Track & Field Blog

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games offered plenty of track and field thrills, most notably the record-breaking performances of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. In all, 17 Olympic records were set among the 47 track and field events in Beijing, including five world records. Bolt had a hand in three of those world marks, in the 100 (9.69 seconds, into a slight headwind), the 200 (19.30) and the 4 x 100 relay, which Jamaica won in 37.10 seconds. Jamaica also swept the women’s 100 and 200 events, giving the nation five sprint golds.

Kenya dominated the middle distance events, winning three gold medals. The highlight victory was 19-year-old Pamela Jelimo’s triumph in the women’s 800 meters, less than a year after she began competing in the event.

Ethiopia won four distance races, setting three Olympic records in the process. Tirunesh Dibaba won both the women’s 5000- and 10,000-meter races – running an Olympic record 29:54.66 in the 10K – while Kenenisa Bekele swept both events on the men’s side, setting two Olympic marks (12:57.82 in the 5000, 27:01.17 in the 10K). Kenya’s Samuel Wanjiru set an Olympic record while winning the marathon (2:06:32).

Russia’s Gulnara Samitova-Galkina made history twice, first by winning the initial Olympic women’s steeplechase, and second by winning it in a world record time (8:58.81). On the men’s side, Brimin Kipruto was the seventh different Kenyan to win the event in the past seven Olympics.

The hurdle events proved interesting, though not always for positive reasons. In the 110, local favorite Liu Xiang and American Terrence Trammell dropped out due to injuries, leaving Cuba’s Dayron Robles to dominate. In the women’s 100, American Dawn Harper was a surprise champion after favored Lolo Jones of the U.S. stumbled over the ninth hurdle. In the 400, Jamaica’s Melaine Walker set an Olympic mark (52.64) while American Angelo Taylor, the gold medalist in 2000, became the comeback king of Beijing by winning the men’s 400 hurdles, then earning a second gold medal as part of the U.S. 4 x 400-meter relay team.

Bryan Clay gave the U.S. a signature victory in the decathlon while Nataliya Dobrynska handed Ukraine its only Olympic gold medal in the heptathlon.

No nation dominated either the jumping or throwing events. Russia won two golds in the jumps, led by Yelena Isinbaeva’s world-record performance in the pole vault (5.05 meters – 16 feet, 6¾ inches). Eight different nations earned gold medals in the eight throwing events. The jumps and throws featured victories by solid favorites (Isinbaeva, Irving Saladino of Panama in the long jump, New Zealand’s Valerie Vili in the shot put, Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic in the javelin) as well as upsets (American Stephanie Brown-Trafton in the discus, Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut in the high jump, Tomasz Majewski of Poland in the shot). In addition to Isinbaeva’s world record, Olympic marks were set by Francoise Etone of Cameroon in the triple jump, Australia’s Steven Hooker in the pole vault, Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway in the javelin and Aksana Miankova of Belarus in the hammer throw.

Russian won two race walking golds, getting an Olympic-record performance from Olga Kaniskina in the 20-kilometer event (1:26:31). Italy’s Alex Schwazer set an Olympic mark in the 50K walk (3:37:09).

Only four individual gold medalists from 2004 repeated in Beijing: Isinbaeva, Thorkildsen, Bekele (in the 10,000) and Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown (in the 200).

The U.S. team suffered several disappointments. In addition to Trammell’s injury, it was clear that sprinter Tyson Gay wasn’t completely healthy in the 100 meters. Dropped batons knocked the U.S. teams out of both 4 x 100 relay events. Additionally, some top U.S. contenders simply fell short of expectations. On the other hand, surprise winners emerged from the U.S. team, including Brown-Trafton, Taylor and Harper. LaShawn Merritt was outstanding while winning the 400 meters. Clay dominated the decathlon and both U.S. 4 x 400 relay teams repeated as gold medal champions, with the men’s squad setting an Olympic record (2:55.39).

At the sub-gold medal level, the U.S. swept the men’s 400 and the 400-meter hurdles. Walter Dix was impressive while earning bronzes in both the 100 and 200 and Shalane Flanagan finished strong to take a bronze in the 10,000.

For many of these athletes, the Beijing Olympics will mark the peak of their track and field careers. But many others are, no doubt, already looking forward to further achievements in the London Games of 2012.

In the marathon, mature runners generally have the advantage over younger, less-experienced competitors. But youth was served in the men’s Olympic marathon final Sunday as 21-year-olds Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya and Tsegay Kebede of Ethiopia won gold and bronze, respectively in the final track and field event of the Beijing Games. Wanjiru won in an Olympic record time of 2:06:32, easily outdistancing 26-year-old Jaouad Gharib of Morocco (2:07:16). Deriba Merga, the 37-year-old Ethiopian, entered the stadium in third place but Kebede passed him on the track to earn the bronze (2:10:00). American finishers included Dathan Ritzenhein (ninth, 2:11:59), Ryan Hall (tenth, 2:12:33) and Brian Sell (22nd, 2:16:07). The 2004 gold medalist, Stefano Baldini of Italy, finished 12th (2:13:25), while 2007 World Outdoor champion Luke Kibet of Kenya dropped out with an apparent injury.

The race began in Tiananmen Square and the lead runners set a fast early pace, particularly considering the hot and humid conditions. It was 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit) at the start, rising to 30 degrees (86 F.) later in the race. By the 20-kilometer mark there were only five runners in the leading pack: Wanjiru, Merga, Gharib, Yonas Kifle of Eritrea and Kenya’s Martin Lel. Kifle and then Lel eventually fell back and finished 36th and fifth, respectively. The remaining three constituted the leading pack all the way to the stadium, with Wanjiru pulling away during the final kilometers, and Kebede charging from behind to overtake the fading Merga near the end.

