Adaejah Hodge was the headline act on a bright Thursday for the women at the NCAA Track and Field Outdoor Championships, turning semi-finals night into her personal stage while Georgia teammate Dejanea Oakley quietly sent her own warning in the 400 metres.
Hodge, the Georgia freshman, produced the biggest moment of the day in the women’s 100 metres, blasting to a wind-legal 10.63 seconds in Heat 1 with a +1.9 m/s tailwind at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. It was a massive performance, good for a personal best, collegiate lead, meet record and collegiate record.
It was not just fast. It was stunning.
Hodge did not wait for Saturday’s final to shake the record book. She powered away from a strong field and advanced as the top qualifier, well clear of LSU’s Shawnti Jackson, who also moved through automatically in second with a personal best of 10.88.
Jamaicans Walker and Matthews into the final
Florida State’s Shenese Walker won Heat 3 in 10.94, clocking 10.935, while USC’s Brianna Selby matched 10.94, clocking 10.939, to advance as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers. Tennessee freshman Dana Wilson also moved on with a personal best of 11.01, and Florida’s Gabrielle Matthews won Heat 2 in 11.02.
Hodge then returned in the 200 metres and showed the 100m was no one-race flash. She surged to another top qualifying mark, winning her heat in 21.96 with a +1.7 m/s wind. Matthews was second in the same heat in 22.22, a personal best, while Texas A&M’s Camryn Dickson also ran 22.22 to win Heat 2.
USC’s Dajaz Defrand and Howard’s Yahnari Lyons both clocked 22.36, with Lyons winning Heat 1 and Defrand advancing on time. Jackson completed a strong sprint double by taking second in Heat 2 in 22.45.
But while Hodge owned the straightaway and bend, Oakley gave Georgia another major reason to believe Saturday could bring more fireworks. The senior led the women’s 400m semi-finals with a smooth 49.93, winning Heat 1 and looking composed over one lap.
Oakley’s run was controlled, efficient and important. In a field loaded with quality, breaking 50 seconds in the semi-finals marked her as a serious title contender.
Boston College’s Sydney Segalla won Heat 3 in a personal best of 50.31, while Arkansas pair Sanaria Butler and Kaylyn Brown also advanced automatically. Butler ran 50.53 behind Oakley in Heat 1, and Brown finished second to Segalla in Heat 3 in 50.62.
Rushana Dwyer, formerly of Edwin Allen and now representing Northwestern State, missed out on the women’s 400m final after running 51.77.
In the women’s 100m hurdles semi-finals, Oregon senior Aaliyah McCormick was the fastest qualifier with 12.58. For Jamaica, Ohio State’s Janela Spencer advanced to the final with 12.77, while Texas Tech’s Tonie-Ann Forbes also booked her place with 12.86. Clemson’s Oneka Wilson missed the final cut after running 12.93.
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