Latest news with #400mHurdles
Yahoo
05-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Canada's Savannah Sutherland is moving fast and breaking records
Canada's Savannah Sutherland now holds both the Canadian and NCAA record in the women's 400-metre hurdles. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters - image credit) For the last year, Savannah Sutherland has been moving fast and breaking records. But for the next week, the 21-year-old hurdles phenom is taking a well-deserved break from preparing for Canadian nationals and the world championships. She's in her hometown of Borden, Sask., spending time with her family – and working on a new role. Advertisement "I'm an aunt as of February," Sutherland told CBC Sports. "My nephew [is] about five months old now, so that's really special to me. Family is huge to me." It marks a slower pace than Sutherland had been operating at for the past year. That started with her Olympic debut last summer in Paris and wrapped up with a spectacular performance to end her collegiate career with the University of Michigan at last month's NCAA outdoor championships. Sutherland captured her second NCAA title in the women's 400-metre hurdles by running a record-breaking time of 52.46 seconds at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. Not only did she better her own Canadian record (53.08), it was also an NCAA Championship meet record, a Big Ten record, and a new NCAA record. It was also the ninth-fastest time ever recorded in the event. Advertisement The previous NCAA best of 52.75 was set in 2018 by two-time Olympic champ – and current world No. 1 – Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. Sutherland and McLaughlin-Levrone are the only women's runners in NCAA history to break 53 seconds, and the Canadian is still coming to terms with being in such exclusive company. "Obviously, Sydney's the greatest to ever do it, so, it's kind of surreal to just have my name mentioned in the same conversations as hers, honestly," Sutherland said. "I don't think that that will ever fully sink in." Sutherland has already shared the track with McLaughlin-Levrone, when the Canadian reached the final in her Olympic debut, finishing seventh. That race marked another record-book moment for Sutherland, becoming the youngest-ever Canadian to reach an Olympic track final. Advertisement Records aside, making that final opened Sutherland's eyes to her own growing potential. "I think making the Olympic final last season really boosted my confidence," Sutherland said. "I think that that was the big difference this season, just knowing that the ceiling is higher than I expected it to be." "When I made the Paris Olympics, it sent the message to me that, today, no matter who's on the track, I belong there, I've earned my spot there because I've competed at the highest level. But now that I'm ninth all-time – typically there's nine lanes on the track – so now it's like whoever's on the track, I have earned my spot there." Not long after breaking McLaughlin-Levrone's record, Sutherland was named the NCAA's women's outdoor track athlete of the year. That made her Michigan's first athlete to ever earn a national honour in track and field. Advertisement "Michigan is definitely more of a distance [running] school, historically," she said. "You know, Saskatchewan isn't really a big track place either. So, I kind of have always been from a place where maybe it was a little bit more difficult, or maybe you had to work a little harder, drive a little farther, or compete indoors for a longer amount of time, than other places. "So [I] just kind of leaned into that and it kind of felt familiar in that sense." WATCH | Sutherland on NCAA record, going pro ahead of Tokyo worlds: Hometown support 'pushed me to the next level' Sutherland grew up in the village of Borden, which is about 50 kilometres northwest of Saskatoon. The population only numbers about 300 and Sutherland credits the "tight-knit community" with helping her get to where she is today. Advertisement "Everybody knows everything that goes on in each other's life – which can be both a blessing and a curse at times – [but] for me it was mostly a blessing because I always had the support of the entire community behind me," Sutherland said. "I think that it was a driving factor because it pushed me to want to represent these people that I know are supporting me. I think it just pushed me to the next level, knowing that I was running for everybody else and accomplishing all of these things for the entire community and not just myself." While she was aware of track and field sports from small meets in elementary school, Sutherland really took the first steps in her career by following in the footsteps of her older brother, Cole. "He's five years older than me, and I really looked up to him and was chasing after him in a lot of aspects," Sutherland said. "So, I would find myself enrolled in the sports that he was passionate about. I did volleyball as a result of that, then he also did track and ended up winning provincials one year as a discus thrower. Advertisement "And I said, 'hey, that's pretty cool. I want to try and do that.'" It was at a high school track meet in 2016 where a coach from a neighbouring town noticed Sutherland's raw talent and approached her with an offer. "[He] said, you know, 'hey, you're pretty fast. You should check out this track camp in the summer.' And I did, and then it ended up being selections for Team Saskatchewan," she said. "I ended up going and being selected for U16 nationals and doing the [100], the [200], the [300], and then both relays." The 13-year-old Sutherland made the final in the 100 at that event, but was mostly memorable for her because it was when she bought her first pair of track spikes and learned how to use the starting blocks. Advertisement Sutherland wasn't immediately drawn to the event she's now known for, but her talent was undeniable. "Yeah, hurdles in general was something that I didn't really want to do," she said with a laugh. "First, my coach [Lee Wolfater] told me to just check it out. So, I was very hesitant. "He said, 'we'll do it for two meets. And if it goes horribly, you never have to see a hurdle ever again in your life.'" Sutherland won both of those races in Saskatoon and would see many, many hurdles again, as she began to specialize in the 400m hurdles. It wasn't long until both Sutherland siblings made their mark in Saskatchewan track and field, evidence of which is still visible in their high school gymnasium. Advertisement "Now it's funny because our provincial banners are hanging next to each other on the wall of the gym," she said. "That's pretty special. I would definitely say [my brother was] the driving factor." Canada's Savannah Sutherland is shown in this 2023 file photo while competing in the women's 400m hurdles semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest. (File/AFP via Getty Images) Her brother and parents still live in Borden, but Sutherland has a tangible connection to her family when she runs, in the form of a silver St. Christopher necklace. That "lucky necklace" is around Sutherland's neck every time she races, and she said it serves as a reminder of why she competes. "I look at it every time I'm in the blocks and just remind myself who I'm running for and why I'm doing what I do." Advertisement World championships on the horizon Sutherland's 2025 season will continue with a few more meets, including Canadian nationals, before culminating with September's world championships in Tokyo, where her goal is clear. "Honestly, [I'm] trying to keep my expectations low. [The] first thing is to make the final like I did last year," she said. "It's a super competitive event, right now and I feel like anything can happen, especially when there's hurdles involved. So I'm just kind of trying to keep my head on straight and hopefully finish higher than I did last year. "Just as long as I'm making forward progress, I think that's enough for me."
News.com.au
25-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
World champion's wardrobe malfunction is stuff of nightmares
WARNING: Explicit imagery Chris Robinson has suffered an 'equipment failure' as he left it all out there on his way to win the 400m hurdles at the Golden Spike meet on Wednesday morning. TV broadcasters were left desperately trying to apologise to millions of viewers around the world as the American runner's penis slipped outside his shorts and went for a jog around the Metsky Stadium track. Aussie gun Gout Gout attracted plenty of attention with his victory in the 200m event at the Ostrava meet in the Czech Republic, but Robinson's wardrobe malfunction is beginning to cause quite a stir. Robinson's baton went rogue when the 4x400m world champion still had another 250m to run and he was seen desperately trying to conceal his thunder as he made his way down the back straight. You can watch Robinson win the race in the video player above. It got worse from there as Robinson made several more attempts to fix the problem while keeping stride and even beginning to run up alongside his competitors. His attempts were sadly unsuccessful even as he made his final lunge for the finish line after knocking over the two final hurdles. After knocking over the final hurdle, Robinson tucked his torso into a ball and performed an acrobatic rolling somersault over the finish line, winning the race with a season's best time of 48.05 seconds. The 24-year-old was left lying on the track smiling to himself after finishing just one tenth of a second off his personal best. Imagine what he could have achieved if his junk was more wind resistant? The TV commentators of the global broadcast feed could see the funny side of the incident with former English athlete Tim Hutchings unable to help himself. To compound Robinson's nightmare, unwitting TV producers then proceeded to show a second, front-on camera angle on his messy final 50m where his boys were seen roaming free in the open air. 'He hit that ninth hurdle hard. He was having an equipment failure there. I think that is probably the politest way to put it,' Hutchings said. 'That's a brilliant run by the American to be constantly adjusting certain parts of his equipment and possibly his anatomy down the home straight there around that top bend there. 'Goodness me. That's a very relieved Chris Robinson. 'It's nearly a personal best with those constant adjustments going on. With that manhandling going on with his left hand manhandling. 'But boy he just stayed in front, dipping at the line.' Hutchings continued giggling to himself as his co-commentator gave an apology for the explicit video clips being shown, explaining there was not enough time to stop the close-up replay footage from being censored. 'There hasn't been time to censor them, but well done to Chris Robinson for battling a problem that does emerge occasionally,' Hutchings said. 'Perhaps in a race every two or three years you see scenes like this from men and women with parts of their equipment failing,' he said. 