Athlete Quotes - Day 1

WOMEN'S 100m QUALIFYING

TORRI EDWARDS

"I haven't ran in awhile so I was trying to get the kinks out. I felt pretty good. I just want to get my rhythm together and look forward to the semifinals and finals.

"It's a wide-open field this year. There's lots of great talent out there. It's going to come down to who runs the best race tomorrow is going to come out with the win. It will make it exciting for the fans.

INGER MILLER

"It went very well. I'm very pleased. I've been working on the transition part in the middle of the race and it's coming together nicely. I've been without injury this year so I've been able to train and compete all season.

"I'd rather be an underdog in this race and up until the Prefontaine meet, it was like that. I don't feel like I have an advantage, but I definitely feel that I am in a position to make this team.

"The fans were knowledgeable in 2000 and they're even more knowledgeable this year."

LAURYN WILLIAMS

"I am very excited to advance to the semifinal. I was super nervous before the race. Things weren't coming together at the practice track. My nervousness turned out to be a good thing."

MEN'S 800m QUALIFYING

KHADEVIS ROBINSON

"I had to run faster than I thought I was going to have to. But it's a good thing because it opened up my legs a little bit. When I looked at the clock I thought I could run 1:45 today. But because we have rounds I thought there was no purpose, so I didn't do it."

"1:46 low is fast because most of the guys haven't run this fast yet. But you've gotta do what you've gotta do and let tomorrow worry about itself."

DAVID KRUMMENACKER

"It went really well. The main thing was to make the top four and get to the next round and I got that accomplished today. It felt very good."

"The rhythm felt good so I was really excited just to get the competition under way. For a lot of us it's been 10 months or so of preparation for the season, the Olympic Trials and the games."

SAM BURLEY

"The race started slow with 300 meters to go, so I took the lead, but I eased up a little too much at both 200 and 50 to go. I don't necessarily like the lead, but I'm not afraid to take it, either. My main preference is to run smooth, even and aggressive."

"I started my master's this year in environmental studies, and I like the way it structures your schedule. Saying that, I did take the spring off and did the 'running store/work thing.'"

DERRICK PETERSON

"On paper, it looked pretty tough. But once I got going, I got my bearings and it was just another race."

Re: Losing by 0.01 in 2000 - "Tomorrow night is the redemption race. It's one of the driving factors. It wakes you up in the morning and keeps motivating you."

"I came here with one goal in mind and that was to buy my ticket to Athens."

WOMEN'S 800m QUALIFYING

HAZEL CLARK

"I just wanted to go out there and get through that round. In the final, I just want to go out there and go for gold."

"Last year, nobody really expected me to win, being the young one."

"I have a lot of confidence in my coach and in my training."

JENNIFER TOOMEY

"It was what I expected. I still get nervous before the race, even though I have a fair amount of experience."

"I haven't raced that much this year, so I like the multiple rounds. I thought I had torn my medial meniscus back in March when I was lifting a little too hard with the squats. Because of that, I'm getting into shape later, but am in the best shape of my life. I kind of like being in the shadows-or and underdog-but I also wouldn't mind being on top either."

JEARL MILES-CLARK

"Not bad for the first one of the season. It was a little windy and I didn't want to take the lead but I felt good, I felt spry so I just took it in. As a matter fact, I felt great. I really didn't feel the wind as much as I thought I would. I'm happy."

NICOLE TETER

"It didn't feel as smooth as I wanted it to. I was in control and that's what I wanted."

"Today took forever to get here, just counting the hours and the minutes. In the final I've got nothing to lose. I just want a place on that team. I lost in the semifinals in 2000. I'm going to run a little smarter this year."

WOMEN'S 5,000m QUALIFYING

MARLA RUNYAN, Nike

"It felt pretty comfortable. I was still geared up for it as a race tonight and didn't want to just go through the motions."

"In the first part I was running a little wide to be safe and not work so hard. After the middle we kept bumping legs a little, so I moved up to the front for the last mile and just wanted to finish strong."

Re: Looking ahead to the final - "It will be between the big five (Carrie Tollefson, Shayne Culpepper, Shalane Flanagan and Amy Rudolph) and it's going to be a battle. We have closely matched P.R.'s. I've gotta be at my best to make the team."

Re: entering the 1,500 -- "I'm getting through one day at a time. The 1,500 looks more than likely, but I'm not sure."

SHALANE FLANAGAN, Nike

Re: Her last time wearing a North Carolina uniform - "I was trying to savor every lap and enjoy it. It was a tough decision to give up my eligibility, but with the support of my family and coaches, it was easier. I had four years of making friends and honoring the Carolina uniform. This is the best place to celebrate the end of my career wearing the Carolina uniform."

"I want to be a fierce competitor. If I do that in the final, I'll be pleased. I'm more of an underdog. Some people might say I'm a favorite but I don't see myself that way."

SARA BEI, Stanford

"I knew the pack would break, and I needed to be in striking distance of fifth place."

