MOSCOW, Russia - Fellow Gator NCAA Champions Arman Hall (Pembroke Pines, Fla.) and Tony McQuay advanced out of the heats of the men's 400 meters on the second day of the 14th IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Moscow, Russia. The nine-day meet runs through Sunday, August 18 at Luzhniki Stadium.
McQuay captured his heat and was third overall with a time of 45.06. Hall was fifth in his heat and the fastest qualifier on time in 45.45. Both Gators will race at 12:05 p.m. ET Monday for a spot in the final. McQuay will compete in the first semifinal while Hall has been placed in the third semi.
Novlene Williams-Mills advanced to the finals of the women's 400 meters with a 50.34 finish in her heat of the event Sunday. Williams-Mills crossed third in her heat and seventh overall to qualify for Monday's final at 1:15 p.m. ET.
Rising seniors Eddie Lovett (West Palm Beach, Fla.) and Cory McGee (Pass Christian, Miss.) both participated in their first World Championships. Lovett, representing the U.S. Virgin Islands, finished 17th overall in 13.52 with the top 16 advancing to the semifinals. Lovett's junior season comes to a close after capturing the 2013 NCAA Indoor title in the men's 60-meter hurdles and a runner-up finish in the men's 110-meter hurdles at NCAA Outdoors.
For McGee, competing in Moscow for Team USA was a stark contrast to this time a year ago after recovering from an injury sustained after the 2012 Olympic Trials. McGee finished in 4:12.33 to close the book on a phenomenal junior campaign that saw her turn in her best performance with a runner-up finish at NCAA Outdoors in the women's 1,500 meters.
Shara Proctor was unable to match her qualifying performance from Saturday, finishing sixth in the finals of the women's long jump with her leap of 6.79m/22-3.50.
Joining Gator quartermilers Hall, McQuay and Williams-Mills in competition Monday will be two-time Olympian Kerron Clement, who starts things off for the Gators with the heats of the men's 400-meter hurdles at 3:05 a.m. ET.
Ugonna Ndu (Newark, N.J.) will represent Nigeria in the women's 400-meter hurdles at 3:50 a.m., as she races in the fourth and final heat.
A strong Gator contingent is residing in Moscow, as 16 Gators have been granted the opportunity to represent their countries in Moscow, led by Florida head coach Mike Holloway. The 2013 USTFCCCA National Outdoor Head Coach of the Year, Holloway was chosen as head men's coach for Team USA.
Universal Sports Network and NBC will air 46 hours of premier track & field action from the 2013 IAAF World Championships in Moscow, Russia from Saturday, August 10 through Sunday, August 18. The broadcast team of Ato Boldon, Tom Hammond, Lewis Johnson and Dwight Stones will call the action from Luzhniki stadium in Moscow, home of the 1980 Olympic Games.
