Day one of the Gary Wieneke Memorial in Urbana, Illinois, delivered a thrilling start to the weekend, with Illini stars Jackson Gilbert and Phethisang Makhethe leading a strong showing for the home team.

Local favorite Jackson Gilbert, a native of Urbana, electrified the crowd in the 200-meter dash, blazing to a new season-best time of 21.24 seconds to claim victory. With the 400-meter and 4×400-meter relay still ahead this weekend, Gilbert is setting the stage for what could be a memorable campaign.

In the field events, the Illini women dominated the hammer throw, sweeping the top three spots. Phethisang Makhethe powered her way to a season-best 68.27 meters to take first, with Jordan Koskondy (66.14 meters) and Oluwatomilayo Akintunde (61.55 meters) rounding out the podium. It was a statement performance that showcased the depth of Illinois' throwing squad.

The momentum continued in the women's pole vault, where Mia Morello cleared 4.33 meters to lead another all-Illinois sweep. Anastasia Retsa and Landry Allen followed closely, proving the team's versatility across disciplines.

Action resumes Saturday with field events kicking off at noon and running events starting at 2:30 p.m. Fans can expect more fireworks as the Illini look to build on their impressive day-one results.