Townsend Breaks Records Again, Punches Ticket

Saturday, May 27

Sacramento, Calif.

University of Houston

NCAA West Preliminary Round

5/27/2023 10:17:00 PM | Track and Field

Results

Hurdler breaks school record, moves up national rankings while punching ticket to Austin

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Houston track and field senior hurdler Sydni Townsend broke the school record in the 400-hurdles at the NCAA West Preliminary Round on Saturday at Sacramento State and claimed her ticket to the NCAA Championships June 7-10 in Austin Texas.

For the second-straight meet, senior Sydni Townsend broke the school record in the 400-meter hurdles. Townsend won her heat on Saturday in 55.79 seconds, breaking her previous record by 0.20 seconds. The Philadelphia-native moves to fifth in the country in the 400 hurdles and earns Houston's first ticket to the NCAA Championships in the women's 400 hurdles since 2018.

Sophomore Destiny Smith came the closest of nearly every athlete to making the NCAA Championships, finishing fourth in her heat on the 100-meter hurdles by 0.004 seconds, four one-thousandths of a second. Smith's 13.16 ended as the 13th-fastest of the day.

Senior Hailey Pollard had a career-best day in the discus after being a late addition to the field of 48 competitors. Ranked 48th in the event, Pollard posted a 52.91-meter throw – a full meter personal record – and beat 30 athletes ranked in front of her. The senior finished 17th overall and now ranks third all-time in program history after throwing 52.91 meters.

In the 100-meter dash, senior Cecilia Tamayo-Garza finished her collegiate career in the event after finishing in 11.26 seconds. In the final individual race of her collegiate career, Tamayo-Garza ran 22.94 in the 200-meter dash, missing a ticket to the NCAA Championships by 0.06 seconds.

Senior Destiny Smith finished her season in the triple jump with a 12.66-meter jump on her final attempt. Smith finished 27th overall on the day.

UP NEXT
Townsend will head to the NCAA Championships in Austin, Texas June 7-1 with De'Vion Wilson, Shaun Maswanganyi and Christyan Sampy.

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