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.
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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).
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"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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
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EVENT Schedule – 2015 IAAF World Championships – Beijing, China
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AUGUST 25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Beijing    Central Time       Gender    Event                             Round                     Aggie Entry
19:00        06:00                    W        Discus Throw                      Final                                             Â
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                                            Â
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
                                                                                                       Â
AUGUST 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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 SESSIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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                                    Â
21:00        08:00                    W        3000 Meters Steeplechase  Final
21:25        08:25                    M        400 Meters                          Final                                             Â
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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).
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"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."
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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.
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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.
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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.
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EVENT Schedule – 2015 IAAF World Championships – Beijing, China
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AUGUST 25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Beijing    Central Time       Gender    Event                             Round                     Aggie Entry
19:00        06:00                    W        Discus Throw                      Final                                             Â
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                                            Â
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
                                                                                                       Â
AUGUST 26Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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 SESSIONÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
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                                    Â
21:00        08:00                    W        3000 Meters Steeplechase  Final
21:25        08:25                    M        400 Meters                          Final                                             Â