By Gene Cherry
EUGENE, Oregon, June 22 (Reuters) – Former world champion
Sanya Richards-Ross had only one problem with her women’s 400
metres preliminary race at the rainy U.S. Olympic trials on
Friday.
“Other than messing up my hair, it was fine,” she quipped
after jogging the last 100 metres in a steady rain to win her
heat.
The Jamaican-born American, who is bidding for spots on the
American team in the 200 and 400 metres, ran hard the first half
of her race before easing off to finish in 51.69 seconds.
Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt topped the men’s
preliminaries in 45.36 seconds. Former Games gold medallist
Jeremy Wariner was 13th fastest of 16 qualifiers. He ran 45.84.
The big early marks belonged to decathlon world silver
medallist Ashton Eaton.
The hometown favorite, accustomed to the rain in his native
Oregon, splashed to the fastest 100 metres ever run in a
decathlon, 10.21 seconds, to start the competition.
“Ashton Eaton is a true beast,” tweeted 2004 Olympic 100m
champion Justin Gatlin.
But Eaton was not finished, later leaping 8.23 metres, an
unprecedented mark in the long jump leg of decathlon
competition.
His third event was more subdued as he finished fifth in the
shot put, one of his weaker events.
Still, the indoor heptathlon world record holder streaked to
2,905 points with an overwhelming 149-point lead over world
champion Trey Hardee.
Hardee, the shot put winner, was on 2,756 points, while
Olympic champion Bryan Clay was third with 2,725.
The top three finishers in their events at the U.S. trials,
which continue to July 1, book their tickets to London provided
they meet the Olympic qualifying standard.
(Editing by Ian Ransom)
