Texas Relays Has Way Of Altering Collegiate History

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story originally appeared on our website in 2022.

There has been no shortage of awe-inspiring performances by collegiate track & field athletes over the years at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays. After all, the meet has been around since 1925.

That means 2022 promises to be no different.

From The USTFCCCA InfoZone: Meets & Results | Records & Lists

Heck, it started over the past few days when Anna Hall of Florida dominated her season-opening heptathlon. Hall, the 2022 NCAA Indoor champion in the pentathlon, compiled 6412 points to move up to No. 4 all-time in collegiate history in the outdoor multi. Hall, who just missed a World Championship-qualifying mark by eight points, closed it out in style with a 2:04.61 clocking over 800 meters for an American and collegiate heptathlon record in that event (Hall would have finished a close runner-up in the Women’s 800m Invitational held last night).

You don’t have to go too far back to remember other all-time efforts, either.

How about Tara Davis of the hometown Texas Longhorns shattering Jackie Joyner’s 36-year-old collegiate outdoor record in the long jump? Just two weeks after taking down the indoor version in a winning effort at the NCAA Championships, Davis soared 7.14m (23-5¼) to better Joyner’s best by six inches. Earlier in the field series, Davis flew 6.97m (22-10½) to notch the best jump by a collegiate woman since 1985 and tied the second-best mark in collegiate history.

Don’t forget about Benjamin Azamati of West Texas A&M reducing Darrell Green’s 38-year-old NCAA Division II record in the 100 meters to dust on the same day. Azamati blistered a wind-legal 9.97 to smash Green’s all-time best of 10.08 from 1983 and become the first NCAA DII athlete to clock a wind-legal sub-10. Before the outdoor season was over, Azamati turned in four other marks that were superior to Green’s previous record – 10.02, 10.03, 10.04 and 10.07.

Rewind four years to 2017 and that’s where you’ll find Lindon Victor of Texas A&M putting the finishing touches on a sensational ten-eventer. Victor, who put up 4516 points on Day 1, overcame a slow start on Day 2 to enter the 1500 meters – the tenth and final event of the multi – within reach of Trey Hardee’s collegiate best. The Texas A&M standout needed to run 4:50.02 or better to take down Hardee’s 11-year-old record. Victor stopped the clock at 4:48.89 and finished with 8472 points, seven more than Hardee in 2006. He later one-upped himself with an 8539-point total.

Action is already underway at the 94^th Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, so we can’t wait to see what else transpires over the next few days in Austin.