Taiwo surpasses former U.S. indoor champion, Rebels star Stewart to elevate to No. 3 women’s competitor in history, trailing only Berry and Riley, as Haugh also achieves world leader; Garcia Romo runs fastest collegiate men’s indoor mile on oversized track, leading 10 sub-4 efforts

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It was a memorable men’s mile Friday at the Music City Challenge, with 10 athletes producing sub-4 performances, including Ole Miss standout Mario Garcia Romo leading three competitors under 3:55 for the first time in collegiate history.

But the singular significant highlight from the Vanderbilt Multipurpose Facility in Nashville, Tenn., belonged to another Ole Miss star, as Shey Taiwo continued to climb the all-time NCAA and world lists in the women’s weight throw.

Taiwo launched a lifetime-best 82 feet, 7.75 (25.19m) effort in the fourth round to increase her world lead, good for the No. 3 throw in collegiate history and the No. 7 all-time American and global mark.

Taiwo ranks No. 2 among NCAA performers and elevated to No. 3 among the all-time female competitors, trailing only Gwen Berry and Brittany Riley. It was the best throw in the world since 2018 and allowed Taiwo to join former Ole Miss standout and U.S. indoor champion Janeah Stewart, as well as Berry and Riley, with multiple career 25-meter throws.

Stewart was second Friday with a 78-8.25 (23.98m) performance. Jalani Davis of Ole Miss won the open section of the weight throw with a personal-best 75-4 (22.96m), giving the Rebels three of the top four collegiate competitors this season, along with Jasmine Mitchell at 77-6 (23.62m) and Taiwo.

Former Alabama and Kennesaw State standout Daniel Haugh, a U.S. Olympian in the men’s hammer throw, produced a world-leading mark in the men’s weight throw with his sixth-round effort of 81-9.50 (24.93m).

Garcia Romo produced the fastest collegiate indoor time ever on an oversized track by winning the mile in 3:53.36, better than the 2017 mark of 3:53.89 produced by Washington’s Izaic Yorks at the Dempsey Indoor facility in Seattle.

Garcia Romo also lowered the previous facility record of 3:55.58 set last year by former Ole Miss standout Waleed Suliman.

Alabama’s Eliud Kipsang was second in 3:54.36 and Illinois’ Jonathan Davis took third in 3:54.59 to join Garcia Romo as the first trio to all run sub-3:55 in the same collegiate mile race, indoors or outdoors.

Garcia Romo led three Ole Miss athletes to sub-4 efforts, including James Young (3:55.20) finishing fifth and Shane Bracken (3:57.57) placing ninth overall.

Ole Miss added another victory in the men’s 5,000, with Cole Bullock clocking 13:48.01 and runner-up Haftu Strintzos of Villanova running 13:50.42.

Michigan State junior Jenna Magness eclipsed the 2018 facility record in the women’s 5,000, prevailing in 15:36.60. Duke’s Michaela Reinhart edged Tennessee’s Sydney Seymour by a 16:00.31 to 16:00.68 margin for second.

Olivia Howell of Illinois added another facility record in the women’s mile with her 4:33.75 effort, with Cincinnati’s Ellie Leather (4:34.89) placing second. Vanderbilt’s Sara Barron had previously been the only female athlete to run sub-4:40 with her 4:39.95 mark in 2016, but six athletes achieved the feat Friday.

Baylor’s Aaliyah Miler, the reigning NCAA Division 1 indoor 800 champion, won the women’s 600 in 1:30.64.

Mississippi State’s Dan Joyce clocked 1:19.44 to prevail in the men’s 600.

Vanderbilt’s Haley Bishop held off Cincinnati’s Caisja Chandler by a 23.85 to 23.86 margin in the women’s 200.

Keshaun Black of Meridian Community College in Mississippi triumphed in 21.20 in the men’s 200.

Will Williams, a former Texas A&M standout representing Winners Circle, was victorious in the men’s long jump with a sixth-round leap of 26-2.75 (7.99m).

Shayla Broughton of Mississippi State produced a fourth-round effort of 20-10 (6.35m) to win the women’s long jump.

Arkansas State’s Bradley Jelmert cleared 17-1.50 (5.22m) to secure victory in the men’s pole vault.

Samford junior Justin Stuckey cleared 7-2.50 (2.20m) to take the top spot in the men’s high jump.

Tacoria Humphrey of Illinois and Annika Kinley of Cincinnati both cleared 5-10 (1.78m) in the women’s high jump.