Razorbacks sweep SEC weekly honors
BIRMINGHAM – Impressive winning performances by the Razorbacks during the past weekend in Albuquerque led to Arkansas moving to No. 1 in the national rankings as well as sweeping the three SEC weekly honors.
In addition to being named National Athletes of the Week, the Razorbacks 4 x 400m relay was named SEC Runners of the Week with the foursome of Connor Washington, James Benson II, Ayden Owens-Delerme, and Chris Bailey.
Jordan West earned SEC Field Athlete of the Week while Jaydon Hibbert claimed SEC Freshman of the Week honors.
In posting a time of 3:01.09, Arkansas ran the second fastest time ever in the 4 x 400m relay indoors while generating the fastest time ever at altitude and the fastest time ever posted in February.
The Razorbacks became just the fifth relay to have a pair of sub-45 second splits among their foursome with Benson (44.82) and Bailey (44.32). Bailey’s split is the fourth fastest ever indoors, and it’s his fifth time to post a sub-45 split, the most by anyone.
West set a career best of 66-5.76 (20.26) to win a competitive shot put in New Mexico, leading the field through four rounds while hitting the exact same mark of 65-7.75 (20.01) on three consecutive attempts.
Among the field, though, was two-time defending NCAA Indoor champion Turner Washington of Arizona State, who moved ahead of West with a fifth-round toss of 65-10.5 (20.08).
West responded with his final attempt PR to capture the victory, handing Washington his first loss indoors since February 29, 2020.
Joining West with career best efforts in the shot put were Arkansas teammates Rojé Stona (63-5.75|19.35) and Ralford Mullings (58-8|17.88). The trio of throwers moved to positions No. 2-5-8 on the UA all-time list, respectively.
Hibbert, an 18-year-old freshman competing in the triple jump indoors for the first time, established a collegiate leading mark of 54-10.75 (16.73) while using a short approach of eight steps.
Establishing a Jamaican national U20 record with the mark, Hibbert repeated the exact distance on his second and final attempt. Hibbert currently ranks eighth on the 2023 world list and is the world leader among U20 athletes.
Hibbert also moves to No. 9 on a very formidable UA all-time triple jump list, which starts with a school record of 57-1 (17.40) by Mike Conley and includes marks from Erick Walder, Clive Pullen, Edrick Florèal, Robert Howard, Jerome Romain, Melvin Lister, and Brian Wellman at No. 8 with a mark of 55-0.25 (16.77).