Wanjiru, who already held the half marathon world record, topped the former Olympic marathon mark of 2:09:21 set by Portugal’s Carlos Lopes in 1984. Lopes’ record had been the second-oldest on the Olympic track and field books (Bob Beamon’s long jump mark from 1968 remains the oldest record).

The U.S. finished the Olympics with 23 track and field medals (seven gold, nine silver, seven bronze). Russia was second with 18 medals (six gold, five silver, seven bronze), followed by Kenya with 14 (five gold, five silver, four bronze) and Jamaica with 11 (six gold, three silver, two bronze). The only other country to win more than one gold medal was Ethiopia, with four.

After a pair of baton-dropping disappointments in the 4 x 100-meter relays, the U.S. struck double-gold in the 4 x 400-meter relays Saturday.

The women’s race was highly competitive as the U.S. and Russia battled to the tape before the

Americans won in 3:18.54 with the Russians second in 3:18.82. Jamaica earned the bronze medal in 3:20.40. The U.S. trailed during the first lap but the race changed when Mary Wineberg handed the baton to Allyson Felix. Felix, the 200-meter silver medalist, flashed into the lead quickly and maintained her margin. Monique Henderson led for most of the third leg before being passed by Russia’s Tatyana Firova. The final lap was a two-woman race between Anastasiya Kapachinskaya of Russia and American Sanya Richards, the 400-meter bronze medalist. The Russian led most of the way, with Richards gaining a bit of ground around the last turn. Richards then surged in the final 100 meters to cross the line first.

On the men’s side, the only question at the end was whether or not the dominant Americans would break any records. They did, winning in an Olympic-record 2:55.39. Bahamas finished second (2:58.03) with Russia third (a national record 2:58.06). Belgium entered the final lap in second but faded to fifth in a national record 2:59.37. The U.S. led off the relay with 400-meter gold medalist LaShawn Merritt, who gave the Americans a solid lead that they never lost. Angelo Taylor, the 400-meter hurdles gold medalist, and 400-meter bronze medalist David Neville maintained the U.S. margin. Jeremy Wariner, the 2004 gold medalist and 2008 silver medalist in the 400, ran his traditional anchor leg and completed the U.S. triumph.

In the women’s high jump final Blanka Vlasic’s 34-meet winning streak ended as Belgium’s Tia Hellebaut scored an upset victory over the Croatian. Hellebaut cleared a national-record 2.05 meters on her first attempt to gain the gold, while Vlasic, who was perfect through 2.03, needed two tries to clear 2.05. Vlasic, the reigning world outdoor and indoor champion, missed three times at 2.07 to settle for silver. Russia’s Anna Chicherova was third at 2.03, equaling her personal best. American Chaunte Howard was sixth in a season best 1.99. Hellebaut, a former heptathlete who entered the Olympics with a season best of 1.96, had misses at 1.99, 2.01 and 2.03 before clearing those heights. By clearing 2.05 on her first attempt, however, she took lead when Vlasic missed her first try at that height.

Ethiopia completed its sweep of the 5000- and 10,000-meter events as Kenenisa Bekele won the men’s 5000 meters Saturday. Bekele previously won the 10,000 meters while Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba won both events on the women’s side. The name of Bekele was prominent from start to finish Saturday, as Tariku Bekele led for much of the race’s first half before older brother Kenenisa took charge for most of the second half. Kenenisa raced from the front in the final laps and remained there to win in an Olympic-record time of 12:57.82. He’s the sixth man to win the 5000-10,000 Olympic double (with Finland’s Lasse Viren accomplishing the feat twice). Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge ran near the front all the way and earned the silver (13:02.80) with countryman Edwin Soi taking the bronze (season best 13:06.22). Bernard Lagat, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, ran with the leading half-dozen runners until the final three laps but dropped back to finish ninth (13:26.89), while fellow American Matthew Tegenkamp was 13th (13:33.13).

Kenya’s Wilfred Bungei took the early lead and never let go to claim the men’s 800-meter gold medal in a season best 1:44.65. Ismail Ahmed Ismail of Sudan closed the gap down the final straight but couldn’t overtake Bungei, taking second in 1:44.70 with 2007 World Outdoor champion Alfred Yego of Kenya rallying to finish third (1:44.82).

Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen boasted the two longest throws to repeat as the men’s javelin champion. Thorkildsen never trailed as he increased his distances from 84.72 meters in the first round to 85.91 in the second and 87.93 in the third. For good measure, Thorkildsen unleashed an Olympic record 90.57-meter throw in the fifth round. Finland’s Tero Pitkamaki, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, spent most of the day in second place until Latvia’s Ainars Kovals, who entered the final round in sixth position, posted an 86.64-meter throw on his final attempt to move into second. Pitkamaki’s last throw was his best, but only traveled 86.16 meters, so he settled for bronze.

Kenya’s Nancy Lagat passed Maryam Jamal of Bahrain early in the final lap and sprinted to victory in the women’s 1500 meters, winning with a personal best time of 4:00.23. Jamal faded to fifth. Ukraine took the silver and bronze medals with Iryna Lishchynska second (4:01.63) and Nataliya Tobias third (personal best 4:01.78). American Shannon Rowbury finished seventh (4:03.58).

Olympic track and field competition concludes with the men’s marathon, beginning at 7:30 a.m. Sunday in Beijing (7:30 p.m. Saturday, Eastern Daylight Savings Time). The favorites, based on 2008 season-best times, include Martin Lel (2:05:15) and Samuel Wanjiru (2:05:25), both of Kenya, plus Morocco’s Abderrahim Goumri (2:05:30) and American Ryan Hall (2:06:17). Also running are the 2007 World Outdoor Championship medalists, Kenya’s Luke Kibet (gold), Qatar’s Mubarak Shami (silver) and Switzerland’s Viktor Rothlin (bronze), 2004 Olympic gold medalist Stefano Baldini of Italy, plus Americans Brian Sell and Dathan Ritzenhein.

