When Safhia Hinds arrived at Kansas State University, she brought with her raw talent, lingering doubt, and a quiet hope that things could finally click. One year later, the 22-year-old Jamaican 400m hurdler has not only shattered her personal best, but also stamped her name in the school's record books and ignited hopes of becoming Jamaica’s next breakout hurdler.
At the Big 12 Outdoor Championships on May 17, Hinds ran a lifetime best 55.90 seconds to win the 400m hurdles final—now the second-fastest time in Kansas State history. That performance capped a steady progression - 58.04 at the Drake Relays on April 25, 56.75 in the Big 12 prelims, and then her breakthrough run in the final.
“Honestly, I’m still in shock. I don’t even know how it happened,” Hinds told Sportsmax.TV. “Everything just came together—the training, the motivation, the push. It’s just different here at K-State.”
Before Kansas State, Hinds competed at South Plains Junior College, where she felt her potential was stifled by a lack of structure. “Gym wasn’t that serious. We didn’t really have anyone supervising or pushing us,” she recalled. “Now, everything is in place. I’m lifting more, doing proper cleans—I’ve never trained like this before. My body looks more athletic. I’m way stronger.”
At the heart of her transformation is Coach Mat Clarke, who oversees her hurdles training. “Coach Clarke has been telling me since indoors that I was going to run 55. I didn’t believe him, but he saw it in me,” she said. “He reminds me a lot of Mr Keilando Goburn, my coach at St Jago—always motivating, always showing you what you’re capable of.”
Hinds has also found a valuable support figure in Clive Pullen, the Jamaican coach on staff at Kansas State and a former standout in the triple jump. “That’s like the cherry on top,” she said. “Coach Pullen is always there—on the field, in the gym—cheering for you, reminding you that you can do it. Coming from a fellow Jamaican, it just hits differently.”
But while the structure and coaching have been crucial, so too has been her shift in belief.
“Before, I didn’t think I could go faster,” she admitted. “But now that I’ve seen 55, I believe I can go even further—maybe 54.9 this season. And if I’m in a race with the top dogs, I know I’ll push myself more.”
She’ll soon get that chance. Hinds, who competes at the NCAA West Preliminary from May 28-31 in College Station, Texas, at E.B. Cushing Stadium hosted by Texas A&M, has also signed up for the Jamaican National Championships in June and hopes to test herself against stars like Andrenette Knight and Rushell Clayton. “I just want the experience—line up with the best and see where I stand. It’ll prepare me well for my senior year.”
Though going professional hasn’t been her focus, the door remains open. “It was never really in my plans,” she said. “But if I’m running fast and opportunities come, I’ll definitely consider it.”
For now, she’s balancing excellence on the track with academic pursuits. Hinds is studying Integrated Human Sciences, having initially considered a path in nursing.
Every PB, every hurdle cleared, is part of a larger breakthrough—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. “Every meet, I’ve been improving. Everything is just in place now,” she said.
And if her steady rise continues, Jamaica may soon welcome a new name into its storied tradition of world-class hurdlers.