Multiple meet records fall at John McDonnell Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE – Meet records were not safe during the John McDonnell Invitational as Rosey Effiong and Shafiqua Maloney bettered marks in the 200m and 400m, respectively, on Friday.

Arkansas alum Maloney won the 400m in a career best of 50.94 seconds which eclipsed the national record for St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the qualifying standard for the Paris Olympics, and the meet record.

“I wasn’t expecting it, I would have been happy with 51.1,” stated Maloney after completing a 400m/1,500m double victory. “When I saw 50.9, I was like, ‘oh, I’ll take that.’

“I’m excited. You’re probably going to ask if I’m going to run the 400m in Paris, but that’s a question for Coach Johnson. I’m just out here running. My previous PR was 51.7, so I nearly had a whole second PR. I’m very happy with it.”

Effiong posted a 22.78 career best in the 200 (0.9 wind) to finish ahead of alum Jada Baylark’s 22.89. Both bettered the meet record of 22.93 set by Razorback Taylor Ellis-Watson in 2015 as Effiong remains at No. 5 on the UA all-time list.

Ariane Linton finished third in 23.26 and alum Ackera Nugent placed fourth with a 23.39. Additional Razorbacks in the race include Joanne Reid (23.53) and Ashanti Denton (23.66).

“I think it just shows that 400 runners at Arkansas — really, everybody at Arkansas — are very versatile and we can do it all,” noted Effiong. “At first, I was thinking, ‘It’s kind of chilly out here. Let’s just run our best.’ But I’m happy I got the record.”

Maloney just missed the meet record in the 1,500m with a winning time of 4:14.60, which bettered her national record of 4:15.30 set last week in Florida. Dominique Scott holds the meet record of 4:14.26 set in 2017.

“With that double you just have to be prepared to do anything out here,” said Maloney. “I just think running these races, especially the 1,500m, prepares me for whatever double I’ll end up doing.

“Coach Johnson is trying to see where my strengths are at and how I’m able to push through whatever I’m feeling. I went out there and did the best that I could. I think he was pleased.”

Alum Katie McCune finished runner-up in the 1,500m with a 4:15.27 while the Razorback tandem of Mia Cochran and Mary Ellen Eudaly placed third and fourth. Cochran set a career best of 4:15.46 while Eudaly established an outdoor best of 4:18.40.

The 400m becomes the third outdoor national record Maloney has established, joining the records she set in the 800m (1:59.94) and 1,500m. Maloney also previously surpassed the Olympic Games standard for the 800m with an indoor 1:58.69 this season. The Paris standard in the 1,500m is 4:02.50.

The previous St. Vincent 400m national record was 51.23 set by Kineke Alexander in 2014 while Maloney’s previous best was 51.72. Current Razorback Nickisha Pryce held the meet record of 51.47 from 2023. Maloney bettered the Paris Olympics standard of 50.95.

Finishing behind Maloney in the 400m was another Arkansas alum in Paris Peoples, who placed fourth in 52.48, while Razorbacks Aaliyah Pyatt (52.63) and Sanu Jallow (53.15) finished fifth and seventh.

In the 4 x 100m relay the Razorback crew of Ariane Linton, Effiong, Kaylyn Brown, and Amber Anning cruised to a meet record winning time of 43.58 ahead of Central Arkansas (44.79). The previous meet record of 43.75 was set in 2017 by Arkansas.

“I’m very happy with the relay meet record,” stated Effiong. “It just shows that once we get our exchanges nicely done, we can run. Possibly 42.”

A career best height of 13-11.75 (4.26) by Marin Chamberlin secured the pole vault victory with teammates Rachel Homoly (13-5.75 | 4.11) and Hannah Estes (12-11.75 | 3.96) finishing second and third.

Alum Taliyah Brooks cleared 5-11.25 (1.81) to win the high jump with Razorback Nia Robinson runner-up at 5-7 (1.70). In the long jump, Robinson won with a leap of 20-10.5 (6.36) which moves her to No. 3 on the UA all-time list.

Baylark won the 100m in 11.31 (0.6) wind with Cindy Sember of Great Britain third (11.64) and Denton sixth (11.77).

Mackenzie Rogers debut in the 3,000m steeplechase produced a winning time of 10:28.73 for the sophomore. Harding’s Josie Parks finished second in 11:04.90. In the final race of the night Heidi Nielson finished second in the 5,000m with a 16:45.11 behind a 16:37.15 for Emily Carter of Oklahoma State.