August 25, 2004 7:01 pm
Johnson takes surprising tumble in hurdles
ATHENS, Greece — The U.S. high hurdles team will soldier on without its captain.
In one more stunner at these Olympic Games — which have already seen surprising early losses by American track and field stars Stacy Dragila, Tom Pappas, Gail Devers, Alan Webb and Melvin Lister — Alan Johnson went down and out Wednesday night at Olympic Stadium.
The 1996 Olympic champion in the 110-meter high hurdles and still the fastest hurdler in the world this year with a 13.05 clocking, Johnson ran into disaster in the quarterfinals.
He banged into the first three hurdles, regained his balance briefly, but then crashed to the track and under the seventh hurdle.
From ground level, he got to see the field receding in the distance and his second consecutive Olympic medal dream short-circuited. He finished fourth four years ago in Sydney.
Johnson, 33, of Irmo, S.C., had been elected captain of the American track squad before the Games began, a tribute to the respect he commands in the sport.
"I fell," he said, frowning his way through a media crowd under the stands after the event.
The two words of frustration said it all for the three-time world champion.
Johnson’s two hurdles team partners, Terrence Trammell and Duane Ross, advanced to Thursday night’s semifinals in less than impressive fashion. The finals are scheduled for Friday.
Trammell, 25, a former University of South Carolina star, struggled to third place in his quarterfinal in 13.34 seconds, eighth fastest on the day.
"The first round I had my starting blocks too close, and I was a little tentative," said Trammell. "This time I wanted to be a little more explosive, but I may have set them too far back.
"I’ll just make some more minor adjustments, and I’ll be OK for tomorrow."
Ross, 31, a graduate Clemson University who now lives in Garner, N.C., ran fourth in his heat in 13.50 and had the slowest time of the 16 advancing to the semifinals.
Back trouble — he has been fighting the pain of a bulging disc — is putting him in major pain.
"Sometimes it gets out of hand; I’m just trying to keep it under control," said Ross.
"After that second hurdle, that thing was throbbing. I just took it easy.
"But we’re not going to think negatively about it. Tomorrow’s another day and another race."
Trammell (13.09) and Ross (13.21) had gone 1-2 in last month’s Olympic Trials.
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