NCAA Division 1: Abinuwa Finishes Fourth, Earn All-American Crown

University of Texas in El Paso (UTEP) and Nigeria sprinter, Endurance Abinuwa finished fourth in the women's 400-meter race crossing the finish line at 53.06 in the second of two heats at the just concluded 2011 NCAA Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships.

The Miners will have two more awards to hang on the All-American walls when Endurance Abinuwa and team mate, Risper Kimaiyo return home from the 2011 NCAA Track and Field Championships.

Abinuwa traveled to College Station during the weekend and added to the UTEP track and field legacy giving her first-year head coach, Mika Laaksonen his first All-Americans as a head coach. The All-American honors will be official when announced by the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.

While speaking of her feat during the weekend, Abinuwa said that, “This is a great accomplishment for me; it is my first top finish at a national meet. I had the worst lane to run in section two. It is hard to break fast and get into position from that lane and I was trailing everybody else in the heat at the 200m mark. I succeeded because I stayed patient and finished strong in the last 100 meters to gain one position in my heat and probably two in the competition.

“It is difficult to see student-athletes succeed at this level but my working hard on and off the field really helped me.”

Abinuwa scored five points with the fourth-place finish.

Abinuwa will open outdoor competition on March 26th when UTEP host the Springtime Invitational at Kidd Field.