The indoor track and field season is in full swing, and senior Akela Jones is well on her way to another successful season. Jones earned the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Week Award, and she was named the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association National Athlete of the Week for the second time.
After taking the NCAA title in the heptathlon last season, Jones has taken the 2016 season head on.
In her last performance at the DeLoss Dodds invitational, Jones was just 35 points shy of the NCAA record for the pentathlon.
Jones had first place finishes in the 60-meter hurdles and the high jump, which brought her score total up to 2,114 points after just two events. She added to the point total in shot put and a career-best performance in long jump with a jump of 21-9 1/2 to move her score to 3,894 points. Her 2:25.63 time in the 800-meter run finished off the pentathlon at 4,643 points.
Nationally, Jones leads the way for collegiate athletes in the pentathlon and high jump, is ranked No. 2 in long jump and is No. 4 in the 60-meter hurdles.
On a world scale per the International Association of Athletics Federations, Jones is the leader in the pentathlon and is No. 3 in long jump, No. 7 in high jump and No. 16 in the 60-meter hurdles.
