Two Canes Advance to Olympic Trials Finals
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Two University of Miami track and field alumni advanced to the finals of their respective country’s Olympic Trials.
Hurdler T’erea Brown and sprinter Kelsey Balkwill were the standout Hurricanes in action on Friday. Brown led a trio of Canes at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, while Balkwill was one of two Hurricanes racing at the Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials.
An Olympian in 2012 and the 2011 NCAA 400m hurdles champion, Brown advanced to the women’s 400m hurdles finals after a stellar showing during the semifinals. Brown finished second in Heat 1 with a time of 55.70 seconds, earning a spot in Sunday’s final set to begin at 7:03 p.m. ET.
Shakima Wimbley competed in the first round of the women’s 200m, finishing fifth in Heat 3 with a time of 23.70 seconds. The rising senior did not advance to the semifinals, but will represent the United States in international competition this summer. Wimbley, who also competed in the 400m at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, will be part of Team USA at the NACAC Championships. Fellow rising senior Ebony Morrison, who competed in the women’s 100m hurdles at the U.S. Olympic Trials, will join Wimbley on Team USA at the NACAC Championships.
Former All-American Devon Hill also raced on Friday, competing in the first round of the men’s 110m hurdles. Hill finished sixth in Heat 4 of the 110m hurdles with a time of 13.86 seconds. The former ACC champion and NCAA finalist did not qualify for the semifinals.
Balkwill had a busy Friday at the Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials, running in both the 400m hurdles final and the 400m preliminaries. A 2015 First Team All-American, Balkwill advanced to the women’s 400m final with her victory in Heat 1 of the preliminaries with a time of 54.58 seconds. She will run for the Canadian championship on Saturday at 8:50 p.m. ET.
Before her stellar showing in the 400m preliminaries, Balkwill began her day in the women’s 400m hurdles final, finishing seventh with a time of 58.07 seconds. A Second Team All-American in the 400m hurdles a year ago, Balkwill reached the 400m hurdles final at the Canadian Olympic Trials after running a time of 59.08 seconds in the 400m hurdles preliminaries on Thursday.
Aiyanna Stiverne was also in the women’s 400m field at the Canadian Olympic Trials, finishing fourth in Heat 3 with a time of 54.06 seconds. The rising senior ran the ninth-fastest time, but did not advance to the final.
In addition to Balkwill and Stiverne, Alysha Newman will compete at the Canadian Olympic Trials this weekend in the hopes of punching her ticket to the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Newman enters the Canadian national meet as the top pole vaulter in the country, holding the Canadian record of 4.60m. The 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championship runner-up and ACC Outdoor Champion will look to become the Canadian national champion on Sunday, beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
The U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be broadcast live on NBC, NBC Sports Network and the NBC Sports app. The 2016 Canadian Track and Field Championships and Selection Trials will be aired live on athleticscanada.tv.
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