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Defending champion Walter Dix underscored his hold on the collegiate reins in the 200 meters with his dominating victory on the first day of the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday night.
Dix's 20.32 was the fastest performance in the world of the 2007 indoor season, and just shy of his 20.27 personal best with which he claimed the title last year on the same fast track at the University of Arkansas.
“I’ve started to catch the reputation as the guy who shows up for the big meets,” said Dix, who celebrated his 21st birthday in January. “I don’t think that’s a big thing though. I always want the big meets and I always thrive on the big meets.”
Last year, the Florida State junior won the long dash title outdoors as well in 20.30, and finished second in the 100 meters to Xavier Carter in 10.18. Indoors a year ago, he also added a runner-up finish in the 60m in 6.62 after a 6.59 personal best in the heats.
Dix first made waves in 2005, a season which included a 10.06 U.S. and North American junior record in the 100, a 20.37 world junior best indoors, the NCAA outdoor title in the 100, and a strong surprise fourth place finish at the US national championships over the distance.
Dix will also start tonight's final in the 60 meters as a strong favorite, after a near career best of 6.61 in yesterday's heats.
"I ran some great times today, but I wish I could have put a little more pressure on the 200 [meters], I was going for the record. But there is always next year and I have the outdoor season coming up.”
Other first day highlights included Auburn Senior Kerron Stewart's victory in the 200 in 22.58, a personal best and also a world leader for the 22-year-old Jamaican. She too will be chasing a sprint double later today after leading all qualifiers with a 7.20 in the heats.
Sally Kipyego ran away with the title in the women's 5000, winning by more than 10 seconds in 15:27.42, a personal best. Last fall, the 21-year-old Texas Tech sophomore became the first woman to win the NCAA cross country title.
The University of North Carolina quartet of Megan Kaltenbach, Tyra Johnson, Georgia Kloss and Brie Felnagle won the distance medley relay in 10:59.46, an American indoor record, surpassing the previous national standard of 10:59.76 set by another North Carolina quartet in 2002. They fell well short of the Collegiate record and world best of 10:54.34 set by Villanova in 1988; nonetheless their performance was the third fastest ever.
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