"I just wanted to do what I needed to do out here, I didn't care what place I got. I'm taking it a step at a time, and giving it a go. I have nothing to lose. I wanted to do the minimum that I needed to do to make the final."

AMY RUDOLPH, adidas

"It was only fair to take the lead at the end since Jen (Rhines) had done the work before. The pace was really slow so we decided to go. We kept checking the monitor to see if anybody was gaining, but nothing like that happened.

"I've trained with her occasionally the past few years, so I wasn't surprised to see her run the 5K. She's already qualified for the marathon team, and I don't think she wanted to go out and get a 10K qualifier for this meet."

"With five people at or capable of the Olympic 'A' standard, it's a little nerve-wracking. It'll mean that two people in excellent shape won't get to go."

MEN'S 10,000m FINAL

MEB KEFLEZIGHI, Nike

"It was a cool night for the race. In 2000, it was good. This year, it was better. My strategy is to get it down to as few people as you can. You're seeing a different Meb now. Four years older and more mature.

Regarding whether he'll compete in both the 10,000 meters and the marathon in Athens: "I'm going to sit down with my coach and figure it out. The goal in Athens is to get to the medals stand. And my chances are better in the marathon. The marathon is more tactical and I'd have to P.R. in the 10km. The marathon originated in Athens and to be a part of that is also a factor. The heat, the hills makes it anybody's race."

DATHAN RITZENHEIN, Colorado

"The stress fracture really started to hurt in the last two miles. Not bad enough that I couldn't run a six-minute pace, but enough that I couldn't my normal running form. If I landed on the inside of my foot, I could partly take the pressure off. Physically, I wasn't breathing hard at the end and overall, it felt a lot better than three weeks ago. Coach (Wetmore) told me if it felt like it was going to break to drop out. That's not something I wanted to hear, but it never got that bad.

Would you take an invitation to the Olympic Games? "I don't know. But if I had to guess, I probably would. Now it's back to cross-training and getting aerobically fit. It happened three weeks after a hard workout."

ABDI ABDIRAHMAN, Nike

"My race was O.K., about an eight out of ten. Meb ran a great race. He's in the best shape of his life. Coming into this race I knew I was going to have my hands full. I tried to hang around as long as I could."

BOB KENNEDY, Nike

"There's frustration, but no anger.

"I was very fit and I tweaked my Achilles a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping it would last, but it just wasn't in the cards. The old body just isn't as young as it used to be.

I felt it after one kilometer. After four laps it was bad. I didn't want to rupture it."

MEN'S 400m HURDLES QUALIFYING

BENNIE BRAZELL

"I wanted to get that one out of the way. I just have to run a good race in the final."

"I felt smoother and more relaxed (than at the NCAAs)."

ANGELO TAYLOR

"I clipped the first hurdle, so that just broke all of my momentum and set me up for the rest of the race. But I managed to gather myself and advance for the next round, so I'm pleased."

"I was planning on winning the heat, but the clip really threw me off."

JOEY WOODY

"My goal today was to get a feel for the track. This is my first meet on a Mondo surface and it gives back a lot quicker to your stride, so you have to adjust. My next race I'll feel much cleaner."

"I'm a lot more confident than I've ever been. My training's been stronger and coming off last year really helped. Obviously, I'll get a lot more aggressive with each round. I'm ready to put together a good race."

BERSHAWN JACKSON

"My personal coach (George Williams) is an Olympic coach, and with him I've been doing just fine."

"My hard work and dedication has helped me. I've been through a lot of rough things, a lot of trials and tribulations and I can't let that stop me. Instead, I work harder and harder."

"I haven't been to this track since high school. For my race, I didn't come out as fast as I wanted to, but I felt pretty comfortable and got through the race. I want to get in the groove.

MEN'S POLE VAULT QUALIFYING

TOBY STEVENSON

Re: Jeff Hartwig -- "My heart goes out to him; he's a great competitor. Am I relieved that he's out? Yeah."

"You never know what can happen in track & field. I made the finals; that's all you can ask for." -

"Every time we go out there it's a level playing field. I'm going out there Sunday like I'm a nobody."

"I'm super confident that I'm making the team-but I say that very humbly."

JEFF HARTWIG

"Oh boy, I'll tell this story a lot I guess. On my third attempt I stopped short of taking off because the wind hit me. As I started to go back down the runaway to restart my run, I asked how much time I had and was told 12 seconds. I ran to the back of the runway and grabbed a different pole because I was tired. As I picked the pole up the official at the pit raised the red flag. It takes you out of your rhythm. I didn't even know whether they were going to count it (the final jump)."

"The pole vault is so much about timing and focus, and when something happens to distract you like that, it's really hard to deal with. And I've never been the best at dealing with things like that in the past."

"I said after 2000, 'I'll never let myself be that disappointed again.' This is par for the course for me at these kinds of meets. I'm absolutely in shock."

