Anderson still hurdles king
WSU sophomore repeats as champion in 400s
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Washington State sophomore Jeshua Anderson successfully defended his national title in the men’s 400-meter hurdles with a victory at the NCAA Track and Field Championships Friday night.
His time of 48.47 seconds lowered his school-record time and bested second-place Johnny Dutch of South Carolina, who finished in 48.62. They were the only two hurdlers under 49 seconds.
Sophomore Marissa Tschida picked up WSU’s only points in women’s competition with a sixth-place finish in the javelin with a throw of 166 feet, 5 inches.
WSU junior Trent Arrivey just missed scoring with a ninth place in the men’s high jump. His mark of 7-¼ matched the eighth-place finisher, but Arrivey had more misses.
Anderson kept control of his race from the starting gun with only a slight wobble at the ninth hurdle. Anderson and Dutch also finished 1-2 last year in the USA Junior Outdoor Championships.
“My legs are tired, but all of this has been a blessing,” Anderson said in a television interview after the race. “I’m happy to be here and I thank God. I know Dutch was on me the whole time and we’ve been going at it since last year and I’m looking forward to years to come.”
“Jeshua ran pretty much to perfection tonight, except for that ninth hurdle, and some of that could be from feeling so good at the end of the race that he got a little close,” WSU hurdles coach Mark Macdonald said.
Tschida, the WSU record-holder in the women’s javelin at 181-8, had her best throw Friday on the second of six attempts.
“I’m happy to be an All-American, but I wish I’d had the performance I know I could have,” Tschida said.
Arrivey cleared the opening bar of 6-103/4 on his second attempt, cleared 7-1/4 on his first attempt and then missed all three attempts at 7-11/2.
Arrivey earned his third All-America designation but was disappointed with his mark after reaching a lifetime-best height of 7-41/2 earlier this season.
In other results, Idaho sophomore Paul Dittmer failed to advance to the men’s 110 hurdles finals after finishing eighth in his heat and 17th overall in 14.07; Wyoming senior Jake Shanklin (ex-CC Spokane) was 10th in the men’s hammer final at 207-11; Brigham Young junior Richard Nelson (Shadle Park) was 10th in the men’s 3,000 steeplechase final in 8:50.08.