Down the stretch: U.S. runner Maggie Vessey (right) beats Great Britain's Marilyn Okoro to the finish line on Saturday in Philadelphia. APUSA Track and Field has set the lofty goal of 30 medals in the Olympics.Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Walter Dix, Justin Gatlin, and Lashawn Merritt showed they want their share."London, here we come," Merritt said.On a chilly and windy day, the men and women simply did what they wanted on the track against teams from Belgium and the Bahamas to Venezuela and Kenya, keeping the thrilling finishes to a minimum and giving a decisive glimpse into what they expect in the Olympics.The women won the sprint medley relay, the 400-meter relay and the 4x400. The men won the 400 relay, the distance medley relay and the 4x400 in the 118th running of the renowned meet."We're in the right direction heading to London," 2008 Olympics bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson said. "Just for America to come out on top 6-0, that says that America is coming this year."The relays belonged to Felix, a three-time Olympic medalist, who flashed the speed that's long made her a fan favorite at the Penn Relays.Felix teamed with Tianna Madison, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter to set a Penn Relays record in the 400 with a time of 42.19 seconds.She also was on a relay with Francena McCorory, Natasha Hastings and Richards-Ross that set the mark in the 4x400 with a time of 3 minutes, 21.18 seconds."It just really makes me look forward to London 2012," Jeter said.The final day of the Penn Relays is traditionally the biggest — in both crowds and marquee names. The public address announcer told the crowd the United States had swept the All-Star event 6-0 at the end of the 4x400 to a roaring pro-U.S. crowd."It was exciting for us to cross the line and kind of finish it off for Team USA. It was amazing," Richards-Ross said. "Usually the Jamaicans give us some trouble in one of the relays."Jamaican stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell did not compete in the relays.They'll be a force in London. Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller watched several "U.S.A. vs. the World" relays from the stands and blew kisses to the crowd.The U.S. women opened the series with a win in the sprint medley relay. Porscha Lucas, Barbara Pierre, Phoebe Wright and Maggie Vessey took the relay in 3:42.85. The American women trailed until Vessey made a perfectly timed pass to get by Britain on the anchor leg.From there, the home country rolled.Led by Mike Rodgers, Gatlin, Doc Patton and Dix, the men won the 400 relay in 38.40.Suspended for four years in 2006 after testing positive for excessive testosterone, Gatlin's second chance has the 2004 gold medal winner in contention for another spot in the Olympics."I wouldn't call it so much redemption. I guess that's the word everyone has titled my journey back," Gatlin said. "It just feels like I'm back at home among some good teammates that I definitely believe in."
Monday, April 30, 2012
U.S. dominates World in Penn Relay blowout
PHILADELPHIA — The United States swept all six relays against a World team in a hoped-for preview of the London Olympics in the Penn Relays at Franklin Field on Saturday.Down the stretch: U.S. runner Maggie Vessey (right) beats Great Britain's Marilyn Okoro to the finish line on Saturday in Philadelphia. APUSA Track and Field has set the lofty goal of 30 medals in the Olympics.Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Walter Dix, Justin Gatlin, and Lashawn Merritt showed they want their share."London, here we come," Merritt said.On a chilly and windy day, the men and women simply did what they wanted on the track against teams from Belgium and the Bahamas to Venezuela and Kenya, keeping the thrilling finishes to a minimum and giving a decisive glimpse into what they expect in the Olympics.The women won the sprint medley relay, the 400-meter relay and the 4x400. The men won the 400 relay, the distance medley relay and the 4x400 in the 118th running of the renowned meet."We're in the right direction heading to London," 2008 Olympics bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson said. "Just for America to come out on top 6-0, that says that America is coming this year."The relays belonged to Felix, a three-time Olympic medalist, who flashed the speed that's long made her a fan favorite at the Penn Relays.Felix teamed with Tianna Madison, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter to set a Penn Relays record in the 400 with a time of 42.19 seconds.She also was on a relay with Francena McCorory, Natasha Hastings and Richards-Ross that set the mark in the 4x400 with a time of 3 minutes, 21.18 seconds."It just really makes me look forward to London 2012," Jeter said.The final day of the Penn Relays is traditionally the biggest — in both crowds and marquee names. The public address announcer told the crowd the United States had swept the All-Star event 6-0 at the end of the 4x400 to a roaring pro-U.S. crowd."It was exciting for us to cross the line and kind of finish it off for Team USA. It was amazing," Richards-Ross said. "Usually the Jamaicans give us some trouble in one of the relays."Jamaican stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell did not compete in the relays.They'll be a force in London. Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller watched several "U.S.A. vs. the World" relays from the stands and blew kisses to the crowd.The U.S. women opened the series with a win in the sprint medley relay. Porscha Lucas, Barbara Pierre, Phoebe Wright and Maggie Vessey took the relay in 3:42.85. The American women trailed until Vessey made a perfectly timed pass to get by Britain on the anchor leg.From there, the home country rolled.Led by Mike Rodgers, Gatlin, Doc Patton and Dix, the men won the 400 relay in 38.40.Suspended for four years in 2006 after testing positive for excessive testosterone, Gatlin's second chance has the 2004 gold medal winner in contention for another spot in the Olympics."I wouldn't call it so much redemption. I guess that's the word everyone has titled my journey back," Gatlin said. "It just feels like I'm back at home among some good teammates that I definitely believe in."
Down the stretch: U.S. runner Maggie Vessey (right) beats Great Britain's Marilyn Okoro to the finish line on Saturday in Philadelphia. APUSA Track and Field has set the lofty goal of 30 medals in the Olympics.Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross, Walter Dix, Justin Gatlin, and Lashawn Merritt showed they want their share."London, here we come," Merritt said.On a chilly and windy day, the men and women simply did what they wanted on the track against teams from Belgium and the Bahamas to Venezuela and Kenya, keeping the thrilling finishes to a minimum and giving a decisive glimpse into what they expect in the Olympics.The women won the sprint medley relay, the 400-meter relay and the 4x400. The men won the 400 relay, the distance medley relay and the 4x400 in the 118th running of the renowned meet."We're in the right direction heading to London," 2008 Olympics bronze medalist Bershawn Jackson said. "Just for America to come out on top 6-0, that says that America is coming this year."The relays belonged to Felix, a three-time Olympic medalist, who flashed the speed that's long made her a fan favorite at the Penn Relays.Felix teamed with Tianna Madison, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter to set a Penn Relays record in the 400 with a time of 42.19 seconds.She also was on a relay with Francena McCorory, Natasha Hastings and Richards-Ross that set the mark in the 4x400 with a time of 3 minutes, 21.18 seconds."It just really makes me look forward to London 2012," Jeter said.The final day of the Penn Relays is traditionally the biggest — in both crowds and marquee names. The public address announcer told the crowd the United States had swept the All-Star event 6-0 at the end of the 4x400 to a roaring pro-U.S. crowd."It was exciting for us to cross the line and kind of finish it off for Team USA. It was amazing," Richards-Ross said. "Usually the Jamaicans give us some trouble in one of the relays."Jamaican stars Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell did not compete in the relays.They'll be a force in London. Jamaican Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller watched several "U.S.A. vs. the World" relays from the stands and blew kisses to the crowd.The U.S. women opened the series with a win in the sprint medley relay. Porscha Lucas, Barbara Pierre, Phoebe Wright and Maggie Vessey took the relay in 3:42.85. The American women trailed until Vessey made a perfectly timed pass to get by Britain on the anchor leg.From there, the home country rolled.Led by Mike Rodgers, Gatlin, Doc Patton and Dix, the men won the 400 relay in 38.40.Suspended for four years in 2006 after testing positive for excessive testosterone, Gatlin's second chance has the 2004 gold medal winner in contention for another spot in the Olympics."I wouldn't call it so much redemption. I guess that's the word everyone has titled my journey back," Gatlin said. "It just feels like I'm back at home among some good teammates that I definitely believe in."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment