By Kim Holm
Olympic hurdler Ashley Spencer won the 400-meter hurdles Saturday at the 2017 Prefontaine Classic, with a time of 53.38 seconds. Spencer beat out Olympic gold medalist Dalilah Muhammad, who finished fifth.
“I’ve been dealing with some injuries lately,” said Spencer. “To come out here and get a win and a new personal best shows that I’m going in the right direction.”
Last summer, Spencer finished second behind Muhammad in the 2016 Olympic Trials at Hayward Field with a time of 54.02. Later, she took home a bronze medal from the Rio games with a time of 53.72.
“Track and field is my life—I have fun doing it win or lose,” said Spencer. “Having moments like this makes it all worthwhile.”
Spencer has been working hard this season, considering she has had to deal with multiple transitions in her personal and professional life.
“I’ve been through the worst as an athlete,” said Spencer. “I’ve dealt with family loss, transferring schools and major injuries.”
Recently, Spencer had a hamstring problem in her lead leg, and she used her race in Jamaica last week to get ready for this week at the Prefontaine Classic.
Spencer will take the next three weeks off to prepare for her upcoming races later this summer. “My ultimate goal is to make it to London,” said Spencer. “If that doesn’t happen for whatever reason, I want to end this summer on a high note.”
Finishing in second behind Spencer was Shamier Little with a personal record of 53.44.
“My first 100 meters I started to break the stagger,” said Little. “I usually don’t do that—I’m either with them or behind them.”
Little was a three-time NCAA 400 meter hurdles champion for Texas A&M, a world junior champion.
“This is my second race of the season,” she said. “I came out with a personal best. I felt that I had a really good close in the last 50 meters.”
