DES MOINES, Iowa – Texas A&M alum Shamier Little claimed the USATF Championship title in the 400m hurdles with a facility record of 53.61 seconds on Sunday at Drake Stadium.
Another Aggie alum, Ameer Webb, defended his title in the 200m with a 20.47 (-1.9 wind) after a three-hour weather delay. In the semifinals, Webb posted the top qualifying time with a 20.13 (1.5 wind).
Little, a three-time NCAA 400m hurdle champion with the Aggies, produced a season best time in earning a second U.S. title and her first since 2015.
“After all I’ve been through this season, I’m so happy to walk away with the win and a season’s best,” stated Little, who celebrated her victory with a bob dance. “I feel like I’m coming into form and I really like where I’m at right now.
“Today’s race felt amazing, I still feel like there was more in the tank. I was extremely proud of my finish and how I executed my race.”
The fourth fastest time in her career, Little’s winning time of 53.61 bettered the facility record of 53.83 set by Dalilah Muhammad in 2013.
Finishing behind Little in the final was Georganne Moline (54.12), Cassandra Tate (55.00) and Kymber Payne (55.54). Ashley Spencer did not finish the race.
Little and Moline were even coming off the final hurdle, but a stumble by Moline a stride past the hurdle enabled Little to gain an edge to the finish line.
Webb raced the final without USC’s Michael Norman present, the collegiate record holder in the 400m. Norman had won the other semifinal in 20.35, but opted not to wait out the weather delay for the final.
“I’m happy to defend my title and come back next year and do the same,” said Webb. “I was looking forward to racing against Norman. I was hoping he would show up because he’s running real fast and I like to run against the best. He started packing up around 5 p.m., so I knew he was out of here.
“Each race this weekend leading up to the final was a season best for me. I’m steadily cutting away at the deficit I’m in right now. I’m getting there.”
Annie Kunz scored 5,881 points to finish fifth in the heptathlon. That total is the fourth best score ever by Kunz, who has a career best of 6,038 from the 2016 Olympic Trials. Shaina Burnsplaced 14th overall with a score of 5,254.
Erica Bougard won the heptathlon with 6,347 points while Alex Gochenour finished second with 6,003 and Lindsay Schwartz placed third at 5,933.
The second day of the heptathlon started with Kunz hitting a mark of 19-0 (5.79) in the long jump for 786 points. In the javelin a throw of 128-2 (39.06) picked up 649 points. Kunz closed out the multi-event with a 2:19.04 for 847 points.
Second day events for Burns included an 18-1 ½ (5.52) in the long jump for 706 points, a 114-3 (34.82) in the javelin for 568, and a 2:21.78 in the 800m for 799 points.
Jenaba Tarmoh finished eighth in the women’s 200m final with a time of 23.33 while Phyllis Francis, who trains in College Station, was runner-up at 22.83. In the semifinal Tarmoh posted a 22.46 for third place to reach the final behind a 22.42 by Francis.
Another A&M alum, Ashton Purvis, placed seventh in the other 200m semifinal with a time of 23.39.
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics