Merritt tops Wariner in mens final
By Christopher Hunt
all photos by Tim Fulton
scroll down for a gallery of top performers of the day...
EUGENE, Ore. – Natasha Hastings just couldn’t hold on. She was right there coming off the curve, in position to make her first Olympic team until the wheels came off.
“Up until 300 (meters) things were going well,” Hastings said. “I don't know. The last couple of weeks I’ve been having trouble coming home.”
Hastings was the one that knocked Sanya Richards out of the World Championships last year when Richards faded in the home stretch and Hastings finished third. But this time Richards came away with the victory and Hastings, who graduated from A.P. Randolph in Harlem, finished fifth in 51.13 seconds at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon and will hope to get in the relay pool.
“Of course I’m not pleased but I know at the end there is something there for me," she said. “I know that God has a plan for me.”
Richards won the race in 49.89, her best of the season. Mary Wineberg finished second in 50.85 and Dee Dee Trotter third in 50.88 to round out a fierce American contingent for the Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Hastings said she may even run the 200 today but still seemed undecided.
Visibly frustrated, Hastings hasn’t been under 51 seconds since her first two races of the season. She also changed coaches this season from Sean London to Lance Brauman, who also trains Tyson Gay. She also changed agents from Michael Johnson to Deon Minor. Hastings forfeited her senior year of eligibility at South Carolina and signed a contact with Nike and trains in Clermont, Fla. She has had to adjust to a different style of training, a different race schedule and simply life as a professional athlete.
“This has definitely been an adjustment year,” she said. ‘I’m training on a different level now. I’m training a lot harder. I’ve had less races. Before I could kind of race myself into shape. … I just have to be grateful for where I am because there are a lot of people that would want to be in my position right now.”
Hastings was born in Brooklyn and grew up in Queens while attending A.P Randolph where she was a state, national and World Youth champion. Her mother was born in England but was a 100 and 200-meter sprinter for Trinidad. Her father ran the 400 for Jamaica’s national team. Hastings made the USA team for Worlds last year while finishing third at the USA championships in a personal best 49.84.
This would be a quite different race for the one a year ago. Richards stormed up to Hastings’ shoulder early then settled on the back stretch and powered home all while wearing a snazzy black and white Nike outfit equipped with dri-fit sleeves and socks that will be issued to the USA team for the Olympic Games.
Richards promised that she shelved the memories of last year’s World Champs debacle and toed the line last night with a clear mind. But that doesn’t mean she forgot.
“When you come to this meet you can’t help but think about last year because fourth doesn’t get to go,” she said. “I wanted to get out strong but I knew there was a lot of wind on the back stretch so I knew I needed to conserve my energy there and get ready for the finish. I just knew the last 100 meters was going to be a footrace.”
That’s what the mens final turned out to be. Although LaShawn Merritt refused to let anyone else get involved. Everyone expected a showdown between Merritt and 2004 Olympic champ Jeremy Wariner but Merritt zipped off the turn in front and held off Wariner, who surprisingly never made a real threat in the stretch.
“My plan was to start in front and stay in front,” Merritt said.
The Virginia native downplayed what has become one of the most compelling rivalries in men’s track, especially with the way that Wariner has dominated the world in the 400 for the past four years.
“He was the Olympic champ in 2004, the World champ last year,” Merritt said. “This is a new year. I want to be number one this year.”
The matchup built even more steam after Merritt beat Wariner June 1 in Berlin, Germany. That time Merritt outkicked Wariner in the closing stages this time he just needed to hold him off.
“Coming off the curve, I really didn’t see him,” Merritt said. “My main focus was to get to the finish. I’m happy. I’m ready to go home.”
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.
all photos by Tim Fulton
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Jordan Hasay, a HS junior, qualified for the 1500m semis in 4:18. |
 Lopez Lamong, who graduated from Tully HS in NY and is from The Sudan, advanced to the 1500m semis. |
 David Neville placed 3rd in the 400m to qualify for the Olympics. He ran in lane 8. |
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Anna Willard - new American record holder in the 3K Steeple. |
 Anna Willard - new American record holder in the 3K Steeple. |
 Anthony Famiglietti, a New Yorker, had the fastest qualifying time in the 3K steeple. |
 Bernard Legat looked smooth in the 1500m prelims |
 Armondo Oliviero, an Armory regular, placed 10th in the masters 3K in 9:05.19. |
 Jeremy Wariner, the 2004 Olympic Champion, placed 2nd in the 400m finals, |
 Christine Babcock, a HS senior, qualified for the 1500m semis. |
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