By Gene Cherry (Reuters)
26 June 1999 – Eugene - Maurice Greene and Marion Jones cruised to easy 200-meter semi-final wins and world silver medallist Regina Jacobs ran the fastest women's 1500 meter time of the year on a windy Saturday at the U.S. championships.
Jacobs clocked 4:02.41 in a stirring wire-to-wire victory despite gusty winds that aided Greene and Jones in their races.
Greene dominated his 200-meter semi-final in 20.11 seconds behind an assisting wind of 4.2 meters per seconds and said he was not concerned about world record-holder Michael Johnson, who pulled out of the championships on Friday because of an injury.
"I'm not worried about Michael Johnson," the newly crowned men's 100-meter world record-holder said. "If I wasn't 100 per cent I wouldn't have come out here either."
Greene's time was the second fastest of the day with Rohssan Griffin winning the first semi-final in a wind-assisted 19.96 seconds.
Jones, meanwhile, took out the frustrations of her loss in the women's long jump final on Friday by winning her women's 200 meter semi-final in 22.31 seconds, also wind-assisted.
"It's not the best time in the world, but I made it through," said Jones, who injured her right knee two weeks ago and is still receiving treatment.
The top three finishers in the championships qualify for August's World Championships in Seville provided they have met the qualifying standard.
Jerome Young beat his former coach, Antonio Pettigrew, to win the men's 400 meters in the second-fastest time of the year, 44.24 seconds. Pettigrew clocked 44.59. Both now train under Trevor Graham, Marion Jones's coach.
Comebacking Gail Devers, the two-time Olympic women's100 meter champion who made the American team in that event on Friday, looked especially sharp in leading qualifying for the women's 100-meter hurdles in a wind-assisted 12.75 seconds.
Larry Wade was the men's 110-meter hurdles qualifying leader in 13.17 seconds with Olympic champion Allen Johnson a heat winner in 13.21.
Anthony Washington hurled the discus 67.95 meters (222 feet, 11 inches) and U.S. record-holder Tom Pukstys claimed the men's javelin with a throw of 78.02 meters (256 feet).
The 41-year-old Tom Petranoff, who has represented both the United States and South Africa in international competition, finished second at 75.21 meters (246 feet, 9 inches).
Stacy Dragila won the women's pole vault at 4.45 meters (14 feet, 7 1/4 inches) then narrowly missed a world record 4.61 meters (15 feet, 1 1/2 inches) on her third attempt.
Women's 400 meter hurdles record-holder Kim Batten, who has been experiencing foot problems, did not finish her final, which Sandra Glover won in 54.95 seconds.
Angela Taylor took the men's 400-meter hurdles in 48.49 seconds.
Results from the third day of the four-day U.S. national track and field championships at
the University of Oregon's Hayward Field (top-three finishers qualify for the World
Championships in Seville):
Women's 20km walk 1. Michelle Rohl One hour, 33 minutes,
17.00 seconds 2. Joanne Dow 1:35:01.00 3. Susan Armenta 1:37:04.00
Men's javelin 1. Tom Pukstys 78.02 meters (256 feet) 2. Tom Petranoff 75.21 (246 feet, 9
inches) 3. Oscar Duncan 74.03 (242 feet, 10 inches)
Women's 400 meters 1. Maicel Malone-Wallace 51.29 seconds 2. Suziann Reid 51.38 3.
Michelle Collins 51.45
Men's 400 meters 1. Jerome Young 44.24 2. Antonio Pettigrew 44.59 3. Jerome Davis 44.91
Women's 400-meter hurdles 1. Sandra Glover 54.95 2. Michelle Johnson 55.53 3. Joanna Hayes
55.76
Women's pole vault 1. Stacy Dragila 4.45 meters (14 feet, 7 1/4 inches) 2, Kellie Suttle
4.30(14 feet, 1 1/4 inches) 3. Melissa Price 4.20(13 feet, 9 1/4 inches)
Men's 400-meter hurdles 1. Angelo Taylor 48.49 seconds 2. Joey Woody 48.61 3. Torrance
Zellner 48.79
Men's long jump 1. Kevin Dilworth 8.12 meters (26 feet, 7 3/4 inches) 2. Erick Walder 8.08
(26 feet, 6 1/4 inches) 3. Savante Stringfellow 7.94 (26 feet, 3/4 inches)
Women's 1,500 meters 1. Regina Jacobs four minutes, 2.41 seconds 2. Stephanie Best 4:08.53
3. Shayne Culpepper 4:08.69
Men's 1,500 meters 1. Steve Holman 3:39.21 2. Seneca Lassiter 3:39.23 3. Matt
Holthaus3:39.57
Men's discus 1. Anthony Washington 67.95 meters (222 feet, 11 inches) 2. John Godina 66.62
(218 feet, 7 inches) 3. Andy Bloom 65.27 (214 feet, 2 inches)
Women's 10,000 meters 1. Libbie Hickman 31 minutes, 41.33 seconds 2. Anne-Marie Lauck
31:43.50 3. Deena Drossin 32:00.72
