Harrison Doesn't Let Obstacles Deter Her

EUGENE, Ore., June 29 -- This was a bit of a surprise: Virginia Tech sophomore Queen Harrison had to leap over 11 hurdles, not the prescribed 10, to make her first Olympic team at the U.S. trials in track and field at Hayward Field on Sunday.

When Miriam Barnes fell on the ninth hurdle, tumbling into Harrison's lane, Harrison had to adjust her stride and leap over Barnes.

She did, gathering herself despite veering significantly off course to finish second to Tiffany Ross-Williams in the 400-meter hurdles final in 54.60 seconds. Ross-Williams finished in 54.03 and Gar-Field High's Sheena Tosta, formerly Sheena Johnson, claimed third in 54.62.

"I had to kind of go around her and jump over her at the same time," Harrison said. "Luckily, it didn't throw me off or anything. I was able to adapt really well."

Harrison, who had to pull out of two hurdles events at the NCAA championships because of a hamstring problem, perhaps learned to roll with adversity when her parents were incarcerated on cocaine and marijuana charges in 1998. Her mother was released after two years, but her father remains in jail, scheduled to be released this summer just days before the Olympic hurdles final, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

Harrison, who has eight brothers and sisters, said she has remained close to her father.

"He had just as much of an impact on my life as my mother," she said. "He's been a big inspiration in my life. I've been able to be very strong despite the situation I've been in."

Tosta, meantime, said she was thrilled to make her second Olympic team despite faltering with her footwork at the eighth hurdle. Her time fell well short of the Olympic trials record of 52.95 she set in 2004.

"It was a little panic [because] I expected to be ahead over the last hurdle," said Tosta, who married Joey Tosta in Santa Barbara, Calif., in March. But "just making the team at this point was my strategy."

Ageless Hartwig

Even at 40 and 12 years removed from his first Olympic appearance, Jeff Hartwig proved he can still hurl his body into the air with the best of them. The former world indoor silver medal winner -- back in 1999 -- Hartwig finished second in the pole vault final with his jump of 18 feet 8.25 inches, claiming one of the three available Olympic slots. Derek Miles finished first in 19-00.25. American record holder Brad Walker was third in 18-6.50.

Hartwig rebounded after missing twice at the first height he attempted.

"I don't even really have the words," he said. "You just never know. I think conditions played in my favor. . . . My body hurts all the time."

Jackson Wins 400 Hurdles

Bershawn Jackson, a childhood training mate of Ross-Williams's in Miami, won the men's 400 hurdles title in 48.17, topping Kerron Clement, 48.36, and Angelo Taylor, 48.42. Taylor won the 2000 Olympic gold medal in the event, and Clement (47.79) and Jackson (48.15) held the world-leading times entering this meet. "Amazing awaits, that's the whole theme of the Olympics," Jackson said. "We're definitely going to sweep, but who comes in first, that's anybody's guess."

Merritt Tops 400 Qualifier

In the first round of the 400, Lashawn Merritt led all qualifiers with a 45.30. Olympic and world champion Jeremy Wariner posted the fourth-best time (46.04); in the women's heats, Sanya Richards led with a 51.08. Mary Wineberg was second fastest in 51.46.