Double meet record victories for Britton Wilson in Twilight

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Razorback Britton Wilson registered a pair of victories at the Arkansas Twilight on Friday, setting meet records in the 400m and 400m hurdles at John McDonnell Field.

Racing in the 400m first, Wilson cruised to a 50.97 win over a 51.41 from professional Shamier Little. Wilson improved her previous outdoor career best of 52.06 from high school and moved to No. 3 on the UA all-time list. Wilson is currently No. 5 among collegians this season.

Razorbacks in the race included Rosey Effiong placing third in 51.72 and Morgan Burks-Magee finishing fourth in 52.80.

The previous 400m meet record of 51.71 was set by Diana Harper in 2018. On the Arkansas all-time list Wilson only trails a 50.25 by Taylor Ellis-Watson in 2016 and 50.64 by Harper from 2017.

In the 400m hurdles, Wilson challenged Little throughout the race and had the lead at the finish to claim a narrow decision, 55.41 to 55.49. Wilson, the current collegiate leader and Arkansas school record holder at 54.37, improved the meet record 56.46 set by Danajahnee Birch of Arkansas in 2016.

Additional Arkansas victories included Kennedy Thomson in the 800m and Sydney Billington in the high jump.

Thomson clocked 2:05.98 and came within a stride of the meet record 2:05.78 held by Razorback Stephanie Brown from 2010. Teammate Quinn Owen placed second in 2:07.95 and Carmie Prinsloo was fifth in the race and seventh overall with a 2:12.20.

Billington cleared 5-7 (1.70) to capture the high jump, matching her season best effort from March. Alexis Torns placed third in the triple jump with a mark of 39-10 (12.14) while Georgia Brain finished fourth in the long jump with a leap of 1 7-3.5 (5.27).

Top collegian performances for the Razorbacks included an 11.35 in the 100m and 23.13 in the 200m for Jada Baylark. Effiong finished third in the 200m with a 23.17 ahead of a 23.76 for Cindy Sember.

Professionals Marybeth Sant-Price claimed the 100m in a meet record 11.26 while A’Keyla Mitchell posted a 22.93 in the 200m for another meet record.

Sember set a meet record in winning the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.70, topping the previous mark of 13.01 by Razorback Daszay Freeman in 2021. Yoveinny Mota placed third with a 13.22.

Kaitlyn Banas generated a pair of career bests in clearing 14 feet for the first time to place second in the pole vault. Having set a PR of 13-7.75 (4.16) last week at LSU, Banas surpassed that height with 13-10.5 (4.23) and 14-0.5 (4.28) clearances.

Oklahoma’s Olivia Lueking won the competition with the same height, clearing it on her first attempt compared to a third attempt make by Banas.

Elien Vekemans finished fourth with a 13-10.5 make while Bailee McCorkle was seventh at 13-2.5 (4.03). Grace Ridgeway placed ninth, clearing 12-4.75 (3.78).

Razorback redshirt freshman Heidi Nielson broke the meet record in winning the 3,000m with a career best time of 9:43.46. That bettered the meet record of 9:45.54 set by Sarah Fogarty in 2018. Teammates Julia Paternain (9:56.72) and Adeotte Vaughan (9:57.73) finished second and third.

Florida’s Anna Hall leads the USATF Combined Events Championships after four events from day one with a score of 3,781 points. Chari Hawkins is currently second with 3,750 points while Michelle Atherley is third at 3,673.

Arkansas alum Taliyah Brooks scored 3,662 points and is in fourth place. She opened with a 13.15 in the 100m hurdles (1,102 points), then added 891 with a 5-8 (1.73) high jump. A career best in the shot put of 42-11.75 (13.10) collected 734 points. Then Brooks wrapped up the first day with a 24.48 (935) in the 200m.