Historically summer championships for NCAA athletes have been extremely difficult. Many athletes have completed a long indoor and outdoor season and would prefer to rest or lightly train. Instead they are intensely training for either the World Championships or Olympic Games. This year there were quite a few NCAA athletes representing their countries competing at the World Championships in Moscow, Russia. In this post will focus on this year's top performing NCAA athlete.
(Brianna Rollins-Clemson)
BRIANNA ROLLINS (Clemson)
Rollins career has had many up and downs. As a sophomore she won the NCAA Indoor 60 meter hurdle title and in that season was the only athlete under 8 seconds (7.96). Later that season she got injured for the second outdoor season in a row.
Throughout her career that seemed to be a problem that would indicate she would never reach her potential. Rollins is an athlete with tremendous speed, the last hurdler with her speed level was the great Gail Devers. Anyone could tell if she just have one healthy season she could do some real damage.
This season would be the one, Rollins set the NCAA record in her first race clocking in at 7.78. Her time was an all-time top 10 performance in USA history and skyrocketed her to the top in the world. She continued her torrid pace almost breaking the record again at the NCAA meet with a clocking of 7.79.
(Gail Devers- 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist)
The outdoors she was even better, setting the NCAA record with a time of 12.39 at the NCAA Outdoor Championship. Two weeks later she was even better breaking Gail Devers American record with a time of 12.26. Right before the world championships in Moscow Rollins injured her knee during training. Were her injury demons returning to haunt her?
Rollins arrived at the World Championship exploding to a 12.55 in the heats and answered the injury question a emphatic no. In the finals against defending world and Olympic champion Rollins again rose to the occasion clocking in 12.44. Rollins is the first American woman to win a world 100 title since Michelle Perry in 2007. Rollins career has started well and we should look to more great success from this talented young woman.
(Brianna Rollins- now professional)
