Sacramento, Calif. – Xavier Carter can claim one of the greatest performances in the history of college track, one so good that it rivals none other than Jesse Owens.
The LSU sophomore became the first person to win the 100 and 400 meters at the NCAA track and field championships Saturday, running down the competition in races just 31 minutes apart.
He finished his day as the anchor of the winning 1,600-meter relay team. Combined with the winning 400 relay the previous night, he had a share of four NCAA event titles.
According to meet officials, Carter is the first to achieve four NCAA victories since Owens won both short sprints, the 220-yard low hurdles and long jump for Ohio State in 1935 and 1936.
“It’s really not going to hit me until a few weeks later,” Carter said. “Jesse Owens, he’s a legend.”
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound sophomore, who also plays football for the Tigers, had personal bests in both individual events – a school-record 10.09 seconds in the 100, followed by a 44.53 in the 400.
Carter’s magnificent one-man show wasn’t enough to prevent deep and talented Florida State from winning its first men’s team title with 67 points. LSU was second with 51 – 40 of them from Carter. Texas was third with 36. Auburn won its first women’s crown with 57 points. Southern California was second with 38 1/2 and South Carolina third with 38.
Carter had intended to run the 200 and 400, but changed his plans because of the crowded meet schedule.
Carter burst through over the final 30 meters to beat defending champion Walter Dix of Florida State in the 100. He broke out of the blocks slowly and was well behind Dix halfway through the race, but his late burst gave him the victory.
In the 400, Carter appeared to be laboring on the final turn, but still had enough left to kick ahead of the competition.
Among local competitors, Colorado State’s Katie Lloyd finished 12th in the women’s heptathlon with 5,338 points.
In the women’s 1,500 meters, Florida State senior Natalie Hughes, of Palisade, finished third in 4:15.72. North Carolina sophomore Megan Kaltenbach, of Smoky Hill High School, was 12th in 4:23.92.
The Oregon 1,600-meter relay team, with seniors Travis Anderson, of Westminster, and Akobundu Ikwuakor, of Pomona High School, placed sixth in 3:04.85.
Arizona State freshman Sarah Stevens, of Fort Collins, finished fourth in the women’s shot put with a throw of 56 feet, 1 inch.
Elouise Rudy, a Montana State sophomore and a graduate of Palmer High School, finished sixth in women’s pole vault at 13-3 1/2. Washington’s Kelly Divesta, also a Palmer graduate, placed 15th in the pole vault at 12-11 1/2.
