Morris regains world lead in women’s pole vault with 16-foot (4.88m) clearance, Cunningham becomes only fourth American female high jumper to clear 6-6.75 (2.00m) indoors and outdoors; Hedeilli leads five athletes to sub-4 mile efforts, Dendy soars to top global long jump and Bassitt sets NCAA Division 2 400 record

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

The run at the top didn’t last long for British pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw.

One day after Bradshaw cleared 15 feet, 11 inches (4.85m) to take over the world lead in Rouen, France, she watched as PUMA professional athlete Sandi Morris regained her edge globally Sunday by reaching the 16-foot mark (4.88m) at the third American Track League indoor event at Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville, Ark.

Morris, a former NCAA Division 1 indoor champion at Arkansas, improved on her own facility record set a week earlier by producing a 16-foot clearance on her third attempt. Morris had cleared 15-9.25 (4.81m) in her Jan. 31 season opener, before achieving a 16-foot effort for the fourth consecutive year to surpass Bradshaw’s performance Saturday at the Perche Elite Tour.

Morris, 28, has made a switch this year from previously using 14’7” poles to now using 15’1” poles, with the primary goal of being able to get her grip up an additional three inches, which she has indicated as a necessary adjustment in order to have legitimate opportunities at setting the world record at this stage of her career. Through two competitions, the results have been impressive.

“I have been trying to get on for a while. I had been trying in the past, but the timing wasn’t quite right and it would be hit or miss if I would even be able to swing,” Morris said. “I finally feel like I have the timing down, because you have to have a longer drive phase before you swing in order to grip higher. They are the same poles I have been trying to jump on in the past. I just kept putting them away and going back to my 14’7” (poles) because the timing wasn’t quite there. But I think I have it down now.”

Morris, the 2018 World Indoor gold medalist representing the United States, had three unsuccessful attempts at the absolute world record 16-7.50 (5.07m) to cap the competition.

“After getting the facility record and the current world lead, there’s not much else to go for,” Morris said. “Let’s just put it at 5.07m, the world record, and take some looks at it. I was working on raising my grip tonight. I raised it about an inch and a half, and that doesn’t sound like much, but in pole vault, raising your grip when you’re at the peak of your abilities it’s really, really difficult.

“I feel so confident, because everything we’ve been working on in training has been coming together and feeling really good. So, I think it’s going to be a big year.” 

RESULTS

Two-time NCAA outdoor champion and collegiate outdoor record holder Olivia Gruver, an All-American at both Kentucky and Washington, achieved a lifetime-best 15-8.25 (4.78m) clearance on her second attempt to not only secure the Olympic standard, but elevate to the No. 6 indoor performer in American history and equal to 18th all-time in the world.

“Today meant a lot to me. I’ve been ready to jump high and everything just came together for me to do that,” said Gruver, who cleared her personal best using a 4.45 pole with an 18.4 flex.

“The competition was great. It’s always fun to jump with the girls, we all push each other. I felt good. We“ve been working on my endurance a lot this year and it has definitely helped me get to higher bars.”

Former Duke standout Megan Clark, who trains with Morris in Fayetteville, took third by clearing 15-0.25 (4.58m).

Vashti Cunningham became only the fourth American high jumper to clear at least 6-6.75 (2.00m) both indoors and outdoors during her career, joining Chaunte Lowe, Tisha Waller and Coleen Sommer.

After needing three attempts to clear 6-2.25 (1.89m), Cunningham eventually found her rhythm and soared over the 2-meter bar on her second opportunity to match her first outdoor clearance at the height in 2019. Cunningham had three unsuccessful tries at the American indoor record 6-8 (2.03m).

Jelena Rowe, who trains with Vashti Cunningham under the guidance of Randall Cunningham, cleared a personal-best 6-3.25 (1.91m) on her second attempt to place runner-up.

The men’s mile was the most exciting event on the track, with five athletes achieving sub-4 performances to increase the all-time mark at Randal Tyson Track Center to 125.

Texas Tech senior Takieddine Hedeilli held off a late charge from New Zealand’s Nick Willis, representing Tracksmith, to prevail by a 3:56.79 to 3:56.82 margin. Hedeilli, already a top-10 all-time collegiate indoor performer in the 800 meters, ascended to No. 31 in NCAA history in the indoor mile.

