Day 5 Morning Quotes, 2009 IAAF World Athletics Champs

Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.), Women’s 5,000 meters

I felt really good out there. I’m pleased to get this run through. Now it’s time to get ready for Saturday. I looked at the clock before the heat and I made the decision. I could have finished a hair stronger if I really dug down. But I thought I should save some of it for Saturday. I knew if came in the top eight or nine and finished under 15:32, I would go.

Julie Culley (Arlington, Va.), Women’s 5,000 meters

It was a little bit slow, through about the 3K. It was probably close to 9:15, 9:20 even. In the last 3K, I was starting to have some trouble. I have been struggling with an injury (hamstring and glute). When they started to pick it up and I had to start to open up my stride, that’s when it started to hurt. I was doing the best I could.

Stephanie Brown Trafton (Galt, Calif.), Women’s Discus

I’m not a morning person. I feel positive. The conditions were pretty good. The fans were loud and supportive. They were rooting for everyone.

(On winning the Olympic gold before the US or World gold) It may be an awkward way. But I have never been known to do things the normal way. I always find a different way to accomplish my goal. At some point, I will accomplish all of my goals.

I was more nervous than I thought I would be. I feel like I have something to prove. I love being the underdog. I’d love it if I were to scrape by and make it to the finals with the last spot. That will motivate me even more. By scraping by is creating drama for me. I love drama.

Aretha Hill Thurmond (Opelika, Alabama), Women’s discus

I think I just gave my high school coach some grey hairs today. It’s been my M.O. unfortunately my whole career. I’m the type of competitor that takes a while to get into a groove. It’s like sprinters in a qualifying round, where everyone’s so tight and trying to get a feel for what’s about to happen.

The point was to get out there and make it through to the finals. We’ve got two Americans in the finals and now we can go see if we can put two on the podium.

Becky Breisch (Chula Vista, Calif.), Women’s Discus

It didn’t go so great today. If I knew why, I’d fix it out there. It was just not my day. This experience was great. Berlin is a wonderful place to be. They have done a great job doing everything for us.

Terrence Trammell (Atlanta), Men’s 110 high hurdles

I felt good. I think that I was able to knock the dust off. It’s been two months since I competed. I’m healthy, I feel in great shape. It felt good to get the first round out of the way. I had a few cobwebs. I wanted to come out and get a feel for things. Tomorrow, I will turn it up a notch. There are no injuries. I just wanted to work on a few things and focus on the rest of the last half of the season.

David Payne (Covington, Ky.), Men’s 110 high hurdles

The race was horrible. I got a decent start, but I didn’t attack right away. I hit a couple of hurdles and stayed in that state. I didn’t push or come on. I started to get comfortable with my feet. As I starting hitting all the hurdles, I felt the guys to the right of me pass me. There wasn’t that urgency there. It wasn’t a good race. But I made it to the next round, and that’s all that matter.

Tora Harris (Chula Vista, California), Men’s high jump

It was hard. I wasn’t feeling great coming in. The approach just wasn’t working. I think I gave it a good effort.

Keith Moffatt (Newport News, Virginia), Men’s high jump

First, I didn’t know I made it to the finals. I was clean all the way up to 2.30. I felt real good.

I think that in the finals, I’ll start at a higher height, because when I got to 2.30, I was a little tired. No matter what happens in the finals, I’m gonna go hard! I’m glad I made it!

Andra Manson (Austin, Texas), Men’s high jump

It’s a great feeling to make the finals!

There were a couple of good jumps today, but there were also some bad ones. Fortunately, I was able to correct myself at 2.30, and fortunately, that’s what it’s all about–I had to clear 2.30 to make the finals. That’s going to give me a lot of confidence going to the finals.

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

Fans can watch Team USA on national television broadcasts on NBC and Versus, or online via live, daily Webcast at www.universalsports.com. For complete TV listings, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/mediaCoverage.asp.

For more information on Team USA at the World Outdoor Championships, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships.

Phillips, Barringer join all-time greats at 2009 Nike Prefontaine Classic

Press Release by USA Track & Field.
EUGENE, Ore. - Two-time World Outdoor champion Dwight Phillips and U.S. women’s 3,000m steeplechase record holder Jennifer Barringer posted landmark performances Sunday at the 2009 Nike Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field on the campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene.

