Amy Acuff nabs her fourth US indoor title in Boston (© Getty Images)
Amy Acuff doesn’t have second thoughts about competing on the indoor circuit any more.
Acuff won the women’s High Jump with a 1.92m leap for her fourth Indoor national title on the first day of the AT&T USA Track & Field Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center on Saturday (23 Feb).
In addition, the three-time Olympian also earned a berth on the U.S. team for the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Valencia, Spain on 7-9 Mar. The top two finishers qualified for team berths provided that they have attained provisional qualifying marks.
“I feel that I can go and have an impact. That’s what my motive is,” Acuff said.
Acuff was joined in the winner’s circle in the first day of the two-day meeting by Aarik Wilson and Christin Wurth-Thomas who posted U.S-leading marks in the Triple Jump (16.91) and women’s 1500m (4:14.21), respectively.
No More Doubts for Acuff
Acuff, 32, won the 2007 indoor title but had been hesitant about jumping during the indoor season because she was concerned that it might be a distraction to her preparation for the U.S. Olympic Trials in June.
Those doubts were erased after she jumped 1.94m in her season debut at the Run for the Dream meet in Fresno on 21 Jan.
“I started having the best practices of my career,” said Acuff, who has an outdoor best of 2.01m set in 2003. “I thought `Indoors is going to work this year.’ It’s just hard to congeal everything. But the combination of training is working really well to be competitive this early. So I am going to go with it.”
Acuff’s only disappointment was not having an opportunity to take a shot at the American indoor record of 2.01m on Saturday. Acuff won with a second-attempt clearance at 1.92m and then had three narrow misses at 1.98m.
Chaunte Howard, the 2005 World Championships Outdoor silver medalist who took the season off because of pregnancy, finished second at 1.89m.
“Technically, I am OK,” Acuff said. “There’s just little errors here and there. And the error changed each time. It’s kind of like plugging holes in a dam... little stuff. Once I get those things to line up, it will be just fine.”
Andra Manson won the men’s High Jump at 2.30m with Jesse Williams, the 2006 NCAA indoor and outdoor champion from USC, placing second for the second year in a row with a clearance of 2.28m.
Walker Wins Pole Vault at 5.70m
Defending World Indoor and Outdoor champion Brad Walker won the Pole Vault at 5.70m to take his third title in a row but said that the performance was not indicative of his fitness in preparation for the World Indoor Championships.
“I am not sure whether it is the box or the runway or exactly what it is,” Walker said. “Maybe it’s our prep coming into the meet. It’s tough to get a big mark coming out of the (Reggie Lewis Center).”
Walker added that there will be little pressure on him in Valencia as defending champion with his training geared primarily toward the outdoor season.
“I just don’t focus on indoors at all,” Walker said. “They are meets to have a good time to see how you’re jumping early on but it really doesn’t mean anything in the big scheme of things. It’s great to come in here and make the World Championships team but it was never my focus.”
Wilson, Fountain post wins in horizontal jumps
Wilson had sentiments similar to Walker’s after winning the Triple Jump for the second consecutive year. It was only the second indoor meet of the year and first competition with a full approach for Wilson.
Wilson fouled on three of his six jumps including the final two, with his winning leap coming in the fourth round at 16.91m. Kenta Bell was second at 16.73m.
“There is a lot of pride in it but it’s still early and I want to peak for the Olympics,” Wilson said. “Now... I am just trying to do things that will get me ready for June at the (U.S.) Trials... It’s still a work in progress.”
In the women’s Long Jump, Hyleas Fountain and Shameka Marshall both jumped 6.38m. Fountain, the 2005 and 2007 USATF Heptathlon champion, prevailed on the basis of a better second-best jump, 6.36m to 6.28m.
There was also drama in the women’s Shot Put with Jillian Camarena winning her fourth title in a row with a sixth-round throw of 18.11m to overtake Abigail Ruston (18.03m).
Aspirations grow for Wurth-Thomas
Wurth-Thomas, who already has the best time by an American Indoors in the mile (4:27.18) and 3,000m (8:54.97), added another U.S. best with her win in the 1500m on Saturday.
Wurth-Thomas powered away from Jennelle Deatherage (4:17.38) with a 2:08 final 800m. Sara Hall, the wife of U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials champion Ryan Hall, was third in 4:19.23.
Wurth-Thomas, who finished a non-qualifying 10th in her heat in the 1500m in the Osaka World Championships, proudly proclaimed her lofty aspirations for Valencia after winning her first national title – Indoors or Outdoors – on Saturday.
“We’re going to go after the Russians and we’re going to go after (Outdoor Olympic) A Standard indoors,” Wurth-Thomas said. “I think I am ready for it. A 4:07 is not out of the picture.”
There was also a first-time winner in the women’s 3000m with Shannon Rowbury defeating two-time Olympian Jennifer Rhines, 8:55.19 to 8:59.98.
In the men’s 3000m, Matt Tegenkamp defended his title, beating Chris Solinksy 8:02.52 to 8:03.80. Matthew Boyles won the 5000m Race Walk in 20:30.
Qualifying Summary
Mary Wineberg, an Osaka World Championships 4 x 400m Relay gold medalist, and Shareese Woods were the top qualifiers in the women’s 400m at 52.68 and 52.84.
In the women’s 800m heats, Nicole Cook (2:04.93) and Tiffany McWilliams (2:04.91) were the top qualifiers. Alisa Harvey, 42, clocked 2:06.08 to break her U.S. Masters record of 2:07.08 set on 26 Jan.
In the men’s 400m qualifying, David Neville (47.19), Kelly Willie (47.55) and defending champion Greg Nixon (47.63) had the fastest times. Tyree Washington, the 2003 World Indoor champion, had the No. 7 mark at 48.20 to advance.
Defending champion Nick Symmonds (1:48.67) and Khadevis Robinson (1:48.88) were the 800m heat winners.
The meet schedule was pushed back two hours and the first rounds of the men’s and women’s 60m and 60m hurdles were cancelled because inclement weather in the Northeast delayed flights arriving and departing into Boston on Friday.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
