FULLERTON, Calif. --- Freshman Kiana Clay and former Titan Ciara Short are competing this week at Sacramento State's Hornet Stadium as the best track and field athletes in the country will participate in the USATF Outdoor Championships and the USATF Junior Outdoor Championships, while junior Fanny Giron recently completed competition at the national championships in Guatemala.
Clay, contending in the Junior Outdoor Championships, is scheduled to run in the 400 meters on Friday afternoon in one of three heats alongside fellow collegiate competitors from Baylor, Virginia Tech and Purdue.
The native of Turlock, Calif., is attempting to qualify for the USA Pan American Junior Championships team that will compete July 21-23, in Trujillo, Peru.
Clay produced a memorable freshman season for the Titans, as her personal-best time of 53.88 in the 400 meters at the Big West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships resulted in a second-place finish as she qualified to compete in the NCAA Division I West Preliminary.
In addition, Clay competed for Fullerton in the 200 meters, 4x100 meter relay and 4x400 meter relay (3:42.22, 3rd) at the Big West Championships. The rookie also ran in the 100 meters for the Titans during the outdoor season.
Earlier this month, Giron placed first in the 200 meters (25.63), 400 meters (58.65) and 800 meters (2:20) at the Guatemala National Championships competing in the 20-plus age group.
Giron, a native of Fullerton, was part of the Titans' third-place 4x400-meter relay team at the Big West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships alongside Clay. During the outdoor season, she also competed in the 200 meters (25.84 PR), 400 meters (56.50 PR) and 800 meters (2:13.17 PR).
One of the most decorated Cal State Fullerton track and field athletes over the last decade, Short participated in the 400 meter preliminaries on Thursday evening at the USATF Outdoor Championships, and with a time of 53.16, failed to advance to Friday's semifinals.
A native of San Diego, Short holds the Cal State Fullerton outdoor records in the 100 meters (11.58), 200 meters (23.28) and 400 meters (51.85) as she set each as a senior in 2011.
In addition, Short is the only Titan athlete to advance to the Women's Indoor Track And Field NCAA Championships, placing ninth in the 400 meters in 2011. Furthermore, she is the last Titan to advance to the Outdoor Track & Field NCAA Championships, participating in the 400 meters in both 2010 and 2011.
During her time at Cal State Fullerton, Short also won four titles at the Big West Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, winning the 200 meters and 400 meters in 2010, and defending those titles in 2011.
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