The Nike Prefontaine Classic is the fifth event of the USA Track & Field Outdoor Visa Championship Series, which will conclude at the USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Eugene, June 25-28.

Dwight is right!

2004 Olympic gold medalist Dwight Phillips leaped back on the world stage in posting the longest jump in the world since National Track & Field Hall of Famer Mike Powell set the world record in 1991.
Phillips easily won the event when he sailed to 8.74 meters/28 feet 8.25 inches, which ties him with Larry Myricks and Erick Walder for the eighth-best outdoor mark in history, and the trio are also tied as the #5 performers all time. For his effort, Phillips was named the Team USA Athlete of the Meet presented by Visa.

“Last week I knew I was jumping far and I was looking at the world record,” said Phillips. “I knew I was capable of jumping this far. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. I’m hungry. I’m excited about the sport again.”

With his performance, Phillips takes over the lead from Tyson Gay in the men’s Visa Championship Series race with his total of 1,290 points. Gay’s sits in second place with 1,285 points.

Barringer joins America’s best at 1,500 meters

Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka was in command throughout the Nike women’s 1,500m until the final straightaway when U.S. women’s steeplechase record holder Jenny Barringer put on a furious kick and the two were even at the finish line. Burka just barely defended her Pre Classic title from last year with her time of 3 minutes 59.89 seconds, as Barringer joined Mary Slaney and Suzy Favor as the third American in history to better the four-minute barrier with her time of 3:59.90.
Barringer’s performance is the best by an American in seven years, the third-fastest women’s 1,500m in the world this year and it betters the previous collegiate record of 4:05.75 by Lindsay Gallo set in 2005.

Merritt sets sea level world’s best in 300m

2008 Olympic 400m and 4×400m relay gold medalist LaShawn Merritt was dominant in the men’s 300 meters posting the #2 all-time mark and a sea level world best with his winning time of 31.30 seconds. 2006 NCAA 400m champion Xavier Carter was the runner-up in 31.93, with 2004 Olympian Wallace Spearmon finishing third in 32.14.

Richards posts world leader

It was no contest in the women’s 400 meters as 2008 Olympic 400m bronze medalist and 4×400m relay gold medalist Sanya Richards showed no mercy to her competitors. Richards left the blocks in a hurry and was never challenged in winning the Nutrilite women’s 400m in the fastest time in the world this year of 49.86 seconds.
Richards, who has been ranked #1 in the world at 400m the last four years, finished ahead of Olympic silver medalist Shericka Williams of Jamaica, who crossed the line as the runner-up in 50.72 seconds.

Symmonds pleases the home fans

2008 Olympian and Eugene area resident Nick Symmonds, who won one of the most memorable races in Hayward Field history with his unforgettable victory at last year’s Olympic Trials, was victorious again today in the Nike men’s 800m. Symmonds grabbed the lead off the final curve and held on for the win in 1:45.86. The runner-up was Beijing Olympic bronze medalist Alfred Yego of Kenya, who crossed the line in 1:46.36, and Oregon Track Club member Christian Smith, who joined Symmonds on the U.S. Beijing Olympic Team, finished third in 1:46.36.
Reigning men’s 1,500m and 5,000m world champion Bernard Lagat passed Qatar’s Saif Shaheen  with 60 meters to go and won going away in the men’s 3,000m in 7:35.92. Shaheen was the runner-up in 7:36.87, with Americans Chris Solinsky and Matt Tegenkamp finishing third and fourth respectively, with times of 7:37.05 and 7:37.32.

Perry & Cherry at the finish

Two-time World Outdoor champion Michelle Perry and 2008 Olympic Games fourth-place finisher Damu Cherry sailed across the finish line together in the women’s 100m hurdles. Although both were clocked in 12.74, it was Perry who was named the victor with Cherry claiming the runner-up spot. Canada’s Olympic bronze medalist Priscilla Lopes-Schliep was third, just one hundredth of a second behind the Americans.

“Batman” beats the world’s best

The three Americans who swept the medals in the men’s 400m hurdles at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing met again this morning in Eugene. Bershawn ‘Batman’ Jackson, who won the bronze medal in Beijing, got off to a quick start before clipping the second hurdle. Jackson, who also won last week at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York,  recovered quickly and held the lead with 80 meters to go along with Beijing gold medalist Angelo Taylor, silver medalist Kerron Clement and

Jamaica’s Isa Phillips. Jackson won the race to the finish line in posting the second-fastest time in the world this year of 43.38 seconds, which he shares with Clement. Phillips was second in 48.55, with Clement third in 48.73 and Taylor placing fourth in 48.79.

