Jonathas Breaks Collegiate Record, Finishes Fourth, at Worlds

COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina track and field senior Wadeline Jonathas made history on Thursday afternoon, breaking both the South Carolina and the all-dates collegiate record in the 400m with her time of 49.60 to finish in fourth place at the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
 
Jonathas’ 49.60 breaks Courtney Okolo’s collegiate record of 49.71 she set for the Texas Longhorns back in 2016. In just 2019, Jonathas’ outdoor 400m time dropped from just over 52 seconds to an all-time collegiate record of 49.60. Her time also helps her claim the fastest time in program history that was previously held by Natasha Hastings (49.84). The fourth-place finish in the 400m marked continued success for the Gamecocks with Jonathas joining Hastings (2016 Olympics) as the best finish at a world event in program history.  
 
During the IAAF World Championships, Jonathas, as she has all year long, continued to make strides. She posted two personal records during her three races, including winning her quarterfinal heat and claiming second in the 400m semifinals to earn an automatic qualifying spot in the finals.
 
Despite all the history, Jonathas is not done at the IAAF World Championships. The newly minted record holder will likely compete in the USA 4x400m relay team, who will compete on Oct. 5 in the event’s first round. The event can be seen on NBC Sports Gold.
 
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