June 28, 2008
EUGENE, Oregon- Muna Lee, a Texas A&M volunteer assistant coach, won the women’s 100 final in 10.85 seconds during the Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon, on Saturday evening to earn her place on the American team that will compete in the Beijing Olympics this August.
Meanwhile, in Kingston, Jamaica, Aggie freshman Julian Reid won the triple jump at the Jamaican Olympic Trials on Friday evening with a jump of 52-4 (15.95) to defeat Ramon Taylor of Florida State, who produced a 52-3.25 (15.93). Reid will contest the long jump on Sunday.
Lee, who placed seventh in the 200 during the 2004 Athens Olympics, competed at LSU from 2000-04 when Aggie head coach Pat Henry led the Tiger program. Lee joined the A&M staff as a volunteer assistant this past fall. Her career at LSU included seven national titles and 20 All-American awards as Lee became the most decorated athlete in the history of the track and field program.
“I was coming in here just trying to make the team,” Lee noted. “I knew that all of these girls are good, but I knew I had a chance. It was like the NCAA Championships again, getting so nervous on the line with these girls.”
In reaching the final at Hayward Field, Lee produced times of 11.00, 10.89w, and 10.91w, over the past two days. Lee shot past Torri Edwards in the last half of the final to generate the 10.85 winning mark. Lee bettered her previous personal best of 10.97 she set at the end of May this season during the Reebok Grand Prix in New York.
“This comes with experience,” said Lee. “I felt really well blasting at the beginning and feeling relaxed at the end. This year I really learned how to plan out my races well. I just worked on my start and pushed off. Everything else comes natural. Just to finish hard and go home.”
Edwards was runner-up with a 10.90 (10.894) while Lauryn Williams finished third in 10.90 (10.897). Former Longhorn Marshevet Hooker placed fourth in 10.93 while Allyson Felix finished fifth in 10.96.
Justin Oliver will compete in his first race at the Olympic Trials on Sunday with the quarterfinals in the 400 meters.
Saturday action in Eugene also included the women’s javelin where Aggie senior Jessica Wingfield placed 21st in qualifying with a mark of 147-11 (45.09).
In Friday’s lone final former student Melissa Cook (Gulli) placed 10th with a time of 33:18.12. Qualifying in the men’s 400 hurdles had Aggie senior Nick Robinson finishing sixth in a loaded quarterfinal race with a time of 50.45. Five of the 16 qualifiers for the semifinal came from the section Robinson ran in.
In Jamaica, Tresha Henry placed fourth in the 400-meter hurdle final as she clocked a time of 59.15. Meanwhile, in the 100 semifinals Simone Facey placed fifth with an 11.48 and did not reach the finals. Facey will compete in the semifinals of the 200 on Sunday.
The 100 finals produced another shocking result when 2007 World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown placed fourth in 10.88 behind the trio of Kerron Stewart (10.80), Shelly-Ann Fraser (10.85) and Sherone Simpson (10.87). Campbell-Brown was a bronze medalist in the 100 during the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Clora Williams did not finish her 400-meter race in the semis. Her sister Novlene won the heat in 50.62.