This Thursday, the Gators will be competing at home for the first time in almost a year.
But that isn’t the only reason this year’s Pepsi Florida Relays are a special experience for both the coaches and athletes.
Not only is this one of just two home meets of the year for both the indoor and outdoor seasons, but the Florida Relays includes a Senior Day ceremony, while also serving as a homecoming for many former Florida athletes who will be representing international teams.
And this year, the stakes are especially high with the 2016 Olympics looming.
"I’m pretty excited. It has been a long four years, and to finally say that I have done my part here at the University of Florida, I did all I could and give it to the younger kids in the program, I’m excited," senior Antwan Wright said of being recognized at the Senior Day ceremony. "It is kind of sad that it is over."
Although Wright won’t be competing this week due to an injury sustained at the Razorback Invitational in January, he is excited to see his teammates compete against some of the best athletes in the world in front of a home crowd.
"We go through the season already amped up about the competition. But when it is a home meet, a huge meet like Florida Relays, it is just completely different," Wright said. "I would rather be at this meet than any other meet just because you have the family watching, you got the home crowd, friends, it brings a different side of you out … it is a fun meet, one of the best meets of the season."
Another athlete who will be recognized at the ceremony is redshirt senior Jayla Bostic. At the Cardinal and Gold Challenge on March 25 and 26, Bostic finished first in the women’s hammer throw with a distance of 61.06 meters. That mark earned nine points for her team and placed No. 7 on Florida’s all-time outdoor top 10. She is looking to do more of the same during the Relays.
"Last week I had a pretty good meet, so this week I want to come out and obviously build on it," Bostic said. "I am competing in the invite, so there are a lot of Olympians, you know Olympic hopefuls, going so it is definitely going to be a very strong competition for me … I just want to come out and not allow some people that might be really really good to discourage me."
Florida coach Mike Holloway, who has been involved with the Pepsi Florida Relays since he became an assistant coach for the men’s team in 1996, is looking forward to seeing many of his former athletes.
"It is always a pleasure to see them, whether I see them here or at other meets. Once a Gator, always a Gator," Holloway said. "We are a family. We take pride in the fact that there is a number of great athletes at the world stage that represent the University of Florida."
Competition at the Pepsi Relays begins Thursday at 2 p.m. with the running events and continues at 5 p.m. with the field events.
Contact Lauren Staff at lstaff@alligator.org and follow her on Twitter @lstaff27.
Antwan Wright races during the 2014 Tom Jones Memorial Invite.
