Wise Captures Junior Decathlon Title
Schedule/Live Stats | Live and Archived Video | Outdoor T&F Championships Information
DES MOINES, Iowa - Competing against the best hurdlers in the country, sophomore David Aristil of the University of South Florida track and field team placed eighth in the 400 hurdles Saturday afternoon at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Drake Stadium.
Running in lane 1, Aristil completed the lap around the track in 50.57, finishing just behind seventh-place finisher Adam Durham's time of 50.47 to bring his 2010 season to a close.
"I was just grateful that I even made it that far," said Aristil. "It's an honor to run with those guys. I'm glad God gave me the chance to run at this level."
Bershawn Jackson won his third straight outdoor championship after posting a time of 47.32, with 2010 NCAA champion Johnny Dutch taking second.
"It was a pleasure to get to meet him," said Aristil of Jackson. "We spoke a little bit, and he definitely is a really cool guy. It was fun to run with him. It's an absolute honor to run on that track with that guy."
Aristil qualified for the final after placing eighth in the semifinal Friday evening when he ran a time of 50.34. In the first round Thursday, Aristil owned the seventh-fastest time of the day in 50.79.
After never running faster than 51.13 seconds prior to the BIG EAST Championships, Aristil has now posted a sub-51.00 in seven of his last nine races. He was one of three collegiate athletes to compete in the final.
Aristil recently wrapped up his 2010 collegiate season at the NCAA Championships, placing fifth in the final of the 400 hurdles with a time of 51.05. He became USF's fifth-different All-American for the men's team since the track and field program was started in 1991.
The school record holder, Aristil won the 2010 BIG EAST title in the 400 hurdles in 50.42, surpassing USF Olympian Kemel Thompson's previous school record of 50.50. He later upped the school record to 50.13 in the semi-final of the NCAA Championships.
The Outdoor Championships marks the end of Aristil's season. The rising junior will now take some time off to rest before getting back to the track later in the summer.
After having a remarkable end to his sophomore campaign, Aristil knows the bar has been raised for his last two collegiate seasons, but a bar he is willing to go after.
"A believe the bar is never high enough," he said. "I have plenty more time to improve and get better. My goal is to better myself and do better than what I did before."
Also on Saturday, former USF standout Damu Cherry placed third in the final of the 100 hurdles. Cherry ran a time of 12.86, finishing behind the 2010 outdoor champion, Lolo Jones, and second-place finisher Kellie Wells.
Cherry ran the fastest time in the semifinal at 12.93 just an hour and a half prior to the final to advance to the last round.
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is the third event of the 2010 USATF Outdoor Visa Championship Series.
