U.S. TRACK AND FIELD TRIALS

Favorites advance easily at U.S. trials

Sanya Richards-Ross leads the way in the women's 400m preliminary at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Friday, June 22, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Sanya Richards-Ross leads the way in the women's 400m preliminary at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials Friday, June 22, 2012, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

— Sanya Richards-Ross stepped over a puddle, ran hard for a few more steps, then jogged to the finish line for an easy victory.

A routine result Friday at the rain-drenched Olympic trials that left one of America’s biggest track stars with no reason to complain.

Well, almost.

“Other than it messing up my hair, it’s OK,” she said.

Richards-Ross, LaShawn Merritt, Allyson Felix, Dawn Harper and Carmelita Jeter were among those who made it through the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials without any problems.

Richards-Ross ran her qualifying heat in the 400 meters in 51.69 seconds, winning by 0.55 seconds even though she jogged to the finish.

“We all have to compete in it,” said Richards-Ross, who will also try to qualify in the 200 next week. “Whatever it is, go out here and put in your best show.”

A few minutes earlier, Merritt, the defending Olympic champion at 400 meters, took to the rain-slickened track, sidestepped a runner who fell in the lane next to him and finished in 45.36 seconds, the best time in the men’s heats.

“I saw him and I had to do a little step more toward the inside of my lane, where I should’ve been in the first place,” Merritt said.

Jeremy Wariner, the 2004 Olympic champion, also advanced to the semifinals, though his race wasn’t quite such a breeze. He finished third in his heat in a time of 45.84.

“Just clearing the cobwebs out,” Wariner said. “I worked my turn pretty well. I saved a lot for the homestretch.”

David Neville, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, finished last in his heat and won’t go to London unless he is chosen for the relay team.

The 400 runners have semifinals today, with finals scheduled for Sunday.

In the women’s 100, Felix and Jeter each won their heats easily.

“It was OK. Just wanted to make it safely to the next round,” Felix said. “I feel like tomorrow will be better. Always good to get that first one out of the way.”

In the women’s 100 hurdles, Harper, the defending Olympic champion, won her heat in 12.79 seconds - a victory she earned even though she didn’t have the ideal, track-grabbing spikes in her shoes.

“I actually change spikes” when it rains, she said. “Usually, the pointier ones grab the track. It was on my mind out there because I had the older ones in.”

Jones also qualified but not by much. She finished third in her heat for the last automatic qualifying spot after running 13.01. Her race was delayed when Shericka Ward false started.

“I felt really good, but it was a bad race,” Jones said. “After the false start, I just relaxed a little bit too much.”

Meet organizers scrubbed women’s pole vault preliminaries, meaning all 29 athletes, including 2008 Olympic silvermedalist Jenn Suhr, will move to finals Sunday.

In the decathlon, Ashton Eaton was ahead of a worldrecord pace for two events. His shot put throw of 46 feet, 73/4 inches slowed him down, but he still led two-time world champion Trey Hardee by 205 points with six events to go.

Eaton, an Oregon native, looked very much at home in the steady rain that swamped Hayward Field for the first of this 10-day event, during which up to 120 spots on the U.S. Olympic team will be awarded.

Everybody else was trying to make the best of it, knowing that under U.S. rules the top three qualify - no excuses or second chances, even for the best of the best.

“You have to adapt to what the weather is, how the track is,” Merritt said. “Know what you’re doing before you get out there. You know the weather, the wind, and the track is slippery. It’s all about going in with a plan and executing.”Eye on Arkansans

A look at how athletes with Arkansas ties fared at the U.S. Olympic Trials: FRIDAY’S RESULTS

MEN

KEVIN LAZAS (UA) Is ninth in the decathlon with 3,972 points through five events going into today’s final day of competition.

JAMES STRANG (UA) Finished 21st in the 10,000 meters final.

MYCHAEL STEWART (UA) Finished 20th in the long jump preliminaries with a leap of 24 feet, 5 inches. Did not advance.

WOMEN

JESSICA COUSINS (UA) Finished 18th in the 400-meter preliminaries in 53.54 seconds. Did not advance.

SHELISE WILLIAMS (UA) Finished 19th in the 400-meter preliminaries in 53.65 seconds. Did not advance.

STEPHANIE BROWN (UA) Finished 24th in the 800-meter preliminaries in 2:06.36. Did not advance.

LASHAUNTE MOORE (UA) Finished 16th in the 100-meter preliminaries in 11.37 seconds. Advanced to today’s semifinals.

JANET CHEROBON-BAWCOM (Harding) Finished seventh in the 10,000 meters with a time of 32 minutes, 17.06 second.

NOTE The women’s pole vault competition, which includes April Bennett (UA), Janice Keppler (UA) and Katie Stripling (UA), was postponed Friday because of rain. All 29 entrants will advance to Sunday’s final.

ON TAP TODAY

MEN

ATHLETE EVENT RD Tyson Gay (UA) 100 1st Wallace Spearmon (UA) 100 1st Kevin Lazas (UA) Decathlon -

WOMEN

LaShaunte Moore (UA) 100 semis

Sports, Pages 19 on 06/23/2012

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