Kimani Rushing had only run the 4x100 relay "a few times" prior to Saturday's NCAA East Preliminary race.
Sudden Change: Freshman Goes From Spectator to 4x1 Anchor in 15 Minutes
Tuesday, May 31, 2016 | Track and Field
"(Coach Holloway) said, 'You're running anchor,' and he started laughing. I just said, 'Alright, I got it.'" -- Kimani Rushing, UF freshman hurdler/long jumper
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There are only 15 minutes before Florida's 4x100-meter relay team, the reigning national champions, takes the track on the final day of the NCAA East Preliminary.
And head coach Mike Holloway suddenly finds himself anchorless.
The Gators never planned for this. Contingencies seemed unnecessary.
Seniors Robin Reynolds, Shayla Sanders, and Kyra Jefferson all ran on last year's title-winning foursome. Redshirt sophomore Skylar Ross-Ransom seamlessly filled the only void, helping UF log the nation's third-fastest time (42.85 seconds) in, to this point, its only race of the year.
But Jefferson, a three-time national champion who battled nagging injuries all year, can't afford to expend energy she desperately needs for the 200 meters final that's roughly 90 minutes away.
Someone else will have to carry the baton across the finish line.
Holloway and his assistants huddle up, unsure of who to thrust into this pressure-packed situation on such short notice.
"We've done some easy thing with (alternates) a couple of times," Holloway said. "But we really hadn't practiced anybody else."
Almost immediately, Holloway makes his selection: Kimani Rushing, a freshman hurdler and long jumper.
A January enrollee, Rushing is less than six months removed from high school and turned 18 this time last week. Now she's partly responsible for ensuring the Gators can defend their 4x100 relay title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in two weeks. And, by her estimation, she's only run the 4x1 "a few times."
After a few drills and half-speed exchanges with Ross-Ransom, Rushing changes into a uniform and heads for the clerking tent. On the way there, she remembers a key detail: Holloway hasn't told her which leg she's running.
"He said, 'You're running anchor,' and he started laughing," Rushing recalled. "I just said, 'Alright, I got it.'"
Exchanges in this relay require trust and precision. One runner must complete a handoff to a moving target. The other can't look behind her; she can only reach back and trust that her teammate will put the baton in her hand. So much can go wrong.
Can't complete the baton pass within the 20-meter exchange zone? DQ. Drop the baton on an exchange? DQ.
Even world-class sprinters can mistime a handoff and suffer the disastrous fallout. Look no further than the 2008 United States men's and women's Olympic 4x1 teams, both of which dropped the baton on the final exchange and were disqualified in the preliminaries.
Setting up in her lane, Rushing gets final instructions from Holloway and Jefferson. All the while Holloway is, to his own surprise, calm as ever.
"I wasn't (worried)," Holloway said.
Just as Rushing settles in, Hodges Stadium's public address announcer informs everybody of the late change to Florida's relay. As if it's not already nerve-wracking enough for her.
The first three legs of the race go as expected for the Gators. Reynolds, Sanders, and Ross-Ransom build a lead for Rushing to run with. Now comes the all-important exchange.
"Kimani and I are training partners. We've got good chemistry," Ross-Ransom said. "I was talking her up as I was coming around the curve. I was like, 'Alright Kimani, let's go!' I was just letting her know we were good and that I was going to get the stick to her."
The lead doesn't hold, but Rushing crosses second, good enough to punch the group's ticket to the national meet. All is well again.
"That's why I chose her," Holloway said. "She's got this cool, calm demeanor about her. Nothing rattles her."
Rattled? Not quite. Nervous? You bet.
Rushing admitted her nerves kicked in once she bent down and took her marks. This created a hilarious movement that resembled the stanky leg, formerly a viral dance sensation. When Coach Holloway called Maurice Dix to the front of the post-meet team meeting to re-enact it, everyone laughed hysterically.
"Maurice was over there close by, and I guess he could see how nervous she was," Holloway smiled. "She was just rocking back and forth, but her back leg wasn't moving."
Jokes aside, if Rushing is called upon to run the 4x1 in Eugene, she'll be ready.
