adminfinish at the 2011 NCAA Track and Field Championships, headline a contingent of 12 athletes with Seminole ties participating in the IAAF World Championships at Daegu, Korea.
The nine-day event, which brings together the world’s top track and field athletes from 202 countries, is the most prestigious non-Olympic meet in the world.
Coming off NCAA individual titles in the 100 and 200-metre dashes respectively, Makusha and Mitchell, are Seminoles’ most recent sprint stars qualified for the World Championships.
They will be joined by double-bronze Olympic medalist and current US champion Walter Dix, who helped FSU claim the 2006 and 2008 NCAA championships and will represent the United States in both the 100 and 200m events. Dix and Mitchell could be teammates on the 4×100-metre relay.
“Walt, from what I understand, is on top of his game,” said FSU track and field coach Bob Braman.
“He’s going to have something to say about the 100 and 200. We’re really excited for Maurice, who is going to get that World Championship opportunity. It’s like anything else in competition. If you go to the
World Championships, how easy does the NCAA feel?
“It’s exciting to have that. His representation says a lot for our programme; says a lot to potential recruits.”
Mitchell, who was a late addition to the team, is the only athlete with Florida State ties who will be returning to campus this fall with a year of eligibility remaining. Another pair of former Noles, Belgium twins Kevin and Jonathan Borlee, will represent their country in both the 400-metre dash and the 4x400m relay. Makusha, who turned professional after his record-setting NCAA meet and will compete for
Zimbabwe, will be a threat to medal in both the 100m and the long jump, which he also won at nationals for the Seminoles. He enters the competition with the second-best leap in the world this year. Despite a limited summer racing schedule in Europe, Braman believes Makusha could make quite a splash in Daegu. “He’s run 10.10 a couple of times,” Braman said.
“He’s got enough (training) in where he can go do his thing. If people think he can’t, let’s go look at what he did before his 9,89 (NCAA 100-metre record).
“And, oh, by the way, he was close to a medal in the ‘08 Olympic Games in the long jump and he’s got a shot to medal again in the long jump. We could see that 28-foot jump where he could join Kareem Streete-Thompson and Carl Lewis as the only humans over 28-feet and under 10 seconds (in the 100).”
FSU will have a presence beyond the sprints as well. Four-time NCAA champion and 11-time All-American Kimberly Williams, who just completed her final season of eligibility for the Seminoles, will represent Jamaica in one of the most competitive women’s events – the triple jump.
“Kimmie is making some progress,” said Braman, noting that Williams battled injury through the 2011 NCAA Outdoor Championships. “She’s healthy now. We could see that 46-, 47-foot triple jump.” – Seminoles.com.
Online Reporter