Five Gators Advance to NCAA Championships; Asekol and Stark Advance to Quarterfinal Action

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Day two of the NCAA East Preliminaries featured the Gators Track & Field women’s program which had five athletes advance to the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon and two more advance to quarterfinals in their respective events.
 
Claire Bryant (Long Jump), Anthaya Charlton (Long Jump), Gracelyn Leiseth (Shot Put), Alida van Daalen (Shot Put) and Parker Valby (10,000m) have secured spots in Oregon with place finishes of twelfth or higher in each of their events.
 
Flomena Asekol (1500m) and Grace Stark (100m H) both claimed auto-qualifying spots in their respective events and will compete in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
 
Outlined below is how the athletes advanced and performed during Friday’s action.
 
Women’s Long Jump
Just as the men had done yesterday, the Gators had two women punch their ticket to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the Long Jump. Bryant and Charlton, just as they had done at the SEC Outdoor Championships, finished first and second, respectively.
 
Bryant tallied a mark of 6.53m/21’5.25″ which allowed her to place first at the NCAA East Preliminaries for the third time in her career and qualify for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the Long Jump for the fourth time in four years.
 

Air Claire lands in Oregon 🛬

Claire Bryant qualifies for her 4⃣th consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championships in the Long Jump! 🤷‍♀️

Place: 1⃣st

Mark: 6.53m/21’5.25″#GoGators 🐊 | #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/cIU5fI406J

— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) May 23, 2024

 
Charlton jumped a distance of 6.44m/21’1.5″, placing her second and securing her spot in the second NCAA Outdoor Championship of her career and the first time competing in the Long Jump at NCAA Outdoors.
 

Anthaya is IN 😤

Charlton qualifies for her 2⃣nd consecutive NCAA Outdoor Championship but is entered in the Long Jump at the Championships for the 1⃣st time!

Place: 2⃣nd

Mark: 6.44m/21’1.5″#GoGators 🐊 | #NCAATF pic.twitter.com/Bop6lK5RD7

— Gators Track and Field & Cross Country (@GatorsTF) May 23, 2024

 
Women’s Shot Put
Van Daalen and Leiseth were the second Gator duo to finish back-to-back and lock up spots in Eugene, Oregon during Friday’s action. The sophomore and the freshman recorded second and third-place finishes in the Shot Put.
 
In just her second year competing in college, van Daalen is set to make her second trip to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in the Shot Put…