After seven days of competition filled with impressive performances, dramatic finishes, and a world record, the US Olympic track & field trials have finished and the team going to London is set. Here's what happened over the last few days...
In the women's 800, Alysia Montaño finished first to claim her fourth US championship in 1:59.08. Montaño, who has been running well all year, will give the United States hope for winning a medal in London. Geena Gall finished second in 1:59.24 with Alice Schmidt third 0.22 seconds later. Maggie Vessey, who many thought would make the team, came last in 2:03.44.
Emma Coburn of the University of Colorado easily won the 3000 steeplechase in 9:32.78 followed by Bridget Franek and the University of Colorado's Shalaya Kipp a few seconds later. Coburn and Kipp continued Colorado's tradition of producing outstanding athletes in the women's steeplechase and further demonstrated the legendary coaching ability of Mark Wetmore.
The women's high jump featured some impressive leaps by Chaunte Lowe (6-7), Brigetta Barrett (6-7), and Amy Acuff (6-4.75). Barrett, of the University of Arizona, looks to be the future of US women's high jump when she had a big PB to launch herself into second.
The men's 110 meter hurdle finals was one of the most anticipated as it featured a loaded field of athletes including the reigning national indoor champ at 60 meters Aries Merritt, the reigning world outdoor champ Jason Richardson, and the American record holder David Oliver (12.89 seconds). Despite some sprinkling rain, Merritt blasted through the ten barriers to win and set a personal best of 12.93 (a hundredth of a second off the meet record) with Richardson second in 12.98, tying his personal best. Jeffrey Porter pulled out third in 13.08 and left Oliver, who I certainly thought would make the team, in fifth 0.09 seconds later. The performance it would take to make this year's team, probably more than any other, needed to be so great that nothing but an excellent race would be necessary. Oliver, as he did in the previous rounds, got a bad start and couldn't make up the distance his fellow hurdlers put on him. It sucks even more for him because he was in a bunch of commercials promoting the American Olympic track team and even modeled the new Nike uniform with nothing to show for it.
The following race was probably even more loaded with talent than the 110 hurdles, though. The women's 200 featured three time-world champ Allyson Felix, the world leader Sanya Richards-Ross, and the second fastest woman of all time Carmelita Jeter in addition to a few other exceptionally talented sprinters. The race's participants held the five fastest times of the year. After a great start, Felix powered down the straightaway to smash the meet record and set a personal best of 21.69. It was the fastest time set by an American in fourteen years and instantly made her the favorite in London (if she wasn't already). Jeter finished second in 22.11 while Richards-Ross crossed the line third 0.11 seconds later to achieve the rare 200/400 appearance in the Olympics. These three women look to sweep the event at the Games and get the upper hand in the US's rivalry with Jamaica.
The women's long jump was won by Brittany Reese in 23-5.5, a figure who has been completely dominating the event internationally for the past few years. Louisiana Tech's Chelsea Hayes leapt to a more than one foot personal record to not only get the A-standard, but grab second with Janay DeLoach third.
In another race filled with talent, AR-holder and defending world champion Lashinda Demus won the women's 400 hurdles in 53.98. University of Arizona's Georganne Moline, who struggled her first few collegiate years with injury and fell during the NCAA championship finals, set another PR to finish second in 54.33 while 2010 national champ T'Erea Brown was third half a second later. In London, Demus will undoubtedly be one of the favorites to win the gold.
The men's side of the event featured an incredibly talented line-up including two-time gold medalist Angelo Taylor, two-time world champion Bershawn "Batman" Jackson, and another two-time world champ Kerron Clement. After going out at an especially speedy pace, Taylor fell out of his stride pattern between hurdles and lost his large lead to finish in second behind Michael Tinsley, 48.33 to 48.57. Clement out-leaned a diving Batman at the line to take the final spot in 48.89. It was a bit of a disappointment to see Jackson out of the Olympics, but Tinsley, Taylor, and Clement will likely continue the US's dominance in the race even without him. Although he's 33, relatively old for an athlete, Taylor looks like he could win a third gold medal at his fourth Olympic Games.
In the "metric mile," the 1500 meters, Morgan Uceny, Shannon Rowbury, and Jenny Simpson, three incredibly talented middle distance runners, went 1-2-3 in 4:04.59, 4:05.11, and 4:05.17, respectively, to punch their tickets to London. Despite the daunting talent coming out of Ethiopia and Kenya, any of these three could leave England this summer with a medal around her neck.
