Jacksonville, FL — Cambrea Sturgis, Maia Sturgis, and Jayla Kirkland all looked impressive when advancing to the quarter-final round of the women’s 100m at the 2021 NCAA East Preliminary round track and field championships on Thursday (27).
Sturgis Looks Good In First Round
Sturgis of North Carolina A&T paced the list of 24 qualifiers to the next round after she posted a flashing 11.01 seconds (+1.9 m/s) for a personal best to take the first heat. The initial flash time for Sturgis was 10.97s before it was corrected to the confirmed time.
Thursday’s time was not only a personal best for the North Carolina A&T sophomore, but also the eighth fastest time in the world this season.
McCoy of Tennessee was also impressive when winning the fifth heat very comfortably in a time of 11.15 secs, although it was aided by a slight 2.2 m/s wind.
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Kirkland of Florida State clocked a time of 11.17 to take heat four with the third fastest time from the first round to progress to Saturday’s next round.
Another sprinter looking nifty when winning heat six was Symone Mason of LSU after she posted a time of 11.23s to beat Miami (Fla.) Jacious Sears who ran a personal best of 11.37s for second in the heat.
Clark With Lots To Spare?
Meanwhile, Alabama’s Tamara Clark who entered the event with the fastest time in the nation in all conditions was only third in her heat in 11.31s, but I believe that she was holding back and did just enough to qualify for the next round.
Clark did get off to a slow start, but she also looked very relax when coming through the line, so will wait to see how she will approach the 200m heats later tonight.
Other heat winners on Thursday were Anavia Battle of Ohio State, the winner of heat three with a personal best of 11.18 as well as Alfreda Steele of Miami (Fla.) who ran 11.22 for a personal best when taking the second heat.
Also advancing to Saturday’s quarterfinal were Ka’Tia Seymour of Florida State (11.23), Melissa Jefferson from Coastal Carolina (11.25), Celera Barnes of Kentucky (11.37), as well as Kiara Grant of Norfolk State (11.38).
The quarterfinals of the women’s 100m at the 2021 NCAA East Preliminary round track and field championships will be contested on Saturday. Twelve athletes will advance to the 2021 NCAA Outdoor Championships next month in Eugene, Ore.
