Sprinter Wins Women's 400-Meter National Title

Sprinter Wins Women's 400-Meter National Title

By Jerry McCormick

Rasha Badrani shows off the trophy she received for winning the women's 400-meter race at the National NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis. Photo by Jerry McCormick

The fastest NCAA Division II women's 400-meter runner in the country is home after sailing to victory at the National NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis on Saturday.

Cal State San Marcos student-athlete Rasha Badrani won with a time of 52.92 seconds, a .28-second edge against her closest competitor, Peace Nwaelehia of West Texas A&M.

Badrani said she's been running track and field since junior high school, but the championship was the culmination of years of hard work.

"I just went out there telling myself that I was the strongest one out there and I know I can finish," Badrani said.

It's this mindset that her coach said that makes her a winner.

"She has an intrinsic motivation that I've never seen before," said Anthony Heredia, assistant coach of sprints and hurdles. "Rasha is always one who will do the things no matter who is watching. She has an insanely strong will, and I think that's what carries in her races. When she wants something, she is going to take it. And she's not going to let anyone else dictate that."

Badrani, a 2022 graduate of San Pasqual High School in Escondido, is a junior at CSUSM majoring in business administration management.

Badrani's win is the first NCAA national championship for CSUSM's track and field program. She is also the second athlete from CSUSM to win an NCAA national title. The first was Jaime Jacob, who won the 2019 women's golf individual championship.

Badrani said next she wants to win the same race but outdoors at the end of May.

Rasha Badrani is welcomed back to campus Sunday after winning the NCAA Division II women's 400-meter race on Saturday at the National NCAA Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis. Photo by Jerry McCormick

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