"I'm just going to keep working and trying to perfect this exchange," Rushing said. "Maybe I'll be on it."
Maybe. Having more than 15 minutes to prepare should help.
And head coach Mike Holloway suddenly finds himself anchorless.
The Gators never planned for this. Contingencies seemed unnecessary.
Seniors Robin Reynolds, Shayla Sanders, and Kyra Jefferson all ran on last year's title-winning foursome. Redshirt sophomore Skylar Ross-Ransom seamlessly filled the only void, helping UF log the nation's third-fastest time (42.85 seconds) in, to this point, its only race of the year.
But Jefferson, a three-time national champion who battled nagging injuries all year, can't afford to expend energy she desperately needs for the 200 meters final that's roughly 90 minutes away.
Someone else will have to carry the baton across the finish line.
Holloway and his assistants huddle up, unsure of who to thrust into this pressure-packed situation on such short notice.
"We've done some easy thing with (alternates) a couple of times," Holloway said. "But we really hadn't practiced anybody else."
Almost immediately, Holloway makes his selection: Kimani Rushing, a freshman hurdler and long jumper.
A January enrollee, Rushing is less than six months removed from high school and turned 18 this time last week. Now she's partly responsible for ensuring the Gators can defend their 4x100 relay title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in two weeks. And, by her estimation, she's only run the 4x1 "a few times."
After a few drills and half-speed exchanges with Ross-Ransom, Rushing changes into a uniform and heads for the clerking tent. On the way there, she remembers a key detail: Holloway hasn't told her which leg she's running.
"He said, 'You're running anchor,' and he started laughing," Rushing recalled. "I just said, 'Alright, I got it.'"
Exchanges in this relay require trust and precision. One runner must complete a handoff to a moving target. The other can't look behind her; she can only reach back and trust that her teammate will put the baton in her hand. So much can go wrong.
Can't complete the baton pass within the 20-meter exchange zone? DQ. Drop the baton on an exchange? DQ.
Even world-class sprinters can mistime a handoff and suffer the disastrous fallout. Look no further than the 2008 United States men's and women's Olympic 4x1 teams, both of which dropped the baton on the final exchange and were disqualified in the preliminaries.
Setting up in her lane, Rushing gets final instructions from Holloway and Jefferson. All the while Holloway is, to his own surprise, calm as ever.
"I wasn't (worried)," Holloway said.
Just as Rushing settles in, Hodges Stadium's public address announcer informs everybody of the late change to Florida's relay. As if it's not already nerve-wracking enough for her.
The first three legs of the race go as expected for the Gators. Reynolds, Sanders, and Ross-Ransom build a lead for Rushing to run with. Now comes the all-important exchange.
"Kimani and I are training partners. We've got good chemistry," Ross-Ransom said. "I was talking her up as I was coming around the curve. I was like, 'Alright Kimani, let's go!' I was just letting her know we were good and that I was going to get the stick to her."
The lead doesn't hold, but Rushing crosses second, good enough to punch the group's ticket to the national meet. All is well again.
"That's why I chose her," Holloway said. "She's got this cool, calm demeanor about her. Nothing rattles her."
Rattled? Not quite. Nervous? You bet.
Rushing admitted her nerves kicked in once she bent down and took her marks. This created a hilarious movement that resembled the stanky leg, formerly a viral dance sensation. When Coach Holloway called Maurice Dix to the front of the post-meet team meeting to re-enact it, everyone laughed hysterically.
"Maurice was over there close by, and I guess he could see how nervous she was," Holloway smiled. "She was just rocking back and forth, but her back leg wasn't moving."
Jokes aside, if Rushing is called upon to run the 4x1 in Eugene, she'll be ready.
"I'm just going to keep working and trying to perfect this exchange," Rushing said. "Maybe I'll be on it."
Maybe. Having more than 15 minutes to prepare should help.
Players Mentioned
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Sprints
/ Track and Field
Sprints/Jumps
/ Track and Field
Hurdles
/ Track and Field
Hurdles/Jumps
/ Track and Field
Sprints
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