OUTSIDE THE BIG relay carnivals that fill the April calendar, the mid-spring weeks before the collegiate conferences rev up always bring a potpourri of often-unexpected performances, and ’26 has been no exception. Whether it’s American sprint stars heading off on African adventures, a “comeback kid” reappearing from a 2-year hiatus, young phenoms making history, traditional duals still full of life or a throwers’ paradise hitting the next level, the past few weeks have had it all for track fans in this unique non-Worlds/Olympics year.
African Tour: Thomas Regains Form During Sprint Sweep
ADDIS ABABA, NAIROBI, GABORONE, April 18–26 — Olympic Gold Medalist Gabby Thomas may not have been part of Team USA during the World Relays last weekend, but she tore it up in Gaborone, Botswana, recently, as well as in four other races in two other Continental Tour stops on her April “African tour.”
Her finale April 26 at the same altitude-aided venue (982m) that would host the World Relays a week later was her first career sub-11, a 10.95 victory into a 0.4 wind. That followed an 11.01 (-1.1)/ then-world-leading 21.89 (1.7) double at the Keino Classic in Nairobi two days earlier, and a 11.13 (-4.0)/22.15 (-0.9) sweep in Addis Ababa almost a week before that.
This followed strong efforts earlier in the month at the Texas Relays, all good early-season signs for the 29-year-old who missed last year’s World Champs due to an Achilles tendon injury.
After the second sweep, she posted on her Instagram, “So, so grateful for another sprint double win — this time in Nairobi, Kenya! Feeling fit, healthy, and most importantly having so much fun. Coming off of this meet with a world lead, a near PB, and lessons to carry.”
Two days later after the PR century in Botswana, she declared, “5/5 in Africa hallelujah … No wind hallelujah… heavy on the no wind!”
Lawrence Memorial: Simms, Ogazi Stage Scorching Duel
ATHENS, GEORGIA, May 01–02 — Chances are that not many fans walked into the UGA T&F Complex Saturday expecting to witness arguably the greatest collegiate 400 battle of all-time… but maybe they should have when they saw their own über-talented frosh Jonathan Simms and Auburn junior Samuel Ogazi scheduled for the men’s 1-lapper at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial.
Simms, running in lane 6 just inside Ogazi, gave up a few meters in the first 100, then gradually closed and pulled almost beside his rival before halfway. Ogazi held off Simms around the curve, then gave up the lead at the top of the stretch, only to dig back down and pull nearly even again. Simms had just enough track, and a slightly better lean, to win by less than 0.01, 44.013–44.018.
Only once have two collegians broken 44 in the same race: when Michael Norman set his 43.61 CR at the ’18 NCAAs, with a solid margin over Auburn’s Akeem Bloomfield (43.94). But never has there been a collegiate 400 this fast and this close. Meanwhile, Simms rocketed up the all-time World and American Junior lists, passing prep Quincy Wilson into the No. 2 spot. Thirty-eight years on, Steve Lewis’s 43.87 from Seoul remains a tough egg to crack, but Simms still has time.
Texas Invite: Promising Results For Norman, Alfred
AUSTIN, TEXAS, April 30–May 01 — Michael Norman, who dipped his foot in competitive waters for the first time since the Paris Olympics when he ran on an all-star 4×4 at the Tom Jones Memorial on April 18, jumped back in individual events last weekend on his new home track.
Now living, training and yes, assistant coaching here in Austin under Coach Edrick Floréal, Norman started a 2-day 200/400 double Thursday with an inauspicious 20.43 (0.7) victory. The next night, showing a bit stronger form, he clocked a 45.10 over a full lap ahead of Kody Blackwood’s 45.24. It was the first time Norman had raced in Mike A. Myers Stadium since the ’17 NCAA West Regional while a frosh at USC.
