Celebrating A Century of NCAA Track & Field Championships
Blanford Blitzed 100H Record Book
June 1, 1985
Rhonda Blanford of Nebraska quickly put to end any injury issues at the 1985 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Austin, Texas.
Blanford – the NCAA favorite in the 100 hurdles – went down in the Big Eight meet after winning the 100 meters when a knot behind her left knee tightened.
Three weeks later in the NCAA heats, Blanford ran a wind-aided 12.90, her fastest ever under any conditions and the second-fastest time in meet history.
That was nothing compared to her incredible final, when Blanford stopped the timer at 12.70 to win by a then-record 0.30 seconds. Alas, the time was again wind-aided, but it was also the fastest ever-then recorded by an American and wouldn’t be surpassed in meet history for another 20 years.