Aggies runner Sammy Watson claims USATF 800 meter title

Texas A&M freshman Sammy Watson ran a season best time of 2:01.46 to win the USATF Junior 800m title on Saturday at Hayes Track on the University of Indiana campus and earned a trip to Finland as a member of the United States team that will compete in the IAAF World U20 Championships in July.

The time by Watson ranks her as the No. 2 performer on the Aggie all-time list with the No. 3 performance behind a pair of times set by Jazmine Fray, a 2:01.43 school record set in 2017 and the 2:01.18 improvement Fray had this season.

Watson, who has a career best of 2:00.65 set in July of 2017, claimed her second USATF Junior title. She also won in 2016, but ran in the USATF Championships last summer where she finished sixth in the final.

As a member of the United States team that will compete in Tampere, Finland, from July 10-15, Watson will enter the World U20 Championships as the defending champion.

"I love to travel, so I'm really excited about this," stated Watson, who won the 2016 World Junior title in Poland and the 2015 World Youth title in Cali, Colombia. "I love to leave the country, and look out the window in the plane when we are over the ocean. So, I'm excited."

In the 800m final Watson was in third place through the first 400m, splitting 59.59 as the leader, Clemson's Kamryn McIntosh, clocked 59.27 and UNLV's Avi' Tal Wilson-Perteete came through in 59.65. As the field reached 600m, Watson moved into position and challenged the leader through the final curve.

Reaching the homestretch it was Stanford bound Caitlin Collier, a Florida prep, with Watson while the others were a few strides back. Watson, who covered the second 400m in 1:01.78, drove home for the victory in 2:01.46 with Collier (59.55/1:02.11) runner-up in 2:01.66.

"The environment was a lot more relaxing and soothing so I could focus," said Watson. "I knew I wouldn't have trouble maneuvering throughout the pack during the race. It worked well. I thought it was going to be a really slow, sit and kick race. It was competitive, so I really enjoyed that.

"With 400m to go I was in the top three. The UNLV girl made her move, so I tried to go too. I wanted to get my legs moving to be ready for that final kick. I felt like with 200m to go I was in a good position to strike. I always race to win. Even though the top two finishers make the team, I wanted to race for me and a time."

Wilson-Perteete finished third in 2:04.67 while McIntosh ran 2:06.56, but was disqualified.

Posting a time of 52.98 as runner-up in her heat of the 400m, Julia Madubuike qualified for Sunday's final. Madubuike, running in lane two, finished second to Miami's Symone Mason (52.33) in the first of three heats. The leading qualifier to the final was Florida's Taylor Manson, who claimed the third heat in 52.03.

The effort by Maduibuike was the fourth fastest time she has run this season. She established a career best of 52.58 during the second round of the NCAA Championships during the West preliminary rounds in Sacramento.

"This race felt fine, since I knew I was in shape and ready," said Madubuike. "My goal was to advance to the final, but I wasn't trying to PR in the prelims. I just wanted to qualify and make it in.

"My first season at Texas A&M really prepared me for this type of competition and an environment like this. I think I'm ready."

Gabe Oladipo placed seventh in the shot put with a mark of 61-3 (18.67) using the junior implement. The series for Oladipo went foul, 59-2 (18.03), 61-1 ¼ (18.62), foul, 61-3 (18.67), foul.

Oladipo, who will also compete in the discus on Sunday, improved his previous best with the 6 kilogram shot put of 59-9 ½ (18.22) from 2017 when he placed 11^th in the USATF Junior meet.

Adam Piperi of Texas won the competition with a toss of 70-5 ½ (21.50) while Tennessee's Jordan West finished as runner-up with a mark of 69-5 ¼ (21.16).