Bailey, Hiltz, & Morris earn three gold medals at USATF Champs

NEW YORK CITY – Arkansas alums captured three titles during Saturday’s portion of the USATF Championships held at Icahn Stadium with victories from Chris Bailey (400m), Nikki Hiltz (1,500m) and Sandi Morris (pole vault).

Hiltz and Morris both successfully defended titles as each totaled a 10th career USATF title while Bailey claimed his second USATF 400m title after claiming the 2025 USATF Indoor title, which was also held in New York.

2026 USATF Championships | Arkansas medals

Hiltz won a fourth consecutive USATF Outdoor 1,500m by the narrowest of margins (0.04) with a winning time of 4:06.92. Addy Wiley finished as runner-up in 4:06.96 while Emily Mackay placed third in 4:06.98.

“I just tried to stay patient, and I felt she was closing so hard,” Hiltz said, who has claimed eight consecutive titles when including USATF Indoor. “I really practice that all the time in training, just closing really, really hard. I’ve been in so many races this year where it’s been such close finishes. It felt like the finish of the 100 or something, and just running through the line I knew I had it.

“It was, honestly, out of all my titles, the hardest one. I feel really, really, really happy with that one. It’s so hard to defend one. It’s hard to defend two. Going into this, I was a three-time defending champ, and I think the weight just gets heavier and heavier and heavier. So, I feel a lot of relief right now.”

Morris won her sixth USATF Outdoor pole vault title and 10th overall when including indoor titles. She cleared a season best 16-0.75 (4.90) for the victory and then had three attempts at 16-5.25 (5.01) in trying to break her American outdoor record of 16-4.75 (5.00).

Prior to the final height, Morris only had two misses among five heights. Emily Grove placed second at 15-5 (4.70) while Tori Thomas finished third with a 15-1 (4.60) height.

In the men’s 400m, Bailey produced a time of 44.39 for the win over Khaleb McRae (44.41) and Demarius Smith (44.54). Justin Robinson clocked 44.33 in the race, but was disqualified for lane infringement.

Sanaria Butler earned a bronze medal in the women’s 400m with a time of 50.89 while additional Arkansas alums finished fifth and eighth with Paris Peoples (51.23) and Britton Wilson (52.54). Aliyah Butler won the race in 49.93 over Alexis Holmes (50.47).

“It was really windy,” noted Butler. “But I thought I did good. I could’ve set up the race a little better, but that’s just something we have to go back to tomorrow morning and figure it out.

“Overall, I’m really excited. I’m really proud of myself for being able to come out here and compete. It’s been a long season for me. It’s really a blessing.”

Gracie Hyde placed sixth with a 9:22.10 in the 3,000m steeplechase. Hunter Woodhall posted a time of 11.14 (-1.3) for sixth place in the USATF Para 100m and had the fastest time among the T62 category. In the prelims, Woodhall had an 11.26 (-2.2).