Saturday, May 27
Sacramento, Calif.
All Day
USC
vs
NCAA West Preliminary Rounds
Players Mentioned
Distances
/ Track & Field
Sprints
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Sprints
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Throws
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Sprints
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Jumps
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Hurdles
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Photo by: Tomoki Chien
USC Women Earn 9 Individual Berths, Both Relays Advance To NCAA Track & Field Championships
May 27, 2023 | Track & Field
John sets USC women’s freshman 400-meter record
USC's women earned nine individual and two relay berths to the NCAA Track & Field Championships during the final day of the 2023 Women's NCAA West Preliminary Rounds held at Hornet Stadium in Sacramento, Calf. today (May 27). An athlete or relay needed to finish in the top 12 of an event today to advance to the 2023 NCAA Track & Field Championships to be held at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas from June 7-10. En route to qualifying, Yemi John set the USC freshman record in the women's 400m dash.
- The women's 4x100m relay team of Caisja Chandler, Samirah Moody, Jan'Taijah Jones and Jassani Carter got the running portion of the day started for USC by taking second in the first quarterfinal heat with a time of 43.55 to automatically advance to the NCAA semifinal in the event on June 8.
- Chandler and Moody advanced to nationals in the 100m dash. Chandler had a time of 11.17 (+1.7) in the second heat to take second and advance 10th overall. Moody placed fourth in the final heat with a time of 11.15 (+1.0) and advanced on time, with the ninth-fastest time of the day. Carter finished sixth in the same heat and 16th overall with a big PR of 11.25 (+1.0). Chandler and Moody will run in the NCAA women's 100m semifinal on June 8.
- Jones, Bailey Lear and John advanced out of the 400m quarterfinals to advance to the NCAA semifinal on June 8. Jones had a time of 50.80 to place third in her heat to automatically advance. She had the eighth-fastest qualifying time. Bailey Lear was fourth in her heat by matching her season-best time of 51.11 to advance on time, ninth overall. John set the USC freshman record and personal best with a time of 51.20 to place fourth in her heat and 11th on time. John bettered the previous USC women's 400m freshman record of 51.33 set by Kaelin Roberts in 2018. She also moved to eighth on USC's all-time list in the 400m dash. Christine M. Mallard had a time of 53.0 and placed 21st.
- All three of USC's 200m runners advanced to the NCAA semifinal on June 8. First Moody took second in her quarterfinal heat with a time of 22.76 (+1.8) to automatically advance. Then Chandler and Carter posted wind-aided PRs in their quarterfinal to advance, Chandler taking second in the heat with a time of 22.27 (+2.5w) to automatically move on and Carter taking fourth with a time of 22.64 (+2.5w), earning the top non-automatic time. Among the 12 advancing runners, Chandler had the second-fastest time, Carter the seventh and Moody the ninth.
- Temi Ojora advanced fourth to the NCAA Championships in the women's triple jump on the strength of her last jump of 44-0.50/13.12 (+0.8). Her previous best jump in the competition of 43-5.75 would have left her in 13th place. Ojora will now compete in the triple jump at the NCAA Championships on June 10.
- The women's 4x400m relay team of Lear, John, Chandler and Jones closed out the West Preliminary Rounds by winning its heat and posting the second-fastest time among the qualifiers of 3:27.72. The relay team moved into seventh on USC's all-time list in the event. The 4x400m relay team will compete in the NCAA semifinal on June 8.
- Also in action today, but not advancing were Janiah Brown who had an 800m time of 2:06.82 to place 16th in the event, Karlee Freeman who had a best mark of 173-1 (52.77m) in the discus throw to finish 19th and Jalaysiya Smith who was called for a false start in her 100m hurdles quarterfinal.
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