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August 26, 2004 6:30 pm

Trammell lone American in hurdles finals

By ELLIOTT DENMAN

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece — It’s all on Terrence Trammell’s shoulders now.

The University of South Carolina alumnus, 25, an Atlanta resident, is the lone American left in the 110-meter high hurdles, the Olympic track and field event the U.S. has most dominated over the years.

Trammell, silver medalist at the 2000 Sydney Games advanced into Friday night’s final with a 13.17 second place in his semifinal, right on the heels of Frenchman Ladji Doucoure, whose time of 13.06 equaled the second-best time in the world this year.

Duane Ross failed to qualify, joining U.S. teammate Allen Johnson on the sidelines.

For Trammell, Thursday represented significant improvement. He ran 13.51 in his first race and 13.34 in the quarterfinals after winning last month’s U.S. Olympic Trials in 13.09.

"My race was controlled; I don’t think I felt any pressure, from anyone," Trammell said.

"I’m coming around, it’s been a little hard with this thing spread out so much. We had to ration our energy and our effort over a four-day period. That played a little part, it caused a little delayed reaction in our mental preparation.

"The final could go as fast as 13 flat, 13.05. I think I’m ready for it."

Other leading qualifiers included Jamaica’s Maurice Wignall (13.17), China’s Xiang Liu (13.18) and Latvia’s Stanislavs Olijars (13.20.)

Ross, 31, who lives in Garner, N.C., bowed out with a fifth place in the first semifinal. Johnson, 33, the 1996 Olympic champion, crashed and was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Ross ran a 13.21 for second place to Trammell at the Olympic Trials, but hampered by a bulging disc in his back, he managed just a 13.30 Thursday night and was .07 behind the final qualifier, Charles Allen of Canada.

"We did everything we could to keep that thing (the disc problem) under control," Ross said.

"We had acupuncture, we had ice baths, nothing really worked. It’s still throbbing. It’s going right down my leg.

"But what can you do? It’s just one of those things. This is the Olympic Games; you come here and do your best, regardless.

"You can’t complain. This is my first Olympics and, of course, you want to do better. But you also have to be prepared, and physically, I just wasn’t up to it."

Dudley Dorival, 28, the Elizabeth, N.J.-born hurdler who runs for Haiti, homeland of his parents, ran a 13.39 for the third consecutive day and finished fifth in his heat. He was .05 behind Mateus Inocencio of Brazil.

"I tried to let it flow, I tried to make it happen; it just didn’t," said Dorival, a University of Connecticut grad who placed seventh in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and won the bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships.

"I haven’t had enough meets this year, and couldn’t get into my rhythm. And when you don’t have rhythm, you’re not going to do well on this level, you’re not going to make an Olympic final.’’

U.S. men have won 18 gold medals, 17 silvers and 16 bronzes in 24 previous Olympic Games.

With the exception of the boycotted 1980 Games, the U.S. has had a minimum of two high hurdles finalists at every Olympics, meaning Trammell will make history regardless of the outcome.

He’ll be the first American high hurdler to run an Olympic final without a teammate on the line with him.

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