Tulane's Asumnu Runs Well at NCAA Championships
Jun 9, 2006 | Cross Country & Track
June 9, 2006
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Tulane junior sprinter Gloria Asumnu, competing in both the 100 and 200 meters at the NCAA Championships for the first time, advanced to the semifinal round of the 100 meters Thursday at the Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex in Sacramento, Calif.
Asumnu, who qualified for the NCAA Championships in both events, began the meet with the 200 meter preliminaries on Wednesday, where she ran a time of 24.01, well off her 2006 best time of 23.40, which set a school record in April.
After failing to advance to the semifinals in the 200 meters, Asumnu went one better in the 100 meters on Thursday. The Houston, Texas native continued her consistent sprinting in the event on the year and, in her first 100 meters at the NCAA Championship level, ran a time of 11.55 to finish fourth in her heat and move on to the semifinals.
With that result, Asumnu proved herself as one of the Top 16 100 meter runners in the country. In the event semifinals later that same day, she ran 11.60 but did not advance to the eight-woman final. During the year, her best time in the 100 was a school record 11.38 set in April at the Ole Miss Invitational.
"Gloria has been so consistent in the 100 this season," said Tulane Head Coach Heather Van Norman. "She really ran a great pair of races and proved to herself that she can take it to the next level. I'm really proud of her, not just for her performances this week, but for the way she has run this season."
Asumnu's season is not over as she has qualified for the United States Senior Nationals in the sprint events. However, her appearance at the NCAA Championships marks the final NCAA competition of the season for the Green Wave athletics program.
-- Roll Wave --
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