Women's 400 Meter Results

Final

In her first season as a 400 specialist, former hurdler LaTasha Colander chopped 0.69 from her PR for a shock victory in 49.87.

Michelle Collins, the favorite and U.S. seasonal leader coming in at 50.11, took charge early and moved out to an almost immediate lead in lane 4. Colander stayed close, though, out in lane 7, and the pair ran about even entering the final curve.

Through the turn Andrea Anderson in lane 1 pushed to challenge, but coming off the turn it was all Colander.

Twice an Olympian already ('92 and '96) Jearl Miles-Clark rushed the homestretch and grabbed 2nd in 50.23.

Collins, like Colander a first-time Olympic qualifier, struggled some in the final 20 meters but held on to finish in 50.29. Fourth was Colander's former North Carolina teammate Monique Hennagan in 50.82. NCAA champ Miki Barber placed 5th in 51.17, while high school junior Monique Henderson acquitted herself well for one so young with a 51.79 in 8th.
/Sieg Lindstrom/

Results

400: 1. Latasha Colander (Nik) 49.87 PR (=8, x A) (12.3, 11.4 [23.7], 12.2 [35.9] 14.0); 2. Jearl Miles-Clark (Reeb) 50.23 (12.5, 11.7 [24.2], 12.2 [3.4], 13.8); 3. Michelle Collins (Nik) 50.29 (12.3, 11.2 [23.5], 12.2 [35.7], 14.6); 4. Monique Hennagan (adi) 50.82 PR (12.5, 11.5 [24.0], 12.6 [36.6], 14.2) 5. Miki Barber (SC) 51.17 (12.5, 11.6 [24.1], 12.7 [36.8], 14.4); 6. Andrea Anderson (unat) 51.32 (12.2, 11.2 [23.4], 12.6 [36.0], 15.3); 7. Maicel Malone (NBal) 51.39 (12.5, 11.5 [24.0], 12.6 [36.6], 14.8); 8. Monique Henderson (unat) 51.79 (12.6, 11.7 [24.3], 12.8 [37.1], 14.7).

Semis

Semi I:
LSU alum Youlanda Warren in lane 3 broke quickest through the first turn and onto the backstretch. Heading down that straight the trio of Maicel Malone-Wallace, high school phenom Monique Henderson and Celena Mondie-Milner in lanes 6-8 acquitted themselves well.

In the second turn, though, it was Michelle Collins in lane 5 who surged to the front. The Houston alum strode strongly down the homestretch to win by a comfortable margin in 50.37.

Also racing assertively on the run-in were Malone-Wallace (51.06), UCLA alum Andrea Anderson (51.18) and Henderson (51.24).

Henderson, a junior at Morse High in San Diego, became the first high school woman to qualify for an Olympic Trials 400 final since Sheri and Denean Howard in 1980.

Semi II:
From the gun, Shanelle Porter in lane 4 took the lead. She held it down the backstretch and held a slight lead at 200m. Entering the second turn, NCAA champ Mikele Barber in lane 5 challenged, but exiting the turn onto the homestretch it was long-legged North Carolina alum Latasha Colander-Richardson in lane 2 who pulled clear for good.

As Colander-Richardson ran away to the win in 50.59, Suziann Reid showed power in the first half of the stretch. Reid faded, though, as Barber continued to charge hard.
In the final 50 meters, veteran 400/800 combo specialist Jearl Miles-Clark surged smoothly into 2nd place (50.85). South Carolina soph Barber placed 3rd in 51.04 while Colander-Richardson's former North Carolina teammate Monique Hennagan nabbed the final spot in the final with 51.23.

To wind up in that good-enough-to-go-on 4th spot in these semis, it apparently helped to be named Monique.

Results

I-1. Michelle Collins (Nik) 50.37; 2. Maicel Malone-Wallace (NBal) 51.06; 3. Andrea Anderson (GRF) 51.18; 4. Monique Henderson (unat) 51.24; 5. Youlanda Warren (unat) 51.35; 6. Celena Mondie-Milner (unat) 51.98; 7. Demetria Washington (SC) 52.10; 8. Linetta Wilson (unat) 52.54.

II-1. Latasha Colander-Richrd (Nik) 50.59; 2. Jearl Miles-Clark (Reeb) 50.85; 3. Mikele Barber (SC) 51.04; 4. Monique Hennagan (adi) 51.23; 5. Suziann Reid (adi) 51.44; 6. Flirtisha Harris (unat) 52.64; 7. Shanelle Porter (TQ) 52.71.

Prelims

I: Suziann Reid led into the first backstretch while Jearl Miles-Clark bided her time. Into the final straight, the '93 world champ pulled ahead easily to move to a comfortable 51.01 win. Monique Hennagan closed to grab 2nd from Reid.

II: Veteran Michelle Collins took command into the final straight to comfortably pull away to a 51.15 victory. Unpressed, Collins easily outran Shanelle Porter (52.26) and ' 96 Olympic 4x4 gold medalist Kim Graham. Cal prep soph Angel Perkins lagged.

III: Former UCLA short sprinter Andrea Anderson let defending champ Maicel Malone plus LaTasha Colander tussle early. But Anderson took over in the homestraight, then held off the closing rush of the other pair for a 51.51 win.

IV: The 400's youth movement took over as NCAA champ Miki Barber, a South Carolina soph, clocked 51.56 to best new AJR setter Monique Henderson. The California prep junior timed 51.77 to hold off Barber's Gamecock teammate Demetria Washington (51.96) for 2nd.

Results

I-1. Jearl Miles-Clark (Reeb) 51.00; 2. Monique Hennagan (adi) 51.24; 3. Youlanda Warren (unat) 51.65; 4. Suziann Reid (adi) 51.95; 5. Linetta Wilson (unat) 52.26.

II-1. Michelle Collins (Nik) 51.15; 2. Shanelle Porter (TQ) 52.26; 3. Kim Graham (unat) 53.41; 4. Donna Howard (unat) 53.61; 5. Angel Perkins (CaHS) 54.23; 6. Saidah Jones (MdE) 57.07.

III-1. Andrea Anderson (GRF) 51.51; 2. Maicel Malone-Wallace (NBal) 51.55; 3. Latasha Colander-Richrd (Nik) 51.57; 4. Celena Mondie-Milner (unat) 52.35; 5. Michele Davis (UNLV) 52.87; 6. Julian Reynolds (Nik) 53.96.

IV-1. Mikele Barber (unat) 51.56; 2. Monique Henderson (unat) 51.77; 3. Demetria Washington (SC) 51.96; 4. Flirtisha Harris (unat) 52.50; 5. Carolyn Jackson (Az) 53.18; 6. Stella Klassen (Nb) 53.72.