The 2025 NCAA Track and Field Championships have featured some incredible races, standout performances, and rising stars. One such name is JaMeesia Ford. The 20-year-old track and field athlete has set fire to the track in Eugene in the few days she has run in the NCAA championships. On June 12, she donned the sprint suit and took her place on the track to get her name etched in the history books. She clocked a time of 10.87 (+1.6) in the 100 meters – not only her personal best but also the 6th fastest time in collegiate history. Now imagine carrying such form to the NCAATF 100 metres final. Would you even count someone else for the win? Well, you should.

The NCAATF 100 meters final, perhaps, witnessed the biggest upset of the 2025 NCAA track and field championships as JaMeesia Ford finished second. There was a very, very tight competition between her and USC’s Samirah Moody. To say that one of them got the better of another would be an overstatement because, though lanes apart, metaphorically speaking, Moody might have felt Ford’s breath on her shoulder. The USC athlete clocked a time of 11.14 (.136), and Ford came second in 11.14 (.139). A minute difference of a three-thousandth of a second.

Donning the white sprint suit in Lane number six, Ford had a good start. The commentators were also quick to notice that, citing, “Great start for Nautilus, again, but also for Ford. And down the line three, Samira Moody of USC, going well, but here comes JaMeesia Ford, and she’s gonna be…” second. Tima Godbless of LSU came third with a time of 11.19 (.183). But it wasn’t done for Ford after that as she stood back up.

Minutes later, she was back on the track. One again, the red hair, white sprint suit, and lane number six. But this time it was the 200 meters. And this time as well, she had a great start, with commentators saying, “JaMeesia Ford starting to make a stagger on Jasmine Montgomery to her outside. Ford comes off the turn first, but here comes Madison Whyte. Madison Whyte is right there for USC. JaMeesia Ford, Madison White is going to be close. Like the 100, but this time,” she did not lose to a USC student. She clocked a time of 22.21 seconds for the win. 

Madison Whyte clocked 22.23 for second position while Dajaz DeFrand came third with 22.39. This race once again proved why JaMeesia Ford is such a big name in collegiate track and field, and why she was a favorite in the 100 meters. She also has so many records to her name.

JaMeesia Ford – A rising star

Born to parents Walter Ford and Synthel Ford, in 2005, JaMeesia Ford is one of the fastest-rising stars in American sprinting. While attending high school at Jack Britt HS (Fayetteville, NC), she won multiple titles–including golds in the 100m, 200m, 400m, plus the AAU Junior Olympics 200m at age 14. She quickly made her mark on the international stage, winning gold in the mixed 4×400m at the 2023 Pan American U20 Championships. In 2023, she set a world U20 indoor record in the 300m (35.83s) and followed it with NCAA Indoor titles in the 200m and 4×400m relay during her freshman season at the University of South Carolina.

Ford holds personal bests of 10.87s (100m), 21.98s (200m), and 50.33s (400m), making her one of the fastest U20 sprinters globally. She has won multiple SEC titles, earned All-American honors, and been named SEC Freshman of the Year and USTFCCCA Southeast Region Athlete of the Year. In 2025, she signed an NIL deal with HOKA—their first sprinter. Do you think she has what it takes to rewrite the track and field history? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.