2012 Oly Trials: WL’s for Merritt, Hoffa, Sanya, Gatlin gets 9.80, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

WL´s for Merritt, Sanya, Hoffa and Gatlin gets 9.80

EUGENE (USA, Jun 24): Two world leading marks at 400 m and another one in shot put and fast 9.80 personal best for Justin Gatlin highlighted the Sunday action at Hayward Field watched by a crowd of 27 013 to set a Hayward Field attendance record for the second day in a row. USATF informs that sprinting to the front with 120 meters to go, Sanya Richards-Ross raced her way into the record books Sunday with a world-leading 49.28 (Hayward Field record) in the 400 that tied the Olympic Trials meet record set by Chandra Cheeseborough in 1984. Francena McCorory, the indoor American Record holder, set the early pace in the lane outside Richards-Ross, but had to hang on down the stretch as DeeDee Trotter clocked 50.02 to make her third-straight Olympic squad. McCorory was third in 50.43. Fourth and first non-qualifier Debbie Dunn 50.78 ahead of young Diamond Dixon who clocked PB of 50.88.  Defending Olympic 400 champion LaShawn Merritt keyed off Penn State’s Brady Gehret through the first 250 meters before powering ahead on the way to a world-leading 44.12 (he is unbeaten this year). NCAA champion Tony McQuay of Florida lowered his personal best to 44.49 to take second, and comeback kid Bryshon Nellum of USC rolled to a PR 44.80 to place third. Nellum missed two years of competition after suffering a gunshot wound to his leg in 2008, and failed to make the NCAA final this year in Des Moines. Trojan teammate Josh Mance was fourth at 44.88 with Manteo Mitchell 5th in PB 44.96 and former oly and world winner Jeremy Wariner 6th (45.24). In the marquee event of the evening, 2004 Olympic 100m champion Justin Gatlin zipped to a U.S.-leading and second fastest of the year to Usain Bolt 9.80 (+1.8) to take the top spot on the podium to make his second Olympic team. In only his second meet of the year, defending Trials champion Tyson Gay ran to second place in 9.86. Local favorite Ryan Bailey edged Mike Rodgers for the third position, 9.93-9.94 to make his first Olympic team. Doc Patton was the fifth man to dip under 10 seconds, clocking 9.96. Beijing medalist Walter Dix was 8th (10.95) with injured hamstring from semis (10.16 as last qualifier). Marquise Goodwin used a lifetime best on his final attempt in the men’s long jump to defend his national championship and make his first Olympic Team. The NCAA champion for Texas two weeks ago, Goodwin waged a see-saw battle with World Indoor triple jump champ Will Claye, and needed his 833 (+1.4) sixth jump to top the 823 (+2.3, legal 822+0.9 in last round). The third spot on the London team went to one of the feel-good stories of the Trials thus far, as George Kitchens, Jr., blasted to a lifetime-best 821 (+0.6) to nab third and meet the Olympic A standard on his third attempt. In 2009 here, Kitchens had a wind-aided jump of 8.23m/27-0 to finish third, but did not qualify for the World Championships in Berlin as he did not have a wind-legal A standard. Triple world champion Christian Taylor was fourth 812 (+1.1).  Two-time Olympian Reese Hoffa exploded with a world-leading 22.00 in the third round to win his third U.S. outdoor shot put title (his third Olympic Team in a row), taking the measure of World Indoor champ Ryan Whiting and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Christian Cantwell. Whiting’s opening 21.66 was the leader until Hoffa’s big put, and Cantwell popped a 21.28 in round three. Penn State’s Joe Kovacs launched a big PR 21.08 to claim fourth. Reigning Olympic champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton qualified for her third Olympic team with a massive 65.18m on her final attempt in the women’s discus, and two of her other throws would have been good enough to win. Making her fourth Olympic team in second place was Aretha Thurmond with a toss of 62.23 and third went to former American Record holder Suzy Powell-Roos 60.20.  Since Powell-Roos does not have the A standard, the third spot on the London squad will go to sixth-place Gia Lewis-Smallwood (58.78). It only took three jumps for 2008 pole vault silver medalist Jenn Suhr to claim her sixth U.S. outdoor title and second straight Trials gold. The American record holder entered the competition at 455 and cleared on her second try, then made it over 460 first time to take the top spot. Former Oregon Duck Becky Holliday’s 455 leap gave her the runner-up spot, while Lacy Janson, who took fifth at this year’s World Indoor Championships, garnered her first Olympic berth with a 450 clearance. Mary Saxer with also 450 lost her olympic place on count-back. Based on USATF report.

