At the US Olympic Trials Saturday, USC graduate Terrence Trammell, volunteer coach Allen Johnson and Johnson’s training partner and Speed Elite member Ron Bramlett all advanced to the semi-finals of the 110m hurdles to be run Sunday – the final day of the trials. Also, volunteer coach Melissa Morrison advanced to the semi-finals of the 100m hurdles and former volunteer coach Monique Hennagan, also a former resident of Columbia, won the 400m to qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics.
“Monique is a part of my family but the credit goes to her coach in Atlanta, Paulette Davis. They have done a tremendous job of getting her to the level she should be as a world class athlete ready to go to Athens to get a medal,” said USC Head Coach Curtis Frye, a member of the women’s US Olympic staff. “Allen and Ron did a great job of getting to the finals and Terrence, an alum, also did a good job of moving through the rounds. It looks like those three have a good shot of getting through the game for a medal. Melissa moved through the first round and has two more rounds tomorrow. They move through, advance don’t float – just go through and get what it takes to get to the next level.”
Hennagan, now training under Paulette Davis-Thompson in Atlanta, ran a personal best 49.56 to win the 400m. Hennagan already has an Olympic gold medal, winning one as a member of the 4x400m relay at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“I just praise God,” said Hennagan who ran at UNC as a collegiate. “I had a goal to win this race and I did it. I came in with the focus to win. Last time I was on the relay, I didn’t compete individually and I didn’t establish myself individually so I came here to do that.”
Trammell, who now trains in Atlanta with his high school coach, won his heat in the first round at 13.50 and then won his heat in the quarter-finals at 13.55. Trammell won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
“It was easy. I wanted to work the kinks out and move forward to the finals,” said Trammell. (on what time it will take to win tomorrow) “There isn’t a time really. I am just going for a feel and when it comes that will hopefully we good enough to make it.”
Johnson, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics gold medal winner and the defending World Champion indoors and outdoors, won his heat of the first round at 13.60. He advances to the semi-finals seeded No. 1 after winning his heat of the quarterfinals at 13.25.
“13.25 is pretty fast and I am happy to run that fast in the semi-finals,” said Johnson. “I wanted to get through the rounds as quickly as possible, stay clean and come back tomorrow. I felt like I ran smooth, the second race wasn’t as smooth because it was faster and I was pressed a little more but it was still very very comfortable.”
“I never stop getting nervous. The first round I was probably more nervous because I have been sitting around watching everybody run all week and I was just antsy waiting for my turn. It’s pretty much out of my system right now so now I can go back and relax tonight and be ready for tomorrow.”
Bramlett, who attended University of Alabama and has been training in Columbia this spring, ran a 13.60 to advance to the quarter-finals. Later he ran a 13.42 to finish second in the quarter-finals to advance to the semi-finals.
Morrison was second in her heat of the prelims of the 100m hurdles, finishing in 13.08. Morrison is scheduled to run the semi-finals tomorrow.
“Through the end, I knew I was in the top three so there was no reason to press, saiod Morrison, a 2000 Sydney bronze medalist. “I have to save everything for tomorrow.”
