Junior mid-distance runner Sean Obinwa set a season-best for himself in the men’s 800m Saturday at the Alex Wilson Invitational in South Bend, Ind.
With a time of 1:47.90, Obinwa bested his time of 1:48.40 set at the 2013 Southeastern Conference Indoor Championships. Heading into South Bend ranked 11th in the men’s 800m, Obinwa’s new time is good for 10th in the nation.
“Sean continues to get better and has set himself up well for the NCAA meet next week,” coach Mike Holloway said.
Senior sprinter Lanie Whittaker competed in the women’s 400m on Saturday. Her time of 54.47 seconds was not fast enough to surpass her season best of 53.26 seconds, leaving her out of the top-16 in the country and deeming her ineligible for the NCAA Indoor Championships for the women’s 400m.
Freshmen sprinters Najee Glass and Arman Hall both competed in the men’s 400m. Hall recorded a time of 46.67 seconds, just shy of his season-best time of 46.61 seconds set at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational earlier this season. Glass’s time of 46.51 seconds was a season best, but neither Glass’s nor Hall’s times were fast enough to qualify them for a spot in the men’s 400m at the upcoming NCAA.
In the women’s mile, junior distance runner Agata Strausa rattled off a season-best time of 4:37.58 on Saturday — beating her previous best set at the SEC Indoor Championships by less than a second. Although Strausa turned in her strongest performance of the season in the women’s mile, she did not crack the national top-16.
Although Whittaker, Glass, Hall, and Strausa did not qualify for their individual events for the NCAA Indoor Championships, they are still likely to compete for Florida’s relay squads. Whittaker will be available for the women’s third-best 4x400m relay, Glass and Hall will both be available for the men’s second-best 4x400m relay, and Strausa will be available for the women’s 12th-best distance medley relay.
“Good efforts by everyone this weekend,” Holloway said. “Our focus now turns to getting everyone ready to compete next week in Fayetteville.”
Heading into Fayetteville, Ark., next weekend for the NCAA Indoor Championships, the Gators are set to compete in 18 events, given freshman sprinter Kyra Jefferson is healthy enough to compete in the women’s 200m.
The Gators currently have the nation’s top results in the men’s long jump (Marquis Dendy) and the men’s 60m hurdles (Eddie Lovett).
“Overall,” Holloway said, “we’re sitting in a good position heading into Nationals next week.”