The U.S. is assured of leading the track and field medal standings, with 23 medals (seven gold, nine silver, seven bronze) entering the final event. Russia has 18 medals. Russia and Jamaica both own six track and field golds.

Before the final full day of Olympic track and field begins, I'd like to invite all the new visitors to this site to return when the Olympics are over for a variety of track and field coverage. I'll have exclusive interviews with elite athletes, including Mike Powell, who talks about his world record-setting long jump performance, and Brian Diemer, who discusses his surprise bronze medal success in the 1984 Olympic steeplechase. I'll also have new tutorials and advice for track and field competitors, including a timely article on baton-passing technique.

I began this site earlier this year and have focused mainly on pre-Olympics and Olympic Games material. In the future, this site will feature stories on track and field technique, coaching strategies and advice for competitors of all ages, along with plenty of track and field history and continuing coverage of today's elite athletes. Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you'll keep coming back to About.com's track and field site.

Bryan Clay gave the U.S. its first decathlon gold medal since Dan O’Brien’s winning effort in 1996 as Clay cruised to a 240-point victory Friday. Clay began the day with 4521 points and finished with 8791. Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus held on to second with 8551 points while Cuba’s Leonel Suarez moved into third place in the final event, the 1500-meter run, and finished with a Cuban record 8527. Clay didn’t post any personal bests Friday but was steady through the day’s first four events, earning at least 904 points in each. He was second overall in the 110 hurdles (13.93 seconds), first overall in the discus (53.79 meters), tied for third in the pole vault (5.0) and took third in the javelin throw (70.97). With an insurmountable lead, Clay then played it safe in the 1500, jogging home in 5:06.59. American Trey Hardee was in fourth place after seven events but no-heighted in the pole vault, missing three times at 4.7 meters, eliminating him from competition.

Tirunesh Dibaba of Ethiopia completed the first-ever Olympic women’s 5000-10,000 double by winning the 5000-meter run. Ethiopian-born Elvan Abeylegesse, who runs for Turkey, earned the silver medal (15:42.74) with 2004 gold medalist Meseret Defar, also of Ethiopia, third (15:44.12). The early pace was slow, leaving the winning time almost a full minute behind Defar’s 2004 effort of 14:45.65. Abeylegesse picked the pace up around the 1400-meter mark. Thereafter, several runners took turns leading, but a dozen competitors were still bunched in the leading pack with three laps remaining. The top three runners pulled away as the final lap began, With Dibaba gradually pulling away from Defar. Abeylegesse then reeled in Defar for second place. The three Americans in the race included Kara Goucher (ninth place, 15:49.39), 10,000- meter bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan (tenth, 15:50.80) and Jennifer Rhines (14th, 16:34.63).

It wasn’t pretty, but Australian Steven Hooker battled through the last four heights to not only win the men’s pole vault gold medal, but break Tim Mack’s Olympic record in the process. Hooker needed three attempts to clear at 5.80, 5.85 and 5.90, with the latter jump clinching the gold. With the bar raised to 5.96, Hooker again needed three attempts before succeeding, topping Mack’s 5.95 set in 2004. Russia’s Evgeniy Lukyanenko cleared 5.85 to gain the silver while Ukraine’s Denys Yurchenko earned the bronze, clearing 5.70 with three misses. American Derek Miles also cleared 5.70 with three misses, passed at 5.75 then missed three times at 5.80 to settle for fourth place. Lukyanenko seemed to have the edge for gold when he cleared 5.80 on his first attempt while Hooker needed three tries to clear. Both men cleared 5.85 on their final attempt but the Russian missed three times at 5.90.

The bobbles that plagued the U.S. and other relay teams Thursday continued in the women’s 4 x 100-meter relay final on Friday. With favored Jamaica in the lead, third-leg runner Kerron Stewart couldn’t pass the baton to anchor runner Veronica Campbell-Brown, leaving the track open for Russia to win the gold in 42.31 seconds. The winning quartet included Yevgeniya Polyakova, Aleksandra Fedoriva, Yulia Gushchina and Yuliya Chermoshanskaya. Belgium took second in a national-record 42.54 with Nigeria third (43.04).

There were no such problems for the Jamaican men. Instead, Usain Bolt and friends broke the world record of 37.40 - set by the U.S. in 1992 and matched in 1993 - finishing in 37.10. Nesta Carter and Michael Frater gave Jamaica the lead, Bolt extended it and anchor runner Asafa Powell finished it off. Trinidad and Tobago was second (38.06) and Japan third (38.15).

The women’s long jump medal positions were established in the first round as Brazil’s Maurren Maggi leaped a season best 7.04 meters to claim the gold, Russia’s Tatyana Lebedeva jumped 6.97 and Blessing Akagbare of Nigeria reached a personal best 6.91. Neither Maggi nor Akagbare improved their marks. The drama came in the final round, however, as Lebedeva, the 2004 gold medalist and 2007 World Outdoor champion, took aim at another gold but fell just short, with a season best 7.03. Brittney Reese finished fifth (6.76) with fellow Americans Grace Upshaw (eighth, 6.58) and Funmi Jimoh (12th, 6.29) behind.

Blessing finished 13th overall in the long jump qualification round and didn’t originally qualify for the final. She was added to replace Ukraine’s Lyudmila Blonska, who was disqualified after testing positive for steroids. Blonska also forfeited her heptathlon silver medal. American Hyleas Fountain was upgraded from bronze to silver while Russia’s Tatyana Chernova was awarded the heptathlon bronze. This was Blonska’s second doping violation. She faces a possible lifetime ban.

