Two ISU sprinters qualified for the NCAA Track and Field Championships to be held this weekend in Fayetteville, Ark.

Senior Sheba Clarke qualified in the 60-meter dash and sophomore Ada Anderson will be competing in the 800-meter run at the championships.

There will be a total of 16 athletes in each event. The top eight times/athletes will be named NCAA All-Americans. Both student-athletes believe they have a good chance at that.

“This is my last collegiate indoor meet,” Clarke said. “And I want to finish out being an All-American.”

Even though this will not be Anderson’s final meet, she has the same goal.

“It was a goal since the beginning of the season to make nationals,” Anderson said. “Also, it has always been a goal of mine to be an All-American. If I make the finals, the top eight, then I will be [an All-American].”

To achieve their goals, both sprinters will see tough competition. Sprints coach Scott Roberts said both runners will be seeing some familiar competition.

“There will be a lot of people that were at the Big 12 meet who will be present at nationals,” Roberts said. “The Big 12 is always represented in the short distance events. We are in a big sprint-oriented conference.”

Both women expect fierce competition. Anderson has some history with another runner in the 800 — Ashley Patten from Missouri.

“Ashley Patten also qualified for nationals,” Anderson said. “She beat me at the Big 12 conference meet. But it is going to be intense since everyone is good. I have to run relaxed and not be uptight.”

Anderson said the competition will be the best, and said she expects the atmosphere at the NCAA championships to be exciting.

“I don’t know for sure since I have never been to nationals before,” Anderson said. “It will be huge and exciting.”

Clarke said she expects to be running against great competition in the 60-meter dash.

“They are all going to be elite athletes [at the NCAA championships], and they all are going to be expecting the best,” Clarke said. “Every athlete there has accomplished something.”

Anderson and Clarke have not changed their practicing and training procedures to prepare for the NCAAs.

They both have trained the same for all the other meets they have participated in during the year.

Roberts said Anderson and Clarke cannot practice any more than they already have.

“Pretty much the hay is in the barn as much as practice goes,” Roberts said.

Roberts said even though both women practice hard, there are other reasons why they have qualified for nationals.

“Both are very dedicated and also very genetically endowed,” Roberts said. “They don’t hold back or try to do too much. They just keep improving.”

The NCAA Track and Field Championships take place in Fayetteville, Ark., March 12-13.