Jackson takes Carson 400m Hurdles in 47.62

Bershawn Jackson hasn’t forgotten the feeling of finishing fourth in the 400m Hurdles in the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials last July, so missing an Olympic berth by one heartbreaking place.

Jackson, currently ninth for his event in the IAAF World Rankings, is obviously intent that such a disappointment will not happen again this summer as he bids for a place at the World Championships, and showed superb form in yesterday’s adidas Track Classic with a 47.62 win at the Home Depot Center on Sunday 22 May.

The yearly world leading time moved Jackson into ninth on the all-time U.S. list and a favourite for the USA Track & Field Championships that will be run at the same track in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson from 21-23 June.

“I always had it in me,” Jackson said. “It was just a matter of time before I put it all together.”
 
Six world season leads 
   
Jackson’s performance in the 400m Hurdles was among six yearly world-leading marks established in front of a crowd of 10,723, on a warm, sunny afternoon where temperatures crept over 30 degrees Celsius.

Other men’s leads were turned in by John Godina in the Shot Put with a career-best 22.20m and Jeremy Wariner in the 400m in 44.53.

Women’s season marks were posted by Veronica Campbell in the 100m with 10.96; Allyson Felix in the 200m in 22.14 and Joanna Hayes in the 100m Hurdles in 12.64.

Taking aim at World 400m Hurdle record

The diminutive Jackson, who stands 5 feet, 7 inches (1.70m) didn’t hesitate to make bold predictions, after eclipsing his career-best of 47.86 which he ran at the 2004 World Athletics Final in the Monaco. He projects that the World record of 46.78 set by compatriot Kevin Young in the 1992 Olympic final in Barcelona will soon fall.

“I’m 5-7 but I have a soul of a 6-4 (1.93m) person,” Jackson said. “I have the heart of a giant. To PB at this point is telling me that the World record is in jeopardy. I hate to say it’s about time that a World record will be dropped in that event. I knew from the first time that I started doing it that I would be the one to knock it down.”

Jackson is the cousin of University of South Carolina hurdler Tiffany Ross, the 2002 U.S. Junior Champion in the 100m Hurdles. He trains with 2004 U.S. Olympic head coach George Williams in Raleigh, North Carolina, has made substantial breakthroughs dropping more than two seconds off his 2002 PB of 50.00 over the last three seasons.

“When the (World record) will come, it will come,” Jackson said. “.I am not gong to force it but the World Championships would be a perfect time.’’
 
A message to Sanchez 
 
It will most likely take a victory over Felix Sanchez of the Dominican Republic in final at the World Championships for anyone to grab the World title but Jackson isn’t fazed about taking on the 2001 and 2003 World gold medallist>

Jackson broke into tears while watching the pre-race introductions in the Athens Olympic 400m hurdle final on television and said it was too unbearable to watch. To this day, he has yet to see a video replay of the race.

“In the bible, it says all men are created equal,” Jackson said. “(Sanchez) is a great athlete. I don’t take anything from him but on any given day the best lose. He trains hard and I train hard. No one goes to a track set up for a loss It’s more than him on the track,’’
 
Godina getting better with age
 
There are no immediate plans for retirement for John Godina in the Shot Put. Godina, who will turn 33 on 31 May, produced his first personal best since 1999 with his 22.20m effort on Sunday.

The mark smashed the three-time World champion’s previous best of 22.00m. Godina, who parted ways with longtime college coach Art Venegas of UCLA after 2004 to train at Arizona State with throws coach and former college teammate David Dumble, won the USATF Indoor title with a world-leading 21.83m in February.

Godina opened the competition with his winning mark and was never threatened. Dan Taylor, was second at 20.73m and Jamie Beyer was third at 20.66m. Adam Nelson, the 2004 Olympic silver medallist who auctioned himself on ebay.com last week in hopes of landing a sponsor, was fourth at 20.55m.
 
Hayes evens up series with Felicien
 
Joanna Hayes evened up the season series with Perdita Felicien of Canada at one apiece in the women’s 100m Hurdles.
With her 12.64 clocking, Hayes avenged a defeat to Felicien in the Jamaica International Invitational on 7 May, and eclipsed the Canadian’s yearly leading mark of 12.67.

Hayes got the edge on Felicien from the start with training partner Michelle Perry closing strongly over the final three barriers to finish second in 12.70. Felicien was third in 12.71.

