Gators Post Strong Start to Open 2026 Indoor Season

Florida track and field opened the indoor season Friday at the Jimmy Carnes Invitational, earning double-digit first place earnings across various events.

The Gators competed at the Alachua County Sports & Events Center and featured 45 athletes in 28 individual events and two relays. 

Florida competed against 12 other Division I programs and placed in the top five in 35 events.

Before the Gators earned victories on the track, senior Imani Washington opened the meet with a fifth-place finish in the women’s weight throwing event with a distance of 19.38 meters. 

“It was okay, a little bit of an iffy start,” Washington said about her performance. “But as we get going, it’s just all about being a competitor. I’m always going to give it my best.”

As the meet continued, four more Gators competed in various throwing competitions. Senior John Luke Witte came in first place for the men’s weight throwing competition (21.10m). In the women’s shot put, Gracelyn Leiseth dominated with a 16.72m throw, earning first place, with multi-event athlete Abigail Elmore landing her shot at 15.57m for eighth place. 

Many freshmen athletes had standout performances, beginning their collegiate careers with first-place wins. Distance runner Claire Stegall made history in the 1,000-meter event with a 18th-place finish with a time of 2:41.72. 

“I didn’t have big expectations. We just talked about kind of just running hard and just trying to run well for myself,” Stegall said. “I’m happy we were more focused on (the) mindset … being in the moment rather than the outcome or the results.”

In the men’s shot put, Jarno Van Daalen earned first place with a distance of 18.50 meters, and Luke Stradley earned his victory in the long jump with a 7.56m mark.

On the women’s side, Tyra Cox, Malia Campbell and Sydney Gaynor Sutton were part of the first-place 4x400m relay finishing 3:34.55, with Cox also securing an individual win in the women’s 300 dash with a time of 36.99. 

Florida continued to build momentum across the runway events. The effort was led by sophomore Jaden Lippett’s first-place finish in the men’s triple jump (15.91m), followed by a third-place finish from freshman Temoso Masikane (15.56m) and a fourth-place result from sophomore Nicolas Crosswhite (15.24m).

On the women’s side of the triple jump, sophomore Asia Philips secured a runner-up finish with a 12.96-meter mark, while freshman Gabrielle Pierre added an eighth-place result at 12.33 meters. 

While some athletes were cheering on their track and field teammates from the side of the runway, others like Elmore were leaving one event to enter another.

The Gators sophomore competed in the most events of the meet for his : the women’s 60m hurdles prelims, shot put, high jump and ended her meet with a 4x400m. Right behind her in second most events to compete in was sophomore Pauline Bikembo who participated in three events.

The Gators competed across sprint, mid-distance, distance, hurdles and relay events. In the mid-distance, Layla Haynes earned third place, with a time of 2:44.97, and Beth Morley followed in fourth place at 2:46.39. The men’s 1,000 meters saw multiple athletes place inside the top 10, with Gavin Nelson claiming first (2:21.56), while Riley Smith, Miguel Pantojas, Jonah Kirspel, and Edward Kepran followed closely behind. 

The meet concluded with the 4×400-meter relays, where the women from the fourth heat captured first place in 3:34.55. 

“I’m just really excited with the way our kids competed. A lot of them are training so it’s kind of a dress rehearsal before we get into some bigger meets,” Gators distance assistant coach Will Palmer said. “If they can compete like they competed today, in bigger meets they will continue to run faster and faster. ”

The Gators will continue their spring action in Fayetteville, Arkansas for the Razorback Invitational. The meet begins on Jan. 30.

Category: Gators Track and Field, NCAA, SEC