USATF Foundation grant recipients excel at USA Outdoor Championships

Indianapolis - At the recently completed 2010 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships held in Des Moines, Iowa, and under very trying, hot and muggy conditions, numerous elite athlete grant recipients excelled in their quest for a national title, announced Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld.

“That fourteen of our athletes won medals, three of which were gold, is extremely gratifying,” said Jackovic. “We look forward to seeing many of these, and other grantee names, representing Team USA at next year’s IAAF World Championships in Daegu, South Korea and at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.”

Foundation grants were awarded to individual athletes based upon criteria that includes each athlete’s achievements, performance potential and financial need.

Leading the way was first-time grantee Kara Patterson, 2008 Olympian and Olympic Trials record holder, who set an American Record in the javelin on her last attempt with a throw of 66.67m/218-8, bettering the previous record set by Kim Kreiner in 2007. Patterson had 4 throws over 200 feet and with her winning throw is now the 13th best performer of all time.

Mark Hollis, a first-time grantee and rising star in the pole vault, who took first place at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden earlier this year, won his first national championship with a vault of 5.60m/18-4.5.

Dan Huling, also a first-time grantee, won the 3,000 meter steeplechase in a time of 8:27.87. Huling finished second at the 2009 Outdoor National Championships and represented Team USA at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Berlin last summer.

David Oliver, who received a 2006 grant and went on to win a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the 110 meter hurdles, turned in a blistering performance in his specialty, winning in a world-leading 12.93, tying him with Renaldo Nehemiah as the 7th fastest performer of all time. David’s mark was just six-hundredth’s of a second off the world record of 12.87 set by Dayron Robles in 2008.

Other grantee athletes who stood on the medal stand in Des Moines were:

*Brianna Glenn - 3-time grantee - - 3rd place Long Jump
*Mike Hazle - 4-time grantee - - 2nd place Javelin Throw
*Britney Henry - 3-time grantee - - 3rd place Javelin Throw
*Nicole Leach - 2-time grantee - - 2nd place 400 Meter Hurdles
*Jamie Nieto - ‘08 grantee - - 3rd place High Jump
*Sarah Stevens - ‘10 grantee - - 3rd place Shot Put
*Jamaal Torrance - 2-time grantee - - 3rd place 400 meters
*Stephanie Brown Trafton - 2-time grantee - - 3rd place Discus Throw
*Maggie Vessey - ‘09 grantee - - 2nd place 800 Meters
*Bettie Wade - ‘10 grantee - - 3rd place Heptathlon
*Rachel Yurkovich - 2-time grantee - - 2nd place Javelin Throw
The Foundation also had 5 grantees that narrowly missed making the podium:

*Monica Hargrove - ‘09 grantee - - 4th place 400 Meters
*Stevi Large - ‘10 grantee - - 4th place Hammer Throw
*Cory Martin - ‘09 grantee - - 4th place Shot Put
*Aretha Thurmond - -3-time grantee - - 4th place Discus Throw
*Russ Winger - 2-time grantee - - 4th place Discus Throw
Eleven other grantees also finished in the top ten in their events.

The USATF Foundation provides a means to attract and guide funds to new and innovative track and field programs with an emphasis on providing opportunities for youth athletes, emerging elite athletes and anti-doping education. The Foundation depends upon donations from its Board of Directors and from generous fans of track & field.

Brianna Glenn: “I definitely feel that momentum is in my favor. New York is a big part of that, of course”

The long jumper prepares to compete at 2010 USA Outdoor Championships.

June 23, 2010-San Diego. PRJ: So far 2010 has been the Year of Brianna Glenn with your recent victory (6.78/22-3) at the 2010 adidas Grand Prix.

BG: I wouldn’t totally say that. This year, there are people who have jumped further and more consistently than me. It is shaping up to be a good year and right now, I definitely feel that momentum is in my favor. New York is a big part of that, of course.

PRJ: How proud are you of the major victory in New York? For what seemed like all a few  years you kept being asked about it, you kept getting close, and finally broke through. I just wondered, what is like to have this break through with this Diamond League Series win.

BG: I always want to have my best competitions at the times that matter most. I want to know that I can rise to the occasion and perform big on big stages. This is the first year of the Diamond League circuit so those meets are very important to us, especially in the long jump. It’s a guarantee to be jumping against the best jumpers in the world and so doing well at those meets is a great indicator of how you stack up.

PRJ: What would it mean to win at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships and can you talk about stadium set up?

BG: I competed at Drake in college and I know it’s a great track and an amazing atmosphere. It’s been 8 years since I was National Champion, so I definitely think I’m due for a repeat.

PRJ: Are you motivated at all to be the best long jumper in the world?

