AUSTIN, Texas – Texas freshman Rushelle Burton went stride-for-stride with the best in the world this weekend at the Texas Invitational and was recognized as the Big 12 Athlete of the Week for her efforts.
The Jamaican finished second in the 100 meter hurdles behind world record holder Kendra Harrison on Saturday, clocking in at 12.65 seconds for the No. 1 time in the NCAA this season and No. 5 in the world this year as Harrison clocked 12.54. Burton’s time was slightly wind-aided at 2.3 meters per second to not be eligible for record keeping. The legal wind limit is 2.0 m/s.
Burton’s time is one of the best ever by a freshman. Only the defending NCAA champion, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn of Kentucky, has run a faster time as a freshman in NCAA history, clocking a wind-aided 12.54 (3.8 m/s wind) at the NCAA Championships last year.
Burton also ran the anchor leg of UT’s 4x100m relay team that finished second in 44.41 seconds. In all, Burton helped score a total of 12 points for the Longhorns as they finished second in a tight battle with Kansas State for the team title at the Longhorn Invitational.
This is the first Big 12 Athlete of the Week honor for Burton. She did earn Big 12 Outstanding Freshman of the Year for her victorious run at the Big 12 Championship in February. Her win is the first for the Texas Track & Field this year indoors or out for the Big 12’s weekly awards.
Burton will take on some of the top sprinters in the nation this weekend at the LSU Alumni Gold on Saturday.
