Adaejah Hodge Continues Historic Rise, Now Fifth-Fastest
University of Georgia freshman Adaejah Hodge produced wind-legal 10.63s in the 100m and 21.68s in the 200m at the NCAA Division I Championships in Eugene, Oregon, shattering collegiate marks and drawing national praise. Newly reported remarks from Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley hail Hodge as an inspiration for the Virgin Islands, and Guavaberry additionally describes the 10.63 as an NCAA and Under-20 world record.
Adaejah Hodge electrified the track world at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, producing a wind-legal 10.63 seconds in the women’s 100 metres — a massive personal best that established a new collegiate record. BVI News and Guavaberry both reported the mark and say it places the University of Georgia freshman among the fastest women ever; those outlets place her fifth on the senior women’s all-time list.
Guavaberry further reports that Hodge ran a blistering 21.68 seconds in the 200 metres that same weekend, a time that would rank her among the top 10 all-time and is described by that outlet as moving her to eighth on the world list. Guavaberry also states that the 10.63 came in the 100m semifinal and that it set both the NCAA record and an Under-20 world record; BVI News first reported the 10.63 and some other outlets described it as recorded in Heat 1.
Both outlets note the times were wind-legal and extraordinary. Hodge’s 2026 season has been a steady build. She announced herself during the NCAA indoor season by winning the women’s 200m title, finishing runner-up in the 60m and helping Georgia to the NCAA team championship — indoor results that signalled the form she carried outdoors, according to Guavaberry.
In April at the Tom Jones Invitational in Florida, Hodge became the first female athlete from the British Virgin Islands to break the 11-second barrier in the 100m, clocking a stunning 10.77. Guavaberry reported that run set a new BVI national record, was for a time the world lead and moved her to second on the NCAA all-time list.
She followed that landmark with a powerful performance at the Southeastern Conference Championships, where she won the women’s 200 metres in 21.92 seconds — another national record and one of the fastest collegiate 200m times ever, Guavaberry reported. Hodge’s rise also followed a period away from competition.
Guavaberry reports she served a suspension related to an anti-doping finding after the 2024 World Under-20 Championships, which authorities concluded was due to unintentional ingestion; she cooperated with investigators and became eligible to return in January 2026. Her results since returning have underscored resilience and rapid progression.
The achievements drew swift reaction at home. In Road Town, Minister for Education, Youth Affairs and Sports Honourable Sharie de Castro described Hodge’s performances as "legendary," praising her as an example for young people across the Virgin Islands (Guavaberry). New to the record of responses, Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley also issued a congratulatory message on behalf of the Government and people of the Virgin Islands, calling Hodge’s run an extraordinary display of talent and saying she has "lifted the Virgin Islands flag to new heights" (Guavaberry).
Beyond records and rankings, Hodge’s season is historic for the British Virgin Islands — inspiring young athletes, energising coaches and amplifying calls for investment in local sprint programmes and facilities. With World Championships and Olympic qualification on the horizon, Hodge is now firmly among the names the territory and the wider Caribbean will follow closely as her career continues to unfold.
Primary source: BVI News