Dowie qualifies for World Championships in 400-meter hurdles
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Rising senior 400-meter hurdler Danielle Dowie ran a career-best time and notched a runner-up finish at the Jamaica National Senior Championships on Friday night to punch her ticket to the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
Dowie crossed the finish line in 54.94 seconds, achieving the ‘A’ qualifying standard and shaving more than a second off her career best time in the event. Dowie missed out on a spot on the Jamaican Olympic Team for London when she finished sixth in the intermediate hurdles at the 2012 edition of the country’s national championships. But her second-place finish in 2013 earns her the right to represent Jamaica at the World Championships in Moscow, which will be heldAugust 10-18.
USA OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
The USA Outdoor Track & Field Championship meet entered its second of four days at Drake Stadium in Des Moines, Iowa.
Texas Ex Alexandria Anderson earned a place on Team USA for Moscow with a third-place result in the 100m. Anderson qualified fourth for the final earlier in the day and posted identical times of 10.91 in both rounds. It will be Anderson’s first individual qualification for the outdoor world championship meet, with her having raced as an alternate on the U.S. 4x100m relay team in 2009 and 2011.
Sanya Richards-Ross continued her quest to defend both her 2011 world title and 2012 Olympic crown in the 400m running in the national semifinal. The six-time USA champion in the event ran a 51.53 and qualified seventh for Sunday’s final. Fellow Texas Ex Moushaumi Robinson was 11th overall in the semis with a time of 52.15, while rising senior Briana Nelson placed 15th (52.83).
Two rising sophomore in Courtney Okolo and Melissa Gonzalez had solid preliminary races in the junior sections of the 400m and 400m hurdles, respectively. Okolo advanced to the 400 final with the fastest qualifying time out of the first-round heats, a personal-best 51.89. It was Okolo’s fourth PR mark in the event in her last five races, her most recent coming during her fourth-place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. The Junior 400m final will be run Saturday at 1:46 p.m. Central.
Gonzalez notched the second-fastest time in the junior 400m hurdles of 58.74, also a career best, earning her the right to compete in the event final, which will take place tomorrow at 1:38 p.m. Central.
TEXAS RESULTS – JAMAICA NATIONAL SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 | @ - advances to World Championships | * denotes career best
Final
400m hurdles
2. Danielle Dowie, 54.94@*
TEXAS RESULTS – USA OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 | @ - advances to World Championships | Q – qualified for final
Final
100m
3. Alexandria Anderson, 10.91@
Semifinal
100m
4. Alexandria Anderson, 10.91Q
11. Chauntae Bayne, 11.15
400m
7. Sanya Richards-Ross, 51.53Q
11. Moushaumi Robinson, 52.15
15. Briana Nelson, 52.83
TEXAS RESULTS – USA JUNIOR OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
FRIDAY, JUNE 21 | Q – qualified for final | * - denotes career best
First Round
400m
1. Courtney Okolo, 51.89Q*
400m hurdles
2. Melissa Gonzalez, 58.74Q*
