Andrea Vargas reaches world semifinals in 100m hurdles, sets Costa Rican record

Andrea Vargas qualified Saturday for the semifinals of 100-meter hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, and she also set a new Costa Rican record in the process.

Vargas finished her first-round series in 12.68 seconds, bettering her previous-best mark of 12.75.

The first four of each series progressed to the next round, and she reached that objective with little difficulty.

Vargas’ time was also the sixth best among all the competitors of this round.

“I felt a little nervous, but I tried to do my best in these heats,” she told AFP. “I know it is very hard to be able to go to the final, it can be too hard, but I just have to concentrate to try to be in that final.

“Breaking a record of my country in a World Cup is a breakthrough. It was a challenge for me. I had trained very hard and hoped to continue, to stay. Being able to lower my record is a surprise, really.”

Costa Rica will therefore arrive with possibilities to medal on the last day of the World Athletics Championship, Sunday, during which both the semifinals and the final of the 100-meter hurdles are scheduled.

Así es como Andrea Vargas avanzó a las semifinales de los 100 metros vallas en el Mundial de Atletismo #Doha2019 y marcó un nuevo récord centroamericano con 12,68 segundos. 👏 Para mañana, todo el apoyo de cinco millones de personas, muy orgullosas de estos logros. ¡Adelante! 🇨🇷 pic.twitter.com/kuQssueOii

— Carlos Alvarado Quesada (@CarlosAlvQ) October 5, 2019

Until now, Costa Rica’s participation in Doha-2019 World Athletics Championships had been relatively quiet.

Andrea’s sister, Noelia, finished 36th in the 20-kilometer race walk, and Gabriela Traña placed 40th in marathon. Both could take satisfaction with having been able to finish two of the most demanding tests — especially complicated by the temperatures and humidity in the capital of Qatar.

The only male representative for Costa Rica, Roberto Sawyers, was eliminated in the qualifying round of the hammer throw.