Collegians Stand Out At 2023 World Athletics Championships

The 2023 World Athletics Championships are ongoing in Budapest!

Collegians from 2023 are standing out in a big way.

Scroll below to read about some of the biggest moments so far.

Collegians Dominate Gold-Medal Winning Mixed 4×400 Team

Justin Robinson of Arizona State, Rosey Effiong of Arkansas and Matthew Boling of Georgia ran the first three legs while former Kentucky star Alexis Holmes closed off the powerful USA squad, which clocked 3:08.80 to smash the world record of 3:09.34 set by the U.S. in 2019.

Two other 2023 collegians earned medals – Yemi Mary John of Southern California for Great Britain (which earned silver) and Ryan Willie of Florida (who will receive a gold as part of the USA’s foursome in the prelims).

Alekna Adds Bronze Medal To Discus Collection

Mykolas Alekna, who competed for California during the 2023 collegiate season, earned the bronze medal in the discus with a throw of 68.86m (225-10). His medal war chest now includes a silver from last year’s World Championships, which he followed up a month later with a gold at the European Championships. Alekna’s mark in this competition is the No. 11 performance on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list – no other collegian has thrown farther as he now owns the top-12 in history.

Pinnock Leaps World-Leading Long Jump, Eventually Earns Silver

Wayne Pinnock didn’t just top the long jump qualifying – his PR 8.54m (28-0¼) is the farthest jump in the world this year. Pinnock, who competed for Arkansas during the 2023 collegiate season, needed just one attempt to automatically qualify for Thursday’s final. His mark makes him No. 6 on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list.

Then in the final, Pinnock held the lead through five rounds before eventual champion Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece soared past him in Round 6 to demote him to silver.

Van Klinken Spices Up Discus With Big Throw

Jorinde van Klinken, who competed for Oregon during the 2023 collegiate season, heaved the discus 67.20m (220-6) – the No. 3 performance on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list (she owns the top one at 70.22m/230-5). At the time the mark moved her into second place in the competition but she wound up in fourth, repeating her place from last year’s World Championships.

Hibbert Adds Another Big Triple Jump

Jaydon Hibbert, who competed for Arkansas during the 2023 collegiate season, bounded 17.70m (58-1) to lead qualifying in the triple jump. That mark is the No. 4 performance on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list – Hibbert now has four of the top-6 marks on that compilation. In the final, Hibbert unfortunately suffered a hamstring injury on his first attempt and did not record a mark.

O’Sullivan Fast In 1500 Heats

Sophie O’Sullivan of Ireland competed for Washington during the 2023 collegiate campaigns but lowered her PR to 4:02.15 in the heats of the 1500. That makes her No. 3 on the all-time, all-dates collegiate list. Alas, O’Sullivan didn’t advance to the semifinals, finishing eighth in a fast heat when only the top-6 advanced.

Six Medals For Collegians In 4×400

Three men and three women earned medals in the concluding 4×400 relays. Justin Robinson (Arizona State) ran third leg on the victorious men’s USA team. He will be joined as a gold medalist by Matthew Boling (Georgia) and Christopher Bailey (Arkansas), who participated for USA in the prelims.

In the women’s race, Nickisha Pryce and Amber Anning – teammates during the collegiate season for Arkansas – wore differing colors, Pryce earning a silver for Jamaica and Anning a bronze for Great Britain. Also earning a bronze was Yemi Mary John (Southern California), who participated for Great Britain in the prelims.

It was the second medals of the meet for Robinson, Boling and John as that trio also had successful runs in the meet-opening mixed 4×400 relay.