Shakima Wimbley Named to Bowerman Award Watch List
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami’s Shakima Wimbley was named to The Bowerman Award Pre-NCAA Prelims Watch List, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) on Wednesday.
The senior sprinter rewrote the ACC record books at the 2017 outdoor conference championships, winning four gold medals and breaking multiple ACC and ACC Championship records. Wimbley made her debut on The Bowerman Award Watch List after winning the 200 and 400 meter races at the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, in addition to helping Miami capture the 4×100 and 4×400 relay titles as well.
“It’s always an honor to make the Bowerman Watch List,” Wimbley said. “They select who they feel are the best athletes in their respective events to put on there and that makes me proud. It means I’m going in the right direction to maybe be a finalist or winner, which would be a dream come true.”
Her 400-meter time of 50.40 is good for the top spot in the NCAA this season, and it also made the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native the 8th-best performer in the event in collegiate outdoor history. Her time also broke ACC, ACC Championship and school records. During the indoor campaign, Wimbley captured the 400-meter NCAA title with a time of 51.07 seconds that was the fastest indoor 400m time in the world this year.
Wimbley made history on the final day of the 2017 ACC Outdoor Championships, becoming the first athlete in ACC history to win eight conference titles in the 200m.She secured her fourth consecutive ACC outdoor title and eighth overall conference championship in the women’s 200m final with a time of 22.54 seconds.
The women’s 4x100m relay team of Carolyn Brown, Wimbley, Aiyanna Stiverne and Kristina Knott defended Miami’s title in the event, setting conference, ACC Championship and school records with a time of 43.36 seconds that ranks sixth in the NCAA this season.
Miami’s 4x400m relay team capped the meet with an impressive showing in the final women’s event, defending its 2016 conference title. The quartet of Anna Runia, Stiverne, Brittny Ellis and Wimbley posted a time of 3:29.99, breaking their own ACC and ACC Championship records while scoring Miami’s final 10 points of the meet.
In addition to her gold medal-winning performances, Wimbley’s season-best 200m time of 22.47 seconds ranks fifth in the country. She also ran the anchor leg on Miami’s 4x400m relay when they posted the fifth-fastest time in the country at 3:27.87.
Wimbley closed her ACC career with eight 200m titles, seven 400m titles, three 4x100m titles and five 4x400m titles.
“It is nice to see Shakima recognized for all of her accomplishments,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “She has had an outstanding career and I believe there is more to come.”
Wimbley is the first Hurricane to grace the Watch List since T’Erea Brown made her sixth and final appearance on the Watch List dated May 4, 2011.
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