Arkansas Standout Runs 53.23 To Become Third-Fastest On All-Time Collegiate List; Texas' Julien Alfred Runs Second Fastest Collegiate 200

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

University of Arkansas photo

Britton Wilson of Arkansas wasted no time laying down a marker in the women's 400-meter hurdles, with a mid-April time of 53.23 against a strong field at Florida's Tom Jones Memorial in Gainesville on Friday. 

Wilson, who ran a lifetime best 53.08 last year after the conclusion of the collegiate season, was fifth at last summer's World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Ore. 

On Friday, she got out of the blocks quick and she sustained her speed throughout the race, dominating a field that included multi star Anna Hall and collegiate 100-meter hurdles record holder Masai Russell of Kentucky. 

Wilson's time was the fastest ever by a collegiate athlete in April and trails only Sydney McLaughlin (52.75) and Kori Carter (53.21) on the all-time collegiate list. 

Hall was second in 54.48, which matched her personal best, and Russell was third in 55.39. 

Wilson broke the American and collegiate records in the indoor 400 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships last month. She is scheduled to race her first outdoor 400 of the season on Saturday. 

In the women's 200 meters, 2022 NCAA champion Melissa Jefferson defeated Jamaica's Olympic champion, Elaine Thompson-Herah, 23.02 to 23.23. Both of them were slower than the winner of the collegiate section, won by Texas' Julien Alfred in 21.91.

Alfred's time was a personal best, a Texas program record, a St. Lucia national record, and No. 2 in NCAA history behind Abby Steiner's 21.80 last year. 

Texas' Lanae-Tava Thomas was second in 22.30 seconds. Another Longhorn, Rhasidat Adekele, broke the Irish national record in third with 22.34 seconds. 

Caleb Dean of Texas Tech won the men's 400-meter hurdles in 48.47 seconds and Chris Robinson of Alabama was a close second in 48.66. Trevor Bassitt, the World Championships bronze medalist, was third in 49.18. 

World champion and American record holder Noah Lyles won the men's 200 meters into a slight headwind in 20.16 seconds. 

In the women's 1,500 meters, Rylee Penn of Cincinnati won in 4:13.76.