USC sprinter Tynia Gaither qualifies for three NCAA finals

USC track star Tynia Gaither can take your breath away with her sprinting skills. Unfortunately for Gaither, she took her own breath away when an asthma attack forced her to use an inhaler and rest several minutes Thursday night after she qualified for three finals in the NCAA track and field championships.

No sooner had Gaither recovered — “When I come here, it’s really bad for some reason” — the diminutive senior’s effervescent personality was on full display when she declared her intention to win all three of her finals when women’s competition resumes Saturday.

“We don’t ever settle for second,” Gaither explained.

Gaither was the No. 2 qualifier in the 100-meter dash in 11.19 seconds, and she qualified fifth in the 200 at 22.81. She also anchored the No. 3 qualifying team in the 400-meter relay (43.39). Gaither hopes to run in all three events in the Olympic trials of the Bahamas, where she was born before moving to Florida.

A beaming Gaither insists she’s an inch taller than her listed 5 feet 2 — “They lied!” — but she acknowledged short sprinters face a tall task.

“It’s hard,” she said. “The main focus for me, especially when I’m running the two [200], I’ve got to get out [start fast]. These big girls … I’ve got to use my advantage on them, and that’s my start.”

Gaither qualified for the same three finals she medaled in (top-eight finishes) in 2014. She missed last year’s NCAA meet because of a hamstring injury.

Gaither will be joined in her three finals by teammate Deanna Hill. Jaide Stepter qualified fifth in the 400-meter hurdles, and she ran on the 1,600-meter relay team that qualified sixth.

UCLA senior Kylie Price, a three-time medalist in the long jump, placed a distant 18th among 24 competitors with a leap of 19 feet 101/4 inches.

Collegiate and meet records fell in two events. Mississippi sophomore Raven Saunders unleashed a 63-5 toss in the shotput, and Texas A&M’s Maggie Malone launched the javelin 204-0.

A third meet record fell when Southern Illinois sophomore DeAnna Price added two inches (234-8) to the hammer throw record she set last year.

Former Arizona star Meg Ritchie had held the college shotput record of 62-31/2 since 1983.

Etc.

Attendance topped 9,000 (9,027) for the second day in a row. Rain fell during part of Thursday’s action on a cool evening. … The host Oregon Ducks, considered longshots to repeat as women’s champions, suffered a major blow when national 100-meter dash leader Hannah Cunliffe pulled up lame with an undisclosed injury halfway through the 100. … The NCAA Elite 90 Award for track and field was presented to Idaho’s Kinsey Gomez for women and South Alabama’s Jan-Louw Kotze for men. The NCAA presents an Elite 90 Award to the athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average who qualifies for each national championship event. Gomez ran the 10,000. Kotze throws the discus. … ESPN televises the meet Friday from 5:30-8 p.m.

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