by Larry Eder
Hurdlers advance as prelims continue on Day Three of World Outdoors
The World Championships boast nearly 50 hours of television coverage in the U.S. with broadcasts airing during all nine days of competition. View the complete broadcast schedule here.
After two events in the women’s heptathlon, Sharon Day (Los Angeles, Calif.) sits in fifth with 2,065 points, only 70 points behind Melnichenko of Ukraine who sits in the lead. Day ran to a personal best time in the 100m hurdles in 13.51 and cleared 1.83m/6-0 in the high jump. Erica Bougard (Byhalia, Miss.) ran 13.69 in the 100m hurdles and clared 1.80m/5-10.75 in the high jump to earn 2,001 points, which puts her in 12th place. Bettie Wade (Manhattan, Kan.) ran 13.84 in the 100m hurdles and cleared 1.80m/5-10.75 in the high jump to tally 1,979 points for 15th place.
Team USA will advance thre
e men to the semifinals of the 400m hurdles. Michael Tinsley (Round Rock, Texas) clocked a 49.07 to win heat one, while Kerron Clement(Gainesville, Fla.) finished second in heat three at 49.43 to advance automatically.Bershawn “Batman” Jackson (Raleigh, N.C.) earned his spot in the semis with a third place effort in heat four in 49.76.
In the first round of the women’s 400m hurdles Dalilah Muhammad (Bayside, N.Y.) went out quickly and easily won the final heat at 54.90 to clock the second fastest time of the day. Her training partners Christine Spence (Lee Summit, Mo.) and reigning world champion Lashinda Demus (Los Angeles, Calif.) also advanced to the next round. Spence finished fourth in heat two in 55.96, which was good enough to take the last qualifying spot to the semis on time, while Demus ran 54.94 to take second in her heat and advance to the semis. Georganne Moline (Tucson, Ariz.) stumbled to the track as she clipped the seventh hurdle. She got to her feet to cross the line seventh in 59.05.
American record holder Evan Jager (Portland, Ore.) looked comfortable as he won the second heat of the 3,000m steeplechase in 8:23.76 to advance to the final. De’Sean Turner (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Daniel Huling (Columbus, Ohio) did not advance to the final. Turner finished in 8:28.44 to take 5th in the second heat, while Huling was 13th in the first heat in 8:37.80.
Lance Brooks (Denver, Colo.) did not advance to the final of the men’s discus throw after competing in qualifying group A. Brooks’ best throw came on his first throw at 59.08m/193-10.
For more information on Team USA at the IAAF World Championships, visitwww.USATF.org. Live results and startlists are available at www.IAAF.org.
Athlete Quotes
Michael Tinsley, 400m Hurdles round 1
“It went pretty good, it was a really good heat. I got out pretty well and came home strong. I wanted to run a little bit slower but the guy on the outside kept it going. It was a good race and I’m glad I qualified for tomorrow.”
Kerron Clement, 400m Hurdles round 1
“It went really well. I felt strong and I executed the race exactly as my coach told me. I’m ready for the semifinal. Of course in the semifinal I’ll have to tweak a few things like finishing a little stronger. I’ll be fine.”
Bershawn Jackson, 400m Hurdles round 1
“It went ok. Seems like my whole career obstacles get in from of me. Yesterday I tweaked my hamstring doing the first hurdle. It’s always something. My hamstring was aging me, so I tried babying it a little bit, get through the rounds. It is what it is. Leading up to yesterday I was in the best shape of my life and hurt my hamstring. No need to cry anymore. I’m a soldier, I’m a fighter. I’m going to go out there tomorrow and leave it out there.”
Georganne Moline, 400m Hurdles, round 1
“I felt a little far away from the hurdle and instead of trying to take it in proper form, I just was a little surprised and caught off coming out lazy, I think I hit with my trail leg. It happens.”
Christine Spence, 400m Hurdles, round 1
“I raised my hand, the gun was messed up the second time and the third time the girl false started. I guess it’s good, to get all the nerves out. I just hope I live to see another day.”
Lashinda Demus, 400m Hurdles, round one
“It felt like a warm-up race. I’m confident I can run better. Next round will be good. I just know what to do the next round. I took that one as learning the track, feeling the hurdling. I’ll come back tomorrow and see how it works.”
Dalilah Muhammed, 400m Hurdles, round one
“I wasn’t too nervous before the start of my race, so I was in good mental space. I just wanted to get out good, quick, try to take the lead early and maintain, run comfortable coming home. I’m focused on making it to the finals, so if I have to run a 53, I’ll do that, or a 52, I’ll go for that, too.
Evan Jager, 3,000m Steeplechase round one
“I felt pretty good. Coming down from altitude, I felt really good the last two days, so I was excited to get into the prelim and just kind of see what it felt like again to get in a high profile steeple race. I e. stayed in the top four for most of the race, and that was the goal to just stay in the top four and finish in the top three, so it felt good. I don’t feel like it is a new event for me. I feel like I gained a lot of confidence last year. I’m feeling comfortable being in the top five. I’m starting to really, really love the event now.
De’Sean Turner, 3,000m Steeplechase round one
“First of all, I ran the last three and half laps with my shoe completely untied, so that was in my mind, but I was able to keep it on luckily, and I guess it didn’t effect me too much. I just didn’t have it today. I’ve been feeling flat for a little while, and I didn’t want to let that effect the race, and take that with me into the start of the race, so I just tried to clear everything. I feel like I competed well, I just didn’t have it today.”
Dan Huling, 3,000m Steeplechase round one
“It’s really embarrassing. It felt really fast, and I guess it wasn’t. I was just kind of dead from the start apparently. I thought I would be top three the whole time. It is just really an embarrassment, I’m so much better than this race.”
Lance Brooks, Discus Qualification
“My first throw I threw 59, my second one I fouled, and my third one I should have fouled. I felt good, I just guess something was going wrong.”
