“You have to get uncomfortable to get comfortable again,” those were the words from Fred Kerley after winning the men’s 400m Elite Invitational race at the Mt. SAC Relays 2025 on Saturday (19).
Running his first competitive 400m in two years, Kerley produced a time of 44.73 seconds to secure the victory at Hilmer Lodge Stadium at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.
The American 2019 world 100m champion and silver and bronze medalist in the same event at the Olympics in 2021 and 2024, respectively, has been focusing on the short sprints since winning bronze medal in the 400m at the 2019 worlds.
However, this past weekend he decided to race the quarter-mile event as part of his preparation strategy to “get uncomfortable.”
“That’s what that 400 was doing to get uncomfortable,” he said, “actually know how to work, actually know how to run again.”
Kerley found himself locked in a tight battle with Arizona State’s Jayden Davis, but the former Texas A&M sprinter prevailed to add to his list of sub-45 seconds performances. His lifetime best of 43.64 secs was set in July 2019, in Des Moines, IA.
Meanwhile, Davis was just a step behind in second place with a time of 44.84 secs. Johnnie Blockburger rounded out the top three places with 45.26.
In the meantime, former world record holder and 2021 Olympic silver medalist, Kendra Harrison, made her season debut in the 100m hurdles with a 12.70 seconds winning performance to take the women’s elite title.
In other results from the Mt. SAC Relays 2025, Dajaz Defrand of USC finished first in the women’s 100m with 11.35 secs (-1.3m/s) ahead of Destiny Smith-Barnett (11.35) and Jamaica’s Briana Williams (11.43).
Jordan Anthony of Arkansas posted 9.98 secs (+1.2m/s) to win the men’s 100m ahead of Ilias Garcia (10.05) and Benjamin Azamati (10.07).
