Brown, Brooks sprint into record books at SEC Championships

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — No. 4 Arkansas put points on the board Saturday night, as well as qualifying six through to the finals and racking up 11-points in the women’s steeplechase to cap day two action at the SEC Outdoor Championships.

Razorbacks coach Lance Harter:

“Well we’re on the board. We’ve got people advancing to the finals. Obviously, Jada [Baylark] in the 200-meters, [Morgan] Burks-Magee in the 400-meters with a big PR, and in the 100-meters we have Kiara Parker who laid down a personal-best to make it in. Unfortunately, Jada missed the final by thousandths of a second (0.06), but that the nature of the sport. Both our hurdlers got through and Nikki [Hiltz] had a breakthrough in the 1,500-meters. [Nikki Hiltz] ran a regional qualifying time and won her section of the prelim, that pretty extraordinary, and Carina [Viljoen] advanced in the 1,500-meters as well. We’re obviously very short-handed, so we need to make the most of what it is we have, but so far we’ve done that.”

Janeek Brown and Taliyah Brooks got the day started for Arkansas with the prelims of the 100-meter hurdles.

The heat would prove to be an entertaining one as each Brown and Brooks recorded wind-legal personal-best marks. Brown crossed the line in 12.99Q while Brooks was close behind in 13.03Q.

The times stand as the No. 4 and No. 5 performances in the event in program history. Both advance to the final by virtue of an Auto-Q finish.

Nikki Hiltz and Carina Viljoen advanced through the prelims in the 1,500-meters and will compete in tomorrow’s final.

Hiltz finished strong over the last 50-meters passing Missouri’s Karissa Schweizer to finish first in the heat and second-overall with her time of 4:21.15Q.

Viljoen, also competing in the same section, finished fifth-overall in the prelim with her time of 4:24.88Q.

Morgan Burks-Magee lowered her personal-best time in the 400-meters running 52.94Q in the prelims to secure her spot in the final. Burks-Magee’s time is also the No. 10 time in program history.

Kiara Parker will represent the Razorbacks in the 100-meter final tomorrow after a lifetime-best performance in the event where the junior recorded a time of 11.22q seconds.

Jada Baylark, who finished 10th-overall, missed the final in the event by six one-hundredths of a second (0.06) running (11.230) behind Auburn’s Jonielle Smith (11.226) and Alabama’s Tamara Clark who grabbed the final spot with her time of 11.225.

Arkansas wrapped up day two of the SEC Championships scoring 11-points in the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase.

Led by Devin Clark (10:08.88), the Razorbacks finished fourth, fifth, and seventh, respectively, with Rachel Nichwitz (10:23.00) and Regan Hime (10:31.67) rounding out scoring for the Hogs.

Arkansas is currently in 10th-place with 11-points through seven of 21 events.

Arkansas will return to Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium championships Sunday with the first event for the Razorbacks slated for 1:30 p.m. in the women’s high jump.

For more information on Arkansas track and field including in-meet updates, follow @RazorbackTF on Twitter.

SEC Outdoor Championships
Saturday Results

Women’s 100-meter hurdle prelims
3. Janeek Brown – 12.99Q
5. Taliyah Brooks – 13.03Q

Women’s 100-meter prelims
7. Kiara Parker – 11.22q
10. Jada Baylark – 11.23
15. Janeek Brown – 11.37
29. Tamara Kuykendall – 11.83

Women’s 400-meter prelims
5. Morgan Burks-Magee – 52.94Q
15. Sydney Davis – 54.32
19. Sydney Hammit – 54.82

Women’s 1,500-meter prelims
2. Nikki Hiltz – 4:21.15Q
5. Carina Viljoen – 4:24.88Q

Women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase
4. Devin Clark – 10:08.88
5. Rachel Nichwitz – 10:23.00
7. Regan Hime – 10:31.6