South Carolina freshman Ford elevates to No. 2 in World U20 indoor history and No. 4 all-time collegiate indoor athlete, also clocks 51.33 in 400, with Texas A&M star Distin matching indoor personal-best effort to become only second NCAA female high jumper with multiple 6-5.50 clearances; Alabama’s Banks achieves Division 1 weight throw lead

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Photo courtesy of Texas A&M

Lamara Distin has been accustomed to being among the all-time collegiate competitors throughout her Texas A&M career.

But the Jamaican high jumper wasn’t the only female athlete from the Southeastern Conference to find herself in the spotlight Saturday at the Tiger Paw Invitational at the Clemson University Indoor Track.

RESULTS

South Carolina freshman JaMeesia Ford produced the fastest women’s 200-meter race in American Under-20 indoor history by clocking 22.36 seconds, to achieve her second facility record of the meet.

Bianca Knight had held the American U20 all-time indoor performance of 22.40 since 2008.

Ford, 19, eclipsed the 22.52 venue mark set in 2021 at Clemson by former Kentucky star Abby Steiner, elevating to the No. 4 all-time collegiate indoor competitor.

Only Texas’ Julien Alfred (22.01), Steiner (22.09) and LSU’s Favour Ofili (22.11) have run a faster 200 indoors than Ford as collegiate athletes.

Ford also ascended to the No. 2 competitor in World U20 indoor history, trailing only the 22.36 effort established last year by British Virgin Islands athlete Adaejah Hodge of Montverde Academy in Florida at New Balance Nationals Indoor at The TRACK at New Balance in Boston.

Ford also ran a personal-best 51.33 in the 400 meters Friday to take down the facility record of 51.53 achieved in 2017 by former Miami (Florida) standout Shakima Wimbley.

Distin, a Jamaican competitor, cleared 6-5.50 (1.97m) on her third attempt to win the women’s invitational high jump, equaling her indoor personal-best performance from last year’s meet and matching the No. 3 all-time collegiate indoor effort.

Distin, who joined Arizona graduate Brigetta Barrett as the only female high jumpers in collegiate history with multiple clearances of at least 6-5.50, was unsuccessful on her three attempts at 6-6.75 (2.00m).

Rose Yeboah, a freshman at Illinois representing Ghana, cleared 6-2 (1.88m) and secured second based on fewer overall attempts against Georgia junior and Cyprus competitor Elena Kulichenko.

Danniel Thomas-Dodd, the Jamaican record holder, won the women’s invitational shot put with a sixth-round mark of 61-4.25 (18.70m).

Alabama junior Ruben Banks, a British competitor, took over the collegiate lead in the men’s invitational weight throw with a 78-4.25 (23.88m) mark in the third round. Illinois senior Tyler Sudduth, who entered the meet with the top NCAA effort this season, was second at 75-4.50 (22.97m).

Crimson Tide senior Chandler Hayden was victorious in the women’s invitational weight throw with a fifth-round performance of 74-9.75 (22.80m).

Keaton Daniel, a Kentucky senior and the collegiate men’s pole vault leader, cleared 18-5.50 (5.63m) on his first attempt to prevail in the invitational competition.

Illinois junior Tori Thomas edged Texas A&M junior Heather Abadie in the women’s invitational pole vault on fewer attempts after both athletes cleared 14-3.25 (4.35m). Thomas achieved the winning height on her first opportunity, with Canadian athlete Abadie successful on her third try.

Georgia senior Alexander Kolesnikoff, an Australian competitor and the top collegiate athlete this season, punctuated his win with a sixth-round effort of 65-6.25 (19.97m).

Georgia sophomore Christopher Morales Williams triumphed in the men’s 400 in 45.39, holding off Cique Elite professional athlete and former Bulldogs’ teammate Matthew Boling in 45.47 to win his section, as they led six competitors running sub-46 performances.

Clemson freshman Gladys Chepngetich, representing Kenya, prevailed in the women’s invitational 800 meters in 2:01.83.

Central Florida senior Rayniah Jones clocked 7.95 to secure victory in the women’s 60-meter hurdles, with Canadian athlete Mariam Abdul-Rashid placing second in 8.01.

Paris Williams, a former Kennesaw State standout, won the men’s 60 hurdles in 7.58, with Texas A&M sophomore Jaqualon Scott clocking 7.68 to finish second. Scott and Williams both ran 7.60 in the semifinals.

Tennessee’s Joella Lloyd won by a 7.27 to 7.29 margin in the women’s 60-meter dash final against former Volunteers’ standout Maia McCoy.

Eric Harrison Jr., an Ohio State graduate representing Trinidad and Tobago, prevailed in the men’s 60 final in 7.59.

Alabama held off Texas A&M by a 3:03.28 to 3:03.81 margin to emerge victorious in the men’s 4x400 relay.

Georgia (3:29.28) edged Texas A&M (3:29.58) and Penn (3:29.86) in the women’s 4x400.

Florida State’s Jeremiah Davis had a fourth-round effort of 26-11 (8.20m) in the men’s long jump and placed second in the triple jump at 54-9.25 (16.69m), trailing only Jamaican competitor Jordan Scott at 55-2 (16.81m) in the third round.

Baylor senior Alexis Brown produced a first-round leap of 21-6.25 (6.56m) to win the women’s long jump, holding off a late charge by Illinois freshman Elizabeth Ndudi and her sixth-round effort of 21 feet (6.40m).

Clemson sophomore Shantae Foreman achieved a personal-best 44-8 (13.61m) in the fourth round of the women’s invitational triple jump to edge Auburn junior Simone Johnson and her second-round mark of 44-2 (13.46m).

Tennessee senior Javonte Harding was victorious in the men’s 200 in 20.65.

Clemson senior Tarees Rhoden won the men’s invitational 800 in 1:47.38.

Alabama senior Jami Reed won the women’s mile in 4:48.40.

Crimson Tide junior Arthur Graham clocked 4:04.71 to secure victory in the men’s mile.

North Carolina State freshman Caroline Murrell clocked 9:51.06 to win the 3,000.

Alabama freshman Ethan Lemons triumphed in the men’s 3,000 in 8:07.87.