GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, April 18–19 — The last time Shenese Walker and Adaejah Hodge faced off on the straightaway, it was the Florida State senior dominating the NCAA indoor 60 final last month in 7.08, while the Georgia redshirt frosh was holding off Victoria Cameron for 2nd, 0.07 back.
They dueled again in the 100 at the Tom Jones Memorial and while a fast matchup was clearly in the cards, the fact they both threw a big scare into the Collegiate Record was a bonus. The extra 40m was enough for Hodge to come away with the electrifying triumph, 10.77–10.80. That rocketed them to Nos. 3 and 5 all-time, just a flash off Sha’Carri Richardson’s 10.75 from ’19.
That was the best of a stellar slate of sprint, relay and hurdle performances in Gainesville — at the collegiate, pro and even prep levels.
But perhaps the best marks came in the field. In the hammer, Minnesota’s Annie Nabwe, who just celebrated her first 70-meter throw two weeks ago, came into the fifth round leading with 233-6 (71.18). The Liberian exploded with a jaw-dropping 248-5 PR, not only climbing all the way up to No. 2 on the all-time collegiate list behind Camryn Rogers, but also setting an African Record.
Then there was Baylor alum Alexis “Lex” Brown, the ’25 NCAA indoor champ who peaked at 23-¾ (7.03) last year before fading in the NCAA and USA Champs. Making a stellar pro debut, Brown also saved her best for the fifth round. Her 23-2½ (7.07) not only propelled her to No. 7 all-time U.S., but also made her the ’26 world leader.
Back to the sprints, where there weren’t any high school events per se, but as she did at the Texas Relays, Mariah Maxwell (Atascocita, Humble, Texas; trains with APXP Performance) tested herself against the pros. In the Olympic Development 100, she was 3rd with 11.17, trailing only Anavia Battle (11.07) and Amy Hunt (11.12). It was her third dash under 11.20 this spring, but this time into a 1.7 wind, and right behind no less than the 2nd- (Hunt) and 4th-place (Battle) finishers in the ’25 World Champs 200.
The OD 200 was even better for Maxwell: 22.44 into another wind (-2.0), becoming the =No. 6 prep all-time. She finished ahead of Favour Ofili, Kayla White and Hunt, and trailed only World finalist and double ’24 NCAA champ McKenzie Long (22.42).
In the 400, while current Bulldog Dejanea Oakley won the collegians’ race in 50.55, ’25 UGA alum Aaliyah Butler returned to the site of one of her big breakthroughs — 49.44 here last year — during her overwhelmingly dominant NCAA campaign. Butler wasn’t quite as fast Saturday, hitting 50.10, but it was her very first 400 since September.
Kentucky’s Emmi Scales and South Carolina’s Akala Garrett, already the collegiate leaders in the 100H and 400H, ruled those events in 12.88 and 54.46.
Speaking of the Gamecocks, they swept the 4×1 and 4×4, in 42.62 and 3:23.42. The lap-relay time moved South Carolina to =No. 2 on the collegiate year list; the 4×4 mark took the school to an outright No. 2 on that compilation. The wins took the measure of LSU (43.06 and 3:23.94) both times. JaMeesia Ford, absent from individual events, featured in each race, as did Cynteria James.
In the OD 4×1, fans were treated to a smoking 41.70 circuit by a USA White team that included triple Tokyo World Champ Melissa Jefferson on the opener and Sha’Carri Richardson on the anchor. It was the yearly debut for both.
JONES WOMEN’S RESULTS
100: I(1.7)–1. ***Adaejah Hodge’ (Ga-BVI) 10.77 NR (WL, CL) (3, 3 C);
2. Shenese Walker’ (FlSt-Jam) 10.80 PR (5, 5 C);
3. Alexis Brown (SC) 11.04.
II(0.3)–1. *Cynteria James (SC) 11.04; 2. Lauren Jarrett (Tn) 11.06 PR. III(-0.9)–1. ***Athaleyha Hinckson’ (LSU-Guy) 11.10 NJR.
Open 100: I(-1.7)–1. Anavia Battle (unat) 11.07.
200: I(0.4)–1. **Shawnti Jackson (LSU) 22.35 =PR; 2. Camryn Dickson (TxAM) 22.51. II(1.5)–1. Gabrielle Matthews’ (Fl-Jam) 22.41; 2. Kaila Jackson (Ga) 22.62. III(2.9)–1. **Yahnari Lyons (How) 22.34w.
Elite 200: I(-2.0)–1. McKenzie Long (adidas) 22.42;
2. Maxwell 22.44 (HSL) (=9, x AJ; =6, =6 HS);
3. Favour Ofili’ (Ngr) 22.46; 4. Kayla White (StarA) 22.61.
II(0.7)–1. Shaunae Miller-Uibo’ (Bah) 22.64.
400: I–1. Dejanea Oakley’ (Ga-Jam) 50.55; 2. Shaquena Foote’ (Ga-Jam) 50.62 PR; 3. Javonya Valcourt’ (Tn-Bah) 50.86.
Elite 400: I–1. Aaliyah Butler (Nike) 50.10; 2. Wadeline Venlogh’ (Hai) 50.74; 3. Bailey Lear (Nike) 51.03.
800: 1. Victoria Bossong (NBal) 1:59.56; 2. Lauren Tolbert (Duke) 1:59.58; 3. **Veronica Hargrave (In) 1:59.79 PR; 4. **Janet Jepkemboi Amimo’ (Ky-Ken) 2:00.67; 5. Gabriella Grissom (Mia) 2:01.17.
