Razorbacks secure fifth consecutive SEC Outdoor title, 24th overall

LEXINGTON – Arkansas claimed its fifth consecutive SEC Outdoor team title with a tally of 98.5 points, earning its 24th SEC Outdoor championship on Saturday evening.

With 23 of its 30-man squad in competition on the final day, the No. 9 Razorbacks produced 78.5 points to defeat No. 5 Georgia (87), No. 12 Alabama (85), No. 2 Texas A&M (77), No. 21 Ole Miss (74), Tennessee (63), No. 17 Texas (53.5), No. 10 Auburn (50), and No. 15 LSU (45.5).

Jordan Anthony accounted for 21.5 points in earning the Commissioner’s trophy as the high-point scorer over 20 points for Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan and 18 points for Toby Gillen, both of Ole Miss.

Winning the 100m in a career best of 9.95 seconds (0.0 wind), Anthony bettered his UA record of 9.98 and completed a rare sweep of SEC Indoor 60m and SEC Outdoor 100m titles.

He became just the sixth SEC sprinter to achieve the double and produced the equal best combined time of 16.49 from the two events with a 6.54 and 9.95. The last to accomplish the feat was Christian Coleman of Tennessee in 2017, who also had a 16.49 (6.52, 9.97) combined time from his pair of victories.

Anthony just missed the SEC Championship meet record of 9.93 set by LSU’s Richard Thompson in 2008 in defeating the field with the lone sub-10 second time. Auburn’s Kanyinsola Ajayi ran 10.01 as runner-up with LSU’s Jelani Watkins third in 10.02.

While his 100m victory was impressive, Anthony supplied a shocking victory in the 200m with a career best 19.93 (wind 1.3) as he defeated Auburn’s Makanakaishe Charamba (20.08) and LSU’s Jaiden Reid (20.15) with teammate Connor Washington eighth in 20.61.

Anthony moves to No. 2 on the UA all-time list behind the 19.89 set in 2005 by Wallace Spearmon Jr.

Joining even more select company with a SEC Indoor 60m title along with a SEC Outdoor 100m and 200m sweep, Anthony accomplished the trifecta along with Coleman (19.98) in 2017, Thompson (20.23) in 2008, as well as Tennessee’s Justin Gatlin (19.86) in 2002

Anthony started the final day as the anchor leg on the Arkansas 4 x 100m relay that collected a bronze medal in 38.60, which ranks No. 6 on the UA all-time list. Joining Anthony on the relay were Connor Washington, Tevijon Williams, and Jaden Smith.

Arkansas middle distance and distance squad combined for 36 points in three events on the final day of the meet.

Davis Helmerich won the 1,500m in 3:52.01 while Brian Masai earned a bronze medal with a 3:53.17, and Reuben Reina added a point in eighth (3:53.89) as the Razorbacks totaled 17 points in the event.

In the 800m, the combo of Rivaldo Marshall and Tyrice Taylor added nine points. Marshall finished third in 1:45.81 while Taylor place sixth in 1:47.16.

Ben Shearer survived falling and getting trampled in the 5,000m to earn a silver medal in 13:50.19 while Masai added another couple of points in seventh place with a time of 13:55.42.

The 10 points from the 5,000m race secured the team title for Arkansas heading into the final event, the 4 x 400m relay. The Razorbacks finished sixth in the relay with a 3:04.65.

An additional 8.5 points were attained in the high jump as Scottie Vines finished fourth with a 7-1.5 (2.17) clearance and Joshua Blakely tied for fifth at 6-11.5 (2.12). Henry Kiner placed fifth in the triple jump for four points with a mark of 52-4w (15.95).