Almost everyone loves a 2-for-1 special, but have you ever seen one on the track? If not, Clemson’s Brianna Rollins’ pair of record-breaking performances at the 2013 Division I outdoor track and field championship are the ones for you.
As we go inside the NCAA Video Vault, we'll take a look at Rollins’ all-time championship performance in collegiate track and field.
The stage
Brianna Rollins entered the 2013 DI outdoor track and field championships with the top overall time and top wind-legal time in the 100-meter hurdles during the season, finishing in 12.54 and 12.68 seconds, respectively.
Rollins was already announced as a Bowerman candidate and was looking to add another title to her 2013 collection. She previously won the 60-meter hurdles title during the indoor season, setting a title-meet record in 7.79 seconds.
Rollins entered the outdoor championship meet undefeated across the hurdles in 2013 and all eyes were on her to see what she would do next.
The competition
The field for the 100-meter hurdles was loaded with talent. While Rollins, thanks to her leading times, entered as the favorite, teammate Keni Harrison was one of her top competitors.
Harrison entered with the second-fastest time in the 100-meter hurdles. Harrison and Rollins were closer than just teammates that competed in the same event; the two ran on the Clemson 4x100 meter relay team (first and second legs, respectively) that competed Wednesday in the semifinals and would go on to finish third in Saturday’s final.
Elsewhere, the field had Stanford’s Kori Carter, one of the nation’s best hurdlers and a favorite for the 400-meter hurdles. Carter was competing in both hurdle events and posed the biggest chance for a non-Clemson athlete to win the title.
Semifinals
While we don’t have a video of Brianna Rollins’ first record-breaking race in the semifinals, here’s what happened.
Thursday, June 6, 2013 marked the second day of competition at the DI outdoor championships. It was Rollins’ second-consecutive day competing after running in the 4x100 meter relay semifinals a day prior, but today would be Rollins’ main event, the 100-meter hurdles.
Rollins ran in the third and final heat, meaning she would not only be racing against the rest of the athletes in the heat but also the 13.09-second qualifying time needed to advance to the final for the heat’s third-place finisher.
Rollins and the rest of the competitors lined up on the track, setting themselves in their blocks.
“Set,” blared the stadium speakers.
POW!
POW!
The starter’s gun fired twice.
A double-firing of the starter’s gun usually means a runner false-started. Luckily for this heat, no competitor was disqualified and the hurdlers returned to their blocks to start again.
POW!
This time, the gun fired once and the hurdlers were off.
Rollins burst out of the blocks and began her glide over the 10 hurdles that sat between her and the finish line. One hundred meters later, Rollins crossed the finish line almost half a second before the rest of the competition, an eternity in track and field.
The clock read 12.47-seconds. The wind was legal. Brianna Rollins broke the collegiate record by .01 seconds. The time also was the fastest in the world during the season.
Here are the complete results from the 100 meter hurdles heat three:
| PLACE | Athlete | School | time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brianna Rollins | Clemson | 12.47 |
| 2 | Kori Carter | Stanford | 12.94 |
| 3 | Donique' Flemings | Texas A&M | 12.95 |
| 4 | Anne Zagre | Florida State | 13.01 |
| 5 | Evonne Britton | Penn State | 13.06 |
| 6 | Mulern Jean | Charleston Southern | 13.29 |
| 7 | Lauren Blackburn | Southern California | 13.46 |
| 8 | Melia Cox | Southern California | 13.57 |
Finals
Out the blocks
POW!
There wasn’t a double-fire in the finals. The hurdlers heard the gun and blasted out of the blocks.
It took Brianna Rollins 2.3 seconds to cover the first 13 meters and clear the first hurdle. The race just began, but she was already in the lead.
50 meters in (hurdle 5)
1, 2, 3, 4, jump.
1, 2, 3, 4, jump.
With her right leg leading, that was the rhythm that Brianna Rollins ran over the hurdles. By the time she cleared hurdle five, halfway through the race, she visibly led by approximately .2 seconds. The race was hers to lose.
The final sprint
Rollins remained in control for the rest of the race. Her right leg snapped down over the 10th and final hurdle in approximately 11.0 seconds, half a second before anyone else in the race.
With a wave of the arms across the finish line, Rollins dominantly finished the race in 12.39 seconds, breaking her own collegiate record by .08 seconds and defeating second-place by .4 seconds.
