LOUISVILLE, Ky. - North Florida track and field swept the distance medley relay (DMR) with program record-breaking times on both the women's and the men's sides to pick up a pair of gold medals through the first day of competition at the ASUN Indoor Championships on Thursday evening.

The women's DMR and the men's DMR went into each of their races as underdogs and came out victorious for the DMR sweep to clinch first-place finishes to kick off ASUN indoors. Ana Markovina, Celine D'Anna, Ella Chandler and Smilla Kolbe highlighted the women's side with a time of 11:27.34, while Onix Ortiz Vazquez, Troy Williams, Aiden Arnold and Robert Pedroza represented the men's side clocking in at 9:46.92.

The Ospreys brought in another medal as well with the performance of high jumper Nicole Shepherd reaching a mark of 1.71m in the women's high jump for silver. Both UNF teams stand in the top five of the team standings through the first phase of events in the Bluegrass State.

FINISH LINE

Men's Events

• The DMR team was the highlight of the first day breaking their owen record from earlier this month on the biggest stage.
• All four Ospreys of Arnold, Ortiz Vazquez, Ben Tary and Christian Ruocco qualified for the mile final during the preliminary rounds.
• Pedroza clinched a automatic qualifier in the men's 800m prelim with a sixth-place finish across all heats.
• Rey Hernandez and Williams both went top six in prelims to each qualify in men's 400m.
• William Owens and Jonathan Bailey followed their lead, as both sprinters advanced through the men's 60m prelims as well.
• Owens also advanced to the men's 200m during prelims with a fourth overall finish.
• Aidan O'Gorman and Seth Martinez each had top-seven times during the 5000m race, but both just missed podium placements.
• Tyshone Bolden placed in the top 20 of the long jump at 6.25m as the lone Osprey jumper on Thursday.

Women's Events

• The DMR team matched the men's side with a top finish as well facing adversity to find their way to the top.
• Shepherd was also a podium highlight for the women with a silver finish in the high jump.
• Drea Thompson and Renske Drenten were right behind Shepherd in fourth and fifth respectively.
• Camryn Batt ran in both the 60m and the 60mH prelims, but advanced in the hurdles with her sixth overall time.
• D'Anna joins Batt as a fellow sprinter to move on to the finals with a seventh-place time in the 400m qualifier.
• Kolbe and Chandler joined Ines Arqued as the Osprey trio to advance to the 800m final, all reaching top-seven times.
• Isa Leen impressed as the lone UNF runner in the 5000m with a top-10 placement.
• Aleks Futschek and Bella Palmiotto finished among the top 20 in the long jump competition.

PIGG'S POINTS

"Ana [Markovina] ran a great lead-off leg, especially considering she was knocked down and got right back up and continued to race hard. Celine [D'Anna] crushed the 400m and Ella [Chandler] did her normal quality work to give Smilla [Kolbe] the stick a few seconds behind favorite Lipscomb. Smilla ran very smart and closed strong for the win."

Our high jumpers really had a strong day. Nicole [Shepherd] jumped very well and just keeps getting better. Drea [Thompson] and Renske [Drenten] also jumped very well. It was a great effort and a real boost to close out the day with these strong competitions. 

Onix [Ortiz Vazquez] ran a super lead-off leg and then Troy [Williams] crushed the 400m. Aiden [Arnold] ran a very wavy leg to give the stick to Robert [Pedroza] in the hunt. Robert ran a very gutsy mile to overtake favorites EKU and Lipscomb. It was a big win for the team.

Aidan [O'Gorman] ran a nice 5000m and Seth [Martinez] also ran well finishing fourth and seventh overall. It is a ridiculous event in our conference and the guys were a little dissatisfied, but I thought they competed very well.

We we had a huge number of personal bests and the table is set for the final day tomorrow."
-- head coach Jeff Pigg

UP NEXT

The Ospreys finish out its postseason with the second and final day of the ASUN Indoor Championships on Friday, Feb. 28, in Louisville, Ky.

OSPREY RESULTS

Women's Long Jump
Aleks Futschek - 16th - 5.04m (16-6.50)
Bella Palmiotto - 20th - 4.77m (15-7.75)

Men's Long Jump
Tyshone Bolden - 17th - 6.25m (20-6.25)

Women's High Jump
Nicole Shepherd - 2nd - 1.71m (5-7.25)
Drea Thompson - 4th - 1.62m (5-3.75)
Renske Drenten - 5th - 1.62m (5-3.75)

Men's Mile (Prelims)
Aiden Arnold - 4th - 4:09.98 (Q)
Onix Ortiz Vazquez - 6th - 4:10.16 (Q)
Ben Tary - 9th - 4:11.68 (q)
Christian Ruocco - 10th - 4:12.0 (q)

Women's 60mH (Prelims)
Camryn Batt - 6th - 9.05 (q)

Men's 60mH (Prelims)
Troy Williams - 11th - 8.75

Women's 400m (Prelims)
Celine D'Anna - 7th - 56.57 (Q)
Melissa Epting - 16th - 59.60

Men's 400m (Prelims)
Rey Hernandez - 5th - 48.83 (q)
Troy Williams - 6th - 49.07 (q)

Women's 60m (Prelims)
Camryn Batt - 16th - 7.84

Men's 60m (Prelims)
William Owens - 6th - 6.89 (q)
Jonathan Bailey - 7th - 6.90 (q)

Women's 800m (Prelims)
Smilla Kolbe - 2nd - 2:11.36 (Q)
Ella Chandler - 4th - 2:11.88 (Q)
Ines Arqued - 7th - 2:13.86 (q)
Emma Jane O'Gorman - 10th - 2:16.39

Men's 800m (Prelims)
Robert Pedroza - 6th - 1:51.81 (Q)
Ladarius Tellis - 9th - 1:52.65
Mason Spearin - 10th - 1:52.70
Christian Ruocco - 11th - 1:53.68
Ryan Douihech - 15th - 1:54.87
Ben Tary - 17th - 1:56.27

Women's 200m (Prelims)
Gabby Johnson - 15th - 25.06

Men's 200m (Prelims)
William Owens - 4th - 21.70 (q)

Women's 5000m
Isa Leen - 10th - 17:27.13

Men's 5000m
Aidan O'Gorman - 4th - 14:06.32
Seth Martinez - 7th - 14:15.13
Sebastian Hernandez - 15th - 14:40.47
Paul Lespasio - 18th - 14:57.64

Women's DMR
Ana Markovina | Celine D'Anna | Ella Chandler | Smilla Kolbe - 1st - 11:27.34

Men's DMR
Onix Ortiz Vazquez | Troy Williams | Aiden Arnold | Robert Pedroza - 1st - 9:46.92