Sanya Richards earns fifth national 400m title at U.S. Track and Field Outdoor Championships
June 27, 2009 EUGENE, Ore. -- Former Longhorn Sanya Richards earned her fifth U.S. Outdoor 400m Title Saturday night at the 2009 U.S. Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon. Richards had posted the fastest 400m times in both the first round and semifinals before running a 50.05 for the title and the automatic berth to the 2009 World Championships. Another Texas Ex racing in Oregon was Marshevet Hooker. In the 200m, Hooker's wind-aided 22.81 was the fifth-fastest time and advanced her to Sunday's semifinals. Just a day after winning the 100m national title and a a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team, incoming freshman Chalonda Goodman earned the top spot in the 200m winning the finals heat in a wind-aided 22.74. Goodman already owns the world's fastest wind-legal time this year with a mark of 22.94 and is also the top 100m junior in the world with her time of 11.30, reached earlier this year. Also competing in the juniors section were freshmen Angele Cooper, Stacey-Ann Smith and Judy Nwosu. Smith and Nwosu each advanced to the 400m finals after Smith finished second in her heat in 54.70 and Nwosu clocked a 54.37 for third in her heat. The top two finishers in each heat automatically qualify with the four next fastest times also advancing. Cooper, who advanced to the 400m hurdles semifinals at the 2009 NCAA outdoor meet, earned a spot un Sunday's finals after posting a time of 1:00.46. The 2009 World Championships will be held Aug. 15-23 at the Berlin Olympic Stadium in Germany while the Pan American Junior Championships will be held at the Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad on July 31-Aug. 2. The final day of the U.S. Outdoor Junior and Senior Track and Field Championships starts up at 10 a.m. Central Sunday.
POST MEET QUOTES Incoming Freshman Chalonda Goodman On winning the 200m title: I really had to focus on getting out, because I was in lane three. I had to pick up the stagger in the race. That was mainly my focus at the beginning of the race. My momentum carried me off the turn and then I was able to finish strong. TEXAS RESULTS (q-qualifed for next round, w-wind-aided) Seniors 400m Finals Juniors 200m Prelims Juniors 200m Finals Juniors 400m First Round |
|
