Barnett, distance runners impress on Day 2 of Florida Relays – The Independent Florida Alligator

Grant Holloway was in first place running the curve of the 200-meter dash at the Florida Relays on Friday. But Akeem Sirleaf from North Carolina A&T caught up to him during the straightaway.

Gators’ underclassmen compete in Day 1 of Florida Relays

The Pepsi Florida Relays was Cameron Mahorn’s first home meet.

As the two juniors crossed the finish line at seemingly the exact same time, the screaming from fans instantly halted. Fans, coaches and athletes alike genuinely had no idea who won. After about 30 seconds, the announcement was made. Sirleaf was the winner.  

Among all of the heats, Holloway’s 20.66 time actually finished fourth. His teammate, sophomore Hakim Sani Brown, finished second to Sirleaf with a time of 20.53. With Sirleaf’s teammate, senior Rodney Rowe, running 20.60, the top four finishes all belonged to North Carolina A&T and Florida.

This was Holloway’s first time running the 200-meter outdoors since his days at Grassfield High School. It was not his first time running the 110-meter hurdles, though. Holloway’s time of 13.28 in the hurdles is now the fastest time in the world.

Holloway wasn’t the only Gator to see success on Friday, as many of his teammates also performed well.

Some national times were set Friday at the Florida Relays. Along with Holloway’s world-time, senior Sharrika Barnett finished her last 400-meter dash at Percy Beard Track in first place not just in Gainesville, but in the country. Her time of 50.96 is now the national No.1 time.

“I wasn’t expecting to go that fast,” Barnett said.

Coach Holloway knows why she did, however. She listened to her coach.

“We talked about her race model, and she executed it to the nth,” coach Holloway said. “That was wonderful.”

In the 100-meter dash, Sani Brown placed sixth overall with a time of 10.30, one spot behind teammate and junior transfer Raymond Ekevwo, whose 10.28 time ranks No. 8 nationally. Coach Mike Holloway said he has a higher standard.

“We weren’t that far off but I thought the sprints as a whole were a little flat today, I’m not sure why.” Holloway said. “That’s on me, I’m the coach.”

On the women’s side, freshman Gabrielle Wilkinson ran the second-fastest time in the meet and the third-fastest time in the nation at 2:05.03 in the 800-meter run. Her teammate, sophomore Abbie Harrelson, bested her fastest time by four seconds, placing ninth overall in the meet at 2:06.64.

“When I woke up this morning, 2:10 was my only goal,” Harrelson said. “I thought, ‘I can run a 2:09 if I try you know?’”

Harrelson did not even know she improved by that much until she actually saw the time.

“All the sudden, it was 2:06.” Harrelson said. “I noticed at first at 61 (seconds) that I’d probably be a little faster than I had planned when I woke up.”

A little more than halfway through the race, coach Holloway noticed this run was different.

“With about 300 to go I was like “wow this is going to be big,’” he said. “I saw that light in her eyes.”

Follow Graham Marsh on Twitter @GrahamMarshUF and contact him at [email protected].