Nike’s Nia Ali realized five meters into the 100-meter hurdles that she screwed up.
Ali stayed on the starting blocks too long, but quickly, she got back into form, swinging her arms as she found her rhythm.
“I just got out and woke up mid-race and tried to work my arms in a little at the end,” Ali said. “I was like ‘OK, I can work from here.’”
Ali, the reigning world indoors champion in the 60-meter hurdles, made it work, climbing to the front of the pack and winning the 100 hurdles at the Oregon Twilight on Friday with a time of 12.78 seconds – a meet record. Angela Whyte, an assistant coach at Washington State and a silver medalist in the event at the 2004 Olympics, finished in second with a time of 13.03.
Ali acknowledged Friday’s performance wasn’t her best. She said that she knows, at this point in her training, that she could record a better time.
Still, Ali appreciates how consistent she’s been in the event recently. She just missed matching her personal best this season of 12.77 – the sixth fastest time in the world this year.
“In the past I was very inconsistent,” Ali said. “12.78 didn’t come for a long time down the road. So the fact I can go 12.77, 12.78 and do it at different places, different pressures, I’m pleased.
“I have to take my small victories when I can.”
Ali was slated to run next to Canadian Olympic heptathlete, and former Oregon athlete, Brianne Theisen-Eaton, but Theisen-Eaton pulled out before the race, leaving lane No. 5 vacant.
Ali said she was disappointed she didn’t get a chance to run against Theisen-Eaton, “But I know if she pulled out it was for good reason. I hope everything is OK, and I’ll see her down the line.”
This won’t be the only time Ali runs at Hayward Field this year. She plans to run at the Prefontaine Classic (May 26-27) and the Olympic Trials (July 1-10).
Though the grandstands at Hayward Field weren’t packed, Ali said running in Friday’s meet will set her up well for the atmosphere at the Pre Classic and the Olympic Trials.
“I know the fans are going to be here, and I know the energy is going to be crazy,” Ali said. “I just wanted to get the Hayward magic jitters out and just really be able to perform well.”
Ali said she’ll head to Guadalupe, Mexico, to train before returning to Eugene for the Pre.
“It was a good start for Pre,” Ali said, smiling at the idea of returning to Eugene later this month. “I’m very excited for Pre.”
