The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

In the preliminary rounds of the NCAA Outdoor Championships during the first two days of competition, only Auburn University's Teray Smith, Purdue's Devynne Charlton and East Tennessee State's Katrina Seymour qualified for the final of their respective events.

After the men opened competition on Wednesday with Smith advancing in the 200 metres, it was the women's day yesterday at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, with Charlton holding on for her berth in the final of the 100m hurdles and she was joined by Seymour in the 400m hurdles.

Charlton, in her junior year, got out to a quick start but struggled in the middle of the race and had to settle for third in 13.06. But it was still good enough to get into Saturday's final with one of the two fastest losing times, just ahead of the NCAA Indoor champion Sasha Wallace - a senior from Oregon - who did 13.10 for the final spot.

In qualifying for the Nationals, Charlton went under the standard for the IAAF World Championships in London, England in August as she continues her return from injury last year that prevented her from competing at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

And as she prepares to close out her brief collegiate campaign at East Tennessee State, Seymour (in her senior year) was third in her heat of the 400m hurdles in 57.22 to get into Saturday's final with the eighth and final spot.

Two other competitors contested their individual events yesterday, but neither Shaquania Dorsett of Florida State or Jenae Ambrose of Auburn University advanced to the final.

Dorsett, a sophomore, didn't get out with the pack as she ended up in fifth place in her heat in 53.56 for 17th place overall.

And Ambrose was eighth in 23.62 in her heat of the 200m and she ended up 20th overall and out of contention for a top eight spot for the final.

Meanwhile Smith, who has already qualified for the World Championships in London as he follows on his appearance at the Olympic Games last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was third in his heat of the men's 200m on Wednesday. His time of 20.36 was the seventh fastest time for a spot in today's final where he will run out of lane eight.

The Auburn University senior ran faster in 20.25 to qualify for the championships. Smith also anchored the Auburn men's 4 x 100m team to victory in their heat in 38.47 as they advanced to today's final with the fastest time. It was also listed as the second best time in Auburn history and stands as the sixth fastest in the world this year. Auburn will run out of lane four in today's final.

Also on Wednesday, Andre Colebrooke finished 14th overall in the semi-final of the men's 400m hurdles.

The Southeast Louisiana senior got fourth in his heat in 50.67. He advanced to the championship with a time of 50.14.

The last two Bahamians to compete in an individual final event on Saturday will be Danielle Gibson and Serena Brown.

Gibson, a Penn State senior, will be the ninth competitor on the runway in the women's triple jump. A total of 12 competitors are in her flight with another 12 in the other.

And Brown, a freshman at Texas A&M, is entered in the women's discus. She has been placed in flight one where she will be the 11th of 12 competitors. A total of 12 competitors will compete out of flight two.