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KANSAN.COM
Stigler finishes just short of qualifying for World Championships
DEREK JOHNSON @DJohnson1510
Michael Stigler finished fourth in the 400-meter hurdles at the USA Championships on Saturday. The top three runners qualified for the World Championships, meaning Stigler missed qualifying by one spot. His time of 48.96 seconds put him behind a trio of former USA Outdoor Champions in Bershawn Jackson, Johnny Dutch and Kerron Clement.
Stigler's season-best time of 48.44 seconds would have tied him for third and put him just one-hundredth of a second away from second place. After finishing with the top time in the preliminary round and the third best time in the semifinals, Stigler could not overcome the competition.
This was not the first time Stigler has suffered a gut-wrenching loss. He suffered back-to-back runner-up finishes at the NCAA Championships in 2013 and 2014.
"I know that track and field is something that I can be great at and it just lakes patience."
MICHAEL STIGLER
2015 NCAA Champion,
400-meter hurdles
"Last year, I knew it was really, really tough on him," track and field assistant coach Elisha Brewer said prior to the USA Championships. "Michael was very disappointed."
Stigler bounced back from the adversity and won the 2015 National Championship. Recently, he was
announced as a semifinalist for the Bowerman award, which is essentially track and field's Heisman Trophy.
"It showed me that I have drive and dedication within myself," Stigler said before the USA Championships. "I know that track and field is something that I can be great at and it just takes patience."
Stigler will spend the next year competing in various events. He will work as a graduate assistant coach at
Now Stigler will get more familiar with his patience and strong work ethic. He should be familiar with his clothing, too, as he's now sponsored by Adidas, the same company that sponsors the University's athletic gear, as announced yesterday.
After losing for the first time in 2015, Stigler will move on again with newfound motivation. His next racing event is undetermined at the moment, but he plans on making a big splash in 2016.
The future looks bright for Stigler. Jackson, the 2015 USA Outdoor Champion, is 32 years old. If Stigler plans to compete until he's 32, he has a decade ahead of him as a professional. He still has a lot of time to figure things out.
"What happened in the past is in the past," Stigler said. "If you dwell on the past you're still going to do it in the present."
Now, at track's highest level, he will look to become one of the best runners in the world.
the University while training for the Olympic trials and finishing up his degree.
Three finalists will be announced for the Bowerman award on July 8. The winner will be announced Dec. 18, the same day the fall semester ends and Stigler plans to graduate.
Stigler's tribulations have culminated in success so far in his career.
ACT NOW BEFORE THEY ARE ALL SPOKEN FOR