"This is what I do for a living and the Olympics are a very small part of that. It's something that happens once every four years. I believe that maybe there's a little bit of luck-or, in my case, bad luck-that sort of comes with that. I was fortunate to go to the Olympics once and I'll cherish that forever. But I'm obviously disappointed."

Re: Will he compete again in four years - "Absolutely not-no chance."

Bob Podkaminer, Meet Referee

Protests were brought by Jeff Hartwig and Kurt Hanna claiming that the red timeout flag was raised too soon prior to their third attempts.

Both athletes were provided provisional attempts. Hartwig missed and Hannah cleared. Two referees interviewed five officials who all claimed that Hannah began his attempt after the yellow timeout flag was lowered, followed by the red flag being raised to indicate that a foul occurred.

Hartwig's protest was denied. Hannah's appeal was denied. The Referee's Ruling was upheld.

MEN'S LONG JUMP QUALIFYING

DWIGHT PHILLIPS, Nike

"I qualified today, that was my goal. I gotta run the 100 meters tomorrow so I had to use as little energy as possible. That's what I did."

"It was good. The conditions were a bit windy, but I felt good about it. Overall I was satisfied. The wind makes you run a little faster. I was able to adjust."

WALTER DAVIS, Nike

"I got the first jump right, so that's all I needed. I'll save the rest for Sunday in the finals.

"I'm still trying to get into my best shape ever, and will if I make the team. I haven't been jumping as much in meets due to a foot injury. It's a little tendonitis in my jump foot, but it's going away."

WOMEN'S TRIPLE JUMP QUALIFYING

YULIANA PEREZ

"It went okay for just being qualifying. My goal is to get the gold on Sunday, the same as everybody else."

"It was a little bit windy and I had to change my speed because I wasn't getting to the board right. It's just something you have to deal with."

"I started working this year with Coach Dick Booth in Fayetteville, AR. We've changed lots of things and it's affecting the way I jump. We're especially lifting a lot more than I used to. On the other hand, I'm not working the sprint group anymore and I don't have to worry about that."

BRITTANY DANIELS (16-year-old qualifier)

"I wasn't nervous until I had to jump. I just had to focus. I'm excited and I'm happy. Today was about qualifying and getting the feel."

"I think I did really well and I'm satisfied. After I jumped 44-11, I felt more confident going into this meet. On Sunday I have to be more focused and really want it."

Re: The enormity of the Olympic Trials - "It's the same as the other meets-kind of. It's big, it's new, but it's still just jumping. I try not to pay attention to the crowds. They really don't make me nervous."

MEN'S SHOT PUT QUALIFYING

ADAM NELSON

"I did wanted I wanted to do, first throw, 21-something, and that's all it takes. I'm glad to be off the track now, I'll go back to the hotel, get a bite to eat and get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, that's when the real destruction happens."

"I'm ready to throw real far. I'm ready for a personal best; I'm ready to break some records."

RESSE HOFFA

"I went in there and got off a throw. It wasn't automatic, but 20.30 will get you in there. After that I shut it down to get ready for tomorrow. I'm feeling strong; it went really well, so I'm happy."

"To get ready for tomorrow I will make sure I get plenty of rest and don't get too distracted with all the hoopla of the Trials."

CHRISTIAN CANTWELL

"My first one I fouled, so that didn't go so well. My second one was easy, I just took a safety throw. I feel pretty good about throwing 68 feet just going half speed. It was nothing special, just a good safety throw."

"I can count up a couple of areas where I missed a half a meter here, a meter there, so no worries. Tomorrow will be good."

JOHN GODINA

"It was easy. I'm in very good shape right now. I'm just waiting for tomorrow."

"I used tonight just to get used to the ring. I knew what I was there for. This night for us is more practice than qualifying really for the big guys."

WOMEN'S JAVELIN THROW QUALIFYING

ERICA WHEELER

In reference to the lack of emotion among the competitors: "It was pretty flat. We had a lot of young throwers. It's their first trials and they're a little nervous. Then you have the veterans. That was an ugly competition. Qualifying is usually a little strange. You're just trying to make it through to the next stage. I just cut that closer than I should have. I was just too relaxed. I didn't see fire in anybody's eyes: I certainly didn't have it.

"We have another day. It's a great atmosphere. They've transformed this place. It's wonderful. The fans are great. I need to light a fire under my butt for Sunday, that's for sure."

WOMEN'S HEPTATHLON - END OF FIRST DAY

DEDEE NATHAN, Indiana Invaders

"This is a crazy time for me. I've been going to grad school and just graduated, and I'm also looking for a teaching job. I just got married this year, but I had to give this one last shot. I had no idea how my best events would go today, and they turned out pretty good.

"Physically, I'm not far from where I need to be strength-wise, but I haven't put much into my technique. Since I've been close to making the team before, they better not leave me any room or it will make me compete that much harder. I think I'm ready for a good javelin and long jump, based on last week's performances (at the club nationals).

"I'm a one-a-year heptathlon heptathlete. You can only do so much in a season. I think some of the college girls were hoping for a little more in some events, but they've done several heptathlons this year and may be a little tired."