The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
SEC Outdoor Championships
Meeks Breaks Texas Hammer Record, Earns Silver on Opening Day of SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships
05.14.2026 | Track & Field / Cross Country
Meeks, Sophie Atkinson collect 10 points for the Texas Women as four Longhorns qualify for hurdle finals.
AUBURN, Ala. – No. 11/14 Texas Track & Field opened competition at the SEC Outdoor Championships on Thursday with a silver-medal performance from Giavonna Meeks in the women's hammer throw and multiple qualifying performances on the track at Hutsell-Rosen Track.
Meeks delivered a Texas program-record throw of 68.23m (223-10) on her third attempt to finish second in the women's hammer competition and score eight points for the Longhorns. The mark also stood as a season best and highlighted a dominant series in which all six of her throws ranked among the top eight performances in program history. Meeks now owns the top 19 marks in Texas history.
Texas also added two points in the women's 10,000 meters, where Sophie Atkinson placed seventh in 33:42.19. Her time ranks as the 10th-fastest performance and moves her to No. 8 on the Texas all-time performer list in the event.
In the women's 400-meter hurdles prelims, Amelliah Birdow and Mackenzie Collins advanced to Saturday's final. Birdow finished second in her heat with a time of 56.08 to earn the automatic qualifying spot and recorded the fourth-fastest time overall in the prelims. Collins advanced with the eighth-fastest qualifying time at 57.50.
On the men's side, Kody Blackwood won the opening heat in a season-best 56.08 to automatically qualify for Saturday's final. Chris Brinkley Jr. followed by placing second in his heat in a personal-best 57.50, strengthening his hold on the No. 9 spot on the Texas all-time performer list while earning a place in the final.
Elsewhere on the track, Isabel Conde de Frankenberg finished the women's 800-meter prelims in 2:07.57, followed by Grace Kowalski in 2:07.95.
In the women's 200-meter prelims, Naomi London posted a time of 23.30, while Holly Okuku crossed the line in 23.38 and Abigail Wolfe in 23.53.
Jayden Jones led the Texas men in the 200-meter prelims with a 21.04. Xavier Butler followed with a season-best 21.13, John Rutledge finished in 21.26 and Gabriel Remy posted a time of 21.55.
In the combined events, Brock Lewis totaled 2,478 points and is in fourth through five events in the decathlon, while in the heptathlon, Iana Ahetz-Etcheber sits 12th overall with 3,144 points, while Tabea Eitel ranks 14th with 2,864 points through four events. Eitel highlighted the day by posting the top high jump clearance at 1.74m (5-8.50) and winning her 200-meter heat in a personal-best 24.96.
Freshman Aidan Torres closed out the day for the Longhorns running 30:36.61 in the men's 10,000 meters.
Competition at the SEC Outdoor Championships resumes Friday, May 15, with the continuation of the combined events beginning with the decathlon at 11 a.m. CT and the heptathlon at 11:45 a.m. CT. The SEC Championships can be viewed live on SEC Network+.
Women's Point Scorers
Giavonna Meeks – Hammer – 8
Sophie Atkinson – 10,000m – 2
Texas Program Records set at the 2026 SEC Outdoor Championships
Women's Hammer Throw: Giavonna Meeks - 68.23m (223-10)
