Alia Armstrong became the second-fastest hurdler in collegiate history with a time of 7.81 in the 60-meter hurdles at the Tyson Invitational in the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
Armstrong entered the meet tied as the third-fastest collegiate performer in the 60-meter hurdles alongside former teammate Tonea Marshall and Florida hurdler Grace Stark. Armstrong and Stark, who are two of the five fastest hurdlers in collegiate history, competed against each other for the first time this season at this invitational.
The two both won the preliminary heats and qualified to the finals with lane assignments right next to each other – lane four and five. Armstrong used a phenomenal start out the blocks and never relinquished the lead as she ran a near-perfect race on her way to a personal best time of 7.81 seconds. It moved her to a perfect 4-0 this season in the hurdles and it marked her second straight PR in the event, following up her 7.86 two weeks ago at this same track.
“I knew this was going to a big race, but I sat down and envisioned myself running a really good race,” Armstrong said after the race. “I’ve put my all into practice and I give my all every day. This is kind of what I expect out of myself, and I’m glad it happened. This race boosted my confidence, but I know there is still work left to do. There are a lot of other women out there working just as hard as me, so I have to keep pushing.”
To put the time of 7.81 in perspective, that mark moves Armstrong into the No. 9 slot on the all-time U.S. list in the event alongside Jackie Joyner-Kersee. The time also ranks as the LSU school record, the 2022 NCAA lead, matches the 2022 world lead and broke Gail Devers’ meet record at the Tyson Invitational. It moved Armstrong up to sole possession of the No. 2 spot on the all-time collegiate performer list behind Clemson’s Brianna Rollins-McNeal (7.78/2013).
Sprinter Favour Ofili stormed to victory in the 60-meter dash with a readout of 7.25 seconds for the win. Amber Anning ran a season-best of 52.07 in the 400-meter dash to place second overall and as the top collegiate behind Olympian Shamier Little. Anning’s time of 52.07 checks in as the ninth fastest this season in the nation.
In the long jump, Morgan Smalls collected a season best leap of 20’ 9” (6.32 meters) on her sixth and final attempt to place second in the event. The jump ranks No. 12 in the NCAA.
Eric Edwards Jr. and Leah Phillips both registered podium finishes in the hurdles. Edwards Jr. ran a season-best of 7.60, which moved him up to the No. 3 spot in the NCAA this year, to take silver. In the prelims, Phillips ran a personal best of 8.05 seconds. Phillips finished third in the finals of the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.07 seconds.
Abigail O’Donoghue picked up her second consecutive win in the high jump on the final day of the Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center on Saturday. LSU registered an additional five podium finishes on the day to close out action.
O’Donoghue’s clearance of 6’ 0.75” (1.85 meters) won her the high jump. She won the event based on number of countback misses as teammate Nyagoa Bayak also cleared a bar of 6’ 0.75” for third place. The clearance for Bayak was a personal best and moved her into the No. 5 spot in the LSU record book while also earning her a No. 6 national ranking. Morgan Smalls matched the highest clearance of her indoor collegiate career with a height of 5’ 11.50” (1.82 meters) to finish fourth.
Sean Dixon-Bodie landed the third best triple jump of the NCAA season with a leap of 53’ 10.50 (16.42 meters) on his second attempt of the event. The mark designated him as the top collegiate finisher in the invitational event as he took second behind Jahnai Parinchief.
John Meyer threw a season-best of 65’ 1.25” (19.84 meters) in the shot put on his way to a third-place finish in the event. It was a season-best throw by almost a foot and a half and improved upon his already No. 2 ranking in LSU school history. The throw also moved him up into No. 7 on the NCAA list.
Women’s triple jumper Kyndal McKnight leapt to a career best of 42’ 11” (13.08 meters) to finish fourth in the event. The mark of 42’ 11” moves her into the No. 10 spot on the LSU list in the event.
Favour Ofili and Dorian Camel led the way for the Tigers in the 200-meter dash. Ofili was one of four women’s runners to place in the top 10 as she took second with a readout of 22.81. Amber Anning (23.27/4th), Leah Phillips (23.29/5th) and Tionna Beard-Brown (23.38/8th) all ran personal bests to finish in the top 10 in the event. Dorian Camel collected a personal best for himself with a time of 21.00 to collect bronze; Kenroy Higgins II finished sixth with a time of 21.14.
In the 800 meters, all three LSU runners —Michaela Rose, Hannah Carroll, Thomas Daigle —notched personal bests. Michaela Rose shaved a tenth of a second off her prior personal best to place fourth overall with a readout of 2:04.70, a time that ranks No. 10 in LSU history.
