Ackera Nugent breaks Arkansas 60m hurdles record with 7.88

FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas newcomer Ackera Nugent broke the school record in the 60m hurdles with a 7.88 victory on the second day of the Razorback Invitational at Randal Tyson Track Center on Saturday.

Another school record just managed to survive as Lauren Gregory claimed the mile in 4:31.88, just off the 4:31.83 record Krissy Gear set in 2021. Gregory missed breaking the Arkansas 5,000m record by 0.07 outdoors last season.

Nugent’s time currently ranks No. 3 on the 2023 world list and is No. 10 on the all-time collegiate list. The top Jamaican hurdler this indoor season, Nugent is No. 6 on the Jamaican all-time list.

In the 4 x 400 relay, Arkansas won in a scintillating world-leading time of 3:26.40 with a foursome of Amber Anning (52.19), Nickisha Pryce (51.34), Paris Peoples (51.98), and Rosey Effiong (50.89). Britton Wilson was not available due to illness.

The relay time ranks as the fifth best collegiate performance ever and is No. 2 on the UA all-time list behind the 3:24.09 collegiate record the Razorbacks set in 2022 at the SEC Championships.

For the month of January, the time by Arkansas is the second fastest time ever, trailing on the world record of 3:23.37 set by Russia on January 28, 2006.

The Razorbacks demolished the meet record and nearly eclipsed the facility record. The previous meet record was a 3:29.38 set by Arkansas last year. The facility record of 3:26.27 was set by Texas A&M in February of 2021.

Amanda Fassold competed for the first time indoors as a Razorback and led a 1-2-3 sweep for Arkansas. Her winning height of 14-7.25 (4.45) by Fassold equals the collegiate leader for 2023 and moves her equal No. 8 on the UA all-time list.

The previous indoor best for Fassold was 14-5.5 (4.41) from February of 2022. Clearing the initial four heights she attempted on first attempts, Fassold passed at 14-4.75 (4.39). Then she made the career best height on a third attempt, and missed one attempt at 15-1 (4.60).

A clearance of 13-7 (4.14) was matched by three Razorbacks with Kaitlyn Banas finishing second, Grace Ridgeway third with a career best, and Bailee McCorkle tied for fifth place.

Elsewhere, the UA all-time top 10 list had numerous additions, primarily in the 400m, where a trio of career best times produced marks were set by Anning (51.56), Pryce (51.89), and Peoples (52.06), with Effiong posting a 52.04. They now rank No. 4, No. 7, equal No. 9 on the UA all-time list with Effiong at No. 6 with her PR of 51.82 from 2021.

The 400m had some heat with Bowerman winner Abbie Steiner setting a world-leading time of 50.59 over a 50.64 by Shamier Little. The collegiate leader of 51.34 was established by Florida’s Talitha Diggs.

Nugent, who set a World U20 record on the Tyson Center track in 2021, claimed the Razorback school record of 7.93 set by Payton Chadwick in 2018. Nugent’s 7.88 bettered a field that included LSU’s Leah Phillips (8.02) and Florida’s Jayla Hollis (8.19).

Teammates Daszay Freeman finished fourth in 8.21 while Yoveinny Mota placed seventh in 8.33.

Gregory winning mile time of 4:32.95 just missed the meet record of 4:31.03 set by Oregon’s Jessica Hull in 2019 as she bettered a field that included Oregon State’s Kaylee Mitchell (4:32.95), Riley Chamberlain of BYU (4:33.14), Stanford’s Juliette Whittaker (4:33.89), and Oklahoma State’s Taylor Roe (4:34.71).

Sydney Thorvaldson cruised to a victory in the 3,000m in 9:11.47 to better a pair of 9:13s from Aubrey Frentheway of BYU (9:13.10) and Florida State’s Alyson Churchill (9:13.23). Heidi Nielson finished ninth in 9:24.59.

Ainsley Erzen set a career best of 2:09.08 placing second in her section of the 800.

Aleia Hobbs won the open 60m in a world-leading 6.98 to break the facility record of 7.02 set by Tiana Madison in 2012. Arkansas alum Jada Baylark placed third in the race with a 7.24 behind a 7.18 for Mikiah Brisco.