Saturday, June 28, 2008
2 Hokies, Cav in hurdles semis
Ex-Cavalier Tomika Ferguson finishes 12th in prelims to qualify for the triple jump finals.
Associated Press
Hyleas Fountain (right) breaks Jackie Joyner-Kersee's decade-old record in the women's 100-meter hurdles of the Heptathlon event.
EUGENE, Ore. -- Virginia Tech's Queen Harrison and Sherlenia Green advanced to the semifinals of the women's 400-meter hurdles Friday on the opening day of the U.S. Olympic track and field trials.
Harrison, who had to withdraw from the NCAA championships two weeks ago because of a pulled hamstring, finished 10th overall in the prelims with a time of 57.16 seconds. Green was 11th at 58.12.
Former Cavalier Erin Crawford, a UVa volunteer assistant coach, also advanced in that event. She was 16th overall at 58.30, earning the final spot in today's semifinals.
Ex-Cav Tomika Ferguson, also a UVa volunteer assistant, qualified for the women's triple jump finals with a jump of 44 feet, 2 12 inches. She took 12th overall in the prelims, earning the last spot in the finals.
Ex-Hokie Brian Mondschein, a Tech volunteer assistant, failed to qualify for the pole vault finals (17-8 12).
Back from her BALCO-related suspension, Chryste Gaines qualified for the 100-meter quarterfinals.
Gaines clocked 11.15 seconds, good enough for fourth place in her heat and a spot in the second round later on Day 1 of the meet to determine the roster for the Beijing Games. The 100 semifinals and final are today.
Allyson Felix, hoping to compete in four events in China, won her heat in 11.01, overcoming a relatively slow start to accelerate past the field in the final 50 meters.
"It feels good to get it started, but it could've been a lot better," Felix said.
Also advancing to the quarterfinals: Marshevet Hooker, whose wind-aided 10.94 was the fastest time of the opening round; Muna Lee, who won her heat in 11 seconds; 2004 Olympic silver medalist and 2005 world champion Lauryn Williams, who finished behind Lee in 11.03; and 2003 world champion Torri Edwards, who pulled out to a big lead in her heat then eased way up and still won it in 11.16.
The competition got off to a quick start under a cloudless sky Friday: In the very first event of the 10-day meet, Hyleas Fountain broke Jackie Joyner-Kersee's decade-old U.S. record in the heptathlon 100 hurdles.
Fountain, a two-time national champion in the heptathlon, finished in 12.65, eclipsing Joyner-Kersee's mark of 12.69. Fountain also bested Joyner-Kersee's Olympic trials record of 12.71 from 1988, and Joyner-Kersee's U.S. national championship record of 12.77 from 1991.
