HATTIESBURG, Miss. – South Alabama senior Francois Prinsloo surpassed the Olympic qualifying standard in the discus to qualify for a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympics Games for his home country, South Africa, Saturday evening at the Southern Miss Open. Several other Jaguars also secured new personal bests and podium finishes for the Jags.
Prinsloo held a season-best throw of 64.41 meters (211'4") coming into today's competition. He destroyed that distance with a monstrous throw of 67.26 meters (220 '8 ") to exceed the Olympic qualifying standard of 67.20 meters (220' 4.5") while breaking his own school record by nearly four feet. With this throw, he qualifies for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games and bolsters his No.2 ranking in the discus in the NCAA, while only trailing the No.1 mark by just three centimeters.
This marks the second time a South Alabama Track and Field athlete has achieved an Olympic Qualifying mark in the last two seasons. Reigning South Alabama NCAA Pole Vault National Champion and current senior Kyle Rademeyer transcended past the Olympic qualifying standard last season, but attended the 2023 World Championships in Budapest as it was not an Olympic year.
Field Events
Iyana Johnson had a strong outing, recording two top-three finishes. Johnson opened the competition with a second-place finish in the triple jump with a leap of 12.36 meters (40 '6.75") and followed up that performance by taking third place in the hammer throw with a toss of 52.75 meters (173' 0").
In the high jump, Dorian Curry picked up his second first-place finish of this season with a leap of 2.17 meters (7'1.50").
Jake Wentz earned the second event win of his career in the men's javelin with a throw of 59.14 meters (194'0").
Bodine Degli-Umberti notched a pair of Top two finishes in the women's discus and the hammer throw. Degli-Umberti won the discus with a toss of 52.79 meters (173'2") before placing second in the hammer throw with a 58.77 meter (192' 9").
Mallory Norton and Rocio Chaparro snagged a pair of top-three finishes in the javelin. Norton took second place with a hurl of 38.24 meters (125'5") and Chaparro finished in third with a throw of 36.21 meters (118' 9").
Prinsloo would build on his record-breaking performance by taking second place in the shot put with a toss of 16.27 meters (53'4.5"), while Samuel Mika logged a throw of 15.76 meters (51' 8.50") to earn third place. Mika would also go on to take second place in the 54.75 meters (179'7").
Leila McClough earned the best finish of her career in the long jump, finishing in second place with a leap of 5.44 meters (17'10.25").
Caleb Mabins reeled in a second-place finish in the men's triple jump with a toss of 15.03 meters (49 '3.75").
Track Events
South Alabama took the top three spots in the women's 1500 meters. Clervie Chagot brought home the win with a time of 4:56.80, Abbey finished in second with a 5:01.43, and Teanna Cason rounded out the group in third with a 5:03.94.
Thomas Sensley earned fourth place in the men's 400 meters with a time of 49.95.
Tia Acker cruised to two second-place finishes in the 100 and 200 meters. Acker began with a time of 11.79 in the 100 meters and a time of 24.37.
The Jaguars had stellar results in men's 800 meters. Jordan Morrison earned second place with a time of 1:55.65, and Jean Pierre Le Roux took third with a 1:55.65.
South closed out the weekend with top performances in the 400-meter hurdles. Grace Wolf totaled her second event win of the season for the women, clocking a time of 1:01.54, while Bo Webb placed second with a 53.51.
Head Coach Paul Brueske
On Prinsloo qualifying for the Olympics
" I couldn't be more excited for Francois. He has been working so hard to achieve this goal and he destroyed that today. He's such a talented athlete and I couldn't be more honored to have had him here at South."
Up Next
The Jaguars will have a week off before heading to Monroe, Louisiana to compete in the Sun Belt Outdoor Track and Field Championships on May 9-11.
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