Virgin Islands Sports Ambassador Michelle Smith delivered another exceptional performance on Saturday, May 16, finishing second in the 400m Hurdles final at the SEC Championships with a blazing time of 54.72 seconds.
The University of Georgia sophomore continues to elevate her status as one of the top young hurdlers in the sport, and her latest performance marks a major milestone in her 2025 season.
Smith’s 54.72 not only secured her the SEC silver medal—it also propelled her to No. 2 in the NCAA and an impressive No. 4 in the world for the event. The Virgin Islands Track & Field Federation proudly congratulates Michelle on this outstanding achievement. Her continued success brings tremendous pride to the Virgin Islands community and serves as an inspiration to young athletes across the territory.
Smith will compete next at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, scheduled for May 28–30, where she will look to secure her place at the NCAA Championships and continue her remarkable 2025 campaign.
Virgin Islands track and field athlete Sofia Swindell, a Freshman at Penn, delivered a standout weekend at the Ivy League Heptagonal Track and Field Championships, held May 16–17 in Princeton, New Jersey. Competing across hurdles and relays, Swindell showcased exceptional form, highlighted by a new national age‑group record and multiple top‑three finishes.
Swindell opened her campaign in the 100m Hurdles, running 13.58 in the preliminaries to advance comfortably to the final. She returned with an even stronger performance in the championship race, winning the event in 13.39 with a slight headwind of –0.3 m/s. The time not only secured the Heps title but also established a new Virgin Islands Under‑20 record, and a UPenn record.
Her success continued in the relays, where she contributed to two podium finishes for her team. In the 4x100m relay, Swindell helped power her squad to a second‑place finish in 44.87, one of the fastest times in the conference this season. She closed the meet with another strong relay performance, anchoring the 4x400m relay to a victory in a new meet record of 3:32.24, securing a championship title to cap an already impressive weekend. The Virgin Islands Track & Field Federation extends heartfelt congratulations to Sofia for her exceptional achievements.
Swindell will compete next at the NCAA East Regional Championships in Lexington, Kentucky, scheduled for May 28–30, competing with her UPenn team in the 4x400m relay.
Virgin Islands track and field athlete Saraiah Walkes, a senior at Eastern Michigan University, delivered an impressive slate of performances at the Mid-American Conference Championships, showcasing her versatility and competitive strength across multiple sprint events.
Walkes advanced through both sprint preliminaries with confidence, earning her place in two finals. In the 100m, she clocked 11.63 in the prelims to qualify for the championship race, where she finished 6th overall in 11.61. She followed that with another standout effort in the 200m, running 23.76 in the prelims before securing 4th place in the final with a strong 23.64.
Her biggest highlight came in the 4x100m relay, where Walkes and her Eastern Michigan teammates surged to victory, winning the MAC title in 45.33. The Virgin Islands Track & Field Federation proudly congratulates Saraiah on her outstanding performances.
