Day One Quotes

Women's 400 Hurdles
Michelle Johnson, winner heat 1 (55.87)
"I'm happy. This is fastest I have run this year. I did what I was supposed to do. I'm going to the next round, and that's the whole point."

Sandra Glover, winner heat 2 (56.23)
"I'm glad the first round is out of the way. I was looking for a win and a good, clean race."

Ysanne Williams, winner heat 3 (57.34)
"It was a little windy out there. I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Francis Santin, winner heat 4 (57.45)
"The wind held me back in the backstretch. I wanted to make sure I advanced to the next round. I'm happy with how I ran."

Men's 400-meter hurdles
Angelo Taylor, winner heat 2 (50.20)
"I'm glad to get the first race behind me. Very glad. I just wanted to get through with a smooth race, that was my goal and I met it. Now it's time to move to the next step.

"I ran a very conservative race. I wanted to get out fast over the first 200 and then run smart coming through the homestretch."

Bayano Kamani, winner heat 4
"It's a relief to get through the first round, a big relief. It was a nice clean race I thought. I kept my composure through and concentrated well. I really wanted to concentrate on my last two hurdles and finish strong."

Men's 400 meters
Antonio Pettigrew, winner heat 3
"I felt fine. I just wanted to come up and run easy - just get through to tomorrow. The biggest competition is Jerome Young, Tyree Washington, Calvin Harrison - but there's always someone who'll come up and surprise you. I'm taking each day one day at a time. Tomorrow I'll run fast to for a lane in the final."

Andrew Pierce, winner heat 4
"I felt ok today - nice, relaxed, in control! I just have to do the same thing tomorrow - stay relaxed and execute - to make the final."

Jerome Young, winner heat 5
"I felt a little sluggish out there today. It's my first race in a while. I had taking sometime away from competition to train a little, try to get focused, try to get my race right."

Ja'Warren Hooker, 3rd place, heat 5
"My leg is a lot better (he had been hindered after PAC-10s & through NCAAs with a sore leg). Prelims are the hardest part to get through - you try to hold back and it hurts worse than full speed."

Women's 100 meters
Torri Edwards, winner heat 1
"I wanted to run a control, quality race. I didn't worry about my time or the wind. I'm moving on and that's the key.

(On being next to Angela Williams) She always helps me out. She always has a good start."

Angela Williams, 2nd place, heat 1
"I feel real relaxed. (after success here at NCAAs?) I feel like I am at home. That helps me in being confident as we got into the next two rounds. This is a different level of women here. Two more rounds to go. I am not running the 200m, just the 100m. I wasn't very strong in that race this year and I won't start back into it in the fall when I start over in my training."

Chryste Gaines, winner heat 2
"I felt fine. I didn't expend too much energy because I have two rounds tomorrow, but I felt fine and everything felt good. I have run here (a number of meets) and I feel pretty relaxed - as relaxed as you can be at the National Championships."

Inger Miller, winner heat 3
"This is my first 100 of the year. I felt on. I needed this race to get the cow webs out. I'm very pleased. My health is excellent, finally."

Men's 100 meters
Shawn Crawford, winner heat 1 (10.09)
"It was just a prelim. I felt good-it was my fastest time this year. I just want to get faster each round. I thank God that I could be here at all."

Tim Montgomery, winner heat 2 (10.08)
"I just wanted to work on being relaxed, run through as smooth as possible. The young guy in lane 8 gave me a run. I just wanted to run 10.20 to advance."

Marcus Brunson, second heat 2 (10.12)
"I'm happy got through. It was a real good heat. I'll see what happens tomorrow."

Jon Drummond, third, heat 1 (10.11)
"It was a good day. I qualified, and that's all I needed to do."

Brian Lewis, winner heat 3
"The race was OK. The first race you get the jitters out. I got a good start."

Bernard Williams, second heat 4
"I wanted to run a relaxed race. I got out good. I wanted to go to the next round."
(On running 9.96) "That's what happens when you run relaxed. I still have a lot of work to do. I can go faster than 9.96."