BG: I have all the tools necessary to be the best long jumper in the world, it’s just a matter of putting it all together.  I believe that if I focus on jumping what I’m capable of and have the skill to do, that will take care of that question.

PRJ: This marks the eighth year in your professional career. Can you compare maybe what your long jumping is now compared to what it was when you started. In general what track and field athletes need to do as they get into their late 20s and early 30s to keep at that level?

BG: Oh, how I wish I had the body I did when I was in my early 20s.

Now I am left foot jumper instead of a right foot jumper when I first turned pro. I definitely wouldn’t recommend other people trying the switch.  I’ve learned a lot more about the mental aspect of this sport over the last 8 years. More than anything, the switch has allowed me to be where I’m at now.

Some people might consider me over the hill but I haven’t peaked yet. The exciting part is that my best years are still ahead of me. The hard part of the journey was getting through the rough patches when things weren’t going well and finding the desire and will to continue. I’m happy I fought through the rough times because right now I’m enjoying the sport more than I ever have. The most important thing now is staying healthy.

PRJ: Early in the season you struggled a bit and then it sort of clicked when you got to New York. Do you feel like you’re in better shape with your jumping coming into USA Outdoor Nationals than you were in say April?

BG: The goal is definitely to be in better shape now than in April. So far, I’ve jumped the same outdoor mark that I did indoors and I am in better shape now, so I expect to jump even further in the weeks and months to come. Nationals is important, but because we aren’t trying to make a team, I am more so interested in having the ability to jump well over the next two months, instead of peaking for any one meet.

PRJ: This is the time of year when elite collegiate track athletes are making the transition to the professional ranks. What advice do you have?

BG: If you are dedicated and have the desire though, traveling the world to do what you love is not a bad way to earn a paycheck.  The most important thing to realize when turning professional is that it’s a whole different ballgame at this level. For starters, everyone is good. Great collegiate athletes are used to winning all the time and chances are it’s not going to be like that once you’re a pro. It’s also quite different competing in Europe than it is competing in the States.

Rookies have to be patient and give themselves time to adjust to the learning curve because the adjustment to the pro level takes time. The worse thing an athlete can do is to start doubting themselves or their abilities. You can’t ever lose your confidence.

PRJ: Convention thinking is that at U.S. Outdoor Nationals without a World Championship that you compete conservatively. Conventional or conservative is not really what we associate with your jumping? In a major meet, do you have to rein yourself in more or fight to your instincts in the way you attack the board?

BG: I would not even know how to compete conservatively. What does that even mean? I go out there to jump my best and try and win from jump 1 to jump 6.

PRJ: Spoken like a champion. Brianna, thank so much for joining us today. We wish you well this week?

PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show with Brianna Glenn

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Photo courtesy of Ralph Lauren.

Jay Hicks and guest Brianna Glenn discuss the latest news and preview the Mt. Sac Relays. Plus, Brianna Glenn on Usain Bolt and her plans for the 2009 season. The longer jumper and sprinter shares her insights and much more.

-Usain Bolt
-Mt. Sac Relays
-ACC Championships
-Brianna Glenn

Specials thanks to Brianna Glenn.

Share your comments and questions at comments@preracejitters.com.
PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show, where the real playas come to hang out!

PreRaceJitters Exclusive Interview: Brianna Glenn- Back To Work After Vacation

After the stress and bumps of the 2008 season, the professional long jumper and sprinter was long overdue for a vacation. Brianna Glenn took off to Cancun, Mexico with a handful of close friends to recharge her batteries in preparation for the 2009 indoor season. Read more

PreRaceJitters Exclusive Interview with Brianna Glenn: Surviving The Game

The memories of the U.S. Olympic Trials are etched in Brianna Glenn’s mind. Her Olympic dreams died in Eugene at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

In the end, it was not in the cards. Brianna Glenn could not get everything to come together in the long jump finals, but ended up in 11th place with 20 feet, 6 1/4 inches when the competition ended. She fouled on her final two jumps.

Afterwards, in the athlete interview area, a tear rolled down Brianna’s cheek. She finally got out, “You don’t plan for this.”

Less than two months before the U.S Olympic Trials, she had surgery to repair a recurring knee injury, and then everything fell apart. An injury is a long jumpers’ nightmare and it definitely was not in her plan to compete in the Olympic Games. No run at making the Olympic team is supposed to be battled this way.

You won’t hear Brianna offering up any excuses or pointing to any specific reasons for not placing top three at the Olympic trials. Even though she would be well within her rights to do that but she didn’t. She gathered herself together as quickly as possible and arrived at the trials ready to compete. Because win, lose, or draw - she is a competitor.

Just after the gut-wrenching experience of failing to achieve her life-long goal of going to the Olympics, Brianna gracefully agreed to sit down at the Hilton hotel in downtown Eugene for an interview.

