"One of my fav track memories" - Anna Hall recalls being a part of the team that won Florida Gators' first-ever outdoor NCAA Championship title

Combined event specialist Anna Hall recalled the historical moment when her effort earned the Florida Gators their first-ever NCAA track and field indoor and outdoor titles in 2022. Hall recently finished fifth in the heptathlon at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Anna Hall was an athlete at the University of Georgia, from 2019 to 2021, when she helped the Bulldogs earn a third-place finish at the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships besides winning the high jump All-American title. She faced a navicular foot injury at the 2021 US Olympic trials, thus sitting out of her NCAA and elite season. Later, she announced her transfer to the University of Florida and started training with the Gators in 2022.

Hall won the SEC title after collecting 4618 points in pentathlon in 2022 and also won outdoor and indoor titles at the NCAA Division 1 Championships. Her effort earned Gators their first-ever NCAA Outdoor title in 30 years and her 400m hurdles silver win helped the team claim their first-ever NCAA indoor honor.

Fast forward to September 2024, the Olympian posted an Instagram story, where a fan thanked her for her contributions to making history at the University of Florida. In response, she posted a celebratory picture from the Gators' title-winning day and wrote:

"one of my fav track memories by far. We were loaded"

Anna Hall at the 2022 NCAA Championships; Instagram - @annahall

The same year, Anna Hall earned 6412 points in the heptathlon at the Texas Relays and broke the collegiate record of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who won 6390 points in 1983.

The 23-year-old won the bronze medal in the heptathlon at the 2022 World Championships and bettered her position to silver at the 2023 edition.

Anna Hall was glad to make it to the Paris Olympic finals but regretted losing the podium

Anna Hall running in the heptathlon at the The Olympic Games-Paris 2024 - Source: Getty

Hall missed out on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics because of her foot injury but made it up by winning the heptathlon at the 2024 Olympic trials and qualifying for Paris. In the finals, she collected 6,615 points to finish fifth, just 92 points away from the bronze medal. Although she stuck to third in the initial races, her spot dropped to fifth going into the 800m.

She reflected on her debut Olympic journey in her Instagram post, expressing gratitude for the opportunity but regretted the tough loss.

"thank you @paris2024 for helping me realize a lifelong dream but i wanted more," her caption read.

Before the Olympics, Anna Hall underwent knee surgery in January, not related to the foot surgery she underwent after breaking the navicular bone in her left foot at the 2021 US Olympic Trials.