Day 2 Morning Quotes, 2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships

Genna Gall (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Women’s 800 Meters

The pace wasn’t as fast as I thought it would be. I was up there in the mix. It was a little bumpy at times. There was a big spill with 150 to go. I was right behind that pack. I don’t know how it all went down. I was paying right attention to it. I jumped right over those girls. I focused on the finish line, getting there, top three, and I did. I was real happy about that.

(On how close to the spill) I was right there. I had to slow down, pretty much jump, and then realized I was in the front. I had to gear up and get back on again. I wanted to get off the rail and get around those girls. Something happened and I jumped right over them. I’m excited to go to the next round. I can’t wait.

Hazel Clark (Knoxville, Tenn.), Women’s 800 Meters

I took the lead. I really didn’t want to. I saw that fall in the other heat. I was in lane 1, so I wanted to get in the front, get clean, and then let someone else take over. It was a good race for me. It’s always good to get to the next round. I got there as quickly as possible. I don’t feel exhausted. I’m excited.

Maggie Vessey (Soquel, Calif.), Women’s 800 Meters

The game plan is difficult because you don’t know what everyone else is going to do. You have to play it by how the race starts out. That seemed like the best thing to do for this particular race. The conditions were fine. Everything was good for me. What helped me out was I was paying attention to the monitors. Since I was out front, I wanted to see where I was in relation to everyone else. The point was to get to the next round.

Jillian Camarena (Tuscon, Ariz.), Women’s Shot Put

It was definitely a rough one out there today. I didn’t put it together. I’m happy one of us got through. I’ll be out there cheering tonight for Michelle (Carter).

Kristin Heaston (Opelika, Ala.), Women’s Shot Put

Let me just say I am always proud to represent the United States. I work hard for everything that I get. I can’t control injuries. Unfortunately, it just got me and I couldn’t open up. I have a knee/hamstring issue that has been going on for two years. I haven’t had the means to get it fixed. Hopefully, I can get it corrected. Now I can come back tonight and cheer on Michelle (Carter). I can put in all my energy into all my teammates and my training partners for Auburn, Ala.

Michelle Carter (Ovilla, Texas), Women’s Shot Put

I’m going to go out there tonight and do my best. My goal was to make it to the finals, and I am taking it one step at a time. It was a little bumpy for me. But it’s OK. I can make the adjustments I need to make for this evening. I just focused on me. Because if I know I can continue to increase, that I will get close to the automatic mark, if I don’t hit it. I was a few centimeters short of it, and that was OK. I did make it to the next round.

Joshua McAdams (Cordova, Tenn.), Men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase

The last four months, I have had a little bit of a lower ab/groin problem. I have run through it most of the time. After Stockholm, I could barely run. I was doing about an 8-minute pace per mile with my wife the day after. Monday I was feeling worse off. I took a week off. I saw the doctor on Friday and he gave me some pain killer anti-inflammatory. I thought I was feeling good. We did some faster stuff earlier this week. I could tell my calves haven’t done much in a while. I was just flat.

I probably went out a little too fast for myself. I should have held back on that first lap. But we are here at the World Championships you put yourself in it, top four or five. I want to be top four or five all the way through. I wanted to finish. With three laps left, 1,200 to go, I thought about dropping out. I’m wearing USA. If it were just me, it’s another thing. But wearing USA, they didn’t fly me all the way over here just to drop out of a race. It was tough. But I wanted to finish.

Dan Huling (Columbus, Ohio), 3,000 Meter Steeplechase

I wanted to get out front early, but my coach told me not to be the one to push the pace. The plan was to run 8:19-8:21, but I don’t know why I didn’t. I feel like I was in shape to do that.

It was a bit of a shock to be up front then all of a sudden be in the back. It wasn’t like they accelerated the pace. My legs got deader and deader. It wasn’t what I was looking for. Overall, I can’t complain and be too down on myself–there’s a bunch of steeplers back home watching.

Kara Patterson (Lafayette, Ind.), Women’s Javelin

I felt awesome today, but I’m frustrated and confused. I’m ready to be more consistent. The fact that I didn’t pull it together today is upsetting.

I had a conversation with (US womens assistant coach) Carrie Lane an told her about what my cues are. I knew what I was doing, but I like to have a little conversation to reinforce what I’m doing. I felt great after that and had my best throw of the day, but it was still pretty bad.

