USA Track & Field – News – Jeter, Richardson win gold; USA leads medal count at World Championships

DAEGU, South Korea – Jason Richardson’s silver medal was upgraded to gold in the men’s 110 meter hurdles, while Carmelita Jeter won her first World Championships title in the women’s 100 meter and Jillian Camarena-Williams made history as the first American medalist in the women’s shot put on the third day of the 13th IAAF World Outdoor Track and Field Championships Monday night.

Allyson Felix’s quest for a double-gold (400, 200) was derailed in the final for the 400m, but she ran a personal best time and won a silver medal for Team USA in her first world championships 400m appearance.

Team USA enjoyed its best day yet, collecting two gold, one silver and one bronze medal during the evening session. Team USA now sits atop the medal count with eight medals, while Kenya is in second place with six medals.

This was the most hyped race in the World Championships featuring history’s three fastest hurdlers. Richardson (Inglewood, Calif.) initially finished second in the men’s 110m hurdles, but after world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba was disqualified for obstructing China’s Liu Xiang, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, who was running in lane six. Richardson, who was clocked in 13.16 seconds, was awarded the gold medal in his first ever World Championships performance. It also marked the first time an American won a gold medal in the 110 hurdles at the World Championships since Allen Johnson captured his fourth consecutive 110 hurdle crown in 2003.

World leader David Oliver (Kissimmee, Fla.) placed fourth in 13.44, being edged out of a medal by Great Britain’s Andrew Turner who was also timed in 13.44. Aries Merritt (Knoxville, Tenn.) running in lane seven, tied for fifth in 13.67.

Richardson’s victory also gave Team USA its 19th medal in the 110 hurdles during World Championship competition, including its eighth gold medal.

Women’s 100m
World-leader Carmelita Jeter (Gardena, Calif.) won the women’s 100m in a close battle with Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, the two-time Olympic 200 champ. Facing a headwind of 1.4 meters per second, Jeter was clocked in 10.90 to distance herself by seven-hundredths of a second over Campbell-Brown. Jeter, the two-time world bronze medalist, sobbed tears of joy as she realized she won her first major international title. Marshevet Myers (Grand Prairie, Texas) finished eighth in 11.33.

Jeter became just the second American to earn three medals in the 100 at the World Championships, joining Gwen Torrence who won a gold (1995), silver (1991) and bronze (1993). It also was the first time an American won the gold in the 100 since Lauryn Williams in 2005.

Women’s shot put
Jillian Camarena-Williams (Tucson, Ariz.) made history as the first American woman to ever medal in the shot put at the World Championships. The previous best from Team USA came from now head coach Connie Price-Smith with her fifth-place finish in 1997. Camarena-Williams put the shot 20.02m/65-8.25 on her fourth throw as her second-best performance ever, only behind her throw that tied the American record earlier this summer.

Michelle Carter (Ovilla, Texas) placed ninth with a throw of 18.76m/61-6.75, coming on her first attempt.

Women’s 400m
Three-time 200m World Champion Allyson Felix’s (Santa Clarita, Calif.) bid for a 200-400 double fell short by three one-hundredths of a second as Amantie Montsho of Botswana ran a world leading time of 49.56 seconds to clip Felix at the line. Felix ran a personal best of 49.59 to improve her previous four-year-old mark by .11 seconds. Francena McCorory (Hampton, Va.) finished fifth in 50.45 in her first World Championships performance, and two-time world champion Sanya Richards-Ross (Austin, Texas) was seventh in 51.32.

Felix’s effort gave Team USA its seventh World Championship medal in the women’s 400.

Men’s pole vault final
Jeremy Scott (Brookland, Ark.) tied for ninth at 5.65/18-6.5. Two-time Olympian Derek Miles (Tea, S.D.), the oldest member of the Team USA men’s squad at 38, was 13th at 5.65m/18-6.5.
Poland’s Pawel Wojciechowski won the event, vaulting a world best 5.90/19-4.25

Heptathlon
Hyleas Fountain (Kettering, Ohio), the 2008 Olympic silver medalist, was unable to hold onto the lead she established during the morning session. Fountain ended the day in third place with 3,887 points, with Jessica Ennis of Great Britain in the lead with 4,078 points. Sharon Day (Costa Mesa, Calif.) improved from the morning session and is stood in 12th place with 3,700 points.

In the 200m, Fountain finished in 23.96, to record the fourth fastest time of the field to add 985 points to her score. Day clocked 25.01, good enough for 886 points.

Day recorded her second personal best of the day in the shot put. Day added 976 points to her tally with a throw of 16.71m/46-10.25 on her first throw. Day’s effort improved her previous outdoor personal best by more than 19 inches. Fountain put the shot 12.20m/40-0.5 which was good enough for 674 points. After three events Fountain fell to fifth in 2902 points, and she sits 124 points off of the leader, Jessica Ennis of Great Britain.

