Track and Field — Wrap-up from Eugene 2009 Outdoor Nationals

EUGENE — With the 2009 Outdoor Track and Field Nationals in the books, here is a wrap-up of some of the top running performances at the event as reported by USATF.

Symmonds wins Nike Men’s 800m, named Visa Athlete of the Meet
Eugene area resident Nick Symmonds won the most dramatic race of last year’s Olympic Trials at Hayward Field, and he continued his success here this afternoon in being named the Visa Athlete of the Meet following his dramatic win in the Nike Men’s 800 meters.

Symmonds began the race in his customary place near the back of the pack before building a sizeable lead coming off the final turn. 2004 Olympian Khadevis Robinson, who finished fourth at last year’s Olympic Trials, began closing on Symmonds down the stretch but didn’t quite have enough to catch him. Symmonds edged Robinson at the finish, crossing the line first in 1:45.86. Robinson finished as the runner-up in 1:45.97, with former University of Washington standout and 2006 NCAA Outdoor champion Ryan Brown third in 1:46.67. Christian Smith, who finished third at last year’s Trials, finished fourth at 1:46.92.

Clark wins women’s two-lapper
Three-time Olympian Hazel Clark won her fifth career USA Outdoor 800m title and the fourth in the last five years by crossing the finish line first in this afternoon’s final in 2:00.79.

Clark, who qualified for her fourth U.S. World Outdoor Championships team, finished ahead of two-time NCAA Outdoor champion from the University of Michigan Geena Gall (2nd-2:01.01), University of Tennessee standout Phoebe Wright (3rd-2:01.12) and 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships runner-up Maggie Vessey (4th-2:01.19).

Lomong wins Nike Men’s 1,500 Meters
2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher and 2007 NCAA champion Lopez Lomong won his first U.S. Outdoor title in holding off former University of Texas star Leonel Manzano in an exciting Nike Men’s 1,500m final.

Lomong held the lead coming off the final turn and Manzano gave chase through to the finish. Although Manzano gained ground on his 2008 Olympic teammate, Lomong held on to win in 3:41.68, with Manzano finishing second in 3:41.82. 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships fourth-place finisher Dorain Ulrey was third in 3:42.84, with 2008 NCAA Outdoor Champs runner-up Steven Pifer fourth in 3:44.21.

Rowbury wins Nike Women’s 1,500 meters
2008 Olympic Trials champion and Olympic Games finalist Shannon Rowbury trailed Christin Wurth-Thomas until the final stretch before overtaking her and reaching the finish first in 4:05.07.

Wurth-Thomas made a mad dash in an attempt to steal the race, at one point leading by 30 meters, but ran out of gas over the final 200 meters and finishing as the runner-up in 4:06.00.2008 Olympic Trials 3,000m steeplechase champion and former national record holder in that event Anna Willard secured her place in Berlin by finishing third in 4:07.70.

Harper fourth fastest ever in 100M Hurdles
Harper captured her first-ever USA Outdoor national title with her win in the Nike Women’s 100m hurdles in 12.36 seconds. A tailwind of 2.2 meters per second at her back helped Harper post the fourth-fastest time ever by an American under any conditions.

Others joining reigning world champion Michelle Perry at the World Championships in Berlin will be 2007 USA Outdoor champion and fifth-place finisher at the World Championships that year, Ginnie Powell, who was the runner-up in 12.47 seconds, and 2008 Olympic Trials runner-up and Olympic Games fourth-place finisher Damu Cherry, who finished third in 12.58. Two-time NCAA Outdoor champion and 2008 NACAC gold medalist Tiffany Ofili placed fourth in 12.66.

Jackson keeps world lead in men’s 400m hurdles
2005 World champion and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson captured his second-consecutive national 400m hurdles title with his time of 48.03 seconds, which is the fastest time in the world this year. Jackson posted the previous world best this season with his win in Ostrava on June 17 when he was clocked at 48.32.

Others joining reigning World Champion Kerron Clement at the 2009 World Outdoor Championships in Berlin will be University of South Carolina standout and 2009 NCAA runner-up Johnny Dutch (2nd-48.18), and two-time Olympic 400m hurdles gold medalist Angelo Taylor (3rd-48.30).

Crawford continues excellence in men’s 200 meters
2004 Olympic Games gold medalist and 2008 Olympic silver medalist Shawn Crawford got out well from the start and was unchallenged as he dominated a talented field in the men’s 200m final.

Crawford crossed the line in 19.73 seconds (+3.3 mps), which is the fastest time under any conditions ever run at Hayward Field. Crawford easily won ahead of Florida State University standout and 2009 NCAA Outdoor champion Charles Clark, who finished as the runner-up in 20.00. 2005 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Wallace Spearmon came from behind to take third in 20.03 seconds. Crawford, Clark and Spearmon will join reigning World Outdoor champion Tyson Gay at the World Outdoor Championships this summer in Berlin.