Hobbs Kessler, a senior at Ann Arbor Skyline High in Michigan, set a national prep indoor record by placing third in 3:57.66.

Juan Diego Castro produced a Costa Rican national indoor record, finishing fourth in 3:57.78, and American James Randon placed fifth in 3:58.66. It marked the first time since the semifinals of the 2015 Division 1 Championships that five athletes eclipsed the 4-minute barrier in the same race at Randal Tyson Track Center.

Marquis Dendy, who hadn’t competed since Aug. 22 and jumped just once indoors last year, produced a thrilling world-leading effort on his final attempt to win the men’s long jump.

LaQuan Nairn, an Arkansas redshirt senior with only outdoor eligibility remaining, set a Bahamian national indoor record of 26-9.25 (8.16m) on his second jump to take the lead, which held up until the sixth round. Dendy, who had only one fair mark in his series with an opening-round performance of 25-10.75 (7.89m), came through in the clutch by jumping 26-11.25 (8.21m) to prevail with his best indoor effort since 2018.

Trevor Bassitt, a senior at Ashland University in Ohio, set one NCAA Division 2 indoor record and elevated to the No. 2 all-time indoor performer in a second event in his return to Randal Tyson Track Center.

Bassitt, despite competing in the “B” section, ran 45.27 to win his 400-meter race and eclipse the 2010 Division 2 indoor mark of 46.05 by Josh Scott of Saint Augustine’s on a 200-meter banked track. Bassitt also surpassed the oversized track mark of 45.67 achieved by former Ashland teammates Myles Pringle in 2019.

American Michael Cherry won the “A” section in the 400 in 45.24.

Bassitt also ran 7.68 to finish fourth in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, a race won in 7.53 by former NCAA champion at Arkansas, along with Olympic and World Championship gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles Omar McLeod.

Bassitt improved to the No. 2 all-time indoor performer in Division 2, with Minnesota State’s Myles Hunter boasting the top three marks, including the record 7.53 in 2016.

British athlete Adelle Tracey rallied in the final lap of the women’s 800 to surpass Sophia Gorriaran, a sophomore at Moses Brown High in Rhode Island, to win by a 2:02.11 to 2:02.44 margin.

Gorriaran, 15, earned the U.S. Olympic Trials standard by running under 2:02.50, and elevated to the No. 4 all-time indoor prep performer. Nikki Hiltz, an adidas professional, ran 2:02.51 in her first appearance at Randal Tyson Track Center since graduating from Arkansas.

Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare won the women’s 60-meter dash in 7.10 seconds, in addition to placing third in the 200 in 23.01.

Jamaica’s Christania Williams took second in 7.14, with Americans Teahna Daniels (7.17) and Hannah Cunliffe (7.21) right behind. Jenna Prandini and high school sophomore Shawnti Jackson, representing Run U XPress and Wakefield, N.C., both clocked 7.24.

Prandini, representing PUMA, returned to win the women’s 200 in 22.55, with fellow American Quanera Hayes clocking 22.70. Jackson ran 23.23 to finish ahead of former San Diego State All-American and adidas professional Ashley Henderson (23.33) and Cunliffe (23.40), an NCAA champion and collegiate record holder at Oregon.

Jackson set sophomore class national records in both events, as well as a World age 15 all-time mark in the 60-meter dash. Her 200 performance ranks second in World age 15 history, trailing only Sweden’s Irene Ekelund, who ran 23.15 in 2013.

Shamier Little, an adidas professional, won the women’s 400 in 51.33. Shakima Wimbley, also representing adidas, clocked 52.12 to prevail in her section.

Ronnie Baker made his season debut in the men’s 60-meter dash and held off fellow American Trayvon Bromell by a 6.53 to 6.58 margin. Andrew Hudson was third in 6.61.

British athlete Tiffany Porter won the women’s 60-meter hurdles in 7.95, just ahead of Jamaica’s Britany Anderson in 7.97. Reigning U.S. Indoor champion Gabbi Cunningham was third in 8.08.

LSU senior Tonea Marshall, competing unattached and boasting the fastest time this year among all entries at 7.86, suffered a false start in the prelims.

Shelby McEwen, a former NCAA Indoor high jump champion at Alabama, cleared 7-2.50 (2.20m) to secure the victory.