Sheena, Queen of the Hurdles

At the Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, ex-Bruin Sheena Johnson won a gold medal in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, edging Jamaican Nickiesha Wilson, 54.64 to 54.84.

Bruin sophomore (and current NCAA champion) Nicole Leach won the bronze medal in third at 54.97.

Another Bruin NCAA champion, long jumper Rhonda Watkins of Trinidad & Tobago didn’t fare as well. One of the favorites going in, she finished fifth with an ordinary jump of 21-1.

Former Bruin Monique Henderson, an Olympic gold medalist in the 1,600-meter relay in Athens, finished a disappointing sixth in the 400 meters in 52.28.