GAINESVILLE, FLA. -  A trio of Georgia State runners began the three-day 73rd Pepsi Florida Relays competition with good results.

In the 400m Hurdles (Open Division), Panther sophomore Tyler Watson produced the third-fastest time in school history and finished eighth of the 30 competitors. The Tampa, Fla. native clocked 1:00.19 in a race that saw only one collegiate runner finish ahead of her. That time surpassed UL Lafayette's Alena Hrusoci for the fastest time in the Sun Belt this year. Her teammate Kassandra Pierre finished 17th of those 30 hurdlers in 1:02.69, just .06 off her season-best time.

In the 9 p.m. 5,000m run, Stephanie Berger lowered her personal-best outdoor time by 20 seconds in clocking 17:55.72.

On Friday's Day 2 events, GSU's student-athletes will compete in the hammer throw, the discus, the 100m, the 200m, the 3,000m steeplechase and thee 4x400m relay. GSU has four more relays and the shot put on Saturday.