University Southern California Trojans
Jerome Davis Captures 400m Title
June 21, 1999 | Track & Field
June 10, 1998
BUFFALO, N.Y. - USC junior Jerome Davis won one of the more dramatic races of the final day, coming from behind to edge 1996 NCAA 400m champion Davian Clarke of Miami (Fla.) at the wire with a personal-best time of 45.18. Davis, running in lane 5, was slightly behind Clarke (who was in lane 1) as they hit the straightaway. Davis is USC's 105th individual NCAA Outdoor Track & Field champion, which is far and way the most of any school (UCLA is in second place with 60). Davis is the 12th Trojan to win the 400m NCAA title and the first since Quincy Watts set the meet record at 44.00 in 1992.
"It felt really good to go out there and compete against the best and beat the best," Davis said. "It's like a dream come true. At the 200m mark, I just wanted to keep building into the turn. A lot of people say to relax into the turn, but that tends to slow you down. Then, I knew that coming down the stretch, I could compete with anybody."
Second-place
Bengt Johansson, Hammer -- 236-11 (72.22)
Fourth-place
Charles Lee, 200m -- 20.81
Fifth-place
William Erese, 110m HH -- 13.77w (+4.4 wind)
Seventh-place
Daniel Haag, Decathlon -- 7,339 points
