Track & Field
    Ali Wins USA Indoor Hurdles Title; Ames Places Second On Men's Side
    2011 Trojan track stars making their marks professionally
    Nia Ali...once a Trojan, always a Trojan! (Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee.)
    Nia Ali...once a Trojan, always a Trojan! (Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee.)

    March 4, 2013

    Former Trojan hurdler Nia Ali won the USA indoor title in the 60m high-hurdles yesterday (March 3) in the last race of the day at the USA Indoor Track and Field Championships held in Albuquerque, N.M. In the second to last race of the meet, former Trojan hurdler Brendan Ames took second in the men's 60m HH competition.

    Ali won the 60m HH race with a PR of 7.93 seconds, edging pre-race favorite Kristi Castlin who clocked a 7.97 time.

    "I was just thinking don't jump," said. Ali. "I wanted to get out because my start is the strongest part of my race. I wanted to get a good start and carry that momentum through the finish. I don't think this has settled in yet. I wanted to work on my form and concentrate on my trail leg. Right now I am probably in front of where I thought I would be (this early in the season)."

    Ali won the NCAA 100m HH title in 2011 and also placed sixth in the high jump that season to earn All-America honors in both events. Ali also ranks second all-time by a Trojan female in both of those events, posting USC bests of 12.73 in the 100m HH and 6-1.25 in the high jump. She also ranks second all-time by a Trojan in the heptathlon with a total of 5,824 points.

    Ames took second in the men's 60m HH with a time of 7.72, after finishing third in the qualifying with a time of 7.69.

    Ames took third at the 2011 NCAA Championships in the 110m HH with a wind-aided time of 13.34. He ranks fourth on USC's all-time 110m HH list with a time of 13.39. He also placed second in the 110m HH and won the long jump competition at the 2011 Pac-12 Championships.