Kelli White wins 2003 US Nationals - 100m (© Getty Images)
The greatest media attention of any championships, it seems, is focused on the 100 metres, and with the US team spots for the Paris World Championships at stake in these two, brief races, this axiom was not violated in the least on the second day of the US Championships, on Friday 20 June.
With Maurice Greene assured an automatic entry as the defending World champion, America’s other male sprinters sorted out the rest of the spots but most likely not in concert with the bookmakers.
It was Bernard Williams, and not World record holder Tim Montgomery, who took the spotlight in the final with a 10.11 win, as Montgomery recovered from a bad start to salvage second in 10.15. Jon Drummond, at 34 the senior member of the final octet and the apparent leader for much of the early part of the race, faded at the end but still snared the third spot in 10.18, ahead of Coby Miller (10.23).
While Greene was offering an impromptu race critique to a handful of media outside the interview tent, the two other sprinters - perhaps enjoying a bonding experience because of their newborn or soon-to-be-expected offspring - were discussing the contest to the main press contingent.
Montgomery felt lucky to make the finals, after stumbling in the semifinals. “My first step was a little short coming out of the blocks. I wanted to extend my stride to get a better push-off for the finals, and I got up on my toes too much and couldn’t handle it,” he explained. “I went down on the track, touched it with my hand, and said, ‘Oh, man, this race is over’.”
On Williams’ win, Montgomery admitted, “I did lose the battle today, but I’m still around for the war.”
Williams was upbeat about his performance, as well he should have been, calling his start “one of my best”. When asked if he felt overlooked, with so much attention being showered on Greene and Montgomery, Williams admitted that this kind of treatment was a big motivating force.
Despite his second-place finish, Montgomery said that he was ready to attack the summer and to “do what I have to do in Paris”. The self-coached sprinter added that “today, my race needed a lot of help,” but “by next week”, he said he should have an agreement made with a new coach, the identity of whom he declined to reveal.
By contrast, the women’s competition had no guest commentator in the person of Marion Jones. Kelli White was able to do her work without any outside distraction, and the result was a splendid 10.93 demolition of the rest of the field, the world’s fastest of the year. Running in her native Bay Area of California, the 26-year-old White transformed a good start into a runaway win over Torri Edwards (11.13), Gail Devers (11.16) and Inger Miller (11.17), with Chryste Gaines (11.21) and Angela Williams (11.23) taking the next two spots in a talent-laden final.
White, the Edmonton bronze medallist in the 200 metres, didn’t quite know how to grasp her success at the shorter race, even though she was also a finalist in the 100 in Edmonton.
“I’m still a 200-metre runner at heart. In the 100, if you mess it up a little bit, it’s over.”
It was a bit of a personal vindication for White, who had recently been suffering from right hamstring and left quadriceps ailments. None of that was apparent today. And beaming with pride near the back of the interview room was White’s coach, Remi Korchemny, who knows a thing or two about preparation for a sprint double. One of the Ukrainian’s earlier protégés, Valeriy Borzov, managed it quite well in 1972.
Finals in both 5000 metres races concluded the evening programme. Marla Runyan was in “A to Z” control during the women’s race, winning in 15:16.18 ahead of Shalane Flanagan (15:20.54). Third placer Shayne Culpepper (15:23.59) will join husband Alan, the winner of last night’s men’s 10K, on the US squad if she can meet the “A” standard of 15:08.70, which is also Flanagan’s latest goal.
The men’s 5K had more drama, as Tim Broe - once thought to be America’s next great steeplechaser - matched Sydney Olympian Adam Goucher stride for stride into the backstretch of the bell lap. Only in the final strides was Broe able to hold off Goucher for the victory, 13:35.23 to 13:35.67, as Jorge Torres was himself winning a mini-duel against Jonathon Riley, 13:36.42 to 13:37.08.
Sanya Richards (51.74) and Demetria Washington (51.91) emerged as the two semi-final winners in the women’s 400 metres, and the pair should stage a heated battle in Saturday’s final.
The men’s 400 metres was dominated by Tyree Washington’s 45.09, as Jerome Young (45.24) and Calvin Harrison (45.28) both chased home the World Indoor champion in the faster of the two heats. Derrick Brew (45.57) won the other section.
Larry Wade further consolidated his position as America’s most consistent sprint hurdler as he led all 110m Hurdles qualifiers with a 13.28 performance, which also defeated three-time World Champion Allen Johnson (13.38). Other heat winners were Arend Watkins (13.46), Dominique Arnold (13.64, against a 2.3 wind), and Duane Ross (13.36). Terrence Trammell, in his first outdoor race after injury problems late in the indoor season, also looked strong with 13.43 behind Ross.