Maurice Greene, winner heat 4
"I slowed down a bit at the end but I hope the fans are happy with my race today. I feel good about my race today and I had a lot of fun.

Unfortunately no, I will not run additional rounds. I really do need the rest. I have been doing a lot lately, traveling, a lot of appearances and trying to run. Rest right now would do my body good. I need to make sure I am 100 percent ready for the World Championships. If you are strong enough to get out there and run, you are strong enough to get out there and do your best. I am going out there to run each and every time.

On whether he can break his world record: Every time I go out there, I go out there to break the world record. There are no excuses for how I performed. When I step on the track people expect me to do my best. I plan on giving it to them.

On breaking the Hayward Field record: My last race here was a disappointment (he placed third at the Prefontaine Classic May 27) so I am glad to have run this time today. I believe I ran pretty good.

Women's 3000-meter steeplechase
Rebecca Bennion, winner heat 1
Bennion was the 2001 NCAA steeple runner-up from Weber State. Her 9:54.84 qualifying mark makes her the #2 all time US steeplechaser

"I kinda got pushed into the lead at the start, so that's how I ended up leading. I hit my pace for the first couple laps, so I felt great and just continued in the lead. I was peaking for the NCAAs, so the USATF Championships are just icing on the cake. I just started steeplechasing this year; only starting drills and stretches after indoors. I was a 3000m specialist before this year."

Men's Hammer Final
Jay Harvard, 2nd place
Graduated from U. Georgia in 2000.
"The competition couldn't have started any worse for me. I through poorly on the first throw, fouled on the second, and barely squeaked into the final on the third.

I had a good warmup for finals and felt good. On my sixth throw, I moved into 2nd. My training has been going great and knew that I was capable of a big throw - it was just a matter of when and where."

James Parker, 3rd place
"I started off rough today, my opening throw was disappointing. I was able to hit my third throw. It didn't feel great at the time, but it definitely worked out well for me. I thought I had a big one in me for the finals but I couldn't quite come through with one. It's a little frustrating because I feel like I haven't really peaked yet this season.

I'm relieved to have a pretty good outing at the USA Championships for once. I've done poorly my last four USA's, so it was nice to finally get up into the top three."

Kevin McMahon, 1st place
"This is a huge relief because at the last practice, I broke my handle (on one attempt) and tripped and fell (on another attempt). I didn't think I could throw 71 (meters). James (Parker) was doing well. My training was not going well. That first throw (251-0) was a huge one.

(On seeing Lance Deal) "It was great to see him. I remember all the great things he has done for the sport."

Women's Discus Final
Seilala Sua, 1st place
"I am excited for the title, but as far as the distance, I am a bit disappointed. I don't think I have been 100 percent into it. I haven't been really emotionally into it in practice lately. This is the first competition where I had to throw with emotion this year. I need to work on that a lot. I have a lot to work on . I want to be ready for the World Championships."

Women's Long Jump Final
Jenny Adams, 1st place
"This hasn't sunk in yet. I never got excited the whole time (during the meet) because it can be taken away so quickly. It's going to take a while to sink in. I hit 21 feet consistently. I was very pleased to hit 22 feet at the end of the series. Usually, I hit my big marks early in the series, then I get tired. I'm pleased I got my big mark at the end of the series."

"I won't celebrate much because I still have the hurdles (100m). I have really been concentrating on that event. I hope to be celebrating two victories when it's over."

Grace Upshaw, 2nd place
"My coach told me to go out and try and hit a big one early to take some of the pressure off and I was able to do that. It was a great competition that kept going back and forth with Jenny (Adams). I'm very pleased with the results."

Brianna Glenn, 3rd place
"This was not my greatest jumping day, but I did all right. I'm excited to be here. I'm trying to ride out this high." (Glenn was the NCAA champion).

