JUST 25 MINUTES was the scant recovery time list leader Britton Wilson had between the 400 final and the hurdles. Lactate minutes might be the appropriate phrasing — and as it transpired, a bridge too far.
Favored-under-the-conditions Michigan soph Savannah Sutherland stepped strongest into the breach to win in a PR 54.45 from a field in which Kentucky’s 100H CR setter Masai Russell (54.66) and Campbell’s Chastity Pickett (54.86) also hurdled under 55.
The first 6 ran personal bests, and then there was Wilson, timed in 55.92 for 7th and having reached with full determination for a chance to make history.
That the finalists were a robust bunch was evidenced by Colorado’s Abbey Glynn (56.01) and Houston’s Sydni Townsend (56.27) achieving best-ever NCAA marks-for-place in 8th and 9th.
Asked about her pre-race attitude toward not being favored, Sutherland said afterwards, “I think it honestly helped calm me down a little bit. The focus was on them, and I really had nothing to lose. It really helped me get after it and give it all that I got.”
In fact, Sutherland was the favorite on our formchart after all the facts of Wilson’s planned double were taken into account. Nineteen years old and winner of the World Junior (U20) bronze for Canada in ’21, Sutherland, hailing from a tiny town in Saskatchewan, had given Anna Hall a good race at the Jones Memorial in March. Her time in that outing was 55.36, a PR by 1.91 that drew notice.
Through April and much of May, Sutherland had low-keyed it in races, though she easily ran away with the Big 10 title in 55.75.
Wilson had asserted authority in the semis, winning the first and fastest in 54.67 from PRs by Pickett (55.62) and Glynn (55.94). Semi 2 went to Russell at 56.74 over the 55.77 PR of Vanderbilt’s Brooke Overholt (4th in the final). Sutherland cruised 55.70 to take semi 3 ahead of Clemson’s eventual finals 6th-placer Lashanna Graham (56.02 PR).
In the final, Wilson (lane 6) started as an object of curiosity. How would she perform? The early going was not auspicious. At hurdle 4 Sutherland (lane 7), Pickett (8), LSU’s Shani’a Bellamy (1) and Overholt all led the Razorback.
As Sutherland with Pickett close led on the outside, Wilson and Russell (5) — even with each other at hurdle 7 but with 4 hurdlers ahead of them — each drew closer.
Off the bend the lead duo held position and at hurdle 8 Wilson and Russell came down about even, roughly =5th. From there Russell mounted the stretch drive that lifted her to 2nd. Wilson touched down off barrier 9 in 7th where she would stay.
Sutherland owned the second half, and though Pickett cleared the last hurdle in 2nd, the Kentucky hurdler stormed the run-in to rush past her in the final 25m.
“That was just amazing,” said Sutherland. “Going in, I knew I had some really great athletes behind me, so I just had to get out and leave it all on the track. This is my last [collegiate] race of the season; I had to go for it.”
WOMEN’S 400H RESULTS
FINAL (June 10)
1. **Savannah Sutherland’ (Mi-Can) 54.45 PR;
2. Masai Russell (Ky) 54.66 PR;
3. *Chastity Pickett (Campb) 54.86 PR;
4. Brooke Overholt (Vand) 55.50 PR;
5. *Shani’a Bellamy (LSU) 55.58 PR;
6. *Lashanna Graham’ (Clem-Jam) 55.59 PR;
7. *Britton Wilson (Ar) 55.92;
8. *Abbey Glynn (Co) 56.01;
9. *Sydni Townsend (Hous) 56.27.
(best-ever mark-for-NCAA-place: 8–9)
SEMIS (June 08)
I–1. Wilson 54.67; 2. Pickett 55.62 PR; 3. Glynn 55.94 PR; 4. Bellamy 55.99; 5. *Jacy Pulse (SD) 56.14 (fastest non-Q ever); 6. Ashonti Warner (Ok) 57.01; 7. ***Allyria McBride (Vand) 57.19; 8. Skyla Wilson (Mia) 58.47.
II–1. Russell 55.74; 2. Overholt 55.77 PR; 3. Townsend 55.95; 4. *Dominique Mustin (Ga) 56.68 PR; 5. ***Sanaa Hebron (Mia) 57.50; 6. *Mariel Bruxvoort (Ia) 57.84; 7. *Paige Magee (Ia) 59.00;… fs—*Vanessa Watson (Fl).
III–1. Sutherland’ 55.70; 2. Graham’ 56.02 PR; 3. *Gontse Morake’ (Bay-SA) 56.43; 4. Jessica Wright (How) 56.75; 5. Daneesha Davidson (Ok) 57.56; 6. Dinedye Denis (Ut) 57.73; 7. **Shana Grebo’ (Or-Fra) 58.18;… dnc—Madison Langley-Walker (Ar).
