NOT LONG AGO it seemed like the vast majority of elite and collegiate powerhouse teams and individual talent hitting the outdoor slate in late March or early April would matriculate to the Texas Relays and Florida Relays — or maybe both, if they were on successive weekends, like they were last year.
This year, however, USATF staged the second leg of its new USATF Tour on the speedway that is the Ansin Complex in Miramar and LSU hosted its own Battle On The Bayou, all the while the annual festivities were taking place in Austin and Gainesville. Thus, the nation’s sprint, relay and field event talent was diversified — or diluted, depending on your perspective — across twice as many meets.
Miramar Invite — Thompson “WR” Leads Jamaican Corps
MIRAMAR, FLORIDA, April 04 — Some of Jamaica’s top speedsters showed strong early-spring form at this second USATF Tour stop (also a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meet), especially Kishane Thompson.
With the opportunity to race at the infrequently contested 150-meter distance, Thompson blasted a 14.92, surpassing the 14.97 unofficial “World Record” established by Brit Linford Christie way back in 1994 (Usain Bolt ran 14.35 in a 150 straightaway race). The 24-year-old Thompson, whose World individual sprint medal tally now includes three silvers after his WIC 60 runner-up finish in Poland, edged Zimbabwe’s Carli Makarawu at 14.96.
Jamaicans also swept the women’s 150, with twins Tia and Tina Clayton 1st (16.87) and 3rd (17.00). Briana Williams (16.92) finished 2nd. The 150 was the shortest of a trio of short- and long-sprint events that were offered here, along with the 300 and 600 (contested more often indoors).
The women’s 300 went to 2-time World 400m bronze medalist Sada Williams of Barbados in 36.23, ahead of Jamaica’s double 200 world champ Shericka Jackson, while the men’s version was captured by Texas prep Jake Odey-Jordan in 32.43.
Quarter-miler Paris Peoples stepped up to take a shot at the 600 and came up with a 1:23.45 PR, third-fastest all-time among Americans and 0.06 ahead of Shafiqua Maloney. Will Sumner, who set the prep 600 HSR 4 years ago, returned to the event for a 1:16.88 triumph.
Ackeem Blake, teammate of Thompson in Tokyo and Toruń, was also sharp with a 9.84w (2.2), an all-conditions PR, ahead of Texas prep Tate Taylor’s 9.95.
Hurdler Jamal Britt showed great early-season form, as well, following a 13.15w (3.7) heat with a stellar world-leading and PR-equaling 13.07.
Only three field events were contested, but in the long jump Monae’ Nichols became the eleventh American 23-footer (all conditions) on her final attempt, her 23-2½ (7.07) aided by a 2.6 breeze. That followed a legal 22-9¾ opener and 4 fouls.
Battle On The Bayou — Strong Stick Game For Hosts
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, April 03–04 — LSU sprinters (and their alums) made sure the home fans went home happy, at least when it came to getting batons around the track and across the line before anyone else.
In the women’s 4×1, it was said alums — the Tiger Olympians — zipping an early world-leading 42.49, ahead of an NCAA-leading 42.62 by Georgia. The winners’ lineup included Nigerian Rosemary Chukwauma, who later would win the Olympic Development 100 in a windy 10.81 (3.1). Adaejah Hodge, who led UGA to the NCAA Indoor title and ran on the runner-up 4×1 here, won the open 100 in 11.04w (2.4).
In the women’s 400, current Tiger Ella Onojuvwevwo got her first career sub-50, a WL 49.59, in turning back the impressive PR 50.06 from USC’s Madison Whyte. Onojuvwevwo, a Nigerian senior, moved to No. 9 all-time among collegians. Then, wouldn’t you know, she ran leadoff on LSU’s meet-ending 4×4 triumph timed in 3:26.51.
Not to be outdone, LSU’s men got their own sweep, with a 38.80 in the short race (including 100 winner Jaiden Reid), and an NCAA-leading 3:01.43 to win a terrific battle with Texas A&M (3:01.62) and Alabama (3:01.64). Tiger junior Grant Buckmiller keyed the win with a 44.26 third leg.
Georgia frosh hurdler Le’Ezra Brown — a 13.25 performer over the 39-inchers last year— rolled to an outstanding 13.29, good for second on the NCAA year list and a mark only Ja’Kobe Tharp and Renaldo Nehemiah have ever bested among U.S. Juniors. Brown’s yearling teammate, Jonathan Simms — who famously ran 44.62 over two laps in January, had his fastest lap since in his Bulldog outdoor debut at 44.76.
On the field, Oklahoma’s NCAA champ Ralford Mullings, in his first meet back since a disappointing non-qualifier in Tokyo last fall, won the discus with a modest (for him) 206-3 (62.82). Minnesota’s hammer thrower Anthonett Nabwe, winner of the NCAA weight title last month, opened strong at 233-8 (71.22). UGA’s Skylynn Townsend boosted her PR by nearly 6 inches in the triple jump, reaching 44-10¼ (13.67).
Florida Relays — Thomas Blasts Near-WL 9.90
GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, April 03–04 — USC alum Max Thomas, last June’s NCAA 100 runner-up, displayed his readiness for the next level with a PR 9.90.
Thomas, who improved his 10.03 PR from ’25, was just 0.01 off the 9.89 recorded a day earlier by Botswana’s 400m world champ Collen Kebinatshipi, roughly 8000 miles away.
Meanwhile, South Carolina’s Akala Garrett, transfer from Texas, ran her second-best ever 400H, a world-leading 54.22. She also ran a leg on a victorious Gamecock 4×4 (3:25.12) and was 2nd in the 100H (13.17). South Carolina also captured the 4×1 in 42.83.
Garrett had helped USC to bronze (4×4) and silver (DMR) podium finishes at the NCAA Indoor three weeks earlier. She ran her PR of 53.73 in the Tom Jones Invite last year on the same track.
Auburn’s new 60H CR-holder Ja’Kobe Tharp didn’t contest his specialty, but won the 200 in 20.61 and helped his Tigers win the 4 x 100 in 38.67 — without NCAA 60 champ Kanyinsola Ajayi. The host Gators were 2nd in that race, but rolled to a 4×4 triumph in 3:02.25.
Most remarkable, perhaps, were the performances of 14-year-olds Camryn Dailey and Melanie Doggett, who ran 22.73 and 22.80 in the Olympic Development 200, plus a trio of fellow preps who dominated the OD 400. More on them in our upcoming HS Digest report.
