After producing fastest outdoor 400-meter time in history by a collegiate athlete to place fourth at World final in October, Jonathas elects to forgo final year of eligibility at South Carolina in preparation for U.S. Olympic Trials

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Wadeline Jonathas, who captured a pair of NCAA Division 1 titles last year at South Carolina along with winning a gold medal as the anchor of the women’s 4x400-meter relay at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships, has decided to forgo her remaining eligibility with the Gamecocks and turn professional.

Jonathas, 21, has signed with the London-based management agency Stellar Athletics. She will continue to train at South Carolina and finish her bachelor’s degree as she prepares for the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.

Jonathas produced the fastest all-time performance by a collegiate athlete in the outdoor 400 meters when she clocked 49.60 seconds Oct. 3 to place fourth in the World Championships final in Doha, Qatar.

Jonathas’ effort isn’t recognized as breaking the 2016 collegiate record of 49.71 set by Texas’ Courtney Okolo since it occurred outside of the NCAA season.

Jonathas, who transferred to South Carolina from UMass Boston after winning nine NCAA Division 3 titles and setting five division records in 2017 and 2018, added two more Division 1 national championships in her only year with the Gamecocks.

Jonathas teamed with Stephanie Davis, Aliyah Abrams and Tatyana Mills to help South Carolina capture the Division 1 indoor title in the 4x400 relay March 9 in 3:30.76, before securing her first individual crown June 8 by winning the outdoor 400 championship in 50.60. She also placed third in the 400 in 50.44 on July 27 at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa.

In addition to her fourth-place finish in the World 400 final, Jonathas teamed with Phyllis Francis, Sydney McLaughlin and Dalilah Muhammad to help the U.S. win a second straight 4x400 gold medal and eighth in meet history in 3:18.92.