Allyson Felix won the women’s 400m at the US athletics championships on Saturday and said she would decide soon if she would attempt a 200m and 400m double at the World Championships.
“Hopefully pretty soon,” Felix said of when a decision would come on the daunting double.
Felix, the three-time defending 200m world champion, remains concerned that contesting the 400m prior to the 200m at the World Championships in Daegu, South Korea, from Aug. 27 until Sept. 4 could jeopardize her chances in her favorite event.
Photo: AFP
In the meantime, however, she was savoring her 400m victory, which made her the first US woman to win national titles at 100m, 200m and 400m in a career.
Felix powered through the finish to win in 50.4 seconds. In windy conditions, she couldn’t match her world-leading 49.81 seconds, but she had plenty in the tank to beat Francena McCorory (50.49 seconds) and indoor world champion Debbie Dunn (50.7 seconds).
“I knew this was going to be racing home,” Felix said. “I wanted to be in position to use my speed.”
Photo: AFP
In the men’s 400m, university student Tony McQuay gave veteran Jeremy Wariner a glimpse of the future as Wariner tries to turn back the clock.
McQuay, a 21-year-old who was runner-up in the US collegiate championships 400m this year, surged past a fading Wariner in the final straight to win in 44.68 seconds.
Wariner held on to take second in 44.98 seconds, but just barely as third went to Greg Nixon in the same time as all three booked their world berths.
Wariner, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist and world champion in 2005 and 2007, said that McQuay, with the collegiate season behind him, is further along in his training at this point.
He said his own final 100m would improve in the coming weeks.
“I executed a great race,” Wariner said. “My last 100 wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be, but I didn’t panic.”
McQuay, who said Wariner was his biggest role model, was delighted with the victory.
However, McQuay made it clear he wouldn’t be in awe of his more experienced rivals or the grand World Championships stage.
“Hopefully I’ll get a win there, too!” said McQuay, who has one other lofty goal: the world record of 43.18 seconds set by Michael Johnson way back in 1999. “I’ve got my mind set on that.”
While the top three finishers booked their spots in Daegu, the US could have another runner in the 400m at worlds.
Reigning world champion LaShawn Merritt wasn’t at the US championships as he completes a 21-month suspension after testing positive for a banned substance used in an over-the-counter male enhancement product.
He has a bye into the worlds and his suspension ends in time for him to race there.
However, he would need a waiver from USA Track and Field to compete without competing at the trials.
The governing body’s board will meet after the US championships to determine Merritt’s status.
David Oliver won the 110m hurdles in a time of 13.04 seconds, putting himself in position to challenge world record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba and China’s former world record-holder Liu Xiang in Daegu.
Aries Merritt was second in 13.12 seconds and Jason Richardson third with 13.15 seconds.
Marquise Goodwin won the men’s long jump with a leap of 8.33m, ahead of rising talent Will Clay (8.19m) and Jeremy Hicks (8.10m). All were wind-aided.
Reigning world champion Dwight Phillips, who has a bye into Daegu, finished a disappointing 10th with a leap of 7.89m.
Women’s 100m champion Carmelita Jeter was the top qualifier into the semi-finals of the 200m.
With Tyson Gay injured and Justin Gatlin opting out, Shawn Crawford led the way into the men’s 200m semis. Men’s 100m winner Walter Dix advanced to keep alive his chance at a sprint double, something Gatlin decided not to attempt after a runner-up finish to Dix in the 100m put him back on a World Championships team after his four-year drugs ban.
Wallace Spearmon, a 2009 World Championships bronze medalist, failed to advance.
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