FAYETTEVILLE — The No. 1-ranked University of Arkansas women’s track and field team is dominating the 400 meters this indoor season.
The Razorbacks have 3 of the top 4 collegiate times after junior Nickisha Pryce won the event in a personal-best 51.04 seconds Friday night at the Tyson Invitational.
Pryce’s time ranks No. 4 on Arkansas’ all-time list.
Arkansas senior Amber Anning is the national leader this season at a personal-best 50.56 she ran at the Razorback Invitational two weeks ago.
Rosey Effiong, also an Arkansas senior, is fourth in the nation with the 51.58 time she ran at the Razorback Invitational.
Effiong’s personal best of 50.54 last year ranks No. 2 on Arkansas’ career list behind the collegiate record of 49.48 run by Britton Wilson last year.
The Razorbacks have 3 of the top 10 times on the career collegiate list with Effiong and Anning at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.
Arkansas took the top spots in the 400 Friday night at the Randal Tyson Center with freshman Kaylyn Brown second in personal-best 51.49 and Effiong third in 51.65. Brown’s time is No. 6 all-time at Arkansas.
Razorback freshman Shawnti Jackson won the 60 in 7.23 after running 7.21 in her preliminary heat. Her season-best is 7.18 earlier this season.
Former Arkansas pentathlon NCAA champion Taliyah Brooks won the Invitational long jump with a personal-best mark of 21 feet, 7 1/4 inches and took third in the open 60 hurdles, running a personal-best 7.97. The events were about 30 minutes apart.
Arkansas junior Nia Robinson went 21-2 for third in the long jump.
Brooks, who took second in the heptathlon at the USA Championships last year, trains in Fayetteville with Arkansas Coach Chris Johnson and assistant coach Bryan Compton.
“I’m excited about both of them,” Brooks said of her marks in the long jump and 60 hurdles. “That’s my first time under 8 seconds in the hurdles, and I’ve been trying to do that for a freaking long time.”
Brooks, 29, had six legal long jumps.
“It’s my first time in years — or maybe ever in my life — that I didn’t foul a single jump,” she said. “So for me, that’s a big thing.
“Being less worried about the mark and trying to get on the board, and I did a great job of that today.”
Brooks’ goal is to compete in the heptathlon at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
“Just trying to get some hep work in,” Brooks said. “I’m not traveling at all for the indoor season, because we just want to maximize those practice days.
“So I’m just doing the meets here and getting ready for outdoors.”
Arkansas senior Destiny Huven ran the collegiate 60 hurdles in 8.07 to take second behind Florida senior Grace Stark, who won in 7.95.
In men’s events, Harding sophomore Vlad Malykhin cleared 18-5 1/4 inches to take second in the Invitational pole vault.
Kansas junior Clayton Simms also cleared 18-5 1/4, but did it on his second attempt to edge Malykhin for the victory.
Arkansas sophomore Jordan Anthony, who also plays wide receiver on the football team, ran 6.59 in the 60 preliminaries in his second meet as a Razorbacks since transferring from Texas A&M.
The time was a season best for Anthony, improving on the 6.62 he ran last week at the New Mexico Collegiate Classic. His personal best is 6.57 last year to take second at the NCAA Championships as a freshman at Kentucky.
“He had a really good race,” said Arkansas assistant Doug Case, who coaches the sprinters. “We’ve been working a lot on his start, and it improved. He got a lot better.
“Honestly, I’m not sure he turned it on at the end like he can. I think he just kind of cruised to the end. Just an overall great performance.”
Case decided to have Anthony skip the 60 final.
“He’s only worked out with us for three weeks or so,” Case said. “I’m not going to risk [an injury] with him right now. We’re getting him ready for the SEC and NCAA meets.
“He really needs to get in more work right now. We’re actually going to work out [today].”
The Tyson Invitational continues at 10:30 a.m. today, starting with the women’s pole vault.