Canes Close NCAAs with All-America Showing
EUGENE, Oregon – The University of Miami track and field program turned in a pair of All-America performances on the final day of the 2015 NCAA Championships.
Shakima Wimbley and the women’s 4x400m relay competed in the finals on Saturday, running against the best in the country in their respective events.
Wimbley entered Saturday’s 400m final as one of the favorites in a stacked field that included two-time NCAA 400m champion Ashley Spencer and standout sophomore Kendall Baisden from the University of Texas, as well as ACC foes Kala Funderburk of Florida State and Margaret Bamgbose of Notre Dame.
The Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native, who has NCAA’s fastest 400m time this season, 50.84 seconds, battled windy conditions over the first 200m of the final. Wimbley competed hard through the finish line, but came up short of her ultimate goal, placing fifth with a time of 52.08 seconds.
“Pre-race, I was way too relaxed. I didn’t have any jitters and usually I have a feeling in my soul to get out and run. I was too relaxed and the first 200m didn’t go how it was supposed to. By the time I tried to kick at the end, everyone is just as good as me so you finish where you position yourself. I am very happy that I completed all my races injury-free. I’m a two-time All-American now and I went out there and gave it all I had.”
One of the most decorated runners in the country this year, Wimbley was the 2015 ACC Outdoor Champion in the 400m and 200m and was named the ACC Women’s Track MVP. Her latest accolade came on Monday when she was announced as the South Regional Women’s Track Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
“It’s her first final and it’s really thought to go out and win that first ever final that you’ve been in,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “It’s disappointing that you don’t go out and run your race. It wasn’t so much the place, but that she didn’t execute the race plan as we had hoped. That’s my job and I have to get her more mentally prepared for these types of situations.”
Wimbley already had one All-America performance under her belt, but the sophomore had to focus on her next race: the women’s 4x400m relay.
“You win some and you lose some, but you have to put that behind you and be a warrior for your team<” Wimbley said. “This was a chance for me and my teammates to be All-Americans and there was no way I was going to let anything that affected me affect how I performed for them. I wanted to see them on that podium.”
The quartet of Kelsey Balkwill, Taneisha Cordell, Anthonia Moore and Wimbley placed fifth with a time of 3:33.90, earning First Team All-America honors.
“I asked her if she was okay and she said she was ready to go,” Deem said. “With this new format, there is not a lot of time to dwell. It was the time to get ready to run with the other three girls. They were ready to go and she did a great job of putting it behind her and running for the team.”
Run for the team is exactly what Wimbley did, running a 51.64 anchor leg to close out a race that featured strong performances by all four Hurricanes.
“I’m really proud of the 4×4,” Deem said. “Even though we were running out of the last qualifying position, I really felt that we were better than that so I am really proud of the way the kids went out and competed today. I thought they all did their part. Kelsey opened well out of Lane 1 and Taneisha kept us in the mix. I’m really proud of Anthonia to keep Shakima in a good position to go out and catch some more people. I thought each one did their job and I am proud of how they finished today.”
As a team, the Hurricane women finished tied for 28th at the NCAA Championships with eight points.
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