Arkansas records fall at Invitational

FAYETTEVILLE — Two Arkansas track and field program records fell Saturday during the Razorback Invitational at Tyson Track Center.

Chris Bailey ran 400 meters in 45.09 seconds to break Terry Gatson’s 18-year-old men’s program record of 45.29, and Ackera Nugent ran the 60 hurdles in 7.88 seconds to break the women’s program record of 7.93 previously set by Payton Chadwick in 2018.

Bailey ran a world-leading time for 2023.

“Chris is on a roll right now,” Arkansas men’s Coach Chris Bucknam said. “He’s just a phenomenal competitor. We’ve seen it in practice. He’s a special athlete and loves to compete. I think it’s kind of the tip of the iceberg and there’s a lot more — it’s only the end of January.”

Bailey said he “shocked” himself with the time.

“I know the countless amount of time we put in here on the track every day,” Bailey said. “I’m trusting Coach [Doug] Case and letting him take me to the promised land. It was amazing, enjoyable.”

Nugent ran the fourth-fastest 60 hurdles time by a female this year. The first-year transfer previously set the world under-20 record while running at the Tyson Center for Baylor.

The Arkansas women’s 1,600 relay team of Amber Anning, Nickisha Pryce, Paris Peoples and Rosey Effiong finished in 3:26.40 for the fifth-fastest time ever by a college team indoors.

Effiong ran the anchor leg in 50.89 to help Arkansas hold off Florida, which was second in 3:27.58. Southern Cal, Texas A&M and LSU all ran times under 3:30.

“To have four girls run under 52.06, and also know that Britton was not in the lineup, you know we just had great performances one after another,” Arkansas women’s coach Lance Harter said.

Amanda Fassold led a 1-2-3 finish for the Razorbacks in the women’s pole vault with a height of 14 feet, 7 1/4 inches.

Kaitlyn Banas, Grace Ridgeway and Bailee McCorkle all cleared 13-7 to finish second, third and fifth, respectively, for the UA women.

Arkansas’ Sydney Thorvaldson won the women’s 3,000 in 9:11.47 and Lauren Gregory won the women’s mile in 4:31.88. Gregory’s time was just shy of Krissy Gear’s school-record time of 4:31.83 set in 2021.

Arkansas’ Matthew Lewis-Banks finished second in the men’s 60 hurdles with a personal-best time of 7.72 and Philip Lemonious was third in 7.73.