David Krummencker - tender hamstrings and all - clung to a qualifying spot in the men’s 800 metres final on Sunday with a 1:48.71, again being led by Khadevis Robinson (1:48.29). University runner Jonathon Johnson paced the faster section with 1:47.56, followed by Bryan Woodward (1:47.67) and Jesse Strutzel (1:47.76).
Jearl Miles-Clark (2:03.23) and defending 800 metres champion Nicole Teter (2:03.69) moved ahead to a showdown in the final, with Hazel Clark (2:04.60), Jen Toomey (2:03.39) and Chantee Earl (2:03.88) also part of the mix on Sunday.
The Men’s 400m Hurdles first round spelled doom for Angelo Taylor, who suffered an adductor injury in training ten days ago. The Sydney champion was in good position coming off the eighth hurdle in his heat, but he could not respond when it came time to kick for the finish. His 50.72 was - as in the case of Justin Gatlin in the flat sprint last night - the fastest non-qualifier, as Fred Sharpe controlled the heat with 50.29.
More fortunate was Seville finalist Joey Woody, whose 49.35 was the fastest of the evening. Also impressive was world leader Bershawn Jackson with 49.55 while running in lane three under breezy conditions.
The greatest concentration of hurdling talent was in the heat won by Sydney fourth placer James Carter (50.32), who had to deal with both Ricky Harris (50.49) and Calvin Davis (50.95).
In the women’s Hurdles, Sandra Glover nearly matched her season best with a relaxed 54.75, easily leading Brenda Taylor (55.58) and Joanna Hayes (55.76) into the finish. Glover will be well challenged in Saturday’s final by reigning World Junior record holder Lashinda Demus, who clocked 55.65 in holding off a late challenge by Raasin McIntosh (55.90).
With a stiff “A” standard of 3:34.90 facing the runners in the men’s 1500 metres, it would appear that the US will not be at full strength in this event in Paris. The one runner who has met the “A” standard - David Krummenacker - has cast his lot with the 800 Metres, leaving the field open to any one of a number of contestants left after today’s heats. Those appearing to have the best chance are a trio of runners who have spent time at Stanford - US indoor champion Jason Lunn, Michael Stember, and new NCAA champion Grant Robison - plus last year’s champion and runner-up, Seneca Lassiter and Bryan Berryhill.
The Heptathlon concluded with Edmonton bronze medallist Shelia Burrell successfully defending her title with a point total of 6159. First-day leader Kim Schiemenz (6003) and Tiffany Lott-Hogan (5843) were second and third. DeDee Nathan’s fourth-place 5829 may still make a fifth US World Championships team, however, as Lott-Hogan has yet to attain the 6105 norm for Paris.
World Indoor Long Jump Champion Dwight Phillips leaped 8.24 on his final attempt to win on a count-back against the Birmingham silver medallist in the Triple Jump, Walter Davis. Davis had been the event leader with the same 8.24 distance on his second attempt - and only legal jump - but he passed the final four rounds, ostensibly to save energy for Sunday’s Triple Jump final, and thus handed the crown to Phillips. Savanté Stringfellow’s lead-off 8.22 ended up in third.
A rather lacklustre Men’s High Jump was won by Jamie Nieto at 2.30, as world leader Matt Hemingway and Terrance Woods earned a claim to a team position with 2.27. Even with a PB at that height, Woods still needs to achieve the 2.30 “A” standard to ensure participation in Paris.
For Atlanta High Jump gold medallist Charles Austin, it was a moment of “torch passing”, as it marked only the second time since his Tokyo World Championships win that he has failed to represent the US in a global meet. The 35-year-old Austin tied for seventh at 2.22 with another internationalist “Charles”, the 2.06m-tall Mr. Clinger, who was last season’s US leader.
Erica Wheeler’s 56.85 was enough for her first national title in the women’s Javelin, but it won’t get her to Paris quite yet as the formidable “A” standard of 62.15 hovers over the rest of her summer. Kim Kreiner (56.39) and Denise O’Connell (53.38) took the next two spots, with Kreiner currently destined to be the sole team member by virtue of having already met the “B” standard.
Kristin Heaston won her first national Shot Put title with a last-effort 18.33, defeating the 2001 champion, Seilala Sua, whose best was 17.69. Third place narrowly went to Adriane Blewitt (17.47) over Rebecca Breisch (17.45), but the next seven weeks of competition will in reality determine who goes to Paris, as none of the top three finishers has the A-standard.
Even less certain is the participation of American men in the Hammer. James Parker won his first title today with 73.04, as John McEwen repeated his second-place performance from last year with 72.96. And recently naturalized Irish thrower Patrick McGrath celebrated his new passport with a third-place 72.12. But none of the three seems to be within reach of the “B” standard of 76.40.
