Bromell, Bowie tops in 100 semis; Merckle 11th in javelin
EUGENE, Ore. – Trayvon Bromell and Tori Bowie had the fastest times in the men’s and women’s 100-meter semifinals at the U.S. championships Friday night.
Bromell, a soon-to-be junior at Baylor, finished in 9.76 seconds on a sweltering evening. That was 0.03 seconds ahead of Tyson Gay, who won the other heat. Gay said after his race he felt “relaxed” as he tries to make the U.S. squad for the world championships in Beijing later this summer. He hasn’t competed at worlds since 2009.
Justin Gatlin isn’t running the event, because he has an automatic bye into worlds courtesy of his Diamond League title last season.
Bowie finished in a wind-aided 10.72. Running in the first heat, English Gardner churned down the track in 10.79 and with an allowable breeze, giving her the top time in the world this season.
Carmelita Jeter also advanced to the final later Friday.
Locally, Jessie Merckle, a graduate of Fort Cherry High School and junior at Wake Forest, finished 11th in the javelin with a throw of 167-08. The evnet was won by Kara Patterson with a 204-10 effort.
Farah keeps Salazar as coach: Double Olympic champion Mo Farah will continue working with Alberto Salazar, saying Friday he was satisfied with the response given by the American long-distance running coach to accusations of doping.
“As someone I’ve worked with for many years, I feel I have to believe in Alberto and the evidence he has provided,”
Farah said on his Facebook page.
Salazar issued a 12,000-word rebuttal of claims against himself and his other star runner, Olympic silver medalist Galen Rupp, in an open letter on the website of the Nike Oregon Project on Wednesday.
Salazar, one of the world’s top track coaches, has been accused by American investigative website ProPublica and the BBC of using doping practices for his athletes in Oregon.
“Although it’s been a difficult time,” Farah said, “I asked Alberto to respond to the allegations made against him and he has now done so in full.”
Farah, the world and Olympic 5,000 and 10,000-meter champion, added that he now wants to “focus on what I do best training hard to win medals for my country.”