Team USA will be seeking its first World Championship medal in this event since 2001.

Men’s 400m semifinal
LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.) cruised through his heat to easily advance to the final. Merritt ran 44.76. His time was the fastest of the day, and with his world leading mark from yesterday's qualifying round, Merritt now holds three of the fastest ten times in the 400 this year. Neither Greg Nixon (Long Beach, Calif.) nor Jamaal Torrance (Raleigh, N.C.) were able to advance to the finals. Nixon ran 45.51 and Torrance clocked 45.73

QUOTES

Jason Richardson, men’s 110m hurdles
(On reaction after learning he was awarded gold medal): “I wish that under different circumstances he (Robles) could have kept his medal. But rules are rules. I’m so happy to be a gold medalist. I can beat Robles world record. My next objective is to repeat the same thing in the Olympics.

“It's a big come through! I'm just happy to have the opportunity to run for America, the greatest track and field team. To be amongst a world class field is an honor.

“The technical aspect of the hurdles is not my strong point (laughs)! I just used my heart, and ran a solid race, and stayed in there and didn't become too worried about anyone else.

“I'm the wedding crasher (laughs)! I just tried to do the best that I could. I didn't think that I won, as I could feel the other athletes around me. When you're in America and you sprint, nothing is predictable. There's always a new face every day.

“With faith anything is possible. All you need to do is listen to be called. I had a difficult college experience, but now I got some bumps out, got much more technical help. My coach John Smith is awesome, always willing to learn. Every day we are learning something with him and making changes. We can only improve this way.

David Oliver, men’s 110m hurdles
“It was a slow start, just didn’t really execute much tonight, but that is just what happens sometimes. I just didn’t perform really well today, but you know life is good. I’m living to fight another day, and just get ready to finish out the season kinda strong.

“Stuff changes from year to year, last year I was healthy the whole entire year and not really fighting over anything, I was just out there competing. But I’m still having fun competing and being out here. I gave my best today and it wasn’t good enough, but it’s alright. There are always more years to come.

“Jason [Richardson] is a great competitor, and it is good to see him go out there and have a great performance and get his first international medal. You know the United States always has great talent, and it is just good to see him come out there and hold up the USA very well today.”

(On contact between Robles Xiang, before the DQ) “That happens all the time…but it is unfortunate and I hope that it doesn’t taint anything with Robles’ victory…hey if you are out front it never happens.”

Aries Merritt, men’s 110m hurdles
“It was probably the worst race of my career. I hit hurdle three and four, and almost went down and was completely out of it at that point. When you hit hurdles at this level, there's no recovery. I hit it and that was it. I hit six because I was trying to regain composure. When you hit hurdles, it's impossible to get back in the game.

Allyson Felix, women’s 400m
“I haven't really begun the decision process regarding London (2012 Olympics). This race taught me a lot about how my body responds when I come back for the 200 meters. That will play a large part in my decision.

“On the home straight I definitely felt I still had a chance. I gave it all and tried to move my arms. I cannot be too disappointed with my silver medal. I have my sprints up. I still have the 200 meters and the relays coming up.

“I'm happy to have a personal best, but the disappointment really overshadows it. I'm just grateful for this experience to be on a world stage at 400 meters. If you would have asked me a few years ago, I never would have thought I would have been here.”

Carmelita Jeter, women’s 100m
“I have been working really very, very hard. And today it paid off, it comes out. My coach showed me that I was ready to get the gold medal, to stop the Jamaican predominance in the sprint. Today, it is all about my coach John Smith, [Jason] Richardson, me – awesome!”

“I’ve been coming to the world championships and I haven’t been putting my races together like I’m supposed to. I have so many people believing in me tonight, so many people having my back with this race. I wanted to come out, I wanted to execute, and I wanted to have everybody smile for me tonight.

“I have the 200, so I have like a day and a half off, I think, then I run the 200. I’m pretty excited for the 200, because the pressure of the 100 is off of me. You know, that is my baby, that’s my race. So I did what I was supposed to do there, now all i have to to is line up for the 200.”

Marshevet Myers, women’s 100m
“I didn't get out too well, and by the time I got running it was too late. I had a great showing here and I got a taste of what it's like to make a final. I just have to work harder and step my game up.”

Sanya Richards-Ross, women’s 400m
“I’m a bit disappointed, but I’m happy because I gave my very best tonight. I was really bummed yesterday, but I woke up this morning and said, ‘You know what, I’m really fortunate to be out here and I’m in the final.’ I’m excited to be a part of it, it was a great race and it is motivating me for next season.

