Race Marred by Meet Error
by Matt Martino
Angelo Taylor finished second Saturday in the 400m hurdles at the Adidas Track Classic, but as it would turn out, it was no ordinary race.
Meet organizers botched the placement of the eighth hurdle on the Home Depot Center track in Carson, California.
"I'm disappointed, man," said Angelo, who finished with a time of 48.70 seconds.
"The hurdles are supposed to be 35 meters apart. After I got off the seventh hurdle, it was like 15 meters apart. They're supposed to check that. It was closer. It totally threw me off."
Fellow American Kerron Clement emerged victories in the controversy, with a winning time of 48.38 seconds.
"Whoever is in charge of putting up the hurdles needs to be fired," Angelo said. "I could have stayed at home today. I feel sick, man. That race doesn't count.”
"I knew there was something wrong when I came off (hurdle) seven. I just lost focus."
Race organizers said the result would stand, however, Clement’s time, the year's fastest, will not register as the current word-leading mark.
American James Carter, who finished fifth in 49.46, was also frustrated about having to alter his running stride after clearing the seventh hurdle.
"The next hurdle was right there," he said. "I was ready to make a move at that point and I suddenly had to adjust after that."
Asked if he understood the anger expressed by Angelo and others, Clement replied:
"Definitely, because it affected their races and their times."
RELATED STORIES
Clement wins 400 hurdles after set-up fiasco (Reuters, May 17, 2009)
http://www.reuters.com/article/sportsNews/idUSTRE54G04R20090517
Clement runs fastest time in 2009 in 400 hurdles at Adidas Classic (AP, May 17, 2009)
http://www.metronews.ca/toronto/sports/article/230017--clement-runs-fast...
Delicious
Digg
Facebook
Newsvine
Reddit
Google
Yahoo
