One of the Armory’s favorite sons – the miler Alan Webb – is headed for the final of the men’s 1,500 at this summer’s World Championships in Osaka, Japan, thanks to a breathless stretch run in his semifinal Monday evening to qualify by a fraction of a second.
Interviewed afterward on television, Webb appeared dazed, said he “could not run like that in the final” or he would be out of the race, and then just as suddenly walked off-screen.
Webb broke Steve Scott’s longstanding American record this summer in the mile and has been a dominant performer most of the season, but again looked like a rookie in Semi II. He ran at the back of the pack most of the way and needed every inch of the straightaway to secure 5th place, the final auto qualifier, running 3:41.08. (It turned out that 6th and 7th in that semi, a few hundredths back, also advanced on time to the final.)
The first semi was won in surprising fashion by the Kenyan-born veteran Bernard Lagat, who is representing the United States for the first time in a major competition. Lagat ran a 51-second final 400 to win in 3:42.39 and suddenly looms as a serious contender in this event. In his postrace remarks, Lagat said he was “proud to be wearing the red, white and blue.”
Lagat, a legendary figure in the sport, made an impromptu visit to the Armory this winter for a workout. Webb of course made history six years ago when he broke 4 minutes for the mile on the Armory track, becoming the only high school athlete to do so. A few months later, he broke Jim Ryun’s famed outdoor high school record. Even now, Webb finds a way to get in a race at the Armory every winter. This past January he ran 3:56 at the New Balance.
There were plenty of Armory veterans throughout the opening three days of WC competition, although not all of them had the success they were hoping for.
In the semis of the women’s 400, NYC’s own Natasha Hastings, coming off a superb junior season for the University of South Carolina, managed just 7th place in her semi and failed to advance to the final. The TV analyst Ato Boldon generously remarked that Hastings had had a long college season and might be “out of gas.” Hastings herself said that she was proud of her many successes during this long season. Those included dominant NCAA championships indoors and out and dipping below 50 seconds for the first time, becoming the 2nd-fastest collegiate quartermiler ever. She had looked comfortable here, running 51.07 in the first round, but she faded badly to 7th place in 51.45 in the semi.
Hastings won the New Balance 400 in February for South Carolina in resounding fashion and finished off the day with a come-from-behind win in the 4x400 over archrival LSU. In her high school days, Hastings won many a race for A.P. Randolph High School.
Her teammates in the event, Mary Wineberg and Deedee Trotter, both advanced to the final, although Trotter made it only on time after finishing 3rd in her semi, in 50.31. Sanya Richards is not in the event, after finishing 4th at the nationals, although she is qualified here in the 200.
It is not known yet if Hastings will return for the 4x400. The team could conceivably be comprised of Wineberg, Trotter, Richards and yet another sub-50 competitor, Allyson Felix.
A number of other faces familiar to us at the Armory were in the women’s 400: Aliann Pompey, a Manhattan College graduate who represents Guyana, ran well in the first round (51.95) but faded to 8th place in Semi II. Hazel-ann Regis, the Armory recordholder in the 400 from her days at LSU, did not make it out of the first round, running 54.78 for Grenada. Ginou Etienne, who has run in the building for the University of Miami, represented Haiti but did not qualify for the semis, running 53.89 in Heat VI. (Trotter, Felix and Richards have also all run in the Armory, Trotter for the University of Tennessee and Felix and Richards while in high school. Richards still holds the building prep records in the 200 and 400.)
Other highlights from Days 1-3 in Osaka, with special references to our Armory favorites:
Men’s 100 Tyson Gay defeated Asafa Powell of Jamaica, running 9.85 into a 0.5 headwind, setting up a year’s worth of posturing leading into next summer’s Olympics in Beijing. They’ll both need to be wary of Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas, who passed Powell in the late going to get silver. He ran 9.91 for a Bahamian national record, .17 faster than the 10.08 PR he had entering this season. Atkins is just 23 years old.
