2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships Day 8 Team USA quotes

For Immediate Release
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Contact:
Vicky Oddi
USA Track & Field
Communications Coordinator
+4917617368884; Vicky.Oddi@usatf.org


2009 IAAF World Athletics Championships Day 8 Team USA quotes

Dwight Phillips (Snellville, Ga.), Men's long jump gold medalist

It started off in the beginning of the year. I had the opportunity to change coaches, with Loren Seagrave. He really guided me in the right direction at the beginning. He made sure I didn't over train or hurt myself. From there, I made a commitment. Everyday I trained, I was going to leave everything on the track. I was going to work hard and smart. It paid off today.

I am thankful for all the people who have helped me along the way this year. For winning this third championship, it means so much to me. In the beginning of the season, I was working extremely hard. I got my body balanced, so I had fewer injuries. In my first meet, I jumped 8.51. From then, I knew I was going to win the World Championship. I had never jumped so far that early in the season. Normally, I get better and better as the season goes along. I ran the 100 meters faster than I ever had. I was stronger than I had ever been. I expected to compete better than I ever had. I am just blessed that I was able to do that today.

(On Jesse Owens) First of all, he's been such a great icon for the sport and for humanity. He's been a great person. I had the opportunity to go to the museum this weekend. I see all the great pictures and the history behind it with Luz Long helping him achieve that mark. He was behind the board. That right there just spoke volumes of what type of person each one of those individuals were. For me, I was just honored to be able to come out here today to represent the United States and represent this JO symbol that's on our uniforms.

(Getting the medal from Marlene Dortch, Owens' granddaughter) That's just history looking right at me in the face. I am just so honored. Tomorrow, I get the opportunity to maybe talk to her more. I am looking forward to that. I'm so happy. I'm just at a loss for words.

Jessica Cosby (Mission Hills, California), Women's hammer throw

I thought I had another PR in me tonight. I'm a bit bummed out.

Amber Campbell (Myrtle Beach, South Carolina), Women's hammer throw

I did the best that I could tonight. It wasn't a bad throw today, but it took a little bit more. These girls were really getting after it tonight. I just have to step up my game a little more for the next one.

Derek Miles (Tea, South Dakota), Men's pole vault

The legs were just not there. When the legs aren't working, you can't move the pole.

I was on a decent sized pole that I should make 5.50 over easy. I just couldn't run the same three times in a row.

Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, California), Women's 5000 meters

I was disappointed. I thought I would be a bit more competitive. I just didn't have it. I planned on making a move with about 3 or 4 laps to go, and felt like I was already struggling. I finished up the best that I could. I just didn't have the kind of race that I wanted to.

Natasha Hastings (Los Angeles, California), Women's 4 x 400 meters second leg

Honestly, we wanted just to get the stick around. We used safe passes. Debbie (Dunn, the first leg) really did all of the work, so I just had to bring the stick in the lead.

Jessica Beard (Euclid, Ohio), Women's 4 x 400 meters third leg

I was really trying to open up the gap that I was given, so Sanya (Richards, the anchor leg) could have it easy. She was able to run without expending too much energy. I'm really glad that the coaching staff trusted me to get out there, especially since I'm the youngest member of the team.

Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas), Women's 4 x 400 meters anchor leg

I think I ran 54 seconds in practice a couple of days ago (laughs)! I'm happy that my teammates ran as well as they did Debbie, Natasha and Jessica made it easy on me.

We're going to have a tough task tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure I had fresh legs for the finals.

Dan Browne (San Diego, California), 24th in men's marathon

The race started out great. It was an amazing field, and ran competitively in the first half, and came through the half-marathon at 1:06. I went through a bad patch of 10k shortly afterwards, but I finished strong. I feel reasonably pleased. My placing was right in line with what I was expecting to do.

This course was amazing, seeing all those folks out there. I like running criterium-style courses like this.

Matt Gabrielson (Minneapolis, Minnesota) 36th in men's marathon

I was good through half-way. I hit a spot around 30k, but never really hit the wall. I wasn't struggling, but I was running 3:25 or 3:30, when I was running 3:10s, which is 2:14 pace which I thought I was going to run. I ran out of something--I don't know what it was. It's bittersweet, and it's amazing to finish under the Brandenburg Gate with all these people lining the street.

Nate Jenkins (Lowell, Mass), 63rd in men's marathon

I started at 3:05 at the kilometer, and actually felt good through 10-12k, then started having some hamstring problems, which has been par for the course for me.

