Ncincilili Titi, a sprinter on the University of South Carolina track team, set a school record in the 200 meter at the Gamecock Invitational on Saturday.
Titi’s time of 20.14 seconds bested the previous record of 20.34 set by Rodney Martin in 2005. He now holds the NCAA’s fastest 200 time of the season and the third fastest time in the world this year.
“Titi’s time of 20.14 is the fastest sea-level time I have ever coached,” said head coach Curtis Fry, who has coached at South Carolina for 21 seasons. “I am pleased with him.”
With his time in the 200 meter, Titi bested his own personal record of 20.55 from the regionals finals last outdoor season. Now, after Saturday’s performance, he is only 0.2 seconds off having the top time in the world for this year.
One reporter mentioned to Titi that he now had the third fastest time in the world. A smile slid across his face as he recoiled in disbelief from the microphone, and incredulously he interrupted, saying, “Third fastest in the world? Oh, nice!”
Titi described what occurred in the race that contributed to him running his record time. He spoke to how Frye arranged the race to have David Winters, Georgia’s top sprinter, on his outside so that he could see Winters the whole race. He said he knew that if he just stayed with Winter’s pace, then Winters would push him to a good time and that he had “just enough in the tank” to pull away from Winters in the last 100 meters of the race.
After the race, Titi was still struggling to comprehend how fast he had just won.
“I was really surprised by the time,” Titi said through a half smile. “Really surprised.”
Yet even after setting a school record, Titi is convinced that this will not be the highlight of his season.
“I think that this, being my opener, I can definitely go faster next week,” Titi said to reporters after the race.
South Carolina men’s track and field will compete again April 22 at the USC Open in Columbia.