Among the many early-round victims were Brendan Christian, 7th in Semi I in 10.29 for Antigua; Clement Campbell, 8th in Semi II in 10.28 for Jamaica; Richard Thompson, a first-round winner but last in his quarterfinal for Trinidad; J-Mee Samuels, one of the U.S. entries, eliminated in the quarterfinals, and Jamaican Nesta Carter, who ran an excellent 10.17 in Round 1 but failed to make the semis. All have Armory experience: Christian was double sprint winner at the National Scholastic as a Texas prep and later ran in New York as a Texas Longhorn; Thompson was 3rd at this year’s New Balance Collegiate Invitational 60 for LSU and later 5th in the NCAA 100 for the Tigers; Campbell, a former All-American for New York Tech, ran in the NY area this season for the Executive TC; Samuels competed at the Armory this winter as an Arkansas Razorback, and Carter ran in the building as a visiting Jamaican prep at the National Scholastic.
The 100 results could be ominous for the U.S, in the upcoming 4x1. One of the three Americans in the event, Mark Jelks, pulled up with an injury, whereas Jamaica showed depth with Campbell, Carter and Powell, along with Usain Bolt, who ran 20.12 in the first round of the 200. The U.S. may also reach into the 200 for the relay and tap Wallace Spearmon for assistance.
Men’s 200 In the first round, Gay, Spearmon and Rodney Martin all advanced for the U.S., Bolt for Jamaica and Christian for Antigua. (Martin is a past winner of the NB 200 for Curtis Frye’s South Carolina Gamecocks, while Spearmon ran the NB 400 several years ago for John McDonnell’s Arkansas Razorbacks.) In Heat IV, Christian ran a national-record 20.23.
Women’s 100 In as close a race as you’re ever going to see, it took nearly 10 minutes for officials with all the modern equipment technology can provide to determine that Veronica Campbell of Jamaica had beaten Lauryn Williams of the U.S. by three-thousandths of a second. Both were given times of 11.01. Another American, Carmelita Jeter, an obscure sprinter from Cal State/Dominguez Hills, got the bronze in 11.02, inches back, while the prerace favorite, Torri Edwards, was relegated to non-medaling 4th in 11.05, less than a foot behind.
Kerron Stewart, the NCAA champion in the 200 this year for Auburn, finished 7th for Jamaica in 11.12, just a tenth of a second behind the winner. Stewart is a familiar face at the Armory, having run there many times as a member of Mike Smart’s Essex County College teams.
Williams has also seen the Armory boards plenty of times. She ran in the National Scholastic 60 as a high schooler from Pennsylvania, and again the following season as a freshman for Amy Deem’s Miami Hurricanes. (Deem is head coach of the U.S. women’s team here.) Williams proved again what a brilliant pressure competitor she is with her spectacular race despite a nondescript regular season. She was of course the surprise silver medalist at the Athens Olympics in 2004 and upset winner of the World Championship 100 in 2005.
Others competing here included Mechelle Lewis and Sherry Fletcher. Lewis, a 4th U.S. runner, was given that spot at the last minute when Allyson Felix withdrew from the event. Lewis, who ran at the Armory as a member of the multitalented South Carolina sprint stable, just missed the final here, running 10.16 for 5th place. Fletcher, representing Grenada, ran at the Armory this winter for LSU at the New Balance meet, where she made the 60 final. Four months later she scored a huge upset win in the NCAA 100.
10Ks In hot, humid conditions, Ethiopians won both 10s. Kenenisa Bekele won the men’s, in 27:05.90, his 3rd straight triumph in the event. The top American finisher was Abdi Abdirahman, 7th in an excellent 27:56.62. The first non-African-born finisher was American Dathan Ritzenhein, who was 9th in 28:28.59. Two places back came American Galen Rupp, 28:41.71. Rupp ran a 2-mile at the Armory his senior year in high school.
The women’s winner was Tirunesh Dibaba, in 31:55.41, repeating as champion. The surprise 3rd-placer was Kara Goucher, becoming the first American to medal in the event. Kim Smith of New Zealand, an NCAA champion for Providence College, finished 5th, and Katie McGregor, a Michigan grad running for the U.S., was 13th, but less than one minute behind the winner.
Shots Reese Hoffa continued his dominance this season with a powerhouse 72-3 ¾ to defeat fellow American Adam Nelson, the defending champion. Nelson, a regular at the Armory over the years, was also 2nd at the Athens Olympics. Here he put 70-10 ¾. Others in the competition included Nedzad Mulabegovic of Croatia, Milan Jotanovic of Serbia and Dan Taylor of the U.S. None made the final here. Mulabegovic (61-4 for 27th place) won the New Balance Collegiate shot put three times for Purdue University; Jotanovic (60-11 ¼, 30th) placed in the NCAA championships indoors and out this season for Manhattan College, while Taylor (60-6 ½, 34th) has competed at the Armory for Ohio State.
