Eugene (United States) (AFP) – Former Olympic champion Dawn Harper-Nelson was left in shock here Friday after missing out on a place in the final of the 100 meter hurdles at the US track and field trials by just 0.01 of a second.
The 32-year-old 2008 Beijing Olympics gold medalist and 2012 silver medalist finished ninth fastest in the semi-finals, leaving her just outside the final and ending her hopes of what would have been an Olympic swansong.
Harper-Nelson was at a loss to explain her elimination from what is one of the most fiercely contested events at the trials in Hayward Field. American women have dominated the 100m hurdles this season with all of the top leading times.
Harper-Nelson said she realized she was in trouble after she was unable to respond as Kristi Castlin and Jasmin Stowers surged clear of her. Harper-Nelson’s time of 13.01sec left her ninth quickest, just behind eighth-fastest qualifier Sharika Nelvis in 13sec dead.
“I’ve been blessed to have a very consistent career. You see it happen to others. But 0.1? That’s a dagger in the heart. It comes with the territory. But ninth is like ‘Dude!’,” Harper-Nelson told reporters.
“Honestly right now I’m in complete disbelief,” she said.
“I’ve never been in a position where someone’s pulling away from me and I wasn’t able to react. I was like ‘What? You can’t go?’”
Despite being run in atrocious conditions, with driving rain deluging the track, Harper-Nelson refused to blame the weather.
“The rain was annoying,” she said. “But it didn’t affect me because everyone else was in the same conditions. If it was only raining in my lane then it might have affected me,” added Harper-Nelson, still struggling to digest the defeat.
“Tears are gonna come but right now I’m in shock. I’m going to go through anger, more disbelief, frustration, confusion. I just don’t believe it. Jesus, I don’t believe it.”
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