Run Anna, Run - Day 5

By Lee Juillerat
Anna Willard showed that she's more than just a woman with eclectic hair. Willard, who's blonde hair is spotted with dabs of lipstick bright red, was styling on the track in more ways than one in the fastest ever field of women's 3000 meter steeplechaser runners at Hayward Field Thursday night. Running at the front of the pack throughout, she pulled away with 600 meters to go and cruised to an American record 9:27:59 to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic Track and Field team. She led a trio of A qualifiers in an event that will make its inaugural running at the upcoming Olympics in Beijing.
Willard's performance capped another sterling night that for most was highlighted by the men's 400 meter finals, where LaShawn Merritt again bested Jeremy Wariner 44:00 to 44:20. With both running virtually neck-in-neck at 200 meters, Merritt surged to a lead that he held. Taking third was David Neville in 44:61. While Merritt celebrated with and ear-to-earn grin on a victory lap, a very unsmiling quickly left the track. The 2004 Olympic champion and two-time World Champion has finished behind Merritt two consecutive races.
The smiles were electric for several women, including a radiant Sanya Richards, who powered to a win in the 400, and the long jump trio of Britney Reese, Grace Upshaw and Funmi Jimoh. For the first time since 1996, the U.S. women enter the Olympics with three A qualifiers. After the leaders exchanged lead changing jumps, Reese took the golf with her final leap, 22-feet 9.75 inches to push Upshaw to second with 22-7.
In the 1500 preliminaries, all the favorites, including Alan Webb, Bernard Lagat, Lopez Lomong, Steve Sherer and Gab Jennings, advanced to Sunday night's Trials closing showdown.
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Wondering about Damien Baldovino, featured in yesterday's blog. Thursday night was the third time since high school that Baldovino, who prefers roads and trails, has raced on a track. Baldovino, a lineman for Pacific Power & Light in the small eastern Oregon town of Lakeview, might think about leaving the roads for the track more often after taking third in the Men's 3000 Meter Masters. Baldovino met his personal goal by finishing in 8:56:35. Running near the front for the entire race, he was bested by pre-race favorite Tony Young, who led from the opening 100 meters, and a fast closing Andrew Duncan.
Baldovino, who prefers distances of 13-plus miles, has won the Pear Blossom 10-miler in Medford, Oregon, and been runner-up six times and won the master's division at the Portland Marathon.
"It was tough. Just so short," Baldovino said. "I never went to college so for me this is huge."