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OSAKA, Japan - Michelle Perry (Santa Clarita, Calif.) won her second
straight world title and Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Ariz.) won the first
gold of his storied career - and the first World or Olympic 1,500m medal
for the U.S. since 1908 - Wednesday at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track
& Field Championships at Nagai Stadium.
One of the finest and most consistent middle-distance runners of his
generation, Lagat had won two Olympic medals, was second at the 2001 World Outdoor
Championships and won a World Indoor title at 3,000 meters while
competing for Kenya. But a gold medal on the World Outdoor or Olympic
level had eluded him. On Wednesday, the American record holder who
became a U.S. citizen in 2004 - and who was cleared to compete as an
American just one day before competition - celebrated his first
championship competition in a Team USA jersey with a decisive win in the
men's 1,500 meters.
The race shaped up as a U.S.-Kenya duel. 2007 world leader Alan Webb
bolted to the lead at the gun, with Shedrack Kibet Korir of Kenya on his
shoulder. After passing 400 meters in 58.63 seconds, the leaders of the
cohesive pack settled into Webb, Korir, Lagat and Asbel Kiprop of Kenya.
Kiprop took the lead with two laps to go, passing 800 meters in 1:58.08,
followed by Webb and Lagat. With the pack still relatively tight at the
bell, it was Kiprop and Webb, running side-by-side, followed by Lagat in
third with Korir on his inside shoulder in fourth.
Coming down the stretch, defending champion Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain made
a run at the lead as Webb and Lagat came around the outside. Coming from
two meters back, Lagat sprinted cleanly to the front and went on to win
in 3:34.77. It was Team USA's first gold medal in the event ever at
World Outdoors, and the first gold medal of any kind since 1908, when
Hall of Famer Mel Sheppard won the Olympic title. Ramzi was second in
3:35.00 and Korir third in 3:35.04. Spent, Webb ended eighth in 3:35.69.
Lagat will get no time to savor his win, however. He competes in the
first round of the men's 5,000 meters on Thursday.
Perry repeats in women's 100H
The women's 100m hurdles final also was dramatic. After a closely
contested sprint to the finish, Perry had to nervously await the final
results on the scoreboard before she knew of her second global title. As
she has done throughout the meet, two-time USA outdoor champion Ginnie
Powell (Los Angeles, Calif.) got off to a strong start in the race,
along with Susanna Kallur of Sweden. Kallur seemed to hold the lead with
two hurdles to go, but Perry surged over the final hurdle and the sprint
to the finish, winning in 12.46 seconds. 2003 world champion Perdita
Felicien of Canada moved up to second in 12.49, with Delloreen
Ennis-London of Jamaica third in 12.50 and Kallur fourth in 12.51. Still
coming back from injuries suffered in July, Powell was fifth in 12.55,
with Lolo Jones (Baton Rouge, La.) sixth in 12.62.
In the women's 400 meters final, a determined stretch run by Dee Dee
Trotter (Knoxville) fell short of a medal in a very fast race. The 2007
USA Outdoor champion went out conservatively but began to move in the
final curve. Running in sixth, she began to move up on the leaders but
ran out of gas with 15 meters left. Great Britain went 1-2 in the race,
with Christine Ohuruogu first in 49.61 and Nicola Sanders second in
49.65; both times were personal bests. Novlene Williams of Jamaica was
third in 49.66. Trotter finished fifth in 50.17, just .01 away from Ana
Guevara of Mexico in fourth, with Mary Wineberg (Cincinnati, Ohio)
eighth in 50.96.
Qualified Successes
Qualifying rounds continued to reap strong results for Team USA on
Wednesday night.
Team USA looks poised for a possible sweep in Friday's final of the
men's 400 meters, with all three remaining Americans easily advancing.
2000 Olympic 400m hurdles gold medalist Angelo Taylor (Decatur, Ga.)
looked very controlled in winning the first semifinal in 44.45, and
defending champion Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas) looked just as easy
winning the second race in 44.34. LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk,Va.) kept the
momentum rolling by winning Heat 3 in 44.31, the fastest time of the
day. Wariner's time was second-fastest and Taylor's third.
Three Americans also are slated for Thursday's men's 200m final after
Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville, Ark.) and Rodney Martin (Los Angeles,
Calif.) went 2-3 in the first semifinal in 20.05 and 20.18,
respectively, thanks to strong stretch runs. Nursing a slightly sore
knee after his 100m victory Sunday night, Tyson Gay won the second heat
in 20.00.
