Six more Americans earn trips to London in shot put, 3000-meter steeplechase

Daily Emerald

June 28, 2012

On a day centered on preliminary rounds and the first four events of the women’s heptathlon, six more Americans earned spots on the Olympic Team during the finals of the women’s shot put and steeplechase.
Jillian Camarena-Williams took first in the women’s shot put with a best throw of 19.16 meters, not far off the Olympic Trials record of 19.33. She threw just 17.33 meters on her first throw and fouled in round two before winning the event with the only throw over 19 meters in round four. Michelle Carter posted four throws better than 18 meters, improving on each of her throws, finishing with a best of 18.57 meters. Tia Brooks rounded out the top three with a best mark of 18.34 meters — just four centimeters further than the Olympic “A” Standard.
With the win, Camarena-Williams made her second consecutive Olympic team. The Nike/New York Athletic Club thrower placed 12th four years ago in Beijing but has since posted better scores in major international competition, including a third-place finish at last year’s International Association of Athletics Federations’ World Championships in Dageu, South Korea. It was her first podium finish in a major international event since a pair of gold medals at the 1999 and 2001 Pan American Junior Championships.
It’s also the second-straight Olympic appearance for Carter, who placed first at the 2008 Olympic Trials; Tia Brooks makes her first team after a sub-par day of throws yesterday.
“It’s amazing, it’s kind of still surreal,” Brooks said. “I’m just trying to take it all in.”
In the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, Emma Coburn left the pack behind to finish first in 9:32.78. She almost led wire-to-wire, bursting to the front early on before significantly extending her lead on the third lap. She never looking back. Chasing Coburn’s fluorescent orange shoes were Colorado teammate Shalaya Kipp and Oregon Track Club’s Bridget Franek, battling for second and third. The latter grabbed second with a time of 9:35.62 to the former’s 9:35.73.

“This was a goal that I really was hungry to achieve,” Coburn said. “I just feel so blessed that I have the opportunity to run with these women and go to London.”

It’s a long journey to London for her, a native of Crescent Butte, Colo. She says the small-town support has been key to her career.

“Everybody always know everyone’s first name,” she said. “So, it’s not like people are going to stop me on the street because I’m going to London.”

It was a fast race, with the top five finishers each beating the Olympic “A” Standard of 9:43.
All three steeplechasers make their first Olympic team after Franek and Coburn each represented the U.S. in the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Dageu. Kipp said she was so unsure she’d make the team that she will have to reschedule summer school classes in order to accommodate her suddenly busy schedule leading up to the games.