Anna Willard, the 2007 NCAA steeplechase champion who had to contest last year’s AT&T U.S. Outdoor Championships on an injured ankle, ran the fastest ever 3000m steeplechase by an American woman here last night as the U.S. Olympic Trials resumed after a two-day break. Her winning time of 9:27.59 was also the fastest-ever women’s steeplechase performance on U.S. soil.
“I just felt so fantastic,” an enthusiastic Willard told reporters after the race.
Willard, her short blonde hair accented with a bright red streak she had dyed-in just for the Trials, followed the early lead of reigning NCAA champion, Jenny Barringer of the University of Colorado, her chief rival for last night’s title. They were joined by Lindsey Anderson and Nicole Bush of Michigan State University, and the pace was strong.
“I wanted it to go out fast like it did,” said Anderson who is coached by former City of Los Angeles Marathon champion Paul Pilkington. “That is what we were planning on and I knew if I could stay right with Jenny and Anna that I would be there at the end and be able to finish strong and make the team.”
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Our colleagues at RunnerSpace.com have posted a video interview with Frank Gagliano, the coach of the Oregon Track Club Elite team.
In the interview, which is embedded below, Coach “Gags” talks about the team’s preparations for this weekend’s two-day University of Washington Invitational, and the addition of Kevin Hicks and Bolota Asmerom to the team.
Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. For more information about Nick please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com
This weekend marked the real beginning of 2008 for me. Traveling across the country to race at the Boston Indoor Games was a decision not easily made. Many factors go into choosing a season opener and Coach Gags [Frank Gagliano] and I vacillated all fall whether or not to open up here. Fortunately, we were on the same page as to what we hoped to gain from my 2008 debut. It might seem strange that so much thought went into a race that is run in January and does not qualify me for anything in particular, but I will try to explain our thought process and what we were looking for in a season opener.
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Today’s podcast features my interview with young, American running star Nick Symmonds.
Once thought of as an underdog because he competed for Division III Williamette, the seven-time NCAA outdoor champ has showed everyone that he can compete with the best; finishing second in the 800m at the 2006 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships and winning the event at the ’07 Reebok Indoor Games and the USA Indoor Champs.
In high school and college Nick says that he always looked up to and wanted to emulate runners like Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenheim and Alan Webb. Although Nick still holds them in high regard and knows that he has a lot to learn from their accomplishments on the world stage, he also jokes that he might now even be able to “teach them a thing or two” (or at least when it comes to the 800m).
In the interview Nick also talks about “living the dream”, training with Coach Frank Gagliano and major goals for 2007.
Download the podcast to hear Nick speak about these topics, his advice for other so-called “underdogs”, why he would “love to be in a race with [Bernard] Lagat and [Alan] Webb”, and much more!
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[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)
[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to youHost: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Nick Symmonds
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 11.5 MB
Length: 00:16:47
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Matt Tegenkamp filled a major hole in is résumé today when he ran away from the field to win his first U.S. open title at the AT&T USA Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center here today.
The 25 year-old former University of Wisconsin star got his only serious challenge from three-time U.S. indoor champion Jonathon Riley, who was able to keep close to the tall redhead through 2400m (6:16.89). But with a strong acceleration with three laps to go, Riley was left behind by Tegenkamp, who managed a sub-30 second final lap, to finish in 7:46.08. Riley held his position to finish in 7:49.73, and a resurgent Sean Graham got third in 7:52.31.
Of winning his first national title since winning the U.S. Junior Cross Country Championships in 2001, Tegenkamp said, “It’s great. With a national championship, no matter what it is, is’s a big thing.”
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