Drama, drama, drama

Angela Daigle had never been considered a contender for the Visa Championship. Although she had looked strong at Millrose on February 4, her personal best of 7.21 seconds was nowhere near the 7.10 that she needed to surpass Visa Championship leader Erin Gilreath's 1,199 points. With Daigle running out in lane 8, the possibility of a fast time seemed even more remote.

But she delivered a Hollywood ending.

With a phenomenal reaction time of .124 seconds out of the blocks, Daigle threw down a time of 7.09. It was no runaway victory, however, as 2004 Olympic 200m finalist Muna Lee was close behind in second, in 7.11. Lisa Barber finished third in 7.18.

A teary-eyed and slightly stunned Daigle happily accepted her $25,000 Visa Debit card from Paul Tsuchiya, Vice President, Event & Sponsorship Marketing for Visa USA.

Leading ladies

Entering Sunday's competition, all eyes were on hurdler Danielle Carruthers.

Needing a time of 7.94 seconds to win the Visa Championship, Carruthers ran 7.95 seconds in the Nike women's 60-meter hurdles on Sunday to miss knocking off Gilreath by the narrowest of margins.

Although Carruthers had led the Race for the Championship throughout the Visa Championship series, Gilreath's toss of 24.46 meters/80 feet, 3 inches in Friday's weight throw competition gave the outdoor American record holder the lead with 1,199 points, surpassing Carruthers' previous leader of 1,191 points for her 7.98-second time at the Powered by Tyson Invitational on February 11.

When Carruthers crossed the line .01 too slow, in the penultimate women's event of the day, the Race for the Championship was over ... everyone thought.

Everyone was wrong.

Trotter, Jackson get first titles

The 60 hurdles was not the only event on the track, however. Dee Dee Trotter, the 2004 NCAA champion and Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist, won her first USA title in the 400 with a dominant performance. Trotter ran 52.01 to post the fastest time at the USA Indoor Championships since Jearl Miles-Clark ran 51.97 to win in 1999. Mary Danner was second with 53.25, with Maisha Pinkard third in 54.35.

2003 USA outdoor 400m hurdles champion Bershawn Jackson won his first national crown on the flat oval in the men's 400 dash. The former NCAA Division II hurdles champ led from start to finish, holding off James Davis to win in 46.05. Davis was second 46.75 and Ashton Collins third in 47.26.

Two-time Olympian Hazel Clark won her second career indoor 800m title in 2:01.98. Alice Schmidt of the University of North Carolina was second in 2:02.32, followed by Kameisha Bennett in third in 2:02.77.

800-meter surprise

Kevin Hicks of Florida A&M University was an unexpected winner in the men's 800 in 1:48.73, with Richard Smith second (1:48.80) and Joel Legare third (1:48.86). Pre-race favorite Derrick Peterson, the 2002 USA indoor champion and 2004 Olympian, fell with 400 meters to go.

Walter Davis easily won the men's triple jump. His leap of 17.31m/56-09.50 gave the two-time Olympian and 2002 USA outdoor champion his first U.S. indoor title. Fellow 2004 Olympian Kenta Bell was second (16.86m/55-03.75), with Chris Hercules third (16.83m/55-02.75).

More first-time winners

2002 NCAA champion Mardy Scales, 2003 Pan Am silver medalist, won a very close men's 60 meters with a time of 6.61. He out-leaned Joshua Norman in second (6.62) and Aaron Armstrong in third (6.64).

A two-time PAC-10 champion and 2002 NCAA runner-up for the University of Washington, Brad Walker won his first national title in the men's pole vault with a clearance of 5.65m/18-06.50. Tommy Skipper was second (5.55m/18-2.5) and Paul Litchfield third (5.45m/17-10.5).

More winners

Amber Antonia was a somewhat surprise winner in an eventful women's 3,000-meter race walk in 12:55.69 after Jolene Moore, who crossed the finish line first, was disqualified. Defending champion Joanne Dow was second in 13:09.62, with Deb Huberty third in 13:26.03.

Shani Marks won the women's triple jump with a best mark of 13.65m/44-09.50. Nicole Whitman (13.23m/43-05.00) and Simidele Adeagbo (13.19m/43-03.25) placed second and third, respectively.

Former NCAA All-American Joel Brown was the winner in the men's 60-meter hurdles in 7.60, followed in short order by Anwar Moore (7.63) and David Payne (7.64).

Big day for Godina

Godina wasted no time in staking his claim to the Visa Championship, worth $25,000 and a trip to a premiere Visa event. His first-round, 2005 world-leading throw of 21.83meters/71 feet, 7.5 inches gave him the win and broke Ulf Timmerman's meet record of 21.63m/70-11.75, set in 1987. The rest of Godina's series was nearly as impressive as he threw 21.33m/69-11.75, 21.31m/69-11, 20.73m/68-0.25, 21.47m/70-5.5, and 21.12/69-3.5.

2004 world indoor silver medalist Reese Hoffa, two-time Olympic silver medalist Nelson and 2004 world indoor champion Christian Cantwell all gave chase in an attempt to wrest the U.S. title and cash prize from their compatriot. Hoffa's fifth-round throw of 21.74m/71-4 is the #2 throw in the world this year, but it wasn't enough to unseat Godina.

Battling foot and back injuries over the last several weeks, Nelson used the crowd to help him rally and pop off a throw of 21.59m/70-10 on his fourth attempt. Cantwell was fourth with 20.57m/67-6.