Valerie Vili of New Zealand won the women’s event on her last put, 67-4 ¾, dedicating her effort to her late father, who died of cancer in the spring. She was celebrating while the 4-kilo ball was in the air. Among those who failed to get out of the qualifying round were the three American entries – Kristin Heaston, Jillian Camarena and Sarah Stevens – none of whom exceeded 57-1, and Trinidad’s Cleopatra Borel-Brown, who competed in the Armory for the University of Maryland/Baltimore Country.
Men’s marathon Luke Kibet of Kenya survived the weather conditions enough to win in 2:15.59. In 50th place was Fernando Cabada, an American who ran at the Armory this winter for Virginia Intermont. Because of financial difficulties, the school has since canceled its track and field program.
Men’s 20K walk Jefferson Perez of Ecuador won his 3rd championship in the event. In 31st place was Tim Seaman of the U.S. Seaman, who competes for the NYAC, graduated from North Babylon H.S. on Long Island.
Women’s heptathlon Carolina Kluft wins again. The 24-year-old Swedish Amazon has been unbeaten for years, dominating Worlds and Olympics. Here she scored 7,032 points, her best ever, breaking the European record. Only Jackie Joyner-Kersee has scored higher. (Kluft’s marks were 13.15 6-4 ¾ 48-7 ¼ 23.38 22-5 ¾ 157-5 2:12.56.) Asked if she would compete in Beijing, she said resoundingly, “I’ll be there!”
Of the three American competitors, only Diana Pickler (5838) finished. Gi-Gi Johnson and Hyleas Fountain both dropped out. Fountain won the high jump and the hurdles at the New Balance Collegiate for the University of Georgia a few years ago.
Steeples Russian women went 1-2. Yekaterina Volkova won in 9:06.57, 2nd-fastest ever. Kenyans were 3-4; the 4th-placer was a teenager, Ruth Bisibori, who ran 9:25.25, a world Junior record. In 10th was Roisin McGettigan, an Irishwoman who attended Providence College. The three American competitors – Lindsey Anderson, Jenny Barringer and Anna Willard – all broke 10 minutes in the qualifying, but none was able to make the final.
In the men’s qualifying, the three American entrants failed to make the final. Tom Brooks ran 8:56, Josh McAdams 8:32 and Aaron Aguayo 8:30. Aguayo was NCAA champion this year for Arizona State. McAdams, a BYU graduate, ran a lifetime best in the mile this winter at the Armory. Another nonqualifier here was Andrew Lemoncello of Great Britain. Lemoncello, who helped Florida State to the NCAA outdoor team championship this spring, ran the 3k at the Armory this winter.
Hammer throws Ivan Tsikhon of Belarus went from 4th to 1st on his final throw, 274-4, to win his 3rd straight world championship. The hometown favorite, Koji Murofushi, Japan’s reigning Olympic champion in the event, finished 6th, 10 feet behind. For the U.S., A.G. Kruger was 17th in qualifying at 240-1, and Kibwe Johnson no-marked.
None of the U.S. women advanced to the final: Jessica Cosby threw 222-9, Kristal Yush 212-0 and Brittany Riley 182-10, more than 50 feet short of her seasonal best for Southern Illinois. This year’s NCAA champion, Jen Dahlgren, who threw for the University of Georgia and threw here for Argentina, also failed to advance, tossing 215-4. Dahlgren competed in the Armory in high school.
Men’s 400 Chris Brown of the Bahamas, who ran in the Armory for Norfolk State, ran a shockingly fast 44.50 in Round 1. Other heat winners included Alleyne Francique of Grenada, Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner of the U.S., fellow American LaShawn Merritt, and Congo’s Gary Kikaya.
Francique, who attended LSU, and Kikaya, who went to Tennessee, are both former NB Collegiate winners, as is Ricardo Chambers, who won the event this year for Florida State. Chambers, running for Jamaica, advanced to the 2nd round here, as did fellow Armory veterans Sanjay Ayre of Jamaica and Ato Modibo of Trinidad. Ayre attended DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx his senior season.
Of the American entries, Wariner, Merritt and Angelo Taylor all advanced, but Lionel Larry of USC failed to finish Heat VII.
