Ducks hurdler Aaliyah McCormick poised for title defense at NCAA championships

Oregon senior Aaliyah McCormick ran the third fastest time of her career in her heat of the 100-meter hurdles, 12.58, Thursday, June 11, at the NCAA Track and Field Championships. 

But she wasn’t satisfied, especially with her start. 

“I am happy. It’s just I know I can do better,” said McCormick, the defending NCAA champion, after advancing to Saturday’s final. “I’m trying to stay focused. Trying to keep it calm and not worry about the time or anything.”  

McCormick was the fastest qualifier. Emmi Scales of Kentucky was next, running 12.72. 

Friday, McCormick will try her best to relax: reading, watching “Love Island,” resting her legs. She stays off her phone and social media. The final is 5:42 p.m. Saturday. 

In the 1500 meters, Oregon advanced three women to the final, matching what the Ducks men did in the event yesterday. In the first heat, Wilma Nielsen ran in first place or close to it for the entire race, crossing in third in a swift 4:06.78. (The top five from each of two heats and the two next fastest times advanced.) 

In the second heat, the two Ducks — Juliet Cherubet and Silan Ayyildiz — were boxed in with a lap to go. Somehow, both navigated their way out of trouble in the final 200 meters and made the final. 

Ayyildiz was surprised at how tightly packed the race was. 

“I wasn’t expecting this kind of company, and everybody already was pushing, so I can imagine (how it will be) on Saturday,” she said. 

The goal, Nielsen said, is for all three to score, by finishing in the top eight, in the final. 

Other results: 

• Adaejah Hodge of Georgia ran a collegiate record of 10.63 in the 100 meters. 
• Washington junior Amanda Moll set a collegiate record of 4.84 in the pole vault; her twin sister, Hana, also a junior at UW, was second, clearing 4.74.
• The Ducks did not score in any finals Thursday, and the 4 x 100-meter relay team failed to advance out of the heats, as did 100-meter hurdler Micaela de Mello. The Ducks’ Diana Cherotich was 13th in the 10,000 meters, Greyson Glivinski was 21st in the javelin and Alicia Khunou was 24th in the shot put. 
• Still to compete, however, are heptathlete Liisa-Maria Lusti, triple jumpers Sharifa Davronova and Cassandra Atkins, and Khunou in the discus. Cherubet runs the 5,000 meters as well as the 1500.