The women’s finalists for The Bowerman, collegiate track and field’s highest individual honour, were announced on Monday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross
Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) with Rashidat Adeleke missing out of the final three list.
The Irish athlete ran an impressive 49.20 to win the NCAA outdoor 400m title early this month in Austin, Texas, beating pre-race favourite, Arkansas’ Britton Wilson who made the final three.
The 20 year old Irish 200m and 400m record holder was part of three collegiate records at the Texas Relays, breaking the 4×100 record (42.00), the 4×200 record (1:28.05) and the sprint medley relay record (3:36.10).
Meanwhile, Adeleke’s University of Texas teammate, Julien Alfred expectedly made the final list and looks the huge favourite to win the award.
The 2023 USTFCCCA Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year is the fourth Texas woman to be named a finalist.
The Saint Lucia sprinter went undefeated in the 60m event during the indoor season and broke her own collegiate record six times (6.94, 6.96, 6.97, 7.00,7.02, 7.03). She now boasts nine of the top-10 fastest times in collegiate history in the event.
She capped her indoor campaign with the collegiate record in the 200m with a time of 22.01 seconds, the second fastest ever in the world.
Alfred also swept the 100m and 200m titles at the NCAA Division one Outdoor Track and Field championships.
Also listed are Jasmine Moore of Florida and Wilson.
