Athlete Quotes - Friday

Men's 20 km Race Walk

Kevin Eastler - winner

This is really a breakthrough performance for me. It's taken a lot of hard preparation and support from my family and friends that made the difference for me today. It's an accumulation of a lot of steady good hard workouts and smart training that's gotten me to this point. Getting the qualifying mark is a big breakthrough for the U.S. It's good to have some representation over in Paris this year, and hopefully next year we'll have several "A" standards and send a full team to the Olympics.

Tim Seaman - 2nd place

This was a very hard effort for me today. Kevin is a strong competitor and I'm very glad to see him do so well. I made some mistakes and pushed too hard in the middle. I should've been a little bit more cautious, but Kevin was so strong and I did the best I could.

Women's 400m Hurdles

Lashinda Demus

Last night I just prayed that I would make it through this race and move on to the finals. Now that I've done that, for tomorrow I'm asking for everything with cream on top. I'm just happy to make it through and move on.

Men's 400m Hurdles

James Carter

I haven't competed since mid-May, so it's good to get this race out of the way. I have a sore muscle behind my left knee and I'm going to get some ice on it as soon as possible.

Angelo Taylor

I did something to hurt my left groin muscle last Tuesday and I've been having a tough time with it. I was okay until the third hurdle when it really started to hurt. I had to back off a little bit just to get through the race. I ran in Europe a couple weeks ago and I was real consistent. I'm just hoping to make it through to the final.

Joey Woody

It felt smooth and easy today. I focused on my form. I didn't have to work too hard. I feel strong. I feel ready to put together two more good races.

Men's 100m Hurdles

Dominique Arnold

It was an OK race for me. This is my fourth or fifth race of the year. I'm not race shape. I've been dealing with a groin injury. It was feeling a tight before the race. (On the wind) I felt like I was running with a parachute on my back. This was not a technically sound race for me.

Larry Wade

This was a blow out race for me. It has been three weeks since I have raced. This is a good start for me. This was not a technically sound race for me. I was looking to get back in rhythm.

Terrence Trammell

It feels good to get out there and get the kinks out. I've had a bad left hamstring that I aggravated in March and I've aggravated it twice since then. I was scared coming into this race because I didn't know if it would hold up. I felt rusty out there and I'm going to run this race over in my mind tonight to try to get ready for tomorrow.

Men's High Jump

Jaime Nieto - winner

I have been praying so hard and training, training and training. I jumped a 7'5 coming in here today with my main goal making the team (for world champs in Paris). I was staying focus this year. Everything just came together. When I was this, I almost cried. I didn't know what to do.

Matt Hemingway - 2nd place

It's been almost a month since I've competed and I think it showed. I didn't really care what happened today as long as I made the team. I was much sharper when I competed in Modesto earlier in the season.

Women's Heptathlon

Shelia Burrell - winner

This meet humbled me. The last time I scored 6,000 points was in 2001 (at the US Championships). I ended up get a bronze at the Worlds. I made it through this meet.

Tiffany Lott-Hogan - 3rd place

I was hoping for better competition of myself. I'm happy with how it ended up. I was healthy enough here, but it was not good enough. I need to get the qualifying standard.

Women's 800m

Nicole Teter

Everything was fine and I feel good. I'm as confident as I can be for having raced so seldom this season. I'm ready to go in the final. Anything in the top three is fine with me. I just want to make the team.

Men's 100m

Bernard Williams, winner

This was one of my best starts today. I reacted well and made a good transition. It means a lot being the American champ. I was kind of hungry (for the win) and was thinking about my daughter (to take care of). I can't make any predictions on my outcome at the world champs.

Tim Montogomery, 2nd place

My first step was a little too short; my strides were a little choppy. My biggest focus to getting here and competing in the world champs. I am disappointed with the way I did not execute today. I did lose the battle today, but I am still in the war.

Jon Drummond - 3rd place

I've never lacked for confidence, but I was worried coming into this race. My practices have not been good, my wife is pregnant and she had two miscarriages in 2002. I've made the necessary sacrifices to make the team this year and I'm overjoyed. This is awesome! I'm really happy that my college coach Bubba Thornton is on the coaching staff for the World Championships.

Women's 100m

Kelli White, winner

My start was awesome. I'm excited with how fast I went with this wind. I was surprised with how fast I went on a Mondo track and with my injuries. I was disappointed with how I did during the indoor season. That just made me want to work real hard. I was more concerned with making the team (for world champs).

Torri Edwards, 2nd place

I am very excited. This is the first international team that I qualified for. I'm satisfied with second place for now. I was concentrating on my form and drive. My start is getting better. I made the team and I'm happy.

Women's 800m

Jearl Miles-Clark

It was a little windy out there, but it wasn't a big problem. I'm moving on to the final and that's all that matters.

Women's Shot Put

Kristin Heaston - winner

I kept rushing my throws all meet long. On my final throw, I was able to keep my shoulders in. I don't have that "A" standard yet. But I have five meets in Europe to get that standard. I have an "A" standard mark in me.

Seilala Sua - 2nd place

It was crap. I really wasn't very good today. I knew I could throw 58 feet. I have no excuses. Sometimes you get rewarded when you have a bad day.

Men's 1500m

Grant Robinson

The race went all right for me. I ran it the way I wanted to run it. It was pretty crowded at the end. I got clipped a few times as did everyone else. But there were no surprises in this race.

Men's Long Jump

Savante Stringfellow - 3rd place

It was bad. I didn't jump far. I jumped in the first flight and there was more than an hour between the times that I jumped and it had gotten a lot colder. My body wasn't prepared to deal with that. My hat is off to Dwight (winner Dwight Phillips). He handled it a lot better than I did.

Women's 5,000m

Marla Runyan - winner

I knew I was the one to beat. I consistently run under 15:10. Last year, beating (Deena Drossin) and beating Regina (Jacobs) were very special. It is very meaningful to win this three times.

Shalane Flanagan - 2nd place

It was a great race for me. Mentally this was a harder race for me as well as tiring. This will be a conclusion of my season I am getting ready for the cross country season. I felt great.

Shayne Culpepper - 3rd place

At the 300 meters, my told me the time to go was now. I dug down very deep. I was not worried when I was in fourth place.

Women's Javelin Throw

Erica Wheeler - winner

I was surprised to get that throw in the first round. Kim (Kreiner) is a great competitor. As the weather changed, I felt that I was going to win. (Notethis is her first national title after competing in 19 national meets.) I am very happy to have won it and win here. Stanford is a special place for me.

Men's 5,000m

Tim Broe - winner

This was the first time I won with a battle with 100 meters to go. The whole field was a great field. I knew I was going to have to fight to the finish. I was able to hold them off. It was a great race to be a part of.

Adam Goucher - 2nd place

I am not in the best shape of my life. I am getting fitter. I just had to watch the field and respond. Going into the last lap I had a good kick. Give credit to Tim. He ran terrific.

Jorge Torres - 3rd place

This is the year before the Olympics and I have no international track experience. I felt that I needed to come here and make the team. I'm happy to have the opportunity to go to Paris.