Pleasantville’s Nia Ali, the Olympic silver medalist in 2016, matched her fastest time of the year Friday night and easily advanced to the semifinals of the 100-meter hurdles at the USATF National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene.
Ali ran 12.53, the 2nd-fastest time among all entrants. She placed 2nd in the first of three qualifying races, finishing behind only all-time world No. 2 and 2021 Olympic silver medalist Kendra Harrison, who ran 12.50.
The top four finishers in each of the three races along with the next four-fastest hurdlers advance to Saturday’s semifinals, so Ali earned an auto-qualifier with her 2nd-place finish.
Ali also ran 12.53 at the Tom Jones Memorial at Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Fla., on April 15.
Ali is all-time world No. 12 and U.S. No. 4 with her 12.34 to win the 2019 World Championships in Doha, Qatar.
So far this year, Ali ranks No. 9 in the world and No. 6 among U.S. women.
Tia Jones won the second race in 12.56, and Alaysha Johnson won the 3rd in 12.60. The fastest qualifiers were Harrison at 12.50, Ali at 12.53, Jones at 12.56 and Tonea Marshall – 3rd in Ali’s race – with 12.58.
Winslow graduate Tionna Tobias ran 13.43 in the third heat and placed 6th, missing a berth in the semifinals. In her first U.S. championships, the rising Iowa senior placed 20th among all U.S. women.
Ali and Tobias rank No. 1 and 2 in South Jersey history in the 100-meter hurdles with 12.34 and 13.11. They are also No. 1 and 2 in South Jersey history in the heptathlon (5,870 for Ali in 2016 and 5,640 for Tobias in Bloomington, Ind., in May.
Ali will race in the semifinals at 9:02 p.m. Saturday. The top three in each of two semis as well as the next two-fastest hurdlers will advance to the final, scheduled for 10:55 p.m. Saturday.
From the Backstretch by Reuben Frank 