Men’s 1500 In addition to Bernard Lagat and Alan Webb, another of the finalists is Nick Willis of New Zealand. Willis was 5th in Semi II in 3:43.34. Willis had a stellar career at the University of Michigan, including some stirring victories at Penn Relays, but his American debut was at the Armory, where he won the National Scholastic mile, flying halfway around the world from Auckland to give it a go. (After the race, he nearly passed out from dehydration.) Another ex-Wolverine, Kevin Sullivan, the Canadian veteran, was 9th in his semi and failed to advance.
In the first round, Leonel Manzano of the U.S. finished well back, in 3:45.97, failing to advance. Manzano, running for Bubba Thornton’s Texas Longhorns, won the New Balance Collegiate mile this winter and went on to be NCAA outdoor 1,500 runnerup and run 3:35.
Women’s LJ In qualifying, two Americans advanced to the final, two did not. Those moving on were Brittney Reese (lifetime best of 22-5 in qualifying) and Tianna Madison (21-7 ½). Not advancing were this year’s U.S. champion, Grace Upshaw, and Rose Richmond.
Women’s 100 hurdles All four U.S. entries survived the first round: Michelle Perry, Nichole Denby, Virginia Powell and Lolo Jones. Jones is a past winner of the New Balance Collegiate hurdles while at LSU.
Priscilla Lopes, who broke the Armory’s high school hurdles record as a Canadian prep, ran 12.94 here in her first-round race, but it was too slow to advance, a shockingly fast time for a nonqualifier. Also failing to advance was Nadine Faustin-Parker, a New Jersey native who runs for Haiti. She ran 13.16 in Round 1. Faustin is an Armory regular in Open meets.
Men’s triple jump Walter Davis, who jumped at the Armory for LSU, won the bronze medal for the U.S., going 56-10 ¼. The upset winner of the event was Nelson Evora of Portugal, who went 58-2 ½. American Aarik Wilson narrowly missed medaling, jumping 56-9 ½ for 5th. The two other Americans in the field, Lawrence Willis and Kenta Bell, did not make the final.
Leevan Sands, who jumped at the Armory as a high school student from Florida in 2000, was a nonqualifier here for the Bahamas.
Women’s 800 No Americans made the final. Hazel Clark, who ran for Columbia/Maplewood NJ in high school, was the lone American to get out of the first round, and she was last in 2:02.92 in her semi. Teammates Alice Schmidt (2:02.49) and Alysia Johnson (2:02.11) did not make the cut in the heats. Kenia Sinclair, a Seton Hall grad, and Marian Burnett, who ran at the Armory for LSU, both made it to the semis but were eliminated there. Sinclair, who runs for Jamaica, ran 2:00.25 for 5th place in Semi II, while Burnett, who is Guyanese, ran 2:01.02 in that race after running 2:00.53 in Round 1. The slowest qualifying time out of the semis was 1:59.32.
Intermediate hurdles Three American men advanced to the final, but one of the favorites in the event, American Bershawn Jackson, hit a hurdle in his semi and did not make the final. The three who made it were James Carter, Derrick Williams and Kerron Clement. Jackson ran at the Armory as a high school student from Miami, and later for St. Augustine’s University in North Carolina.
The winner of Semi II was the legendary Felix Sanchez, returning to success after several dormant seasons. Sanchez, the only athlete from the Dominican Republic to win an Olympic championship, is a native New Yorker.
Isa Phillips of Jamaica was eliminated in the semis. Phillips, the NCAA champion this year for LSU, ran for Coach Dennis Shaver’s Tigers at this year’s New Balance Collegiate Invitational.
In the women’s IH, Americans Nicole Leach, Tiffany Ross-Williams and Sheena Johnson all advanced to the 2nd round, as did Jamaicans Melaine Walker and Nickiesha Wilson. Many of them have an Armory pedigree. Leach, who was the NCAA champion this year as a sophomore at UCLA, ran in the building many times as a Philadelphia prep. She remains the 2nd-fastest prep ever in the 400 in the building, her 52.19 just short of Sanya Richards’s 52.10. (Those are #2 and #3 all-time.)
Ross-Williams competed at the NB Collegiate for South Carolina, as did Wilson for LSU. Walker ran here when she attended nearby Essex County, before moving on to the University of Texas.
Remaining field events If you’re an American field event fan, there hasn’t been a lot to cheer about. U.S. competitors have been shut out – meaning failing to reach the final, let alone medal – in six field events so far.
