BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It was just a matter of time before Shorter could claim to be the home to an NCAA national champion in its first full year as a Division II member.
On Saturday afternoon, it took exactly 53.29 seconds.
That's the time junior
Ayana Walker posted to forever carve her name in the school's record book when she won the 400-meter national title, the first-ever for the university, at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field held at the Birmingham CrossPlex.
"It was absolutely awesome to see her standing at the top of the podium," Shorter head coach
Scott Byrd said about Walker's historic performance. "For her to do something like this in her first NCAA meet – that says something about what kind of person she is.
"That's something," he added, "that she call tell her grandkids. She was the first one to do it and there will never be anyone else to do it."
Walker's championship performance wasn't the only bright spot for the Shorter track program Saturday as freshman
Alfred Chelanga came up with a fourth-place finish in the 3,000 finals, a race he led with three laps remaining.
"He's going to be really, really good when it's all over with," Byrd said of Chelanga.
Having already proven she was one of the top sprinters in the NAIA and National Christian College Athletic Association – she was a two-time NCCAA national indoor champion last year – while Shorter was going through its transition to the NCAA, Walker made sure from the start that no one would get in front of her.
Starting on the outside lane in the second heat of the 400 finals, Walker quickly broke to the front out of the staggered start and when the runners were allowed to break to the inside, she led the way an crossed the finish line breaking her own school record she set the day before – 54.77 – in her qualifying heat.
"She held her stagger until the break, which was impressive," said Byrd. "Ayana's always been the kind of runner who runs up to her competition."
Carly Muscaro of Merrimack, who ran a preliminary-heat best 54.71 on Friday, finished second in 53.51, while Tovea Jenkins of Johnson C. Smith was third with a time of 53.80 she turned in Saturday's first final heat.
"For her to develop," Byrd said about Walker's continual progress, "she needs to run in races like this. She came through with the time she needed. It was a great race for her and one she can build on as we start the outdoor season."
The lone freshman in the men's 3K field of 17, Chelanga started the race at the rear of the field, but by the halfway mark had worked his way up to take the lead, one he held – and established a record pace – until the race entered its final 600 meters.
That's when Adams State senior Kevin Batt, who set the NCAA indoor record in 2013, came up with a winning kick and took the win breaking his own record with a time in 8:01.42.
Chelanga was not far behind as he crossed the finish line in 8:05.10 for fourth place – all top four finishers bettered the previous national record – and shatter by more than five seconds the Shorter record in the event set in 2011 by Peter Chilemo.
The effort by the runner from Kenya closed out what has been a remarkable debut since he enrolled at Shorter in January.
In his first race as a Hawk, Chelanga turned in the fourth fastest time in school history in the 3K – an 8:24.96 – to win the race at the Kentucky Invitational, then last month at the Samford Invitational at the Crossplex, he shaved more than 10 seconds off of that posting running an 8:12.35.
"Alfred exactly to the plan," Byrd said. "After he worked his way up, he broke from the pack and was in great shape the rest of the way.
"What was great was that we had about a dozen members of the team who came over to watch them," the coach pointed out. "It was a great lesson for them and after it they all came up to me and said they knew they can win it all next year.
"You never know. The Lord does work in mysterious ways."
