Men's 400 Meter Results
Soo-prise-soo-prise-soo-prise! World Record holder Michael Johnson took the victory. How did he do it, in the process winning his sixth USATF title? With a measured masterpiece of a 43.68 race. Heck, perhaps the most impressive thing about this 32-year-old is his consistency. Watch him and you just know he's not making it up as he goes along. Temperamentally, Johnson may not relish the limelight and the relentless media attention, but athletically he thrives on the "money" races. The Trials, of course, are not about money, but rather the intangibly more valuable honor of getting it right in that one final that will make one an Olympian. Johnson loves the challenge.
Leading early up the backstretch were Ja'Warren Hooker in lane 5 and Calvin Harrison in lane 1. Johnson accelerated smoothly--not hell-for-leather but precisely. At 200 meters (21.5) he was leading. Through the turn, MJ gobbled more ground, hitting 300 in 32.1.
His 100 splits were 11.3, 10.2, 10.7 and 11.6. Although his 43.68 equals the No. 10 all-time performance and besides Johnson himself only former WR holder Butch Reynolds and '92 Olympic champ Quincy Watts have run faster, one suspects there's a lot more in the tank. For Sydney?
Alvin Harrison moved well in the third 100 to pull into 2nd. Antonio Pettigrew challenged him with a storming final stretch run, but the twin from California prevailed 44.63-44.66.
Defending USATF champ Jerome Young was placed promisingly in the final turn but could not hold on after eight weeks away from racing just before the Trials. He finished a very close 4th in 44.70.
Harrison placed 3rd at the '96 Trials and 4th at the Atlanta Olympics. Although Pettigrew has won four USATF titles, he had never before made an Olympic Trials final.
/Sieg Lindstrom/Results
400 (single splits are for last 100): 1. Michael Johnson (Nik) 43.68 (WL, AL) (11.4, 10.2 [21.6], 10.6 [32.2] 11.9); 2. Alvin Harrison (Nik) 44.63 (11.4, 10.4 [21.8], 10.7 [32.5], 12.1); 3. Antonio Pettigrew (adi) 44.66 (11.4, 10.6 [22.0], 10.8 [32.8], 11.9); 4. Jerome Young (adi) 44.70 (12.3); 5. Calvin Harrison (Nik) 44.90 (12.4); 6. Danny McCray (Nik) 45.00 (11.8); 7. Ja'Warren Hooker (Wa) 45.05 (12.5); 8. Leonard Byrd (Nik) 45.32 (12.5).
Semi I:
All eyes were on Michael Johnson, of course, but Jerome Young in lane 2 and long-striding Anthuan Maybank in 7 led as the field swept down the backstretch and through the second turn.Johnson bided his time to that juncture but then quickly took control. Clearly reserving his energy and unpressed, MJ in lane 6 swiveled his head from side to side as he ran the last 40m, holding the others at bay and striding easily to a 44.63. Young held form to finish in 45.06, while it was '96 Olympian Alvin Harrison who pulled 2nd out of a strong homestretch run (44.80).
Johnson's splits were 11.3, 10.5 (21.8), 10.8 (32.6), 12.0.
Semi II:
Collegians Ja'Warren Hooker and Brandon Couts along with Leonard Byrd ran at the fore down the backstretch before Hooker established himself as leader in the second turn.The Washington soph prevailed in 44.78 as veteran Antonio Pettigrew on the inside in lane 1 blitzed the curve and continued his surge through the homestretch. to beat out Byrd 44.84-45.00. Alvin Harrison's twin, Calvin, churned a powerful homestretch as well to finish in 45.02 in the last finals berth.
Results
I-1. Michael Johnson (Nik) 44.63; 2. Alvin Harrison (Nik) 44.80; 3. Jerome Young (adi) 45.06; 4. Danny McCray (Nik) 45.11; 5. Anthuan Maybank (unat) 45.14; 6. Jerome Davis (Nik) 45.15; 7. Derrick Brew (Nik) 45.74; 8. Kempa Busby (Nik) 46.06.
