Woodhall collects second gold, Bailey earns silver at USATF

EUGENE – Four more medals were collected by Arkansas alums on the third day of the USATF Championships at Hayward Field. Gold medals were earned by Nikki Hiltz and Hunter Woodhall while silver medals were claimed by Isabella Whittaker and Chris Bailey.

Hiltz posted a winning time of 4:03.15 to claim a third consecutive USATF Outdoor title in the 1,500m. Hiltz finished ahead of Sinclaire Johnson (4:03.77) and Emily Mackey (4:04.38).

Over the final 300m of the race, Hiltz split 43.22 compared to 43.93 for Johnson in the race to the finish line. Hiltz moved from third to first in defending the title. In the last 400m, Hiltz split 58.67 with Johnson at 59.48.

After winning the 100m yesterday, Woodall added a second victory with a 45.79 performance in the T62 400m. He has qualified for the World Para Championships, which will be held in New Delhi, India, in both events.

Isabella Whittaker cruised to a runner-up finish in the women’s 400m in 49.59 seconds. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the race in 48.90 while Georgia’s Aaliyah Butler placed third in 49.91.

Other Razorbacks in the 400m final included Britton Wilson, who placed sixth in 50.88, and Rosey Effiong, who placed eighth in 51.29 from lane 1. Alexis Holmes, who trains in Fayetteville, finished fifth in 50.33.

Bailey, a bronze medalist at the 2024 Olympic Trials, moved up a place in securing a silver medal in the men’s 400m final with a time of 44.43. Jacory Patterson on the race in 44.16 while Khaleb McRae finished third in 44.45 with Vernon Norwood fourth at 44.47.

Krissy Gear challenged for a top three position in the 3,000m steeplechase over the last lap and delivered a career best time of 9:11.64. However, that left her in fourth place behind a 9:11.36 for Kaylee Mitchell in third. Alum Logan Jolly placed 11th in 9:44.99.

Another pair of pros training in Fayetteville included Dalilah Muhammad (53.30) and Anna Cockrell (53.97) going 1-2 in the first round of the 400m hurdles.

Arkansas alum Destiny Huven reached the final of the 100m hurdles after posting a time of 12.75 in the semifinal. Her 12.81 placed eighth in the final.