All four women's 200 meter runners will compete in Thursday's semifinal
round after Sanya Richards (22.31) and Allyson Felix (22.61) won their
respective heats, and Torri Edwards (22.62) and LaShauntae Moore (22.71)
were second in theirs.
American record holder Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.) moved into
Saturday's final of the women's 5,000m by placing fifth in her semifinal
in 15:07.47, while two-time Olympian Jennifer Rhines did the same in the
second semi, placing fifth in her race in 15:14.30. Michelle Sykes
(Winston-Salem, N.C.) was ninth in the first heat in 16:01.06 and did
not advance.
Two-time USA Outdoor champion Shani Marks (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) was
18th overall in women's triple jump qualifying with a best mark of
13.90m/45-7.25 and will not compete in the final.
Team USA Medal Table
Gold (5)
Tyson Gay (Fayetteville, Ark.), M100m, 9.85
Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Arix.), M1,500m, 3:34.77
Kerron Clement (Gainesville, Fla.), M400H, 47.61
Reese Hoffa (Athens, Ga.), MSP, 22.04m/72-3.75
Michelle Perry (Santa Clarita, Calif.), W100H, 12.46
Silver (2)
Adam Nelson (Charlottesville, Va.), MSP, 21.61m/70-10.75
Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.), W100m, 11.01
Bronze (3)
Walter Davis (Baton Rouge, La.), MTJ, 17.33m/56-10.75
Carmelita Jeter (Long Beach, Calif.), W100, 11.02
Kara Goucher (Portland, Ore), W10,000m, 32:02.05
Day 5 Team USA Evening Quotes - August 29, 2007
Women's 200-meter Semifinals
Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas): I felt really good today. I wanted to
work on my 120 and that's what I did and I got in control of the race
and ran really fast. I'm really excited about today, I'm happy it's over
and I just want to make it through the rounds. I was surprised at how
strong I felt coming off the turn, even though I know that's my asset
and what I have as my advantage, so I felt strong and hopefully I'll
keep feeling strong through the rounds. I started an engagement with
Nutrilite when I first got here and I met the head of the Japan
Corporation and he gave be a $20,000 broach and told me it was my good
luck charm. I said I'd run with it, which wasn't a good idea. I'm coming
off the turn and it goes off my knee and goes over to lane 8, and I'm
going 'No!' I had to stay focused and finish the race and the Japanese
people are so accommodating and so nice that as soon as I told them,
like 10 or 15 of them ran up and found it for me. I'm not going to run
with it again, but at least I found it.
Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.): I felt really good today. We were
focusing on the start and I just wanted to execute that, and tomorrow
I'll focus on running a little bit longer than I did today. I didn't
want to put out any more energy than I had to. It's going to be a tough
final and I just want to be ready for it.
Torri Edwards (Corona, Calif.): It wasn't too bad, considering being a
little bit fatigued, but I'll go home and rest and just have one round
tomorrow and then the following day off, so I'll have a little more
recovery. Tomorrow I'll give it my all and then again in the final.
There wasn't too much time to dwell on the 100 meters. I have goals in
the 200 also, and I wanted to achieve certain things and I have to get
back out there and do it.
LaShauntea Moore (Akron, Ohio): Being out there in lane 7 you can't
really see, so I was running blind, and I guess I should have run the
corner a little bit faster. As soon as I got to the straightaway I
realized that I had some work to do. I had to dig down deep. I had to
run a little harder than I wanted to, but then again, I was blind. I'll
be ready for the semis.
Women's triple jump, qualifying round
Shani Marks (Brooklyn Park, Minn.): It was a fun one. I didn't jump as
well as I wanted to. I learned I have to be ready to jump in the first
three rounds. I'm used to getting six. This was good preparation for
next year.
Women's 5000 meters, qualifying rounds
Michelle Sikes (Winston Salem, N.C.): It was a rough race. Shalane ran
great.
Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.): I'm excited! It pretty much went to
plan. I felt good with a couple of laps to go, and I figured I'd go for
it. If I didn't make the top five, at least I'd come out with a fast
time. I locked into that fifth position and made sure that no one was
around. Kara (Goucher) started the ball, and I'm trying to carry her
momentum the rest of the week. I felt I learned a lot from watching the
10k, with all the jostling, and if I could conserve as much energy as
possible early, the better.
Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.): I didn't think that it was going to
be as fast as the other heat with all the kickers in our heat. I thought
I could get that fifth spot, and that's what I did. I floated to the
outside during the race to stay out of trouble. I was confident in my
last 1000 meters. I thought that if I executed my last kilo, I'd make
the final. It's a relief to make the final. I'll just go and give it all
I have.