Those include both discus throws – Ian Waltz, Jarred Rome and Michael Robertson for the men; Becky Breisch, Cecilia Barnes and Suzy Powell for the women – and even the men’s high jump, where Jesse Williams, Jamie Nieto and Jim Dilling all failed to clear the necessary qualifying height of 7-6.
In the women’s vault, the new American recordholder, Jen Stuczynski, who hails from upstate New York, advanced by clearing 14-11, but she is struggling with a late-season injury. Her two teammates, Jillian Schwartz and Niki McEwen, failed to advance.
It took a Kenyan to finally bring the United States a gold medal in the 1,500. Bernard Lagat, the eloquent 32-year-old who changed citizenship three years ago, ran a superb tactical race, stayed on the shoulder of his countryman Alan Webb the second half of the race, and won it down the stretch. Then he did a victory lap embracing the American flag, basking in the admiration of his Chinese-American wife and their young son.
Internationalism truly comes to these World Championships.
Webb appeared to be in perfect position to overcome his doubters. He was in 2nd place, just behind 18-year-old Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, but when it came time to go, Lagat took off and Webb fell back. “I didn’t come here to get 7th!” Webb screamed, distraught, afterward. Actually, he finished 8th, one place better than in ’05.
The men’s 200 shaped up as a head-to-head between the U.S. and Jamaica. It was the Penn Relays on a bigger stage. Three Americans, led by Tyson Gay, already winner of the 100, against three Jamaicans, led by the 6-foot-5 wunderkind, Usain Bolt. Bolt had looked spectacular in the heats, and Gay said he was nursing a sore left hamstring.
In the final, Bolt ran a great curve and had a small advantage over Gay, who was inside him in Lane 4. “I was nervous,” Gay said. “I was behind.” Gay stepped on the gas, Bolt crumbled, and Tyson won, 19.76-19.91. The Americans won the dual meet as well, going 1-3-4 while Jamaica went 2-6-7. You could probably hear a pin drop in Kingston.
This sets up the relay. “I’m running the 4x1,” Gay said. But who will make up the Americans’ team? Wallace Spearmon, bronze in the 200, could conceivably run the backstretch, and Rodney Martin, the South Carolina grad who was 4th, could run 3rd leg. Leadoff? Possibly Terrence Trammell, one of the favorites in the HH.
Jamaica could have a heck of a team, with Bolt on the backstretch and Asafa Powell on the anchor.
In the women’s sprints, the U.S. advanced all four entrants to the 200 final. Allyson Felix looked unbeatable in winning her heat; Sanya Richards won the other. They will face Jamaican Veronica Campbell, the 100 champion and the reigning Olympic champion in the deuce.
The U.S. and Jamaican women also figure to square off in the relays. And in the 4x4, you’d better include the Brits, because the UK shockingly went 1-2 in the women’s 4, with Christine Ohuruogo, a Nigerian transplant, outleaning teammate Nicola Sanders, both running life bests under 50 and defeating Novlene Williams of Jamaica, who had been leading with 10 meters left.
Women’s pole vault The most overwhelming favorite of the meet was Yelena Isinbeyeva of Russia in the women’s vault. She needed 3 vaults to win the competition, taking it when she soared over 15-9 on her 2nd attempt. The only American in the final, Jenn Stuczynski, competed on a strained left Achilles. She couldn’t push off on the leg, made 14-9, took 2 attempts at the next height, took the tape off her ankle in a desperate attempt to get more leverage, and finally retired from the competition, finishing 10th. In June at Randalls Island, she had become the first American woman to clear 16 feet. Her Achilles was fine then.
Isinbeyeva, who mugged for the camera and took cat naps while her mortal competitors struggled at “lower” heights, took 3 tries at a world record of 5.02 (16-5 ½).
Women’s long jump The Russian girls went 1-2-3, just as they did in the Athens Olympics in ’04. The American finalists, Brittney Reese and Tianna Madison, finished 8th and 10th respectively. “I need to go back to the drawing board,” said Madison, who was the defending champion. The winner, Tatyana Lebedeva, is also the favorite in the triple jump.
