Arkansas world-leading relay is 5th-best collegiate performance

WACO – Arkansas closed out the Clyde Hart Classic in a way that paid homage to the legendary Baylor head coach the meet is named after as the Razorbacks produced a world-leading 4 x 400m relay time of 3 minutes, 22.06 seconds, which ranks as the No. 5 performance on the collegiate all-time outdoor list.

Running with a foursome of Sanaria Butler, Analisse Batista, Kaylyn Brown, and Sanu Jallow-Lockhart, Arkansas broke the facility record as they defeated a professional Captain Athletics squad (3:26.09) that trains in Fayetteville.

The previous facility record of 3:25.08 was set by Hurdle Mechanic on April 2, 2022. That relay consisted of professionals Dalilah Muhammad, Andrenette Knight, Gianna Woodruff, and Nicole Yeargin.

Collegiate Outdoor All-Time 4 x 400m Relay

After the first two legs of the relay, the Razorbacks had a combined split of 1:42.24 compared to the 1:44.35 registered by the first two legs from Captain Athletics, which included Janieve Russell and Britton Wilson.

Then Brown delivered a 49.73 split on the third leg for Arkansas as Nickisha Pryce countered with a 50.09. On anchor leg, Jallow-Lockhart produced a 50.09 for the emphatic victory as Shafiqua Maloney split 51.65.

Brown has been on the three fastest relays produced outdoors by Arkansas, as anchor leg (49.04) on the collegiate record, third leg on the second (50.46) and third (49.73) best Razorback efforts.

Finishing the indoor season as the 4 x 400m relay world leaders from their winning time of 3:23.63 at the NCAA Indoor Championships, Arkansas quickly claimed the same platitude as outdoor world leaders in their first foray in the event outdoors.

A second Razorback foursome won the second section of the 4 x 400m relay and placed third overall with a 3:30.72. The quartet included Amirah Sharpe, Abigail Campbell [1:45.55], Arianna Sharpe (51.97), and Makenna Herbst (53.20).

Earlier in the meet on Saturday, Jallow-Lockhart and Batista set outdoor career bests as they finished 1-2 in the 400m. A 51.21 for Jallow-Lockhart improved her Gambian national record while Batista clocked 51.46.

Arianna Sharpe (52.50) placed third in section 1 with her Razorback teammates while Campbell placed fifth in 52.59 and Amirah Sharpe finished sixth in 52.88.

Additional Arkansas sprinters in the 400m included Taejha Badal (53.75), Saira Prince (53.91), Asia Thomas (53.44), and Morgan Herbst (54.55).

Makenna Herbst won the 800m in 2:04.22, which ranks No. 10 on the UA all-time list. She defeated a trio of pros who excel 400m hurdles and 400m with PRs set by Muhammad (2:04.51), Alexis Holmes (2:05.64), and Woodruff (2:06.72) while Arkansas teammate Madeleine Gear set an outdoor career best of 2:07.22 in fifth place.

Simone Ballard won the 100m hurdles in 13.28 (1.4 wind) over teammate Saira Prince (13.29) while Gabriella Cunningham (13.56) placed fifth and Morgan Herbst (14.24) finished ninth.

In the prelims, Herbst set a best of 13.89 in her debut season with the event while Cunningham ran 13.48.

Maria Arboleda claimed a second consecutive high jump victory outdoors, clearing 5-8.75 (1.85) while Savannah Byers placed third with a 5-7 (1.70) clearance.

On Friday, Arkansas alum Taliyah Brooks won the long jump with a last round mark of 21-5.25 (6.53). In second place with a third round 21-0.5 (6.41), Brooks improved by a quarter inch in round four to 21-0.75 (6.42) and then delivered the winning distance in round six.

Heidi Hudson, in eighth place after three rounds with an 18-10.75 (5.76), improved to a wind-aided 19-2 (5.48) in round four and remained in eighth place. Baylor’s Janae De Gannes finished second with a leap of 21-2.75 (6.47) with Iowa State’s Sydney Willis third at 20-9.25w (6.33).

Maloney delivered a 4:23.16 victory in the 1,500m over TCU’s Georgia Scott (4:23.39) with Gear third in a career best of 4:25.50 while Josphine Mwaura finished fourth in 4:26.85.

Cool and windy conditions on Friday evening had Pryce clocking 23.39w (3.4 wind) and Wilson running 23.57w in the first section of the 200m. Amber Anning finished second in 23.38w (4.0 wind) in the second section.

With a 2.3 wind in the third section, Brown led with a 23.49w over teammates Butler (23.87w), Thomas (23.94w), and Badal (24.21w).