A total of 6 Trojans make team USA for 2013 World Championships in Russia
Duane Solomon reacts after winning the USA 800m title at the 2013 USA T&F Championships. Solomon is one of six Trojans set to represent USA at the 2013 World T&F Championships in Moscow, Russia in August.
June 23, 2013
DES MOINES, IA. - Ryan Wilson in the 110m HH, Duane Solomone in the 800m race and Dalilah Muhammad in the 400m IH race all won national titles today to highlight the Trojans' efforts on the final day of the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa today (June 23). Also, Allyson Felix in the women's 200m dash, Nia Ali in the 100m HH and Jesse Williams in the high jump will represent USC and team USA at the 2013 World Championships to be held in Moscow, Russia from Aug. 10-18. In addition, Aaron Brown won the men's 100m dash at the Canadian Track & Field Championships on June 22 to qualify for the World Championships.
Wilson, currently the volunteer hurdles coach for the Trojans who helped guide Reggie Wyatt to the 2013 NCAA 400m IH title, won the USA 110m HH title with a time of 13.08 just edging four-time U.S. champion David Oliver at the wire, with 2012 Olympic gold medalist Aries Merritt taking third.
"Well its about time," said the 2003 NCAA champion Wilson. "It just means that 10 years of hard work is starting to pay off! It felt really good, I think the best race of the year, always happy about that in the U.S. championship. This is the best hurdle nation in the world, always has been. To be the No. 1 finisher, in a great field, the resumes of those guys are incredible."
Wilson reached the finals earlier in the day by winning his heat with the fifth-best qualifying time of 13.34. Former Trojan Brendan Ames was fifth in that heat and finished 10th overall with a time of 13.50.
Solomon won the USA 800m title by snapping the five-year winning streak at the USA T&F Championships in the event by Nick Symmonds. Solomon jumped to the lead and held off Symmonds down the back stretch with a winning time of 1:43.27, the ninth-fastest time ever by an American. Symmonds took second with a time of 1:43.70.
"I felt really good coming into today, so I knew I could do it," said the 2012 Olympian Solomon. "I knew, in order to make the team, I needed to be on my `A' game. If I came with anything less, if I brought my `B' game, I probably wouldn't make the team. I came with my `A' game and did what Coach [Johnny Gray] told me to do today and it worked out."
Muhammad took down the women's 400m IH field with a time of 53.83, pulling away late from Georgeanne Moline to win the 2013 USA title and earn a spot on the team heading to Moscow.
"It's amazing, unbelievable," said Muhammad. " Last year I didn't even make it to the finals and this year I won, so I'm lost for words right now. I've been a lot stronger, a lot faster and workouts are a lot harder this year. I've just been focused on making the team."
Reigning Olympic 200m champion Allyson Felix made the team by taking second in the final of the event to three-time NCAA Champion Kimberlyn Duncan. Felix had a time of 21.87w, but couldn't hold off the fast-charging Duncan down the stretch who finished with a time of 21.80w. Felix reached the finals by winning her semfinals heat earlier in the day with a time of 22.66, the top qualifying time.
The reigning high jump champion Jesse Williams, still coming back from an ankle injury, tied for ninth in the men's high jump competition with a clearance of 7-2.50 (2.20m). He already is entered in the field at the World Championships by virtue of winning in 2011 and now has seven more weeks to continue to come back from the injury.
Corey White placed 11th in the men's javelin throw today with a best mark of 231-4 (70.52m). Alexandra Collatz, who just finished her sophomore season at USC and placed fifth at the NCAA Championships in the discus to earn All-America honors, placed 12th in the women's discus throw with a best mark of 168-1 (51.25m).
On Saturday, Nia Ali took third in the women's 100m HH with a PR of 12.48 to earn a spot on the USA team for the World Championships.
Aaron Brown, who just completed his junior year at USC by taking fifth in both the 100m and 200m dashes at the 2013 NCAA T&F Championships, won the Canadian 100m dash title with a time of 10.25 on June 22. He too will be running at the World Championships in late August.
Courtesy USC
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