100H(1.0): 1. *Emmi Scales (Ky) 12.88; 2. **Joslyn Hamilton (SC) 12.93 PR; 3. *Adeyah Brewster’ (LSU-Bar) 12.96 PR;
4. Janela Spencer’ (OhSt-Jam) 12.96; 5. Oneka Wilson’ (Clem-Jam) 12.98; 6. ***Taylor Cox (Ga) 13.09.
Heats: I(0.7)–1. Cox 12.95 PR. II(-1.0)–1. ***Salieci Myles’ (LSU-Jam) 12.92 PR; 2. Scales 12.94. III(3.0)–1. Spencer’ 12.82w; 2. Hamilton 12.94w.
Open 100H(1.7): 1. Alexandra Webster (unat) 12.78; 2. Aasia Laurencin’ (StL) 12.81; 3. Amber Hughes (unat) 12.84;
4. Emma Nwofor’ (GB) 12.86.
Heats: I(1.5)–1. Marshall 12.76; 2. Laurencin’ 12.76.
II(1.0)–1. Webster 12.71; 2. Hughes 12.78.
400H: I–1. *Akala Garrett (SC) 54.46; 2. *Amelliah Birdow (Tx) 54.96 PR; 3. **Michelle Smith’ (Ga-VI) 55.28;
4. *Sanaa Hebron (Mia) 55.62; 5. ***Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera’ (Ky-Ken) 55.77.
II–1. **Braelyn Baker (Duke) 55.76 PR.
V–1. Fatoumata Binta Diallo’ (Por) 54.88; 2. Sanique Walker’ (Jam) 55.34.
4 x 100: I–1. South Carolina 42.62 (Brown, James, Hamilton, Ford); 2. LSU 43.06; 3. Texas 43.35; 4. Florida 43.43.
II–1. Texas Tech 42.92 (Colbert, Olajide’, Afrifa’, Howard);
2. Tennessee 43.01; 3. Clemson 43.28; 4. Florida State 43.58.
4 x 100: 1. USA White 41.70 (WL, AL) (Jefferson, Battle, White, Richardson);
2. PURE Athletics’ 42.42.
4 x 400: I–1. Kentucky 3:27.21; 2. USA Red 3:27.48; 3. Clemson 3:28.78; 4. Iowa 3:29.33; 5. Purdue 3:29.57; 6. Ohio State 3:29.81; 7. UCF 3:30.33; 8. Miami 3:32.42.
II–1. Howard 3:31.79; 2. Mississippi State 3:32.51; 3. Boston College 3:33.35.
4 x 400 Inv: 1. South Carolina 3:23.42 (Garrett, Ford, James, Akins); 2. LSU 3:23.94; 3. Florida 3:23.95; 4. Georgia 3:24.54; 5. Tennessee 3:24.96; 6. Texas A&M 3:27.47; 9. Texas Tech 3:28.64.
Field Events
HJ: 1. *Amarianna Lofton (Pur) 6-0 (1.83) PR; 2. Rose Yeboah’ (Il-Gha) 6-0; 3. ***Kemarah Howard (Ky) 6-0.
PV: 1. *Molly Haywood (Bay) 14-9 (4.50); 2. Mia Morello (Il) 14-9 PR; 3. **Ella McRitchie (Harv) 14-5¼ (4.40) PR.
LJ: 1. Lex Brown (Nike) 23-2½ (7.07) PR (WL, AL) (7, x A) (22-5¼, f, 22-10¾, f, 23-2½, f) (6.84, f, 6.98, f, 7.07, f);
2. Anthaya Charlton’ (Bah) 22-5 (6.83) PR, =NR; 3. *Sophia Beckmon (Il) 22-3½ (6.79); 4. Claire Bryant (adidas) 21-10¼ (6.66).
TJ: I–1. Ana Jose Tima’ (DR) 45-7 (13.89); 2. Kayla Woods (unat) 45-4¼nwi (13.82) (44-1½/13.45); 3. Shantae Foreman’ (Clem-Jam) 45-3½w (13.80) (44-11¾/13.71); 6. *Sow’ (Mn-Ita) 43-½ (13.12). II–1. Manie Mevo (MsSt) 43-7 (13.28).
SP: 1. Lloydricia Cameron’ (Jam-) 61-3 (18.67); 2. ***Jessica Oji’ (Penn-Ngr) 60-1 (18.31) NJR; 3. Megan Hague (Aub) 59-9½ (18.22) PR; 4. Kelsie Murrell-Ross’ (Ga-Grn) 59-3½ (18.07); 5. *Gracelyn Leiseth (Fl) 57-7¾ (17.57).
DT: I–1. *Joyce Oguama’ (Al-Ger) 199-10 (60.91); 2. *Cedricka Williams’ (Tn-Jam) 193-10 (59.09); 3. Akari Isaac (Fl) 186-3 (56.77). II–1. ***Jillian Scully (LSU) 187-10 (57.25); 2. **Camryn Massey (Aub) 187-7 (57.19).
HT: 1. Nabwe’ 248-5 (75.72) (2, 5 C) (f, 209-0, f, 233-6, 248-5, f) (f, 63.71, f, 71.18, 75.72, f);
2. *Hadley Streit (Mn) 236-2 (71.98) PR; 3. **Marie Rougetet’ (MsSt-Fra) 228-11 (69.79) PR; 4. *Giavonna Meeks (Tx) 218-9 (66.68).
JT: 1. **Eleanor Partrick (Al) 180-3 (54.95); 2. *Irene Jepkemboi’ (TCU-Ken) 171-5 (52.26); 3. Katelyn Fairchild (TxAM) 169-5 (51.65); 4. *McKenzie Fairchild (TxAM) 168-11 (51.48).
Hept: 1. ***JaiCieonna Gero-Holt (Il) 5870 PR; 2. **Meagan Humphries (Il) 5847 PR; 3. *Eva Bruce (UCF) 5366 PR.