'It can make it very, very awkward, but that was a stunning effort to stay out in front with all that going on.' Elsewhere inside the stadium, Swedish freak Armand Duplantis' pole was also causing quite a commotion. Duplantis cleared 6.13m before failing to get over 6.29 metres for what would have been a new world record nine days after setting his latest one at 6.28m. The 25-year-old double Olympic champion was in a league of his own once again as second-placed Emmanouil Karalis of Greece did not even get close to clearing 6.02m. 'I feel pretty good about it. I can't complain too much. Overall I feel like I jumped really well,' Duplantis said. Back on the track, Gout Gout, who had run 200m in a wind-assisted 19.84 seconds in April, stormed to a convincing win in a new Australian record in his first race in Europe. 'I don't feel any pressure. Because as soon as I step out on that track, it's just me by myself and what I've got to do — my favourite thing, and that's to run,' Gout said. 'So, I just go out there and run and nothing stops me from doing that.' Reigning Olympic champion Grant Holloway lost to US compatriot Dylan Beard in the 110m hurdles for the second time in four days. Holloway only finished fifth at the Diamond League in Paris last Friday as Beard took the second spot. In Ostrava, Beard edged a slowing Holloway on the finish line with both clocking 13.13 seconds. 'This is not the way I execute the race,' Holloway said before admitting 'the time is all right'. South Africa's Prudence Sekgodiso won the women's 800m in 1:57.16, the second fastest time this season. In the 400m, Femke Bol, a triple medallist from the Paris Olympics last year, only took the third spot in her first start in the event this season, after focusing on 400m hurdles. Salwa Eid Naser of Bahrain won in 49.15 seconds with Bol clocking 49.98sec. Eighteen-year-old Kenyan Phanuel Kipkosgei Koech won the men's 1500 metres in 3:29.05, trailing his time in Paris last week by just over a second. Thelma Davies of Liberia topped the women's 100m in an impressive national record of 10.91 seconds. Nigeria's Tobi Amusan won the women's 110m hurdles in 12.45 seconds. Serbia's Adriana Vilagos upset reigning Olympic and Diamond League champion Haruka Kitaguchi to win the women's javelin with 64.87m, topping the Japanese by 99 centimetres.
Daily Mail
25-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Watch the awkward moment US sprinter has a wardrobe malfunction... but still manages to save first place
In competitive running, a wardrobe malfunction is typically a devastating occurrence which has caused athletes to lose races altogether. But American Chris Robinson was able to overcome a truly embarrassing clothing failure to win a 400m hurdles event at the Ostrava Golden Spike meet in Czechia. While running the event, Robinson's shorts were not able to keep his genitals from being exposed to all those watching. He made multiple attempts to adjust his shorts to try and prevent any further embarrassment to himself. But eventually, he gave up his attempts to keep himself covered and focused on finishing the race. As he crossed the line in first place, Robinson rolled into a somersault and laid on the track with a smile at his result. The time of 48.05 seconds was just one-tenth of a second off of his personal best, and stood as his best time of the season. Robinson beat out Brazilian hurdler Matheus Lima by just six hundredths of a second. Third place was Czech native Vit Muller, who ran a time of 48.41 seconds in his home nation. He crossed the line six hundredths of a second ahead of Brazilian Matheus Lima at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, while Czech Vit Muller (48.41) was third. Earlier this year, Robinson was part of a team that won gold in the 4x400m mixed relay at the 2025 World Relay Championships in Guangzhou.
Reuters
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Robinson overcomes embarrassing wardrobe malfunction to win Ostrava 400 hurdles
June 24 (Reuters) - American Chris Robinson overcame an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction to win the 400 metres hurdles at the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting in the Czech Republic on Tuesday, breaking the tape in 48.05 seconds. The 24-year-old had to adjust his shorts on multiple occasions after inadvertently exposing himself and he hit the final hurdle hard before rolling into a somersault after crossing the finish line. He lay on the track grinning after finishing with his best time of the season, one tenth of a second off his personal best. He crossed the line six hundredths of a second ahead of Brazilian Matheus Lima at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, while Czech Vit Muller (48.41) was third.
CNA
24-06-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Robinson overcomes embarrassing wardrobe malfunction to win Ostrava 400 hurdles
American Chris Robinson overcame an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction to win the 400 metres hurdles at the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting in the Czech Republic on Tuesday, breaking the tape in 48.05 seconds. The 24-year-old had to adjust his shorts on multiple occasions after inadvertently exposing himself and he hit the final hurdle hard before rolling into a somersault after crossing the finish line. He lay on the track grinning after finishing with his best time of the season, one tenth of a second off his personal best. He crossed the line six hundredths of a second ahead of Brazilian Matheus Lima at the World Athletics Continental Tour Gold event, while Czech Vit Muller (48.41) was third.
