Sage Watson, of Medicine Hat reacts after finishing a women's 400 meter hurdles semifinal at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Sage Watson raised her arms, then fell into a crouch when she saw the result.
Then came that brilliant red smile.
Not only did the Seven Persons native make it into the final of the 400 metre hurdles at the world championships in Qatar, she set the national record doing it.
“I knew I was ready to run that time,” Watson told the CBC following her 54.32-second semifinal heat Wednesday in Doha. “My coach (Fred Harvey), last night, broke down a race for me to run 54.30, so I feel like I just believed in it and went out there and did it.”
Rosey Edeh set the Canadian record at 54.39 seconds at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Edeh Tweeted congratulations to the 25-year-old, noting “You have been working toward this for a minute. Now, ON TO THE FINALS — Go get it!!!”
The Hat High and University of Arizona graduate finished second in the first semifinal heat behind world record holder Dalilah Muhammad of the U.S., who crossed the line in 53.91 seconds. Only the first two finishers guaranteed themselves a spot in Friday’s final, though Ukraine’s Anna Ryzhykova, third in 54.45 seconds, was among two others to advance based on time.
Watson won both the national and Pan Am Games titles earlier this year and came to worlds saying she was ready for a quick time, but also appreciative of overcoming a serious foot injury which has been a problem on-and-off since her high school days.
She’s had Edeh’s record in her sights for a while.
“I’ve been going for that record a few years now and to finally get it and to get it in a special place just feels really great,” she told The Canadian Press. “I knew if I ran my race and stayed with (Muhammad) I would qualify for the final.”
Now, she’ll run in a loaded field with a world title in the balance.
Muhammad will be the odds-on-favourite, having set the world record at 52.20 seconds in July. The gold medallist from the 2016 Olympics in which Watson was a semifinalist will run in lane six, with Watson just outside her in lane seven.
The race is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Mountain time on Friday.