Men's 1,500-meter run
Alan Webb, winner, Heat 1

On his race today: "In the second lap they started to slow down. At that point I could tell a lot of guys were getting more involved with the front of the race. There was a tight pack and I caught myself a little on the race. I was a little worried I would get boxed in, but I didn't let anybody push me around. Coming around on the last lap I just ran my race. I am just glad to get that race out of the way and make the finals. This race I wanted to win and move onto the finals. I just tried to win the race and time wasn't an issue. It happens in prelims of Championships.

On running against Elites: "This is my third race against elites - a non-high school race. I am a different runner than I was five months ago. I have gotten in a lot of good training since then. I have had some really good races and experience. I think I have learned a lot. I have a lot of confidence going into Saturday. Hayward Field has been good to me, thus far, in my career. It's a lot of fun being here in Oregon and I will be excited about the race on Saturday. So many things have happened this year. I am very excited to be in the finals. I am having so much fun and doing all these great things at such a great meet."

Gabe Jennings, winner Heat 2
"Alan (Webb) did a great job. You don't want to lose to a high school guy. Professionals don't want to lose to high school kids. Collegiates don't want to lose to him. Alan is a great competitor. He is the best thing to happen in this event. I don't want to lose to no one. (On Jennings' health): Today I felt great. That is all that matters. I am starting with a clean slate and a clear mind. Alan is my biggest contender, he is damn impressive, but I still can beat him. It will create an exciting race. He is an inspiration to all of us. Thank you Alan but I am not going to lose to him."

Bryan Berryhill, winner Heat 3
"I wanted to go out and run a nice smooth race. I wanted to get into the finals. I felt good out there today. I did exactly what I wanted to do."

Decathlon
Tom Pappas, first day leader
"We'll see how things go with the javelin tomorrow, but I doubt I'll be able to finish the event. It's been five months since my surgery (on his left shoulder). I just don't want to rush it and re-injure my shoulder at this point. It's definitely not worth risking that. I mean world's are pretty much out of the question if I don't finish here, unless someone didn't meet the "A" standard, but it's not worth risking further damage."

Bryan Clay, second place
"Today went well for me. I trained hard with my coach. I PR'd in three of the five events. My first day total is a PR. The lord blessed me."

Kip Janvrin, seventh place
"I was pleased with my first three events. I wanted to go higher in the high jump. I did win the 400, but I wanted to go a few seconds faster. I have over 4,000 points. I have more points than I did last year at the Trials."

Women's 1500 Heats
Suzy Favor-Hamilton, winner heat 1
"I didn't want to do much work. The race was very uneventful - probably boring for you!"

"Finally I'm healthy. It's a great feeling. No better feeling than to come to Nationals healthy."

"My goal is to make the team. I don't want to give too much of myself at this meet - too many important meets coming up this summer. That's something I've learned. I'm saving myself for Europe."

Regina Jacobs, heat 2
"My Achilles is kind of sore & tight. It was hard to get up on my toes. It's been sore since May 8. The plane flight up seemed to aggravate it; it was sore after the flight."

Men's 10,000-meter run Final
Abdihakim Abdirahma, 1st place
"First 5000 was relaxed. We knew once we broke away that we'd make the team. Later I was just trying to maintain my lead. I have the greatest respect for Meb and Alan and wasn't confident that I'd win until a hundred to go.

"This was my first win [1st US Championship]. Meb won it last year and Alan the year before. We're trying to take American distance running to the next level. We all want to finish top 10 at world championships."

Mebrahton Keflezigh, 2nd place
"I am honored to be on the team. My foot - my left Achilles - has been bothering me for about two and half weeks. I have been nursing it. I have been lucky enough to nurse it and a lot of people here have been very helpful. I wanted to earn my way on the team. I want everybody to be healthy. U.S. distance is moving up. We should be better. We are closing the gap."

Alan Culpepper, 3rd place
"I felt good, then all of the sudden I cramped up. It's the first time I have been this dehydrated. I was foaming all over the mouth. When Adi took off, it went all downhill for me. When I got here, I felt surprised with how warm it was."