Bulldogs Collect Three Qualifiers At World Championships
September 15, 2025 | Track & Field
TOYKO, Japan --- A pair of Georgia sprinters advanced to the semifinal round of the women's 400-meter dash and a former Bulldog thrower made the hammer throw final as the nine-day World Athletics Championships continued in Tokyo, Japan.
Aaliyah Butler (US) and Dejanea Oakley (Jamaica), who teamed together to help lock down the Bulldogs' first NCAA outdoor team title in 2025, both punched their ticket to the next round.  Butler was third in the second 400m heat and 13th overall thanks to her 50.44 while Oakley was 23rd overall (third in the first heat) with a 51.07.  The Bulldog pair retakes the track on Tuesday for the semifinal.
Denzel Comenentia (Netherlands), whose NCAA double in the hammer and shot put helped clinch Georgia's 2018 national outdoor team championship, took 12th overall after launching his top effort 75.91 meters (249 feet).  He will throw in the hammer final on Tuesday in Tokyo. Â
Also in the women's 400m, Bulldog newcomer Vimbayi Maisvorewa (Zimbabwe) completed the first round in 40th (52.28).
Other competitors with Georgia ties included: Stephanie Ratcliffe (Australia), who finished 23rd in the hammer throw qualifying with a mark of 68.42m (224-5); Charles Grethen (Luxembourg), who managed a 26th-place finish in the 1500m opening round (3:41.18); current sophomore Michelle Smith (St. Croix), who ran a 56.00 for 31st in the qualifying round of the 400m hurdles; and Christopher Morales Williams (Canada), who clocked a 45.26 to cross the men's 400m finish line in 45.26.
Former Bulldog national champion Lynna Irby-Jackson was already part of Team USA's gold medal winning mixed 4x400m relay to jumpstart the World Championships on the first day of action.
A total of 22 former and current Georgia team members and coaches are representing the Red and Black at the world's biggest track and field meet of 2025.  UGA Director of Track & Field Caryl Smith Gilbert is the head coach of the Team USA women's team so collected her first gold alongside Irby-Jackson.
Butler (women's 400m, 4x400m relay, U.S.), Oakley (women's 400m, mixed 4x400m relay, Jamaica), Kelsie Murrell-Ross (women's shot put, Grenada), Manuela Rotundo (women's javelin, Uruguay), Maisvorewa (women's 400m, Zimbabwe), Shaquena Foote (women's 4x400m relay, Jamaica), Smith (women's 400m hurdles, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands) and Maurice Gleaton (men's 4x100m relay, U.S.) are the current Georgia team members set to compete at the World Championships along with volunteer assistant Janek Oiglane (decathlon, Estonia).
The former Bulldogs include: Morales Williams (men's 400m, Canada), Comenentia (men's hammer throw, Netherlands), Marc Minichello (men's javelin, U.S.), Kyle Garland (decathlon, U.S.), Karel Tilga (decathlon, Estonia), Johannes Erm (decathlon, Estonia), Irby-Jackson (mixed 4x400m relay, 4x400m relay, U.S.), Elena Kulichenko (women's high jump, Cyprus), Ana da Silva (women's shot put, Brazil), Ratcliffe (women's hammer throw, Australia), Lianna Davidson (women's javelin, Australia) and Marie-Therese Obst (women's javelin, Norway).
In addition, Smith Gilbert, who was the 2025 U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) National Coach of the Year, is the head coach for Team USA's women.Â
How To Watch Worlds:Â https://gado.gs/dfu
Here is a breakdown of the rest of the schedule for the current and former Bulldogs competing in Tokyo:
Sept. 16
Denzel Comenentia, men's hammer final (8 a.m.)
Aaliyah Butler, Dejanea Oakley, women's 400m semifinal (8:05 a.m.)
Sept. 17
Marc Minichello, men's javelin qualification (6:10 a.m., 7:45 a.m.)
Sept. 18
Elena Kulichenko, women's high jump qualification (6:15 a.m.)
Marc Minichello, men's javelin final (6:23 a.m.)
Aaliyah Butler, Dejanea Oakley, women's 400m final (9:24 a.m.)
Sept. 19
Manuela Rotundo, Lianna Davidson, Marie-Therese Obst, women's javelin qualification (6:30 a.m., 8 a.m.)
Sept. 20
Kyle Garland, Johannes Erm, Karel Tilga, decathlon: 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m (starting first five events at 9/19 8:25 p.m.)
Kelsie Murrell-Ross, women's shot put qualification (9/19 9 p.m.)
Kelsie Murrell-Ross, women's shot put final (6:54 a.m.)
Shaquena Foote, Lynna Irby-Jackson, Aaliyah Butler, women's 4x400m relay heats (7 a.m.)
Maurice Gleaton, men's 4x100m relay heats (7:25 a.m.)
Manuela Rotundo, Lianna Davidson, Marie-Therese Obst, women's javelin final (8:05 a.m.)
Sept. 21
Kyle Garland, Johannes Erm, Karel Tilga, decathlon: 110m hurdles, discus, pole vault, javelin, 1500m (starting final five events at 9/20 8:05 p.m.)
Elena Kulichenko, women's high jump (6:30 a.m.)
Shaquena Foote, Lynna Irby Jackson, Aaliyah Butler, women's 4x400m relay final (7:40 a.m.)
Maurice Gleaton, men's 4x100m relay final (8:20 a.m.)
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Where To Keep Up With The Dawgs: Results and recaps from the coming Worlds will be found at georgiadogs.com.  News and updates from Georgia's track and field and cross country teams are always located on X/Instagram at @UGATrack.
Players Mentioned