The men's side contained a number of runners who could pull an upset and take a top-three spot (if they achieved the A-standard). A couple of the runners who needed that standard took the race out quickly to ensure that it wouldn't be a typical 1500 championship race that went slowly until the last lap. Until no more than 50 meters until the finish, it was very difficult to tell who would comprise the top spots with many of the runners engaging their kicks at different times and speeds. Ultimately, 5'5'' Leonel Manzano outkicked Matthew Centrowitz, Jr, who recently gave up his collegiate participation at the University of Oregon for going pro, for the win in 3:35.75 (0.6 seconds off the meet record) to Centrowitz's 3:35.84. A second former Oregon Duck, Andrew Wheating, who stands a full foot above the race's winner, came third in 3:36.68. Robby Andrews, a half-miler with an excellent kick who's been looking formidable in the 1500 lately (he even had the A-standard), was someone I thought might make it until he was outkicked and finished fifth.
Wallace Spearmon, Jr continued his excellent run this year in the 200 meter by becoming US champion in 19.82 and will be the States' best hope in the event against the likes of Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. Maurice Mitchell was second in 20.14 and Isiah Young third in 20.16. Absent from the race was Tyson Gay, the fifth fastest athlete in history in the event, who declined trying to qualify due to the effects running the curve would have on an injury he's recovering from.
Like the men's 800, the women's heptathlon featured another UCSB Gaucho, this time NCAA runner-up Barbara Nwaba. Despite winning the high jump, she ultimately finished fifth (5986 points) behind Hyleas Fountain (6419), Sharon Day (6343), and Chantae McMillan (6188).
The final spot on the team to be determined was third place in the women's 100 meter which was ruled a dead-heat on June 23rd between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh who both ran 11.068 seconds. After facing off in the 200 final, the two women chose a one-on-one runoff as opposed to a coin flip to resolve the unprecedented issue. Before the runoff could be held, though, Tarmoh abruptly dropped out and conceded the spot to her training partner. Although Felix appeared enthusiastic about the runoff, Tarmoh seemed unhappy with the whole situation, especially considering she was initially declared the third finisher and even given a medal before being told it was actually a dead-heat.1
And so concludes the 2012 US Olympic trials in track & field. Many outstanding athletes will be sent to London in the coming weeks and will undoubtedly take the podium. Although there were many ups and downs experienced by the competitors, these American Olympians will be hugely competitive and impressive at the thirtieth Olympiad.
1 Despite being only the alternate for the 100, Tarmoh will still get to be on the 4x100 relay.
In the women's 800, Alysia Montaño finished first to claim her fourth US championship in 1:59.08. Montaño, who has been running well all year, will give the United States hope for winning a medal in London. Geena Gall finished second in 1:59.24 with Alice Schmidt third 0.22 seconds later. Maggie Vessey, who many thought would make the team, came last in 2:03.44.
Emma Coburn of the University of Colorado easily won the 3000 steeplechase in 9:32.78 followed by Bridget Franek and the University of Colorado's Shalaya Kipp a few seconds later. Coburn and Kipp continued Colorado's tradition of producing outstanding athletes in the women's steeplechase and further demonstrated the legendary coaching ability of Mark Wetmore.
The women's high jump featured some impressive leaps by Chaunte Lowe (6-7), Brigetta Barrett (6-7), and Amy Acuff (6-4.75). Barrett, of the University of Arizona, looks to be the future of US women's high jump when she had a big PB to launch herself into second.
The men's 110 meter hurdle finals was one of the most anticipated as it featured a loaded field of athletes including the reigning national indoor champ at 60 meters Aries Merritt, the reigning world outdoor champ Jason Richardson, and the American record holder David Oliver (12.89 seconds). Despite some sprinkling rain, Merritt blasted through the ten barriers to win and set a personal best of 12.93 (a hundredth of a second off the meet record) with Richardson second in 12.98, tying his personal best. Jeffrey Porter pulled out third in 13.08 and left Oliver, who I certainly thought would make the team, in fifth 0.09 seconds later. The performance it would take to make this year's team, probably more than any other, needed to be so great that nothing but an excellent race would be necessary. Oliver, as he did in the previous rounds, got a bad start and couldn't make up the distance his fellow hurdlers put on him. It sucks even more for him because he was in a bunch of commercials promoting the American Olympic track team and even modeled the new Nike uniform with nothing to show for it.
The following race was probably even more loaded with talent than the 110 hurdles, though. The women's 200 featured three time-world champ Allyson Felix, the world leader Sanya Richards-Ross, and the second fastest woman of all time Carmelita Jeter in addition to a few other exceptionally talented sprinters. The race's participants held the five fastest times of the year. After a great start, Felix powered down the straightaway to smash the meet record and set a personal best of 21.69. It was the fastest time set by an American in fourteen years and instantly made her the favorite in London (if she wasn't already). Jeter finished second in 22.11 while Richards-Ross crossed the line third 0.11 seconds later to achieve the rare 200/400 appearance in the Olympics. These three women look to sweep the event at the Games and get the upper hand in the US's rivalry with Jamaica.
