July 11, 2004
Mark today down as history in the making again for USC’s Track and Field team. Within an hour of one another, USC junior Lashinda Demus and senior Tony Allmond made the US Olympic Track and Field team in the 400m hurdles and the long jump, respectively. Demus already has the Olympic A standard and is an automatic, but now Allmond must chase his own A standard at two meets this week internationally.
A true student-athlete, Demus will take the red-eye back to Columbia tonight to be in her History 109 class at 10:45 am tomorrow.
Also tonight Otis Harris advanced to the semi-finals of the 400m – winning his heat (see info. below).
Both Demus and Allmond competed literally at the same time as the starters gun went off for Demus’ race as Allmond hit 26 feet in the long jump.
“We are so proud of their accomplishments not only at USC but also here at the trials this weekend. Both are quality individuals from the Los Angeles area that chose to come to school in South Carolina and have represented not only the university but the state very well,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye – a member of the USA Women’s Olympic staff. “Lashinda showed so much heart and determination in her race today when she hit that hurdle. And Tony also jumped very well – showing a lot of heart and maturity under extreme heat.”
Demus ran a personal best 53.43 to finish third and make the team. On what was probably world record pace, Demus crashed into the ninth hurdle, stumbled and had to almost stop at the 10th hurdle before sprinting home to beat Olympic silver medalist Sandra Glover at the tape – 53.43 to Glover’s 53.54.
“Getting over the ninth hurdle I kind of busted it up pretty good (with a smile). But I maintained and I am satifified with making the team with a PR,” said Demus. “You can’t do worst than that.”
“When I hit that hurdle they went by me so fast (the other hurdlers). It was by the grace of God that I made it over that hurdle because when I hit it I screamed ‘No!’ because I knew I deserved to be on the team because I had worked so hard,” Demus added.
“I told her to be very careful when she was going home and not hit a hurdle,” said Frye. “She kept that trail leg down and snagged a hurdle. She showed incredible strength in staying on her feet, then getting to the next hurdle and holding off the silver medalist to get on the team. She has done a phenomenal job. I thought she was off the team when I saw her hit that hurdle but her will is incredible.”
Allmond has a personal best of 27’4 3/4, but it was under windy conditions. Today he hit 26′ 7 – just 3 3/4 inches from the Olympic A standard. He will need to hit 26′ 10 3/4 to make the USA Olympic team and he will have the opportunity to do so this week at meets internationally (to be announced on Monday).
“I am going to jump, believe when I say I am going to make it. I am not sure where I will jump. My job was to come her and take care of this first and we’ll figure the next step out. It was a long competition, it didn’t seem any greater to me – just go out and jump. It was a good day for me, I just wish I had jumped further,” said Allmond, a native of Englewood, Calif. “Someone told me after the long jump that it was better to be second and need the A standard than to have finished fourth and have hit it a number of times already. I know what I have to do and I need to get it done now.”
Senior Otis Harris, now running professionally for Nike, advanced to the semi-finals of the 400m by winning his heat. He ran a time of 45.20. Harris was the NCAA runner-up outdoors on this track last year. He finished as an eight-time All-American at USC and helps USC to the 2002 NCAA outdoor 4x400m relay title.
The semi-finals are on Thursday, July 15.
“It’s a blessing to get to the next round,” said Harris, a native of Edward, Mississippi. “I was running out of lane two all alone because the runner in lane three didn’t show up so I was basically running off of nobody the first 100 meters. I had to press myself to get through.
“The suspense because this my first trials, I am 22 years old – it’s good to get that first round over with so I can go out and run to win. I knew Darrell (Williamson, Baylor Univ.) is a great runner, a great relay runner and a great open runner – I knew he would be there so I had to dig myself out of that lane and let him catch up if he had to.”
