INDIANAPOLIS - As Team USA submitted its final roster to the IAAF for the 2011 World Championships, being held August 27 to September 4 in Daegu, South Korea, Texas A&M's Jessica Beard was added to the 400-meter field in addition to her be listed among the 4 x 400 relay pool.Â
Beard, the 2011 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion over 400 meters, replaces an injured Debbie Dunn in the women's 400. Beard, who placed fourth at the U.S. Championships, will join a United States crew consisting of defending World champion Sanya Richards-Ross, Allison Felix and Francena McCorory.
Those same four women are part of the 4 x 400 relay pool for the United States, which also includes Natasha Hastings and Keisha Baker.Â
In 2009, following her sophomore campaign with the Aggies, Beard qualified for the World Championships in the 400 and 4 x 400 relay. She advanced to the semifinal of the 400 and ran the third leg in the prelims of the 4 x 400, earning a gold medal after the United States won the final.
Beard recently contested the 400 at the Aviva London Diamond League meet held at Crystal Palace and finished sixth in a time of 51.20. She also ran in a pair of meets in Italy, competing in the 200 meters and posted times of 23.81 and 23.33.Â
Texas A&M will be represented by six Aggies at the World Championships this summer. In addition to Beard, Jeneba Tarmoh is part of Team USA in the women's 200. In the men's field are Tabarie Henry (400m, U.S. Virgin Islands), Fabrice Lapierre (Long jump, Australia), Gerald Phiri (100 & 200m, Zambia) and Demetrius Pinder (400m & 4x400 relay, Bahamas). Two other members of Team USA who train in College Station are Aries Merritt (110 Hurdles) and LaShaunte'a Moore (4x100 relay pool).
World University Games
After winning the long jump and placing second in the triple jump during the UK Championships held in July, Texas A&M senior Julian Reid is now representing Great Britain in competing during the World University Games held in Shenzen, China.Â
On Monday, Reid completed the qualifying round of the triple jump and advanced to the final with a mark of 53 feet, 5 inches (16.28), which ranked third in his group of 17 competitors and sixth overall among a field of 34 jumpers.
Texas A&M grad Francisco Oliveras, a former school record holder in the triple jump, is serving as the head coach for the track and field team from Mexico competing at the World University Games.