World Championships Berlin, Germany Update

    Today was the qualifying round of the women’s discus.  We started with 41 throwers and had to narrow it down to 12.  The automatic mark was 61.50m or best 12 with only 3 throws to make it happen.  They put us in 2 groups the 1st group started at 10:10 am and the 2nd went at 11:40am.  I was in the 2nd group. I felt really good in the warm up area and I had a good warm up throw in the stadium.  I opened with a 1st round effort of 60.09m, not a bad throw but I knew I needed more.  I set my 2nd throw up better but just missed the finish and no improvment.  So now I am down to my last throw to make it through and I know it’s going to take 61.50m.  After I released it I thought it might have enough velocity, maybe??? I saw my mark come up 61.08m and I thought it was short then I saw 12th place.  So now I have new hope and of course there are about 8 more throwers after me.  And I had to sweat it out 1 by 1.  After all that my mark held up and I made it through to finals on friday. We have 2 Americans going to the finals again.  It was also a sad day for one of my competitors from Germany, the reigning World Champ, Franka Dietszch.  She did not manage to make it through to finals, and this is her retirement year.  I wish Franka all the best, and I have enjoyed throwing against you since 1996.

2009 World Championships Picture Day

   The World Championships will start in a few days, August 15th is the 1st day, we had our annual team picture today.  We had a great team meeting, that included some of the funniest athlete introductions I have ever heard.  We all had the responsibility of introducing a team mate and tell something about them that others may not know.  And most people just made stuff up despite what they were told and it was hilarious.  I was introduced by Sanya Richards I won’t say how she introduced me, just know that I turned red and the whole room was in laughter, probably still laughing.  Kristin Heaston is mad she didn’t get it on video, it would have been on youtube for sure.  We definitely have a diverse and talented team from a variety of backgrounds.  Here a a few pictures from todays events.Remember the meet will be televised, so tune in.  For tv and internet schedule, http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/IAAFWorldOutdoorChampionships/mediacoverage.aspOfficial meet website, http://berlin.iaaf.org/index.html