Track Breaks Records At Tiger Paw, ISU Classic

Friday, February 9

Clemson, S.C.

All Day

University of Georgia

Tiger Paw Invite

February 09, 2018 | Track & Field

Tiger Paw Day One - Men Tiger Paw Day One - Women

CLEMSON, S.C. --- The Georgia men and women's track and field teams each finished Friday with a school record to highlight the first day of the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, S.C., and the Iowa State Classic in Ames, Iowa.

Junior Denzel Comenentia launched three marks in his six-throw series that would have set the school shot put record to win in Clemson while sophomore Jessica Drop toppled a 28-year-old school record in the 5000 meters by 28 seconds to grab top honors.

"It was a long day with lots of highlights today, especially with Denzel in the shot and Jess in the 5000m," said Bulldog head coach Petros Kyprianou. "I am proud of Denzel with his consistency and how he is gradually improving. He's proving he's not a one-hit wonder and is one of the next big shot putters. What Jess did was just as impressive as Denzel's performance. I think she can be one of our extra bullets that we didn't have on the track last year at Nationals.

"I was happy with the guys in the 60m since they ran times that will probably put them in the NCAA meet. (Michael) Nicholls is gradually improving in the hurdles and I am looking forward to see what he can do at the (Southeastern Conference) Championships. Tara Davis had another improvement in the hurdles, which is promising. Our long jump girls continued to be consistent and produce when called upon. Lynna (Irby) didn't run anything crazy in the 60m, but her time is a good indicator of what she can do in the 200m and 400m. Pretty much all of our distance runners ran personal bests, which is always a good sign.

"Our crew is ready for the championship portion of the season. Now we have to finish the weekend strong and stay healthy and happy from here on out."

Comenentia, who is slated to compete in the weight throw on Saturday, unleashed a school record mark of 67 feet, ¾ inches on his third attempt in the shot to pass Ashinia Miller's effort of 66-7.75 from 2015. Coming into the competition with a personal record of 65-11 from earlier this year, Comementia also posted marks of 66-7, 66-8.50 and 67 feet as he moved his No. 2 spot closer to the nation's leader in the event.

Miller, who trained with Comenentia and now competes professionally, took third at the meet with a 64-4.50. South Carolina senior Josh Awotunde worked up to a toss of 66-10.50 to take second with the SEC Championships arriving in two weeks.

On the track, Drop has now set school records in both the 5000m and 3000m and moved to fourth on the UGA all-time top-10 mile list in her three indoor races this year. An All-American in cross country last fall, Drop blazed to a 15:43.28 to win by less than a second in her first indoor 5000m at UGA.

Drop, whose twin sister Sam was also a 2017 All-American in cross and is redshirting indoors, vaulted to No. 5 on the national list. She overtook Jolly Earle's former school record mark of 16:11.22 set at the 1990 SEC Championships.

Two Lady Bulldogs who are situated first and third nationally in the long jump finished in those same spots at this meet. Junior Kate Hall had her top mark on her third attempt (21-8.75) and also had two more 21-foot marks in her series. Senior Keturah Orji, who finished behind former Georgia jumper and 2016 NCAA outdoor champion Chanice Porter (21-7.50), finished third after opening with a 21-2.50.

Junior Michael Nicholls, who started the meet with a personal record of 7.79, completed his third 60m hurdles race of the day in sixth place with a 7.78 during the final. In the second round, Nicholls took seventh overall (fourth collegiate finisher) with a matching 7.78.

Nicholls wasted little time rocketing to second on the school's all-time top-10 list in the prelims. He clocked a 7.76 to win the round with the fastest time for the Bulldogs since Devon Williams set the school record with a meet record time of 7.75 during his run to the heptathlon title at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships.

Junior Kendal Williams sped to a season-best time of 6.61 to win the 60m. Williams also ran a 6.61 to win the prelims while senior Cejhae Greene, who did not start the final, registered a personal record of 6.62, which improved his No. 2 spot in the UGA record books.

Freshman Tara Davis bettered her No. 3 mark in the school record books with an 8.19 for ninth in the second round of the 60m hurdles. Sophomore Louisa Grauvogel was 12^th in the round after clocking an 8.32. In the prelims, Davis finished with the then second-fastest time of her UGA career with an 8.23.

Already leading the NCAA in the 200m and ranked second in the 400m, freshman Lynna Irby ran the third-best time in school history with a 7.31 to take fifth in the 60m final, which was her debut in the event. In the prelims, Irby was third thanks to a 7.33. She clocked the then sixth-fastest time in school history in the qualifying round with a 7.42.

Senior Henry Dwyer has progressed from 4:13.56 to 4:10.83 to 4:08.33 and now to 4:05.98 in the mile this season and was fourth on Friday. His time took over the No. 7 spot in the school record books

Junior Eric Westog registered a personal-best time of 14:31.49 to take second in the 5000m. Freshman Michael Hans was sixth overall with a personal record of 14:43.21.

Junior Hailey Branch was third in the women's 5000m after completing her laps in 16:57.55, which is the top time of her career.

Joining Drop on Iowa State's campus, junior Austin Sprague returned from redshirting in 2017 and finished with the best 5000m time for the Bulldogs since 2015. Sprague ran the four-best time in UGA history with a 14:13.94 for fourth place in his section (19^th overall).

Junior Grace Tavani also ran a personal record of 16:59.32 for 11^th place in the 5000m as senior Addy Lippitt snuck into 14^th place with a 17:03.69.

Seniors Mady Fagan and Bailey Weiland along with junior Mary Terry start the second day of the Tiger Paw meet in the high jump at 11 a.m. The ISU Classic begins on Saturday with senior Bryan Kamau running in the mile at 1:50 p.m. ET.

Live Results: To check on Georgia at the Tiger Paw meet, please visit the live results link at:
gado.gs/8g4.

To check on the Bulldogs competing at the ISU Classic, please visit the live results link at:
gado.gs/8g3.

Updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams can always be found on Twitter/Instagram (UGATrack) and Snapchat (ugatrack).