I was slowed down, but still rolling along until 32 k, and thinking I can run 2:20, then the wheels just came off. I don't remember much of the last 10k other than I was going backwards.

Other than that, I knew it was a long day out there. I knew I had to finish, since we only lined up four athletes, so it was one foot in front of the other.

Alexandria Anderson (Austin, Texas) women's 4x100m second leg

The baton was well inside the zone. Everything was going smoothly.

The group as a whole was together since the London meet (in late July). We were going for the win and to do the best job we can. It's just a mishap that you have to go on and move forward with.

You have to go to an Olympics or World Championships with the mind set that you want to be the best and go out and compete with the best. Every team has its ups and down, but it just depends on how you come out fighting.

Carmelita Jeter (Inglewood, Calif.), Women's 4x100 relay anchor leg

I saw that Muna pulled something. It was unfortunate. It's nothing something that you can train for. We were ready to run. It's unfortunate. Right now, we want to go back there and be with our teammate, because that's the most important thing, to make sure that Muna is OK. We go together. We go with her. That's our teammate. We will always be for each other.

Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.), Women's 4x100 relay first leg

I got it to Alexandria and everything seemed to be on target. We expected to be in the finals. We practiced well. We had great chemistry. Things have been going wonderfully. We were on world record pace (for the final). That race was just two weeks ago. We went 41.5, and we weren't even trying. We got out there. We were having a good day. We were having a good time. When you least expect it, you run the fastest.

It's unfortunate that we get here to the big one, the dance, and know we have a team that is capable of world-record pace, and then not even get a chance to try for gold, much less the world record. We weren't doing anything different. We knew we had good chemistry. We worked together to make sure we are a very cohesive group. We have good energy. We have not had any drama or back biting. Nothing bad has happened in this relay. We have had great chemistry and we were really excited about getting out here.

It was definitely going to be a great race. You know (Jamaica) has great girls. They put out a good time. It comes down to who gets the better handoffs, and who can run the race much more smoothly. It's not necessarily about who has the four fastest legs at that point. We were out there, working our way through the line. It was going to an exciting race for the stadium, the world, for everyone to see.

(on seeing what happened) I didn't see what happened. I actually turned around, thinking we were on Easy Street. I did my part, I handed it off. I was heading to the finish line to congratulate my girls. Then, I didn't see them there. I had to get escorted, I was sent off in the wrong direction, then I found out something was wrong.

(on not being allowed in training room) At that point, all you worry about is the health of your teammate. Is she OK? What's going on? You can hear her screaming in pain. Then they tell you you can't go in with her. What difference does it make now? We're not in the finals. Don't tell me which way I can go right now. I'm worried about my teammate. That's what I am worried about.

Brian Johnson (Zachary, La.), 9th in Men's Long Jump

It was just not a good day. I thought I had it. I had a good jump in the second round. That would have got me to the finals, and probably put me in medal contention. But I fouled it. On my last one, it was just flat.

Kerron Clement (Gainesville, Fla.), Men's 4x400 relay 2nd leg

It went really well. The plan was to come out here, and make it to the finals. We have been doing this for a grand old time.

Bershawn Jackson (Savoy, Ill.), Men's 4x400 relay 3rd leg

I didn't (feel a runner coming close). When you run that hard, you can't determine how close guys are. The main thing is to have a strong kick and hold those guys off, and give it to our quarter horse, Angelo (Taylor). They did a real good job of holding them off. The USA is known for bringing home the gold in the 4x4, so we are trying to keep the tradition.

Angelo Taylor (Atlanta), Men's 4x400 relay anchor leg

(On getting the baton with a big lead) They always do that. Everything we run the prelim, they always put me on the anchor. They always give me a comfortable lead. It gives me a good chance to run even. I appreciate that. We have the top two guys resting right now. They can come in with some fresh legs. (Three hurdlers on the team tonight) What can I say? We have the top quarter milers in the world. I won the US Championships in 2007. Bershawn has run 45.0. Kerron got a few titles. We are very, very deep in the 400. We'll just go out there and take care of business.

Lionel Larry (Compton, Calif.), Men's 4x400 relay 1st leg

I'm glad I had the opportunity to run it off. It was a fun time. I haven't handled the stick for the U.S.A. in a long time. I was happy to represent. Doing it on this stage, it's always a pleasure here. I hope I get another chance at it. I'm just living it up.


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