Hall Wins Three-Event Combo In Return To Gainesville

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Anna Hall's return to the Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Fla., where she competed for the first time since helping Florida win last year's NCAA Division 1 women's championship, featured three events that played to her strengths. 

It's early in the season, but at the moment Hall is No. 2 in the world in the 400-meter hurdles after running 54.94 seconds, No. 3 in the world in the high jump after upping her outdoor best to 6-2.50 (1.89m) and No. 14 in the world in 800 meters after running 2:03.23. 

Hall won all three competitions at the Pepsi Florida Relays. 

In the 400-meter hurdles, which isn't a heptathlon event but still one of her best, she has evolved to switching her lead leg over the 10 barriers. Friday's race marked the first time that she had tried it in a live meet and she ran a half second off her personal best (54.48). 

Rai Benjamin took down the meet record in the men's 400 meters, clocking 44.94, breaking a Butch Reynolds record that had stood since 1999 (45.13). Quincy Hall of adidas was second in 45.36. 

Erriyon Knighton of adidas won the Olympic Development men's 100 meters in 9.98w. Jelani Walker of adidas was second in 10.03 and 2022 NCAA champion Joe Fahnbulleh of ASICS was third in 10.04. 

Tamari Davis, also an adidas pro, won the women's Olympic Development 100 in 10.83 seconds aided by a +5.3 tailwind. 

World champion Noah Lyles joined his brother, Josephus Lyles, Noah Williams and Jereem Richards to win men's 4x400 Olympic Development relay in 3:02.99. 

In the college compeition, the Florida men ran 3:02.01. 

An Athletics Canada team anchored by Olympic champion Andre DeGrasse won the men's 4x100 relay in 37.80 seconds. Canada won the world championship in the event last summer with 37.48. 

Another Canadian national team member, Marco Arop, won the men's 1,500 meters Friday in 3:38.36. 

Steven Gardiner of the Bahamas (and adidas) ran a world-leading 20.14 to win the Olympic Development men's 200 meters on Friday. Trevor Bassitt, the world bronze medalist in the 400-meter hurdles last summer for the U.S., was second in 20.53. 

Gabby Scott of Empire Athletics and Puerto Rico won the women's 400-meter Olympic Development race in 51.24. 

Texas A&M duo Jermaisha Arnold (50.71) and Tierra Robinson-Jones (50.90) both went 1-2 in the college women's 400. 

Florida newcomer Alida Van Daalen from The Netherlands won the women's shot put with 58-10.25 (17.94m).