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GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Barbara Pierre (Winter Haven, Fla.) kept Team USA’s streak alive of capturing a silver medal in the women’s 100-meter dash in each of the last three Pan American Games to highlight track and field action Tuesday at Telemex Athletic Stadium.
Pierre, running in lane five, led throughout the race before being clipped at the wire in a photo finish by Brazil’s Rosangela Santos by three hundredths of a second. Santos ran a personal best of 11.22, while Pierre was clocked in 11.25.
“(Winning a silver medal) is amazing,” said Pierre, who ran in the 2008 Olympics representing Haiti before earning her U.S. citizenship. ”This is my first USA team and to win a silver is a great thing, so I’m happy with that.”
Calesio Newman (Green Sea, S.C.), running in lane one, finished sixth in the finals of the men’s 100m in 10.31.
Team USA fell just short of earning another medal in the men’s long jump with Jeremy Hicks (Houston, Texas) finishing fourth in the men’s long jump at 7.83m/25-8.5. Randall Flimmons (Columbus, Miss.) placed seventh at 7.71m/25-3.5. Flimmons fouled on his second, third and fourth attempts.
In the finals of the men’s shot put, Noah Bryant (College Station, Texas) was sixth with a throw of 19.23m/ 63-1.25 coming on his third and only legal throw. Russ Winger (Colorado Springs, Colo.) finished seventh with a mark of 19.11m/ 62-8.5 on his first attempt.
Heather Kampf (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.), who was third in the 800m at the 2010 and 2011 U.S. Indoor Nationals, finished sixth in the finals of the women’s 800m in 2:07.11. Christina Rodgers (Tucson, Ariz.), a late addition to Team USA, was seventh in 2:08.29. Kampf held her own trailing eventual winner Adriana Munoz of Cuba through the first 500 meters by a couple of strides, but couldn’t keep pace on the backstretch.
Yvette Lewis (Newport News, Va.), who was third in the 2011 U.S. Indoor Championships, advanced to the finals of the women’s 100 meter hurdles after posting the fastest qualifying time in the semifinal round of 12.88 seconds en route to winning the second heat.
Lewis also will compete in the women’s triple jump Friday - an event in which she finished sixth in the 2007 Pan American Games.
The decathlon concluded with Matt Johnson (Groves, Texas) and Mark Jellison (Reading, Mass.) finishing 10th and 11th, respectively, with 6,929 points and 6,550 points.
Despite running in lane eight, Jellison started off the day by running a personal best en route to winning the first heat of the 110 hurdles in 14.49. Johnson also ran a personal best in the 110 hurdles of 14.77. However, Jellison passed on the opening height of 3.80m/12-5.5 in the pole vault and then failed to clear the opening height of 3.90m/12-9.5. Johnson closed out the decathlon by running a personal best in the 1,500m of 4:59.60.
Meanwhile, Bridgette Ingram (Maplewood, N.J.) stood in 11th place after the opening day of competition in the heptathlon, tallying 3,025 points.
Team USA failed to qualify anyone in the finals of either the men’s or women’s 400 meter dash.
Joshua Scott (Winter Haven, Fla.), Team USA’s lone entrant in the men’s 400, placed fourth in the third semifinal heat in 46.09. Jessica Cousins (Seneca, S.C.) was sixth in heat two in 54.38, while Leslie Cole (Idabel, Okla.) finished seventh in the first heat in 53.38.
Cole is still scheduled to compete in the women’s 200m Wednesday as well as the women’s 4x400m relay on Friday.
For complete Pan American Games track and field results, go to http://www.usatf.org/events/2011/PanAmericanGames/
TEAM USA MEDALS
SILVER
Jarred Rome (Marysville, Wash.), men’s discus, 61.71m/202-5 10/24
Barbara Pierre (Winter Haven, Fla.), women’s 100m, 11.25, 10/25
BRONZE
Amber Campbell (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), women’s hammer throw, 69.93m/229-5, 10/24
Becky Holliday (Penryn, Calif.), women’s pole vault, 4.30m/14-1.25, 10/24
TEAM USA ATHLETES QUOTES
Noah Bryant, College Station, Texas, sixth (19.23m/63-1.25), men’s shot put
“I had higher expectations than I threw. I was expecting to throw in the mid-20 meters like I’ve been throwing all year. But I couldn’t keep it in the ring; I kept fouling. My training had been going pretty well. I’m going to take two weeks off to rest, doing some deer hunting and get back to training.”
Russ Winger, Colorado Springs, Colo., seventh (19.11m/62-8.5), men’s shot put
“It’s October and it has definitely been hard to hold onto any sort of peak and also be in shape to start preparing for next year. I try to go into meets like this without any expectations. I gave it everything I had but, for some reason today, I just couldn’t put anything together.”
Yvette Lewis, Newport News, Va., women’s 100m hurdles, first in semifinal No. 2 (12.88): “I wanted to go through today with a nice, clean race. I got out of the box pretty good and just maintained it. I didn’t push too hard — just in between. Tomorrow I still have to go faster. My goal is to win and get the gold.”
Leslie Cole, Idabel, Okla., women’s 400m, seventh in semifinal No. 1 (53.38): “I feel like I got out really well, but then towards about 250 I started to fatigue a little bit. I think it’s because I’ve been training only four weeks so I haven’t had a full season of training. So the last 150 was really tough. It’s a joy to be here and I’m proud to represent my country. I’m disappointed in my performance but I know with a longer season of training, I would have done much better.”
