Ford Sets Pair of Program Records in Semifinal Round at NCAA Championship
EUGENE, Ore. (June 12, 2025) – The Gamecock women took the stage at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championship on Thursday and they were up to the challenge, led by star sophomore JaMeesia Ford.
Ford ran two events individually, setting new collegiate leads and program records in both the 100m and the 200m. The Bowerman Watch List candidate dropped her personal best in the 100m from 11.06 to 10.87 (1.6) to claim the top spot heading into Saturday’s finale. Additionally, Ford’s 10.87 is the sixth fastest collegiate 100m sprint time. She then returned to run a new program record 21.98 in the 200m, becoming just the fifth collegian all-time to run a sub-22 second 200m dash. As expected, Ford holds the top 200m time heading into Saturday.
Jayla Jamison will join Ford in the 200m finals on Saturday after she rallied to finish second in the opening heat, running 22.54. Jamison earned an automatic qualifying spot with her runner-up finish. Salma Elbadra is the final individual Gamecock on the track to advance to Saturday’s festivities, finishing fourth in her heat of the 1500m after clocking 4:11.67.
The women’s relays took care of business yet again, making it through the semifinal round and into Saturday’s finale. The 4x100m relay of Jamison, Cynteria James, Zaya Akins and Ford ran a new season best time of 42.58 to finish second overall in the semifinal standings. The 4x400m relay team of Akins, Jamison, Sylvia Chelangat and Ford then posted a time of 3:27.91, jogging to the finish line to win the second heat of the 4x400m relay and stamp their place into Saturday’s finale.
Akins finished 10th in the 400m race, running 51.40 and finishing as the first runner out of the 400m finals. Akins was able to secure her first collegiate individual Outdoor All-American honor with her finish in today’s 400m, earning Second Team All-American nods.
South Carolina men’s team will close out its portion of the NCAA Outdoor Championship tomorrow with a pair of field events. Channing Ferguson and Nate Figgers will compete in the high jump at 7:30 p.m. (ET), while Theo Mudzengerere will take part in the men’s triple jump at 8:10 p.m. (ET).
Women’s Team Standings
1. Georgia – 26
T2. Illinois – 16
T2. Washington – 16
—
— South Carolina – 0
Women’s Individual Results
100 Meters (Semifinals)
1. JaMeesia Ford – 10.87Q (1.6)*
21. Cynteria James – 11.39 (2.2)
200 Meters (Semifinals)
1. JaMeesia Ford – 21.98Q (0.9)*
7. Jayla Jamison – 22.54Q (-0.5)
24. Cynteria James – 23.26 (0.9)
400 Meters (Semifinals)
10. Zaya Akins – 51.40
1500 Meters (Semifinals)
12. Salma Elbadra – 4:11.67Q
4×100 Meter Relay (Semifinals)
2. Jamison, James, Akins, Ford – 42.58Q
4×400 Meter Relay (Semifinals)
5. Akins, Jamison, Chelangat, Ford – 3:27.91Q
* – denotes outdoor PR
