Photo by: Errol Anderson
World Championships 400 hurdle final next stage for Shamier Little
Aug 24, 2015 | Track and Field
BEIJING, China – Shamier Little's journey over 400-meter hurdles this season has delivered the Aggie sophomore into the final of the IAAF World Championships after a third-place effort in the semifinals held Monday in the Bird's Nest stadium.
With the top two finishers of the three semifinal heats earning automatic qualification, Little snared the final time qualifier to the final with a clocking of 54.86 seconds in the second heat. Sara Peterson of Denmark won the heat in 54.34 over Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer (54.45) while Little enjoyed nearly a full second cushion over fourth-place finisher Denisa Rosolova of Czech Republic (55.73).
"It's just scary," stated Little, who ran her semifinal race from lane two. "Thinking about it just makes me emotional. I'm glad I made it through, but I have to do better. I definitely, definitely have to do better and show them that I definitely deserve to be there. I'm going to give it my all."
American teammate Cassandra Tate won the opening heat in 54.33 over Wenda Nel of South Africa (54.63) and Great Britain's Eilidh Child (54.80). In the third heat defending world champion Zuzana Hejnova posted the top time of 54.24 ahead of Jamaica's Janieve Russell (54.78) while U.S. hurdler Kori Carter fell at hurdle three and did not finish.
The 20-year-old Little will occupy lane two once more in Wednesday's final, which will be run at 7:10 a.m. CT, with Child in three, Petersen in four and Hejnova in five. The remaining lanes will have Tate in six, Spencer in seven, Nel in eight and Russell in nine.
With Little's career best of 53.74, which remains the world leader for 2015, only Hejnova (52.83) and Spencer (52.79) have personal best times better than her among the finalist.
As the 2014 World Junior champion, Little is the first female 400 hurdler in 20 years to medal in the junior championships and advance to the finals of the World Championships in the following year. In accomplishing the feat Little joins Romania's Ionela Tirlea, who won the 1994 World Junior title and placed seventh in the 1995 World Championships.
EVENT Schedule – 2015 IAAF World Championships – Beijing, China
AUGUST 25
Beijing Central Time Gender Event Round Aggie Entry
19:00 06:00 W Discus Throw Final
19:05 06:05 W 400 Meters Semi-Final
19:25 06:25 M Long Jump Final Fabrice Lapierre
19:30 06:30 M 200 Meters Heats
20:25 07:25 M 400 Meters Hurdles Final
20:35 07:35 W 1500 Meters Final
20:55 07:55 M 800 Meters Final
AUGUST 26
09:30 20:30 (25 Aug) W Hammer Throw Qualification Group A
09:35 20:35 (25 Aug) M 5000 Meters Heats
10:00 21:00 (25 Aug) M Triple Jump Qualification Latario Collie
10:25 21:25 (25 Aug) W 800 Meters Heats
10:55 21:55 (25 Aug) W Hammer Throw Qualification Group B
11:20 22:20 (25 Aug) M 110 Meters Hurdles Heats
AFTERNOON SESSION
19:00 06:00 W Pole Vault Final
19:05 06:05 M Javelin Throw Final
19:15 06:15 W 200 Meters Heats Jeneba Tarmoh
20:10 07:10 W 400 Meters Hurdles Final Shamier Little
20:30 07:30 M 200 Meters Semi-Final
21:00 08:00 W 3000 Meters Steeplechase Final
21:25 08:25 M 400 Meters Final
With the top two finishers of the three semifinal heats earning automatic qualification, Little snared the final time qualifier to the final with a clocking of 54.86 seconds in the second heat. Sara Peterson of Denmark won the heat in 54.34 over Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer (54.45) while Little enjoyed nearly a full second cushion over fourth-place finisher Denisa Rosolova of Czech Republic (55.73).
"It's just scary," stated Little, who ran her semifinal race from lane two. "Thinking about it just makes me emotional. I'm glad I made it through, but I have to do better. I definitely, definitely have to do better and show them that I definitely deserve to be there. I'm going to give it my all."
American teammate Cassandra Tate won the opening heat in 54.33 over Wenda Nel of South Africa (54.63) and Great Britain's Eilidh Child (54.80). In the third heat defending world champion Zuzana Hejnova posted the top time of 54.24 ahead of Jamaica's Janieve Russell (54.78) while U.S. hurdler Kori Carter fell at hurdle three and did not finish.
The 20-year-old Little will occupy lane two once more in Wednesday's final, which will be run at 7:10 a.m. CT, with Child in three, Petersen in four and Hejnova in five. The remaining lanes will have Tate in six, Spencer in seven, Nel in eight and Russell in nine.
With Little's career best of 53.74, which remains the world leader for 2015, only Hejnova (52.83) and Spencer (52.79) have personal best times better than her among the finalist.
As the 2014 World Junior champion, Little is the first female 400 hurdler in 20 years to medal in the junior championships and advance to the finals of the World Championships in the following year. In accomplishing the feat Little joins Romania's Ionela Tirlea, who won the 1994 World Junior title and placed seventh in the 1995 World Championships.
EVENT Schedule – 2015 IAAF World Championships – Beijing, China
AUGUST 25
Beijing Central Time Gender Event Round Aggie Entry
19:00 06:00 W Discus Throw Final
19:05 06:05 W 400 Meters Semi-Final
19:25 06:25 M Long Jump Final Fabrice Lapierre
19:30 06:30 M 200 Meters Heats
20:25 07:25 M 400 Meters Hurdles Final
20:35 07:35 W 1500 Meters Final
20:55 07:55 M 800 Meters Final
AUGUST 26
09:30 20:30 (25 Aug) W Hammer Throw Qualification Group A
09:35 20:35 (25 Aug) M 5000 Meters Heats
10:00 21:00 (25 Aug) M Triple Jump Qualification Latario Collie
10:25 21:25 (25 Aug) W 800 Meters Heats
10:55 21:55 (25 Aug) W Hammer Throw Qualification Group B
11:20 22:20 (25 Aug) M 110 Meters Hurdles Heats
AFTERNOON SESSION
19:00 06:00 W Pole Vault Final
19:05 06:05 M Javelin Throw Final
19:15 06:15 W 200 Meters Heats Jeneba Tarmoh
20:10 07:10 W 400 Meters Hurdles Final Shamier Little
20:30 07:30 M 200 Meters Semi-Final
21:00 08:00 W 3000 Meters Steeplechase Final
21:25 08:25 M 400 Meters Final
Players Mentioned
Jumps
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Hurdles
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