With two days remaining in the Summer Olympics, the Florida Gators have already left their mark on Paris.
The orange and blue have won 12 medals, including four golds, among the most of any American colleges.
Two of Florida's most recognizable athletes suited up toward the end of the track and field competition — Anna Hall and Parker Valby.
Hall, a Gator from 2021-22, competed Thursday and Friday in the two-day, seven-event heptathlon. Valby, a Gator from 2021-24, ran in the 10,000 meters.
Here's how both UF stars performed:
Anna Hall's valiant effort falls just short
Hall's Olympic journey began around 4 a.m. ET Thursday and didn't end until about 2:30 p.m. ET Friday.
The 35-hour heptathlon sends athletes to their limits. Winners have the title of "world's best female athlete" bestowed upon them.
Despite that, Hall still managed to save her best for last.
She entered the Heptathlon's final event — the 800-meter run — in fifth place.
The Colorado native ran one of the best races of her life. She crossed the finish line in 2:04.39, a season best.
Unfortunately, the next seven runners also set personal bests. This meant Hall couldn't push her way into a spot on the medal stand.
Still, Hall's will and determination were shown in full force. She collapsed upon reaching the line, and NBC cameras showed her family offering motivational words to an exhausted Hall.
At the conclusion of day one, Hall was in medal position at third. However, a 13th-place finish on the long jump pushed her down to sixth.
In the javelin, she had maybe the best throw of her life, but she bunny hopped onto the line, rendering it invalid.
Her next throw wasn't as solid, but it did vault her into fifth.
At just 23, Hall can easily be back in Los Angeles for the 2028 Games.
Parker Valby makes good first impression
Olympic track and field events are filled with seasoned pros.
Even athletes like Hall, who had never competed in the Olympics, is still a two-time world championships medalist.
Parker Valby doesn't fall into that group.
She's never run in a World Championship. A year ago, she'd only won one collegiate national title.
Yet, Valby found herself on the track of the Stade de France on Friday evening after a phenomenal college season and two remarkable races at Olympic Trials.
The Tampa area native was truly running with house money Friday. She paced herself well to start in a race that tracks 6.2 miles.
With four laps to go, Valby suddenly moved to the outside and into first. The NBC commentators perked up about the possibility of an American medalist, and Gator fans salivated.
However, the lead proved short-lived as those seasoned pros, like Kenya's Beatrice Chebet, soon passed her.
Chebet ultimately won the race, her second of these Olympics, and Valby finished 11th at 30:59.28.
The Gator alum ended in the top half of competition and concluded an otherworldly season.
Valby said she gained respect for herself after the performance.
"I was telling my coach a few days ago, ‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to even break 32 (minutes).’ I was so unconfident in my abilities at this point. But I mean I did it," she told Citrus Magazine.
At 21, Valby was one of the youngest competitors in the field. Barring something unexpected, Gator fans should expect to see her on home soil in LA.
What does Grace Stark have in store?
Valby's teammate this season and fellow national champion Grace Stark will be the final top Gator to suit up in these games.
Stark will run in the event she won a title in this season — the 100-meter hurdles.
The Michigan native won her semifinal Friday morning in 12.39. That time ranks third among participants. The best part is she has more in the tank. At Trials, Stark finished third with a PB of 12.31, eight hundredths faster than her time Friday.
The Gator from 2021-24 said she draws inspiration from Florida medalists Grant Holloway and Jasmine Moore.
"It definitely helps seeing Grant and Jasmine do so well last night," Stark said in a statement. "It just gives me a lot of motivation, being at the end and hoping to do as well as them."
The final is set for 1:35 p.m. ET Saturday afternoon, with Stark running out of lane four.
The closing ceremonies of the Paris Games are at 3 p.m. ET Sunday afternoon.
Noah Ram covers Gainesville-area high school sports and University of Florida athletics for The Gainesville Sun. Contact him atNram@gannett.comand follow him@Noah_ram1on Twitter.
