At the Liberty Open indoor track and field meet in Lynchburg, Virginia, on January 24, 2026, athletes from several universities claimed victories and set records. North Carolina Central's Zion Amadi won the men's 200m and 400m dashes, while Hampton University's Kylee King, Nia Warren, and Marquis White each took first in their events.
The 2026 Liberty Open, hosted in Lynchburg, Virginia, featured standout performances from college track and field teams, including North Carolina Central University (NCCU), Hampton University, and Mount St. Mary's University.
NCCU's teams secured five individual wins. Sophomore Zion Amadi broke his own school record in the men's 200m dash with a time of 21.01 seconds, placing him in the top 15 nationally in Division I. He also won the 400m in 47.20 seconds, moving to second in NCCU's records behind Gordon Lewis's 2019 mark of 47.11. Emmanuel Paddyfote set a personal record in the men's 1000m, finishing first at 2:28.51. In field events, Tia Lucas won the women's high jump (high pit) at 1.74m, her second straight meet victory, and Rachel Key-White took the low pit section at 1.66m, tying her personal best. Khamani Johnson placed second in the men's shot put (low circle) with 12.58m, ranking in the MEAC top 15. Melanne Sutton finished third in the women's 60m at 7.44 seconds, just 0.04 seconds off the win.
Hampton University's Pirates had three first-place finishes among 12 top-three results. Kylee King won the women's 800m in a season-best 2:12.73. Nia Warren claimed the women's 1000m with a personal-best 2:52.42. Marquis White leaped 7.30 meters (23 feet, 11.5 inches) to win the men's long jump, a season best.
Mount St. Mary's athletes also delivered strong showings, though specific results were not detailed in reports. The meet highlighted early-season form, with NCCU next heading to the Pre-National Indoor Meet in Virginia Beach on February 13-14.
