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Khallifah Rosser Clears Another Big Hurdle on Road to Recovery at Aztec Invitational

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DyeStat.com   Mar 25th 2018, 5:00am
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Rosser leads group of five meet records, along with Amos in the 400 and standout high school efforts by Upland and Rancho Verde

By Landon Negri for DyeStat

SAN DIEGO If Khallifah Rosser ran like a man willing to do anything to get back to the top Saturday, then that’s no accident.

Coming off a near-season long hamstring injury from a year ago, the Cal State L.A. senior has had to have that mentality –
even if it meant running cross country last fall to help build strength.

“It was tough, though, you know,” Rosser said. “But I see why my coach wanted to put me in the cross country program.
“It was a different world,” he added, “but it was fun.”

Whether it was cross country, or all the additional work he’s put in, Rosser saw a payoff Saturday at the 40th Aztec Invitational at San Diego State University. Rosser returned to glory, winning the 400-meter hurdles in 49.61 seconds and lowering his own meet record set two years ago, when he went on to win the NCAA Division 2 championship.

Rosser was one of five individuals – all on the track – to set meet records. Including his, two were in the invite portion of the meet, and three were by high schoolers.

For any record-setter, that was an accomplishment as afternoon winds hindered most runners – outside of the 100 and 200, which were moved to the opposite side of the track – as they finished in a headwind.

Not Rosser, though.

“Well, I just tried to stay focused on my breathing and my arms – just the technical side of the race,” he said. “And the wind – you try not to let it be too much of a factor.”

A hamstring injury in the Division 2 indoor championships last year caused Rosser to miss the outdoor season after being named Track Athlete of the Year for both the Division 2 West Region and California Collegiate Athletic Association in 2016.

The road back was a long one, and he jokingly refers to “unfortunately” running cross country last fall. But he also knows how much it helped.

“It was a long, long process,” he said. “I just had to endure the pain and endure the suffering. Once I was able to fully recover and get back into the flow of things, it’s just been a step-by-step process, and I’m enjoying it.”

So did another invite record-setter, as well as one that’s hoping to use Saturday to springboard to the rest of the season.

Nijel Amos, a silver medalist for Botswana at the 2012 Olympics in the 800, showed mettle in the 400, too, Saturday, winning in 45.94 – 0.04 better than the previous mark.

“I just wanted to come out here and (work on) some speed,” said Amos, who also said his left hamstring tightened up on him at the end, “and see how far I am.”

Sage Watson, the reigning NCAA Division 1 champion in the 400 hurdles from Arizona – she’s in her first year as a Nike professional – ran well, but said the wind was a factor. A member of the Canadian Olympic team in Rio and sixth-place finisher at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in London, Watson won Saturday in 56.38 in her first 400 hurdles race of the season.

“The conditions were a little tough for a good time,” she said, “but I felt I did some things today that show I’m ready for a faster time.”

Watson is preparing for the Commonwealth Games on April 11-12 in Gold Coast, Australia, and also has a goal of breaking the Canadian 400 hurdles record (54.39). That didn’t happen Saturday, but she feels ready to move onward and upward.

“I’m the fittest and strongest I’ve ever been,” she said, “so I’m really excited to go to Australia and do something special there.”

The high school competition was dominated Saturday by Upland and Rancho Verde. Highlanders seniors Jada Hicks and Chelsey Daye were each on the winning relay teams, and each set a meet record – Hicks in the 100 (12.15), and Daye, a transfer from Rancho Cucamonga, in the 200 (24.73).

In fact, Daye was the only reason Hicks missed four victories, as Hicks was the 200 runner-up in what would’ve also been a record time (24.82).

“I’m really excited for the season,” Hicks said. “We have a really good girls team, and the way that we bond, and the way that we push each other – it’s unbelievable. It’s really cool.”

Rancho Verde’s 400 relay team took care of its meet record – and its legacy – early Saturday. Seniors Carlton Johnson, Jasiah Richard-Lewis, Torre Smith and junior Jamar Simpson won the relay in 42.12, lowering the Mustangs’ meet record of 42.29 set two years ago.

“We grew up with the runners from last year that broke all those records and eventually won state,” said Richard-Lewis of the Mustangs, who won their first CIF-State boys team title a year ago.

“It’s a point that we’ve got to keep the tradition going.”

No meet record fell in a field event, but in the men’s high jump, Arizona senior Bryant O’Georgia cleared a personal-best 7 feet, 3.25 inches (2.22m) and had three unsuccessful attempts at a meet record at 7-5 (2.26m), but that didn’t take away from the excitement.

“It was definitely one of the most adrenaline-filled runs I’ve had in a while,” he said.

Arizona claimed five victories Saturday, including both 1,600 relays and Tyrell Johnson in the 100 (10.48), which came by one-hundreth of a second over Riverside City College’s Antonio Mitchell.

Oregon had the most victories of the collegiate programs, with eight, including both 400 relays. Ariana Washington won the 100 in 11.25 and Alaysha Johnson prevailed in the 100 hurdles in 13.48.

Johnson hit one of the hurdles in the race and was down on the infield for some time before leaving on crutches for apparent X-rays.

UC Santa Barbara senior Jenna Hinkle followed her 4:19.11 in the 1,500 on Friday by winning the 800 in 2:08.01.



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