Ashleigh Young

Britton Wilson’s 49.51 breaks outdoor 400m collegiate record

GAINESVILLE – An encore performance from Razorback Britton Wilson during the second day of the Tom Jones Memorial hosted by Florida delivered an outdoor collegiate record of 49.51 seconds in the 400m.

In setting a third individual collegiate record this season, Wilson broke another collegiate standard previously held by Athing Mu from her time at Texas A&M. In the outdoor 400m, Mu held the collegiate record with a 49.57 performance during the 2021 NCAA Championships.

Wilson’s indoor American record of 49.48 is the absolute collegiate record, while her previous outdoor best was 50.05 from winning the 2022 SEC 400m title. Wilson also ranks No. 7 on the U.S. all-time list with her sub-50 performance.

Left in the wake of Wilson’s stellar run was Rhasidat Adeleke of Texas, runner-up in 49.90, while Razorback Rosey Effiong finished third in 50.93, an outdoor career best that is No. 4 on the UA all-time list. Kennedy Simon of Texas finished fourth in 51.31.

Arkansas’ depth in the event numbered 10 deep and offered a display of things to come this outdoor campaign.

Aaliyah Pyatt clocked a career best of 51.75 that ranks No. 11 on the UA all-time list. Following were Paris Peoples in 51.80 while outdoor PRs were established by Joanne Reid (51.95) and Nickisha Pryce (52.26).

The next set of Razorbacks included Amber Anning (52.35), MeKenze Kelley (52.97), and Ashanti Denton (53.25), who set an outdoor PR.

In the 4 x 400m relay, the Arkansas depth delivered a runner-up time of 3:26.60, to Ohio State’s 3:26.57 while also putting together a 3:34.66, which won another section. The Buckeyes edged the Razorbacks by less than a stride at the finish line.

Teams finishing behind Arkansas’ top time were Florida (3:29.27), Tennessee (3:29.57), Central Florida (3:31.42), and Auburn (3:32.00).

The line-up for the leading Razorback squad included Pyatt, Reid, Pryce, and Effiong. The next unit included Anning, Peoples, Denton, and Kelley.

Ackera Nugent won her section of the 100m in 11.12 (0.8 wind), moving to equal No. 4 on the UA all-time list with teammate Tiana Wilson. Nugent’s career best in the event is 11.09.

At 800m, a foursome of Razorbacks produced solid times as Lainey Quandt led the group with a career best of 2:06.26. Ainsley Erzen followed with an outdoor PR of 2:08.41. Analisse Batista ran 2:09.26 for a career best and Chachi Gonzales clocked 2:10.58.

After a career best in the 400m hurdles on Friday, Madison Langley-Walker posted a 13.47 in the prelims of the 100m hurdles, a tenth of a second off her career best 13.37.

Evening racing in the 1,500m at the Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific produced a pair of PR times for Katie McCune (4:18.19) and Laura Taborda (4:22.99) while Carmie Prinsloo ran 4:23.87.