Youngsters aiming to make run at Athens
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A new generation of talent will be on display at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials that begin Friday.
Untainted by drug scandals, they represent fresh hope for a beleaguered sport.
Sprinter Lauryn Williams, miler Alan Webb, a trio of women in the 400 meters and pair of rising stars in the women’s 400 hurdles are part of the 22-and-under crowd poised to make a run at the U.S. team.
“I don’t think there’s any reason I should sell myself short,” Williams said. “I want to go to Greece. No maybes, ifs, ands or buts about it.”
Williams’ personality is a breath of fresh air in the sport. Spontaneous and outgoing, she said she gets “my fast talking from my mom and my fast running from my dad.”
Just 5-feet, 3-inches tall and 110 pounds, with an unorthodox, leaning-forward running style, Williams boosted her Athens expectations after a sensational NCAA meet last month in Austin, Texas.
Her 10.97-second clocking in the finals June 11 is the second-fastest in the world this year. Only Ivet Lalova of Bulgaria has run faster — 10.77.
Among Americans, Marion Jones has run 11.04, while Torri Edwards, Inger Miller and Gail Devers have gone 11.05.
During the week in Austin, Williams went from just wanting to make the finals at the trials, to believing she had a chance to make the Athens team.
“I’m Lauryn Williams, you’re Chryste Gaines or whoever. So what?” Williams said at the time. “I’m not going to be in awe of any of the pro athletes.”
Williams, 20, plans to return to the University of Miami for her senior year.
Webb, who broke Jim Ryun’s high school mile record three years ago, left the University of Michigan after one season to turn pro and sign a contract with Nike.
After problems with injury and illness, Webb came back this year to win against a field loaded with international talent in Ostrava, Czech Republic. He returned to the Prefontaine Classic — site of his high school mile record run — and ran the fastest mile by an American on U.S. soil — 3 minutes, 50.83 seconds.
At 21, he knows his best races should be ahead of him.
He easily has met the “A” qualifying standard to compete in the Olympics, and is the big favorite in the 1,500 in Sacramento.
“I definitely think I’ll be ready for it,” Webb said. “I’m not going to take anything for granted. I’m going to be ready for every and any kind of situation that could come up.”