TOYKO, Japan — Georgia great Elena Kulichenko soared over the high jump bar to be one of 16 qualifiers for the final as the nine-day World Athletics Championships continued in Tokyo, Japan.

Kulichenko (Cyprus), whose 2025 NCAA outdoor title helped clinch the Bulldogs’ national team championship, cleared the bar cleanly at 1.88 meters (6 feet, 2 inches), joining five other competitors who got in at that height.  She will compete in the high jump final on Sunday. 

After qualifying 12^th, former Bulldog NCAA champion Denzel Comenentia (Netherlands) took 12^th in the hammer throw final on day four of the meet.  He launched his top effort 74.86m (245-7).

Another former Georgia national champion, Marc Minichello (USA), competed in the qualifying round of the men’s javelin.  Minichello launched his best throw 80.47m (264-0) and rounded out the competition in 20^th. 

In the women’s 400-meter dash semifinal, Aaliyah Butler (USA) took fifth in her heat and 14^th overall thanks to a 50.63.  Dejanea Oakley (Jamaica) ran out of the same heat and was seventh in the race and 22^nd overall (51.42).

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 school record 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), Vimbayi Maisvorewa (women’s 400m, Zimbabwe), Shaquena Foote (women’s 4x400m relay, Jamaica), Michelle 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: Christopher Morales Williams (men’s 400m, Canada), Comenentia (men’s hammer throw, Netherlands), 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.), Kulichenko (women’s high jump, Cyprus), Ana da Silva (women’s shot put, Brazil), Stephanie 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. 

How To Watch Worlds: https://gado.gs/dfu

Here is a breakdown of the rest of the schedule for the current and former Bulldogs competing in Tokyo:

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.)

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.