A.G. Kruger, Men’s Hammer Throw
“The first one went into the cage, the timing is a little off. The thing I feel better about it, I got after it. I wasn’t tentative, I got after it. I just didn’t get out in the middle of the sector. It’s always fun to come here and get ready and try to focus for one time and try to get it done. If anything, I can take out of it that I can get ready for next year when the timing is right on and hopefully throw number one will qualify and move on.”
Kibwe Johnson, Men’s Hammer Throw
“(Today was) ‘disappointing’ in a word. Technically and everything inside the ring was good, I was feeling what I wanted to feel. It just wasn’t going far. It was a physical state thing and if I can squeeze into the final, I imagine it will be better tomorrow but it’s just one of those days.
Michelle Carter, Women’s shot put
“Preparing today, I just wanted to warm up and get over the line so I can get back and rest.”
Jeneva Stevens, Women’s shot put
Between Pan Ams and NACAC, my coach and I made a huge change. The change worked and even though I don’t have the full concept yet, every throw in the competition was based on the change he integrated into my competition which is pretty hard to do. Your body goes back into a set mode, doing what it’s been doing. That was big mental breakthrough I had to overcome.
Ian Burrell, Men’s Marathon
“Right from the gun it was just a battle just to survive out there. It wasn’t much about speed or tactics, it was just putting one foot in front of the other, just trying to keep your momentum going forward. It was really easy to get discouraged and there were several times out there you just wanted to stop. But you just had to keep on telling yourself, ‘keep on motoring, get your turnover going, get through this.’ You had peaks and valleys. Two hours and twenty minutes later it was over.”
Donn Cabral, Men’s Steeplechase
“Started out with a Columbian and a Spaniard getting out like bats out of hell. They strung it out from the beginning. The pack was probably the messiest pack I’ve been in. They talk about international racing being really rough and a lot of elbows, but a lot of times in Diamond League, you don’t get that because it’s so fast and spread out. Whereas here, the pacemaking was extremely organic. There was tons of pushing and shoving going on, it was a rude awakening. We kind of ran as a pack.
Lauren Johnson, Women’s 1500m
“It was an honest pace from the start. We got out in 65 and slowed on the second lap. It was my second fastest time ever. I missed out on top-six by .01, so I’ll have to wait and see if that was enough. Sitting and watching two more heats is kind of nerve racking, but I guess I was on the other end of that at USAs. I had trouble accelerating off the turn. I was among the top-six coming off the turn, and I couldn’t accelerate quite as quickly as everyone else, so I got stuck on me. But they came back on me in the 50 meters and it just wasn’t enough to the line.”
Shannon Rowbury, Women’s 1500m
“We went out quicker than I expected. We were about four minute pace through 700, so I guess we slowed down a bit. In a way it was kind of nice just to have a few less bodies around. That being said with 300 meters left to go, I looked around to see I was in fourth. I knew I just needed to be in top-six. There were still a lot of bodies around me, so I said, ‘I can’t cash it in yet,’ and just felt very confident on the finishing stretch - like I had another gear or two if I need it. There were a lot of bodies around me, but I felt like I had things under control.”
Jenny Simpson, Women’s 1500m
“It feels like you have these three really big tasks. And even though this might be the slowest race, sometimes it feels like the hardest. It’s good. It feels like the (World Championships) are underway and I’m ready for them. A lot of times the first round you don’t feel very good. You’re nervous and running slower, so it feels different. But I felt really confident today being able to cruise in in fifth and not being nervous and having to go for the win shows some of my experience, and I feel really good.”
Kerri Gallagher, Women’s 1500m
“It started out pretty tactical, but people started getting anxious pretty quickly. You could see all of the tension. It went fairly smoothly and I got in one of those time slots. It’s awesome that everybody came in with a good shot at it. I’m very confident in (all the American’s) abilities btu really glad that it actually came through.”
Conor McCullough, Men’s Hammer Throw
“My performance was low. I was the first one, so I just missed the final. That’s definitely jsut motivation. I came out a little slow. I was 72 to start and another 72. On my last one, I got a little better, but I have to place the top. It’s my first time at the big show. I was at World Juniors twice. It’s a stepping stone in the right direction.”
“I was born and raised in U.S. I have really strong connections with Ireland. I spend my summer there often. Wearing the U.S. jersey is a privilege, and I’m excited to do it.”
Clayton Murphy, Men’s 800m
“I was about to squeeze through everybody, but there was no room so I had to jump out in lane 5. The last two steps it was was just trying to get to the line. I knew about a week before Monday that I was to be on the team. I’ve been racing since January at USATF Indoors. I raced Pan Ams and NACAC since USAs. I’ve had a lot of races, so I have been able to get out and train a lot. I’ve just been trying to keep my strength up and be ready to go.”
Erik Sowinski, Men’s 800m
“I wanted to get out in the top three. I was right there in second place and the goal was to be in the top-three the whole race. The last 60 or 70 meters my legs felt a little stale. I feel fit, so I’m excited for that and excited to take things out tomorrow. I’m just really disappointed with my last 70 meters. I competed well. My legs are just a little flat today. I usually run better the second day off of a race, so I should be good at tomorrow. I’ve been sweating it off for the last three heats, and fortunately I got through.”
Casimir Loxsom, Men’s 800m
“It’s just disappointing. I’m hoping Clayton (Murphy) and Erik (Sowinski) can come out and do something good here. That’s certainly not the shape I’m in. I was pretty ready for this. I don’t really know what happened. It’s just a bummer. I’m a little embarrassed and just frustrated.”
“I wanted to be back hunting a little bit. I think I panicked a little bit when I found myself at the front. No one was going to take it. Usually, I’m pretty good. I tried to stay it outside on lane 2 and kind of let them take it on the inside and no one was going to bite. Honestly I should have just trusted my kick and trusted my strength and the fitness I was in and just let it be slow. I think I wasted a little too much energy trying to pick up a race that was only going through in 53 anyway. So I think from 300 to 600 I kind of pressed a little bit. I’m obviously not going to put time on those guys, so I think the rest of the field to get their legs under them and be ready to kick.”