Men’s steeplechase Kenyans have won every Olympic gold medal since 1972, except when they boycotted the Games in ’76 and ’80. Kenyans (or Kenyan-born nationals competing for other countries) have won virtually every World Championships. Here they won all three medals. The winner was Brimin Kipruto, in 8:13. The 4th-place finisher was a Swede, Mustafa Mohamed; 5th was a Frenchman, Bouabdallah Tahri. U.S. road races now have separate competition categories for foreign and domestic runners. There were no Americans, including African-born ones, in this final.
Women’s 800 African women have been making inroads at long distances, catching up to their male counterparts. Now they’re reaching into the middle distances. Janeth Jepkosgei, a 24-year-old Kenyan from the Rift Valley, won here in 1:56.04, a Kenyan national record. Maria Mutola of Mozambique, who has won every possible championship at this distance, and then won it again, pulled up in this final with 60 meters to go. Mutola is 34 years old. She has broken 2 minutes 17 years in a row, dating to 1991, when she was 18. She won her first WC 800 14 years ago.
Men’s 400 hurdles Kerron Clement was born in Port-of-Spain, ran the hurdles in high school in Texas, broke 50 seconds in the IH at age 16, won the World Juniors in Grosseto in 48.51 at age 18, ran 47.24 at age 19, broke Michael Johnson’s world indoor record in the 400, yet the television commentators for this race barely mentioned him. When he won the race handily, despite badly chopping his steps before the final hurdle, they said, “Mon dieu! What an upset!” Clement, who disdained his Trinidadian birthright to become an American citizen while in high school, ran 47.61 to defeat the reigning Olympic champion, Felix Sanchez of the DR, who ran a surprising 48.01 after several nonchalant seasons. Clement said afterward, “I just came out here and gave it my best.”
The distress story of the week came out of this race, because hard-luck James Carter finished 4th, again. Here he ran 48.40. He has 2 Olympic 4ths. In 2008, at age 30, he’ll have to hope he can make another U.S. team, then hope he doesn’t get a 4th 4th.
Men’s discus Virgilijus Alekna has been nearly unbeatable. He has won the last two World Championships and the last two Olympics. The last time he lost was August 2005, 38 competitions ago, when he was beaten by 2 ½ inches. But here the 35-year-old Lithuanian finished 4th, losing to Gerd Kanter of Estonia by more than 12 feet. Kanter threw 226-2, Alekna 214-0. By finishing merely 4th, Alekna did not have to appear on the awards stand a loser. He could stand by and watch, and be thinking of next year.
Women’s javelin The sole American entrant, Dana Pounds, threw 180 feet in the qualifying, well short of advancement. Pounds is a 5-foot-2-inch officer in the U.S. Air Force.
Men’s high jump Donald Thomas of the Bahamas – who has probably never taken a jump in his homeland – won a huge upset by clearing 7-8 ½ on his first attempt. Before that, he had stood 4th, behind the three others who had cleared 7-7 ¾. Thomas began highjumping on a friendly bet by some college friends in the States. He jumped 7 feet in his basketball shoes, with no background or training. A year later, he was NCAA indoor champion for Auburn.
Men’s long jump A thrilling competition that came down to the final jump. Irving Saladino, the Panamanian who has been nearly unbeatable the last 2 years, was leading at 27-9 ¼. On his final jump, Andrew Howe, an Italian born in Los Angeles to American parents, jumped 1 centimeter farther to take the lead. Saladino, looking distraught, took to the runway and nailed it, 28-1 ½, to give Panama its first-ever world title. Dwight Phillips, the American Olympic champion, finished 3rd, a foot behind.
Women’s 400 hurdles Jana Pittman Rawlinson of Australia, with those stylish glasses and chic short hair, was too much for a great field, and won in 53.31. Tiffany Williams, the lone American to make the final, drew the advantageous Lane 9 but faded down the stretch, finishing 7th. Nicole Leach, the West Philly girl who is already a star at UCLA, was eliminated in the semis. “Even if I had run a life best,” she said, “I wouldn’t have made the final.”
Women’s hammer Betty Heidler of Germany threw 248-7 early and watched it hold up. In Round 6, Yipsi Moreno of Cuba threw 248-6. None of the Americans made the final.
Men’s pole vault One American, current world leader Brad Walker, made the final, clearing the necessary 18-8 ¼. This meant that of the two vault competitions, 4 of the 6 American competitors were eliminated in qualifying, in an event the U.S. used to dominate internationally.
