THE 100H BLEW UP more than half an hour before meet officials even began setting up the barriers. Prerace favorite Habiba Harris of Florida had pulled up injured during the 4×1, only about 20m into her anchor leg.
The superfrosh from Jamaica gamely came out for the hurdles warmup, but thought better of it and walked back into the locker room.
That put Oregon junior Aaliyah McCormick into the favorite’s chair, but just barely. In a race that was tight down to the last hurdle, the Big 10 champion smoothly cleared each for a 12.81 clocking, ahead of Texas A&M’s Jaiya Covington (12.928) and Howard’s Marcia Sey (12.930).
The race began ugly, with UCLA’s Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck — the fastest qualifier at 12.71 — slamming the first hurdle and crashing out.
McCormick, in the adjacent lane, kept her cool and fought an even battle with Sey, Auburn’s Ana-Liese Torian (the daughter of ’97 men’s 110H champion Reggie Torian) and Covington. McCormick held the slimmest of leads over the last two hurdles before opening up a gap in the final few steps. The partisan Hayward Field crowd ate it up.
The result reversed the finish at the NCAA Indoor, when Covington nipped McCormick in the 60H 7.90–7.91.
Torian’s hopes for a medal were troubled when she hit hurdle No. 5 and then doomed when she clattered 7, 8 and 10. She placed 4th in 12.95.
“You know, hurdles can be a very difficult race,” McCormick said of Ndjip-Nyemeck’s violent crash next to her. “You know, you’re running and jumping at the same time, and that can be a little bit of an obstacle. So I knew not to worry about anything else that is going on around me, but to just stay composed in my lane, and that’s definitely a component to staying calm.”
McCormick could literally feel the pain of Florida’s Harris — she has struggled with injuries of her own.
“Absolutely, I have been literally praying and working for this all season long, and this is actually my first full season ever, injury-free, health and everything,” McCormick said. “I was able to be here at the big moments, which is what I really wanted. And I really just wanted to put my name out there and to let everybody know. You know, Oregon is here to represent. I think I definitely did that today.
“Omigosh. It means so much to me,” she said about winning on her home track. “I am just, I can’t even, I don’t have any words. I really don’t. The crowd, the people, my teammates. I’m just in awe of everything.”
WOMEN’S 100 HURDLES RESULTS
FINAL (June 14; wind –0.2)
1. *Aaliyah McCormick (Or) 12.81;
2. *Jaiya Covington (TxAM) 12.93 (12.928);
3. *Marcia Sey’ (How-GB) 12.93 (12.930);
4. **Ana-Liese Torian (Aub) 12.95;
5. *Oneka Wilson’ (Clem-Jam) 13.02;
6. *Janela Spencer’ (OhSt-Jam) 13.25;
7. **Akala Garrett (Tx) 14.17;
… dnf—Yanla Ndjip-Nyemeck’ (UCLA-Bel);
… dnc—***Habiba Harris’ (Fl-Jam).
SEMIS (June 12)
I(1.5)–1. Ndjip-Nyemeck’ 12.71 NR; 2. Torian 12.88; 3. Sey’ 12.88 PR; 4. Destiny Smith (TxT) 13.18; 5. *Sky Hagan (SJSt) 13.21; 6. ***Celeste Polzonetti’ (UCLA-Ita) 13.22; 7. Kiara Smith (Tn) 13.45; 8. *Falon Spearman (Vand) 13.46.
II(1.0)–1. McCormick 12.76; 2. Garrett 12.93 PR; 3. Wilson’ 12.95; 4. **Emmi Scales (Ky) 13.01; 5. **Rachel Mehringer (InSt) 13.15; 6. ***Shania Myers’ (Ar-Jam) 13.52; 7. **Amari Kiluvia (TCU) 13.58;… dq—Myreanna Bebe (Tn).
III(0.0)–1. Harris’ 12.84; 2. Covington 12.87; 3. Spencer’ 12.95; 4. Marissa Simpson’ (UTEP-Jam) 12.97; 5. Adaobi Tabugbo’ (UCF-Ngr) 13.08; 6. **Camden Bentley (Ky) 13.32; 7. **Tonie-Ann Forbes’ (TxT-Jam) 13.37; 8. **Simone Ballard (Ar) 15.50.
