Razorbacks break 4 x 800m collegiate record at Texas Relays

AUSTIN – The final day of the 97th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays showcased Arkansas’ middle-distance quality as the Razorbacks broke the collegiate record in the 4 x 800m relay with a winning time of 8 minutes, 16.12 seconds on Saturday.

Closing out the meet with a pair of 4 x 400m races, the Arkansas sprint depth was featured with a pair of Razorback victories. In the Sayna Richards-Ross 4 x 400m relay, Arkansas won by four seconds with an outdoor world-leading time of 3:25.03. In the University 4 x 400m relay, another Razorback crew won by nearly two seconds with a 3:31.95.

With a trio of relay victories on the final day, Arkansas improved its overall Texas Relays total of relay wins to 16. This marks the second consecutive year for the Razorbacks to claim three relay victories during the Texas Relays weekend. Last year the victories came in the 4 x 200m, Richards-Ross 4 x 400m, and distance medley relays.

The previous 4 x 800m relay collegiate record of 8:17.28 was set by Washington in 2024 while the previous Texas Relays meet record of 8:20.69 was set by LSU in 2023. Splits for Washington in setting the previous record at the Penn Relays included 2:07.94, 2:05.05, 2:02.12, and 2:02.17.

Arkansas’ record breaking crew consisted of Analisse Batista (2:04.8), Ainsley Erzen (2:04.2), Anna Podojil (2:05.5), and Sanu Jallow-Lockhart (2:01.6).

Finishing behind the Razorbacks in the 4 x 800m relay were Clemson (8:20.42) and Texas (8:47.13) among a field of 11 teams. A gap was created early in the race with Texas in second place during the first leg of the race while Clemson challenged briefly at the end of the second leg.

Arkansas previously won the 4 x 800m relay at the Texas Relays in 2010 (8:35.18) and 2005 (8:38.03).

This marks the ninth collegiate record Arkansas women currently hold between indoor and outdoor seasons and it’s the fourth relay collegiate record, joining the 4 x 400m (indoor & outdoor), and 4 x 1,500m relays.

In addition, two Razorbacks share the American collegiate record in the 400m with Britton Wilson and Kaylyn Brown both registering a time of 49.13 in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Ackera Nugent has an all-conditions collegiate best in the 100m hurdles with a wind-aided 12.25 from 2023.

The Razorback foursome producing a 3:25.03 on the winning Richards-Ross 4 x 400m relay included Jallow-Lockhart (52.5), Shawnti Jackson (51.2), Rachel Glenn (50.58), and Kaylyn Brown (50.73).

They generated the No. 7 time on the UA all-time list and bettered the previous outdoor world leader of 3:25.20 set by Team International in an earlier race at the Texas Relays.

Finishing behind Arkansas were UCLA (3:29.41), TCU (3:30.87), Northwestern State (3:32.45), Clemson (3:33.13), and Iowa (3:39.83).

In the Invitational 4 x 400m relay, the winning time of 3:25.20 was produced by a professional squad named Team International that consisted of Ackelia Smith (53.9), Julien Alfred (49.2), Dina Asher-Smith (51.39), and Rhasidat Adeleke (50.78).

The second Razorback crew consisted of Ashanti Denton (54.9), Kayla Davis (53.0), Podojil (52.57), and Sanaria Butler (51.47). Their winning time of 3:31.95, which would have placed fourth in the Richard-Ross relay race, bettered Howard (3:33.89) and West Texas A&M (3:39.12).

In the 100m hurdles final, aided by a 2.6 wind, Simone Ballard finished sixth in 13.22w while Shania Myers placed ninth in 13.47w.

Razorback Women | Current Collegiate Records

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