Felix eyes four medals in China
2008-06-27 11:21
Oregon - Allyson Felix plans to chase four gold medals at the Beijing Olympics but the reigning world 200m champion must first overcome a stellar 100m field at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials.
Only three women will emerge from Saturday night's sprint showdown final at Hayward Field with 100m Beijing berths. Felix hopes to be one, then qualify in the 200m and race on 4x100m and 4x400m relays as she did to win 2007 world titles.
"I'm looking to run four events. I'll see how things go here," Felix said. "It's like icing on the cake if it works out. If I was able to sweep that would be amazing but it's not my ultimate and first priority, which is the 200m."
Felix, the 2004 Olympic 200m runner-up, has taken confidence from coach Bob Kersee's faith that he could have her ready to fight through heats in two sprints and the relays in Beijing as well as the challenge of qualifying.
"No doubt it's tough," Felix said. "Bobby said he could give me a realistic look. He could get me ready and I depend on that. It would be amazing. It would be exciting to be out there and compete in the 100m and 200m, which I love."
Felix, 22, set a personal 100m best of 10.93 seconds, the second-fastest time in the world this year, to win at Doha last month but was slower in three meets since, unable to break 11 seconds and unhappy with her starts.
Starting blocks
"My last few 100s haven't been exactly what I wanted to do but I've been really working on the start and executing the race," Felix said. "I can do it. I'm just really trying to put the right race together in the final."
Felix bought a set of Hayward starting blocks and trained with them the past two weeks.
"They are a little different. Whatever little edge I can get I'm going to take," Felix said. "I love speed. I've always loved the 100m. I haven't always been that great at it but I've always been willing to work hard at it.
"We have a great field. Anything can happen on that day. I just really have to put the start together when it counts."
Torri Edwards, the 2003 world champion, has had success out of the blocks at Hayward as well. The 31-year-old sprint star won the Prefontaine Classic 100m here each of the past three years, setting a meet record of 10.94 this month.
Lauryn Williams, the 2005 100m world champion and 2007 world runner-up to Jamaican Veronica Campbell, is a major threat with a personal best of 10.88.
'This is it'
Marshevet Hooker and Muna Lee have also cracked 11 seconds this year and Carmelita Jeter was third in last year's worlds at Osaka in 11.02.
"There are eight to 12 of us that can run a sub-11," Williams said. "It's pretty nerve-wracking for me.
"This is it. Do or die. Run for your life. This is what I'm living for, training for and focused on. I don't want to be one of those people who is sad and full of regret on Saturday night."
Assuming she gets through the heats, Williams will risk four years of work in 11 seconds.
"Run it again on Sunday and you might get a whole different three people," Williams said. "Me being one of those three people on Saturday is what I'm gunning for. It's what I'm living and breathing the next 48 hours."
The 10-day affair, which features rest days next Tuesday and Wednesday, opens on Friday with women's 100m qualifying and quarter-final heats ahead of Saturday's semi-finals and finals. The women's 200 final is July 6.
Kenyan-born Bernard Lagat begins his quest Friday for a 1 500m and 5,000m double at Beijing with a semi-final at the longer distance. The 5 000 final is Monday while the 1 500 final concludes the meet July 6.
Friday's only final is the women's 10 000m, where Shalane Flanagan will try to launch a bid for a Beijing double with the 5 000m, which has a July 4 final.
Also Friday are the starts of the heptathlon, men's and women's 800m and 400m hurdles, the women's triple jump and discus and men's pole vault, shot put and long jump.