Sage Watson’s collegiate career had a storybook ending at Saturday’s NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
Watson won the national championship in the 400-meter hurdles in her last race as an Arizona Wildcat. Her time of 54.52 seconds was a personal best, the fastest time in the nation and the eighth-fastest time in the world this year.
It doesn’t get much better than that — although Watson says she could still do better. She was back at the track Tuesday afternoon, preparing for the Canadian Trials the first weekend of July and August’s World Championships in London.
“I was ready to do something special at NCAAs, but not fully peak,” Watson said. “I am so ready to do something special at worlds in August.”
Watson’s winding college career is over. The Medicine Hat, Alberta, native spent the first half of her career at Florida State before transferring to the UA. She opened eyes as a junior in 2016 and competed for Canada in last summer’s Rio Olympics. The national championship was, she says, a fitting finish to a successful college career.
“It’s almost hard to believe at times,” Watson said. “Every day I wake up knowing I had a successful collegiate career and managed to end on a high note. Not everyone gets to do that. I am fortunate that I did, and I am thankful for that.”
Saturday’s title capped a recent run of success. Watson put up the then-sixth-fastest time in the world (55.67) at the TCU Big 5 Classic on April 15.
Two weeks later at the Duel of the Desert meet at Arizona State, Watson put up her season-best mark of 55.56 — the third-best time in the NCAA at and seventh-best in the world at the time. She posted a 55.01 time at the Pac-12 championships last month.
The timing was nearly perfect.
“I think it’s just happening now,” said Watson. “Last year I was transitioning to UA. Coach (Fred) Harvey knew I had two things to work on: my hurdle technique, getting on and off the hurdles as quick and seamless as possible, and my strength in the weight room. This year with more practice with him and experience running races and after each race knowing what to change to do better in the next one helped me.”
The experience of competing in her fourth NCAAs helped for those last races, as well. Watson said she knew what to expect, and what she had to do in the finals to win after last year’s third-place finish.
Coming down the stretch after the last hurdle the one thing that was going through Watson’s mind was: Give everything you have to win.
“When I crossed the finish line, I knew I won,” Watson said. “It was almost a sigh of relief — all that hard work I put in. And to perform when I needed to for the championship in my final race. I accomplished my dreams and goals.
“To be honest, I wanted to run faster to beat the Canadian record of 54.39 seconds. Although I’m happy for the win and the personal best.”
