by Larry EderIt was the first day of a US championships, so darma gets walked over by karma. It is just the way it is. Bryan Clay hurts his hamstring, two days before the Champs, and Berlin is off his decathlon dance card. Andrew Wheating, the NCAA 800 champion, was seen in Faytetteville, when not racing, on crutches. Mr. Wheating did not run either the 800 meter or 1,500 meter trials.
There were some great performances. Carmelita Jeter lead the 100 meters in a wind aided 10.88. Allyson Felix, Sholanda Solomon, and Muna Lee looked dangerous, along with the queen of rounds, Lauryn Williams.
On the men’s side of the 100 meters, after a horrible start, Tyson Gay started to run about 40 meters, and ran a wind-aided 9.72 for 100 meters! Tyson, the defending champion from Osaka in the 100 and 200 meters, had to compete in one round in some event for the US to name him to his events. When asked about his race, Tyson said it was “Horrible.”
Bernard Lagat, Osaka 2007 champion at 1,500 meters and 5,000, ran 1:48.57 to qualify for the next round in the 800 meters. Stefanie Brown Trafton, with her heave of 64.25m, and a win over Aretha Thurmound and Rebecca Braisch.
Sanya Richards ran a strong 51.37, which gave her the best time at the women’s 400 meters. LaShawn Merrit ran 45.23 for the men’s 400 meters!
The crowd of 8,621 was treated to some stellar distance running: Christian Smith’s come from behind win in his heat of the 800 meters in 1:47.84. Leonel Manzano lead the 1,5000m with 3:37;91, Will Leer won the first heat of the 1,500 meter and the crwod again went wild.
This windy Thursday night, we were treated to a classic battle over 24 laps, as Amy Yoder Begley surprised Shalane Flanagan with her 67.2 last lap, with Yoder Begley winning 31:22.69 to 31:23.47. Katie McGregor ran 32:08.4 to Magdelena Lewy Boulet’s 32:20. 45.
The race of the night was the men’s 10,000 meters. From 4k out, Dathan Ritzenehein, pushed the pace, lap after lap. The only person who helped with the pace was James Carney. ” I felt really good, ” noted Carney afterwards, ” I just wanted to show all that I was in great shape.”
Galen Rupp was the hunter, and everyone else was the hunted. Dathan’s charging to the lead, and increasing of the pace, did break the field down from 27 to 4. The pace quickened, Rupp followed Ritzenhein, Carney and Tim Nelson.
Galen Rupp has won indoor NCAA titles at 3k, 5k and ran on the Duck’s distance medley. Outdoors, Galen just won the 10k, with a 1:58 last 800 meters and the 5,000 meters, with a last four laps run in 4:00.1!
In this 10,000 meters, Galen Rupp went by Dathan Ritzenhein with five hundred meters to go. Rupp cruised the last lap, to the cheers of eight thousand fans, running 27:52.53 for the win. Dathan Ritzenhein held on for a strong second in 27:58.59. Tim Nelson, who held onto third, with his time of 28:01.34. James Carney ran a nice 28:13.
Afterwards, as friends, coaches, athletes and fans gathered at the Villard Street Pub to relive the night, many were struck with how great the conditions were, but also, with how tough our women are racing and how the night was filled with very competitive races. Galen Rupp continues to impress….
Photo by Photorun.net.