Italy’s Alex Schwazer set a new Olympic record while winning the 50-kilometer race walk in 3:37.09 Friday. Australia’s Jared Tallent was second in a personal best 3:39.27 while Denis Nizhegorodov of Russia, the 2004 silver medalist and current world record-holder, was third in 3:40.14.

In preliminary competition Friday, there were no hand-off problems for the U.S. relay teams, resulting in two heat victories in 4 x 400-meter competition. The American women won their heat in 3:22.45 to edge Jamaica (3:22.60). The U.S. team featured Mary Wineberg, Monique Henderson, Natasha Hastings and Sanya Richards. Jamaica’s quartet included Novlene Williams, Shereefa Lloyd, Bobby-Gaye Wilkins and Shericka Williams. Belarus was third in the heat (3:22.78), while Russia won the other heat in the day’s fourth-best time (3:23.71).

On the men’s side, the U.S. won its heat despite resting the 400-meter gold and silver medal- winners, LaShawn Merritt and Jeremy Wariner, respectively, who both ran in Thursday’s individual race. On Friday, the American quartet of David Neville, Kerron Clement, Reggie Witherspoon and Angelo Taylor won their heat in 2:59.98, which was the day’s third-best time. Great Britain (Andrew Steele, Robert Tobin, Michael Bingham and Martyn Rooney) was first overall in 2:59.33, just ahead of the Bahamas (2:59.88). Both 4 x 400 finals are set for Saturday.

On a rainy day in Beijing Thursday, the U.S. won its first sprint gold medal as LaShawn Merritt out-raced American rival Jeremy Wariner in the men’s 400-meter final. Additionally, American David Neville gained the bronze via a finish-line dive. Wariner led midway through the race but 2008 U.S. champion Merritt out-ran him down the home stretch to win in a personal best 43.75 seconds. Wariner, the 2004 gold medalist and 2007 World Outdoor champ (with Merritt in second) slowed at the end but hung on for the silver (44.74), while Neville assured the U.S. of a medals sweep (44.80).

Jamaica struck sprint gold again in the women’s 200-meter final. Just as in Athens in 2004, Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown won gold with America’s Allyson Felix taking the silver. Campbell-Brown won in a personal best 21.74 while Felix ran a season best 21.93. Kerron Stewart of Jamaica (22.0) added a bronze medal to her 100-meter silver. Muna Lee was fourth (22.01) and Marshevet Hooker fifth (22.34) for the U.S. Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson, the co- silver medalist in the 100, was sixth (22.36).

Favored Dayron Robles of Cuba pulled away for a decisive victory in the men’s 110-meter hurdles final. The world record-holder won in 12.93, giving the disappointed Chinese fans one consolation – Robles didn’t break the Olympic record of 12.91 set in 2004 by China’s currently- injured Liu Xiang. American David Payne pulled a slight upset by edging 2008 U.S. champion David Oliver for the silver medal. Payne was second in a season best 13.17 while Oliver gained the bronze in 13.18.

Some hard rain added even more difficulty to the already-challenging men’s decathlon competition, which began Thursday. With victories in the first two events, American Bryan Clay led the 10-event competition after one day with 4521 points. Andrei Krauchanka of Belarus was second (4433) followed by American Trey Hardee (4428), Oleksiy Kasyanov of Ukraine (4408) and 2004 gold medalist Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic (4312).

Clay was the fastest in the 100 meters (10.44) to begin the two-day contest. Clay, the 2004 silver medalist, was then first with a season best 7.78 in the long jump. He didn’t win the shot put, but threw a personal best 16.27. He finished by clearing 1.99 in the high jump and running 48.92 in the 400 meters. Hardee was among the points leaders all day and closed fast with personal bests in the high jump (2.05) and the 400 (47.75). Krauchanka had a personal best in the shot (14.39) and season bests in the 100 (10.96) and 400 (47.30). Kasyanov had a personal best in the shot (15.15) and tied for the lead in the high jump (2.11). Sebrle also tied for the high jump lead. He posted a season-best 7.68 in the long jump. Aleksandr Pogorelov of Russia, who sits seventh overall with 4283 points, led in the shot (16.53 meters), while Daniel Awde of Great Britain won the 400 (47.16), but is only 26th overall with 3857 points. Among the early drop-outs were 2004 bronze medalist Dmitriy Karpov of Kazakhstan and American Tom Pappas. The final five decathlon events are scheduled for Friday.

Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic earned the women’s javelin gold medal on her final throw with a winning effort of 71.42 meters. Spotakova was in second place entering the sixth round. Russia’s Mariya Abakumova took the lead with a first-round 69.32, edging Spotakova’s first attempt by .10. Abakumova improved her distance to 70.78 in the fourth round but had to settle for the silver. Christina Obergfoll of Germany won the bronze (66.13). The 2004 gold medalist, Osleidys Menendez of Cuba, took sixth (63.35).

The 2007 World Outdoor champion edged the 2008 World Indoor champ in the men’s triple jump final. Portugal’s Nelson Evora and Great Britain’s Phillips Idowu traded the lead through four rounds but Evora finally prevailed with a gold medal-winning leap measuring 17.67 meters. Idowu took silver (17.62) and Leevan Sands of the Bahamas earned the bronze (17.59). Idowu led after one round (17.51). Evora pulled ahead in round two (17.56) before Idowu answered with his best jump in the third round. Evora then took the lead for good with his winning effort in the fourth.

The women’s 20-kilometer race walk ended in a driving rain but that didn’t stop Russia’s Olga Kaniskina, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, from winning with an Olympic record time of 1:26:31. Norway’s Kjersti Platzer was second (1:27:07) and Italy’s Elisa Rigaudo third (1:27:12). Athanasia Tsoumeleka of Greece, the 2004 gold medalist, took ninth (1:27:54) and American Joanne Dow finished 31st (1:34:15).

