Wimbley Runs in Semis at U.S. Olympic Trials
EUGENE, Ore. – Shakima Wimbley ran against some of America’s best sprinters in the women’s 400m semifinals on Saturday at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.
Racing in the same heat as two-time Olympic gold medalist DeeDee Trotter and 2016 NCAA champion Courtney Okolo, Wimbley finished fifth with a time of 51.89 seconds. The rising senior did not advance to Sunday’s final, running the 10th-fastest time among the 16 semifinalists. Wimbley was the second-fastest collegiate athlete in the field, but her time at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials is not done, yet.
“She competed hard today,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “Unfortunately, she fell a little short in making the final. She has had a good season in the 400 and she still has the 200 next week. She will also be able to represent the U.S. in the NACAC Championships in a few weeks.”
A three-time ACC outdoor champion in the 200m, Wimbley will look to continue her success in the first round of the women’s 200m, beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET on July 8. She has experience competing for the United States, running at the 2015 Pan Am Games and the 2014 IAAF World Junior Championships.
On Friday, Wimbley was next to one of her track and field heroes during the first round of the women’s 400m in four-time Olympic gold medalist Allyson Felix. The Hurricanes’ standout ran nearly stride for stride with Felix, finishing third in Heat 4 with a time of 52.04 seconds to earn one of the three automatic qualifying spots from her heat.
Wimbley entered the U.S. Olympic trials fresh off a third place finish in the 400m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. A native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Wimbley was named the 2016 ACC Women’s Track Performer of the Year following a stellar season that included two First Team All-America honors, four ACC gold medals, four First Team All-ACC honors and being selected the Women’s Track MVP at the 2016 ACC Outdoor Championships.
Three Hurricanes will compete at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Wimbley, along with high jumper Dakota Dailey-Harris and hurdler Ebony Morrison, will represent the University of Miami track and field program in Eugene.
Dailey-Harris competed in the qualifying round of the women’s high jump on Friday, while Morrison begins her competition in the women’s 100m hurdles at 8:02 p.m. ET on July 7. The senior-to-be was a Second Team All-American in the 100m hurdles and on Miami’s 4x100m relay. A Miami native, Morrison also earned a bronze medal at the ACC Championships in the 100m hurdles and was a member of Miami’s ACC champion and school record setting 4x100m relay. She smashed the school record in the 100m hurdles at the NCAA East Preliminary, running a time of 12.76 seconds.
The 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials are being held at Hayward Field in Eugene from July 1-10. Action will be broadcast live on NBC, NBC Sports Network and the NBC Sports app.
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