Garrett Kaalund in the 200m at the NCAA Indoor Championships (© Kirby Lee)
The world short track all-time lists had several new entries after the NCAA Indoor Championships, which concluded on Saturday (14) in Fayetteville. Garrett Kaalund’s collegiate record of 19.95 was one of the standout performances, along with Ja’Kobe Tharp’s 7.32 60m hurdles victory and Samuel Ogazi’s 44.57 African indoor record in the 400m.
Kaalund, representing the University of Southern California, dominated the men’s 200m and came within 0.03 of a world short track record that has stood since 1996. He won in a collegiate record of 19.95 – the second-fastest indoor clocking in history behind Frank Fredericks’ world record – as Wanya McCoy placed second (20.17).
Ja’Kobe Tharpe also jumped up the world all-time list into third place after winning the men’s 60m hurdles in a collegiate record of 7.32, just 0.05 shy of the world record.
The 20-year-old, who won the NCAA and US outdoor titles last year, had smashed his PB in the heats with 7.36 and then went even quicker in the final, his 7.32 now placing him behind Grant Holloway and Colin Jackson on the world all-time list.
NCAA champion Ogazi was one of several Nigerian sprinters who excelled across the two days of action.
The Olympic finalist, representing the University of Alabama, led through the first lap of the 400m in 20.92 from Justin Braun. The gap between the pair closed slightly on the second lap, but Ogazi held on to win in 44.57 from Braun’s 44.67.
Ogazi’s time equals the ratified world short track record, though Khaleb McRae’s – set on this same track last month – is pending ratification.
World finalist Kayinsola Ajayi of Nigeria equalled his own African record of 6.45 to win the men’s 60m from Jelani Watkins (6.48). The duo had raced against each other in the heats 24 hours prior with Watkins clocking 6.46 to Ajayi’s 6.51 on that occasion.
Dejanea Oakley won the women’s 400m final in an indoor PB of 50.47. Ella Onojuvwevwo of Nigeria placed third in the final in 50.76, but one day prior she clocked a world-leading 50.28 in the heats, smashing the African indoor record that had stood for 28 years by almost half a second.
Teenager Adeajah Hodge maintained her 2026 winning streak in the women’s 200m, taking the title in a world-leading 22.22, an outright national record for the British Virgin Islands. Earlier in the day she had finished second in the 60m (7.15) in a race won by Jamaica’s Shenese Walker in 7.08.
Peyton Blair successfully defended his title in the heptathlon, smashing his PB with a world-leading 6503, elevating him to sixth on world all-time list. He led from the outset and had a series that included PBs in the long jump (7.70m), shot put (16.07m), pole vault (5.07m) and 1000m (2:39.54).
The Oregon all-rounder won by almost 400 points in a high-quality contest in which six men surpassed 6000 points. Kenneth Byrd was second (6132) and Jip Degreef third (6120).
Elsewhere, Lokesh Sathyanathan won a close long jump contest with an Indian indoor record of 8.21m. De’Aundre Ward was second (8.20m).