In preliminary action, the U.S. suffered more sprint disappointment when, remarkably, both of its 4 x 100-meter relay squads were disqualified in Thursday’s semifinals.

On the women’s side, Jamaica’s quartet of Shelly-Ann Fraser, Sheri-Ann Brooks, Aleen Bailey and Veronica Campbell won their heat in 42.24. Belgium’s Olivia Borlee, Hanna Marien, Elodie Ouedraogo and Kim Gevaert won their heat in 42.92. The U.S. was winning its heat midway through the race when second-leg runner Torri Edwards and third-leg runner Lauryn Williams mishandled the baton exchange. It was the third successive Olympics in which the U.S. women’s 4 x 100 squad was disqualified.

The U.S. was one of six teams disqualified in the men’s 4 x 100. The Americans led their heat into the final exchange, but Tyson Gay couldn’t grab the baton from Darvis Patton. Jamaica, even without Usain Bolt in its semifinal lineup, won its heat in 38.81, with a quartet including Dwight Thomas, Michael Frater, Nesta Carter and Asafa Powell. Trinidad (Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Aaron Armstrong and Richard Thompson) won the first heat in 38.25. Both 4 x 100 finals are set for Friday.

Kenya’s Nancy Lagat led the qualifiers in the women’s 1500-meter semifinals. Lagat won her heat in 4:03.20 to qualify for Saturday’s final. Other heat winners included Maryam Jamal of Bahrain (4:05.14) and Iryna Lishchynska of Ukraine (4:13.6). Shannon Rowbury was the lone American to qualify, finishing fourth in her heat (4:03.89). Erin Donohue (eighth, 4:16.05) and Christin Wurth-Thomas (eighth, 4:09.70) did not qualify.

Nobody reached the automatic qualifying height of 1.96 meters but 15 women cleared 1.93 to qualify for Saturday’s high jump final. The qualifiers included Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic, the 2007 World Outdoor and 2008 World Indoor champion. Vlasic, who’s dominated women’s high jump in 2008, had one miss at 1.93 before clinching her spot in the final. Elena Slesarenko of Russia, the 2004 gold medalist, missed once at 1.89 and twice at 1.93, but cleared on her last attempt. Chaunte Howard missed once at 1.93 before clearing and will be the lone American in the final. Amy Acuff cleared 1.89 but missed three times at 1.93 while fellow American Sharon Day cleared 1.85 before missing three times at 1.89.

Some of the top names in the men’s 800 meters didn’t survive Thursday’s semifinals. The heats were won by Kenyans Wilfred Bungei (1:46.23) and Alfred Yego (1:44.73) plus Algeria’s Nabil Madi (1:45.63). Failing to qualify for Saturday’s final were 2004 gold medalist Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia (third in his heat, 1:46.53), Nick Symmonds of the U.S. (sixth, 1:46.96) and Sudan’s Abubaker Khaki (eighth, 1:49.19), who’d posted a 2008 world-best 1:42.69.

Three men topped the automatic qualifying distance of 82.5 meters to lead 12 qualifiers into Saturday’s men’s javelin throw final. Latvia’s Vadims Vasilevskis, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist, led all qualifiers with an 83.51-meter throw on his first attempt. Russia’s Ilya Korotkov reached 83.33 on his second try while 2007 World Outdoor champion Tero Pitkamaki of Finland threw 82.61 meters on his first legal throw, in the second round. Australia’s Jarrod Bannister, who has a 2008 world-best throw of 89.02, qualified at 79.79 while 2004 gold medalist Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway qualified at 79.85. Americans Leigh Smith (76.55), Mike Hazle (72.75) and Breaux Greer (73.68) all failed to qualify for the final.

All dates mentioned above are based on Beijing time, which is 12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

The misery for U.S. gold medal favorites continued Wednesday when 2007 World Outdoor Champion Brad Walker failed to qualify for the pole vault final. Neither Walker, who’s cleared a world-best 6.04 meters this year, nor fellow American Jeff Hartwig, were among the 13 vaulters who cleared 5.65 meters to qualify for Friday’s finals. Derek Miles, who missed twice at 5.55 and once at 5.65 before clearing, will be the lone American in the final. Other leading qualifiers include Russians Evgeniy Lukyanenko (the 2008 World Indoor champ) and Igor Pavlov, the other two vaulters without a miss Wednesday, plus Australian Steven Hooker and 2004 bronze medal winner Giuseppe Gibilisco of Italy. Lukyanenko and Hooker are the only vaulters other than Walker who’ve cleared six meters in 2008.

The U.S. formally protested Wallace Spearmon’s disqualification in the men’s 200 meter final Wednesday. Upon reviewing the replay, Team USA officials saw that Spearmon did commit a lane violation by stepping on the inside line. However, they also detected silver medalist Churandy Martina committing a similar violation. Team USA officials then dropped their protest of Spearmon’s disqualification but lodged a new protest over Martina’s actions. Meet officials accepted the protest after viewing the replay and awarded the silver medal to Shawn Crawford and the bronze to fellow American Walter Dix, who’d originally crossed the finish line fifth in 19.98 seconds. Dix now owns bronze medals in both the 100 and 200.

Despite several disappointments, the American women have surpassed their medal total from the 2004 Olympics, when they won six (two gold, two silver, two bronze). Through Wednesday, the 2008 track and field team has earned seven medals (two gold, two silver, three bronze). Team USA men have also won seven medals so far (one gold, three silver, three bronze).

