Although the 2012 season is over and the U.S. Olympic trials are finished, that didn’t stop three Gators from competing last weekend. Marquis Dendy, Jeremy Postin and Eddie Lovett all participated in the North American, Central American and Caribbean Under-23 Track and Field Championships in Guanajuato, Mexico.
Freshman Dendy led the NACAC U-23 off for the Gators in the long jump Friday. He used a wind-aided jump of 7.68 meters to win the gold. His mark just edged out Team USA teammate Kendall Spencer by a half inch.
Dendy’s win at the NACAC U-23 brings his total to eight first-place finishes in 2012. He is also the second Gator to win the long jump title after Christian Taylor won in 2010.
After being the highest-finishing collegian at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the hammer throw, Postin, a junior, grabbed the gold Saturday at the NACAC U-23. Postin used a throw of 68.32 meters to earn his 10th victory of the year.
In addition to his school records in weight throw (21.60 meters) and hammer throw (70.73 meters), Postin is also the first Gator to claim a throwing title at the NACAC U-23.
Sophomore hurdler Lovett was the final Gator to compete at the meet. The All-American ran a 13.58 to finish fourth in the 110-meter hurdles.
Dendy and Postin’s wins increased the number of titles won by Gators at the NACAC U-23 to 11.
With the NACAC U-23 over, Florida will send five competitors to Barcelona, Spain to compete in the 2012 IAAF World Junior Track and Field Championships starting today. The six-day championship will include All-Americans Ciarra Brewer (triple jump) and Taylor Burke (high jump).
The meet will also showcase incoming freshmen Arman Hall, Robin Reynolds and Shayla Sanders. Hall will run in the 400 meters as well as the 4x400-meter relay. Reynolds will compete in the long jump, and Sanders will run in the 4x100-meter relay and is an alternate in the 100 and 200 meters.
