It was a big day for the Arizona Wildcats in the 400-meter hurdles and the 400-yard dash Friday as four athletes qualified for the June 5-8 NCAA track and field championships.
James Smith, Shannon Meisberger and Karolina Pahlitzsch all used strong final surges in their heats of the 400 hurdles in Sacramento to advance to the finals.
Smith ran his lifetime best, 49.88 to advance. In the women’s 400 hurdles, Meisberger ran her personal best, 57.14, and Pahlitzsch finished in 57.23 as both made it to the national finals.
Tatum Waggoner ran her season’s best time in the 400-meter dash — 52.19 seconds — to punch her ticket to Austin. Teammate Diana Gajda ran 53.34 in the 400 meters but did not advance.
Wildcat Karla Teran on Thursday tied for first in the high jump to qualify for the NCAAs.
Maksims Sincukovs just missed making it to Austin by finishing in a season’s best time of 50.77 in the 400 hurdles. Jordan Geist threw 178-8 in the discus, finishing 19th and failing to advance. Sprinter Zakee Washington finished in 47.27 in the 400-meter dash but did not advance.
