News10 Mar 2007


World leading 20.32 by Dix, 22.58 by Stewart in Fayetteville - NCAA Indoor Champs Day 1

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Walter Dix at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville (© Kirby Lee)

Walter Dix and Kerron Stewart dashed to world-leading victories in their respecting 200m contests to highlight the first day of the NCAA Indoor Championships on Friday (9).

Dix won the final of the men’s 200 in a sizzling 20.32 after a 20.44 heat victory, while Stewart (JAM) won a fast two-section 200m final in 22.58, also the fastest in the world this season, as all eight finalists broke 23 seconds. It was also an indoor personal best for the 22-year-old Stewart, a student at Auburn University.

There was also some excellent short dash sprinting in the first-day qualifying. Demi Omole led the qualifiers for the men’s 60m with 6.58, but close behind were Travis Padgett (6.59), the favourite  Dix (6.61) and freshman sensation Jacoby Ford (6.61). Dix's Florida State teammate, Ricardo Chambers, led the 400m qualifiers with 45.64.

Stewart also led all the qualifiers in the 60m dash in 7.20. The 400m qualifiers were led by Kineke Alexander (51.62) and Natasha Hastings (51.64). Sally Kipyego, who last fall became the first Kenyan woman to win the NCAA Cross Country title, won the 5000 easily in 15:27.42, a personal best for the 21-year-old.

In other men’s events, NCAA outdoor 5000m champion Chris Solinsky won the indoor version, sprinting away from Peter Kosgei (KEN) to finish in 13:38.61 to Kosegei's 13:39.88. Solinsky will attempt to win his third consecutive 3,000m title on Saturday. Best of the field event performances was a 7.97 victory in the Long Jump by Anthony “Tone” Belt from the University of Louisville.

The women’s field event performances were led by Rhonda Watkins with a 6.57 Long Jump win, and an exciting shot put which saw Sarah Stevens win with a final-throw-of-the-competition put of 18.16 to edge defending champion Michelle Carter’s 18.12.

James Dunaway for the IAAF

 

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