Pair of signings will join Razorbacks in January

FAYETTEVILLE – A pair of additions to the Arkansas women’s track and field program, who will join the Razorbacks in January, are sprinter MeKenze Kelley and distance runner Laura Taborda.

A relay gold medalist at the 2022 World U20 Championships, Kelley split 52.23 on the opening leg of the United States 4 x 400m relay in Cali, Colombia, this past summer. The American foursome posted a winning time of 3:28.06, which ranks No. 3 on the World and US U20 all-time lists.

Taborda has been a member of Portugal national teams in cross country as well as track and field, competing in three European Championship events. This past year she qualified for the 2022 NCAA Championships in the steeplechase and set a career best of 9:58.50 in the semifinal to place 17th overall.

Kelley, of Smyrna, Georgia, competed at Coastal Carolina during her freshman season in 2022 where she set career best times of 51.98 in 400m and 22.78 in 200m while claiming gold and silver, respectively, at the Sun Belt Championships.

In qualifying for the World U20 Championships, Kelley won the USATF U20 title in the 400m with a 52.10, bettering the runner-up by 0.70. She finished ninth overall in the 400m at the World U20 meet.

A double gold medalist in the 400m at the Georgia 7A State meet, Kelley is a 2021 graduate of Campbell High School in Smyrna, Georgia, whose alumni includes Julia Roberts. Kelley claimed the pair of gold medals as a sophomore and senior, while the junior meet was canceled due to covid.

Taborda, of Covilhã, Portugal, competed at Eastern Kentucky (2019-2022) and was with Ole Miss during the 2022 cross country season. In addition to the steeplechase, Taborda has the following career best times: 4:24.52 (1,500), 9:27.07 (3,000), and 16:58.10 (5,000).

In the 2022 SEC Cross Country Championships, Taborda placed 18th in 20:26.8 over a 6,000m course, finishing fourth among the Rebels, who hosted the meet and finished third in team scoring. Taborda went to on place 24th in the NCAA South Region to earn All-Region honors.

With Eastern Kentucky, Taborda claimed gold and silver at the 2022 ASUN Championships in the steeple and 1,500m, respectively. At the ASUN Indoor meet, she placed third in the 5,000m and fourth in the 3,000m.