Eight is great for Seaman

Two-time Olympian Tim Seaman won his eighth U.S. indoor title in the men's 5,000-meter race walk in dominating fashion, finishing in 19:56.41 to nearly lap the field. Fellow double Olympian Curt Clausen was second (20:41.33) and Benjamin Shorey was third (21:48.56).

Local runners make good

Local favorites Jonathon Riley and Jennifer Toomey pleased the local crowd by successfully defending their titles in the Nike men's 3,000 meters and women's 1,500, respectively.

A Brookline, Mass., native, Riley won his third consecutive U.S. indoor title, moving past Bolota Asmerom to win in 7:53.73. Asmerom was a stride back in 7:53.81, with Luke Watson third in 7:57.23.

Toomey, a Salem, Mass., resident, made history in 2004 when she became the only person ever to win the 800 and 1,500 at the same USA Indoor Championships. Injured since last August, Toomey raced for the first time since last summer on Saturday. She showed very little evidence of rust, using her 800-meter speed to distance herself from the field in a winning time of 4:13.25. Treniere Clement was second in 4:14.20, with Christin Wurth third in 4:14.74.

More middle distance

World indoor bronze medalist Shayne Culpepper successfully defended her title in the women's 3,000 meters. The two-time Olympian sprinted away from Amy Rudolph and Lauren Fleshman to win in 8:55.57. Rudolph was second (8:57.42) and Fleshman third (8:59.93).

Scott McGowan, whose previous claim to fame was being the first person from Montana to break 4:00 in the mile, was a surprise winner in the Nike men's 1,500 meters. With his winning time of 3:44.06, McGowan handily defeated defending national indoor champion Rob Myers (3:45.18) and Olympic Trials runner-up Charlie Gruber (3:46.11).

Jubilant jumpers

2004 Olympian and two-time NCAA champion Tora Harris won his first U.S. title in the men's high jump, clearing 2.27m/7-5.25 on his first attempt to defeat a solid field that included Olympic fourth-place finisher and defending USA indoor champion Jamie Nieto (second, 2.24m/7-4.25) and 2003 NCAA indoor champion Adam Shunk (third, 2.24m/7-4.25).

Gwen Wentland won the second U.S. indoor title of her career, ten years after her first victory in 1995. The 32-year-old, who did not compete in 2004 in order to give birth to her now 9-month-old daughter, Paris, cleared 1.88m/6-2 to win over Kaylene Wagner in second (1.85m/6-0.75).

A promising new talent emerged in the women's pole vault as Jennifer Stuczynski, from tiny Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, N.Y., won the competition with a height of 4.35m/14-3.25. The 5-11 former basketball player took up the vault only eight months ago and is a sometime training partner of national high school record holder Mary Saxer. Becky Holliday placed second at 4.30m/14-1.25, with 2002 USA indoor champion Mary Sauer third at the same height.

Brian Johnson won a close competition in the men's long jump with a best mark of 7.89m/25-10.75. Tony Allmond was second with 7.76m/25-5.50 and Juane Armon was third with 7.73m/25-4.5. Rose Richmond won the women's long jump with a best of 6.44m/21-1.5. Hyleas Fountain was second (6.29m/20-7.75) and Ola Sesay third (6.26m/20-6.5).

2004 Stanford graduate and Olympic Trials third-place finisher Jillian Camarena won her first U.S. title in the shot put with a throw of 17.31m/56-9.5.

Qualifying roundup

In qualifying rounds, Kameisha Bennett was the fastest qualifier into Sunday's final of the women's 800 meters, winning heat 1 in 2:03.85. Two-time Olympian Hazel Clark won the second heat in 2:05.45. Kevin Hicks posted the fastest men's qualifier with 1:47.98. Bershawn Jackson had the fastest 400m qualifier with his second-heat win in 46.96.

Gilreath takes the lead

Erin Gilreath, who won her first indoor title last year, took the lead in the 2005 Visa Championship Series over 60m hurdler Danielle Carruthers with her winning weight throw of 24.46 meters/80 feet, 3 inches. Gilreath's performance totaled 1,199 points toward the Championship, which betters Carruthers' 1,191 points from her win (7.98 seconds) February 11 at the Powered by Tyson Invitational. Carruthers must run 7.94 seconds on Sunday to retake the Visa Championships Series lead over Gilreath.

Though Gilreath's winning throw in Boston surpasses her world best in Bloomington, it will not be considered for record purposes. "The weight was certified prior to (the competition)," said meet referee Rita Somerlot. "It was the right weight and the right length. When it was re-certified [after the record throw], it was too long in overall measurement. When it landed it changed things, and it was too long. It will not count as the American record. It does count as the winning mark."

Amber Campbell put the pressure on Gilreath in round three when she took the lead with a meet-record throw of 23.99m/78-8.50. Gilreath answered Campbell's effort in the third round with her winning toss of 24.46m/80-3, leaving Campbell to finish as the runner-up. LaQuanda Cotton placed third with a best of 21.42m/70-3.50.

Men's weight wrap-up 

In the men's competition, 2004 Olympian and 2003 U.S. Indoor champion A.G. Kruger won his second national 35-pound weight throw title. He took the lead in the fourth round with a throw of 22.44m/73-7.50 before eventual runner-up Jake Freeman threw 23.16m/76 feet, in round five. Kruger answered Freeman's effort with his fifth-round throw of 23.47m/78-0 that won the event. Kibwe Johnson placed third with a throw of 22.27m/73-0.75.