Men’s 800 Nick Symmonds, the obscure competitor from small Willamette University in Oregon, moved smoothly on to the semis. Khadevis Robinson, who likes to run from the front, ran 1:45.78 but barely advanced on time. Duane Solomon of USC was eliminated.
Women’s 100 hurdles Michelle Perry, the American favorite, defended her championship and won with a brilliant lean in 12.46. This was not without controversy. There were accusations afterward that Perry had impeded the runner to her left, Susanna Kallur of Sweden, who appeared to have a small lead halfway through but wound up a very close 4th. Sweden filed a protest but it was ruled to have been filed too late. Americans Ginnie Powell and Lolo Jones ran 5-6. All eight finalists were trained at U.S. colleges. Kallur is even a New Yorker. She was born in the States when her father played for the New York Islanders hockey team.
Men’s 400 Is there any doubt Jeremy Wariner will win this? The Olympic champion, trained by Clyde Hart, he of Baylor/Michael Johnson vintage, cruised to an easy win in the semis. The other semis were won by teammates Angelo Taylor and LaShawn Merritt. The Bahamas put 2 in the finals, making them contenders for silver in the 4x4. Jamaica’s entries faded, as Michael Blackwood finished last in his heat, Ricardo Chambers was 5th in his and Sanjay Ayre failed to finish his. The U.S. runners are predicting a sweep, and who can doubt it?
Women’s 400 A thrilling, wild race. With Sanya Richards and Allyson Felix – either of whom might be capable of winning it – in the 200, this was a wide open affair. The remaining Americans, Deedee Trotter and Mary Wineberg, were not at the front. Jamaican Williams appeared to have it won, but here came the two British lasses, and they were not to be denied. Ohuruogo looked around at the end and said, “Is it me?” Then she and Sanders did a joyous victory lap together. It was the first win by a British woman at the WC since Sally Gunnell won the IH in 1993. Later, it became known that Ohuruogo has been missing drug tests and had been suspended by her federation. In fact, pending a hearing for reinstatement, she is not currently eligible for the ’08 Games.
Men’s 1500 Lagat won in 3:34.77. Despite a long, distinguished career, he had never won a major gold medal. The runnerup was Rashid Ramzi, the defending champion from Bahrain. (Ramzi formerly lived in Morocco.) Ramzi had to fight out of a box down the straight, and it cost him the race. The bronze went to Kenyan Shadrack Korir, just ahead of his teenaged teammate, Kiprop. Webb ran 3:35.69, less than a second out of 1st, but miles away competitively. His personal drama continues. In ’08, Lagat will become the man to beat in the Games, trying to become the first American to win the Olympic 1,500 since 1908, a perfect century.
5,000 heats The U.S. was 5 for 6 in the two races, an impressive showing. On the men’s side, Lagat is trying for a double win. He advanced as did Matt Tegenkamp and Adam Goucher. Goucher’s wife, Kara, already has a medal in these championships. Shalane Flanagan and Jen Rhines advanced to the women’s final. Only the NCAA champion, Michelle Sikes, who ran at the Armory over the winter for Wake Forest, was not able to qualify for the final.
Women’s discus Franka Dietzsch of Germany had her longest throw in 10 years, 218-6. No American made the final.
Women’s triple jump The lone American entrant, Shani Marks, jumped 45-7 ¼, short of qualifying. Also failing to advance was Trecia Smith of Jamaica, a former NCAA champion for Pitt.
Men’s highs Trammell says he is ready to defeat the Chinese Olympic champion, Xiang Liu. Xiang narrowly defeated Trammell in June at Randalls Island.
Women’s 1500 Americans Erin Donohue and Treniere Clement advanced to the final. Both are Armory veterans, Donohue as a New Jersey prep and North Carolina Tarheel, Clement as a Georgetown Hoya. Marina Muncan, who won a thrilling DMR at the Armory as a Villanova Wildcat, also moved on, but another Villanovan, Carmen Douma-Hussar of Canada, fell short. Yet another Armory veteran, Hilary Stellingwerff, moved on for Canada; she ran for Wisconsin as Hilary Edmonson.
Women’s 200 The American finalists are Felix, Richards, Torri Edwards and LaShauntea Moore. Jamaica has Veronica Campbell and Aleen Bailey. Virgil Hodge, a NYC native and TCU student who runs for St. Kitts and Nevis, was eliminated in the semis.
/JP/
/Jack Pfeifer reporting from Portland, Ore.,
with special thanks to the coverage teams from
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