As expected, steamy conditions late Saturday afternoon helped produce several collegiate records on the final day of the Southeastern Conference track and field championships at Bernie Moore Track Stadium.
While the LSU men’s 4×100-meter relay team started it in the first running event, Arkansas’ Britton Wilson also put her name in the record books in the women’s 400 — erasing the mark she set less than 24 hours earlier in the prelims.
Arkansas’ Jaydon Hibbert also bettered the old collegiate record in the men’s triple jump, although the meet was temporarily suspended by lightning in the area, and the Florida men’s 4×400 relay team broke its own collegiate mark.
Prior to the delay, LSU’s run of 37.90 seconds in the 4×100 relay topped the old mark of 37.97 set by Florida in 2019. Interestingly, the Gators broke the old collegiate record as well when they chased the Tigers to the finish line and clocked a 37.93.
Later, Wilson — whose 49.40 in the 400 prelims Friday night bettered the mark of 49.51 she set last month — wowed the crowd again to win the final in 49.13 seconds.
Hibbert, a freshman, set a collegiate record of 58 feet, 7½ inches in the triple jump. The Jamaican broke his own world U20 record in the process.
In the final men’s event of the meet, Florida became the first team in collegiate history to go sub-2:58. Its time of 2 minutes, 57.76 seconds easily took down the old mark of 2:58.53 set by the Gators in 2022.
Feeling comfortable
Arkansas thrower Roje Stona apparently loves the rings at Bernie Moore Track Stadium.
After setting a personal record in winning the discus at the LSU Invitational on April 29, Stona bettered that mark by more than 4 feet Saturday in setting an SEC meet record with a throw of 225-2 on the first of his three attempts in the finals. He won by nearly 22 feet over teammate Ralford Mullings, who had a best of 203-5.
Additionally, Stona’s 225-2 moved him into second on the all-time collegiate list behind current Cal star Mykolas Alekna, who holds the record at 232-11.
Arkansas’ Harter honored
Arkansas women’s track and field coach Lance Harter, who is retiring after the NCAA championships next month, was honored by the SEC prior to the start of the running events. He has coached the Razorbacks women’s program for 33 seasons.
The Hall of Fame coach has led his program to seven NCAA titles — four indoor, two outdoor and one cross country — and 45 SEC titles. Included in his NCAA success was a Triple Crown when Arkansas swept the cross country, indoor and outdoor titles during the 2018-19 academic year.
Weather in the area
The meet was suspended for the second time in three days when lightning was detected within 8 miles of the stadium at 7 p.m.
Competitors, coaches, meet officials and spectators were told to clear the stadium before a light rain shower rolled in 25 minutes later. The meet resumed at 7:36 p.m.
Lightning also delayed Thursday night’s competition for an hour, but it didn’t rain.
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