9.93 for Walter Dix at NCAA Championships (© Kirby Lee)
Walter Dix showed he is still top dog in American collegiate sprinting on Friday with an impressive 9.93 over 100 metres in still air on the third day (8) of the NCAA championships. He put away young Trindon Holliday and a good field by more than a metre.
It wasn’t just the fact that Dix ran the fastest wind-legal time of this young year. But more than that, he didn’t just run, he raced. Running even with Holliday at about 50 metres, Dix produced a sudden, gasp-producing burst that shot him into the lead in the next 20m, and it was all over.
“I know the guy behind me was only at 10.06, but he ran great which helped me run great,” said Dix, who last month clocked 19.69 over the half lap. “I am glad I had that competition.
“I thought I could have run faster,” he added. “I probably should have run through the tape instead of celebrating a little early.”
The race came less that two hours after Dix had sparked his Florida State University team to a 38.60 victory in the 4x100 metres with a second-leg carry that drew a resounding ”Woww!” from the 8000-plus in attendance.
Sikes upsets Kipyego in 5000m
At the other end of the scale were three noteworthy distance performances. Michelle Sikes of Wake Forest University upset Sally Kipyego (KEN) of Texas Tech in the women’s 5000 metres in the meet-record time of 15:16.76. The two drew free of the field halfway through the race, and the lead changed several times before Sikes jumped ahead with a lap to go and sprinted away to win by 40 metres.
Perhaps Kipyego, who won last night’s 10,000 and run a heat of the 5,000 two nights ago, took on more than she was capable of – but Sikes looked totally convincing in that final lap.
Collegiate women's Steeplechase record by Willard
Anna Willard of the University of Michigan set a collegiate record in the women’s 3000m Steeplechase, charging to a 50-metre victory in 9:38.08. In the men’s steeplechase, Kenyan Barnabas Kirui of the University of Mississippi, hurdling the water jump in the manner of 1968 Olympic champion Emos Biwott, won easily in 8:20.36.
The women’s 100 Meter Hurdles proved that there is plenty of talent in the pipeline for this event, with six finishers under a wind-legal 13.00 (+1.8). The winner was Tiffany Ofili of Michigan in 12.80, trailed most closely by Candice Davis, 12.90 and Nickiesha Wilson (JAM), 12.93.
Scott Sellers, a Texan student at Kansas State University, cleared 2.32m on his second attempt to win the men’s High Jump from Andra Manson of Texas and Donald Thompson (BAH) of Auburn, both of whom cleared 2.29. Destinee Hooker of Texas won the women’s High Jump for the second year in a row; both she and Miruna Mataoanu (ROM) cleared 1.92, but the Texan had no misses along the way.
Only two university women have thrown the hammer past 70 meters this year, and they finished 1-2 in the women’s Hammer Throw here. The winner was Jenny Dahlgren (ARG) of Georgia, who threw 70.72, beating Brittany Riley of Southern Illinois, who threw 69.29. The men’s hammer was won by Jake Dunkleberger of Auburn University with a throw of 71.87.
In qualifying races for Saturday’s finals, Natasha Hastings, strongly favored to win the women’s 400 metres, showed why in her semifinal. Jogging the final 40 metres yet clocking 51.25. It looked like it could have been no worse than 50 flat if she had chosen to run hard all the way.
James Dunaway for the IAAF
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