Non-Distance Surprises In The 400’s: Sanya Richards-Ross In, Jeremy Wariner Out

by LetsRun.com
June 20, 2013

Des Moines, IA – Non-distance events on Day 1 of the 2013 US Track and Field Championships included the first round of the men and women’s 100, 400, men’s 400 hurdles, men and women’s triple jump and women’s javelin throw.

From what we saw, there weren’t too many big surprises as most of the favorites in their events advanced, however there were a couple noteworthy (if not all unexpected) exceptions.

In the men’s 400 2004 Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner failed to advance past the first round as he ran 48.04. Given it’s been a long time since Wariner was running his best and he didn’t make the Olympics last year, this isn’t too unexpected, but 48 is pretty awful. From what we saw he didn’t pull up with injury; he just didn’t have it.

More unexpected was 2013 NCAA champion Bryshon Nellum not advancing past round 1. Nellum, who has the amazing story of coming back from being a gunshot victim to an Olympic medalist, only finished 6th in his heat in 47.81. The only person who ran slower than he did today was Wariner. Last year, Nellum had an amazing trials as he failed to make the final at NCAAs, but went on to make the Olympics in the open 400 and get a silver medal as part of the 4×400. In his post-race interview, he said that he’s been dealing with a hamstring problem.

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Going the opposite route of Nellum, Oregon’s Michael Berry won his heat in 45.58 to advance after not making the NCAA final even though he was one of the favorites coming in. Maybe he’ll have a Nellum-like success story this year and make/medal at Worlds.
Another notable who went out was 2-time 400 hurdle Olympic Champion (2000 and 2008) Angelo Taylor. Taylor got a silver medal as part of the 4×400 last year, but at 34 years of age, it looks like “Father Time” is catching up with him (and Wariner too who is 29).

Moving on to the women’s 400, Sanya Richards-Ross looked good as she won her heat in 51.43. Normally the Olympic champion making it past the first round isn’t something worth talking mentioning, but she’s been dealing with injury this year pulling out of the NYC adidas GP and running horrible getting last place Pre two weeks ago.

Interview With LaShawn Merritt:

400 Results (All results here):

Place Athlete Time         Reaction
1 Tony McQuay
adidas
45.26 Q 0.191
2 Josh Mance
Unattached
45.55 Q 0.183
3 Arman Hall
University of Florida
45.57 Q 0.207
4 Michael Berry
Oregon
45.58 Q 0.291
5 James Harris Jr
Unattached
45.63 Q 0.211
6 Manteo Mitchell
Nike
45.76 Q 0.199
7 LaShawn Merritt
Nike
45.81 Q 0.312
8 Calvin Smith
adidas
45.86 Q 0.195
9 Brycen Spratling
University of Pittsburgh
45.97 Q 0.180
10 Torrin Lawrence
Unattached
46.07 Q [46.064] 0.202
11 Najee Glass
University of Florida
46.07 q [46.066] 0.204
12 Joey Hughes Jr
U S C
46.12 q 0.187
13 William Heriot
Baylor
46.17 q [46.162] 0.156
14 David Verburg
George Mason University
46.17 Q [46.164] 0.170
15 Hugh Graham Jr
University of Florida
46.21 Q 0.239
16 Troy Pollard
Unattached
46.30 q 0.228
17 Quentin Iglehart-Summers
Unattached
46.34 0.187
18 Clayton Parros
Unattached
46.38 0.177
19 Marcus Boyd
Unattached
46.43 [46.426] 0.176
20 Greg Nixon
Asics
46.43 [46.427] 0.192
21 Kyle Clemons
University of Kansas
46.56 0.202
22 Joshua Edmonds
Saint Augustine’s College
46.65 0.175
23 David Dickens
Unattached
46.93 0.157
24 Angelo Taylor
Unattached
46.98 [46.976] 0.186
25 Brunson Miller
Clemson
46.98 [46.980] 0.190
26 Michael Courtney
Unattached
47.05 0.171
27 Jamaal Torrance
Unattached
47.34 0.162
28 Cass Stewart
Stephen F. Austin State Univer
47.72 0.218
29 Bryshon Nellum
U S C
47.81 0.189
30 Jeremy Wariner
adidas
48.04 0.206
DNS Gil Roberts
Unattached

 

Place Athlete Time         Reaction
1 Francena McCorory
adidas
51.38 Q 0.242
2 Sanya Richards-Ross
Nike
51.43 Q [51.422] 0.178
3 Natasha Hastings
Under Armour
51.43 Q [51.428] 0.171
4 Keshia Baker
Saucony
51.72 Q 0.196
5 Ebonie Floyd
Unattached
51.80 Q 0.180
6 Joanna Atkins
Unattached
51.81 Q 0.223
7 Ashley Spencer
Illinois
52.01 Q 0.189
8 Moushaumi Robinson
Unattached
52.10 Q 0.171
9 Mary Wineberg
Brooks / New York Athletic Clu
52.12 q 0.206
10 Rebecca Alexander
Nike
52.22 Q 0.242
11 Monica Hargrove
Under Armour
52.29 Q 0.199
12 Kiara Porter
Virginia Commonwealth Universi
52.44 Q [52.431] 0.248
13 Ebony Eutsey
University of Florida
52.44 q [52.437] 0.266
14 Jessica Beard
adidas
52.75 Q 0.272
15 Briana Nelson
Texas
52.94 q 0.224
16 Felicia Brown
Tenn-Chattanooga
53.17 q 0.207
17 Shapri Romero
Unattached
53.20 0.217
18 Brianna Tate
Arizona State University
53.41 0.222
19 Quanera Hayes
Livingstone College
53.90 0.218
DNS Jonnique Lawrence
Unattached

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