OTHER RESULTS

PORT OF SPAIN (TRI, Jun 24): Second day of Trinidad and Tobago trials saw the national 4×400 m team (Quow, Gordon, Solomon, Lendore) clocking national record 3:00.45 and second fastest of the year by a national team. St. Kitts (without Kim Collins) won the 4×100 m in 39.06 and Trinidad women 44.63. Kai Selvon won the 200 m in 22.96 (-1.9) over Semoy Hackett 22.98 as Kelly-Ann Baptiste was not running. In the men´s 200 m favorite win for Daegu finalist Rondell Sorrillo 20.48 (-1.1) ahead of the 400 m champion Lalonde Gordon 20.77. Junior javelin record holder Keshorn Walcott achieved 75.00 m. In the 400 m hurdles Janeil Bellille beat with 56.31 the world medalist 2009 Jo Lucas 56.39. Cleopatra Borel-Brown got the shot title (17.98) and Dominica´s guest Brendan Williams was the best in the high jump (225, national record). Aaron Evans from Bermuda won the 800 m in 1:46.69.

SHIBETSU (JPN, Jun 23): At Hokuren distance challenge Edward Waweru of Kenya clocked 13:27.61 in the 5000 m. London Olympic Marathon bound Arata Fujiwara ran here both A and B races with starting the second one less than five minutes he ended the first one. Impressive times for him 29:08.00 (winner) and 29:00.98 (fifth). Winner of the second race Kenyan Alex Mwangi got 28:12.47.

MANNHEIM (GER, Jun 23): Australian javelin thrower Kim Mickle was throwing as guest at the junior meet and achieved 64.12 personal best.

VANCOUVER (CAN, Jun 24): Olympic-bound Reid Coolsaet won the Scotiabank Vancouver Half Marathon in 1:03:16 and missed the course record only by 5 seconds. Kip Kangogo was second 1:03:28 and Eric Gillis third 1:03:56. Top woman was Krista Duchene in 1:14:03.

CALI (COL, Jun 24): Triple world medalist Caterine Ibarguen leaped to 670 (0.0) at the South American Grand Prix meet here. It is new national record for Colombia. Iberoamerican champion Alex Quinonez of Ecuador got 10.47 100 m win against -2.9 wind. Paulo Villar won the 110 m hurdles in 13.57.

PORTO ALEGRE (BRA, Jun 23): South American record holder Jadel Gregorio returns into shape with 16.90 (+1.5) in the triple jump.

KAMPALA (UGA, Jun 22-23):  Uganda’s long distance runner Adero Nyakisi failed the London 2012 Olympic Games’ bid in her last quest at the national championships.  Nyakisi was the only athlete expected to try and give a shot at the Olympic Games qualifying standards as the 3000m steeplechase action was cancelled by the technical committee in the morning.  The cancellation followed the technical committee’s visit to the constructed steeple and declaring it “not fit for competition” according to the head of technical Faustino Kiwa. She clocked alone 34:12.5 at the 10 000 m (and also 16:24.9 in the 5000 m). “It is hard for me. My entire target was to hit the qualifying mark but I have not been able to do so. I will get another chance, but for now, I will shift my focus to represent Uganda in the World half marathon,” said the runner, who is coming back from the maternity leave. Alex Cherop won the 1500 m in 3:45.6 and Stephen Kiprotich the 5000 m in 13:53.9. Solomon Mutai clocked 28:47.7 in the 10 000 m over Kiprotich 28:54.3. From Ugandan media.