June 13, 2003
USC set a new school-record in the 4x100m relay and Tiffany Ross placed third in the 400m hurdles on day three of competition at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships at Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium.
The Gamecocks narrowly missed out on defending their 4x100m relay championship but established a new school-record on the way to a second-place finish. The quartet of Tiffany Ross, Erica Whipple, Alexis Joyce and Aleen Bailey ran a blistering time of 42.83, shattering the previous USC standard of 43.12 set by Bailey, Lisa Barber, Whipple and Demetria Washington, to win the 2002 NCAA Championship. LSU won the event with a time of 42.55, just 0.05 seconds shy of the NCAA and collegiate records.
“Alexis (Joyce) and I had a great exchange,” said Whipple. “Tiffany (Ross) and I had a great exchange. Everyone did their best and we ran great. I am kind of surprised we did not win with the time we ran but we did our best and we are very proud.”
“I thought it would take 42.50 to win the race and 42.55 won it,” said head coach Curtis Frye. “We ran a school record and these young ladies worked very hard. Everyone counted us out. In the trials we ran 43.50 and everybody thought we were dead. We are not dead yet.”
Twenty-five minutes later, in her eighth race of the competition, Ross went on to a third-place finish in the 400m hurdles by running a time of 56.08 for her seventh All-American honor. The sophomore won both the SEC Championship and NCAA East Regional Championship this season and placed second in the intermediate hurdles at the 2002 NCAA Championships.
“I was so excited coming off the 4x100m relay – we almost won it. So the adrenaline was in my race. I came off the curve and started to feel fatigue,” said Ross. “I thank God I got third, it’s quite an accomplishment. I am disappointed in my time but it’s points for the team and I am happy about that.”
In addition, finishing 10th in the women’s long jump, Chelsea Hammond collected her first career All-American honors and the Gamecock’s ninth All-American honors of the competition. Fred Townsend, finishing ninth in the decathlon last night, was also named All-American.
Saturday is the final day of competition with event finals throughout the day. Complete NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championship results can be found at www.ncaasports.com.
NOTE: The men’s 400m dash semifinal and the women’s 100m dash final will be contested at 8:40 p.m. and 8:55 p.m. PDT. Those results along the men’s and women’s high jump finals as well as team scoring updates will be available later.
NOTES FROM NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
All-Americans
Aleen Bailey (seven-time) 4×100 relay
Alexis Joyce (first-time) 4×100 relay
Tiffany Ross (seven-time) 4×100 relay, 400m hurdles
Erica Whipple (four-time) 4×100 relay
Chelsea Hammond (first-time) long jump
Fred Townsend (first-time) decathlon
School Records
Women’s 4×100 relay (Ross, Whipple, Joyce, Bailey)-42.83 (previously record was 43.12 by Bailey, L. Barber, Whipple and Washington to win NCAA title in 2002)
QUOTES FROM NCAA OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Curtis Frye (women’s 4x100m relay)
“I thought it would take 42.50 to win the race and 42.55 won it. We ran a school record. These young ladies worked very hard. Everyone counted us out. In the trials we ran 43.50 and everybody thought we were dead. We aren’t dead yet.”
Aleen Bailey (4x100m relay)
(On running 42.83 for a school record): “I had faith in my teammates that we could pull it off and everything happens for a reason. We ran 42. for the first time in school history and that’s great.”
Erica Whipple (4x100m relay)
“Alexis and I had a great exchange. Tiffany and I had a great exchange. Everyone did their best and we ran great. (Surprised 42.83 didn’t win?): Yeah, I am kind of surprised but we did our best and we are very proud.”
Tiffany Ross (400m hurdles)
“I was so excited coming off the 4x100m relay – we almost won it. So the adrenaline was in my race. I came off the curve and started to feel fatigue,” said Ross. “I thank God I got third, it’s quite an accomplishment. I am disappointed in my time but it’s points for the team and I am happy about that. Next week I will just run the 400m hurdles at USAs and hope for a better time. Tomorrow I have two races and I have to concentrate on that. I am not satisfied with my time tonight, but I have to put it behind. Take an ice bath and get ready for tomorrow.”
