US Leads Medal Count at WC, Quotes of Note

Allyson Felix‰Ûªs 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.

Men‰Ûªs 110m hurdles

© Errol Anderson

This was the most hyped race in the World Championships
featuring history‰Ûªs three fastest hurdlers. Richardson (Inglewood,
Calif.) initially finished second in the men‰Ûªs 110m hurdles, but after
world record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba was disqualified for
obstructing China‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªs Andrew Turner who
was also timed in 13.44. Aries Merritt (Knoxville, Tenn.) running in
lane seven, tied for fifth in 13.67.

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

Women‰Ûªs 100m
World-leader Carmelita Jeter (Gardena, Calif.) won the women‰Ûªs
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‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªs 400m
Three-time 200m World Champion Allyson Felix‰Ûªs (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‰Ûªs effort gave Team USA its seventh World Championship medal in the women‰Ûªs 400.

Men‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªs squad at 38, was 13th at 5.65m/18-6.5.
Poland‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªs 110m hurdles
(On reaction after learning he was awarded gold medal): ‰ÛÏI wish
that under different circumstances he (Robles) could have kept his
medal. But rules are rules. I‰Ûªm 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.

‰ÛÏIt’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.

‰ÛÏThe 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.

‰ÛÏI’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.

‰ÛÏWith 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‰Ûªs 110m hurdles
‰ÛÏIt was a slow start, just didn‰Ûªt really execute much tonight,
but that is just what happens sometimes. I just didn‰Ûªt perform really
well today, but you know life is good. I‰Ûªm living to fight another day,
and just get ready to finish out the season kinda strong.

‰ÛÏStuff 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‰Ûªm still having fun competing and being out here. I
gave my best today and it wasn‰Ûªt good enough, but it‰Ûªs alright. There
are always more years to come.

‰ÛÏJason [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.‰Û

(On contact between Robles Xiang, before the DQ) ‰ÛÏThat happens
all the time…but it is unfortunate and I hope that it doesn‰Ûªt taint
anything with Robles‰Ûª victory…hey if you are out front it never
happens.‰Û

Aries Merritt, men‰Ûªs 110m hurdles
‰ÛÏIt 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‰Ûªs 400m
‰ÛÏI 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.

‰ÛÏOn 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.

‰ÛÏI’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.‰Û

Carmelita Jeter, women‰Ûªs 100m
‰ÛÏI 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!‰Û

‰ÛÏI‰Ûªve been coming to the world championships and I haven‰Ûªt been
putting my races together like I‰Ûªm 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.

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

Marshevet Myers, women‰Ûªs 100m
‰ÛÏI 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.‰Û

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

‰ÛÏIt 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.‰Û

‰ÛÏMy coach says let‰Ûªs 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‰Ûªm sure I‰Ûªll be ready next
year.‰Û

Francena McCorory, women‰Ûªs 400m
‰ÛÏI wish I did a little better, but this is my first time on the
world scale, so I don‰Ûªt 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‰Ûªm just happy to be here‰Û

Jillian Camarena-Williams, women‰Ûªs shot put
‰ÛÏThis 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!

‰ÛÏIt was so close through all the rounds. Everybody was passing each other.

‰ÛÏI 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.‰Û

Michelle Carter, women‰Ûªs shot put
‰ÛÏTonight 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‰Ûªm really excited to see what‰Ûªs going to happen for me
next year.‰Û

Jeremy Scott, men‰Ûªs pole vault
‰ÛÏI felt like I jumped well. I just wasn‰Ûªt 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.‰Û

‰ÛÏI 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.‰Û

Derek Miles, men‰Ûªs pole vault
‰ÛÏIt just took a while to get into groove. Finally at 5.65 when I
made that height I thought I‰Ûªm 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‰Ûªt 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.

‰ÛÏThere were some circumstances at 5.75 that I didn‰Ûªt navigate
really well. I wasn‰Ûªt 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‰Ûªs 400 semifinal
‰ÛÏI had a game plan yesterday and had a game plan today and I
executed both races well. Now I‰Ûªm 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‰Ûªm 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 ‰Û÷A‰Ûª game.

‰ÛÏIt feels good to come back. I‰Ûªm here and I‰Ûªm 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‰Ûªve done that so far.

Jamaal Torrance, men‰Ûªs 400 semifinal
‰ÛÏI felt a lot better than yesterday but I ran slower. I‰Ûªm just
taking this experience and making notes to get ready for next year and
the Olympics.‰Û

Greg Nixon, men‰Ûªs 400 semifinal
‰ÛÏMy hope was reaching the finals. I didn‰Ûªt get it done tonight.
It is a big letdown. Now I‰Ûªll focus on the 4×400 relay.‰Û

Hyleas Fountain, heptathlon
‰ÛÏIt started off well with a personal best for the season in the
hurdles. I was already concerned that I hadn‰Ûªt 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‰Ûªll 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.

‰ÛÏThe shot put didn‰Ûªt 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‰Ûªm going to go sleep it off and do the best I can tomorrow.

‰ÛÏI‰Ûªve struggled a little bit with injuries and little things
and sickness but I‰Ûªm happy to be here. This week is the healthiest I‰Ûªve
been. I‰Ûªve 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.‰Û

Sharon Day, heptathlon
‰ÛÏI‰Ûªm feeling good. Three out of four ain‰Ûªt bad. I‰Ûªm not really
happy with my high jump, but everything else is going amazing, and I‰Ûªm
way ahead of where I was in Eugene (Oregon, site of U.S. Championships).
I‰Ûªm happy. I‰Ûªm 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.‰Û

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