The Oregon Women Break Two Collegiate Records on Final Day of Pepsi Florida Relays

By Adam Kopet, DyeStat Editor

The women of Oregon came to Florida to compete, setting collegiate records Saturday in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

In the 4x100 relay, the Ducks ran a solo effort, to win in 42.34. The quartet of Makenzie Dunmore, Deajah Stevens, Hannah Cunliffe and Ariana Washington bested Texas A&M's old record, set in 2009, by 0.02 seconds.

Tumbleweed Track Club, an all-star team made up of Tianna Bartoletta, Dafne Schippers, Anyika Onoura and Desiree Henry, finished second overall in 42.57, but they ran in a separate heat from the Ducks.

In the 4x200 relay, the race played out differently. Running in the same heat as the pros, the Ducks held their own throughout the race until the final leg. They ran the same team and order as the 4x100 relay.

Coming off the final turn, Washington took the lead from the Pure Athletics team, anchored by Tori Bowie. However, starting from close to 10 meters down, Schippers brought the Tumbleweed Track Club back, nipping Oregon at the line by 0.01 seconds. Tumbleweed finished in 1:28.77.

Oregon still easily bested the collegiate record with their 1:28.78. They took more than half a second off the record Texas A&M has held since 2010.

On the men's side, the 4x100 and 4x200 relays were dominated by all-star teams made up of professionals. Andre DeGrasse, Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay, Christian Taylor and Marvin Bracy were among the many pros who competed in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays. Even Noah Lyles ran a 4x200 relay leg.

DeGrasse anchored the Athletics Canada team to the 4x100 win in 38.15. The same team also won the 4x200 in 1:19.91.

Among the high school ranks, three meet records were broken. American Heritage FL won the high school boys 4x100 relay in 40.17. The Anthony Schwartz anchored team now ranks US#16 all-time.

In the 4x400 relay, Miami Northwestern FL broke the meet records in both boys and girls races. The girls ran 3:39.95 and the boys ran 3:10.56.

The final race of the day, the Jimmy Carnes 4x400 relay, saw Florida freshman Grant Holloway run 44.1 to bring home the victory for the home team after starting the final leg well off the lead. Florida ran 3:03.08, beating Tennessee, which finished second in 3:03.65.