Rockin' Rachel gets Gold

On March 8 and 9, the best of the best in the NCAA got together in Boston, Massachusetts. For the first time in the many seasons that we've covered track and field, Winners Only attended the NCAA Indoor Championships. Here's a look at some of our favorite moments from last weekend which was the final collegiate event of the indoor season.

A little over a month before her 22nd birthday, Rachel Glenn of Arkansas put on the best performance of her life in the high jump on March 9. She tied the NCAA record of two meters which is the equivalent of 6 feet 6 and 3/4 inches. The Long Beach, California native, who won NCAA 2021 outdoor gold in the high jump as a freshman, outlasted Texas A&M's Lamara Distin at the two meter mark. Distin was the the back-to-back champ and on February 24, she defeated Glenn and a field of 15 other competitors at the SEC Championships as she became the first woman in the NCAA to clear the bar at two meters.

Glenn finished second at the SEC meet but at the NCAA meet, she battled Distin and outperformed her for the first time since winning the gold at the 2021 NCAA outdoor meet. After that Glenn faced Distin at the SEC Indoor Championships in 2022 and 2024. She also took her on at the 2022 SEC and NCAA Outdoor Championships and the NCAA Indoor Championships. Distin captured gold in each of those meets.

Things got a bit shaky for Glenn last weekend in Boston as she cleared each height with ease in a perfect six attempts from 1.75 meters to 1.94 meters. Never having cleared 1.97 meters, Glenn missed on her first attempt, while Distin, who'd cleared it four times previously, was successful on her first effort.

On her second try at 1.97 meters, a passionate Glenn cleared the bar and appeared ready to go blow for blow with the defending champ. Unlike at the SEC meet, Distin didn't have another two-meter jump in her for the indoor season. Glenn went over on her first try and grabbed her first NCAA indoor championship to add with her outdoor gold.

In a field that included the 2023 NCAA outdoor champ Charity Hufnagle, now of Kentucky, previously of Ball State, another strong competitor was Elena Kulichenko of Georgia. We were able to catch up with the bronze medal winner from Odintsovo, Russia, as she talked about competing in the deep and talented championship event.

"It wasn't hard, it was just exciting to be here," Kulichenko said. The atmosphere is amazing. The track is absolutely great. I was just enjoying the atmosphere." After exiting the competition with the third best mark of 1.91 meters, Kulichenko could be seen enjoying the battle between Distin and Glenn as she too has gotten to know those opponents as they know themselves throughout various SEC and NCAA Championship competitions.

Kulichenko earned the bronze at the NCAA indoor meet for the second straight year. She also took the third place prize, last outdoor season.

After years of toiling on foreign soil, here in the United States, Amber Anning finally got an NCAA gold as a solo act. The Arkansas sprinter from Hove, England earned a championship in the 1,600-meter relay at last year's NCAA indoor meet. Anning appeared in the 400 meters NCAA indoor final in 2021 and 2023 and she also showed up in the preliminary round in 2022. Previously she never recorded a top three finish, but on March 9, Anning was the supreme performer as she scored a first place time of 50.79 seconds.

"I think it's a lot of emotion," said the tearful Anning after her win. "It's taken me five years to get this title. I've been working really hard. I sacrificed a lot.

For the second straight year an Arkansas sprinter has won the 400 meters. Last season Britton Wilson took the gold at 49.48 seconds. Anning placed sixth in that final closing her race at 51.22.

"I think Britton left a legacy to be honest," Anning said. "I'd seen what she did last year and what she was able to accomplish. I think it inspired us."

The "us," that Anning was speaking of were her teammates Nickisha Price and Rosey Effiong who placed second and third respectively as Arkansas swept the gold, silver and bronze medals in the championship competition.