In Athens Hayes set an Olympic record of 12.37 after Felicien tripped over the first hurdle and failed to finish. In their first race since the Olympics two weeks ago, Felicien, the 2003 World Champion, notched a narrow win after Hayes hit the ninth hurdle.

“I felt like it was my turn, my time and I was ready (in the Olympics) to win,” Hayes said. “I’ve tried to throw the race out the window and start over. I think a rivalry is good but you always want to be on top.”

Hayes and Felicien will race again in the Prefontaine Classic at the University of Oregon on June 4. It will likely be one of the few races between Hayes and the Canadian before the World Championships.

“We get along fine and I think it’s going to be a good year for the both of us,” Hayes said about Felicien. “I am must glad that I don’t have to see her too many times before the worlds.”
 
Felix - fast 200m
 
Allyson Felix, 19, held off Lauryn Williams to win 22.14 to 22.27 for a career-best at sea level. The time was under her World Junior record of 22.18 run to win the silver medal in Athens.

Felix, who opened her 200m campaign this summer with 22.78 in Doha on 13 May, began training with Bobby Kersee in the autumn. She trailed Williams coming off the curve yesterday but gradually strode past her on the homestretch. Felix believes that the 22-second barrier is obtainable but was reluctant to create a timetable.

“I finished strong and I am just glad that it’s out of the way and I can focus on my season,” Felix said. “I think (running under 22) is not unrealistic but the emphasis is on making the (World Championships) team.”

Campbell takes dash

Veronica Campbell of Jamaica, who defeated Felix to win the 200m in Athens, won the 100m in 10.96 to beat Americans Muna Lee (11.20) and Angela Daigle (11.24).
 
Wariner and Richards coast to 400m wins
 
After two 400m defeats this season, Jeremy Wariner continues to approach the form that led him to the 2004 Olympic title. Wariner ran a controlled race to defeat Andrew Rock, a U.S. teammate on the 2004 Olympic gold medal 4x400m relay team, 44.53 to 44.86.

Sanya Richards won the women’s 400m in 50.00, the No. 2 performance in the world this season behind her 49.96, to defeat Jamaicans Ronetta Smith (51.23) and Novlene Williams (51.69).

Turquoise Thompson, 13, an eighth grader who will attend Long Beach Poly High where she will be teammates with 2004 U.S. World Youth team heptathlete Shana Woods, was eighth in 54.51.
    
Scott upstages Greene
 
In one of the biggest surprises, Leonard Scott upstaged training partner Maurice Greene to win the 100m in 10.03 run into a 1.3 m/s headwind, after the 2000 Olympic champion finished fourth in 10.32 complaining of slipped blocks.

Scott equalled Greene’s U.S. leading mark run in Martinique on 30 April. Terrence Trammell, the winner of a swift wind assisted (2.2m/s) 110m Hurdles in 13.11, was second in 10.17, and Jason Smoots was third in 10.32.

American season leaders were also turned in by Kenta Bell in the Triple Jump and Bernard Lagat in the 1500m. Bell won with an effort of 17.09m on his sixth attempt to overtake Chris Hercules (16.90m). Lagat, the 2004 Olympic silver 1500m medallist for Kenya who recently acquired U.S. citizenship, set a meet record of 3:34.34.

In the women’s Pole Vault, Dana Buller set a Canadian national record of 4.50m to beat American Jillian Schwartz on fewer misses.

Shayne Culpepper won the 1500m with a strong finishing surge to win the women’s 1500m in 4:07.08 over Ethiopia’s Mestawot Taddese (4:07:14) and Canada’s Kate Vermuelen (4:07.77).

Tanisha Mills defeated Brenda Taylor to win the women’s 400m Hurdles, 55.57 to 55.80.  Erin Aldrich, a 2000 U.S. Olympian who is playing professional beach volleyball in Italy, won the High Jump in a jump-off with Sharon Day of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with both clearing 1.92m.

Other men’s winners were Markos Geneti of Ethiopia in the 3000m (7:38.11), Anthony Famiglietti in the 3000m Steeplechase (8:25.16), Jared Rome in the Discus Throw (63.64m) and Brian Chaput in the Javelin Throw (76.89m).
 
Kirby Lee for the IAAF

 
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