Clark Gets Invite to NCAA's

UNTLifer · June 4, 2003

UNT's Clark in NCAA field

Sprinter earns one of 11 at-large bids in 100

06/04/2003

By Ethan B. Szatmary / Denton Record-Chronicle

North Texas sprinter Ananka Clark received an at-large invitation to the NCAA Track and Field National Championships Tuesday, becoming the first UNT woman to qualify for nationals since 1988.

After finishing eighth in the 100-meter dash finals at the NCAA Midwest Regional, Clark shed tears of frustration. She was jumping for joy Tuesday when UNT head track coach Rick Watkins called with the news that she'd be running in the national college championship.

"I couldn't believe it," Clark said. "It's incredible, but it's still a little overwhelming right now. I actually cried after the [regional] meet because I didn't make it, so this was a big, big surprise - a good one. It's definitely a dream way to finish up my senior year."

Clark will run in the preliminaries starting at 12:05 p.m. on June 11 at Cal State-Sacramento's Hornet Stadium. If she finishes in the top 16 runners, then she'll qualify for the semifinals at 8:40 p.m. The top eight runners in the semifinals qualify for Friday's final at 8:55 p.m.

The top five runners at each of the four regionals automatically qualify for nationals, and then the rest of the field is rounded out by at-large bids for the athletes who posted the next-best times throughout the year. Each event has a variant number of at-large bids, and the women's 100-meter dash gave out 11. Clark's personal- and school-record time of 11.48 at the regional preliminaries ranks her 24th out of the 31 runners competing.

Since Clark's qualifying time was better than four of the five automatic qualifiers from the West Region, Watkins said he thought she belonged in the field at nationals.

"Looking at the times and how some of the other regions went, I thought she deserved to get in," said Watkins. "I'm glad that she did."

Over the course of her career, Clark shaved .40 seconds off her time in the 100-meter dash - a huge leap in the event, and Watkins said she sets the perfect example of how devotion to the sport can pay off.

"She has worked extremely hard and made herself into one of the top sprinters in the country, so I'm just glad to see that hard work pay off," Watkins said. "It's a really good way for her to end her career.

"Over the course of a year, everything doesn't always go well. You've got your ups and downs. She still came in here every day, and did what she needed to do to get to nationals. That's the kind of example you want set for everybody else."

Clark's just happy she can be the one to set that example.

"I know a lot of my teammates are really proud of me - it gives them something to look forward to," said Clark.

With Clark as an example, maybe it won't be 15 years until North Texas sends another woman back to nationals.

"We believe in ourselves through her," said junior Rhonda Williams, who qualified for regionals in both the long jump and as a member of the 4x100 relay team with Clark. "She's so motivated, and she's always giving us encouraging words. She's helped me out a lot. I was feeling really down about the way I was running last year, and she was always there helping me out. I was so motivated this year, and I thought I would make nationals. I didn't. I almost made it, but I didn't. She [Clark] gives me hope I will next year."