Meanwhile, Texas alum Julien Alfred, who did not quite reach her Paris ’24 gold medal form in either Tokyo last fall (100 bronze) or Toruń in March (60 bronze), showed fine April fitness with a 2-day 21.86 (0.5)/10.93 (1.8) double. They were her best performances on her collegiate home track since she swept the NCAA 100 & 200 here three years ago.
UCLA-USC Dual: Records Fall, Rivals Split
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, May 02–03 — USC and UCLA kept the flame of dual meet competition alight, as well as providing plenty of fuel for their rivalry in its 92nd edition, splitting the men’s and women’s competitions. The visiting Bruin men prevailed, 87–76, while the Trojan women won a bit more decisively on their home track at 93–69.
USC soph Brianna Selby watched her teammates Christine Mallard, Mia Brahe-Pedersen, Madison Whyte and Dajaz Defrand set a dual meet record 42.29 in the 4 x 100, topping LSU’s 8-year-old 42.50. Selby then showed that she might have made the quartet even better. Her blistering 11.07 (0.2) triumph equaled another record, held by jointly by luminaries Merlene Ottey, Aleia Hobbs and Julien Alfred.
Later, Whyte duplicated her 50.78 triumph at 400 from ’25, while Mallard — runner-up in the 400 — anchored USC’s winning 4×4 in 3:29.67. The Trojans couldn’t completely dominate the sprints, though, as UCLA’s Taylor Snear — runner-up behind upset winning teammate Naomi Johnson last year — won by 0.01 in 22.78.
Eddie Nketia swept the 100 in 10.18 and 200 in 20.84 for USC in the men’s battle, while frosh Jack Stadlman (45.18) won an exciting 400 battle over teammate Garrett Kaalund and UCLA’s Gabriel Clement (45.24). But the Bruins mostly dominated the hurdles and distances, and mustered enough in the field events to get the 11-point win.
Oklahoma Throws: Mattis AR Just One Of Many Highlights
RAMONA, OKLAHOMA, April 09–12 — The 4-day extravaganza that was the Oklahoma Throws World Invitational was most celebrated among U.S. discus aficionados for the Sam Mattis 237-8 (72.45) AR on the first day. The throw took down Ben Plucknett’s 45-year-old standard. But of course it much more than that — for both male and female platter wizards, and to a lesser extent those contesting the other three throws as well, even if Ramona’s infamous wind didn’t aid them.
The initial competition where Mattis hit his record in 4th was won by Aussie Matt Denny, whose 242-11 (74.04) was history’s seventh-longest throw, even if he didn’t reach his PR (245-4 here last year). Most notable was Germany’s 23-year-old Steven Richter, who upped his PR by more than 14 feet (4.39) with a 242-9 (74.00) on his third throw that lifted him to No. 4 all time. He backed it up with a 242-8 (73.96) and 240-0 (73.15). Richter’s previous best of 228-4 (69.61) was also achieved here last year and his PR elsewhere is 224-7 (68.46).
The men’s ‘B’ competition saw Mattis lose a record to counter the one he gained, Air Force’s all-around rising star Texas Tanner landed a monster 228-2 (69.56) American CR on his third throw. That topped Mattis’s 221-3 from ’16. A special “Lefty DT” saw Reggie Jagers hit 226-8 (69.09).
None of the principals matched their Day 1 form when they returned to the ring two days later. But Brit Lawrence Okoye, who missed the opener, launched an NR 235-9.
On the women’s side, the big Day 1 showdown was most surprising for who did not have a big day as world and 2-time Olympic gold medalist Valarie Sion suffered an uncharacteristic first loss since the ’23 WC during a series with four fouls and just a 213-10 (65.18) best. Not surprisingly, she bounced back in a big way two days later, with a monster 239-10 (73.10) that’s second only to her AR.
The Netherlands’ Tokyo silver medalist Jorinde van Klinken won Day 1 at 226-4 (68.98), then was runner-up behind Sion two days later with an NR 232-11. □
