by Larry EderThe word had been out most of the college season; Brianna Rollins was fast! At the NCAA Championships in Eugene, it was astounding, and by the time she hit the track in Des Moines, the announcers on TV were whispering about an American record.
RunBlogRun’s Event of the Day, Event Eight: Rollins’ hurdle race
Okay Brianna Rollins is on a winning spree. First the NCAA and a 12.33, then the USA Outdoor and a new American record of 12.26, breaking the record of Gail Devers, who was a pretty good hurdler in her own right.
Sally Pearson is the 2011 World Championship gold medalist and then, in 2012, she dueled then Dawn Harper to the gold in the rain in London.
This year, Sally Pearson has had a rough year, but came around just in time. In the semi finals, Brianna Rollins ran 12.52 and Sally Pearson came back with a 12.50. And the race was on.
In the final, Dawn Harper Nelson and Sally Pearson got out good, for them, and were dueling along by mid way in the race. Brianna Rollins had an okay start and came up from behind, and just flew by Nelson, then Pearson and was clearly ahead by the last hurdle, leaning at the tape and winning in 12.44. Sally Pearson took the silver in 12.50 and Tiffany Porter went by Nelson, taking the bronze in 12.55.
Brianna Rollins is at the beginning of her career and she has the elegance over the hurdles already and the brute speed as well to challenge the world record. Her 12.26 is only a small indication of how fast Ms. Rollins can hurdle.
#moscow2013
