WTRK | DeSouza Breaks Her Own Program 400m Hurdle Record, Qualifies for Quarter Finals on Saturday

COLLEGE STATION, Tex. — Jaden DeSouza is moving on! The senior out of Lihue, Hawaii not only shattered the program record in the 400m hurdles (a record she has now set and reset five times this year), but also ran the 20th fastest time in the field of 48 runners, good enough to qualify for Saturday evening’s quarter finals. 

Running in lane two, DeSouza had a slower start, sitting in eighth at the third hurdle, but began to kick at the first straight away. At the halfway mark, she began to run her race and began picking off the competitors in front of her. With two hurdles to go, DeSouza worked her way into the top five, and maintained that all the way to the finish line with a blazing fast time of 58.20. The top three from each heat qualified automatically for Saturday’s quarter finals, but the next six fastest times would also earn at large bids. DeSouza ran in the second of six heats, so it was a grueling wait to see if her time would hold up, As it would finish, DeSouza’s heat would go on to be the second fastest at the race, and she would qualify in the top-24, finishing 20th overall. 

DeSouza will be back at it on Saturday for the 400m hurdles quarter final which will be run at 7:25 PM CDT (5:25 CDT). The top three runners from each quarterfinal and the next three fastest times will advance to the semifinals in Eugene, which will take place between June 11 and June 14.

#GaelsRise