Merriman Wins NCAA 100-Meter Hurdle Title – Ohio State Buckeyes
6/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
June 4, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio—Donica Merriman (Sr., Trotwood, Ohio) overcame a small deficit at the wire and posted the Big Ten’s first-ever victory in the 100-meter hurdles during the final day of competition at the 2001 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships held at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., Saturday.
Merriman clocked in at 12.73 seconds to tie the best time run in the NCAA this year. She is the only Ohio State women’s track and field athlete to own indoor and outdoor hurdle event titles and one of two women in school history to win at the championships (Diane Dixon, 1983).
“I have overcome so much during this season. I had to fight through a hamstring injury (right leg) at the Big Ten Championships,” Merriman said. “Part of the fatigue was because I had five events to worry about at that meet, and it was still hurting at the beginning of this week. I just had to block it out and make sure I was ready to run my race.”
“I had very fast and strong competitors and I just tried to be even more fast and strong than they were. I had to power through my hurdles and if I made a mistake by hitting a hurdle, I had to correct my steps in between the next hurdle.”
The Buckeye women’s team concluded the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships with 10 points and 26th-place team finish.
