FAVORED UDODI ONWUZURIKE certainly ran that way in the heats, his stunning 19.76 (0.6 wind) taking the collegiate lead and making him =No. 3 ever in college history. Five others joined him in the sub-20 club, ensuring that all eyes would be on a potential record in the final.
However, the 100 final 45 minutes earlier might have clouded the Stanford soph’s status a bit. The favorite in the 100 as well, he had finished only 6th there, 0.06 off his best. And winning the race was Courtney Lindsey of Texas Tech, picked for only 4th in the furlong but seeded as No. 2 after his 19.88 prelim. Tarsis Orogot also loomed, Alabama’s Ugandan still chasing a legal best to match his 19.60w (2.8) from April.
Onwuzurike started in 6, with Lindsey (7), Orogot (8), and Texas Tech’s Terrence Jones (9) to his outside. To the Cardinal dashman’s left in 5 was Florida soph Robert Gregory, who ran a 19.60w of his own (4.8 wind) at the East Regional.
Jones got out best, with Lindsey and Onwuzurike both a step behind. By halfway, Jones still held the thinnest of leads over Onwuzurike, Lindsey inches behind. The Nigerian wound up and reeled in Jones, needing everything he could summon to stay ahead of fast-closing Lindsey and Gregory.
Onwuzurike’s 19.84 held up for Stanford’s first 200 victory since ’39, with Lindsey (19.86), Jones (19.87) and Gregory (19.89) close behind. Orogot played catch-up from a horrible turn and finished 5th in 20.03. The winning time was just 0.11 off the meet record, but 4 under 20-flat made this the deepest NCAA final ever.
“I didn’t even know I won it until I saw the clock,” said the 20-year-old champ. “I ran really well on Wednesday, so all I could think in my head was that I had to replicate what I did and hopefully I’ll be able to win. I did not exactly replicate it, but I’m still glad with the win.”
The key, he said, was staying relaxed the last half, something he learned the hard way after ’22: “That became a common theme for me all of last season, being first at the break, and then just dying that last 100 and letting people pass me. I realized I don’t have to be the first at 100 to win the race.”
MEN’S 200 RESULTS
FINAL (June 09; wind +0.9)
1. **Udodi Onwuzurike’ (Stan-Ngr) 19.84 (x, 8 C; x, 4 NCAA);
2. Courtney Lindsey (TxT) 19.86 PR (=7, =10 C; 4, 5 NCAA);
3. *Terrence Jones’ (TxT-Bah) 19.87 PR (=9, =12 C; =5, =6 NCAA);
4. **Robert Gregory (Fl) 19.89 PR (8, x AmC; 8, 10 NCAA);
5. **Tarsis Orogot’ (Al-Uga) 20.03;
6. *Shaun Maswanganyi’ (Hous-SA) 20.07;
7. David Dunlap (NnAz) 20.16 PR;
8. **Cameron Miller (Louis) 20.30;
9. *Javonte Harding (Tn) 20.90.
(best-ever mark-for-place: 6, 8; best-ever mark-for-NCAA-place: 2–8)
SEMIS (June 07)
I(1.0)–1. Gregory 19.95; 2. Jones’ 20.03 PR; 3. Amir Willis (FlSt) 20.29 PR; 4. Alaba Akintola’ (MTn-Ngr) 20.46 PR; 5. *Kamden Jackson (Bay) 20.52; 6. *Kennedy Lightner (Ky) 20.55; 7. *Carlon Hosten’ (Mn-Tri) 20.55 PR; 8. **Josh Bour (Ok) 20.80.
II(0.6)–1. Onwuzurike’ 19.76 PR (=3, =3 C; 2, 2 NCAA);
2. Orogot’ 19.94 NR; 3. Harding 19.98 PR; 4. *Matthew Boling (Ga) 20.25; 5. *Austin Kresley (Ia) 20.26 =PR; 6. Jeremiah Curry (AzSt) 20.28; 7. Jacory Patterson (Fl) 20.44; 8. *Cameron Rose (Clem) 20.51.
(best-ever mark-for-NCAA-place: 3)
III(0.6)–1. Lindsey 19.88 PR (10, x C; 6, 6 NCAA);
2. Maswanganyi’ 19.99 PR; 3. Miller 20.17 PR; 4. Dunlap 20.24 PR; 5. Ismael Kone’ (FlSt-CI) 20.36; 6. Isaiah Trousil (NnIa) 20.56 PR; 7. Dorian Camel (LSU) 20.63; 8. *Demar Francis’ (Bay-Jam) 20.73.
