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Unlikely First Gold Stokes U.S.
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None of that mattered Monday. She and the rest of the field had received a bit of an early boost when the event's world leader, Russian Darya Pishchalnikova, was among the seven Russians denied entry to the Olympics for their role in an alleged doping scheme.
Brown Trafton, who entered the meet with the third-best throw of 2008, knew she had a chance for a medal. She just didn't anticipate getting the color she got. At the 2004 Olympic Games, she hadn't even advanced out of the qualifying round.
"I knew I had to get a good throw," she said. "It just happened to be the first one."
Stuczynski entered the Olympics solidly in the shadow of Isinbayeva, who had won 13 straight major championships and set 23 world records before Monday. Stuczynski struggled to lay down a strong challenge, easily clinching second place with her best mark of 15-9 but failing to push Isinbayeva, who achieved 16-6.75. Still, she reveled in her first Olympic medal in her first Games -- especially considering the U.S. team's earlier struggles.
"I definitely think they were pulling for me," Stuczynski said. "I just hope they're proud of it."
The 400 hurdlers produced the most dominant and least surprising result of the night. Led by Clement, the trio possessed the top three times in the world this season. They all had major championship experience. In the call room before the race, the men got together and shook hands. The last American sweep in the event came at the 1960 Summer Games in Rome. They decided it was time to do it again.
"Before the race, we all came together as one," Jackson said. "We just got together and said, 'Let's go make history.' . . . We put on our spikes and said, 'Let's go.' "
And they went. Taylor led throughout, winning in a personal-best time. Clement secured second place in the home stretch, but third seemed momentarily up for grabs. Jackson had to chase down Jamaican Danny McFarlane over the last 50 meters to capture the bronze.
"We said we was going to go one-two-three," Clement said. "We knew we are the best in the world and we proved that tonight."