Jessica Cousins, Seneca, S.C., women’s 400m, sixth in semifinal No. 2 (54.38): “It didn’t play out as well as I wanted. I kind of broke down the last 60 meters. I tried to stay in my arms and just finish. I’ve been battling sinuses and congestion all week, before I even got here and it’s gotten worse here but I wouldn’t say that was a factor.
“I have the 4x400 next, so we’ll see what happens. Our goal is to win. We’re going to try to use four of our strongest girls and hopefully we’ll bring home the gold.”
Josh Scott, Winter Haven, Fla., men’s 400m, fourth in semifinal No. 3 (46.09): “I felt a little weak. I didn’t feel as strong as I usually feel, but I think for the most part — for my training only being two and a half months — I think I did pretty strong.
“Mentally I don’t think I was all that there for this race, but hopefully if I make finals I’ll be back. I need a better start and I need to relax a little bit more in between my 200s and try to bring it home the best I can.”
Jeremy Hicks, Houston, Texas, men’s long jump, fourth (7.83m/25-8.5): “Coming into today I was kind of blessed because I was on the verge of not making finals. I was the last man in. Today I obviously wanted to place. I wanted to score within the top three. I almost got it done. I couldn’t quite get it done on the runway. I don’t want to say that I’m pleased with my performance because I know could have done better, but I’m pleased with the outcome.
“This event has been amazing. The atmosphere is amazing — all these people cheering for you no matter what country.”
Randall Flimmons, Columbus, Miss., men’s long jump, seventh (7.71m/25-3.5): “This past couple of days I’ve really been through a lot. I came out the first day during training and sort of injured my knee. From there I had problems with my hip flexor. The great staff helped me to make it to the finals. This competition as a whole, I did what I could — a lot of adjustments, a lot of improvements in the competition. I tried to battle through it. I think I did as much as I could, although it wasn’t enough to get me on the podium. I still have a lot of work to do. I know it’s October. I guess, most importantly, I didn’t want to let my nation down — the red, white and blue. Having said all that I’m grateful to be here. It’s a great opportunity.”
Christina Rodgers, women’s 800m, seventh (2:08.29): “The gun got off and I felt smooth coming out and then settled into a good spot. Coming into the 400 it started to shake up a little and bump around as we were fighting for position. Coming into the 300 mark I was right behind the leaders in the top four and then I didn’t have enough strength to keep pushing with them in the last 150. But I gave it my best every step of the way.
“I find out about making the team, a week before the meet so basically we spiked up for three sprint workouts and at the end coach said you’re as ready as you’re going to be. I wanted to come in and PR and give my best whatever that was going to be. I loved this experience.”
Heather Kampf, Inver Grove Heights, Minn., women’s 800m, sixth (2:07.11): “I definitely didn’t want to lead it (first 400) just knowing that the person that leads usually doesn’t lead at the end. So I tried to stay relaxed and let them do the work up front. It was a little physical even from the 200 to the 400. The 200 was perfect then it slowed down and that’s when things get a little tighter and elbows fly. So you know the second quarter is going to be super fast when you start that slow. I kind of wish I had another round tomorrow.
“I haven’t taken a significant physical break since the end of last September (2010) so this is the end of a long season. But you can’t turn down an opportunity like this. I was glad to be here I was really hoping to be on that podium.”
Barbara Pierre, Winter Haven, Fla., women’s 100m, second (11.25): “I think I got out pretty well, but coming towards the end I kind of stumbled. If I would have just stayed relaxed and not fought myself I would’ve been okay because she caught me right at the line. … I ran a better, relaxed race yesterday than I did today.
“I think I did pretty good. Some people have been running all year long up until now, and I stopped running in July, and these are my first races since July. I’m okay with it. I’m not mad at all.
“I just wish I had a better start. If I’d had a better start, then I would have had a better finish. I didn’t drive like I was supposed to. It’s like I rushed my race instead of just going through it.
“I’m learning a lot of new techniques … I have speed, but I just have to get my technique right, which caused me to stumble because I’m trying to lift and that’s something new to me.
“(Winning a silver medal) is amazing. It’s a wonderful thing. I’m not mad at all … This is my first USA team and to win a silver is a great thing, so I’m happy with that.”
Calesio Newman, Green Sea, S.C., men’s 100m, sixth (10.31): “It was a great final. I didn’t execute like I was supposed to. I can’t be mad; it’s my first international Pan Am team. … Back to the drawing board and get ready for Olympic Trials.
“I think I could have reacted better and gotten out better and transitioned a little better — just overall racing all together. I have to say it’s an excellent experience and great to be out here in Guadalajara, Mexico.”
Bridgette Ingram, Maplewood, N.J., heptathlon: “I only had two months to train, so I really can’t ask for too much. I’m just glad to finish and walk away and come back tomorrow and do the best that I can.
“In the first event, the hurdles, I ran 14.7 and my PR is 13.8, but I was happy with it because at Nationals I couldn’t finish the (heptathlon) because of injuries. High jump, I hit my head on the bar … The shot put went okay. I think I threw like 38 high, and the 200 — it’s my first sprint in I don’t know how long and they kind of blew me out, but I’m just happy to walk away and come back tomorrow and finish strong.
“In the past I probably would have been embarrassed, but I’m not because I only had two months of training, and I came out here and did the best that I can.
“I want to jump 19 feet in the long jump. In the javelin, I want to get a PR. Even though I’ve only been training for two months, I expect a lot of myself so I was a little disappointed with today but I know it’s going to lead to greater things at the end.”
About USA Track & Field
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