Tokyo World Championships: 19 Razorbacks represent 9 nations

FAYETTEVILLE – Eighteen Arkansas athletes representing eight countries will compete in the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, from September 13 to September 21 at Japan National Stadium.

There will be 2,202 athletes from 198 countries competing in the 20th edition of the World Outdoor Championships. Of the 41 athletes who won individual gold medals at the 2023 edition in Budapest, 38 are entered to compete in Tokyo.

This marks the third World Outdoor Championships held in Japan. Previously, Tokyo served as host in 1991 while Osaka was the host site in 2007.

Countries represented by Razorbacks at the Tokyo World Championships include the United States (7), Jamaica (5), Belgium, Great Britain, Puerto Rico, Slovenia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Sudan.

Coverage of the World Championships will be on NBC and Peacock, with a detailed schedule posted here: https://www.ustfccca.org/meets-results/broadcast-schedule.

The Arkansas men have six athletes from four countries in the meet. They include Chris Bailey (US) – 400m, 4 x 400m; Tyrice Taylor (Jamaica) – 800m; Yaseen Abdalla (Sudan) – marathon; Romaine Beckford (Jamaica) – high jump; Carey McLeod (Jamaica) – long jump; and Ayden Owens-Delerme (Puerto Rico) – decathlon.

“It’s an excellent opportunity for these athletes to compete on the world stage,” said Arkansas men’s head coach Chris Bucknam. “With the Olympics and World Championships, it’s kind of our Super Bowl. I’m proud of the development and hard work these athletes put in to get this point. I’m looking forward to seeing how they do and obviously representing the Hogs and the state of Arkansas. I’m very, very proud of them.

“There is a sense of pride, and in my view, that’s the kind of competition that is brought here to Fayetteville by our great facilities, whether it’s the indoor or outdoor track. It’s second nature, now It’s not easy, but it’s not a huge step for our athletes because they compete in the SEC, and everybody knows what that means in all sports and track and field as well. It’s a world-class conference.”

The Razorback women have 13 athletes from seven countries competing. They include Amber Anning (Great Britain) – 400m, 4 x 400m; Nickisha Pryce (Jamaica) – 400m, 4 x 400m; Isabella Whittaker (US) – 400m, 4 x 400m; Shafiqua Maloney (St. Vincent) – 800m; Nikki Hiltz (US) – 1,500m; Ackera Nugent (Jamaica) – 100m hurdles; Julia Paternain (Uruguay) – marathon; Sandi Morris (US) – pole vault; Tina Šutej (Slovenia) – pole vault; Elien Vekemans (Belgium) – pole vault; Taliyah Brooks (US) – heptathlon; Rosey Effiong (US) – 4 x 400m; and Britton Wilson (US) – 4 x 400m.

“It’s exciting when you have that many athletes, with the ones who are here training along with those who have Arkansas ties and have competed for the University of Arkansas,” said Arkansas women’s head coach Chris Johnson. “We have more athletes than some countries. I think it’s phenomenal.

“It tells the community, and track and field community at large, that Arkansas is doing some things right and we’re able to produce high level athletes for the World Championships and Olympics Games as well as other major meets such as the Diamond League.

“So, it’s exciting and a tribute to the coaches and the support staff who have been able to assemble these great athletes to come to Arkansas, trust in the program and go out there and compete at the very highest levels. We’re looking forward to them potentially getting medals and competing well. That’s what we do here at Arkansas.”

Earlier this year Bailey and Anning each won World Indoor 400m titles in China. In 2024, they both reached the 400m final at the Paris Olympics with Anning placing fifth with a British national record of 49.29 and Bailey finished sixth in 44.58 after setting a then PR of 44.31 in the semifinal.

Winning a World Outdoor title the same year a World Indoor title was achieved has only been accomplished once per each gender. American Tyree Washington completed the men’s sweep in 2003 while Shaunae Miller-Uibo of the Bahamas swept women’s 400m titles in 2022.

Joining Anning in the women’s 400m field are Pryce and Whittaker. Pryce holds the Jamaican national record with a 48.57 from winning the London Diamond League in 2024 while Whittaker broke the American and collegiate indoor record with a 49.24 effort to claim the 2025 NCAA Indoor title. Whittaker ranks No. 2 on the all-time world indoor list.

“They all competed for the Hogs and competed together,” said Johnson. “The 400 is a dynamic event for us along with the hurdles. They get to run the open 400 and have an opportunity to run a relay as well. To see them compete against one another while representing their respective countries at the highest level on that stage is gratifying as a coach.

“In the 400 we have the Jamaican national record holder in Nickisha, the British national record with Amber, and the American indoor national record with the second-best time ever in world with Bella. We’re very dominant in that event and it’s been done well. It’s a tribute to these ladies and the hard work they’ve put in as well as the belief in the system we have here.”

After winning the Jamaican 800m title this summer and producing a best of 1:45.23 during the NCAA semifinal, Taylor still required a qualifying time for the World Championships, with a standard of 1:44.50 for the 800m.

Competing at the NACAC Senior Championships in the Bahamas, Taylor delivered a career best of 1:43.74 in placing third to break the Jamaican national record as well as the Arkansas school record. The previous Razorback record of 1:44.97 was set in 1995 by Brandon Rock.

“I’m especially proud of Tyrice, he’s been through a whole indoor and outdoor season,” noted Bucknam. “What a phenomenal way for him to finish off his 2025 track season at the World Championships. He had one last chance to qualify at NACAC in the Caribbean and he got it done.

