Holmes is Hot

Sharmelle Holmes' fast start to her freshman season at Kentucky continued on day one of the Rod McCravy Invitational, today, Jan. 10, in Louisville, Kentucky.

The freshman from Winnsboro, South Carolina, won her collegiate debut one day short of a month before on the same track at the Louisville Opener. In a final featuring two Kentucky sprinters, including herself and six Louisville competitors, Holmes won with a time of 7.37, which was the ninth best time of the NCAA indoor season entering this morning.

Holmes really put in work in practice over the past month because during the preliminary round of the 60 meters at the Rod McCravy Invitational, she ran the fastest time of 7.29 seconds. That time is currently 10th best all-time in school history. Even more impressive is the fact that Holmes had a faster preliminary time than Ohio State's Leah Bertrand, who had the second fastest finish of the round at 7.30. Bertrand is coming off a 2024 Second-Team All-America 60 meters indoor campaign.

Holmes also had a faster time than her First-Team All-American sprinter teammate, Victoria Perrow who had the third best preliminary finish of 7.32 seconds. Nobody else in the field of 58 sprinters finished under 7.40 seconds. Tomorrow, there will be three semifinal heats. Holmes, Bertran and Perrow will each be in separate heats. Other notable sprinters to watch out for in tomorrow's semifinal round are Nia Wilson of Purdue, who ran a time of 7.40. Wilson's teammate L'Asia Wilson had a finish of 7.42 and Ohio State freshman Bobbi Oliver ran an impressive time of 7.43 in her collegiate debut.

In our preview we talked about Marcia Sey of Howard and Kentucky's Alexis Glasco who entered the meet tied with the NCAA's third fastest times of the season. Sey tied with a different hurdler during the preliminary round at the Rod McCravy Invitational. She and Adaobi Tabugbo recorded times of 8.236 which were the best of the meet. Glasco was one of the 24 hurdlers that advanced with a top four prelim time of 8.31 seconds. Purdue's Zoe Sullivan also finished ahead of Glasco with the third best time of the round at 8.28.

Glasco and Sullivan will meet up in the opening heat of the semifinal round along with six other hurdlers. Sey and Tabugbo will compete in the second and third heat respectively.

Fifty-three sprinters battled for the best time as the 200 meters was decided on the opening day over 16 separate heats. Cincinnati sophomore Davenae Fagan led the entire field with a time of 23.87 seconds. This was her first indoor 200 meters victory and second overall win in the event of her career. Fagan placed ahead of Akron's Joy Nwokike's time of 23.94 seconds. Holmes, who led all 60 meters sprinters, had a top three 200 meters result of 23.96.

Our preview of the meet discussed the long jump, which was won by Louisville 2023 First-Team All-American indoor and outdoor jumper Synclair Savage. She landed at 6.24 meters. This was the eighth high jump win of Savage's collegiate career. Kentucky's Morgan Davis was a runner-up at the Rod McCravy Invitational for the second straight year at 6.07 meters. UCF's All-American jumper Asherah Collins jumped a top three mark of 6.03 meters.

Kentucky's Kate Powers earned a win in the weight throw on opening day. She recorded a top throw of 21.64 meters. Akaoma Odeluga and Skylar Soli were of Ole Miss were second and third with respective top throws of 21.23 and 19.67 meters.