The 96th annual Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, hosted by the University, saw achievements and broken records from both past and present stars of Texas women’s track and field.
History was made at the meet, as three Texas exes Lanae-Tava Thomas, Rhasidat Adeleke, world champion Julien Alfred and British olympian Dina Asher-Smith ran a lightning-fast time of 1:27.05 minutes in the women’s 4×200-meter relay — a world-best. Since the athletes are of different nationalities, the run won’t count as a world record, but Alfred’s anchor leg of 20.8 seconds matched the all-time fastest anchor leg.
The Texas quartet of freshman Lauren Lewis, Big 12 champion Dejanea Oakley, freshman Carleta Bernard and junior Kenondra Davis finished third in the same event with a time of 1:32.70 minutes.
The Longhorn women dominated the shot-put event, as junior Chrystal Herpin won with her sixth-round throw of 18.18 meters. The throw moved Herpin to No. 2 on the UT all-time performer list. Graduate student Marilyn Nwora finished fourth with a throw of 17.33 meters, followed by freshman Big 12 champion Nina Ndubuisi who threw for 16.77 meters.
Two freshmen saw two wins on the third day of competition. Rising star Aaliyah Foster won the long jump with a wind-aided mark of 6.75 meters, while Big 12 champion Akala Garrett edged out Houston’s Sydni Townsend to win the 400-meter hurdles by just 0.17 seconds.
Senior All-American Kristine Blazevica opened up her outdoor season with a third place finish in the heptathlon, scoring 5,662 points. Blazevica placed third in the long jump, javelin and 100-meter hurdles events. She ended the competition with a win in the 800-meter run with a time of 2:13.27 minutes, her second-fastest outdoor time.
Back in the ring, Ndubuisi made her outdoor collegiate debut in the discus event, placing seventh with her fifth-round throw of 51.02 meters. The throw moved her to No. 8 on the UT all-time performer list. Herpin finished 10th with a throw of 48.43 meters.
In the Sanya Richards-Ross 4×400-meter relay, Lewis, Oakley, Davis and senior Ziyah Holman finished fourth with a time of 3:33.19.
In the distance events, graduate student and indoor national champion Olivia Howell ran a 4.21.42 minute 1500-meter to place third, while junior Eva Jess also placed third in the 5000-meter invitational, shattering her personal best by 11 seconds with a time of 16:04.83 minutes.
Junior Allyson Little won the 3000-meter steeplechase in 10:41.57 minutes, which improved her spot on the UT All-Time list at No. 6.
Davis, Howell, freshman Mackenize Browne and junior Amity Ebarb placed third in the women’s distance medley with a run of 11:35.69 minutes.
