Nine Personal Bests, Barbados National Record Highlight Day One of East Coast Relays

Friday, May 1

Jacksonville, FL

Florida Gators

East Coast Relays

A female in black runs down a navy blue track with a group of runners behind her

Layla Haynes captured the Barbados national record in the women's 1500-meters on Friday evening. // Credit: Khalifa Dieye

Nine Personal Bests, Barbados National Record Highlight Day One of East Coast Relays

Friday, May 1, 2026 | Track and Field

Results

Layla Haynes claimed her second Barbados national record as the Gators put together strong performances on day one of the East Coast Relay.

By: Andrew Hile

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Day one of the East Coast Relays saw Florida track & field put together nine personal best performances while junior Layla Haynes broke the Barbados national record in the women's 1500-meter run to highlight the first day of the East Coast Relays.

Sprints/Hurdles
The Florida women were dominant in the 200-meter dash on Friday evening, led by freshman Sydney Sutton who clocked the fourth-fastest time in UF outdoor history at 22.55 (+1.8), good for the top time in the event and now the No. 10 time in the NCAA this season. Not far behind, Quincy Penn (+1.7) crossed the line in third with a personal-best and fifth overall time in the Florida outdoor record book of 22.74, moving to 19th in the NCAA. Tyra Cox was the third Gator to record an overall personal-best time, placing 10th with a time of 23.23 (+1.7) which moves her to 44th in the NCAA East Region. Rounding out the results for UF was Jade Brown who placed 13th at 23.35 (+1.7).

Three Gators earned top 10 finishes in the men's 200-meter dash, highlighted by a victory from Wanya McCoy, racing to a time of 20.47 (1.3) out of heat four. His season debut time is tied for No. 21 in the nation. Justin Braun earned an overall personal record after finishing at 20.72 (+1.6), good for fifth in the event and now 18th in the East Region. Placing close behind Braun in heat three was sophomore Nicholas Spikes, taking ninth overall with a time of 20.72 (+1.6), a new overall personal-best mark and the No. 41 time in the East.

Making his first collegiate appearance in the 200-meter dash, Ja'Neil Harris broke 21 seconds with a time of 20.88 (+1.4) to win heat seven. Senior Garrett Fox made his first appearance in the event this season, finishing at 21.11 (+1.3), while Jesse Myers recorded a new outdoor personal-best of 21.45 (+1.3).

Vance Nilsson went head-to-head with some of the nation's best hurdlers in the men's 400-meter hurdles, placing third in the event with a personal-best time of 50.54 that sits just out of the top 25 nationally and is No. 16 in the East Region.

Distance
The Barbados national record in the women's 1500-meter run fell under the lights on Friday evening. Layla Haynes, a native of Workmans, Barbados, cruised to victory inside Hodges Stadium behind a 4:16.85 effort in her first-ever collegiate 1500-meters to claim the record. Her time overtook the previous record (4:25.61) by nearly nine seconds. She also holds the Barbados national record for the indoor 800-meter run with a time 2:03.89.

Redshirt sophomore Riley Novack was just .17 off of a personal-record for the men with his event winning 1500-meter run time of 3:46.65. Following Novack, a trio of Gators ran their first collegiate 1500-meters, led by a second and fourth place effort from Miguel Pantojas and Jonah Kirspel at 3:47.80 and 3:50.60, respectively. Also earning a top 10 finish, Josh Ruiz claimed eighth after crossing the line at 3:52.58 while Alejandro de Bastos, who also made his 1500-meter debut, ended at 3:55.18.

Jumps
A pair of Gators earned top five finishes in the women's long jump, led by Asia Phillips who placed third behind a jump of 6.23m/20-05.25 (+2.5). Finishing right behind her in fourth, Pauline Bikembo made her long jump season debut with a jump of 6.02m/19-09 (+2.1). On the men's side Temoso Masikane's jump of 7.51m/24-07.74 (+1.1) was good for fourth overall.

Throws
Basel Abosina was the first Gator to compete in Jacksonville on Friday, representing UF in the hammer throw. On his second throw of the competition, Abosina recorded a new personal-best toss of 67.50m/221-05 en route to a second-place finish, increasing his sixth-best mark in school history and moving up to 19th in the NCAA.

The men's shot put saw Jarno van Daalen improve his already fifth-overall mark in UF outdoor history, claiming a dominant victory after recording a mark of 19.53m/64-01, keeping him at No. 10 in the NCAA for the event.

In the women's shot put, junior Gracelyn Leiseth claimed first behind a toss of 17.56m/57-07.50. Alida van Daalen made her outdoor debut, finished second right behind Leiseth with a mark of 17.16m/56-03.75, good for No. 15 in the country. Leiseth's mark of 17.76m/58-03.25 from the Pepsi Florida Relay is currently eighth in the NCAA. Also on the women's side, Imani Washington placed third in the hammer throw after recording a throw of 61.00m/200-1 on her second toss of the competition.

UP NEXT
The Orange & Blue will resume action at the East Coast Relays on Saturday, beginning with the men's discus throw at 11 a.m. ET. Action on the track for the Gators will begin at 11:50 a.m. ET with the 100-meter hurdles preliminary round.

GATORS' DAY ONE RESULTS
Men's 200m Dash
1. Wanya McCoy – 20.47 (+1.3), NCAA No. T-21
5. Justin Braun – 20.56 (+1.6), Overall PR, NCAA East Region No. 18
9. Nicholas Spikes (+1.6) – 20.72, Overall PR, NCAA East Region No. 41
14. Ja'Neil Harris - 20.88 (+1.4), Collegiate 200m Debut
22. Garrett Fox – 21.11 (+1.3)
28. Jesse Myers – 21.24 (+1.3), Outdoor PR
41. Jordaine Johnson – 21.77 (+0.6)

Women's 200m Dash
1. Sydney Sutton – 22.55 (+1.8), Overall PR, No. 4 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. 10,
3. Quincy Penn – 22.74 (+1.7), Overall PR, No. 4 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. 19
9. Tyra Cox – 23.23 (+1.7), Overall PR, NCAA East Region No. 44
12. Jade Brown – 23.35 (+1.7)

Men's 400m Hurdles
3. Vance Nilsson – 50.54, PR, NCAA East Region No. 16

Women's 400m Hurdles
6. Marianna Wright – 58.87

Men's 1500m
1. Riley Novack – 3:46.65
2. Miguel Pantojas – 3:47.80, Collegiate 1500m Debut
4. Jonah Kirspel – 3:50.60, Collegiate 1500m Debut
8. Josh Ruiz – 3:52.58
13. Alejandro de Bastos – 3:55.18, Collegiate 1500m Debut

Women's 1500m
1. Layla Haynes – 4:16.85, Barbados Women's National Record
15. Ashley Fitzgerald – 4:33.56

Men's Hammer
2. Basel Abosina – 67.50m / 221-05, PR, No. 6 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. T-19

Women's Hammer
3. Imani Washington – 61.00m / 200-1

Men's Long Jump
4. Temoso Masikane – 7.51m / 24-07.75

Women's Long Jump
3. Asia Phillps – 6.23m / 20-05.25 (+2.5)
4. Pauline Bikembo – 6.02m / 19-9 (+2.1)

Men's Shot Put
1. Jarno van Daalen – 19.53m / 64-01, Outdoor PR, No. 5 Florida Outdoor History, NCAA No. 10

Women's Shot Put
1. Gracelyn Leiseth – 17.56m / 57-07.50, NCAA No. 9
2. Alida van Daalen – 17.16m / 56-03.75, NCAA No. 15
6. Eden Robinson – 12.80m / 42-00