Razorbacks collect sweep of medals to close World Championships

BUDAPEST, Hungary – Arkansas completed the final day of the World Athletics Championships with a sweep of relay medals at the National Athletics Center on Sunday evening.

Nickisha Pryce earned a silver medal with the Jamaican 4 x 400m relay (3:20.88) while Amber Anning collected a bronze medal with the British 4x 400m relay (3:21.04).

Chris Bailey will receive a gold medal as a member of the United States men’s 4 x 400m relay that won the final in a world-leading 2:57.31.

Overall, the Arkansas contingent competing at the World Championships totaled eight medals – 3 gold, 4 silver, and a bronze – while having 11 athletes place among the top eight in the finals of their respective events.

Of those 11 athletes, six were collegians with the Razorback program this track and field season.

The Netherlands, with a motivated anchor leg from Femke Bol, won the women’s 4 x 400m relay in a world-leading time of 3:20.72. Bol had fallen and dropped the baton at the end of the mixed relay on the first weekend of the World Championships. She passed Great Britain and Jamaica in the final stages of the race for the victory.

Pryce set up Jamaica relay well with her third leg carry, handing the baton off to Stacy Ann Williams for the anchor leg. At that stage the order was Jamaica, Great Britain, and the Netherlands.

“I just went all in to win,” said Pryce, who moved from second leg in the prelims to third leg in the final. “I wanted to get a safe pass to Stacy Ann. I felt good about my race, but we came out here to win.

“I always want to run the third leg. I just did my best. We didn’t win, but I’m pleased with the aeffort.”

Anning produced another stellar effort on the second leg of the British relay before handing the baton off to Ana Pipi.

“I knew the second leg was going to be a lot tougher then yesterday,” noted Anning. “There some really great girls on it, but I stayed strong and set it up nicely. The girls did a really good job of taking it home and finishing it for us.”

Bailey and Matthew Boling were replaced in the men’s relay final as the United States went with a line-up of Quincy Hall (44.54), Vernon Norwood (44.01), Justin Robinson (44.74), and Rai Benjamin (44.02).

Finishing behind the Americans was France in a national record of 2:58.45 while Great Britain claimed a bronze medal in 2:58.71.

Medalist | Razorback results

Finals [bold, 2023 collegian]