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2004 OLYMPIC TEAM TRIALS—TRACK
AND FIELD by Sam Grotewold Sacramento, California, July 10—Although the big story on this second day of Olympic Trials action at Hornet Stadium was 2000 Olympic 100-meter champion Marion Jones' failure to make the team in that event, fans were also treated to exciting semifinal races in the men's and women's 800 meters. In the first of two semifinal heats in the men's 800, Khadevis Robinson—fourth at the 2000 Olympic Trials, a mere .25 seconds from an Olympic berth—led from wire to wire, repeatedly looking over his shoulder in the final 100 meters and coasting to the win in 1:47.49. Robinson, who at 10 days away from his 28th birthday is one of the oldest athletes in an event filled with youngsters, felt that his experience helped him through the rounds—and will help him make the Olympic team, as well. "My main focus is planning my race and racing my plan," Robinson said. "I'm very confident if I make the team, great things are going to come." Following Robinson into the eight-man final were former U.S. and NCAA champ Derrick Peterson (1:47.87), 2004 NCAA runner-up Jesse O'Connell (1:47.88), and two-time NAIA champ Jacob Koczman (1:48.15). Heat two featured the odds-on favorite, 2003 World Indoor Championships gold medalist David Krummenacker, as well as the last two NCAA champions, Samuel Burley and Jonathan Johnson. "Krum" followed Johnson and Jebreh Harris through a tightly bunched opening lap before taking the lead at the bell. Burley, who sat in fifth for most of the first 600 meters, posesses a furious finishing kick that balances on the razor thin edge between "just in time" and "too late," and it appeared at first that he would not be able to pull himself into the top four needed to make the finals. But on the final turn, Burley swung wide and found an extra gear. As Krummenacker eased up in the final 25 meters, Burley and Johnson continued to press, with Burley winning in 1:46.79. Johnson (1:47.19), Krummenacker (1:47.33), and Harris (1:47.36) rounded out the finals qualifiers. "I felt like I was in the top four," Krummenacker explained when asked why he slowed so noticeably in the final sprint for the line. "I felt confident that I would get to the finals, so there was no reason to hammer it today." In the first semifinal heat in the women's 800, Nicole Teter grabbed a large lead very quickly, and then allowed the field to catch her coming up on the bell lap. "I went out and took the lead and that's the way I like it." Teter explained. "It was a little fast. Nerves were probably a factor. I think we were all a little scared." Teter pulled away from the group again on the backstretch, powering home to the win in 2:01.05. Joining Teter in the finals will be the University of Tennessee's Nicole Cook (2:02.33), Francis Santin (2:02.45), and Chantee Earl (2:02.55). The second round of the women's 800 semifinals featured the most significant casualty of the 800 meter rounds, 2004 World Indoor Championships fourth-place finisher (and 2004 U.S. Indoor champ) Jen Toomey. 37 year-old Jearl Miles-Clark, attempting to make her fourth Olympic team, led most of the race, usually with her sister-in-law, Hazel Clark, by her side. At the line, Miles-Clark held off her husband's younger sibling 2:00.33 to 2:00.36, with Kameisha Bennett (2:00.37) and Sasha Spencer (2:01.58) close behind. Toomey, well back in fifth (2:03.89), was still rounding into shape after a leg injury that cost her six weeks of training in late spring. "I haven't been feeling great," she said. "My leg is healthy again, but I've really only had four or five weeks to train." Toomey, who also won the 1500 meters at the U.S. Indoor Championships in March, will still compete in that event beginning next week. The distance events will a break on Sunday, but return with a vengeance on Monday with the 800 meter finals for men and women, the semi-final rounds of the men's steeplechase and 5000 meters, and the final of the women's 5000 meters. New York Road Runners will be trackside, bringing you all of the exciting distance running action.
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