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Felix captures her heat in women’s 200 meters

Allyson Felix wins her heat Friday during the semifinals of the women’s 200-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. (Associated Press)
Associated Press
Allyson Felix wins her heat Friday during the semifinals of the women’s 200-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. (Associated Press)

EUGENE, Ore. – Maybe the response just slipped. Or maybe the question completely caught her off guard.

As Allyson Felix sauntered away from the crowd and toward the safety of a restricted area, she actually broke her vow of silence.

“Feeling good,” she said in almost a hushed voice. And then she was off again, escorted by coach Bobby Kersee.

Felix is looking solid on the track even in the midst of controversy, winning her semifinal heat at the Olympic trials on Friday.

Same with training partner Jeneba Tarmoh, who moments earlier captured her race convincingly, too.

After the 200 final today, these two sprinters will finally address what everyone is anxious to know: Just how they will break their third-place tie in the 100 and decide who earns the final spot to the London Games in the event.

A runoff? A flip of the coin?

Soon, there will be a choice. Maybe even something as simple as one of them surrendering the spot to the other.

The controversy has overshadowed everything at the trials.

Including this: Some of the biggest names in U.S. sprinting were missing from the starting blocks in the opening round of the men’s 200. Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay were expected to sit out this race after securing spots to London in the 100.

But the absence of Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix was a bit of a surprise. Dix was hampered by a lingering left hamstring injury that slowed him in the 100, but he thought he might be ready for the 200.

Now, Dix’s only option for making it to London will be as a member of the 400 relay team.

Wallace Spearmon had the fastest 200 time in the prelims, showing he’s rounding back into form. Spearmon has been bothered recently by a sore left Achilles tendon.

In the day’s only finals, Emma Coburn won the women’s 3,000 steeplechase and Jillian Camarena-Williams captured the women’s shot put.

Former Washington State athlete Jeshua Anderson sputtered in the men’s 400 hurdles semifinals. Anderson, who ran the ninth-fastest qualifying time on Thursday, finished 16th and last in 53.15. The top eight qualified for Sunday’s final.