II-1. Ja'Warren Hooker (Wa) 44.78; 2. Antonio Pettigrew (adi) 44.84; 3. Leonard Byrd (Nik) 45.00; 4. Calvin Harrison (Nik) 45.02; 5. Brandon Couts (Bay) 45.22; 6. James Davis (unat) 45.40; 7. Andrew Pierce (OhSt) 45.49; 8. Derek Mills (unat) 45.92.
I: Kempa Busby ran a hard first 200, but Calvin Harrison surged in the homestraight to move away to a 45.32 win. The 1991 world champ, veteran Antonio Pettigrew closed on the outside for 2nd at 45.61 from Busby.
II: James Davis, unexpected U.S. indoor champ last winter, closed best on the outside to win with 45.94 as Derrick Brew overtook NCAA runner-up Geno White in the final 5 meters to clock 46.01 for 2nd.
III: Tyree Washington ran hard for the opening 200, but both Alvin Harrison and Derek Mills- teammates on the gold-medal winning 4x4 team four years ago in Atlanta-finished stronger. Alvin duplicated the heat I by twin Calvin, Alvin clocking 45.56 ahead of Mills (45.86) and Washington (46.02). Former WR Butch Reynolds finished last in 47.79.
IV: The wily veteran pair of Anthuan Maybank and Jerome Young let Ohio Stater Andrew Pierce lead early. But the duo moved ahead in the homestretch as Maybank (45.53) edged two-time national champYoung by 0.6 and Pierce claimed 3rd (45.70).
V: MJ won. That's about all that needs to be said. Michael Johnson, the WR holder and defending Olympic champion clocked 45.17, letting up in the final meters and glancing around to check on pursuers Leonard Byrd (45.39) and Jerome Davis (45.56). Johnson's splits timed 21.2 and 24.0.
VI: MJ's training partner Brandon Couts surged with 150 meters to go to secure a 45.45 win. Danny McCray closed to within 0.03 of Couts, while Washington's Ja'Warren Hooker held on for 3rd at 45.58.
Results
I-1. Calvin Harrison (Nik) 45.32; 2. Antonio Pettigrew (adi) 45.61; 3. Kempa Busby (Nik) 45.76; 4. Jimmie Hackley (SC) 45.83; 5. Paul Lewis (Reeb) 46.34.
II-1. James Davis (unat) 45.94; 2. Derrick Brew (Nik) 46.01; 3. Geno White (Fl) 46.13; 4. Jonas Motiejunas (BrI) 46.20; 5. Michael Decker (Lib) 47.43.
III-1. Alvin Harrison (Nik) 45.56; 2. Derek Mills (unat) 45.86; 3. Tyree Washington (Reeb) 46.02; 4. Bryan Swarn (GaT) 46.55; 5. Torrance Chaplin (USMC) 47.15; 6. Butch Reynolds (unat) 47.79.
IV-1. Anthuan Maybank (unat) 45.53; 2. Jerome Young (adi) 45.59; 3. Andrew Pierce (OhSt) 45.70; 4. Chris Jones (SMTC) 46.02; 5. Andre' Morris (Fila) 46.03; 6. Milton Campbell (unat) 46.15.
V-1. Michael Johnson (Nik) 45.16; 2. Leonard Byrd (Nik) 45.39; 3. Jerome Davis (Nik) 45.56; 4. Johnny Collins (unat) 46.27; 5. Godfrey Herring (MTn) 47.72.
VI-1. Brandon Couts (Bay) 45.45; 2. Danny McCray (Nik) 45.48; 3. Ja'Warren Hooker (Wa) 45.58; 4. Deon Minor (Nik) 45.94; 5. Corey Nelson (Nik) 46.28; 6. Robert Wilson (unat) 46.92.