Rayniah Jones

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Rayniah Jones
Personal information
Born (2001-09-28) 28 September 2001
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)Hurdles, Sprint
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100 m: 11.29 (2021)
200m: 22.64 (2023) 100mH: 12.43 (2026)
Indoors
60m: 7.21 (2022)
200m: 23.35 (2022)
60mH: 7.90 (2022)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  United States
NACAC U23 Championships
Gold medal – first place2023 San Jose100 m hurdles
Gold medal – first place2023 San Jose4 × 100 m

Rayniah Jones (born 28 September 2001) is an American high hurdler and sprinter.[1]

Biography

Originally from Miami, Jones was educated at Miami Southridge Senior High School. In 2021 as a freshman at University of Central Florida, Jones set personal best times of 11.29 seconds in the 100 meters and 12.73 seconds in the 100 metres hurdles. She placed second to Anna Cockrell in the 100 m hurdles at the 2021 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships and was a semi-finalist at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2021.[2][3][4]

In July 2023, she won gold medals in the 100 metres hurdles and in the in the 4 × 100 metres relay at the NACAC U23 Championships.[5]

She became UCF's first Big 12 Conference champion in the 100 metres hurdles. After her undergraduate graduation in 2023 in criminal justice and journalism, Jones studied for a master’s degree in political science and was named the 2024 Big 12 Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year. She finished her UCF career as a 10-time All-American and finished third overall in the 100m hurdles with a program-record 12.59 at the 2024 NCAA Outdoor Championships. She was a semi-finalist again at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2024.[6][7]

On 18 April 2026, Jones won the 100 metres hurdles into a strong head wind at the Addis Ababa Grand Prix, the first World Athletics Continental Tour meeting to be held in Ethiopia, before placing fourth in the 100 m dash at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya.[8][9] That month, she won the 100 m hurdles in 12.68 seconds (-0.4), ahead of Cyrena Samba-Mayela at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix in Gaborone and won in 12.72 seconds at the Simbine Classic in South Africa.[10][11] Jones also won the 100 metres hurdles at the 2026 Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on 3 June in 12.60 seconds.[12] On 6 June, she ran 12.62 seconds for the 100 m hurdles at the USATF Lone Star Grand Prix in College Station, Texas.[13] Competing at the Boris Hanzekovic Memorial in Zagreb on 26 June, she ran the 100m hurdles in a new personal best of 12.43 seconds placing second in a photo finish with compatriot Alaysha Johnson, who was credited with the same time.[14]

Personal life

Jones has also worked as a model, featuring in Sports Illustrated.[15]

References

  1. "Rayniah Jones". World Athletics. 9 June 2021.
  2. Smith, Brian (23 June 2021). "Getting to know UCF Track and Field All-American Rayniah Jones". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  3. Plasencia, Amanda (18 June 2021). "UCF Track & Field Athlete Hopes to Overcome Hurdles and Head to Tokyo". nbcmiami. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  4. "NCAA Div. I Outdoor Championships". World Athletics. 9 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  5. "TEAM USATF DOMINATES MEDAL TABLE AT NACAC U23 CHAMPIONSHIPS". usatf.org. 25 July 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  6. "Rayniah Jones". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  7. Medina, Dani (20 June 2024). "3 UCF track & field stars to compete in 2024 US Olympic Trials". Fox35orlando. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  8. "Strong season openers in Gainesville, Thomas wins sprint double in Addis Ababa". World Athletics. 19 April 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  9. "Kip Keino Classic". World Athletics. 24 April 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  10. Benatti, Andrea (26 April 2026). "Andre De Grasse roars back: 19.84 and 9.95 in Gaborone". Queen Atletika. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  11. Goss, Symone (April 30, 2026). "Cambrea Sturgis stars at inaugural Simbine Classic with 10.92". World-Track. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  12. "Rogers throws beyond 80 metres in Turku". World Athletics. 3 June 2026. Retrieved 4 June 2026.
  13. "Thomas scorches to 21.70 at Lone Star Grand Prix". World Athletics. 6 June 2026. Retrieved 6 June 2026.
  14. "LaFond sails to world-leading 15.25m in Zagreb". World Athletics. 26 Jun 2026. Retrieved 26 June 2026.
  15. "Track and field star sizzles in bright bikini for SI Swim debut". sportingnews.com. 2 Dec 2025. Retrieved 4 June 2026.