Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 30 July 2019
Muhammad breaks world record in 400 hurdles at nationals

By PAT GRAHAM Muhammad's perfor-
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — mance stole the show on a
The running joke between big final night.
Dalilah Muhammad and Soon after, Dezerea Bryant
some of her competitors won the 200 in 22.47 sec-
goes like this: She orders the onds.
wet conditions. "I woke up this morning and
Because she reigns in the I'm like, 'I'm not going to be
rain. denied,'" Bryant said. "That
On a drizzly Sunday night, was my attitude."
Muhammad broke a Noah Lyles closed out the
16-year-old world record competition in style by do-
in the 400-meter hurdles by ing a nifty little dance after
finishing in 52.20 seconds at taking the men's 200 title in
the U.S. championships. 19.78. He held off Christian
"I'm just shocked," Muham- Coleman and, after cross-
mad said. "I broke the world ing the line, shook his rival's
record." hand before breaking off
With puddles formed on some dance moves.
the track, the defending The 22-year-old Lyles can
Olympic champion sloshed certainly celebrate.
her way around the track "Joy? Tons of joy. This is the
to eclipse the mark of 52.34 hardest team to make,"
set by Yuliya Pechonkina of Dalilah Muhammad, center, crosses the finish line as she wins the women's 400-meter hurdles at said Lyles, who sprayed
Russia on Aug. 8, 2003. the U.S. Championships athletics meet, Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Des Moines, Iowa. his hair silver. "The saying
Running out of the fourth Associated Press is, once you make the U.S.
lane, Muhammad didn't team, you better come
let the rain drops deter her. ishing second. She put it all together for fending world champion away with a medal."
She looked at her time and It was also lightly raining real. Kori Carter didn't even Things to know on the final
was almost taken aback. when Muhammad won To think, Muhammad fell compete at nationals in day of nationals:
No way that can be real, the Olympic gold at the in a training session two the event since she has an COBURN'S DOMINANCE
right? 2016 Rio Games. Her com- weeks ago and suffered automatic bye into worlds. Reigning world champion
It was. petitors might want to start a mild concussion. She "That 52 is going to get Emma Coburn captured
Muhammad smiled, briefly looking at the weather re- missed three days of work- broke," Muhammad said. her sixth straight national
put her hands on her hips ports for the Tokyo Games, outs to heal. "If not by me by the other title in the steeplechase
and then slumped down which are a year away. She lost none of her speed. women." (eighth overall). She fin-
when her time flashed on "Ashley said, 'You're the Then again, the level of the McLaughlin finished in ished in 9 minutes, 25.63
the screen at Drake Sta- one that brings the rain,'" competition brought out 52.88. seconds to narrowly edge
dium. Third-place finisher the 29-year-old Muham- the best in her. "It was a really fast race and Courtney Frerichs. Colleen
Ashley Spencer emphati- mad cracked. "I don't know Muhammad believes it I could feel the pace being Quigley was third. With Co-
cally celebrated behind what it is." mark may not last too long. pushed," said McLaughlin, burn getting an automatic
her and teenager Sydney In workouts, Muhammad It may even fall again at who turns 20 next month. bye, fourth-place finisher
McLaughlin came over to has often been on world- the world championships "I'm happy to be a part of a Allie Ostrander also is going
hug Muhammad after fin- record pace. this fall in Doha, Qatar. De- world-record race." to Doha.q

Continued from Page 17 said he has full faith in the With the leaders running
He won two straight races first-year Cup crew chief low on fuel, Hamlin had
at Pocono over the 2009 and followed his directives enough left to get a good
and 2010 seasons, but of- on fuel. Gabehart made jump off two late restarts
ten struggled in recent all the right calls atop the that made the difference.
years to seriously compete pit box. Hamlin seemingly had the
for a win on the tri-oval "I just let him go, get the race won in regulation
track. lead," Gabehart said. when he took the lead off
He needed a bit of every- "Then as soon as he got out a restart with four laps to go
thing to go right over the front, I pulled the reins on after Kurt Busch slammed
final laps Sunday to reverse him, started putting some into the wall to bring out
his fortune and win for the in the bank." another caution. Hamlin,
first time since March in That was enough for Ham- Jones and Truex made it a
Texas. Hamlin had to clear lin. 1-2-3 running order for JGR
JGR teammates Erik Jones "Win or lose, he comes up Denny Hamlin, front center, celebrates in Victory Lane after win- as the race headed into
and Martin Truex Jr., then with the plays, and I'm the ning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 28, 2019, in OT. That's the way it shook
had to conserve fuel in the one that needs to execute Long Pond, Pa. out after three extra laps,
No. 11 for when he need- it," Hamlin said. "When he Associated Press and on Sunday, Hamlin
ed it on two late restarts, said, 'OK, I need two posi- had the right combination
including the final one in tions on this restart,' I got to Hamlin's three wins are the to secure a spot in the play- to score his third straight
overtime. go get two positions. He's most since he won five in offs, was second and Truex top-five finish.
Hamlin is coming off his first really done a good job of 2012 and his 10 top-10 fin- third. Hamlin also erased "We're running our best
full winless season of his knowing what it takes to ishes match his total from some of the sting from his right now," Hamlin said.
career and split with crew win in the Cup Series in his last season. His 34th career near-miss last week at New "There's no doubt about it."
chief Michael Wheeler, rookie season. I mean, he's win in Cup helped lead Hampshire when Kevin William Bryon was fourth,
with JGR giving the reigns going to be around for a a 1-2-3 charge for JGR: Harvick caught him late for and Kyle Larson finished
to Chris Gabehart. Hamlin very long time." Jones, who needed a win the win. fifth.q