BEGLEY BEATS FLANAGAN, GAY WINDY 9.75
EUGENE (JUNE 26, 2009): Apart the already reported withdrawal of olympic winner Bryan Clay in decathlon no major upset was registered during first day of US Championships, also trials for World Championships in August. Talented Galen Rupp won the 10 000 m in 27:52.53 and will travel to his second senior World event (first at 10k to win NCAA and USATF titles). Secon Dathan Ritzenhein (27:58.59) and third Tim Nelson (28:01.34) also qualified. Great last lap and stadium record was needed for Amy Begley to win the women´s 10 000 m in 31:22.69 beating olympic medalist and US record holder Shalane Flanagan (31:23.43). Third spot goes to Katie McGregor (32:08.04) and first non-qualifier is the Beijing marathon olympian Magdalena Lewy-Boulet (32:20.45). Other four finals of the first day were technical events. Olympic winner Stephanie Trafton-Brown posted in third round winning 64.25 in discus. Travelling with her to Germany will be Aretha Thurmond (62.51) and Becky Breisch (62.08). Chaunte Howard also confirmed her favorite role in high jump as she cleared 195 in first and that was enough for win, the same height was mastered also by Amy Acuff in second and Sharon Day in third attempt. NCAA champion Destinee Hooker could not make it, she failed already at 193 and with 191 was fourth. Second throw was a big one for 21 years old Chris Hill in javelin, 83.87 was his PB and also a clear win. Mike Hazle registered second best result of his career 82.06 and after Beijing will travel for second time for a global event. Third Sean Furey achieved 76.16, but has B-standard from last year 80.45 and will be able to travel. This years 80+ thrower Cyrus Hostetler from home Oregon team was unlucky fourth (75.58). Two with A and one with B standard are allowed for Berlin. 25 years old Brandon Roulhac made his first global team with winning the triple jump. No PB as his 17.44 were aided by +2.9, best legal 16.87 (+1.8). 2005 World champion Walter Davis was second (16.84, +1.2) and 25 years old James Jenkins surprised with 16.79 (+2.4) for third place. To jump in Berlin he still needs to achieve the B-standard of 16.65, his legal best is unbelievable 16.06.
In heats section the mostly awaited race was the 100 m heat of world champion Tyson Gay. He sped to excellent 9.75 but was aided by +3.4. “Honestly I ran a horrible race. Technically I was horrible. The false start kind of threw me off. I got out of the box and held on to the field until about 60 meters. Then I was able to pull away through the finish line,†he was quoted. To question whether he will continue in semis he replied per USATF webiste: “No, I don’t think so. This has been the plan for a month or so. I’m just trying to stay healthy and get ready for the world championships.†All heats were wind-aided Mike Rodgers clocked 9.92 (+3.7), Darvis Patton the same 9.92 (+3.0) and Travis Padgett 9.93 (+4.3). Talented Ryan Bailey because of injury did not qualify. All favorites qualified in women´s 100 m heats, the fastest 10.88 (+3.1) by Carmelita Jeter. Also Sanya Richards (51.38) and LaShawn Merritt (45.23) confirmed their positions in 400 m first round. Tiffany Williams clocked the fastest 55.18 in 400 m hurdles prelims, Christine Wurth was the best in 1500 m heats (4:11.84). In casualties department to report that NCAA champion Andrew Wheating will not compete at the event, out in 400 m heats were 2004 olympic relay winner Andrew Rock and 2008 world indoor relay champion Greg Nixon. World champion Bernard Lagat clocked 1:48.59 in 800 m heats and will not continue in next round.
Trey Hardee leads the decathlon with 4337 closely ahead of Ashton Eaton (4333). Next group of four athletes is battling for third spot (Burt 4046, Detmer 4044, Arnold 4036, Randolph 4032).
OTHER RESULTS
HIROSHIMA (JPN, June 25): Olympian Yukiko Akaba who was second in winter at Osaka marathon and qualified so for World Championships won the 10 000 m in good 31:57.44 ahead of Yukari Sahaku (32:01.80) and national record holder Kayoko Fukushi (32:04.06) what was the highlight of first day of Japanese championships. Shinji Takahira clocked excellent 20.51 at 200 m in heats. 5000 m winner was Yuichiro Ueno in 13:41.04. Faster was Kenyan guest runner at high school age Bedan Karoki (13:35.39). Steeple record holder Yoshitaka Iwamizu got another national title after 8:36.17. Fastest Japanese female sprinter Chisato Fukushima achieved 23.30 (+1.2) in 200 m heats and will attack the 23 seconds barrier in the finals. Takayo Kondo cleared 435 (Berlin B-standard) to win the women pole vault
TORONTO (CAN, June 25): 5000 m winners during first day of Canadian championships were Tara Quinn-Smith (15:50.35) and Simon Bairu (13:39.23).
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