The women's long jump was won by Brittany Reese in 23-5.5, a figure who has been completely dominating the event internationally for the past few years. Louisiana Tech's Chelsea Hayes leapt to a more than one foot personal record to not only get the A-standard, but grab second with Janay DeLoach third.
In another race filled with talent, AR-holder and defending world champion Lashinda Demus won the women's 400 hurdles in 53.98. University of Arizona's Georganne Moline, who struggled her first few collegiate years with injury and fell during the NCAA championship finals, set another PR to finish second in 54.33 while 2010 national champ T'Erea Brown was third half a second later. In London, Demus will undoubtedly be one of the favorites to win the gold.
The men's side of the event featured an incredibly talented line-up including two-time gold medalist Angelo Taylor, two-time world champion Bershawn "Batman" Jackson, and another two-time world champ Kerron Clement. After going out at an especially speedy pace, Taylor fell out of his stride pattern between hurdles and lost his large lead to finish in second behind Michael Tinsley, 48.33 to 48.57. Clement out-leaned a diving Batman at the line to take the final spot in 48.89. It was a bit of a disappointment to see Jackson out of the Olympics, but Tinsley, Taylor, and Clement will likely continue the US's dominance in the race even without him. Although he's 33, relatively old for an athlete, Taylor looks like he could win a third gold medal at his fourth Olympic Games.
In the "metric mile," the 1500 meters, Morgan Uceny, Shannon Rowbury, and Jenny Simpson, three incredibly talented middle distance runners, went 1-2-3 in 4:04.59, 4:05.11, and 4:05.17, respectively, to punch their tickets to London. Despite the daunting talent coming out of Ethiopia and Kenya, any of these three could leave England this summer with a medal around her neck.
The men's side contained a number of runners who could pull an upset and take a top-three spot (if they achieved the A-standard). A couple of the runners who needed that standard took the race out quickly to ensure that it wouldn't be a typical 1500 championship race that went slowly until the last lap. Until no more than 50 meters until the finish, it was very difficult to tell who would comprise the top spots with many of the runners engaging their kicks at different times and speeds. Ultimately, 5'5'' Leonel Manzano outkicked Matthew Centrowitz, Jr, who recently gave up his collegiate participation at the University of Oregon for going pro, for the win in 3:35.75 (0.6 seconds off the meet record) to Centrowitz's 3:35.84. A second former Oregon Duck, Andrew Wheating, who stands a full foot above the race's winner, came third in 3:36.68. Robby Andrews, a half-miler with an excellent kick who's been looking formidable in the 1500 lately (he even had the A-standard), was someone I thought might make it until he was outkicked and finished fifth.
Wallace Spearmon, Jr continued his excellent run this year in the 200 meter by becoming US champion in 19.82 and will be the States' best hope in the event against the likes of Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake. Maurice Mitchell was second in 20.14 and Isiah Young third in 20.16. Absent from the race was Tyson Gay, the fifth fastest athlete in history in the event, who declined trying to qualify due to the effects running the curve would have on an injury he's recovering from.
Like the men's 800, the women's heptathlon featured another UCSB Gaucho, this time NCAA runner-up Barbara Nwaba. Despite winning the high jump, she ultimately finished fifth (5986 points) behind Hyleas Fountain (6419), Sharon Day (6343), and Chantae McMillan (6188).
The final spot on the team to be determined was third place in the women's 100 meter which was ruled a dead-heat on June 23rd between Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh who both ran 11.068 seconds. After facing off in the 200 final, the two women chose a one-on-one runoff as opposed to a coin flip to resolve the unprecedented issue. Before the runoff could be held, though, Tarmoh abruptly dropped out and conceded the spot to her training partner. Although Felix appeared enthusiastic about the runoff, Tarmoh seemed unhappy with the whole situation, especially considering she was initially declared the third finisher and even given a medal before being told it was actually a dead-heat.1
And so concludes the 2012 US Olympic trials in track & field. Many outstanding athletes will be sent to London in the coming weeks and will undoubtedly take the podium. Although there were many ups and downs experienced by the competitors, these American Olympians will be hugely competitive and impressive at the thirtieth Olympiad.
1 Despite being only the alternate for the 100, Tarmoh will still get to be on the 4x100 relay.
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