Live Stats/Heat Sheets | NCAA East Prelim Information | Schedule of Events | Day 1 Recap
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Stumbling over one hurdle and stutter-stepping a few others, in the end University of South Florida track and field athlete David Aristil was just too good as he qualified for the NCAA National Championships in the 400 hurdles Friday during the second day of action at the NCAA East Preliminary Round.
Aristil took seventh overall among 24 competitors in the quarterfinal at the Irwin Belk Track on the campus of North Carolina A&T, posting a time of 50.57, slightly off the 50.45 he ran in the first round Thursday and his school-record of 50.42.
The top 12 finishers advanced to the national meet set for June 9-12 at the historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
"I'm grateful that God will give me the opportunity and privilege to run at a venue like that," said Aristil. "It is something I really worked hard for, and I really put my faith toward. I thought about it every day during my training this season."
Aristil became USF's second-ever national qualifier in the 400 hurdles, joining Olympian Kemel Thompson, who ran at nationals in 1996.
Aristil has caught fire at just the right time, running a sub-51.00 for the third time in four tries since he first accomplished the feat in the final at the BIG EAST Championships. This despite the fact he ran what he considered a sub-par race.
"Despite how bad I felt I ran, I'm happy about the way I finished the race," he said. "I had to turn it up at the end to catch up with everyone. I'm just glad God gave me the strength to finish the race and qualify. When I stumbled on the fourth hurdle, everyone thought it was over, but I knew I couldn't go down without a fight. God was with me."
The last national qualifier in the hurdles ran a 50.79, while the No. 13 finisher posted a time of 51.00. Aristil placed second in his heat behind Wake Forest's Brent LaRue.
He also became USF's second student-athlete to qualify for nationals this year after sophomore Casey Wagner earned a trip to Oregon Thursday in the javelin.
In other action Friday, senior Yvana Hepburn advanced to the quarterfinal of the 100 hurdles after running a time of 13.40 in the first round. With BIG EAST champion Shericka Ward of Villanova and the nation's No. 1 hurdler Queen Harrison flanking her on either side of her heat, Hepburn surpassed her previous career best, which had stood at 13.49.
Hepburn's time of 13.40 also put her 16th overall among the 48 competitors. After finishing fourth in her heat, Hepburn was one of six at-large athletes to earn a spot in the field of 24 in the quarterfinal. The top 3 finishers in each of the six heats advanced along with the six at-large bids.
Hepburn will run at 7:20 p.m. Saturday in the quarterfinal of the 100 hurdles, with the top 12 advancing to the NCAA Championships.
Lightning at the end of the day forced the delay of the men's and women's 3,000 steeplechase races. Sophomore Nicole Rozario, who had been scheduled to run in the second heat following the start of the first heat at 9:10 p.m., will run Saturday morning with the first heat of the women's race set for 10:10.
Juniors Stephanie Duffy and Dana Webb took part in the pole vault, with Duffy clearing 12-3.5 to finish in a tie for 16th. Webb, meanwhile, jumped the opening height of 11-9.75 to tie for 39th.
Senior Michael Kursteiner competed in the high jump in the late afternoon, where he flew over the bar at 6-7. That clearance put him in a tie for 33rd overall at the Prelims.
Sophomore Lauren Noe was the first Bull to compete Friday, taking 46th in the hammer.
USF will wrap up competition in the East Prelims Saturday. Senior Tyler Perkins and sophomore Jared Thomas will throw the discus at 9:30 a.m., while junior Antillio Bastian will participate in the triple jump at noon.
