Nugent wins 100m hurdles, Beckford sets high jump PR

CHORZOW, Poland – Arkansas alum Ackera Nugent set a pair of meet records while winning the 100m hurdles at the Silesia Diamond League held Sunday in front of a sellout crowd of 42,300-plus fans.

Razorback Romaine Beckford cleared a career best 7-6 (2.29) to place second in the high jump and is equal No. 5 on the UA all-time list behind a set of four Razorbacks who share the school record of 7-6.5 (2.30).

Racing in the prelims, Nugent registered a meet record of 12.30, with a +0.6 wind, to claim her heat as she bettered the previous meet record of 12.34 set in 2022 by Jasmine Camacho-Quinn.

In the final, racing into a -0.5 headwind, Nugent produced a second meet record with a 12.29 decisive victory. American Grace Stark finished second in 12.37 while Jamaican Danielle Williams placed third in 12.38. Olympic champion Masai Russell finished fourth in 12.40.

“This is my first year of competing as a professional and I feel grateful to just be able to compete against the great ladies,” said Nugent, who has a season best of 12.28. “I’m just getting used to running on the circuit.

“Coming here to compete against all the best in the world, on one hand I did not expect to win, on the other, I knew I just have to execute well and do everything that is under my control. I do not know what is to come for me next season, I just want to have confidence in what I am doing and let things take their turn.”