Felix wins fifth U.S. women’s 200m title
Two-time Olympic Games silver medalist and reigning World Outdoor champion Allyson Felix won her fifth U.S. women’s 200m title in the last six years with her time of 22.02w. Joining Felix at the World Championships later this summer in Berlin will be 2004 Olympic Games fourth-place finisher Muna Lee (2nd-22.13), 2008 Olympic Games fifth-placer Marshevet Hooker and Arizona State’s Charonda Williams (4th-22.39), who was the runner-up at the 2009 NCAA Outdoor Championships,

Merritt takes 400M title
2008 Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt remained unbeaten this outdoor season, winning the Gatorade Men’s U.S. 400m title Saturday at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.

The #1 ranked quarter-miler in the world, LaShawn Merritt was in control of the race from start to finish as he captured his second-consecutive national men’s 400m title in 44.50 seconds. Merritt’s performance matches his world-leading time originally set on May 1 at Baie Mahault, France

The 2007 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist, Merritt will be joined in Berlin by runner-up Gil Roberts of Texas Tech, who finished the race in 44.93, and 2008 Olympic Games silver medalist and 2007 World Outdoor 400m hurdles champion Kerron Clement, who was third in 45.14. They will be joined by reigning World Outdoor champion Jeremy Wariner at the World Outdoor Championships in Berlin.

Demus posts world leader in winning Hershey 400m Hurdles
2004 Olympian and 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Lashinda Demus took the lead for good over the final hurdle and beat 2008 Olympic silver medalist Sheena Tosta to the finish line in winning her third career U.S. Outdoor title in 53.78 seconds.

Demus’ time was the fastest in the world this year and a new Hayward Field record, bettering the 53.96 clocking by Sandra Farmer-Patrick set in 1993. Tosta, who qualified for her second World Outdoor Championships team, finished second in 54.45 seconds, with 2004 Olympic finalist Tiffany Ross-Williams finishing third in 55.18.

Richards wins Visa Women’s 400 Meters
2008 Olympic 4×400m relay gold medalist and 400m bronze medalist Sanya Richards captured her fourth U.S. Outdoor title in winning the Visa Women’s 400 meters in 50.05 seconds, which is the third-fastest time in the world this year.

Richards, who entered the 2009 season ranked #1 in the world at 400 meters, posted the fastest time in the world this season with her 49.57 win June 14 in Berlin.Two-time Olympic Trials eighth-place finisher Debbie Dunn qualified for her first World Outdoor Championships roster with her runner-up finish in 50.79, and 2008 World Junior Championships silver medalist Jessica Beard finished third in 50.81. 2008 Olympic Games 4×400m relay gold medalist Natasha Hastings was fourth in 50.89.

Payne wins first U.S. outdoor crown in Visa Men’s 110m Hurdles
2008 Olympic bronze medalist David Payne captured his first U.S. national 110m hurdles title after a tremendous battle with two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell.

Payne and Trammell were inseparable as they crossed the finish line and both were clocked at 13.12 seconds, with Payne emerging as the victor by three-one thousandths of a second (13.115 to 13.118). 2006 NCAA champion and 2008 Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Aries Merritt punched his ticket to the World Championships in Berlin with his third-place finish in 13.15.

Another U.S. Race Walk title for Teresa
Earlier this morning, 2008 Olympic Trials runner-up and 2004 Olympian Teresa Vaill won her fourth career U.S. women’s 20 km race walk crown. A seven-time USA Indoor race walk champion, Vaill crossed the finish line in 1 hour 37 minutes 12 seconds for the win.

2003 Pan American Games bronze medalist and 2008 Olympic Trials champion Joanne Dow was the runner-up in 1:39:59. Other finishers included Maria Michta (3rd-1:41:16), Miranda Melville (4th-1:45:38), Erin Taylor (5th-1:50:12), Susan Randall (6th-1:50:46) and Le’erin Voss (7th-1:51:21).

Seaman wins 20 km race walk title
Two-time Olympian Tim Seaman captured his sixth career USA 20 km race walk title this morning with his time of 1 hour 26 minutes 14 seconds. Seaman has now qualified for his fifth World Outdoor Championship team, and has increased his USA national titles won total to 37.

2008 Olympic Trials third-place finisher Patrick Stroupe was the runner-up in 1:26:41, with three-time Olympic Trials participant Ben Shorey third in 1:27:17. 2004 Olympian John Nunn was fourth in 1:27:42 and Stephen Quirke finished fifth in 1:29:40.

McAdams wins steeple national title
2008 Olympian Josh McAdams won his second career national title in the men’s 3,000m steeplechase with his time of 8 minutes 29.91 seconds. 2008 Olympic Trials fifth-place finisher Dan Huling was the runner-up in 8:32.86 and 2008 Pac 10 champion Kyle Alcorn finished third in 8:34.65. Brigham Young University standout Kyle Perry finished fourth in 8:36.65.

Barringer wins women’s steeple crown
American record holder Jenny Barringer, who won the 1,500m and 3,000m steeplechase at the 2009 NCAA Championships, took control of the women’s 3,000m steeplechase final early on and cruised to her second U.S. title in this event with her time of 9 minutes 29.38 seconds.2008 Olympic Trials champion and former U.S. record holder Anna Willard was the runner-up in 9:35.01, with Bridget Franek posting a personal best time of 9:36.74 in finishing third in the race. 2008 Olympic Trials finalist and 2007 U.S. Championships runner-up Lindsey Anderson finished fourth in 9:36.74.

Source: USATF
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