Hurricane Track Stars Excel on National Stage
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The NCAA track and field season is complete, but three Hurricanes were in action at their home country’s national championships on Saturday.
Anna Runia won the women’s 400m hurdles at the Netherlands track and field championships, while Shakima Wimbley took home the gold medal in the women’s 400m at the USATF Championships. Ebony Morrison also competed at the USATF Championships, racing in the women’s 100m hurdles.
Runia became the Dutch national champion in the 400m hurdles after posting a time of 58.35 seconds to win the final. The rising senior qualified for the European Championships, scheduled for August 8-12 in Berlin, Germany. She had a strong 2018 season for the Canes, earning Second Team All-America honors in the 400m hurdles and the 4x400m relay. The 2017 ACC champion in the women’s 400m hurdles notched Second Team All-ACC honors in the 400m hurdles. Runia was also a member of Miami’s ACC champion 4x400m relay team, earning First Team All-ACC honors in that event.
Wimbley won the 400m final at the USATF Championships with a world-leading time of 49.52 seconds. A Hurricane legend, she was the 2017 NCAA indoor champion in the 400m. She has been a standout after completing her collegiate career, helping the United States win gold in the 4x400m relay at the 2018 World Indoor Championships and taking a silver medal in the 400m at the same meet.
One of the best Hurricanes’ sprinters ever, Wimbley rewrote the record books at Miami and in the ACC. The superstar closed her ACC career with eight 200m titles, seven 400m titles, three 4x100m titles and five 4x400m titles. She also has six school records, four ACC records and six ACC Championship records while leading Miami to back-to-back ACC indoor championships. In addition to her indoor national title, she was the NCAA runner-up in the outdoor 400m in 2017 and earned eight First Team All-America honors as a Hurricane.
Morrison reached the semifinals in the women’s 100m hurdles at the USATF Championships, finishing 12thoverall with a time of 13.13 seconds. She was a star for the Hurricanes, winning an ACC indoor championship in the 60m hurdles and the 4x100m relay, earning multiple All-America honors and setting the school record in the 100m hurdles at 12.76 seconds. She was also a key member of Miami’s back-to-back ACC indoor team championships in 2016-17.
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