COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Shelby West delivered the 3rd-fastest 400m hurdles time in UT Arlington women's program history on Thursday night to keep her national championship aspirations alive during day two of the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary from Texas A&M's E.B. Cushing Stadium.
West crossed in a personal-record time of 59.26 to earn one of the six time-qualifying spots in Saturday's regional final. The Round Rock, Texas, native needed to finish in the top 3 of her heat (finished 4th) or have one of the next six-best times to automatically move on to Saturday's race of 24 athletes (17th-fastest; best of the non-top-3 heat finishers).
West's previous career best in the event was 59.99, which came earlier this month to win bronze at the Sun Belt Conference Championships. Without that performance, she wouldn't have even qualified for the West Prelims. Saturday's 400m hurdles regional final is set for 7:55 p.m. West needs to finish in the top 12 in order to advance to next month's NCAA Championships.
"Shelby ran tonight with a ton of confidence, which was great to see," commented UTA head coach
John Sauerhage. "She was a terrific high-school runner, and she ran tonight like she did in high school – with that all-importance confidence. We are so proud of her, and she should be proud of herself as well."
In addition to West, one other UTA competitor was vying for a spot at nationals on Thursday –
Liv Cantby in the javelin.
Cantby began the day for the Mavs with a throw of 46.47m (152-05) on her first attempt. After a foul on her second delivery, the freshman launched a heave of 48.03m (157-07) on her third, and final, attempt of the afternoon.
That distance was good for her 2nd-best of the year behind only a 48.64m (159-07) which won her bronze in the Sun Belt Conference Championships two weeks ago. However, it was only good enough for 20th place – eight behind the last national championship qualifying spot – but still enough to have her finish as the highest-ranked freshman from a non-Power 5 conference.
The NCAA prelims feature the top-48 declared athletes in their event(s) in the West and East regions (East is also taking place this week in Jacksonville, Fla.). The top-12 finalists from each region advance to the national championships to comprise the 24-person fields.
On Wednesday,
Arthur Petersen finished 9th in the javelin thanks to a throw of 66.20m (217-02) to automatically qualify into next month's NCAA Championships in Eugene, Ore., where he will be looking to win UTA's second individual national title in the last three years the event has been contested (canceled last year due to COVID-19).
Two more Mavs will look to advance to the NCAA Championships when action resumes on Friday. First up, senior
Bryson DeBerry will compete in the high jump beginning at 1 p.m. Then at night, classmate
Justin Domangue will race in the 3000m steeplechase at 6:10 p.m.
Action will once again be broadcast and streamed on SEC Network+ beginning at 5:30 p.m. Live results will be available all day via Flash Results.
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