Ogazi, Reid and Tharp storm to NCAA titles as more records fall in Eugene

Olympic finalist Samuel Ogazi stormed to fourth on the world 400m all-time list on the third day of the NCAA Championships, clocking 43.38 to retain his title in Eugene on Friday (12).

With that world-leading performance, the 20-year-old Alabama sprinter improved his own Nigerian record and broke the US collegiate record of 43.61 set by 2022 world champion Michael Norman in 2018.

Only world record-holder Wayde van Niekerk, Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds now sit above Ogazi on the world all-time list.

Jonathan Simms also dipped under 44 seconds in Eugene, breaking the barrier for the first time in his career, as he finished runner-up in 43.92. Simms later ran a blistering final leg to take Georgia to the 4x400m title in 2:57.93.

Another world-leading, national and US collegiate record was set in the men’s 200m as Cayman Islands’ Jaiden Reid ran under 20 seconds for the first time with 19.63 (1.5m/s) to take the title for LSU. Auburn’s Israel Okon was second in 19.99.

Reid’s run puts him joint 12th on the world all-time list and improves the long-standing US collegiate record of 19.69 set by Walter Dix in 2007.

Reid had earlier clocked a wind-aided 9.82 (2.2m/s) to finish second in a 100m final won by Nigeria’s Kanyinsola Ajayi who ran 9.72 to complete an NCAA title double for Auburn after his indoor 60m win in March.

After breaking the world 110m hurdles record with 12.75 in the heats, Auburn’s Ja’Kobe Tharp returned to retain his title in 12.90 (-0.2m/s) – the joint 11th fastest performance in history.

Kendrick Smallwood also went sub-13 seconds, clocking a PB of 12.95 for second place.

Samuel wins distance double

Eritrea’s Habtom Samuel achieved a distance double for New Mexico, following his 10,000m win in 27:51.31 on Wednesday with 5000m victory in 13:38.93 two days later.

The 22-year-old, who claimed world U20 3000m bronze in 2021 and 5000m bronze in 2022, went one better than his runner-up finishes in both the 5000m and 10,000m at last year’s NCAA Championships and adds these titles to his NCAA indoor 5000m title win from March.

Great Britain’s Kimani Jack cleared 2.28m to win the high jump for Georgia, while Jamaica’s Ralford Mullings threw 65.81m to retain his discus title for Oklahoma.

Arkansas won the overall men’s team title.

Results