Usain Bolt electrified Beijing again Wednesday, setting a new world record in the men’s 200- meter final, running 19.30 seconds into a slight headwind (0.9 kilometers per hour) to break Michael Johnson’s mark of 19.32, set at the 1996 Olympics. Bolt is the first man to win the 100- 200 double at the Olympics since Carl Lewis in 1984, and the first ever to win the double while setting world records in both events. Bolt ran all-out for the entire race for the first time at these Games and won easily. Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles earned the silver medal (19.82). American Wallace Spearmon crossed the finish line in third place and was celebrating his apparent bronze medal when he was informed that he’d been disqualified for stepping on the inside line of his lane. American Shawn Crawford, the 2004 gold medalist, was awarded the bronze (19.96), ahead of fourth-place Walter Dix of the U.S. (19.98).

Jamaica earned another gold medal, in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, as Melaine Walker closed strongly to win in an Olympic record time of 52.64. America’s Sheena Tosta, who held the lead through the eighth hurdle, hung on for the silver (53.70), with Tasha Danvers of Great Britain taking the bronze (53.84). American Tiffany Williams finished eighth (57.55). The previous Olympic record of 52.77 seconds was set by Greece’s Fani Halkia in 2004.

Aksana Miankova of Belarus led pretty much wire-to-wire to earn the women’s hammer throw gold medal. She took the lead with a 74.40-meter throw in the first round before unleashing her best throw in the fifth round, measuring 76.34 meters (a new Olympic record). Cuba’s perennial runner-up Yipsi Moreno grabbed second place in the fifth round (74.70), then took a run at the gold on her final attempt but fell a bit short at 75.20 meters, to settle for the silver medal. Moreno also won silver at the 2004 Olympics as well as the last two World Outdoor Championships. China’s Wenxiu Zhang gained the bronze medal (74.32).

In preliminary competition Wednesday, American Bernard Lagat shook off his disappointing 1500-meter performance and won his 5000-meter heat. The 2007 World Outdoor champion finished in 13:39.70, with 2004 silver medalist Kenenisa Bekele third in 13:40.13. Bekele is looking for a double-gold performance after winning the 10,000-meter championship Sunday. Another American, Matthew Tegenkamp, also won his heat in the day’s best time (13:37.36), edging 2004 bronze medalist Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya (13:37.50). Kenya’s Edwin Soi won the other heat (13:46.41). American Ian Dobson placed ninth in his heat (14:05.47) and didn’t qualify for Saturday’s final.

Cuba’s Dayron Robles was fastest overall in the men’s 110 hurdles semifinals, winning his heat in 13.12 with American David Payne finishing second (13.21) to qualify for Thursday’s finals. American David Oliver, the only man to defeat Robles in 2008, won his heat in 13.31.

The women’s 200-meter finals, like the women’s 100, will feature three Americans and three Jamaicans. Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown was fastest overall in Wednesday’s semifinal, winning her heat in 22.19. Fellow Jamaican Kerron Stewart, the 100-meter bronze medalist, was awarded second place (22.29), with American Muna Lee in third, also in 22.29. Allyson Felix won the second heat (22.33) with fellow American Marshevet Hooker second and 100-meter silver medalist Sherone Simpson of Jamaica third, both in 22.50. The final is set for Thursday.

American Nick Symmonds won his men’s 800-meter heat in 1:46.01, edging 2007 World Outdoor champ Alfred Yego of Kenya (1:46.04). Kenya’s Wilfred Bungei had the fastest time of the day (1:44.90), finishing ahead of Yuriy Borzakovskiy of Russia (1:45.15), the 2004 Olympic champion. The 2008 World Junior and World Indoor champ, 19-year-old Abubaker Khaki of Sudan, won his heat in 1:46.98. Americans Andrew Wheating (fourth place, 1:47.05) and Christian Smith (fourth, 1:48.20) failed to qualify for Thursday’s semifinals.

All dates mentioned above are based on Beijing time, which is 12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

It’s no surprise that an American won the Olympic women’s 100-meter hurdles Tuesday. The surprise was the winner’s name – Dawn Harper. Harper, who finished third at the U.S. Trials, was running second to U.S. champ and event favorite Lolo Jones Tuesday when Jones struck the ninth hurdle. As Jones stumbled to a seventh-place finish in 12.72, Harper took and held the lead to win in 12.54. Australian Sally McLellan earned the silver and Canadian Priscilla Lopes- Schliep the bronze, although both were timed officially in 12.64. American Damu Cherry was fourth in 12.65.

Sanya Richards had a similar experience to Jones in the women’s 400-meter final. Like Jones, Richards was favored, and she also led in the latter stages of her race. Richards, of course, didn’t hit a hurdle but she did hit the wall, running out of gas toward the finish and settling for third place in 49.93 seconds. The 2007 World Outdoor champion, Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain, earned the gold medal (a season’s best 49.62) while Jamaica’s Shericka Williams won the silver (personal best 49.69).

A tactical men’s 1500-meter race turned into a 400-meter sprint as Bahrain’s Rashid Ramzi held off Asbel Kiprop of Kenya to win the gold in 3:32.94. Kiprop ran at or near the front for the entire race. He took the lead in the first lap, then ceded it to fellow Kenyan Augustine Choge at approximately 800 meters. Ramzi ran in mid-pack but maneuvered into a good position for the final lap, when he sprinted past the Kenyans. Choge faded to tenth while Kiprop held onto second place (3:33.11). New Zealand’s Nick Willis – a former NCAA champ at the University of Michigan – was in tenth place when the final lap began but charged through the pack then passed three runners on the final straight to earn the bronze (3:34.16).

