Sage Watson, of Canada, Zeney Van Der Walt, of South Africa, and Rushell Clayton, of Jamaica, from left, compete in the women's 400 meter hurdle heats at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Sage Watson is in to the semifinals at the world track and field championships.
The 25-year-old from Medicine Hat finished second in her 400 metre hurdles quarter-final heat Tuesday in Doha, Qatar. Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton won in 55.23 seconds but Watson was right with her in 55.57.
The top-four finishers in each of five heats advanced to today’s semifinal round, which starts around noon Mountain time.
“It was my first time running on this track, I got it figured out now,” Watson was quoted as saying by The Canadian Press. “I made a few errors that I need to fix tomorrow but I’m ready to run something fast, I can feel it.”
Though hampered by a foot injury this past year, Watson’s season-best in the 400 hurdles is 55.16 seconds. She ran that time in Peru for a gold medal at the Pan Am Games.
Her all-time best in the event is 54.52 seconds, set two years ago when she won the NCAA title in Oregon.
The 2016 Olympian revealed to the Arizona Star’s PJ Brown that she had considered surgery after re-injuring her foot last year. So getting to Friday’s final in Doha ‘ she needs to be in the top-two in her heat or have one of the two next fastest times of the day ‘ would be a huge accomplishment.
“I’m happy with my season, but more thankful just because I wasn’t healthy,” she was quoted as saying in Brown’s story, published Monday. “Hopefully, I will get a new personal best in the 400 and if that happens I will be happy with my season. Right now I’m just thankful.”
