petersen) and they’re getting into a groove now,” Holloway said. “I’m proud of her effort, but she knows she has work to do and there’s more to come. I can’t wait to see where she is in four weeks when we come back here for SEC Indoors.”
The junior distance runner Agata Strausa gained the second fastest time among SEC runners in the 3,000-meter run with a 9:18.51 time. Strausa is ranked as the fifth fastest runner in the NCAA for that event.
Florida women weren’t the only to put up record-breaking numbers Saturday; the Florida men came second in overall team standings with 79.50 points. Arkansas took the title with 124 points.
Hugh Graham, Jr., Dedric Dukes, Leonardo Seymore and Arman Hall won the men’s 4x400-meter relay with the seventh-fastest time in program history, clocking in at 3:05.93.
“I think our guys (4x4) did a great job today,” Holloway said. “Leo stepped in for Najee Glass, just like he stepped in for us last year outdoors, and he was fantastic. He’s a real team player and you can always count on him to step in and step up when you need him.”
Senior thrower David Triassi was runner up in the men’s weight throw, throwing 20.24m/66-5. Oklahoma State’s Nick Miller took the top spot, surpassing Triassi by .57 meters.
Senior Omar Craddock finished second in his first triple-jump event of 2013. With a 16.26m/53-4.25 leap, he ranks second in the NCAA and is a Bowerman Watch List honoree.
Florida will be on the road again, participating in two invitationals on February 1 and 2: the Frank Sevigne Husker Invite in Lincoln, Neb., and the New Balance Collegiate Invite in New York.
Even with the title win for Florida women today, both teams have to work on cranking out faster and longer PR results.
“I think we’re ready to get back to Gainesville and get back to work,” Holloway said. “We need to be humble and stay hungry for what’s ahead, but I couldn’t be more proud of the effort we put forth this weekend.”
