Norwood caps collegiate career with 400, 4x400 titles

LSU track standout Vernon Norwood literally concluded his collegiate career in championship style.
The 2011 Morgan City High School graduate anchored the Tigers to a come-from-behind win in the 4x400-meter relay in the final event at the NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field National Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon Friday.
The race was the final one for Norwood, who spent the past two years at LSU after beginning his collegiate career at South Plains College in Levelland, Texas.
Norwood, who had past Florida’s Najee Glass earlier in the day to win the 400-meter dash in 45.10 seconds, did so again in the 4x400-meter relay to give the Tigers the crown. He ran a 44.97 split on his anchor leg.
He teamed with senior Quincy Downing and juniors Fitzroy Dunkley and Cyril Grayson to win the title in 3:01.93.
Norwood also ran the second leg on the Tigers’ 4x100 meter relay, which placed third and posted a season best of 38.62.
As for his marquee event in the 400 meter dash, Norwood, who won the NCAA Indoor title earlier this year in the event, was facing a field that included Texas A&M’s Deon Lendore, who had won last year’s NCAA Outdoor Championship in the 400 and had beaten Norwood earlier this year at the SEC Outdoor Championships.
“Before the race, I was just really focused overall on myself,” Norwood said this morning. “I know there was a lot of hype between me and him racing against each other for the last one (in college).”
He said he at this kind of meet, he knew the win would go to whoever could carry out their race strategy the best.
While Norwood was seeded No. 1 entering the finals and had what he called the “favorable” lane, he said, his plan was to “mirror” Lendore for the initial 250 to 300 meters and then outrun him to the finish line.
Early in the race, however, Lendore pulled up with an injury and could not finish.
“With him pulling up, it made it a lot easier for me,” Norwood said. “I’m sorry that he had that type of injury (where) he pulled up, hate to see stuff like that happen, but I had to stick to my plan and I came out with the win.”
Norwood said he and Lendore are good friend off the track but on the track, they are “worst enemies.”
“When we’re at track meets, we don’t even talk to each other until the meet is over,” he said.
Norwood’s high school track and field coach, Gary Johnson, said for Norwood to beat Lendore, he would have to have run a solid first 200-meter run, something Johnson said he didn’t last year in a third-place finish.
While Johnson said Lendore’s injury was “unfortunate,” he said he knew Norwood would win once the Texas A&M standout went down.
Johnson said Norwood finished stronger than he has ever seen him.
Prior to the 4x400-meter run, LSU was fifth overall in team standings behind USC. However, because USC didn’t have a 4x400-meter relay in the finals, LSU could jump the Trojans in the standings with a finish of third or better.
LSU won the event.
“That was a big lift for us,” Norwood said. “Us winning that 4x400 moved us from 5th place to 4th place, got us a trophy, so that was a big win for us as well.”
Norwood also said it was a great way for him to conclude his season.
Of his LSU career, Norwood called it “probably one of the greatest experiences.”
He said he had fun and wished he had another year to compete.
Now, however, he will quickly turn his attention to turning pro and competing next week at the USA Track and Field Championships, which also will be held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Norwood hopes to make the U.S. team and compete in the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China in late August.
Johnson, a decorated triple jumper on the collegiate level, competed professionally.
“It’s big boys,” he said of the pro level. “It’s real. … It’s more mental than anything, because everybody’s capable of running fast that you’re competing with.”
Still, Johnson has high hopes for his former standout.
“I think he’s in the perfect position, being a senior, to transfer right into the professional circuit,” Johnson said. “World championships are coming up. He’s on a high. I think there’s going to be a little snowball effect. He’s going to roll right into that, and I expect him to even put in a great effort there if not even come home with the world championship title.”