At just 20 years of age, British Virgin Islands sensation Adaejah Hodge produced one of the greatest performances in women’s sprinting history, clocking a breathtaking 10.63 seconds in the 100m at the NCAA Championships.
The run elevated Hodge to fifth on the all-time women’s 100m list, placing her alongside some of the greatest names the sport has ever seen. According to the all-time rankings, only Florence Griffith-Joyner (10.49), Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54), Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.60), and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (10.61) have run faster. Hodge now sits ahead of sprint legends such as Carmelita Jeter, Marion Jones, Shericka Jackson, and Sha’Carri Richardson.
More remarkably, she is now believed to be the youngest woman in history to break the 10.70-second barrier, a mark that has traditionally been reserved for fully developed professional sprinters at the peak of their careers.
Hodge’s rise has been one of the most dramatic stories in global athletics this year.
Representing the British Virgin Islands and competing for the University of Georgia, she entered 2026 already regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in the sport.
Earlier this season, she became the first athlete from the British Virgin Islands to win an NCAA indoor title, capturing the women’s 200m crown in a national-record 22.22 seconds. She also claimed silver in the 60m and helped Georgia secure the NCAA team title.
In April, she stunned the sprint world by running 10.77 seconds at the Tom Jones Invitational, becoming the first woman from the British Virgin Islands to break 11 seconds and setting a national record. That performance immediately established her as one of the fastest women in the world this season.
Women’s sprinting has seen thousands of elite athletes compete over the decades, yet only a handful have ever broken 10.70 seconds. The names above Hodge on the all-time list include Olympic champions, world champions, and some of the most celebrated sprinters in history.
For an athlete still competing in the NCAA system, reaching that level is almost unprecedented.
The performance also surpassed the collegiate record and further strengthened her case as one of the favourites for track and field’s most prestigious collegiate honour, the Bowerman Award.
Hodge is no stranger to the international stage.
She competed at the 2024 Olympic Games in Pris, becoming the first athlete from the British Virgin Islands to reach an Olympic women’s 200m semifinal. She is also a former World U20 champion over 200m and has represented her nation at multiple global championships.