OSAKA, Japan -- Former University of Tennessee All-American Dee Dee Trotter won her opening round heat in the 400 meters on Sunday and was one of three U.S. women who moved on to the semifinals at the IAAF World Track & Field Championships at Nagai Stadium.
Trotter, the 2007 USA Outdoor national champion, hit the finish line first in heat two, covering the trip around the track in 51.27 seconds to earn a spot in Monday s semifinal. She will be joined by fellow Americans Mary Wineberg and Natasha Hastings. Wineberg was second in heat one with a 51.25 readout, while Hastings came in third in heat three at 51.07.
The news was not so good for Knoxvillian Hazel Clark, younger sister and pupil of UT Head Track & Field and Cross Country Coach J.J. Clark. After running 2:00.61 on Saturday to advance to the semifinal round, Clark saw her stay in Osaka come to a close on Sunday. Her time of 2:02.92 left her eighth in heat one.
Another former Lady Vol All-American, Tianna Madison, is slated to make her debut in Osaka on Monday in the long jump qualifying round. Madison, who had just completed her sophomore season at UT in 2005 after sweeping NCAA and SEC Indoor and Outdoor titles, pulled off a stunning victory at the last World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. Her career best remains the 22-feet, 7 1/4-inch mark that she used to accomplish that feat.