CLEMSON, S.C. (Dec. 2, 2022) – It was a strong start to the indoor season for South Carolina Track & Field, collecting seven event victories in the Clemson Opener on Friday in Clemson, S.C.
“Our goal was to fight today, and we did that today on both sides,” stated head coach Curtis Frye. “Aalliyah running 36.83 is phenomenal for her first meet and is one of the top 300 times in school history by a Carolina female. I was also pleased with Evan Miller and how he has trained hard and is dedicated. He has to lead by performance, and not necessarily by his voice, and he did that today. He set forth the effort that our kids need to stay fit and ready to run over the holidays by his example today. I was pleased with all our captains and our leaders today.”
There were five wins on the women’s team, including the always coveted 4×400 meter relay. The team of Angel Frank, Aalliyah Francis, Jahnile Registre and Alysia Johnson snatched the podium with a time of 3:39.89, 10 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
Newcomers Aalliyah Francis (Jamaica) and Elena Kelety (Germany) left their marks in the season-opening meet with Francis cruising to a 300 meter victory following a time of 36.83, while Kelety captured the 400 meter triumph after stopping the clock at 55.20. Frank finished third in the 300m following a time of 38.84, a new personal record for the All-American.
Jahnile Registre and Mia Joseph earned the other two victories for the Gamecocks on the women’s team, both picking up new personal records in their respective events. Registre captured the 800-meter win with a mark of 2:13.03, while Joseph cleared 3.50m (11-05.75) in the pole vault on her first attempt. Rachel Valentine also cleared 3.50m but finished third due to it being on her third attempt.
Distance runners Alex Costantino and Grace Zamrowski jumped into the record books for the 1,000-meter race after securing the third and fourth-fastest times in program history. Costantino turned in a runner-up finish and jumped into third in the record books following a time of 2:52.81, while her counterpart Zamrowski finished sixth with the fourth-fastest time in South Carolina history at 2:54.38.
Carolina also pushed two runners through to the finals today as Anastasia Sumpter finished fifth in the 60m sprint with a time of 7.52 and Danielle Varrasso placed sixth in the 60m hurdles with a time of 9.37 in her Carolina debut.
On the men’s side there were two victories, both by new…