Rodgers sets world best in 100m

2008 USA Indoor 60m champion Michael Rodgers, who won last weekend at the Reebok Grand Prix in New York, was victorious again today in the men’s 100m posting a new career best and the fastest time in the world this year of 9.94 seconds. Rodgers defeated former world record holder and Olympic relay gold medalist Asafa Powell of Jamaica, who finished second in 10.07 seconds. Two-time Olympic sprint medalist Walter Dix also ran 10.07 in finishing in third place, with
2008 Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Travis Padgett placing fourth in 10.08.

After winning last week at the Reebok Grand Prix, Carmelita Jeter continued her winning ways with her victory in the Visa women’s 100m. With a +3.2 mps wind at her back, Jeter sailed across the finish line first in 10.85 seconds and remains undefeated this outdoor season. Jamaican Kerron Stewart, who captured the 100m silver medal and 200m bronze medal in Beijing, was the runner-up in 10.90 in suffering her first loss this outdoor season and Olympic Trials champion Muna Lee finished third in 11.02. Jeter holds on to the lead in the women’s Visa Championship Series chase with 1,207 points, which is one point better than Sanya Richards.

13 competitors break 4-minutes in Bowerman Mile

2008 Olympic silver medalist Asbel Kiprop of Kenya won the classic Bowerman Mile in 3:48.50, which is the fastest time in the world this year, bettering the previous fastest time this season by nearly six seconds. Kiprop’s countryman, Haron Keitany, who ended the 2008 season ranked #1 in the world, was the runner-up in 3:48.78.  2008 Olympian Lopez Lomong led the American contingent with his sixth-place finish in 3:53.47. 13 runners bettered the 4-minute barrier, which equals the Hayward Field record for a single race.

Hoffa leads throwers with world best

2007 World Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa won the Visa men’s shot put in posting the farthest throw in the world this year on his final attempt that sailed 21.89 meters/71 feet 10 inches. 2008 Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Dan Taylor finished second with a toss of 21.29m/69-10.25 and reigning Olympic champion Tomasz Majewski of Poland finished third with a best of 21.26m/69-9.

Stephanie Brown Trafton, who won the 2008 Olympic gold medal in the women’s discus on her first throw, did it again with a first attempt winning toss of 63.98m/209-11. 2008 Olympic Trials sixth-place finisher Summer Pierson was second with a toss of 60.53m/198-7.

2008 Olympian Funmi Jimoh, who finished at the Olympic Games in Beijing, won the women’s long jump with a best of 6.69m/21-11.50.
In other events, Kenya’s Paul Koech won the men’s 3,000m steeplechase in 8:13.44, Germany’s Betty Heidler won the women’s hammer (72.81m/238-10), Ivan Ukhov of Russia won the men’s high jump (2.34m/7-8) and Sweden’s Alhaji Jeng won the men’s pole vault with a best clearance of 5.51m/18-1.
For more information on the 2009 Nike Prefontaine Classic and the USATF Visa Championship Series, visit: www.visachampionshipseries.com.

Jesse Owens Award Given To Clay and Trafton

Not only have they won Olympic gold medals, now they hauled in the highest distinction given each year by USA Track & Field.

Olympic gold medalists Bryan Clay and Stephanie Brown Trafton have been named winners of the 2008 Jesse Owens Award by USA Track & Field.

Clay’s season was capped with two massive score performances during season while winning at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene, and the Olympic Games in Beijing.

With that, the 27-year-old Clay did not need much prodding to share his feelings.

“I have always regarded Jesse Owens with the highest respect for his accomplishments in the 1936 Olympics,” said Clay. “To be selected to receive this award and having my name associated with the legendary Jesse Owens is a great honor and a humbling experience. I am grateful, appreciative and truly humbled to have been chosen for such an esteemed award.”

Coming into the season, Stephanie Brown Trafton was an unlikely athlete that you could find to win the award, due in part because she who has never won a national title in the women’s discus throw.

Her first throw of 212 feet, 5 inches in Beijing put her into a lead that the world’s top throwers could not get within three feet of her mark. Brown Trafton is the first ever women’s thrower to be presented with the Jesse Owens Award.

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.