JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Sophomore Cambrea Sturgis ran the eighth-fastest time in the world this year. She sprinted to the best qualifying time in the women's 100 meters Thursday at the 2021 NCAA Division I East Preliminary Round at Hodges Stadium at the University of North Florida.
Thursday marked Day 2 of the east prelims.
Sturgis ran an 11.01 to earn a spot in the east prelim quarterfinals. Sturgis' performance was not only a personal best, but it is the fourth-fastest time run in the east prelim in hisotry. Sophomore Kamaya Debose-Epps (11.443) and freshman Jonah Ross (11.447) also qualified for the 100m quarterfinal.
The women's 100m quarterfinal will take place Saturday night at 7:05.
Sturgis will also have company in the women's 200m. Sturgis had the fifth-fastest qualifying time at 22.78 to record a new season-best. Sturgis' previous best this season occurred at Hodges Stadium when she ran a 22.86 on April 30.
Joining Sturgis in the women's 200m quarterfinal are Debose-Epps and Ross. Debose-Epps ran a 23.75 for the 10th-fastest qualifying time. Ross had the 15th-fastest as she ran a personal-best 23.339. The 200m quarterfinals will take place at 8:10 p.m. Saturday.
All three Aggies who qualified for the 100-meter hurdles quarterfinals ran season-best. Two of the ladies ran personal-best. Junior Paula Salmon's finished in 12.79, toppling her previous personal-best, 13.07, which she completed at Drake Relays on April 23.
Senior teammate TeJyrica Robinson finished in 12.81. It marked a new personal best for her, erasing her old best of 12.90 at the 2021 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) Outdoor Championships on May 8. Fifth-year senior Madeleine Akobundu had the fifth-fastest time, posting a 12.88.
Her previous season's best came on April 10 when she ran a 13.06 at the Aggie Invitational at N.C. A&T's Irwin Belk Track. The 100mh quarterfinal will take place on Saturday at 6:45 p.m.
Three more Aggies are headed to Saturday's quarterfinals, including two in the 400mh. Junior Sydni Townsend qualified with a time of 58.90. Junior teammate Nilaja Florence also advanced to the quarterfinal with a time of 59.05. Both ladies will compete at 7:55 p.m., Saturday.
Junior Delecia McDuffie is through to the quarterfinals of the 400m after posting a time of 53.21. McDuffie competes again at 7:25 p.m., Saturday.
The men's quarterfinals are Friday at Hodges Stadium as the Aggies will learn who will represent them at the 2021 NCAA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Ore., June 9-12.
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