Nikki Hiltz fifth in World 1,500m, Razorback pair reach 400m final

TOKYO – Arkansas alum Nikki Hiltz delivered a fifth-place finish in the 1,500m final at the World Championships at Japan National Stadium while a pair of alums – Amber Anning and Nickisha Pryce – reached the final of the women’s 400m and Razorback Tyrice Taylor advanced to the 800m semifinal.

It was the highest finish for Hiltz in a world outdoor final after placing seventh in the Paris Olympic Games a year ago. Hiltz was a silver medalist in the 1,500m at the 2024 World Indoor. A time of 3:57.08 enabled Hiltz to finish ahead of Ethiopia’s Frewwyni Hailu (3:57.33) and Poland’s Klaudia Kazimierska (3:57.95).

Kenya finished 1-2 with Faith Kipyegon claiming gold in 3:52.15 as Dorcus Ewoi collected silver in 3:54.92. Jessica Hull of Australia posted a time of 3:55.16 for the bronze medal ahead of Kenyan Nelly Chepchirchir (3:55.25).

Hiltz was the top American in the final as Sinclaire Johnson finished 13th (4:00.92).

Three Arkansas alums raced in the women’s 400m semifinal with Anning and Pryce running in adjacent lanes in the third heat as they both recorded season best times in advancing to the final.

Anning delivered a 49.38 to secure second place with automatic qualification while Pryce generated a 49.46 in third to claim advancement on time. American Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the heat in an American record of 48.29 to shatter the previous mark of 48.70 set by Sanya Richards-Ross in 2006.

Isabella Whittaker competed in the second heat and finished third in 50.20, which ranked 10th overall among the 24 sprinters in the semifinal stage. The final time qualifier was 49.87 by Norway’s Henriette Jaeger.

Racing in the fourth of seven 800m heats, Taylor produced a time of 1:45.13 to place third behind a 1:44.01 for Cian McPhillips of Ireland and 1:45.09 by American Bryce Hoppel. Finishing fourth in the heat was Australian Peter Bol with a 1:45.15 that didn’t advance on time.

Chris Bailey finished seventh in the first semifinal heat of the men’s 400m with a time of 45.05. Other notable sprinters not reaching the final included Kirani James of Grenada, American Vernon Norwood, and British sprinter Matthew Hudson-Smith.

Romaine Beckford missed three attempts at the opening bar of 7-2.5 (2.20) in the high jump final.