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Beard and Cross: USA’s 1-2 Punch

Friendly Rivals Continue to Dominate 400

By SteveU

Jessica Beard. Victah Sailer, photorun.net

Jessica Beard is pleased with the wins, but wants faster times. Brandi Cross isn’t getting the wins, but she’s happy about continuing to get faster. In fact, she’s even helped her rival with a bit of advice. Between them, they are completely dominating the post-season 400 scene.

Beard and Cross have now gone 1-2 at adidas Golden West, Nike Outdoor Nationals, and USATF Juniors. At NON and GW, Cross took it out hard, but Beard pulled away in the last 150. This time, the Fort Worth Marshall sr took the Euclid OH jr all the way to the tape. The reward was that both joined the exclusive sub-52 club, becoming #9 and #12 on the all-time lists with their 2006 US#1 and #2 performances – 51.89 and 51.96.

Oh yeah, and they also will be traveling to China for the IAAF Worlds!

Beard is so used to doing multiple events at every meet that she wanted to run really fast during Friday’s 400 prelim, even though it was just a prelim. “I was upset yesterday,” she said after the final, referring to how she wound up running “just” 53.05 in that first race. But that was good enough to lead all qualifiers to the finals (Cross 53.81).

“I came in here not knowing what to expect,” she said of the week. “But (the final) is the best race I’ve ever been in. I’m happy with it, but it’s not the time I wanted to hit. I wanted to run 51.50.”

Still, it was a big PR. She was even offered a racing tip from Cross back in Greensboro. “She told me my finish needed to be stronger.”

Maybe Cross was dispensing advice while really thinking of herself. It was her finish that was most impressive; after losing to Beard 52.16-52.83 at GW, and 52.04-52.65 at NON, she sliced off seven-tenths and finally lowered her career PR from the 52.46 she ran last year.

Ergo, Cross wasn’t cross about losing; rather she was pleased with the consistent improvement. “Hey, I have no problem getting beat like that,” she said. “I know I ran! What is there to be upset about?

“I’m proud of how I did … and I get to go to China!”

When told that she actually broke 52, her excitement level went up another notch. “It was that workout I did this week. It was 10 repeat 100s, with a minute rest in-between, and they were all in 13 or 14 seconds. Eight of them were under 14. That was just Tuesday.”

Brandi Cross. Photo by Davey, runmichigan.com

Not to be overlooked for a strong third was Rancho Cucamonga CA jr. Sa’de Williams, who ran a strong 52.54, or Ypsilanti Lincoln MI sr Erin Humphrey, who hit a PR 53.41 in fifth.

Men’s Sprints

While preps Gabby Mayo, Bianca Knight, Beard, and Cross were nailing five US team spots between them in the 100, 200, and 400, no high schooler among the men was able to do so; 1st-year collegians dominated instead.

In the short dashes, U. of Florida’s William Perry was the man, notching a 10.12 (1.5w) / 20.70 (-1.0w) double that took the lead spots in the 100 and 200. At West Caldwell (Lenoir) NC last year, he was just a 10.62 runner.

The first high-schooler in the 100 was Stone Mountain GA sr Evander Wells in fourth (10.45) and in the 200 Tampa Freedom FL sr Calvin Smith in third (21.35). Barbe LA sr Trey Harts was right behind Smith in 21.37.

Smith was the prep sprint surprise of the meet on the men’s side, though, as he improved from the 47.12 he ran at Golden West to the stunning 46.17 he clocked in the prelims here. That led all qualifiers, but in the final he ran 46.47 for fourth.

Meanwhile, Long Beach CA Poly jr Bryshon Nellum got in for third at 46.22. “I had a good race, but I waited too long for my transition for the last 150,” he said. “It was kind of a last-minute decision to come here and I only had two practices since state. I wanted to see how I could handle competing at the college level.”