Russia’s Andrey Silnov was the surprise men’s high jump winner, clearing 2.36 meters. Silnov was perfect to that point before missing three times at 2.42. Great Britain’s Germaine Mason took the silver after clearing a personal best 2.34 with four misses. Russia’s Yaroslav Rybakov also cleared 2.34 but had a total of five misses. Stefan Holm of Sweden, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, was fourth (2.32). Silnov was not on the Olympic team after the Russian trials, where he placed fourth, but he was added later, after he cleared a season-best 2.38 in London in late July.

Reigning World Outdoor champion Gerd Kanter of Estonia won the men’s discus competition with a throw measuring 68.82 meters. Poland’s Piotr Malachowski was second (67.82) while 2000 and 2004 gold medalist Virgilijus Alekna had to settle for the bronze (67.79). Malachowski took the lead with a first-round throw of 66.45 before unleashing his silver medal- winning attempt in the second round. He was surpassed by Kanter in the fourth round. Alekna’s top throw also came in round four.

In preliminary action Tuesday, the Americans and Jamaicans dominated the first two rounds of the women’s 200 meters. American Muna Lee was first overall in the opening heats, winning in 22.71 seconds. Americans Allyson Felix (23.02) and Marshevet Hooker (23.07) also won their heats, as did 2004 gold medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown (23.04) of Jamaica. Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson was the fastest in the quarterfinal round (22.60), with Lee finishing second in that heat (22.83). Campbell-Brown won her heat (22.64) ahead of Felix (22.74), while Marshevet Hooker was third in her heat (22.76). All the Americans and Jamaicans (including Kerron Stewart) advanced to Wednesday’s semifinals.

Three American women qualified for the long jump final, which begins Friday. Brittney Reese was the day’s overall leader and was one of only three women to exceed the automatic qualifying standard of 6.75 meters, leaping 6.87 meters on her first attempt. Americans Grace Upshaw (fourth in her group, 6.68 meters) and Funmi Jimoh (seventh, 6.61) both qualified for the final. The 2004 gold medalist and 2007 World Outdoor champ, Tatanya Lebedeva of Russia, qualified at 6.70 meters while the reigning World Indoor champ, Naide Gomes of Portugal, jumped 6.29 and didn’t qualify.

Usain Bolt of Jamaica assured himself of a chance for a 100-200 sprint double by winning his men’s 200-meter semifinal in 20.09, edging Americans Shawn Crawford (20.12) and Wallace Spearman (20.14), both of whom also qualified for Wednesday’s final. Churandy Martina of Netherlands Antilles won the other semi (20.11), with American Walter Dix taking third (20.19) to qualify for the final.

The remaining favorites (minus the injured Liu Xiang of China and Terrence Trammell of the U.S.) advanced easily in the men’s 110 hurdles quarterfinals. American champion David Oliver had the day’s fastest time, winning his heat in 13.16 seconds. World record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba won his heat (13.19), as did American David Payne (13.24). The semifinals are set for Wednesday.

The favorites also advanced in the men’s 400-meter semifinals. LaShawn Merritt had the day’s best time, winning his heat in 44.12. Fellow American Jeremy Wariner won his heat (44.15) with American David Neville second (44.91). All three will run in Thursday’s final.

Ethiopians Meseret Defar (14:56.32) and Tirunesh Dibaba (15:09.89) won their heats in the women’s 5000 meter qualifying round. All three Americans qualified for Friday’s final, led by 10,000-meter bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan (sixth in her heat, 14:59.69). Americans Kara Goucher (seventh, 15:00.98) and Jennifer Rhines (sixth, 15:15.12) also qualified, as did steeplechase gold medalist Gulnara Samitova-Galkina of Russia (fifth, 15:11.46).

The top three women from the 2007 World Outdoor Championships finished in identical positions in Tuesday’s qualification round for the women’s javelin throw. World Champion Barbora Spotakova of the Czech Republic needed just one throw to beat the automatic qualification distance of 61.5 meters, tossing the javelin 67.69 meters to lead all qualifiers. Germany’s Christina Obergfell was second (67.52) with fellow German Steffi Nerius taking third overall (63.94) on her final attempt. Neither American qualified for Thursday’s final. Kara Patterson was 22nd in her group (54.39) while Kim Kreiner was 19th in hers (55.13).

All dates mentioned above are based on Beijing time, which is 12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

Six gold medals were awarded at the Summer Olympics Monday but the big story was the man who won’t win any medal this time – China’s Liu Xiang. The co-favorite in the men’s 110-meter hurdles hobbled through practice but still lined up for his opening heat Monday. After one of his competitors false-started, however, Liu limped off the track, shocking the Beijing fans. Liu dropped out of a May 31 meet with a hamstring injury but on Monday he favored his right foot, apparently due to an Achilles tendon injury. One heat earlier, 2000 and 2004 silver medalist Terrence Trammell of the U.S. dropped out after clearing just one hurdle, with an apparent pulled hamstring.

In other 110 hurdle heats, 2008 American champion David Oliver won his heat with the day’s fastest time, 13.30 seconds. Fellow American David Payne won his heat in13.42 to advance to Tuesday’s quarterfinals. Cuban world record-holder Dayron Robles won his heat in 13.39.

In finals action Monday, Russian Yelena Isinbaeva surprised few by winning the women’s pole vault with a world record height of 5.05 meters, breaking the world mark for the third time this year. Her previous best was 5.04. She opened by clearing 4.7 meters, then cleared 4.85 to clinch the gold. She missed twice at 4.95 before clearing to break the Olympic record previously owned by, of course, Isinbaeva (4.91 in 2004). She then took three shots at the world record, gaining success on her final try.

American Jenn Stuczynski claimed the pole vault silver. She cleared 4.45 and 4.55 before missing once at 4.75. She then cleared 4.75 and 4.8 before missing three times at 4.9. Russians Svetlana Feofanova and Yuliya Golubchikova both cleared 4.75, but Feofanova had four misses to Golubchikova’s five to earn the bronze medal. American April Steiner was eighth (4.55).

