World’s Fastest: N.C. A&T’s Kayla White breaks 200m record
Courtesy NC A&T Sports Information / February 15, 2019
North Carolina A&T Sate University senior Kayla White is the fastest woman in the world (200m) with a time of 22.82. Photo courtesy A&T Sports
Kayla White is the fastest 200-meter runner in the world this year. Aggie Pride is worldwide.
The senior out of Miami ran against some of the best athletes in the country in the 200m fastest race at the prestigious Tyson Invitational hosted by the University of Arkansas at the Randal Tyson Track Center on Saturday (Feb. 9) during the second day of competition.
White blew away the field with the fastest time in the world this year, a 22.82 sprint to finish ahead of Alabama’s Tamara Clark who finished her race in 23.07.
The rest of the top-5 included LSU’s Sha’Carri Richardson in third (23.074), LSU’s Kortnei Johnson in fourth (23.077) and Arkansas’ Payton Chadwick in fifth (23.15).
Kayla White, shown above, as she wins the gold in the 100m at the MEAC Outdoor Championship.
On Friday, White ran a personal-best 8.04 in the 60mh moving her into fourth place nationally in the event. White’s accomplishments at N.C. A&T are numerous. She earned NCAA indoor All-American honors last season in the 60mh. She earned second-team All-American honors in the 4×100-meter relay and the 100mh during the outdoor season in 2017.
Last season at the MEAC Outdoor Championships, she won gold in the 100m, 200m, 100mh and the 4×100. At last season’s MEAC Indoor Championships, White finished first in the 60m and 60mh.
“She’s special,” said Duane Ross, N.C. A&T’s director of track and field programs said following White’s marvelous performance. “She was due to drop something fast. Her training has been going well and she’s hungry to be the best. I knew the race was won once she stepped into the blocks. Her focus and preparation were great this weekend.”
White’s teammate and freshman Cambrea Sturgis finished ninth in 23.53.
The men’s 200m fastest race was led by junior Akeem Sirleaf for the Aggies. Sirleaf finished second in 20.76 to break his personal record. He is now ranked 11th in the nation in the 200. Senior All-American Rodney Rowe placed eighth in 21.13. Rowe ranked eighth in the nation thanks to the 20.70 he ran last week at the Carolina Challenge.
N.C. A&T has one more meet before both the men and the women both go after their respective third straight MEAC indoor titles. The Aggies will head to Virginia Tech for the third time this season as they will compete in the Virginia Tech Challenge, Feb. 15-16. The following week, Feb. 21-23, the Aggies will head back to Landover, Md., in search of making more history.
White’s Honors
Indoor
NCAA All-American 60mh
All-American 2nd Team
Outdoor
All-American 4 x100m Relay
All-American 100m Hurdles
