Once again the city of Eugene, Oregon, held a fabulous national
championship meet. The fans packed Hayward Field's big green stands, and
treated the athletes to the appreciation they deserve.
|  | | Connie Price-Smith says she decided at the beginning of the year that 2001 would be her last nationals. |
It's always a poignant scene for the athletes. This is no regular track, and
these are no regular fans. This is the track where Prefontaine and other
legends took their ovations. I realized how especially moving the scene is
for those athletes who are saying goodbye to the sport.
You know how it is with relatives and friends who pass away. You find
yourself saying either, "I wish I had a chance to say goodbye," or "I'm glad
I got the chance to say goodbye."
Not all athletes get the chance. Most of the ones who disappear from the
sport do so in the offseason. It might be an injury, an illness, or a major
life-change that alters their plans and puts track and field on the back
burner -- or off the stove altogether. Only the lucky ones get to line up at a
national championship meet and look around and know it is time.
One is Annette Peters, a former Oregon distance runner and a longtime force
in U.S. running. Now 36, the schoolteacher has won three national titles,
and made it to the 1992 Olympics. She ran the 10,000 this weekend, placing
sixth in a creditable 32:45.12. And she acknowledged that she would never
race at Hayward Field again: "It's time. I can't fight it. But it's still
hard."
Shot putter Connie Price-Smith also said this would be her last nationals.
She placed second.
"Of course I wanted to do better, but you can't always
control that," Price-Smith said. "I'm finished. This is my last nationals. I knew at the
beginning of the year that this would be my last season."
Not everyone who considers retirement is really ready for it. It's easy to be
discouraged when the big event you have been aiming at for years leaves you
feeling let down. It's much harder, however, to resist the siren call of
track and field in the spring after a winter of waiting. Bob Kennedy considered
calling it quits last year.
"I was very frustrated last summer sitting at
home watching the games. I wanted to quit, but my wife wouldn't let me," he
said. "She told me that in five years I would look back and regret quitting."
He stayed on, and won his fourth national crown in the 5,000.
Decathlon winner Kip Janvrin is one who understands the pull that the sport
has on the heart.
"You know, when you are sitting out there getting warmed up
for the javelin and your back is sore and you thinking about running the
1,500 meter in an hour -- you think 'is this really worth it?.' But now when you are
done, 'hell yeah, it's worth it!' "
Some stars dabble, others inspire
The championships saw some folks just dabbling in order to meet the minimal
requirements for the World Championships. That would be Maurice Greene, who
jetted a meet record 9.90 in the first round of the 100, then stopped
competing.
Greene said: "I really do need the rest. I have been doing a lot
lately, traveling, a lot of appearances and trying to run."
All a question of
priorities, and Greene put his personal appearance schedule ahead of the
USA Championships.
At least Marion Jones raced the 200 from beginning to end. She perhaps has a
better grip on the fact that if one expects to get respect from U.S. fans, it
might be a great idea to put on a good show at the biggest American meet of
the year.
There were some great shows. Regina Jacobs ran three events, winning the 800
and 1,500 and coming close in the 5,000. John Godina captured first in the shot
and second in the discus. Gail Devers grabbed her 765th hurdle title and
announced that she has no intention of quitting anytime soon.
Some of the most thrilling performances came from those who aren't big names.
Can you think of a better candidate than Andy Downin, who somehow captured
the 1,500 title from the likes of Gabe Jennings, Alan Webb, and Paul McMullen?
(Congratulations to Paul, by the way ... he became a father early that morning;
talk about a big day!)
Tom Chorny won the steeplechase in a great time. Seilala Sua won the women's
shot and discus. And little-heralded Jenny Adams won the long jump and made
the team in the 100 hurdles.
"This hasn't sunk in yet," Adams said, not quite
used to being at that level.
Top Three no guarantee
Finishing in the top three at a major meet such as the Olympic Trials used to
mean an athlete would make the U.S. team. Not so anymore. Remember that the
IAAF uses a dual set of performance standards. If we want to send three
individuals in an event, all must have made the tough "A" standard. To send
just one, that person must have made the weaker "B" standard. (In some
events, such as the 100, we will send four: the defending world champion and
our three qualifiers.)
Fully 14 members of our men's team and 20 of our women have not made the A
standard in their event. If they don't make the standard in time, that means
the United States will either send a reduced contingent in that event or
will give their spot to another contestant in that event at nationals who
does have the qualifying mark (Gabe Jennings, for instance, in the 1,500).
The Mailbag
Charles Belcher: "After Alan Webb's race I wanted to write to his coach and
ask him to please make sure Alan understood that his performance at the USA
Championships was great and that he represented himself very well. However,
after reflecting on the character Alan has shown during elite competition and
while handling the media, I think he already knows that."
Dave Bentz, on pacing distance races: "The poor high school kids need some
help. You'd like to think someone who runs 50 miles a week will receive some
rewards. It's all in vain if a guy starts out with a 58 second first lap and
then dies with one lap to go."
Jeff Hollobaugh, former managing editor of Track and Field News, is a regular contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached by e-mail at michtrack@aol.com.
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