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Apr 16, 2021

Tigers Travel to Columbia ahead of USC Open Saturday

Meet Central

CLEMSON, S.C. — The Clemson track and field program will compete at the USC Open at the University of South Carolina’s Cregger Track on April 17 as the team embarks on its fifth weekend of competition. Clemson enters the meet having already registered 17 top-10 marks and winning six events through the early part of the outdoor season.

The Tigers last competed outdoors in Columbia on April 13, 2019, during the Gamecock Invitational. At that meet, Marcus Parker and Lafranz Campbell respectively ran the No. 6 all-time marks in the men’s 200 meters and 110m hurdles.

“Two years ago when we went to South Carolina, we had a lot of very good performances and I think this meet comes at a unique time of year where you’re really trying to make the distinction… about who’s going to be a part of our team heading into the championships,” remarked Clemson’s Director of Track & Field, Mark Elliott.

Saturday’s action will get underway on the track at 9 a.m., as Brianna Hartley contests the women’s 3,000 meters as part of the event’s opening section. Marlin Young and Jackson Leech will follow suit as they are slated to represent the Tigers in the opening heat of the men’s 3,000m.

The 4x100m relays will get underway at 11 a.m., with the Tigers’ men’s quartet looking to capture its second consecutive victory of the season.

The 400m are full of Clemson athletes on both the men’s and women’s side of the event. Terryon Conwell highlights Clemson’s entries for the men after running a personal best of 46.38 seconds during the FSU Relays. On the women’s side, Laurie Barton will continue to show her range on the track as she contests the quarter-mile for the first time this season as part of the opening heat.  

The first heat of the women’s 100m will see five Tigers load into the blocks, as Zeniyah Lawrence, Serena Clark, Antoinette van der Merwe, Rebekah Smith and Sidney Marshall all look to lower their season bests in the event. Smith leads the team after having run a wind-aided time of 11.28 at the FSU Relays earlier this season. Smith occupies the No. 2 position on Clemson’s all-time list for the event after setting a wind-legal best of 11.22 in 2018.

Later in the day, Smith will be joined by Trishauna Hemmings in the heats of the women’s 200m. Smith and Hemmings currently occupy the No. 7 and No. 3 positions, respectively, on the program’s all-time list for the indoor 200m. Clemson’s two headline entries will lead a contingent of 10 athletes into Saturday’s heats.

In the 400m hurdles, Rayan Holmes will aim to improve his position on Clemson’s all-time list for the event just a week after running the eighth-fastest time in program history, 50.80 seconds, during the Tennessee Relays. In the women’s side of the event, Olivia Cooney will attempt to earn her fourth personal best in as many races at the event this season. Cooney’s best in the 400mH currently stands at 1:02.99.

Clemson’s action in the field events will be sparse but at no shortage of quality. Caroline Johnston and Harleigh White will compete in the second flight of Saturday’s competition, with White looking to improve her lifetime best of 13.07m (42-10.75), a mark which currently serves as the eighth-best in program history. Cade Jones and Collin Neel will make their outdoor debuts for Clemson in the men’s hammer throw at 11 a.m., while Areya Campbell will contest the women’s long jump for the first time as a Tiger at 10 a.m.

Live results for all events this weekend can be accessed here, while specific information pertaining to Clemson’s participation in Columbia can be found via our Meet Central.

For all of the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson’s Track & Field programs, be sure to reference clemsontigers.com and follow @ClemsonTrackXC on Twitter.

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