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BOSTON - Distance and field event finals provided champions in nine events Saturday at the 2008 AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center, and familiar names topped many of the results tables.
The final event of the Visa Championship Series, the meet serves as the qualifying event for Team USA's roster for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Track & Field Championships, to be held March 7-9 in Valencia, Spain. The top two finishers in each event qualify, provided they have met IAAF performance standards. The AT&T USA Indoor Championships will be televised Sunday, February 24 from 5-7 p.m., Eastern Time on ESPN2.
Christin Wurth-Thomas retained her lead top the women's Visa Championship standings, blazing the final 800m of the Hershey women's 1,500m in 2:08 to finish in 4:14.21, the fastest time by an American this year. Jenelle Deatherage, also having a career best year in 2008, was second in 4:17.38.
World Indoor champion Brad Walker proved he is back from a slight early-season injury, winning the men's pole vault with a clearance of 5.70m/18-8.25. Rory Quiller was listed at second with a jump of 5.60m/18-4.5, a height also achieved by 2004 Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson, Olympian Derek Miles and Jacob Pauli.
Another pre-meet favorite, Matt Tegenkamp, ran a controlled race to victory in the men's 3,000, passing Chris Solinsky to win his second straight title 8:02.52. Solinsky was second in 8:03.80.
New distance threat
The women's 3000 saw a surprise victor, however. The 2007 NCAA indoor mile champion while running for Duke, Shannon Rowbury displayed remarkable poise, as well as leg speed, to easily pass early-leading Jen Rhines with 400m to go in the women's 3,000m run. Rowbury finished in 8:55.19, with two-time Olympian Rhines second in 8:59.98.
2007 USA indoor and outdoor champion Aarik Wilson won his second consecutive indoor title in the men's triple jump with a best mark of 16.91m/55-5.75. 2004 Olympian Kenta Bell was second with 16.73m/54-10.75.
Jillian Camarena won her fourth-straight national indoor title in the women's shot put, her throw of 18.11m/59-5 just three inches farther than Abigail Ruston in second (18.03m/59-2).
2002 World Junior champion Andra Manson won his first national crown in the men's high jump with a clearance of 2.30m/7-6.5 on his first attempt, after requiring three attempts at 2.28m/7-5.75. Two-time NCAA outdoor champion Jesse Williams was second at 2.28m. In the women's high jump, Amy Acuff won her fourth overall and second consecutive national indoor title with a clearance of 1.92m/6-3.5. Coming back after pregnancy, 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Chaunte Howard was second with 1.89m/6-2.25.
Two-time USA outdoor heptathlon champion Hyleas Fountain won her first U.S. indoor long jump title with a best effort of 6.38m/20-11.25. Shameka Marshall also jumped 6.38m, but Fountain's second-best mark of 6.36m/20-10.5 gave her the win over Marshall's 6.28m/20-7.25.
Fresh off a runner-up finish February 9 at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - 50 km Race Walk, Matthew Boyles won his first indoor title in the men's 5,000m race walk in 20:30.00. Patrick Stroupe was second in 20:59.83.
Harvey breaks another record during qualifying
In qualifying action, Nicole Cook posted the fastest time in the women's 800m rounds, winning the second of three heats in 2:04.03. Also advancing to the final was 42-year-old Alisa Harvey, who broke her own U.S. masters record in placing third in heat 1. As The Killers' song "When You Were Young" played ironically over the PA system, Harvey finished in 2:06.08 to break her previous record of 2:07.08, run January 26 at Penn State. American indoor record holder and two-time USA champion Nicole Teter was first in heat 3 to advance as well (2:06.68). 2007 U.S. indoor champion Nick Symmonds (1:48.67) and U.S. outdoor champion Khadevis Robinson (1:48.88) were top qualifiers for the men.
In Saturday's only other qualifying rounds, 2007 World Outdoor Championships 4x400m relay gold medalist Mary Wineberg was fastest in the Hershey women's 400 in 52.68, while David Neville was fastest among the men in 47.19.
