FAYETTEVILLE — Caleb Cross didn’t have to make the final push during the 400-meter hurdles final at the Southeastern Conference Outdoor Championships earlier this month.
The Razorbacks had already secured the SEC Outdoor title — and a conference triple crown for the 2011-12 season — in convincing fashion.
But Cross couldn’t imagine anything else, surging to win the race in a photo finish.
“It’s just racing,” Cross said. “You don’t want to go into a race thinking I’m going to get third or fourth. You want to win. It worked out.”
Cross’ determination helped him earn the first SEC Outdoor championship of his career. It helped him grab the prestigious SEC commissioner’s trophy, too, which is presented annually to the highest point scorer at the conference meet.
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It also has given the junior from Newport an extra dose of confidence as Arkansas opens competition in the NCAA West Preliminary meet in Austin, Texas, today. Cross is among Arkansas’ 35 entries in 16 events and the Razorbacks have a clear goal: qualify as many athletes for the NCAA Championships in as many events as possible.
Cross will do his part for the Razorbacks, competing in the 100 and 400 hurdles as well as the 4×100 relay. It’s a heavy schedule, but one Cross is confident he manage it – especially after his success at the SEC Outdoor meet.
“I think probably the first three meets (this season) I did the 4×100, 110 hurdles, 400 hurdles, 4×400 all in one day,” Cross said. “So it really prepared me. I think I’ll do pretty good with it. It’s the same schedule as SECs.”
Things went well there. Cross set a personal best with his time in the 400 hurdles at SEC Outdoors (50.30 seconds). He also finished third in the 100 hurdles and was part of the SEC-winning 4×100 relay team in Baton Rouge, La.
He said it was one of the best weeks of his track career, which began when he was in middle school. His performance in the 400 hurdles particularly impressed Arkansas coach Chris Bucknam, who used Cross as an example for the Razorbacks’ mentality in championship season.
“Caleb’s performance, I think, epitomizes the whole team and what this group has been about the whole year,” Bucknam said. “He did a great job.”
Arkansas sprints coach Doug Case believes Cross is capable of equaling the feat during the NCAA West Preliminary meet. He said the hurdler has shown steady improvement throughout his Arkansas career and is capable of taking another step.
“He has gotten stronger every year and he really gets good at the end of the year,” Case said. “I’m always joking with him about how I always make him run these events. He runs the 4×100. He runs the 4×400. He runs both hurdle races and he does it a lot. But in my opinion you have to run those a lot and you have to race those events a lot to get better at it. I think at the end of the season, late in the season, he’s feeling it.”
Cross is ranked seventh in the NCAA West Prelim field in the 400 hurdles and 10th in the 100. The Razorbacks 4×100 relay team is ranked fifth.
So Cross wants his SEC success to continue this week. He is motivated to qualify for the NCAA Outdoor meet, which will be held in Des Moines, Iowa, from June 6-9, in all three events.
“Coming into a regional meet this is the probably the best I’ve felt my whole career,” Cross said. “So I’m just really excited to race.”