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≡ NCAA T&F SECOND ROUND ≡
No delays for a change at the NCAA Track & Field Championships East regional second round in Jacksonville, Florida, but the weather was hot and so were the marks.
In 90-plus degree temperatures, South Florida’s Abdul-Rasheed Saminu (GHA), who blazed to a world-leading 9.86 in the men’s 100 m with just a 0.6 m/s aiding wind in heat two, well ahead of Auburn soph Kanyinsola Ajayi (NGR) at 9.95, now equal-seventh for 2025.
Saminu is now equal-second all-time among collegians.
Saminu and his South Florida teammates had already taken the national lead in the 4×100 m relay at 38.05, ahead of Auburn (38.51) earlier in the day. And South Florida finished the day with the fastest time in the 4×400 m at 3:01.52 in race one, equaling the collegiate lead!
In the 200 m, SEC runner-up Makanakaishe Charanda (Auburn-ZIM) was the qualifying leader at 19.79w (+2.4) in race one, with legal marks from race three for T’Mars McCallum (Tennessee) at 19.83 – now the world leader – then NCAA Indoor champ Carli Makarawu (Kentucky-ZIM) at 19.92 (no. 5 worldwide) and Jaleel Croal (South Florida-IVB) in 19.95 (all with wind: +1.4 m/s). Charanda moves to equal-sixth all-time among collegians.
Alabama sophomore Samuel Ogazi (NGR), the 2024 NCAA runner-up, moved to no. 10 in the world in 2025 at 44.43 to take heat one of the 400 m quarterfinals, now no. 2 in the nation for 2025.
Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp remained at no. 3 in the nation in the 110 m hurdles, winning in 13.14 (+1.5),
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At the West regional in College Station, Texas, California’s junior world discus record holder Mykolas Alekna got off another big throw, reaching 72.12 m (236-7) on his third throw to lead all qualifiers. Only he, Matt Denny (AUS) and Kristjan Ceh (SLO) have thrown that far this year. It’s also the no. 3 throw in collegiate history and he has top 11 throws ever.
On the track, SEC 100 m champion Jordan Anthony ran a sensational 9.75 to win race one, ahead of USC’s Taylor Banks, with just-over-the-allowable wind of +2.1 m/s. Iowa’s Kalen Walker won race two in 9.94 (+1.1). Anthony’s time is the equal-second-fastest college 100 ever.
USC’s Garrett Kaalund moved to no. 3 in the world for 2025 with a 19.85 win in race three of the 200 m, with legal (+1.1) wind. That’s a lifetime best and now equal-seventh all-time among collegians.
National leader Kendrick Smallwood of Texas led the 110 m hurdles qualifiers at 13.13 in race three (+1.1), while Jamar Marshall, the Big 12 champion from Houston, ran 13.19 in race one (+1.7). Texas A&M’s Ja’Qualon Scott won race two in a wind-aided 13.16 (+2.5).
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The first and second-round regionals will end on Saturday with the women’s events, with the qualifiers moving on to the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon from 11-14 June. What a meet that will be!
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