Stephanie Brown-Trafton – who placed third at the U.S. Olympic Trials, then almost didn’t qualify for the Olympic final – surprisingly gave the U.S. its first track and field gold medal of the Beijing Games by winning the women’s discus. Her first throw of the final measured 64.74 meters, which stood up to win the gold. Yarelis Barrios of Cuba was second (63.64) and Olena Antonova of Ukraine finished third (62.59). American Aretha Thurmond finished tenth (59.80). Brown-Trafton needed all three throws during the qualification round to reach a qualifying distance, which turned out to be the longest throw of the day, setting the stage for Monday’s success.

Shortly after Brown-Trafton’s triumph the U.S. swept the men’s 400-meter hurdles final, led by another unlikely winner. Angelo Taylor burst in front early in the race and held on to win in 47.25 seconds. Taylor won the gold medal in Sydney in 2000, but his career was almost ruined by leg injuries in recent years. Like Brown-Trafton, Taylor finished third in his event at this year’s U.S. Trials. He’s the third two-time 400 hurdles winner in Olympic history, joining Americans Glenn Davis (1956-60) and Edwin Moses (1976, 1984). Kerron Clement, the 2007 World Outdoor champion, was second (47.98) while 2008 U.S. champ Bershawn Jackson finished third (48.06).

Kenya’s 18-year-old Pamela Jelimo, who began competing in the 800 meters this year, ran away from the field to earn the women’s 800-meter gold in a time of 1:54.87, a new world junior record. Her mentor, 2007 World Champion Jeneth Jepkosgei of Kenya, held a slight lead after 400 meters before Jelimo pulled away. Jepkosgei held on for the silver medal (1:56.07) while 2004 silver medalist Hasna Benhassi of Morocco took third (1:56.73). The 2000 Olympic gold medalist, 35-year-old Maria Mutola of Mozambique, finished fifth (1:57.68).

World Outdoor champion Irving Saladino of Panama topped World Indoor champ Godfrey Mokoena of South Africa in the men’s long jump. Each achieved his best distance in the fourth round, when Saladino leaped 8.34 meters and Mokoena reached 8.24. Ibrahim Camejo of Cuba finished third (8.20). No Americans reached the final of the event that U.S. jumpers have won 21 times in Olympic history.

Kenya won its seventh consecutive Olympic men’s steeplechase gold medal, with Brimin Kipruto becoming the seventh different Kenyan to win during that span. The 2004 silver medalist and 2007 World Outdoor champ, Kipruto finished in 8:10.34 to edge Mahiedine Mekhissi- Benabbad of France (8:10.49). Kenya’s Richard Mateelong was third (8:11.01). The 2004 Olympic gold medalist, Kenya’s Ezekiel Kemboi, finished seventh (8:16.38) while American Anthony Famiglietti finished 13th in 8:31.21.

In other preliminary action Monday morning, all three Americans qualified easily in the opening heats of the men’s 400. LaShawn Merritt won his heat in 44.96 while 2004 Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner won his in 45.23. American David Neville was second in his heat (45.22). Chris Brown of the Bahamas was fastest overall (44.79). The semifinals are set for Tuesday.

Twelve men bettered the automatic qualifying standard of 17.10 meters in the men’s triple jump qualification round. Great Britain’s Phillips Idowu had the longest jump, reaching 17.44 meters on his first attempt. Americans Rafeeq Curry (11th place in his group, 16.88), Kenta Bell (13th, 16.55) and Aarik Wilson (16th, 15.97) all failed to qualify for Thursday’s final.

The three U.S. men’s 200-meter runners all finished second in their respective quarterfinals to qualify for Tuesday’s semifinals. The 2004 gold medalist, Shawn Crawford, finished in 20.42 seconds, trailing only the newly-crowned 100-meter champ, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt (20.29). Walter Dix (20.27) was second to the fastest quarterfinalist, Zimbabwe’s Brian Dzingai (20.23), while Wallace Spearmon finished in 20.39. Officially, Bolt lost his first Olympic race earlier Monday (but only because he cruised over the finish line) when he placed second in his 200- meter opening heat, with a time of 20.64. Rondell Sorrillo of Trinidad won the heat (20.58). Spearmon won his opening heat while Dixon and Crawford both placed second in theirs.

Americans posted the three fastest times in the women’s 100-meter hurdles semifinals. U.S. champion Lolo Jones won her heat in a personal best 12.43 seconds, while Damu Cherry (12.62) edged fellow American Dawn Harper (12.66) in the other semi. Sweden’s Susanna Kallur, who set a 60-meter hurdles world mark earlier this year, tripped over the first hurdle and couldn’t complete the race. The final is set for Tuesday.

Sheena Tosta posted the fastest time among the semifinalists in the women’s 400-meter hurdles. The American won her heat in 54.07 seconds. Jamaica’s Melaine Walker won the other semi (54.20). American Tiffany Williams was third in her semifinal (54.99), to qualify for Wednesday’s final. American Queen Harrison (seventh, 55.88) did not qualify. Last week the 2004 gold medalist, Greece’s Fani Halkia, was eliminated from competition when she tested positive for steroids and was suspended. She was the fourth athlete, and the first track and field performer, to fail a drug test since the Games began.

Cuba’s Yipsi Moreno led all qualifiers in the women’s hammer throw preliminaries with a toss measuring 73.92 meters. American Loree Smith reached 63.60 (21st place) and didn’t qualify, while Jessica Cosby didn’t post a legal throw. The final is set for Wednesday.

All dates mentioned above are based on Beijing time, which is 12 hours ahead of U.S. Eastern Daylight Savings Time.