MIAMI (March 30, 2017) – Only a freshman, FIU women's track and field standout
Gabrielle Rains has competed in just two meets during her young collegiate career in the United States, but the Canadian native has already made a name for herself internationally. Rains, who hails from Sherwood Park, Alberta (Bev Facey Community H.S.), is currently ranked fourth in the world in the discus among all U-20 female throwers with a career-best mark – and school-record – of 53.10m set at the University Miami Hurricane Invitational in Coral Gables, Florida on March 19. She established the record in her first collegiate meet and on her third collegiate throw. In addition, Rains's throw set a new Canadian under-20 record surpassing the previous distance of 52.52m set by Michelle Brotherton on May 29, 1986, a span of 31 years.
Click here to see a complete list of the U-20 women's world discus rankings.
So far this season, Rains has proven that great things are on the horizon.
She finished second at the season-opening Hurricane Invitational – the same meet she set the record in on March 19 – and third (51.15m) the following weekend at Miami's Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on March 25. For her efforts in her collegiate debut,
Rains was named the Conference USA Female Field Athlete of the week.
Rains will be tested this weekend as she is competing in one of the largest and most prestigious meets in the country, the Pepsi Florida Relays, March 30-April 1, at the James G. Pressly Stadium at Percy Beard Track. Rains will be competing in the Invitational Division against some of the nation's elite throwers.
Fans are encouraged to follow the team on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUTrackXC) for all the latest FIU Track and Cross Country news.
Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
#####
About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 56,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.
