Akala Garrett (born May 10, 2005) is an American track and field athlete. She won gold medals at the 2022 World Junior Championships in the 400 metres hurdles and the 4 × 400 m relay.

Akala Garrett
Personal information
NationalityAmerican
Born (2005-05-10) May 10, 2005 (age 19)
Sport
SportTrack and field
Event(s)Hurdling, Sprinting
Achievements and titles
Personal best400 mH: 56.16 (Cali 2022)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  United States
World U20 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2022 Cali 400m hurdles
Gold medal – first place 2022 Cali 4x400 m relay

Personal life

edit

Garrett attended Harding University High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is coached by her mother, former track athlete LaSonja Collins.[1]

Career

edit

Garrett was the Gatorade's North Carolina Girls Track & Field Player of the Year in 2021,[2] and 2022.[3] She won the 100m hurdles and the 400m hurdles at the 2022 USATF U20 Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, running 10.91 for the 100 m hurdles and 57.47 for the 400 m hurdles. She had won the 400 m hurdles the year previously also.[4]

She won the 2022 World Junior Championships in the 400 m hurdles and dedicated the win to her former high school principal, Eric Ward.[5] Her time of 56.16 was a world leading U20 time.[6] She finished half a second ahead of nearest rival, Hanna Karlsson of Sweden.[7] She doubled up and also won gold in the 4x400 m relay at the event in Cali, Colombia.[8]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Harding High sophomore hurdler Akala Garrett is in a class by herself". Thecharlottepost.com.
  2. ^ "Akala Garrett growing into Harding University High School star". bvmsports.com. July 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Harding's Akala Garrett repeats as Gatorade NC Player of the Year in girls track". Highschoolot.com.
  4. ^ "So focused': Charlotte high school athlete to compete on world stage". News.yahoo.com.
  5. ^ "AKALA GARRETT HONORS LATE UNCLE WITH 400-METER HURDLES TITLE AT WORLD ATHLETICS U20 CHAMPIONSHIPS". Runnerspace.com.
  6. ^ "Yemi Mary John storms to world junior 400m gold". Athletics Weekly. August 5, 2022.
  7. ^ "5 best USA athletes at World Athletics U20 Championships 2022 so far". Sportskeeda.com. August 5, 2022.
  8. ^ "Charlotte high school track star adds 'world champion' to long list of accolades". WBTV.com.
edit