Georgia’s Irby Doubled Down, Set 400 MR

Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships

Georgia’s Irby Doubled Down, Set 400 MR

June 9, 2018

There were 14 instances of women scoring in both the 200 and 400 at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships between 1982 and 1989.

That number dropped to five from 1990 to 2003 and then zero in the next 14 years.

It’s safe to say Lynna Irby brought a throwback feel to the 2018 meet at Hayward Field.

Irby, then a freshman at Georgia, set her sights on becoming the only woman in meet history to win both the 200 and 400. She entered the weekend with the fastest 200 in the nation at 22.25 – the 14th fastest performance in collegiate history – from her victory at the SEC Championships and sat fifth on the seasonal 400 chart at 50.95.

First, Irby had to get through the semifinals, which she did with ease. Irby showed a sign of things to come with a 50.11 PR in the 400 for the fastest qualifier and added the second fastest qualifier of the meet in the 200 at 22.37.

Nothing was going to stop Irby in the 400 on the final day – not even inclement weather.

Irby destroyed the field for a meet-record 49.80, shaving 0.30 seconds off the previous meet best of 50.10 established by Monique Henderson of UCLA in 2005. That was just 0.09 seconds off the 49.71 collegiate record by 2016 The Bowerman winner Courtney Okolo of Texas. Irby also became just the fifth freshman to win that event crown in meet history.

“Honestly, I can’t even remember what the track felt like,” Irby said after the meet. “I just remember I wanted to be first across the finish line. All I could think about was the execution of our race plan today.”

Less than 40 minutes later, Irby returned to the track for the 200-meter final.

Irby got out strong, but fresh legs prevailed, as Anglerne Annelus of Southern California won with NCAA Indoor champ Gabrielle Thomas not too far behind. Annelus took her first of two half-lap crowns in 22.76 with Thomas in second at 22.86 and Irby third in 22.92.

posted: February 7, 2021
1921-2021
The NCAA's First Championships

The NCAA and collegiate track & field will mark a momentous milestone in the spring of 2021 -- the 100th anniversary of the NCAA Championships and with that, the NCAA Track & Field Championships. In June 1921, the University of Chicago hosted the first track & field championships in NCAA history.

This point can’t be emphasized enough: Not only was the event the first for NCAA track & field, but the first championships for any sport under the sponsorship of the NCAA.

To celebrate, over each of the next 365 days, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) will celebrate moments, student-athletes, and coaches that have made a century’s worth of championships special. From humble beginnings to important historical milestones to the modern-day, collegiate track & field has evolved with the American society.

The 2021 edition of the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships begin with preliminary round action on May 27-29 in Jacksonville, Fla., and College Station, Texas. The championships final site and culmination of the celebration is slated for June 9-12, 2021 at the newly rebuilt Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Memorable Moments