Sports

Published: Thursday, Aug. 20, 2009

Brown Trafton in discus finals at world track championships

Former Arroyo Grande and Cal Poly star qualifies on her final throw

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BERLIN — Defending Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown Trafton struggled to make the final of the women’s discus Wednesday at the track and field world championships.

But she did advance. Barely.

The Arroyo Grande High and Cal Poly graduate threw 200 feet, 10 inches on her third and final throw in a morning round to get the 11th of 12 qualifying positions for Friday’s. American Aretha Thurmond earned the 12th and final spot.

“I’m not a morning person,” Trafton said in a statement released by USA Track and Field. “I was more nervous than I thought I would be. I feel like I have something to prove. I love being the underdog.

“By scraping by, that’s creating drama for me. I love drama.”

There was plenty of drama for Trafton, whose first two throws of 197-4 and 188-5 had her dangerously close to not making the final. She has the top throw in the world this year at 217-3.

Despite winning gold in Beijing last year and also competing in the 2004 Athens Olympics, this is Trafton’s first trip to the world championships.

China’s Xuejun Ma and Aimin Song were the top two qualifiers Wednesday with bests of 207-11 and 206-0, respectively.

Meanwhile, Brigitte Foster-Hylton captured the 100-meter hurdles title, giving Jamaica its first gold in the event at the world championships. Delloreen Ennis-London also won the bronze for Jamaica.

“We’re doing very good and we’re happy,” Ennis-London said.

The Americans, who’ve already lost two sprint races to Jamaica, were counting on gold. Instead, they ran into obstacles.

Ginnie Powell smashed a middle hurdle and finished sixth, and Olympic champion Dawn Harper clipped the second hurdle and took seventh.

Not exactly how they envisioned this playing out.

“I’m kind of ready to jump out of my skin,” Harper said. “I’m trying to remain calm.”

Powell knows the feeling.

“It’s kind of sad, a letdown day,” she said. “Two of America’s best hurdlers couldn’t medal.”

That seems to be the case these days when the Jamaicans are involved. Then again, the country with a population of 2.8 million does boast the best runner on the planet.

Usain Bolt will try for his second world record today in the final of the 200.

He obliterated his world-record mark in the 100 Sunday, blazing through the line in 9.58 seconds.

Unlike at the Beijing Olympics, Bernard Lagat’s trademark kick was there at the end.

He was just too far behind for it to be completely effective, settling for the bronze in the 1,500-meter run. Lagat, who entered the race as the defending world champion, was bottled up and fading toward the back of the pack. Searching for an opening, he found a crack by going to the outside and made a mad dash for the front as the runners headed down the home stretch.

He tracked down everyone but gold medalist Yusuf Saad Kamel of Bahrain and Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia, who took silver.

It was a far cry from his performance in Beijing, when Lagat had no kick because of an aching Achilles’ and failed to qualify for the final. “It’s difficult to surrender the world title. But I proved that I still can run with the young guys,” said the 34-year-old Lagat, who’s running in the 5,000 today.

In the women’s 800, South African teenager Caster Semenya ignored a gender-test controversy to win the event.

The world track and field federation requested the gender test on the 18-year-old Semenya about three weeks ago amid speculation she does not meet the requirements to compete as a woman.

Semenya’s stunning improvement in times, along with her muscular build and deep voice, sparked speculation about her gender.

Allyson Felix turned in a relaxed performance in the first round of the 200, as did American teammates Muna Lee and Marshevet Hooker.