NCAA Track and Field Finals: Arkansas 4×400 Women’s Relay Champions Shatter Untouchable Barrier of 13 Years

“I think we knew that we could get out there and run fast,” said Arkansas Razorbacks coach Johnson after his team’s stunning 1-2-3-4 victory in the 4x400m relay at the NCAA DI women’s outdoor track and field championships this weekend. This historic win marked the first time any college had achieved such a feat in NCAA history. The Razorbacks not only secured the championship but also finished over five seconds ahead of the runners-up, Tennessee.

Breaking a 13-year-old record, the team’s extraordinary performance etched their names in collegiate track and field history. Having swept titles in the indoor games earlier this year, the Razorbacks continued their dominance. One of the four Arkansas sprinters also broke two records during the race, making this victory in Eugene, Oregon, even more memorable. This triumph highlights the athletes’ exceptional talent, dedication, and years of hard work.

Arkansas Women’s 4×400 relay team makes history at NCAA track and field finals

In a recent X post from ESPN, they announced the news of The University of Arkansas’ Razorbacks taking home gold and breaking a record in the NCAA semis. They captioned the post, “NATIONAL CHAMPS 🏆@RazorbackTF  wins the 4x400m and clinches the women’s outdoor T&F title!” In the accompanying video, Kaylyn Brown is seen running the last leg of the 4x400m race and finishing in first place. Immediately her teammates run up to the track, and the four girls representing Arkansas embrace in their moment of joy. The team consists of seniors Nickisha Pryce and Amber Anning. As well as junior Rosey Effiong and freshman Kaylyn Brown.

Interestingly, Pryce also had the opportunity to beat a Razorback record. The record was previously held by Britton Wilson. She held the record for the 400m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. However, she was bested by Texas’ Rhasidat Adeleke, who ran 49.20 in 2023. Now Pryce has overtaken them both, with a personal best of 49.32s, besting her own personal best set at the SEC. She also broke the 2002 Jamaican 400m record set by Lorraine Fenton who had a time of 49.30s. The Arkansas women ran the fastest 4×400 preliminary round. They clocked the second-best 4×100, with Anning scoring the 42.45s which is the team’s quickest time this season. Brown secured a time of 49.82s in the 3rd heat.

Followed by Pryce with 49.87s. In the first and second heat, Effiong and Anning came third and fourth respectively. Winning with a combined time of 3:25.51. It was the same lineup for the NCAA West Regional as well. Anning said, “It’s the last time running collegiately for some of us, so we wanted to go out with a bang. And to do it and also win a team title is just so special.” In the 4x100m also set an NCAA record in the West Regional earlier this month with 3:21.92. It’s the Razorbacks’ first national win since 2019. It’s also their first win under head coach Chris Johnson. They have become something of a dream team as they continue to smash records and win titles. 

Arkansas’ dominance extends beyond NCAA: International sprinters may face threat from Razorbacks

The Razorbacks’ dream team has been having a great season which makes it easy to speculate whether the women are heading to the Olympics. Nickisha Pryce recently broke the 50s barrier in the 400m. This secured her a place in the NCAA DI Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Setting a personal best of 48.89s in the women’s 400m event. This makes her a strong contender for the 2024 Olympics. Moreover, teammate Rosey Effiong also was a part of the USATF Outdoor Championships and the NCAA track and field championships for the 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relays. She holds the current World record in the 4x400m mixed relay event with 3:08.80, set in Budapest. Positioning her favorably for the Olympics. 

Even Kayln Brown made significant progress when she achieved a personal best of 49.47s in the 400m, which met the standard to qualify for the relay event in Paris. She even won the SEC Freshman of the Week accolade. Her teammate, Amber Anning has been actively preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The British sprinter who broke the 25-year-old UK indoor record in 200m, has been vocal about her plan to go pro for the 2024 Olympics after the NCAA outdoor season. In the case that this team of sprinters makes it to the Olympics, other countries will face stiff competition.