“He broke an iconic record set by Brandon Rock, an Olympian from Arkansas back in the day. You break a school record here it’s a pretty big thing. In order to get to the World Championships, he had to break an Arkansas school record. So, that just kind of tells you how high the bar is for all of guys here now and the legacy our great alums left for us. It just gives you an idea how special this place is in track and field.”

Nugent recently won the 100m hurdles at the Diamond League final in 12.30 seconds and earlier this summer claimed a victory in the Prefontaine Classic with a 12.32. Nugent produced the world leading time in 2024 with her national record of 12.24.

“Ackera is trending in the right direction in being able to win the Diamond League final,” noted Johnson. “It gives her all the confidence in the world going into the World Championships. That event is a stacked event. It’s about who is able to compete and execute the best on that day. I think she is very prepared to do that.

“We’re excited about her and what she’s been able to do this season, it’s been very consistent. We’re looking for a big drop in time.”

Maloney finished fourth in the 800m at the Paris Olympics, improving her national record to 1:57.59 during the semifinal. At the recent Diamond League final, Maloney lowered her national record to 1:57.29 in finishing fourth. Among 11 sub-2-minute performances this season, Maloney has generated a time under 1:59.00 on five occasions.

“Maloney was able to get into the Diamond League final at the very last minute and was able to set a national record with her season best time,” stated Johnson. “She’s trending in the right direction. All these ladies have bought into the program, they train and work hard.

“It’s not just about the coaches we have a lot of resources around them. The University of Arkansas and the community is a great place to be and train at a very high level.”

Morris, a two-time World Indoor gold medalist, will be competing in her sixth World Outdoor Championship, where she has previously earned a trio of silver medals in the pole vault in 2017, 2019, and 2022.

Šutej, who collected a silver medal in the pole vault at the 2025 World Indoor Championships, is competing in her seventh World Outdoor Championships. She finished fourth in 2022 and 2023.

Vekemans broke the Belgium indoor national pole vault record this season with a 14-11.5 (4.56) clearance. Outdoors, she has improved the national record four times, topped by a 15-6.25 (4.73) performance. Vekemans won the World University Games title in July.

McLeod placed fourth in the long jump at the 2023 World Championships, earned a bronze medal at the 2024 World Indoor, and was an Olympic finalist in Paris. Recently, McLeod finished fifth in the Diamond League final.

Beckford, a four-time NCAA high jump champion, has competed at the 2023 World Championships and 2024 Paris Olympics. Beckford finished fourth in the recent Diamond League final.

Hiltz claimed a silver medal 1,500m at the 2024 World Indoor Championships and finished seventh at the Paris Olympics. In Diamond League meets this season, Hiltz placed fifth at the Prefontaine Classic (3:55.96), finished fourth in Poland (3:56.10), and then won at Brussels with a season best of 3:55.94.

Over the past two seasons Hiltz has produced five of the top 10 U.S. performances all-time in the event with a career best of 3:55.33 ranking as the No. 2 performer all-time.

Owens-Delerme finished fourth in the decathlon at the 2022 World Championships held in Eugene and placed ninth in the Paris Olympics. This season Owens-Delerme produced a season best score of 8,486 to place seventh at Götzis and won the Decastar in Talence with an 8,478 score.

Earlier this season Brooks claimed a bronze medal in the World Indoor pentathlon. In the heptathlon, she finished second in Decastar with 6,365 points. Brooks then set a career best of 6,526 as runner-up in the USATF Championships, with her score ranking No. 10 performer on the U.S. all-time list.

After setting a Sudan national record in his marathon debut during the Paris Olymics, Abdalla will contest the 26.2-mile race in Tokyo. Abdalla clocked 2:11.41 in Paris to place 33rd.

“The events they are competing in is a reflection of our program and how we have a complete program,” stated Bucknam. “It’s also a reflection of the talent of our coaches and how well they help these athletes. Across the board, as one of the head coaches, I’m just really proud of the whole operation.

“We’re so blessed with the facilities, the pedigree, and the tradition. All of those things are a source of pride for us. Again, it’s just a reflection of the work that’s being done in the track and field programs here at the University of Arkansas. It’s not a play around sport here, we’re trying to compete at the highest level.

“That’s why I feel confident that these athletes could have great success. They grew up in college competing against Olympians and World Champions week in and week out. I think they can take that experience to Tokyo as fact, they’re used to this kind of competition. I’m excited to watch and they have our support back home.”

The 4 x 400m relay could feature plenty of Razorbacks on the global stage. Bailey has been an integral part of the U.S. men’s 4 x 400m relay the past couple of years. He collected a gold medal at the Paris Olympics as the Americans set an Olympic record of 2:54.43, the second fastest time in world history, with Bailey splitting 44.45 on the opening leg.

In 2023, Bailey ran in the relay prelims, splitting 44.34 on the third leg, and earned World Championship gold when USA won the final. At the 2025 World Indoors in China, Bailey led an American 1-2-3 sweep in the 400m and then anchored team USA to a relay gold medal, splitting 44.84.

In Budapest at the 2023 World Championships, Effiong and Anning raced against each other in the prelims on the same leg for the U.S. and British 4 x 400m squads.

At the Paris Olympics, Anning was part of two bronze medal relays for Great Britain in the women’s 4 x 400m (49.01 anchor leg) and mixed 4 x 400m (48.86 anchor). Effiong earned 2023 World Championship gold in the mixed 4 x 400m relay, supplying a 50.38 second leg split, as the Americans set a then world record of 3:08.80.

Pryce collected World Championship silver in 2023, splitting 50.67 on the third leg of the 4 x 400m. Wilson ran third leg (49.39 split) on the winning U.S. squad (3:17.79) at the 2022 World Championships and placed fifth in the 400m hurdle final.