Women's 100-meter hurdles, finals
Michelle Perry (Santa Clarita, Calif.): I got out as well as I could,
and then I was a little bit behind in the middle and then I came off the
10th hurdle and pressed to the finish. I was relieved more than anything
because it's difficult to win two world championships and I'm grateful
to the people who supported me.
Virginia Powell (Los Angeles): I felt that it was a good race.
Considering that I am competing with an injury and haven't had any
races. I'm pleased. I'm happy. I had a minor fracture in the side of my
(left) knee and a lot of fluid in there. That left me out for about
three weeks, missing the whole first half of the European season.
Lolo Jones (Baton Rouge, La.): I got out pretty good, but over hurdle 5,
I wasn't able to maintain. I broke mentally and physically and fell
apart. The rhythm was there, mentally I broke. Maybe it's my lack of
experience, since this is my first Worlds. I think that hurt me because
I didn't have that confidence that (Canada's) Perdita (Felicien) and
Michelle and (Jamiaca's) Delloreen (Ennis-London) have. They all won
Worlds before. It got in my mind. This leaves me mad.
Men's 400 meters, semifinals.
Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas): I had a good first 3 (300 meters) and I
was able to shut it down the last 50, 60 (meters). It was a good race. I
worked what Coach (Clyde) Hart wanted me to work and that's all that
matters. With the way I felt just now, the final is going to be fun.
Angelo Taylor (Decatur, Ga.): I feel real good. I ran the first 300 and
I came off the top of the curve and I looked at the screen and saw that
I was well ahead and shut it down and cruised on in.
LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.): It went like I wanted it to go. I was in
lane 7 and everybody was pretty much inside of me, and I just had to go
out and run my own race and clear the field and finish strong. Hopefully
I could finish up strong enough that I could cruise in, and that's what
happened, and I'm just looking forward to Friday.
Women's 400 meters, finals
Mary Wineberg (Cincinnati): I'm not really too excited with the time or
the place. I went out there and gave it my all. I want to get back and
get ready for the 4x4. It was a hard race. I know I have what it takes
to be up on this level, so I am really excited. I'm just going to get
geared up for the 4x4 and the rest of the season.
DeeDee Trotter (Knoxville, Tenn.): I'm not disappointed if that's a
consolation. I actually ran a very good race tonight. I ran to the best
of my ability. Of course, I would like to be first. I'll take what I
get, and use it as a motivation for next year. I still haven't had a
real chance to go through the race in my mind to know what happened. I
would like to see it, but I feel I gave it 100 percent. When you do
that, you don't have any regrets.
Men's 1,500 meters, finals
Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Ariz.): It feels great to be a champion,
representing the United States. I've waited since 2004 for this. I can
never be happier than this right now. My coach James Li is a master of
laying out strategy. He came out to my hotel room and said that you have
the speed and the experience, and that's the most important thing. He
said that you know what to do. I was thinking about relaxation the whole
way through during the race. This race is for William Lagat, my
brother-in-law and number one fan who passed away. (talking about
positioning during the race) I wanted to be in the top three up until
the last fifty meters. I was thinking to myself in the last fifty, 'I
think I'm going to win this, but I didn't want to celebrate just yet'.
I've never been like this–I've always been a silver medalist. (on
the 5000 meters) Tonight, I am going to celebrate with my son, my wife,
my coach, and my manager, but tomorrow it's back to business.
Alan Webb (Reston, Va.): I just got beat by everybody. I got myself in
trouble last time by staying back, so why get in trouble again. That
didn't work, so I'll be in the front. That didn't work either. At one
point, I thought I was doing a pretty good job. Somebody took over for
me halfway through. I felt pretty good. When the real game time went, I
just couldn't do it. (On winner Bernard Lagat) Congratulations. It's his
first world title. He's been around the sport for a long time. My hat
goes off to him. I was doing so awesome until this week. It was a
colossal breakdown. I've changed nothing really. I thought I had more
left than I did. I wish I could learn a lesson from that, but I learned
nothing. I got nothing out of it. If I wanted to get seventh, I would
have run for seventh and gotten seventh, or whatever the hell I got. I
didn't come to get seventh, I came to get first. I didn't.
Men's 200 meters, semifinals:
Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville, Ark.): I just went out once again and
tried to use the least amount of energy as possible to make it to the
finals. I'm fine–I'm right where I need to be for the finals.
Tyson Gay (Fayetteville, Ark.): My hamstring could be a little bit
better. I didn't have quite the pop coming out of the blocks. (On
whether his hamstring was affecting him at the start or around the
curve) A little of both. I'll give whatever I have left in the tank in
the finals.
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