In the hotel lobby, Brianna’s eyes betrayed her. They typically dance with expectation and possibility. Much has been written about Brianna’s fun-loving attitude, her fabulous sense of humor, her victorious nature. Brianna does little to dispel that image, but her light hazel-brown eyes hinted at something else altogether. Something much more vulnerable.

Her window of her career hasn’t yet closed, and the question before her is whether to stay in the sport, or retire from the sport that she loves so much.

Here is what Brianna Glenn had to say:

PRJ: Share with us the experience of participating in the third Olympic Trials of your professional career.

BG: I was not as nervous this time around. This time, I was able to take this experience for what it is and put aside the hype involved. The first time I came to the Olympic Trials, I was wide-eyed and just so darn excited to be there. I was competing with people that I had looked up to for so many years. That feeling subsides after you’ve done it a few times.

PRJ: What was your mindset coming into the ’08 Olympic Trials?

BG: I was definitely confident coming into the trials. I was really excited because we wait every four years for this opportunity. It’s a culmination of all the work you’ve put in up to this point. Now, you actually get to get out there and show your stuff. It’s an exciting time, I think, for most athletes once you actually get to the trials. All of that hard work is finally about to pay off.

PRJ: Talk about your disappointment in not making the Olympic Team.

BG: My performance is disappointing. It was hard for me, because I really had a tough year. More than anything, I wanted to come in here and do my best. I just felt like if I competed to the best of my abilities that I would have a shot to make the team. That did not happen. You know the circumstances I was in, so I have to take it for what it is, learn from it, and just move on. I’m just trying to do that the best that I can.

PRJ: Talk about your abilities to not just overcome obstacles and disappointments, but to thrive on the field and in your personal life.

BG: Ultimately, you have to have a strong sense of self, especially in this sport. You go through ups and downs, and nothing is always up. If you are not mentally prepared, then you will not be in the right position to experience the high points. You also have to learn to bounce back and how to have a short-term memory, because every athlete experiences losses.

PRJ: What was it like having your friends and family here at the Olympic Trials to support you?

BG: It was important. It’s great to be here with people that support you. I have the best friends and family in the world, in my humble opinion. They love me unconditionally. They know who I am as an athlete, but more importantly, they know who I am as a person.

PRJ: You’ve been to two other Olympic Trials, what is your opinion of Eugene ’08?

BG: They have done a wonderful job putting on a big show here in Eugene – ‘Tracktown, USA’. They have a track mentality here to support the sport. It’s great how they organized the meet. Overall, it’s good for the athletes and the sport. When you come to Eugene, the fans support every event, not just the premiere events.

PRJ: What, if any, affect did the fans have on the performances?

BG: They gave off great energy. They are behind you, clapping you down the runway. It’s not like, ‘Oh, there is my mom, I can hear her clapping.’ It was a positive experience here, because the fans cheer in the first place and the last place finishers.

PRJ: What do you have to look forward to the rest of the ’08 season and the ’09 season?

BG: We’re still trying to figure that out now. Things are up in the air, because I have to reorganize things. It will be something that I go over with my coach and my agent in the next several weeks. You can always read about it on my blog.

PRJ: Let’s digress for a moment and discuss your blog. It’s considered one of the most popular track and field athlete blogs on the net. What do you think is behind that success and the out-pouring of support from the fans?

BG: I don’t know where the traffic is coming from. What I like is that people from different backgrounds read my blog, both track fans and non-track fans alike. But they found my blog somehow and are currently interested in the sport, and that is great.

My blog has taken on a life of its own. Now, I feel responsible to keep updating it with what is going on in my life and career because my fans have taken the time to read my blog.

PRJ: What are your thoughts on your life after track and field?

BG: It’s hard to know for sure, because most athletes know their sport. I have my college degree in marketing, so I believe it will be something along those lines. I love sports and would like to do something in sports marketing.

PRJ: It’s been a rough 18 months or so for the sport. Have the Olympic Trials been good for track and field?

BG: It was a great Olympic Trials. Being out there for the last seven days, you have so many people with dreams in their eyes. Hopefully, that dream will shine through, and people will stop focusing on the negative. I just really appreciate our sport and what it has to offer.

PRJ: Brianna, thank you so very much for taking the time, and we wish you the best.

All content and photographs by Jay Hicks.

Seed Runnerspace

PreRaceJitters.com Interview: Brianna Glenn–The Good Life!

Brianna is no stranger to the pages of PreraceJitters.com. As a matter of fact, she is a regular via her blog, which is a fan favorite with laugh out loud funny entries about the goings on in her so-called fabulous life in track and field.

