PERHAPS INDICATIVE OF today’s transfer portal school-hopping, the 400H was won by a transfer out of Texas chased by a transfer into Texas. Akala Garrett, last year’s runner-up for the Longhorns, won it this year for South Carolina in a CL 53.32. Amelliah Birdow, 7th in ’25 for TCU, now placed 2nd wearing burnt orange and clocked 53.60.
Both are juniors and both notched PRs: Garrett improved from 53.73 at last year’s Tom Jones Memorial, while Birdow destroyed her previous best of 54.79 from this year’s SEC Championships.
Garrett was not hard to spot at the gun. She is known for her fashionable wigs, and this day wore a bright pink one. She was equally easy to see at the finish due to her solid lead.
Garrett’s competitors did not roll over for her. At the end of the backstretch, Birdow held a slight lead, which she held for one more hurdle. But in the curve Garrett began a slow burn that Birdow could not match. Arkansas junior Saira Prince came 3rd in a PR 54.36.
Garrett was the first Gamecock to win the event since Olympic champion-to-be Lashinda Demus in ’02. As for Birdow, her consolation was to replace Garrett as the Texas school recordholder. Garrett jumped from No. 10 on the all-time collegiate list to No. 6.
“I just trusted God,” Garrett told the Hayward Field crowd. “I prayed so hard that this is my time. My freshman year, I was 4th. My sophomore year, I was 2nd, so it was only one more place to get.
“I knew last year that that wasn’t my time to my shine, and I knew the transfer was gonna be really hard, but I’m just so thankful that Coach [Tim] Hall welcomed me with open arms, because he knew exactly what I can do, exactly the position I was supposed to be in, and he allowed me to trust him and let my guard down, and that’s all I needed.”
She spent a long time afterward kneeling on the track, overcome with emotion and tears of joy. Then she embraced her mother LaSonja Collins (who is also her personal coach) in the stands.
“She’s my backbone and my heart,” Garrett told ESPN. “I don’t think I would have done it without her being here. Mama’s important.”
“I thought she did an awesome, awesome job,” Collins added. “We came out and did what we were supposed to do.”
WOMEN’S 400 HURDLES RESULTS
FINAL (June 13)
1. *Akala Garrett (SC) 53.32 PR (6, 8 C);
2. *Amelliah Birdow (Tx) 53.60 PR (10, x C);
3. *Saira Prince (Ar) 54.36 PR;
4. **Michelle Smith’ (Ga-VI) 55.10;
5. **Kelsie Belquist (Nb) 55.34;
6. **Cenaiya Billups (How) 55.42;
7. ***Vanice Kerubo Nyagisera’ (Ky-Ken) 55.45;
8. Vanessa Balde’ (TxT-Ger) 56.21;
9. ***Morgan Herbst (Ar) 56.44.
SEMIS (June 11)
I–1. Birdow 55.63; 2. Smith’ 56.22; 3. Aniya Woodruff (How) 56.30; 4. Vanessa Mercera’ (KsSt-Neth) 57.25; 5. **Anouk Krause-Jentsch’ (Tx-Ger) 57.39; 6. *Madyson Wilson (Vand) 57.81; 7. *Sidney Green (Mi) 58.62; 8. **Kennedy Martinson (Mn) 59.22.
II–1. Garrett 54.49; 2. Belquist 55.94; 3. ***Tilde Bjerager’ (MtSt-Swe) 56.36; 4. *Sanaa Hebron (Mia) 56.52; 5. *Serafima Lucero (Bay) 56.54; 6. *Kirin Chacchia (SMU) 56.68 PR; 7. ***Kyndall Harrington-Spain (SC) 57.84; 8. *Elle Riley’ (Brown-Can) 59.82.
III–1. Prince 55.13 PR; 2. Nyagisera’ 55.41; 3. Billups 55.44; 4. Balde’ 55.77; 5. Herbst 56.11; 6. *Lovina Ewusi’ (TxT-Gha) 56.68; 7. **Macaela Walker (Cinc) 56.76; 8. Falon Spearman (Vand) 57.25.
