Olympic trials News 7/15/04
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Marion Jones secured a spot on her second Olympic Team Thursday night by dominating the women's long jump at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials as records fell in the men's and women's steeplechase. Jones opened with a strong jump of 6.80m/22-3.75, which guaranteed her a spot on the team with her very first attempt. She quieted all critics with her second-attempt jump of 7.11m/23-4, which vaulted her from sixth to fourth on the 2004 world list, behind only the high-altitude jump of 7.16m/23-6 by Elva Goulbourne of Jamaica. It was the best jump by an American since Jones soared 7.13m/23-4.75 to win the Grand Prix Final in Moscow on Sept. 5, 1998. It also was just one-half inch off Jackie Joyner-Kersee's U.S. Championships record of 7.12m/23-4.5 Grace Upshaw, the 2003 U.S. outdoor champion, posted a mark of 6.77m/22-2.5 on her second jump to move into second place. Akiba McKinney was third at 6.57m/21-6.75 and will be placed in the third roster spot, while Rose Richmond will be the alternate, in fourth at 6.56m/21-6.25. Neither McKinney nor Richmond has the Olympic A standard of 6.70 meters/22-11.75, and they will need to achieve it in order to compete at the Olympic Games. If McKinney gets the standard, she will compete regardless of whether Richmond also makes the standard. If McKinney does not meet the standard but Richmond does, Richmond will fill the third roster spot. The final races of the evening provided a pair of records. First, Ann Gaffigan of Nebraska ran to a solo American record in the women's steeplechase. Her time of 9:39.35 breaks Elizabeth Jackson's previous AR of 9:41.94, set in 2001, as well as Jackson's U.S. championships record. Kathryn Anderson of Brigham Young was second in 9:45.52, with Carrie Messner third in 9:50.70. Although the women's steeple is not an Olympic event, the race was a U.S. championship event. The men's competitors then took the track to vie for Olympic berths. Three-time NCAA champion Daniel Lincoln pulled away from 2001 World University Games champion Anthony Famiglietti and 1999 U.S. runner up Robert Gary in the final lap meters of the race. Lincoln's personal best time of 8:15.02 broke Hall of Famer Henry Marsh's Olympic Trials record of 8:15.68, set in 1980, is the fastest time by an American since 2001, and also break Pascal Dobert's 8:15.77 U.S. Championships record from 2000. Famiglietti was second in 8:17.91, with Gary third in 8:19.46. Both were personal-best times. NCAA champion Jeremy Wariner of Baylor continued his impressive season with a 2004 world-leading time and personal best of 44.37 in the men's 400 meters. Coached by Clyde Hart, who guided Michael Johnson to one of the most impressive careers in the history of track & field, the 20-year-old Wariner pulled well clear of the field in the final straight. Finishing well back in second was 2003 NCAA runner-up Otis Harris in 44.67, with two-time world championships 4x400m relay gold medalist Derrick Brew finishing third in 44.68. Wariner's Baylor teammate, Darrold Williamson, finished just .01 second from joining Wariner on the Olympic Team, placing fourth in 44.70. The women's 400m final promises to be equally youthful as the men's final. Nineteen-year-old American junior record holder Sanya Richards ran the fastest semifinal time Thursday, 50.34 seconds, while 21-year-old NCAA champion Dee Dee Trotter from Tennessee won the other semifinal in 50.53 seconds. UCLA's 21-year-old NCAA runner-up, Monique Henderson, was second in the race in an identical time of 50.53. American record holder Erin Gilreath added the title of Olympic Trials champion to her resume as she unleashed a first-round throw of 69.27m/227-3, giving her all the distance she would need to win the event. She improved her final mark to 70.42m/231-00 on her fourth throw for good measure. Former American record holder Anna Mahon was second with 69.23m/227-1, and Amber Campbell of Coastal Carolina was third with 65.98m/216-6. Because Campbell does not have the Olympic A standard of 67.50m/221-5, fourth-place finisher Jackie Jeschelnig 65.15/213-9 will fill the third spot on the Olympic Team. Kenta Bell, the #3 jumper in the world this year, posted the top mark in men's triple jump qualifying. Bell jumped 17.47m/57-3.75 - just two centimeters off his 2004 and personal best of 17.49m/57-4.75. Two-time NCAA champion and 2000 Olympian Walter Davis (17.36m/56-11.5), and fellow Olympian and former NCAA champion Melvin Lister (17.08m/56-0.5) also soared over 56 feet and lead a very strong field into Saturday's final. Four-time U.S. champion Breaux Greer needed just one throw to advance to the final on Saturday, chucking the spear 79.19m/259-10 on his first attempt to post the best mark of the day. 2003 U.S. indoor and outdoor champion Kristin Heaston had the best mark in women's shot put qualifying with 17.93m/58-10 on her first and only throw. 2004 U.S. indoor champion and NCAA champion Laura Gerraughty of North Carolina was second at 17.75m/58-3; the final in the event is Friday. Michael Stember (3:41.65), Alan Webb (3:47.10) and Said Ahmed (3:41.81) won their first-round heats of the men's 1,500m to advance to Friday's semifinals. Ten men, including 1996 Olympic gold medalist Charles Austin, world junior champion Andra Manson, current U.S. champion Jamie Nieto, and past champion Nathan Leeper, all cleared 2.24m/7-4.25 to advance to Sunday's final. Also advancing were seven jumpers at 2.20m/7.25. Friday's scheduled events include finals in the women's shot put, men's 5,000m and women's 10,000 meters, featuring American record holder Deena Kastor. Reigning world champion Tom Pappas will begin day one of competition in the javelin, and Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila competes in women's pole vault. Qualifying also will be held in the men's and women's 200 meters, and men's and women's 1,500m semifinals take the track. Winning the women's and men's Special Olympics 100 meter exhibition races were Lakasha Young (16.03) and Damond Robinson (12.41), respectively. The top three finishers in each event at the Olympic Trials who have met the Olympic "A" standard are named to the U.S. Olympic Team for Athens. For results athlete quotes, posted live during competition, visit the Olympic Trials section at www.usatf.org. The USATF Web site also includes a list of all athletes who have achieved the Olympic "A" qualifying standard and full start lists for Saturday's competition. # # # Records set at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials As of 7/15/04 American record (1) WTJ Tiombe Hurd 14.45/47-5 7/11 W3,000m SC Ann Gaffigan 9:39.35 7/15 Olympic Trials records (4) M100m Maurice Greene 9.91 7/11 WTJ Tiombe Hurd 14.45/47-5 7/11 W400H Sheena Johnson 52.95 7/11 M10,000 Meb Keflezighi 27:36.49 7/9 M3,000 SC Daniel Lincoln 8:15.02 7/15 U.S. championship records (3) M10,000 Meb Keflezighi 27:36.49 7/9 M3,000 SC Daniel Lincoln 8:15.02 7/15 WTJ Tiombe Hurd 14.45/47-5 7/11 W400H Sheena Johnson 52.95 7/11 W3,000m SC Ann Gaffigan 9:39.35 7/15 American junior record (1) W400m Sanya Richards 50.22 7/12 Collegiate record (1) W400H Sheena Johnson 52.95 7/11 American U.S. All-Comers record (1) (fastest by an American on U.S. soil) W400H Sheena Johnson 52.95 7/11