The sprinter and long jumper has hurdled, run around, and gotten under all of the obstacles that could have potentially kept her from the Olympic Trials. If there was test for persistence, Brianna would pass with flying colors regardless of the outcome at the Trials where she will focus on the long jump in her journey to make the Olympic Team.

With less than a week before the Olympic Trials, we caught up with Brianna and here is what she had to say:

PRJ: Your blog is wildly successful. The sport has struggled to attract new fans in large numbers. Your larger readership is made up of hardcore track fans and people who know generally about track but maybe have not followed the sport closely. So what do you make of all of this?

BG: I think it’s awesome. I didn’t really start a blog with the hopes that I would reach a whole lot of people that I didn’t already know…it was more so for my friends and family to keep up with me. But it turns out that a lot of people I have never met read it as well as people who have never previously been big fans of track and field. Whatever their reasons are for stopping by, I am just happy that they find enough interest in what I do to continue to check back and hopefully in the process they can learn to appreciate the sport I love.

PRJ: What if anything have you learned from readers since you began blogging and where do you see your athlete blog going in the future?

BG: There is a lot you can gain from putting yourself out there in the blog world. For the most part people are very encouraging and supportive, which is such an amazing bonus to it all. Not only do people take the time to comment on what is going on in my life, but I constantly get emails and messages that are incredibly uplifting or just to say they appreciate a certain picture…which is also very flattering!

PRJ: Did you have any role models when you started competing?

BG: I have always been a huge fan of Jackie Joyner-Kersee. She is one of the greatest athletes of all time and she did it with the utmost grace and humility.

PRJ: When did you first realize that you wanted to sprint and jump?

BG: When I was younger I was always involved in sports, just not track. I knew I was fast but it wasn’t until high school when I actually saw where my talent was and that I was meant to sprint and jump. So I ran with it. Literally.

PRJ: After last season your life ran like a Hollywood movie—only in reverse. You changed coaches and packed up and moved from Los Angeles to Tucson where you had a great deal of success during your time at the University of Arizona. How has the overall move worked out for you so far?

BG: I am no stranger to moving and switching coaches. I always do what I feel is best for my career at the time and this year it made sense for me to go back to working with my coach from college, someone I trusted immensely. Trusting your coach is a huge piece of the puzzle and as much as I loved living in LA, it was a small sacrifice to make. Being out here has allowed me to focus and prepare how I needed to.

PRJ: Do you have a good chance to qualify? If so, what do you feel you need to do in order make sure you get an airline ticket to perform in Beijing?

BG: This year the field in the women’s long jump is stronger than it’s
been in quite some time. We have a number of women who are capable of
jumping far and getting on that team and I definitely see myself in
that mix. I think the great competition among us will push us all to
jump far and to produce some great marks. I have a feeling that if I
jump what I am capable of jumping I will definitely be on the team.
My focus is on jumping well and when that happens the results will
fall into place.

PRJ: The pressing matter on everyone’s mind in track and field is the pending Olympic Trials. You have recently had knee surgery and are back to working out. How is your knee and physical conditioning going into the trials?

BG: This is 2008. Everyone knows what the deal is this year and where the focus is. My knee surgery was most definitely a setback but there was nothing that was going to keep me out of the Trials in my mind. I told the doctor he could duct tape it together if necessary but one way or another, I would be out there. I’ve healed quickly enough to give myself a great opportunity in Eugene and that is all I can really ask for.

PRJ: There has been a huge build up to the Olympic Trials. Do you feel any pressure heading into Eugene?

BG: It’s exciting. Sure, it’s a pressure filled situation because we all know what’s on the line, but you have to embrace the opportunity.

PRJ: Is there one thing in particular you’re looking forward to if you get to Beijing?

BG: I’m looking forward to competing with USA written across my chest.

PRJ: Are you anxious about anything outside of competition that you’re going to encounter in China? I’ve heard about some non-traditional toilets.

BG: Track athletes do a lot of squats so we will be ok. I’m looking forward to some authentic orange chicken and shrimp fried rice. Whatever we encounter, I’m sure we will embrace it all.

PRJ: Thank you for making time in your busy schedule to speak with us. Good luck in your efforts at the Olympics Trials and the remainder of your season.

By Jay Hicks.

Brianna Glenn Models Olympic Uniforms

Track’s resident model, Brianna Glenn, was selected to show off Ralph Lauren’s latest winning look in the U.S. Olympic uniforms.

Brianna is shown wearing a Ralph Lauren designed ‘Olympic Village Wear’ uniform with U.S. Olympic team boxer Deontay Wilder. She is also seen getting a touch-up from makeup artist Johnny Caruso as U.S. Olympic team rower Giuseppe Lanzone stands in the background. These photos are from a New York City photo shoot.