EUGENE, Oregon, June 13 — Dejanea Oakley and Adaejah Hodge delivered record-breaking performances to help Georgia win the women’s championship title at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, while Jamaica’s Shenese Walker and Shantae Foreman added golden moments of their own at Hayward Field.
It was a final day packed with speed, drama and big marks, but the Caribbean women stood at the centre of the story.
Oakley, representing Georgia, produced one of the finest one-lap races in collegiate history, winning the women’s 400m in 48.79. The time was a personal best, world lead, collegiate record and championship record.
Madison Whyte of USC also dipped under 49 seconds, finishing second in a personal best 48.97. Javonya Valcourt of Tennessee, representing the Bahamas, took third in 50.16, also a personal best.
Hodge then gave Georgia another major push in the 200m, storming to victory in 21.68 despite a -0.4 m/s headwind. The freshman’s time was a personal best, world lead, collegiate record, championship record and BVI national record.
LSU’s Shawnti Jackson finished second in a personal best 22.12, while Texas A&M’s Camryn Dickson was third in 22.18. Florida’s Gabrielle Matthews placed fourth in 22.29.
Georgia also finished second in the women’s 4x400m in 3:20.96, with Oakley running the anchor leg. Her split matched the same 48.79 she ran to win the open 400m, underlining her role in Georgia’s title-winning charge.
Walker gave Jamaica one of the biggest sprint surprises of the meet in the women’s 100m final. The Florida State senior, a former St. Jago athlete, won in 10.88 with no wind assistance, beating collegiate record holder Hodge, who finished second in 10.93. Jackson completed the top three in 11.01.
For Walker, the win capped a brilliant NCAA season after she had already claimed the indoor 60m title.
Foreman also placed Jamaica on top of the podium in the women’s triple jump. The Clemson senior improved to 14.24m with a legal +1.2 m/s wind to take the title, setting a personal best and collegiate lead.
Oregon’s Sharifa Davronova finished second with 14.15m, aided by a +2.3 m/s wind, while Kansas State freshman Destini Smith took third with 13.79m.
Elsewhere, Gambia’s Sanu Jallow made history in the women’s 800m, winning in 1:56.85 for a national record, collegiate record and championship record. Australia’s Hayley Kitching finished second in 1:57.65, with Lauren Tolbert third in 1:58.22.
In the 100m hurdles, Aaliyah McCormick won in 12.47 with a +1.2 m/s tailwind. Italy’s Celeste Polzonetti was second in 12.79, while Jamaica’s Janela Spencer matched that time to finish third.
Akala Garrett won the women’s 400m hurdles in 53.32, with Amelliah Birdow second in 53.60.
USC took the women’s 4x100m relay in a world-leading 41.58 through the team of Dajaz Defrand, Mia Brahe-Pedersen, Madison Whyte and Brianna Selby. LSU was second in 41.74, while Georgia finished third in 41.89.
Arkansas won the women’s 4x400m in a world-leading 3:18.88, with Sanaria Butler, Paola Batista, Kaylyn Brown and Jallow carrying the Razorbacks to the title. Georgia followed in 3:20.96.
The field events also produced major marks. Alida van Daalen of the Netherlands set a championship record in the discus with 65.98m, while Temitope Adeshina won the high jump on countback with a clearance of 1.96m, edging Rose Yeboah at the same height.
Sofia Cosculluela scored a personal best 6,182 points to win the heptathlon. Taylor Lovell ran 9:21.03 to win the steeplechase, while Kenya’s Rosemary Longisa took the 1500m in 4:12.10. Fellow Kenyan Marion Jepngetich won the 5000m in a personal best 15:13.01, while Doris Lemngole was disqualified for a rules violation.
But the day belonged heavily to the women who shaped the title race and the Caribbean storyline. Oakley and Hodge powered Georgia to the championship, Walker stunned the 100m field, and Foreman closed her NCAA campaign with a triple jump title.
