| As the NCAA National Track & Field Championships continue through this weekend, the state of Alabama is represented as well as ever. Several former Alabama track & field athletes are competiting at the highest collegiate level, having qualified by performance standards and a regional qualifying system. Five of these athletes (Tiffany McWilliams in the 1500m, Cedric Norman in the high jump, Willie Bradley in the triple jump, Trey Hardee in the decathlon, and Arthur Davis in the 4x400m relay) are all likely All-Americans with outside shots at individual championships. Here are the updates as I've been able to gather them so far. Apologies to anyone I've left off. If you know of someone else, please e-mail me the addition to james@alabamarunners.com | |
Cedric Norman (SoMiss from Central-Tuscaloosa 2000) has had the best high jump mark in the nation since clearing 2.29m (7' 6") on the first weekend of outdoor competition in early March. After the preliminary rounds in Austin, he is tied for the #1 spot in the high jump after the qualifying round, on the fewest attempts of anyone in the field. Norman passed to 2.14m (7' ¼"), which he cleared on his first attempt. He then cleared 2.17m (7' 1½") on his first attempt to advance on just two jumps. NCAA 1500m record-holder Tiffany McWilliams (Miss. State from Red Bay 2001) has the fastest time in the country this year at 4:09.19. Not surprisingly, she ran away from the field in the preliminaries to win section 1 in 4:11.64, still better than any other collegiate athlete has posted this year. McWilliams will defend her championship in the finals on Saturday, June 12. |
 Tiffany McWilliams (texassports.com) |
Arthur Davis (Williamson 2003) ran the fastest leg of Mississippi State's 4x400m relay team (44.8), and one of the fastest splits in the entire field, leading MSU to a #2 finish in heat 1 and a #5 seed going into finals. MSU clocked an overall time of 3:03.52 to advance, just .1 off the time that led them to a second-place finish at the SEC Championships. The finals are scheduled for Saturday, June 12. Trey Hardee (Vestavia Hills 2002) and Arthur Davis ran on the Mississippi State 4x100m relay team that finished 13th and failed to advance to finals. Markita James (Smiths Station 2001) ran a leg of the Auburn 4x400m relay team that qualified 6th for the finals. Tim Hicks (MTSU from Central-PC 1999) ran on MTSU's 4x400m relay team, but did not advance to the finals. Day 2: LSU's Willie Bradley (Hoover 2001) won Flight 2 of the men's triple jump prelims and had the second-best mark in the entire field at 53-10.50" behind Leevan Sands of Auburn. Mississippi State's Trey Hardee (Vestavia Hills 2002) is currently 2nd in the decathlon competition after Day 1. Trey entered the meet seeded 3rd behind Maurice Smith of Auburn and Ryan Harlan of Rice. His next-closest competitor, prep national record holder Donovan Kilmartin, dropped out of the competition after injuring his leg in the high jump. Auburn sophomore Markita James (Smiths Station 2001) finished 14th in the 400m hurdle prelims. Though she does not advance to the finals this year, she is only a redshirt sophomore and has two more years to qualify. Full results (host site) | |