Wilson’s collegiate record earns National Athlete of the Week

Shawn Price January 17, 2023

NEW ORLEANS – Setting a collegiate record in the 600m to open the 2023 indoor track and field season earned Razorback sophomore Britton Wilson the women’s National Athlete of the Week accolade from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

In addition, Wilson was also recognized as the SEC Runner of the Week.

In posting a time of 1:25.16 at the Arkansas Invitational, Wilson bettered the collegiate record of 1:25.80 set by Texas A&M’s Athing Mu in 2021. The mark also ranks No. 7 on the U.S. all-time list and No. 10 on the world all-time list.

“I definitely just wanted to go out there and execute,” stated Wilson. “Just have a good season opener and shake off the rust. It was exciting to feed off the crowd’s energy and feed off Shamier and just execute the race.

“Athing is amazing, so it’s really cool and a great opportunity. It’s gives me a lot of confidence and promise going into the rest of the season.”

This is the 11th school record Wilson has been part of since making her debut as a Razorback in December of 2021. It’s also the second collegiate record she has been part of, having anchored the Arkansas 4 x 400 relay to a collegiate record during the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships.

Wilson finished behind training partner and Arkansas volunteer assistant Shamier Little, who established a world-leading time in the event for 2023 while moving to No. 5 on the U.S. all-time list and No. 7 on the world all-time list.

Splits in the race included: Little (25.06, 27.98 [53.04], 31.61), Wilson (25.23, 27.83 [53.06], 32.10). Wilson’s previous best of 1:30.34 in the 600m came in her debut at the event in December of 2021. Little improved upon a 1:29.12 from January 2022.

“I liked the flat 400m pace we came through, since it felt easy,” noted Wilson. “That gives me a lot of hope going into open 400m this season. Being able to run 53-flat out of the 600m feeling pretty easy gives me a lot of confidence going into the next open 400m that I run.”

In addition, Wilson split 51.60 on the second leg of the winning 4 x 400 relay, which posted a world-leading time of 3:30.38 over another Razorback squad that clocked 3:30.79 as runner-up.