Ole Miss’s Akaoma Odeluga Shines at Virginia Challenge with Historic Shot Put Performance
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Ole Miss junior Akaoma Odeluga made a historic mark in the shot put at the Virginia Challenge on Friday, surpassing her previous career best by nearly a foot. Her throw of 19.23 meters (63 feet, 1.25 inches) ranks second all-time in SEC and Ole Miss history, behind Olympian Raven Saunders.
Odeluga’s performance was a standout in a busy day for the Rebels. Her mark places her seventh in outdoor collegiate history, ninth in all-time collegiate history, and 19th among American women. She has also taken the collegiate lead for the 2026 season and ranks third worldwide for outdoor performances this year, according to meet organizers.
Earlier in the day, Odeluga competed in the women’s hammer throw, finishing sixth with a distance of 61.16 meters (200 feet, 8 inches). Fellow Ole Miss All-American Tarik Robinson-O’Hagan also excelled, winning the men’s hammer with a throw of 74.69 meters (245 feet, 0 inches) and later setting a season-best in the shot put at 20.86 meters (68 feet, 5.25 inches), a facility record.
The Rebels had a successful evening on the track, with several athletes posting personal and season bests. Senior Kidus Misgina finished second in the 5,000 meters in 13 minutes, 31.19 seconds, ranking third all-time at Ole Miss. Aiden Britt clocked an outdoor PR in the 5K in seventh place at 13:43.19, moving to seventh on Ole Miss’s all-time list.
In middle-distance events, Evan Thornton-Sherman set a career best in the 1,500 meters with a time of 3:39.42, ranking sixth in school history. Chase Rose followed with a PR in the 800 meters at 1:46.89, seventh all-time at Ole Miss. On the women’s side, seniors Loral Winn, Sophie Baumann, and Beth Arentz posted top-three all-time performances in the 1,500 meters, with times of 4:15.50, 4:16.73, and 4:18.15, respectively.
In the sprints, sophomore Jordan Urrutia and freshman Patchnalie Compere recorded season-best and personal-best times in the 100 meters. Urrutia ran a legal wind-legal 10.19 seconds, ranking eighth in Ole Miss history. Compere clocked 11.35 seconds in the final, her best showing this season, and moved into the top six all-time at Ole Miss.
Ole Miss continues competition Saturday, beginning at 10:30 a.m. with the women’s 100-meter hurdles. The team’s strong start signals a promising weekend at the Virginia Challenge, organizers noted.
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