Triple jumper Melvin Lister delivered the most stunning result of the ninth day of the U.S. Olympic Trials on Saturday with a world best leap of this year of 17.78 metres.
The 26-year-old former collegiate champion saved his longest jump for his last attempt and achieved a lifetime best by 70 centimetres that boosted him from fourth to first in the standings.
| |||||||||||
Walter Davis leaped 17.63 metres and Kenta Bell bounded 17.58 metres to join Lister on the American squad.
Monique Hennagan provided another stunner when she ran a personal-best 49.56 seconds to win the women's 400 metres.
It was the second best performance in the world this year and the best by an American in seven years. Collegian Sanya Richards was also under 50 seconds, finishing in 49.89.
World champion Tom Pappas was beaten in the decathlon.
Pappas, considered one of the Olympic favourites, could not match Bryan Clay's string of three personal bests on the final day of the 10-event competition. Clay finished with a lifetime best score of 8,660 points. Pappas wound up with 8,517.
Breaux Greer repeated as the Olympic Trials javelin champion with a throw of 82.39 metres.
In qualifying, Shawn Crawford continued his sparkling 200 metres running by clocking 20.00 seconds in his semi-final.
World champion John Capel, world silver medallist Darvis Patton and trials' 100 metres runner-up Justin Gatlin will also be in Sunday's final that will conclude the 10-day trials.
World champion and Olympic favourite Allen Johnson led qualifying in the 110 metres hurdles in 13.25 seconds and Gail Devers was the second fastest in the women's 100 hurdles in 12.79 seconds.
JONES PULL-OUT
Marion Jones, meanwhile, will not defend her Olympic 200 metres gold medal in Athens after pulling out of the semi-finals because of fatigue, but the Sydney 2000 triple champion could still be going for multiple medals next month.
Jones told news conference she would be available to compete in as many as four events at Athens.
She will be the top U.S. long jumper at the Games and also has a chance to run on one or more relays and could wind up in the 100 metres.
Jones finished only fifth in the sprint final last weekend, but two athletes who placed ahead of her may not be in the 100 metres in Athens.
World champion Torri Edwards, the Trials' 100 metres runner-up, is facing a hearing on a positive test for a stimulant that could keep her off the U.S. team, while fourth-place finisher Devers may elect to run the hurdles instead.
That would enable Jones to join trials winner LaTasha Colander and collegiate champion Lauryn Williams on the three-member U.S. women's 100 metres team.
In Jones's absence, Edwards had the fastest time of 22.38 seconds in the women's 200 metres semi-finals.
More from rediff