Bowers Sets Record To Highlight Day One Of Music City Challenge

Friday, February 11

Clemson, SC

All Day

University of Georgia

Tiger Paw Invitational

Bowers Sets Record To Highlight Day One Of Music City Challenge

February 11, 2022 | Track & Field

Tiger Paw - Day 1 Field Results Tiger Paw - Day 1 Track Results Music City - Day 1 Results

NASHVILLE, Tenn. --- Georgia's Sam Bowers toppled an 18-year-old school record in the mile  to highlight day one of the Music City Challenge in Nashville, Tenn., on Friday.

Bowers, a native of Milton, Ga., shaved four seconds off his previous personal record in the event to finish in 4:02.73 for 15^th place.  In a race where 10 competitors broke the four-minute barrier, Bowers left the former school record of 4:03.45 set by Simon Ngata at the 2004 Armory meet far behind.

Another group of Bulldogs started competition at the Tiger Paw Invitational  in Clemson, S.C., and locked down a series of their own personal bests.

Day Two Info: On Saturday, sophomore Gavin Beverage begins the day in the shot put at 10 a.m. ET at the Tiger Paw meet.  At Vanderbilt, junior Grace Clements and redshirt freshman Sophia Baker start the second day in the 3000m at 10 a.m.

Live Action/Results: For live results to the Tiger Paw meet, please visit: http://gado.gs/8du

For live video footage of the Tiger Paw meet, please visit:
Day 2: http://gado.gs/8eo

For live results to the Music City meet, please visit: http://gado.gs/8e8

For live video footage of the Music City meet, please visit:
Day 2 - http://gado.gs/8ec

The Lowdown: A majority of the action on Friday came for Georgia at the Music City meet.  Senior Elija Godwin came within .01 of his personal record in the 400-meter dash to take second.  The Covington, Ga., native registered a season best 45.38, which would have ranked second nationally coming into the weekend.

Redshirt sophomore Elsie Igberaese launched her second attempt 18.68 meters (61 feet, 3 ½ inches) to secure bronze honors in the weight throw.  Also wrapping up with tosses of 18.06/59-3 and 18.24/59-10.25, Igberaese took over the No. 9 spot in the school record books with the top throw for Georgia since 2017.

Another pair of Lady Bulldogs also posted personal bests in the weight.  Redshirt sophomore Mia Anderson went 17.77m (58-3.75) on her fourth attempt to take eighth while junior Ana da Silva opened with a career-best toss of 16.78m (55-0.75) for 12^th.

Senior Delano Dunkley completed his day with a 6.67 for seventh in the 60m final.  A round after clocking a personal best, Dunkley managed a fifth-place finish in the 60m semifinal with a 6.66.  Dunkley bettered his No. 4 spot in the school record books in the prelims with a 6.65 to be the top overall finisher.

Georgia's threesome in the women's 60m all collected personal or season bests at some point during the day.  In the final, graduate transfer Jayla Kirkland finished fourth in the final with a 7.36 in her Lady Bulldog debut meet.  One spot behind was freshman Victoria Perrow after crossing the line in 7.65.  Fellow freshman Kenondra Davis did not start in the final.

Perrow improved her prelims time to 7.31 in the semifinal to advance to the final.  Davis took over the No. 5 spot on Georgia's all-time top-10 list with a 7.32 to move to the final round while Kirkland matched her first round time.  In the opening round, Kirkland was the first Georgia finisher at 7.33, which at the time ranked No. 5 in school history.  Davis improved her personal record to 7.35 (No. 6 in UGA history) and Perrow clocked a 7.38.

During the minimal action in Nashville, senior Anna Marian Block also recorded a season best mile time of 4:42.74 for eighth place.  Block's time was just more than a second slower than her finish (4:41.60) at the 2021 meet, which put her No. 5 on the school's all-time list.

How To Keep Up With The Dogs: Updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams can always be found on Twitter/Instagram (UGATrack) and at georgiadogs.com.