Texas Destroys Collegiate Women's SMR Record With 3:36.10

By David Woods for DyeStat

University of Texas photo

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas is taking over at the Texas Relays.

The Longhorns smashed the women’s collegiate record in the 1,600-meter sprint medley relay Friday night. Julien Alfred (22.4), Rhasidat Adeleke (21.7), Kennedy Simon (49.9) and Valery Tobias (2:01.6) combined for a time of 3:36.10.

Previous record of 3:38.93 was set by Texas A&M in winning by .02 over the Longhorns at last year’s Texas Relays.

INTERVIEWS

Before the sprint medley, Texas ran world-leading times in the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. In prelims of the 4x100, Alfred, Ezinne Abba, Lanae Thomas and Keyona Davis set a meet record of 42.38. Texas clocked 3:31.20 in qualifying for the 4x400.

Of course, Alfred is coming off a 60/200 sweep at the NCAA Indoor Championships in which she set a collegiate record in the short sprint.

Tobias won the 800 Thursday in 2:03.59. fastest in the NCAA this year.

LSU women set record in DMR

Elsewhere in women’s events:

>> LSU set a Texas Relays record of 10:59.86 in the distance medley relay, or .05 faster than the time by Texas last year.

>> Kentucky’s Masai Russell, an indoor collegiate record-holder for most of the winter season, led qualifying in the 100 hurdles in 12.61 (+5.9). NCAA indoor champion and current 60 hurdles collegiate record holder Ackera Nugent of Arkansas was next at 12.95 (+3.9).

>> Missouri’s Valentina Bernacelli, a Colombian, and Sophia Rivera went 1-2 in the javelin at 183-9/56.00m and 182-8/55.68m, respectively. Rivera is the collegiate leader at 189-2/57.67m.

Auburn’s Keyshawn Strachan throws javelin 276-5

In men’s events:

>> Auburn freshman Keyshawn Strachan, a 6-5 Bahamian, made an impressive college debut.  The 19-year-old won the javelin with a throw of 276-5/84.27m -- No. 4 in collegiate history.

>> Arizona State’s Turner Washington won the discus with a distance of 210-0/64.01m, his longest throw since May 2021. He won NCAA titles in shot and discus that year.

>> Alabama’s Chris Robinson won the men’s 400 hurdles in 49.10, best in the NCAA and equaling No. 2 in the world.

>> In prelims of the 110 hurdles, Tennessee’s Devon Brooks clocked 13.21 with a 6.8 mps wind (15 mph). Not advancing but running 13.65 (+5.1) was Georgia decathlete Kyle Garland.

>> Second in the 110 hurdles was Pittsburg State’s Cordell Tinch, at 13.33 (+3.9). Tinch, a sophomore in eligibility from Green Bay, Wis., became Kansas’ first Big 12 champion in the 110 hurdles in 2019. He won NCAA Division II indoor titles in the hurdles and high jump three weeks ago. Under all conditions, Tinch’s 13.33w is second in Div. II history behind a hand-timed 13.0 (+2.2) by Olympic champion Rod Milburn of Southern in 1971.

>> Trevor Gunzell, a Jamaican representing Coffeyville (Kan.), won the discus at 194-5/59.26m. He climbed to No. 7 on the all-time junior college list.

Contact David Woods at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @DavidWoods007.