By Christopher Hunt
all photos by Tim Fulton
scroll down for a gallery of top performers of the day...
EUGENE, Ore. – Anna Willard heard the announcer call out her pace. He alerted the crowed that she was on record pace.
“I thought, 9:28 pace? This doesn’t feel bad,” Willard said.
She continue to crank through the last quarter-mile and in the end Willard will be the fastest-American woman ever in the 3,000 steeplechase competing the first women’s steeplechase in the Olympics Games. Willard, the 2007 NCAA steeple champ for Michigan, finished in 9:27.59 topping Lisa Galaviz’s 2007 record of 9:28.75. Galavitz was fifth (9:58.27). Lindsey Anderson was second in 9:30.75 and Colorado’s 2008 NCAA champ Jennifer Barringer finished third in 9:33.11.
Willard, like most at the Trials didn’t think about time going into the race.
“Time is completely peripheral,” she said. “You just want to come first, second or third… To be on the Olympic team at all is just amazing. I couldn’t have dreamed of this four years ago. Four years ago I sucked.”
New Yorkers at the Trials: Anthony Famiglietti, a Patchogue-Medford graduate, won the first of two semifinal heats of the mens 3,000 steeplechase in 8:25.17, making him the top qualifier for Saturday’s final. … Columbia grad Delilah DiCrescenzo struggled in the womens steeplechse final, finishing 14th in 10:04.70. … Rashaud Scott of Kentucky, a graduate of Lehman in the Bronx, was 10th in the prelims of the mens discus, tossing 197 feet, two inches to advance to Sunday’s final. ... Tully grad Lopez Lomong, who just missed qualifying in the now-famed 800 final, advanced in the quarterfinal rounds of the 1,500 in 3:43.48, winning the second heat. Alan Webb, who set the high school national indoor mile record at the Armory, won the third section in the fastest qualifying time of 3:41.27.
From a Trotter to a hobbler: Dee Dee Trotter qualified for the Games with her best race of the season despite a knee injury that has plagued her all season. Trotter banged her knee on a car door about eight weeks ago that resulted in a partially chipped femur. She said she will have surgery after the season but her season just got a little longer. She finished third in 50.88.
“I wasn’t even going to come here because I didn’t think I’d make it,” she said. “I feel like Tiger Woods. This is my biggest victory. I didn’t win but this is my biggest victory because of what I had to go through to get here.”
Wariner skips victory lap: Customarily the qualifying members of the US team have taken victory laps around the track at Hayward Field to celebrate their berth to the Games with the Track Town USA faithful but Wariner skipped that part of the festivities after finishing second in the 400 in 44.20 behind LaShawn Merritt’s 44.00. Wariner admitted that he was angry and just needed time to cool off after the race.
“I’m disappointed with the way I raced,” he said. “Even if I would have won I would have been more focused on how I raced because I didn’t execute. Life goes on. The bigger stage is the Olympics.”
Jam-packed: The announced attendance at Hayward Field was 20,927. It sounded like it too.
Reach Christopher Hunt at chunt@armorytrack.com.
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Alan Webb won his heat in the 1500m.
Webb set the HS record in the mile at The Armory.
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Jordan Hasay, a HS junior, qualified for the 1500m semis in 4:18.
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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.
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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. |
all photos by Tim Fulton
|
By Christopher Hunt
all photos by Tim Fulton
scroll down for a gallery of top performers of the day...
EUGENE, Ore. – Anna Willard heard the announcer call out her pace. He alerted the crowed that she was on record pace.
“I thought, 9:28 pace? This doesn’t feel bad,” Willard said.
She continue to crank through the last quarter-mile and in the end Willard will be the fastest-American woman ever in the 3,000 steeplechase competing the first women’s steeplechase in the Olympics Games. Willard, the 2007 NCAA steeple champ for Michigan, finished in 9:27.59 topping Lisa Galaviz’s 2007 record of 9:28.75. Galavitz was fifth (9:58.27). Lindsey Anderson was second in 9:30.75 and Colorado’s 2008 NCAA champ Jennifer Barringer finished third in 9:33.11.
Willard, like most at the Trials didn’t think about time going into the race.
“Time is completely peripheral,” she said. “You just want to come first, second or third… To be on the Olympic team at all is just amazing. I couldn’t have dreamed of this four years ago. Four years ago I sucked.”