World Indoor Championships next global stage for Arkansas alums

FAYETTEVILLE – The World Athletics Indoor Championships being held this weekend in Glasgow, Scotland, will include six Arkansas alums along with four athletes training in Fayetteville as they represent four countries in the global meet.

Coverage of the meet from March 1-3 will be available through NBC, CNBC, and Peacock channels. On Friday, March 1, the morning and evening sessions will air live on Peacock, starting at 3:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. (CT). On Saturday, March 2, coverage will air live on Peacock at 3:50 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Sunday’s coverage on March 3 starts on Peacock at 3:55 a.m. and continues via CNBC and Peacock at 1 p.m. Taped segments will air at 7 a.m. (CNBC) and 11:30 a.m. (NBC).

Among the UA alums are Sandi Morris, a two-time World Indoor gold medalist in the pole vault with titles in 2018 and 2022, and Nikki Hiltz, winner of four U.S. titles over the past two seasons in 1,500m and mile distances.

Hiltz races in the evening session on day 1 of the World Championships in the second of four prelim heats where the top three in each heat qualify to the final.

Three Razorback alums are entered in the men’s long jump, which will be held in Saturday’s morning session, with Jarrion Lawson (United States), Carey McLeod (Jamaica), and LaQuan Nairn (Bahamas).

McLeod finished fourth in the 2023 World Outdoor Championships, Nairn won the 2022 Commonwealth Games, and Lawson has finished fourth twice at World Indoor competitions in 2018 and 2022.

Chris Bailey, a member of the United States 4 x 400m relay pool after finishing third in the 400m at the USATF Championships, ran in the semifinal of the 4 x 400m relay last summer at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, and earned a gold medal when Team USA won the final.

A two-time Olympic and two-time World Outdoor shot put champion, Ryan Crouser aims to collect his first World Indoor gold medal after a silver medal in 2022. The 2024 world leader with a mark of 74-9.75 (22.80) from his USATF title, Crouser will be the fifth thrower among a field of 16 during the first three rounds in Friday’s final.

Tara Davis-Woodhall enters the World Championships with a world-leading mark of 23-6.75 (7.18) she set in winning the USATF Indoor title. Last summer she earned a silver medal at the World Outdoor Championships.

Alexis Holmes recently set a career best of 50.34 in winning the USATF 400m title in Albuquerque. She anchored the United States to a world record in the mixed 4 x 400m relay at the 2023 World Outdoor Championships.

The prelims in the 400m have Holmes and world indoor record holder Femke Bol of the Netherlands in adjacent lanes in the fourth of four prelim heats on Friday. Holmes is in lane 5 with Bol stationed in lane 6.

British hurdler Cindy Sember finished fifth in the 100m hurdles at the 2023 World Outdoor Championships and was a silver medalist the 60m hurdles at the 2021 European Indoor Championships.

All three rounds of the 60m hurdles will take place on the final day of the World Championships with prelim heats in the morning session followed by the semifinal and final in the evening session.

The women’s pole vault final will be held in Saturday’s evening session. Missing from the competition this season is Arkansas alum Tina Šutej, who earned a bronze medal at the 2022 World Indoors and finished fourth at the 2023 World Outdoor Championships. A recent injury sidelined Šutej for the remainder of the indoor season.

Men

Women

World Indoor Championships | Glasgow, Scotland | Schedule

Friday, March 1 | Morning Session (CT)

Friday, March 1 | Evening Session

Saturday, March 2 | Morning Session

Saturday, March 2 | Evening Session

Sunday, March 3 | Morning Session

Sunday, March 3 | Evening Session