“It was a tough final and a tough season, but I went out tonight and gave it my best on lane one. I have a lot of respect for Amantle [Montsho] and Allyson [Felix]. They were great tonight. It was an awesome final and I am glad to be part of it. I will prepare well for next season. The Olympic title is my goal. I have won a world title before and I would have loved to defend it, but circumstances were very difficult this season.”

“My coach says let’s count this as a build-up for 2012, just getting that year back under my belt of strength and speed…My training is going great and I have three more races after this, so hopefully I can get a good rhythm going, but if not, I’m sure I’ll be ready next year.”

Francena McCorory, women’s 400m
“I wish I did a little better, but this is my first time on the world scale, so I don’t think I did bad. I learned how important it is to make it through the rounds. I could have worked on my start a little better. I’m just happy to be here”

Jillian Camarena-Williams, women’s shot put
“This is an incredible feeling! We knew that 20 meters was gonna place; we just didn't know how high. It's been a great season, and this tops it off!

“It was so close through all the rounds. Everybody was passing each other.

“I think I was trying to do too much (in the first three rounds). I just told myself that this is a new set of throws in the finals, and I told myself just to sloooowwww down. I was trying to be a bat out of hell in the first three rounds, and when I try to speed up, it breaks down my technique. After the third round, I refocused and got my 20 meters on my first one and held on. It has been an amazing season, a big builder going into next year. I am moving to train with my coach full time so I am hoping for even greater things.”

Michelle Carter, women’s shot put
“Tonight I guess my nerves got a little bit of the best of me. My warm-ups were great, but when I got to the field I was a little too excited and was rushing myself instead of taking my time. This year has been such a learning experience for me especially at end of the season so I know what it takes for next year. This was a great setup. Win or lose…medal no medals…finals no final. This has all been a great experience and I’m really excited to see what’s going to happen for me next year.”

Jeremy Scott, men’s pole vault
“I felt like I jumped well. I just wasn’t getting lucky at 18-10. I thought I would be in thick of it but what can you do when guys are jumping their butts off. We had four or five guys who had PRs or national records.”

“I felt great all around. We timed it up right. That was the best jumping I had done all year around. It was just a matter of sharpening a couple things off. Everything was laid out the way it was suppose to be, but I just ran into some bad luck.”

Derek Miles, men’s pole vault
“It just took a while to get into groove. Finally at 5.65 when I made that height I thought I’m going to get to the right stick and put standards in right spot I thought we would be okay. The first attempt at 5.75 I was on a new pole and the bend was a little off so I twisted my hands and I had to bail out. So I found the bend on the second jump but I just didn’t quite hit it with much confidence and on a third jump I think my legs just dropped out. If you stop short and then try to run back on the runway and do it again that never works out.

“There were some circumstances at 5.75 that I didn’t navigate really well. I wasn’t quite as in as good as shape as I wanted to be so I think it will be a good learning lesson even at this age (38) to figure out I am going to change some things and make one last go out of it.

LaShawn Merritt, men’s 400 semifinal
“I had a game plan yesterday and had a game plan today and I executed both races well. Now I’m going to go back and get some rest and get ready for tomorrow. Eight men are going to line up tomorrow and eight men are going to try to win and I’m going to be one of those men. Everybody is going to run hard. We come here to get on the podium. I know everyone will bring their ‘A’ game.

“It feels good to come back. I’m here and I’m taking it round by round. I had a focus when I got here to run my rounds smart and make it to the final and I’ve done that so far.

Jamaal Torrance, men’s 400 semifinal
“I felt a lot better than yesterday but I ran slower. I’m just taking this experience and making notes to get ready for next year and the Olympics.”

Greg Nixon, men’s 400 semifinal
“My hope was reaching the finals. I didn’t get it done tonight. It is a big letdown. Now I’ll focus on the 4×400 relay.”

Hyleas Fountain, heptathlon
“It started off well with a personal best for the season in the hurdles. I was already concerned that I hadn’t been running that fast but felt good, so I definitely showed what I can do. I felt like I still have a lot more in the hurdles, but we’ll have to do that at a later date. The high jump went well. I almost had a PR. I had some real good attempts at 1.92.

“The shot put didn’t go the way I wanted it to. I gave it my best. I lost a little energy in the 200 but we still have tomorrow and I’m going to go sleep it off and do the best I can tomorrow.

“I’ve struggled a little bit with injuries and little things and sickness but I’m happy to be here. This week is the healthiest I’ve been. I’ve had a neck injury the past three years and I finally got an MRI to figure out what it was. I have a little arthritis in my neck. It kind of jacks up the muscle.”

Sharon Day, heptathlon
“I’m feeling good. Three out of four ain’t bad. I’m not really happy with my high jump, but everything else is going amazing, and I’m way ahead of where I was in Eugene (Oregon, site of U.S. Championships). I’m happy. I’m doing better than I thought. I knew I was ready to put up some big marks, but you never know until you get there if it is going to happen.”

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