Women's 200-meter Semifinals
Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas): I felt really good today. I wanted to work on my 120 and that's what I did and I got in control of the race and ran really fast. I'm really excited about today, I'm happy it's over and I just want to make it through the rounds. I was surprised at how strong I felt coming off the turn, even though I know that's my asset and what I have as my advantage, so I felt strong and hopefully I'll keep feeling strong through the rounds. I started an engagement with Nutrilite when I first got here and I met the head of the Japan Corporation and he gave be a $20,000 broach and told me it was my good luck charm. I said I'd run with it, which wasn't a good idea. I'm coming off the turn and it goes off my knee and goes over to lane 8, and I'm going 'No!' I had to stay focused and finish the race and the Japanese people are so accommodating and so nice that as soon as I told them, like 10 or 15 of them ran up and found it for me. I'm not going to run with it again, but at least I found it.
Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.): I felt really good today. We were focusing on the start and I just wanted to execute that, and tomorrow I'll focus on running a little bit longer than I did today. I didn't want to put out any more energy than I had to. It's going to be a tough final and I just want to be ready for it.
Torri Edwards (Corona, Calif.): It wasn't too bad, considering being a little bit fatigued, but I'll go home and rest and just have one round tomorrow and then the following day off, so I'll have a little more recovery. Tomorrow I'll give it my all and then again in the final. There wasn't too much time to dwell on the 100 meters. I have goals in the 200 also, and I wanted to achieve certain things and I have to get back out there and do it.
LaShauntea Moore (Akron, Ohio): Being out there in lane 7 you can't really see, so I was running blind, and I guess I should have run the corner a little bit faster. As soon as I got to the straightaway I realized that I had some work to do. I had to dig down deep. I had to run a little harder than I wanted to, but then again, I was blind. I'll be ready for the semis.
Women's triple jump, qualifying round
Shani Marks (Brooklyn Park, Minn.): It was a fun one. I didn't jump as well as I wanted to. I learned I have to be ready to jump in the first three rounds. I'm used to getting six. This was good preparation for next year.
Women's 5000 meters, qualifying rounds
Michelle Sikes (Winston Salem, N.C.): It was a rough race. Shalane ran great.
Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.): I'm excited! It pretty much went to plan. I felt good with a couple of laps to go, and I figured I'd go for it. If I didn't make the top five, at least I'd come out with a fast time. I locked into that fifth position and made sure that no one was around. Kara (Goucher) started the ball, and I'm trying to carry her momentum the rest of the week. I felt I learned a lot from watching the 10k, with all the jostling, and if I could conserve as much energy as possible early, the better.
Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.): I didn't think that it was going to be as fast as the other heat with all the kickers in our heat. I thought I could get that fifth spot, and that's what I did. I floated to the outside during the race to stay out of trouble. I was confident in my last 1000 meters. I thought that if I executed my last kilo, I'd make the final. It's a relief to make the final. I'll just go and give it all I have.
Women's 100-meter hurdles, finals
Michelle Perry (Santa Clarita, Calif.): I got out as well as I could, and then I was a little bit behind in the middle and then I came off the 10th hurdle and pressed to the finish. I was relieved more than anything because it's difficult to win two world championships and I'm grateful to the people who supported me.
Virginia Powell (Los Angeles): I felt that it was a good race. Considering that I am competing with an injury and haven't had any races. I'm pleased. I'm happy. I had a minor fracture in the side of my (left) knee and a lot of fluid in there. That left me out for about three weeks, missing the whole first half of the European season.
Lolo Jones (Baton Rouge, La.): I got out pretty good, but over hurdle 5, I wasn't able to maintain. I broke mentally and physically and fell apart. The rhythm was there, mentally I broke. Maybe it's my lack of experience, since this is my first Worlds. I think that hurt me because I didn't have that confidence that (Canada's) Perdita (Felicien) and Michelle and (Jamiaca's) Delloreen (Ennis-London) have. They all won Worlds before. It got in my mind. This leaves me mad.
Men's 400 meters, semifinals.
Jeremy Wariner (Waco, Texas): I had a good first 3 (300 meters) and I was able to shut it down the last 50, 60 (meters). It was a good race. I worked what Coach (Clyde) Hart wanted me to work and that's all that matters. With the way I felt just now, the final is going to be fun.
Angelo Taylor (Decatur, Ga.): I feel real good. I ran the first 300 and I came off the top of the curve and I looked at the screen and saw that I was well ahead and shut it down and cruised on in.
LaShawn Merritt (Suffolk, Va.): It went like I wanted it to go. I was in lane 7 and everybody was pretty much inside of me, and I just had to go out and run my own race and clear the field and finish strong. Hopefully I could finish up strong enough that I could cruise in, and that's what happened, and I'm just looking forward to Friday.
Women's 400 meters, finals
Mary Wineberg (Cincinnati): I'm not really too excited with the time or the place. I went out there and gave it my all. I want to get back and get ready for the 4x4. It was a hard race. I know I have what it takes to be up on this level, so I am really excited. I'm just going to get geared up for the 4x4 and the rest of the season.
DeeDee Trotter (Knoxville, Tenn.): I'm not disappointed if that's a consolation. I actually ran a very good race tonight. I ran to the best of my ability. Of course, I would like to be first. I'll take what I get, and use it as a motivation for next year. I still haven't had a real chance to go through the race in my mind to know what happened. I would like to see it, but I feel I gave it 100 percent. When you do that, you don't have any regrets.
Men's 1,500 meters, finals
Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Ariz.): It feels great to be a champion, representing the United States. I've waited since 2004 for this. I can never be happier than this right now. My coach James Li is a master of laying out strategy. He came out to my hotel room and said that you have the speed and the experience, and that's the most important thing. He said that you know what to do. I was thinking about relaxation the whole way through during the race. This race is for William Lagat, my brother-in-law and number one fan who passed away. (talking about positioning during the race) I wanted to be in the top three up until the last fifty meters. I was thinking to myself in the last fifty, 'I think I'm going to win this, but I didn't want to celebrate just yet'. I've never been like this–I've always been a silver medalist. (on the 5000 meters) Tonight, I am going to celebrate with my son, my wife, my coach, and my manager, but tomorrow it's back to business.
Alan Webb (Reston, Va.): I just got beat by everybody. I got myself in trouble last time by staying back, so why get in trouble again. That didn't work, so I'll be in the front. That didn't work either. At one point, I thought I was doing a pretty good job. Somebody took over for me halfway through. I felt pretty good. When the real game time went, I just couldn't do it. (On winner Bernard Lagat) Congratulations. It's his first world title. He's been around the sport for a long time. My hat goes off to him. I was doing so awesome until this week. It was a colossal breakdown. I've changed nothing really. I thought I had more left than I did. I wish I could learn a lesson from that, but I learned nothing. I got nothing out of it. If I wanted to get seventh, I would have run for seventh and gotten seventh, or whatever the hell I got. I didn't come to get seventh, I came to get first. I didn't.
Men's 200 meters, semifinals:
Wallace Spearmon (Fayetteville, Ark.): I just went out once again and tried to use the least amount of energy as possible to make it to the finals. I'm fine–I'm right where I need to be for the finals.
Tyson Gay (Fayetteville, Ark.): My hamstring could be a little bit better. I didn't have quite the pop coming out of the blocks. (On whether his hamstring was affecting him at the start or around the curve) A little of both. I'll give whatever I have left in the tank in the finals.