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Flanagan, Goucher and Begley earn Olympic spots

Sat 28th, June 2008

Eugene, OR (Sports Network) - Shalane Flanagan, Kara Goucher and Amy Begley finished in the top three in the women's 10,000 meters at the track and field trials Friday night, thus earning a trip to the Olympics.

Flanagan, the American record holder, finished the race in 31 minutes, 34.81 seconds. Goucher, the world outdoor bronze medalist, was second, three seconds back, while Begley was nine seconds behind the winner.

"This is something that all the athletes have been thinking about the past four years and it is a big relief," Flanagan said. "I am extremely excited."

The top three finishers in each event at the trials, who have met Olympic performance standards, will earn a spot on the team destined for Beijing in August.

The women's 100 is shaping up as one of the toughest competitions. In Friday's quarterfinal heats, Marshevet Hooker became the fifth-fastest woman in history, under any conditions, when she ran a wind-aided 10.76 (+3.4) to win the first heat, leading Olympic silver medalist Lauryn Williams (10.86) across the line. Only Florence Griffith-Joyner, Marion Jones, Christine Arron of France and Merlene Ottey of Jamaica have ever run faster than Hooker, either wind-legal or wind-aided.

"I'm happy with [my time], but that wasn't the final," Hooker said. "I proved that I made it through the first round, that's it."

Winning their heats in the first round of the women's 400m hurdles were 2004 trials champion Sheena Johnson Tosta, 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Lashinda Demus, 2008 Visa Champion Tiffany Ross-Williams and Miriam Barnes. In a shock, 2007 NCAA champion Nicole Leach hit the seventh hurdle in the fourth heat and did not advance. On the men's side in the 400m hurdles, advancing were Terry Thornton, Bershawn Jackson, Reuben McCoy and Jeshua Anderson. Among the favorites easily moving on were world champion Kerron Clement and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Angelo Taylor.

Two-time USA outdoor champion Hyleas Fountain was in the driver's seat of the heptathlon after day 1 of competition, with three personal bests, three records and three first-place event finishes in four events.

Adam Nelson, Reese Hoffa and Christian Cantwell all advanced to Saturday's final in the shot put. Two-time defending U.S. outdoor champion Shani Marks led qualifying in the women's triple jump. American record holder Brad Walker led men's pole vault qualifying.

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