Looks like the bill finally came due for Jameesia Ford.  The 21-year-old South Carolina junior came into the 2026 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships as the 200m defending champion after winning the title in 2025. She was even in good form as she made the 100m final. But things changed in the 200m, her main event, as she picked up an injury during the race and was later seen leaving in a wheelchair.

During Heat 1 on June 12, Ford stepped onto the track in her pink wig. For the first half, she smoothly moved through the opening strides and into the bend. But as she came off the curve, everything changed. She suddenly pulled up in pain, grabbing her left thigh. Her speed dropped immediately. Within seconds, it was clear she could not continue. She slowed to a stop and recorded a DNF, ending her title defense right there on the track.

Medical staff quickly came to help her, and she was later taken off in a wheelchair. The exact injury is unconfirmed, but from the looks of it, it is likely a hamstring issue in her left leg.

With her exit, the final lineup for the 200m who are qualified are: Adaejah Hodge with 21.96, Gabrielle Matthews with 22.22, Camryn Dickson with 22.22, Yahnari Lyons with 22.36, Dajaz Defrand with 22.36, Shawnti Jackson with 22.45, Tiriah Kelley with 22.51, Christine Mallard with 22.55, and Alexis Brown with 22.58.

This isn’t the first time Ford has had issues with her hamstrings. In June last year, she admitted to having a hamstring strain during the SEC championships. It severely impacted her training, but she managed to push through.

However, if Ford hadn’t sustained an injury, she could have improved her own record. She had already logged 22.07 this season, just a bit shy of her personal best of 21.98. Earlier in the 2026 Championships, Ford had already qualified for Saturday’s 100 final, coming in at seventh in a repeat of her career-best 11.02. She also led her team to a fourth-place finish in the 4×100 (42.44). Things took a turn for the worse in the 200m, but Ford is no stranger to injuries.

Just last year, JaMeesia Ford won the 2025 NCAA Division I Outdoor 200m title, running 22.21 seconds to take first place. She was also supposed to run in the 4x400m relay, but later pulled out due to injury concerns. Despite this setback, her achievements still stand strong.

JaMeesia Ford rose from school star to NCAA sprint champion

JaMeesia Ford began running when she was nine years old. She trained with the Fayetteville Flyers in North Carolina and attended Jack Britt High School, where her speed stood out. From the start, she seemed to have great potential as a sprinter, even at the junior high level. Now, 21-year-old Ford is one of the top sprint prospects for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics in the US.

Her first big success was at the 2023 Pan American U20 Championships, where she took home gold in the 4x400m mixed relay. She also ran the fastest time ever by an American U20 in the 300m on the track in Indianapolis that December. By 2024, Ford had become a top NCAA sprinter. She won the NCAA Indoor 200m title in 22.34.

Her best year came in 2025. She won both SEC sprint titles as she ran 10.87 in the 100m semifinals and set a personal best of 21.98 in the 200m. However, at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, she finished second in the 100m by a very small margin before winning the 200m title in 22.21.

In 2026, she continued to stay among the top NCAA sprinters, finishing second in the SEC Indoor 200m, placing fourth in the NCAA Indoor final, and qualifying for the NCAA Outdoor Championships. From a young runner in Virginia to an NCAA champion, Ford has made her name as one of the strongest young sprinters in American track and field.