Competition continues Sunday with finals in all other events. For more information, including complete results and athlete quotes, visit USATF.org.
2008 AT&T USA Indoor Championships Athlete Quotes - Day 1
Women's long jump winner , Hyleas Fountain
"I had a lot of fun during the competition today. I actually enjoyed competing with and helping out some of the younger ladies. It keeps me more relaxed when I'm talking it up. Once I get on the runaway I'm very serious. But I need to stay loose before I jump. If I'm too tense I don't compete well. I'll be focusing on the heptathlon heading to the Olympic Trials. This was a good strength building effort for me today, taking all the jumps plus warm-ups. In the heptathlon we only get three jumps. I like coming in here and competing in individual events."
Men's high jump winner, Andra Manson
"I felt good. It was great to win, that was the goal. I was very relaxed and not as uptight as I have been. I feel like I'm in the best shape of my life. I'm here to have fun and enjoy the moment."
Women's shot put winner, Jillian Camarena
"WOW...It took me quite a while to get things together today. I finally nailed one on my last throw. I came in here trying to have a good competitive session. I've been working on a lot of technique for the past nine month or so. My plan was always to compete indoors this year, especially with the world indoors. "
Men's pole vault winner, Brad Walker
"I had gotten a little banged up in a meet in Glascow, Scotland. My ankles and feet took a hit in the plant box. But I'm pretty much back to normal now. This was the plan from the beginning to compete indoors, head for the world indoors and then begin gearing up for the outdoor trials. I was pleased with the way I competed today. For some reason it's tough to get a really good mark here. Not sure why. But I'll take the win.
Men's 5,000m race walk winner, Matt Boyles
"It was a real blessing to come in and win today. This is my first Indoor victory. I'm just very happy. The race was tough from the beginning. The guys pushed me and made me work for it. "
"My goal right now is Russia (IAAF World Race Walking Cup) to get the "A" qualifying standard and lord willing I'll make the Olympic team." (Boyles was the runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Men's 50 km Race Walk.)
Women's high jump winner, Amy Acuff
"This was a little disappointing today I didn't clear 6-6. But I felt very good. My practices have been going extremely well. I'm very excited. After the Fresno indoor meet I decided I could be competitive enough to take a medal at the world indoors, so I decided I was going to go. The past several years their have been nagging injuries so It's been a little frustrating. Lately I've been practicing well. So I'm excited about the remainder of this year."
Men's triple jump winner, Aarik Wilson
"I wanted to come out and jump far. I'm just trying to work on things, working on being as strong and fit as possible. It's a work in progress trying to get ready for the Olympics.
It'll be good to get out there and compete against some of the best jumpers in the world (at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain). But right now I need to get ready for tomorrow, focus on the long jump. I want to hit the qualifier for World Indoors and try to double."
Women's 3000 meter winner, Shannon Rowbury
"I haven't raced in 11 months so I didn't know what to expect today. I'm really happy and knowing I got about a five second PR is even more exciting. The game plan was to go with the pace and see if I could hang on and then kick. Surprisingly the pace seemed very comfortable. I'm not sure About going to the world indoors. I have to talk with my coach and see what the game plan is. I want to be ready for the trials come June."
Men's 3,000m winner, Matt Tegenkamp
"It was hard coming in here, we all had the same goal. As the race went on I got more and more comfortable. This was my first race of the Indoor season. I'm going to talk to my coach tonight to decide if I'm going to go World Indoors. I just have to stay focused now and not get ahead of myself and try to make sure I make the (Olympic) Team."
Women's 1500 meter winner, Christin Wurth
"I feel fantastic but I still have a ways to go. I knew coming here I was strong. Last year I struggled with my confidence. It was a building year. My pan was to just sit and with 1000 to go I wanted to go for it. I believe coaching in this game is everything. I had a real good game plan coming into the race."
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