U.S. TRACK AND FIELD NOTEBOOK
Flanagan Outduels Goucher in 10,000 Meters
After four events, Diana Pickler, above, is second in the heptathlon to Hyleas Fountain, who has a score of 3,989. Pickler is at 3,750 points.
(By Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)
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Saturday, June 28, 2008
EUGENE, Ore., June 27 -- Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher and Amy Yoder Begley took off together before the halfway point of the 10,000 meters at the Olympic trials in track and field Friday night at Hayward Field and helped each other easily claim the first Olympic spots awarded here.
Led at first by Flanagan, then by Begley, the three women lapped nearly everyone else in the field as they rolled to victory in front of 20,964 fans. Flanagan, the American record holder, and Goucher, the reigning world bronze medalist, dueled for the victory over the last three laps, leaving Begley with third place to herself.
Flanagan had little trouble shaking Goucher, finishing first in 31 minutes 34.81 seconds. Goucher crossed the line in 31:37.72 and Begley came in at 31:43.60, a time that gave her the Olympic qualifying standard.
Fountain Breaks Heptathlon Mark
Two-time national champion Hyleas Fountain broke three of Jackie Joyner-Kersee's American records with her finish in 12.65 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles as the heptathlon got under way. Fountain surpassed Joyner-Kersee's American record (12.69), the Olympic trials record (12.71) and the U.S. championship record (12.77).
"It means the world to me," said Fountain, who led after the first four events with a score of 3,989. Georgetown's Buky Bamigboye stood in 15th place with a score of 3,313.
Hurd Falls Short
Tiombe Hurd of Upper Marlboro, the U.S. record holder in the triple jump, fell short in her attempt to qualify for her second straight Olympics after an injury-filled 12 months.
Hurd finished 19th of 22 competitors in the first round, jumping just 43 feet 6 inches. Hurd, slowed last year by a pulled quadriceps and this spring by an ankle injury, vowed to return next season.
"I'm not going out like this," Hurd said. "That's for sure. I just have to get healthy."
Dressing for Success
Toby Stevenson made competing in a helmet fashionable in the pole vault; now there is Paul Litchfield and his tuxedo. Litchfield, who has a marketing degree from Idaho State, sported a blue jersey with a faux tuxedo front, down to the bowtie and buttons, in Friday's qualifying round.
"Normally, I get my picture taken a lot," said Litchfield, who advanced by hitting the automatic qualifier of 18 feet one-half inch.
U.S. record holder Brad Walker led all qualifiers with his jump of 18-4 1/2 . Jeff Hartwig, 40, also met the automatic qualifier, as did Stevenson. Nick Hysong, who won gold at the 2000 Olympics, no-heighted and did not advance.
Hokies Advance
Virginia Tech's Queen Harrison and Sherlenia Green finished with the 10th and 11th best qualifying times, respectively, in the 400 hurdles. Harrison posted a 57.16 and Green 58.12 to advance. . . . Reston's Nikeya Green claimed 11th in the first round of the 800 in 2:04.87, advancing to the semifinals. Alice Schmidt led the qualifiers in 2:03.58 with Hazel Clark second in 2:03.65 . . . Georgetown graduate Rod Koborski did not advance in the men's 5,000, finishing 23rd overall in 14:30.41. Matt Tegencamp led all qualifiers in 13:54.62. World champion Bernard Lagat advanced with a fifth-best time of 13:54.93.
