Anderson, Barringer also Beijing bound
By Parker Morse, Running USA wire
EUGENE, Ore. - (July 3, 2008) - Someone was launching early Independence Day fireworks in a lot just south of Hayward Field as the women's 3000 meter steeplechase final got down to the deciding laps on Thursday evening, and maybe it was the flashes and bangs that launched Anna Willard. After Colorado's Jenny Barringer set up the race to select the first U.S. Olympians in the event at U.S. record pace, Willard brought it home in the last 600 meters for a sparkling 9:27.59 AR, more than a second under Lisa Galaviz's former record of 9:28.75.
With Galaviz, Barringer, Willard and Lindsey Anderson all holding Olympic "A" standards, Galaviz having run her record just last July, everyone was expecting the final to go close to record pace, and it was Barringer who set out to hold up the expectations. The recent NCAA champion moved to the front from the gun and was joined immediately by Willard, Anderson and Nicole Bush, while Galaviz stayed back but in contact. Barringer's pace was at or close to record pace throughout, but with two laps remaining she began to fade, and that was when Willard pounced.
"I don't want to say I was overwhelmed, but it kind of hit me what I was trying to accomplish," said Barringer. "I had told my coach that I was going to run the first six laps to make the team, and the last lap for the American record."
Instead, it was Willard, 24, with her bleached-blonde hair and fuchsia streaks, who was running away from the field in the closing laps. Willard had the record in her sights as she arrived in the home straight and kicked hard to bring it down.
"I was kind of numb the whole last lap, just thinking, 'hold them off, hold them off,' but then when I finished it hit me like a ton of bricks," said Willard, a Brown grad. "I figured in the back of my mind tonight that whoever made the team would have a shot at the record. And I thought that Jenny would try to run my legs off me. Earlier in the year, I felt that I was in shape to run a 9:25 but I wasn't willing to sacrifice my training for earlier races."
Behind Willard, Barringer was also overtaken by Anderson, and finished third in 9:33.11 to Anderson's 9:30.75. All three will be on the U.S. Olympic Team for Beijing.
"I ran a PR by 9 seconds and made the Olympic team," said Anderson. "I couldn't be more excited. I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight."
Bush was the last one dropped by Barringer's pace before Willard took over, and finished fourth in 9:40.27, while Galaviz was fifth in 9:48.27.
Willard's week has been full of decorations and promises of future events: not only was she given a medal tonight by Steve Prefontaine's younger sister Linda for earning her trip to China, but earlier in the week she got an engagement ring from Jonathan Pierce, who ran 9:00.88 to finish 11th in the second qualifying heat of the men's steeplechase less than half an hour before Willard's race.
U.S. Women's Olympic Trials 3000m Steeplechase - Eugene, OR, Thursday, July 3, 2008
1) Anna Willard (MI), 9:27.59*
2) Lindsey Anderson (UT), 9:30.75
3) Jennifer Barringer (CO), 9:33.11
4) Nicole Bush (MI), 9:40.27
5) Lisa Galaviz (AZ), 9:48.27
6) Kara June (CA), 9:49.56
7) Amanda Lorenzen (IN), 9:49.74
8) Carrie Messner-Vickers (CO), 9:49.93
9) Carrie Strickland (OR), 9:53.67
10) Ann Gaffigan (NE), 9:54.93
*U.S. record (previous record, 9:28.75, Lisa Galaviz, 07/28/07)
Complete Olympic Trials results and more at: USATF.org.
Ryan Lamppa, Running USA Media Director
(805) 696-6232; Fax = (805) 659-0016
Ryan@RunningUSA.org
www.RunningUSA.org.
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