There were just 35 minutes between the women’s 400 meters and 400-meter hurdles Saturday night in NCAA Outdoor Track and Field West Prelims, but the tight schedule wasn’t a problem for University of Arkansas junior Britton Wilson.
Wilson finished first in both events and advanced to the NCAA Championships. She set West Prelims records for the 400 (49.51 seconds) and 400 hurdles (53.71).
The top 12 finishers in each event in the East and West Prelims advanced to the NCAA Championships, which will be held June 7-10 in Austin, Texas.
The No. 5-ranked Razorbacks will have 13 athletes with 15 entries in 7 events at the NCAA Championships.
Wilson, who is on the cover of the latest Track and Field News magazine after winning both titles at the SEC Championships, led a contingent of five Razorbacks who advanced in the 400 as she was joined Rosey Effiong (third in 50.17), Nickisha Pryce (fifth in a personal-best 50.17), Paris Peoples (seventh in a personal-best 50.60) and Joanne Reid (12th in 51.49).
Arkansas’ 1,600 relay team of Peoples, Pryce, Effiong and Reid won the West Prelims in 3:25.95.
Razorbacks junior Ackera Nugent ran 12.69 in the 100-meter hurdles to win and break her own West Prelims record of 12.72 she in Thursday’s first round. Nugent ran leadoff on the Razorbacks’ 400 relay team of Ariane Linton, MeKenze Kelley and Effiong that finished second in 43.03 behind Texas’ 42.15.
Madison Langley-Walker advanced for Arkansas in both the 100 hurdles and 400 hurdles. Sydney Thorvaldson advanced in the 5,000.