Stigler Advances to Final at USA Championships
EUGENE, Ore. – Kansas senior Michael Stigler kept his hat in the ring for a bid to the IAAF World Championships after advancing to the 400-meter hurdle final at the USA Track & Field Championships Friday evening inside Hayward Field. The reigning NCAA Champion will try to nab a top-three finish in the event final tomorrow in order to secure an automatic spot the Team USA contingent that will travel to the World Championships in Beijing, China, Aug. 22-30.
Stigler, who claimed the NCAA 400-meter hurdle title on the same track two weeks ago, entered Friday’s semifinal less than 24 hours removed from earning the top qualifying time out of the first round after clocking in at 49.66 Thursday. In his semifinal heat Friday, Stigler failed to cross the finish line in the first position for the first time in 2015 after two-time USA Outdoor Championship runner-up Johnny Dutch outpaced him by .50 seconds. Despite settling for second in his heat, Stigler still managed to claim one of eight qualifying spots for the event final Saturday. The Canyon, Texas native is the defending 400-meter hurdle runner-up at the USA Championships and will vie for his first American title in the event Saturday at 4:11 p.m. (CT). Even if Stigler is able to tally a top-three finish in the final, he will earn an automatic spot to represent Team USA at the World Championships to be held in Beijing, China.
One other current Jayhawk was able to advance on day two of the USA Championships. Competing at the junior championship level, KU freshman Anthonio Humphrey logged the seventh-fastest 800-meter time in the event semifinals Friday afternoon. The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma product completed his two laps in 1:52.51 to earn a spot in Saturday’s final, set for 6:23 p.m. (CT).
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