Gators Track: Men Survive Early Scare, Advance Almost Everyone

For the Florida Gators track team to have any chance at winning the national championship this week on the men’s side, just about everything needed to go perfect for them given the limited number of events they were entered in.

One event into their quest, those dreams were almost dashed in the prelims of the 4 X 100.

As it stands Florida advanced all but one runner they brought to Eugene into finals and will still have a shot at winning when finals take place on Friday.

4 X 100 Almost Fails To Advance

A team can have four of the fastest runners in the world, but if their baton exchanges are not clean it can lead to disaster in the 4 X 100.

Florida had a slight delay getting their first exchange off, and by the time the baton found its way into Joseph Fahnbulleh’s hand for the anchor leg, the Gators were in 6th place and in danger of not advancing.

Fahnbulleh was unfazed and sprinted past everyone to win the heat for Florida and advance to the finals.

Others Gators Step Up To Advance

While Fahnbulleh was a virtual lock to advance in his open events, the 100 and 200 meter dash, not every Gator that took the track Wednesday was.

Even then, Fahnbulleh had to survive another scare.

In his prelim heat of the 100, he had an awful start out of the blocks and was in dead last at the 50 meter mark.

50 meters later he was in 2nd and advanced.

Dedrick Vanover came is as a bubble guy in the 100 and was going to need a great race to advance.

Vanover, in a photo finish, took 2nd in his heat after running 10.15 to advance to finals.

The 4 X 400 also easily advanced after winning their heat with a 3:01.30.

School Record In The 400

One of the other Gators that will have a massive role in whether or not Florida can win the title is Champion Allison. The SEC champ in the event made quite the statement in the prelims when he not only won his heat, not only emerged seeded 1st, but Allison would run a 44.29 to become the new school record holder in the 400.

Allison will be joined in the finals by Ryan Willie, who finished 2nd in his heat to advance with a 45.47.

Where Gators Track Stands Heading Into Finals

The only blemish for Florida was not getting Jacory Patterson to advance to finals in the 400 and javelin thrower Mark Porter did not score in his event, though he wasn’t projected to anyway.

Keeping in mind that only one team since 1985 has scored 60 points and not gone on to win the title, Gators track will have work to do to reach that mark.

If everyone from Florida finishes exactly where they are seeded going into finals, Florida would score 44 points.

With a better start, Fanbulleh could win the 100. The 4 X 1 and 4 X 4 also have the potential to move up.

If Fanbulleh can win the 100 and 200 (the 100 will be the tougher of the two), the 4 X 1 (who have the nation’s fastest time this year), 4 X 4 (same as 4 X 1), and Allison can win the 400, that gets Florida to 50.

Then Vanover and Willie need to combine for 10 points (4th place finish from each would do it) and Florida can still get to 60.

Florida will still have to fend off the likes of Georgia, Florida State, Texas,  BYU, and LSU, but at least Gators track will still have a shot heading into Friday.

All results can be found here

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