Razorbacks secure SEC title with school record 4 x 400 victory

GAINESVILLE – Winning the 4 x 400m relay in a school record secured the SEC Outdoor championship for the Razorbacks with a six-point margin over runner-up Alabama, 110-104.

In claiming a fourth consecutive SEC Outdoor team title, the Razorbacks match the four titles won by Arkansas from 2003 to 2006. This also completes a SEC triple crown for the Razorbacks, the 18th SEC triple crown in Arkansas men’s history.

This is the 23rd SEC Outdoor title for the Razorbacks and 78th league championship overall in the SEC.

Four teams scored over 100 points in pursuit of the men’s team title. Texas A&M finished third with 103.5 points while host Florida placed fourth with 100.

Arkansas won the 4 x 400m relay in a world-leading 2:59.03, breaking the UA record of 3:00.97 from last year. The Razorbacks rank as the No. 6 school in college history and are the fourth fastest all-USA collegiate squad.

A lean by Arkansas anchor James Benson at the finish line delivered the key victory for the Razorbacks over Alabama, who finished in 2:59.06 while Florida placed third in 2:59.48 with Texas A&M fourth in 3:00.98.

The final three events of the meet – triple jump, 5,000m, and the 4 x 400m relay – accounted for 33 team points by Arkansas.

Apalos Edwards finished third in the triple jump with a mark of 52-11.5 (16.14) from his first round attempt. Then 17 points were generated in the 5,000m as Patrick Kiprop won the race in a meet record of 13:32.94 with Ben Shearer in fourth (13:39.52) and Kirami Yego seventh (13:51.98).

Kiprop bettered the meet record of 13:36.93 set in 2023 by Tennessee’s Dylan Jacobs.

Racing on the relay for the Hogs were TJ Tomlyanovich (45.5), Lance Lang (44.3), Steven McElroy (44.77), and James Benson (44.18). Alabama anchor Khaleb McRae split 43.73, but Benson’s lean won the race.

Heading into the final event the team score had Arkansas with 100 points, followed by 98.5 for Texas A&M, 96 for Alabama, and 94 for Florida.

The final day of the SEC Championships started with a seventh place finish in the 4 x 100m relay as Arkansas posted a time of 39.45 with a foursome of Lang, Tevijon Williams, McElroy, and Benson.

Later in the meet, Lang ran in the final of the 100m and 200m. A 10.16 placed him eighth in the 100m and equaled his best time at Arkansas. Then in the 200m a strong start through the curve propelled Lang to a career best of 20.04 and moved him to No. 2 on the UA all-time list.

Wallace Spearmon, Jr. holds the Arkansas school record of 19.89, and Lang moved ahead of Jarrion Lawson’s 20.17 from 2016.

Five points scored in the 110m hurdles had William Spencer, Jr. setting a career best of 13.69 in sixth place while Elijah Morris finished seventh in 13.74. Spencer also scored in the 400m hurdles with a career best of 49.77 that moves him to No. 5 on the UA all-time list.

Freshman John Scott Kendricks just missed adding a point to the team tally as he place ninth the pole vault while equaling his outdoor career best of 17-0.75 (5.20).