Track Nationals 2001

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USA Outdoor Track & Field Champs
Day 4 - June 24, 2001

EUGENE, Ore. – Competing in cool and rainy conditions, America’s top athletes turned in dominating performances to close out the final day of competition at the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Regina Jacobs, Allen Johnson, Gail Devers, Lawrence Johnson, Marla Runyan and Marion Jones all ran away with titles, with heated competition in eight other final events.

With her win in the 800m, Jacobs became only the second woman to win both the 800 and 1,500m at the same U.S. championships. The only other woman to do it was Marie Mulder in 1965, the first year that the 1,500 was contested for women. Mulder ran 4:36.5 to win the 1,500 and 2:11.1 in the 800m. This weekend, Jacobs ran 2:00.43 and 4:06.12. She kicked down Olympic Trials champion Hazel Clark on Sunday to win the 800 in 2:00.43 – her first U.S. championship in the event - to add to her 1,500 title from Saturday. Clark was second in 2:01.15 and Jennifer Toomey was third in 2:01.28.

But Jacobs wasn’t done. In the meet’s final event, the women’s 5,000m, she finished second behind a meet-record performance by Marla Runyan, who ran a virtual time trial far ahead of the field and finished in 15:08.03, crushing Brenda Webb’s 1988 meet record of 15:18.71. Jacobs was second in 15:10.78 and Elva Dryer was third in 15:11.76. Fourth-place finisher Amy Rudolph was also under Webb’s record, in 15:17.41.

For her performance, Jacobs was named the Xerox Female Athlete of the Day, as well as Xerox Female Athlete of the Meet.

Allen Johnson proved he is very much recovered from injuries by dominating the GMC Envoy men’s 110m hurdles. Johnson was never challenged in the race, running a world-leading time of 13.22 on a slick track and into a stiff headwind of 3.2 meters per second. Olympic silver medalist and indoor world champion Terrence Trammell, who trains with Johnson, was second in 13.46 and Dawane Wallace was third in 13.60. The 1996 Olympic gold medalist, Johnson won his fourth U.S. title. Running with a recently injured hamstring, Johnson was fourth at the Olympic Games and dealt with other injuries during the indoor season.

Johnson was named Xerox Male Athlete of the Day, as well as Xerox Male Athlete of the Meet. Johnson and Jacobs both will win a Xerox WorkCentre M940, which includes a color flatbed printer, a copier, scanner and a PC fax.

Marion Jones won her fourth consecutive U.S. title in the Verizon women’s 200m, running from the lead throughout the race and finishing in 22.52. Indoor champion LaTasha Jenkins was second in 22.88 and Kellie White was third in 22.93. Jones, Jenkins and White will be joined by 200m world champion Inger Miller on the U.S. 200 team in Edmonton.

Three-time world champion Gail Devers also demonstrated her domination in the adidas women’s 100m hurdles, running 12.91 seconds to long jump champion Jenny Adams’ 13.11 in second place. World indoor champion Anjanette Kirkland was third in 13.14.

Olympic silver medalist and world indoor champion Lawrence Johnson seemed to have little problem with the weather in the GMC Envoy men’s pole vault, clearing 5.85m/19-2.25 to win his fourth U.S. outdoor championship.

The men’s steeplechase provided a dramatic finish when indoor 3,000m champion and race leader Tim Broe fell on the final hurdle. Tom Chorny (8:22.16 – U.S. leader) and Anthony Famiglietti (8:22.68) overtook Broe for first and second, respectively, with Broe holding on for third in 9:24.66. It was the first U.S. title for Chorny.

Two-time Olympian Amy Acuff won a battle of attrition in the women’s high jump to win her third U.S. outdoor title and remain undefeated in 2001. Competing in cool temperatures and a steady rain, Acuff withstood “going psychotic” as she battled the elements to jump 1.88m/6-2 and win the competition, adding the 2001 U.S. outdoor title to her indoor crown. Erin Aldrich was second at 1.84/6-0.5 and Stacy Ann Grant was third at 1.84m.

World Indoor champion Shawn Crawford won his first U.S. title at 200m. Running strong off the curve, Crawford finished in 20.54, with Ramon Clay second in 20.60 and Kevin Little moving up into third in 20.64 to make his fourth consecutive World Championships team.

David Krummenacker won his first U.S. title in the 800m, leaning at the tape to edge Derrick Peterson for the win in 1:47.40. Peterson was second with an identical time but the finish-line photo showed him to be .005 behind Krummenacker. Jess Strutzel surged to the lead with 200m to go but was overtaken in the final stretch and finished third in 1:47.53.

LaMark Carter jumped a U.S.-leading mark of 17.17m/56-4 to sweep to 2001 U.S. indoor and outdoor titles and win the third U.S. outdoor title of his career – he was also champion in 1998 and 1999. Robert Howard was second at 16.94/55-7 and Walter Davis was third at 16.92/55-6.25. The trio represented the U.S. at the 2000 Olympic Games.

Seilala Sua completed a throws double by winning her first U.S. outdoor title in the shot put at 17.97m/58-11.5, defeating 11-time champion Connie Price-Smith, who has won the last nine titles. Sua won her fourth U.S. discus championship on Thursday. Price-Smith was second in Sunday’s shot put at 17.89m/58-8.50, with Kristin Heaston third at 17.17m/56-4.

Kim Kreiner stepped up from her second-place finish at the 2000 Olympic Trials to win the women’s javelin throw with a Hayward Field and USA Championships record of 55.76m/182-11. Erica Wheeler was second at 52.43/172-00, with Serene Ross third at 52.07/170-10.

Three-time Michelle Rohl won her third consecutive U.S. 20k race walk title, breaking her own meet record with a time of 1:32:49. Amber Antonia was second in 1:36:37 and Jill Zenner was third in 1:37:10.

Male athletes of the day at the 2001 GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships were Maurice Greene (Thursday), Kip Janvrin (Friday), Angela Taylor (Saturday) and Allen Johnson (Sunday). Female Athletes of the Day were Jenny Adams (Thursday), Dawn Ellerbe (Friday), Lisa Nye (Saturday) and Regina Jacobs (Sunday).

For complete results and quotes from the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, visit the USATF Web site: http://www.usatf.org.