Here are the complete results from the 100 meter hurdles final:
| PLACE | Athlete | School | time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brianna Rollins | Clemson | 12.39 |
| 2 | Kori Carter | Stanford | 12.79 |
| 3 | Donique' Flemings | Texas A&M | 12.85 |
| 4 | Morgan Snow | Texas | 12.878 |
| 5 | Keni Harrison | Clemson | 12.879 |
| 6 | Sharika Nelvis | Arkansas State | 12.92 |
| 7 | Jasmin Stowers | LSU | 13.00 |
| 8 | Janice Jackson | UTEP | 13.06 |
Breaking down the performance
Rollins began her record-breaking weekend by breaking the collegiate 100-meter hurdles record in the semifinals. Her time beat the 2006 mark set by Southern California’s Ginnie Powell by .01 seconds, also standing as the fastest time in the world in 2013.
Then came the final.
Not only did Rollins break her own record, but her 12.39-second time also broke the Hayward Field record of 12.45 set by Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica in 2003. Rollins now owned the two fastest times in collegiate history and the two fastest times in the world in 2013, leading the next closest competitor by .21 seconds.
Only four Americans — gold medalists Gail Devers, Joanna Hayes and Dawn Harper-Nelson — had ever run faster in the 100 hurdles. Devers set the American record in 12.33 seconds at the age of 33. Meanwhile, Rollins’ championship performance came at the tender age of 21 and 10 months.
Rollins’ individual success helped Clemson’s women to a ninth-place team finish. She joined Tina Krebs as the only other Clemson woman to win three NCAA titles in her career.
Rollins finished the 2013 collegiate season undefeated, and her resume was enough to win her the 2013 Bowerman award. After the season, she continued her undefeated streak, winning the U.S. and World titles in the 100 meter hurdles.
What did they say
Brianna Rollins after breaking the collegiate record the first time: “It means so much to me, I’m so blessed. I’m very thankful to be able to break the record and glorify God through this talent He has given me. To do it here in Eugene was amazing, the atmosphere is overwhelming with the crowd support you get.”
Rollins after the semifinals on if she’ll break the record she just set: “We’ll see.”
Rollins after breaking her own collegiate record in the finals: “It was a wonderful race. I know everything went well but honestly, I can’t remember what I did. I didn’t try to think about what I had done previously (in the semifinals). I just tried to come out and be focused on what I wanted to do and come out and win the championship.”
Here's what your Twitter feed may have looked like after Rollins broke the record the first time:
Down goes another NCAA record!!! Brianna Rollins 12.47 in legal 100 hurdles.
— Clemson Track & Field 🐾 (@ClemsonTrackXC)
Clemson's Brianna Rollins set a collegiate in the 100m hurdles with a time of 12.47. Fastest time of year by anyone. Fun to see records set.
— Mississippi State Men's Basketball (@HailStateMBK)
Giving God all the glory so thankful, but it's not over yet!!!☝🙏😁😜
— Brianna McNeal (@Bri_Rollin)
Here's what your Twitter feed may have looked like after Rollins broke the record — again:
I Swear Brianna Rollins So Fast ! I'm In Love 😍❤😩 lol
— Adoree' Jackson (@AdoreeKnows)
Wow! GO BRI! Great job chica!!
— Queen Harrison-Claye (@goQueengo)
Congrats! Beyond impressive! RT : 100wH: with a NEW COLLEGIATE RECORD! 12.39! 2nd fastest US 100w hurdle time ever!
— Allyson Felix (@allysonfelix)
Raced today, so I missed NCAA Track & Field Champs Live feed. Pumped for and Love that hurdler stole the show!
— Lolo Jones (@lolojones)
I thank everyone for showing me sooo much love. God is so good!! I really appreciate you guys 😘☺😁
— Brianna McNeal (@Bri_Rollin)
Congrands at the NCAA's nice way to represent both Clemson and God seen your interview it was awesome.
— CJ SPILLER (@CJSPILLER)
Watch the race again
Below, you can watch Rollins’ win the 100 meter hurdles final one more time.
🧠 WHAT TO KNOW: Wind and scoring explained | Greatest venues | Best uniforms | The difference between indoor and outdoor seasons
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