Duke women’s track and field 4×400 set a new ACC Indoor Championship record last week in a phenomenal performance. The Blue Zone is here to recap the Blue Devils’ record-breaking outing:
Coming from behind the pack, first leg Aliya Garozzo swings wide into lane two and fights her way up to the lead. Despite a slow start, it is this moment of Blue Devil dominance that sets the tone for the rest of the race.
At this past weekend’s ACC Indoor Championships in Louisville, Ky., Duke’s men’s and women’s track and field teams delivered mixed performances, finishing seventh and 10th, respectively. But the highlight of the meet came at its conclusion, the highly anticipated 4x400m women’s relay.
After a season of fairly consistent times throughout the year, including a season best time of 3:36.82 back in January, there was pressure for the Blue Devils to deliver on the largest stage of the season; in order to qualify for next weekend’s NCAA tournament, it’d take a time that’d push the Blue Devils into the NCAA Division I top 12. But stakes were even higher for anchor leg Megan McGinnis, who ran this leg of the race two years ago, but was ultimately denied the ACC title after a tragic clash with a nearby Miami runner caused her to drop the baton, disqualifying the Duke runners and giving Miami the win.
The team of Garozzo, Lauren Tolbert, Braelyn Baker and McGinnis was undoubtedly the right group to take on this challenge. After a well-timed kick from Garozzo in the first leg, junior Tolbert took off with the baton at a blistering pace and separated quickly from the pack with a staggering 51.85 split. As the runners behind got tangled up in each other’s stride, Tolbert continued to charge ahead, building a sizable lead for the Blue Devils. The freshman Baker was next, claiming the baton in a seamless handoff and running a solid split, turning the race into a battle for second. Finally, it was McGinnis’ turn. Memory of the last time she’d received this baton likely weighed heavy on her mind as Baker passed it into her hands, and her expression became one of intense determination. Though Florida State’s Kaelyaah Liburd went out aggressively, quickly making a move, McGinnis stayed calm but powerful, ultimately fending Liburd off. As McGinnis charged through the last 50 meters and Duke’s victory seemed secure, commentators exclaimed at McGinnis’ “sweet revenge.”
Revenge indeed, as the group claimed not just the ACC title, but also smashed the meet record and school record with their time of 3:31.88. The Seminoles finished second and clocked in over a full second later, at 3:33.07. Though this time puts the Blue Devils 14th in NCAA Division 1 4×400 rankings, narrowly missing the top-12 cutoff, it is evident from this race that Duke has the talent to put together a formidable 4×400 team. Keep an eye out for the outdoor season, as this foursome is a force to be reckoned with.
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