(on her first year as a pro) I now have a better idea on what to expect. I had an awful experience traveling to London (for the London GP), but I’m now ready for anything after that. With experience, things will get easier.

Rachel Yurkovich (Eugene, Oregon), women’s javelin

I’m really ecstatic (to be the first American to make the final in the javelin since 1983)!

(On the first throw which qualified her for the final) I knew what I had to do, and that’s throw high 59 to 60 meters to make the final. I’ve been consistent up there all year. I knew that I could do it, and I know how to throw the javelin, so I went with my gut and went back to the basics, had some adrenaline, and got it out there. I’m not only happy to make the final, but I’m happy that I can throw this far this late in the season. This was either my seventh or eighth time over 59 meters this season.

I just focused on me today. I can’t focus on what’s happening around me, and just focused on what I need to do.

Lauryn Williams (Miami, Florida), Women’s 100 meters

The goal was not to do anything that will mess you up from going into the second round.

Muna Lee (College Station, Texas), Women’s 100 meters

It wasn’t bad out there. I was out there cruising. It was pretty easy.

For complete results, quotes and Team USA reports, visit www.usatf.org.

Day 3 Wrap - U.S. Ready For the World

The Nick Symmonds vs. Khadevis Robinson show unfolded beautifully in the 800m final. Tevon Everett led the pack through the first 400m in 51 seconds. As usual, Symmonds began his signature kick from fourth to first at 600m. Symmonds and Robinson were neck and neck over the last 100m, but Symmonds had the home turf advantage and the roar of the crowd to pull him past the line first in 1:45.86.

Two young stars, Geena Gall and Phoebe Wright, trailed three-time Olympian Hazel Clark in the women’s 800m. Clark led from the gun through a 59.43 first lap. She struggled some on lap 2, but pulled ahead to win it in 2:00.79.

Jenny Barringer and Anna Willard expectantly went 1-2 in the 3000m steeplechase. Willard has raced a lot over the past few days as she also competed in the 1500m, so she did not quite have enough left to challenge Barringer. She did, however, have a good race with Bridget Franek and Lindsey Anderson.

Barringer went to the lead and stayed there. She cruised along with Anderson and Willard close behind.

“It was really windy out there so I wanted to take command of the race from the beginning,” Barringer said.

The breeze was no problem for Willard because she had Franek and Anderson with her. With about 1200m left in the race, Barringer surged ahead to open a 30-meter gap. Franek made her move to second on the next lap and dropped Anderson. Then it was a battle for 2nd place as Willard went with Franek. Willard beat her to the line about 6 seconds behind Barringer.

Shawn Crawford ran a fast 19.73 in the 200m. He had a good start among the talented field. He dominated the race with Charles Clark behind him in 20.00 and Wallace Spearmon in 20.03.

“It was pretty controlled,” Crawford said. “I’ve been practicing driving through the first 120 and letting my body carry me the rest of the way.”

After winning the semifinals, Allyson Felix also started well in the women’s race to win her fifth national title in 22.02, followed by Muna Lee and Marshavet Hooker.

“What I wanted to do was just really focus on the start, and just work on driving out,” Felix said.

The 1500m was an exciting race. Leonel Manzano, Lopez Lomong and Will Leer led the first 800m, but then Stephen Pifer sprinted to the front. He could not hold the pace as he was passed by Lomong, Manzano and Leer. Lomong moved in front of Manzano with 200m to go, and Dorian Ulrey kicked for a surprising 3rd place. Ulrey came into the race as one of the underdogs and was elated with his race. Cloud nine is not the limit for Ulrey. He said he was on cloud 10.5 after this accomplishment.

In the 100m hurdles, Dawn Harper won her first national title and ran 12.36. Virginia Powell and Damu Cherry were close behind.

Bershawn Jackson ran the fastest time in the world this year in the men’s 400m hurdles, 48.03 seconds. Johnny Dutch was surprised by his 2nd place finish, ahead of Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor.

“I looked over to my left and noticed I was 2nd or 3rd and thought ‘oh I made the team!’” Dutch said.

Taylor seemed disappointed not to win, but said he was glad to be on the team. Jackson agrees that the main goal is Berlin.

“Once you make the team, everything will take care of itself,” Jackson said. “We have the greatest hurdlers in the world.”