Team USA gets rolling on Day 1 of World Champs

For Immediate Release
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Contact:
Vicky Oddi
USA Track & Field
Communications Coordinator
+4917617368884; Vicky.Oddi@usatf.org


Team USA gets rolling on Day 1 of World Champs

BERLIN - Team USA advanced through the rounds Saturday morning during opening-day competition at the 2009 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Competition continues Saturday evening.

Nelson, Cantwell, Hoffa advance to final

Three Americans with five world titles to their names will compete in tonight's men's shot put final. 2005 world champion Adam Nelson (Charlottesville, Va.), 2008 Olympic silver medalist and two-time World Indoor champion Christian Cantwell (Columbia, Mo.) and reigning World Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa (Athens, Ga.) all easily made the final. Nelson exceeded the automatic qualifying mark of 20.30 meters on his first throw of 20.50m/67 feet 3.25 inches. Cantwell made it through with his second put of 20.63m/67-8.25 and Hoffa's first effort of 20.23m/66-4.5 was enough make the final. 2009 USA Indoor champion Dan Taylor (Mesa, Ariz.) threw 19.39m/63-7.5 after two fouls and did not advance.

100m men move into second round

Defending champion Tyson Gay (Clermont, Fla.) led Team USA's 100m contingent into Saturday night's second round, running 10.16 to win heat 11, the fastest time in the first round. Darvis Patton (Grand Prairie, Texas) won heat 2 in 10.26, Mike Rodgers (Round Rock, Texas) won heat 12 in 10.25 and Rae Edwards (Kansas City, Kan.) was third in heat 4 in 10.32 to advance.

400m women roll into next round

2008 Olympic bronze medalist Sanya Richards cruised through the first round of the women's 400m, winning heat 5 in 51.06 several meters ahead of Beijing gold medalist Christine Ohuruogu (GBR), who was second in 51.30. Debbie Dunn won heat 4 in 51.13 and 2008 World Junior silver medalist Jessica Beard was the runner-up in heat 2 in 51.72.

Barringer cruises into steeple final

American record holder Jenny Barringer (Boulder, Colo.) left her qualification status for the women's steeplechase in the balance until the final 50m of the second heat. Barringer took the early lead and ran with the front pack the entire race. Heading into the final 100m in fifth, she broke into a sprint after the final barrier, passing two competitors to finish third in 9:26.81 and automatically qualify for the final. 2008 Olympian Linsdey Anderson (South Ogden, Utah) finished 11th in heat 1 in 9:46.03 and Penn State's Bridget Franek (Hiram, Ohio) was 12th in heat 3 in 9:50.02. Neither advanced.

After two events in the women's heptathlon, 2008 high jump Olympian Sharon Day (Costa Mesa, Calif.) is sitting in second place with 2,086 points having run 13.90 in the 100m hurdles (993) and cleared 1.89m/6-2.25 in the high jump (1,093). 2009 USA Outdoor champion Diana Pickler (Sasche, Texas) is in eighth with 1,991 points and Bettie Wade is in ninth with 1,986 points.

The final of the women's triple jump and men's hammer throw will be without an American representative as 2009 USA Outdoor champion Shakeema Welsch (Charlotte, N.C.) was 17th in qualifying with a best effort of 14.01m/45-11.75w. Three-time USA Outdoor champion Shani Marks (Brooklyn Park, Minn.) was 27th in qualifying with 13.67m/44-10.25 and 2008 Olympian Erica McLain (Menlo Park, Calif.) was 32nd with 13.39m/43-11.25.

2007 NACAC champion Jake Freeman (Westbury, N.Y.) finished 15th in qualifying in the men's hammer throw with 74.19m/243-5 and Michael Mai (Santa Clara, Calif.) was 21st with 72.58m/238-1. Three-time USA Outdoor champion A.G. Kruger (Ashland, Ohio) was 28th with 70.19m/230-3

For complete results, quotes and Team USA reports, visit www.usatf.org.

Fans can watch Team USA on national television broadcasts on NBC and Versus, or online via live, daily Webcast at www.universalsports.com. For complete TV listings, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/mediaCoverage.asp.

For more information on Team USA at the World Outdoor Championships, visit http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/.


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