Texas A&M
NCAA Championships
Curtis Mitchell wins NCAA 200, breaks 22-year-old A&M record
Mar 12, 2010 | Track and Field
March 12, 2010
Fayetteville, Arkansas - Curtis Mitchell ran the race of his life to win the NCAA 200-meter title in 20.38 seconds Friday night in front of 3,233 fans at the Randal Tyson Track Center on the University of Arkansas campus. In the process he broke a 22-year-old Texas A&M school record.
In busting the previous Aggie school record of 20.63 set by Stanley Kerr in 1988, Mitchell established himself among the world's best in the 200 meters as he maintained his 2010 winning streak through six victories this season.
The 20.38 equals the 15th best time ever on the all-time world list, is equal 10th on the all-time American list and equal to eighth on the all-time collegiate list.
With the 10 points for Mitchell's victory the Aggies are currently tied with three other teams - Northern Arizona, Oregon and Washington - in fifth place. Arkansas leads after one day with 24 points followed by Florida (20), Florida State (14) and Arizona State (12).
In the men's 200 two-section final, the first heat winning time of 20.46 by Florida State's Brandon Byram appeared it was going to be the overall top time.
"I'm new to the scene, so I've been working hard," Mitchell said. "When I saw the 20.46 from the first section I didn't want it to get to me. I went out there and trusted my coach's advice one more time. Thank God it came together."
Starting in lane four with speedster Marcus Rowland of Auburn to his right in lane five, Mitchell had a strong start and maintained the stagger with Rowland through the first half of the race. Mitchell moved on Rowland through the second curve and had the edge heading into the final straight.
"Coach told me to push, push, push," noted Mitchell. "I've been working on my push and saving my top end speed. If I push out well then I know I can hold my top end speed longer than these shorter sprinters.
"When I came off the last curve I ran with all my heart. I knew I couldn't let him go, since he is a fast guy. I knew I couldn't be lackadaisical. When I saw him move, I don't know what happened, I just hit another gear."
Once the official time registered on the scoreboard Mitchell fell to his knees on the track upon seeing his 20.38. His personal best indoors coming into the meet was 20.69 and his outdoor career best is 20.58.
"My PR outside last year was 20.58, and I was hoping to run that outdoors," stated Mitchell, who celebrated his 21st birthday yesterday. "Having bettered that time indoors, my dream has officially come true. I'm so thankful and so grateful. I did it, I did it."
Auburn has the first day lead in the women's team scoring with 18 points off a 1-2 finish in the 200. Shaniqua Ferguson won the race in 23.09 while Nivea Smith ran 23.12 for second.
Tennessee trails Auburn with 16 points while the rest of the top five includes Arizona (15.5), Oregon (13) and Penn State (11). Texas A&M has four points and is tied for 21st place.
The Aggies four points were scored by Jeneba Tarmoh, who ran 23.29 to place second in her section of the women's 200 final, which was good for fifth place overall.
Vashti Thomas placed 10th in the long jump with a 20-7.75 (6.29) effort, her second best mark of the season.
The other final involving Texas A&M on day one came in the long jump where Zuheir Sharif and Julian Reid.
Qualifying in the women's 60 hurdles produced two A&M finalists with Natasha Ruddock winning her heat in 8.07 while Gabby Mayo finished second 8.15, just behind the 8.14 winner from North Carolina's Vanneish Ivy. Vashti Thomas ran 8.35 for sixth in her heat.
"In the hurdles I hit the first one and it kind of messed up my race a little bit," explained Mayo. "I was able to finish and make it through to the finals. We'll see what happens tomorrow in that race."
Ruddock bettered Virginia Tech's Kristi Castlin (8.09) in the first heat. Castlin placed second in the NCAA Indoor final two years ago and finished third last season.
"I thought it was a good race, I was focused on having a clean race," said Ruddock. "I knew Castlin was in the race with me, so I remained focused on what I had to do in the race."
Advancing in the 400 for the Aggies were Demetrius Pinder (46.46) and Tabarie Henry (46.47) as the sixth and seventh fastest qualifiers. Bryan Miller (47.17), second to Henry in heat one, finished 13th overall.
"A lot of people don't know that I had a back injury during Big 12s, so I've been nursing it a bit since the conference meet," Henry stated. "I didn't let it get to me today. Throughout my race I felt comfortable.
"My last turn was a little rough because of my back, but overall it was a nice, comfortable win for me to get me to the next round."
Henry and Pinder will occupy the same section on Saturday, with Henry in lane four and Pinder in six.
"Last year the NCAA champ won out of the slow section, so I'm going to try to do the same," Henry noted. "I'll try to drop a nice time in the first section."
Pinder finished second to Alabama's Kirani James (46.26) in the second heat. The top qualifier was Georgia's Torrin Lawrence with a 46.05 while Sam Houston State's Michael Courtney posted the second fastest time at 46.07.
"It was a comfortable race for me," said Pinder. "For sure tomorrow I'll give it my best and see if I can put down a nice time and PR."
Jessica Beard cruised to the finals of the 400, coming through her first 200 in 23.80 and then winning her heat with a 52.25, the third fastest time of her indoor career at Texas A&M.
"I'm fine with a 52.25 in the prelim," said Beard. "I was able to run my race and see what my first 200 was going to be like. Now I know what a 23.80 feels like for the first 200.
"Now I know I'll have a good lane for the final and I'll be running with some of the fastest people in the country."
Hampton's Francena McCorory, the defending NCAA Indoor winner, posted the fastest qualifying time at 52.14. The NCAA Outdoor champ, Auburn's Joanna Atkins, has the third fastest qualifying time with a 52.47. Beard finished as NCAA runner-up to both athletes last season at each NCAA Championship.
Mayo later qualified for the 60 finals with the second fastest time in qualifying, a personal best of 7.25 seconds, third fastest ever at Texas A&M. She won her heat over a pair of LSU sprinters, Kenyanna Wilson (7.25) and Takeia Pinckney (7.26).
"In the 60 I just finally got my race together and I'm so happy," Mayo said. "It finally, finally came at the right time. So, tomorrow I'm going to do the same exact thing, just a little bit harder and go out there and compete.
"The 7.25 felt pretty relaxed. That's what Coach Anderson said, `when you run it right, it feels easier.' So, now I know that feeling. I hope I get used to it and do it over and over again."
Tarmoh ran 7.42 for fifth in the third heat, but didn't advance as she placed 15th overall.
The women's 60 final will consist of eight sprinters who are separated by only 0.03 of a second (7.24 to 7.27) from the qualifying times. UTEP's Blessing Okagbare led the field with a 7.24.
Gerald Phiri advanced in the men's 60 with a 6.63 clocking, matching his best time of the season and the third fastest-time on the A&M all-time list. Phiri finished second in his heat to Florida's Jeff Demps who ran the top time of 6.56. Auburn's Marcus Rowland won the other heat in 6.58 over Florida's Jeremy Hall (6.62).
While Mitchell and Tarmoh survived the 200 qualifying rounds, Porscha Lucas and Dominique Duncan were not able to make the field of eight. Lucas finished second in the fifth and final heat with a 23.50. Duncan placed fourth in the third heat, which produced three finalists, with a 23.80.
Mitchell recorded the second fastest time in qualifying with a 20.67 heat winner, equaling the A&M school record also held by Chris Dykes on a 200-meter banked track. Dykes also set his mark in Fayetteville in 2007.
Tarmoh won her 200 heat in 23.36 over LSU's Samantha Henry (23.41) for the sixth fastest qualifying time.
Players Mentioned
