Jun 27th, 2009 | 6:22 am |
Carmelita Jeter and Michael Rodgers blistered the Hayward Field track in winning their first-ever USA Outdoor sprint titles Friday at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field.
2007 World Outdoor Championships bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter and 2008 Olympic Trials champion Muna Lee staged a tremendous battle in the Visa Women’s 100m final with both crossing the finish line in 10.78 seconds (+3.3 mps).
In the end, Jeter was declared the winner by one-1,000th of a second, 10.776 to 10.777. Jeter’s best previous finish at the USA Outdoor Championship came in 2007 when she finished third.
2009 USA Indoor 60m champion and two-time NAIA outdoor sprint champion Michael Rodgers, who posted the fastest time in the world this year in winning at the Nike Prefontaine Classic in a career best time of 9.94, won his first ever U.S. national title in 9.91 seconds (+3.1 mps).
Olympic Trials third-place finisher and Beijing Olympic finalist Darvis “Doc” Patton, finished as the runner-up in 9.92, with Rae Edwards finishing third in his eighth trip to the USA Outdoor Championships in 10.00. Travis Padgett was fourth in 10.02, with 2004 Olympic 200m gold medalist Shawn Crawford fifth in 10.07. 2008 Olympic 100m and 200m medalist Walter Dix finished sixth in his semifinal and did not qualify for the final.
