TOKYO -- Grant Fisher ran a masterful tactical race in the first track final to finish fifth, and Raven Saunders had the third-best throw overall in the women’s shot put qualifying to lead Team USATF field event efforts in the evening session on the first day of the 32nd Olympic Games.
On demand coverage of this session’s events
Men’s 10,000m final
Heat and humidity hindered any hopes of a fast race, and except for a brave early pace from Uganda’s Stephen Kissa, the majority of the field ran in close proximity through the first half. Grant Fisher (Portland, Oregon / USATF Oregon) was eighth at that stage in 14:11, a half-second up on Woody Kincaid (Portland, Oregon / USATF Oregon), while Joe Klecker (Boulder, Colorado / USATF Colorado) was less than a second adrift of Kincaid in 19th.
Kissa yielded the lead to Kenya’s Rhonex Kipruto with nine laps to go and promptly walked off the track. World record holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda was perched on the shoulder of Kipruto by the time the pack completed 18 laps, and Fisher was hanging on in eighth a few spots ahead of Kincaid, while Klecker fell off the back and out of contention. With 2K remaining the pace quickened as Cheptegei cranked up the heat, a full stride ahead of Canada’s Moh Ahmed. Rodgers Kwemoi of Kenya took his turn at the front briefly as Fisher inched up to seventh.
Tucked on the rail in sixth with just two laps to go, Fisher fought to stay close to the leaders and was eighth at the bell. A full-on sprint ensued on the final circuit and Fisher made a valiant run to pass Ahmed and claim fifth in 27:46.39 as Ethiopia’s Selemon Barega kicked past Cheptegei to win in 27:43.22. Kincaid was 15th in 28:11.01, one place ahead of Klecker, who clocked 28:14.18. Fisher’s last 800m was covered in 1:57.2 and the last 1,600m in 4:04 as he became only the fifth U.S. man ever to finish fifth or better in the Olympic final.
Women's 5,000m heats
With the first five in each heat and the next five fastest advancing to the final, the early pace in heat one wasn't stellar. Karissa Schweizer (Urbandale, Iowa / USATF Oregon) stayed in the middle of the large pack through 1,000m in 3:01.8, 2,000m in 6:01 and 3,000m in 9:02.3. She started to pick off runners ahead of her over the next kilometer and was seventh at 4,000m in 12:02.7, and then the pace kicked into the next gear over the final laps. Keeping her spot in seventh and remaining in contact with the lead pack, Schweizer crossed the line in a season best 14:51.34 after covering the final kilometer faster than 2:49.
Heat two also went out at a leisurely pace, and Rachel Schneider (Flagstaff, Arizona / USATF Arizona) took her place in the top five, going through 1K in second at 3:03.6 and 2K in fifth at 6:06.9. Elise Cranny (Beaverton, Oregon / USATF Oregon) wasn't far behind, passing 2K in seventh place less than a half-second back, and both Americans went through 3K in just over 9:11. Spreading out a bit with four laps remaining, the U.S. pair were at the back of a group of nine and needing to get in the top five due to the pokey pace. Cranny pushed hard to go fifth at the bell and then fourth with 200m left, passing the finish in fifth in 14:56.14, a season best to advance automatically. Schneider was eighth in 15:00.07 and did not advance.
Women's Shot Put qualifying
After a foul on her first attempt, Raven Saunders (Tuscaloosa, Alabama / USATF South Carolina) blasted a 19.22m/63-0.75 in round two to surpass the automatic advancement standard and clinch her spot in the final. Trials champion Jessica Ramsey (Boynton Beach, Florida / USATF Florida) danced with disaster, recording two fouls to open her account before coming through with an 18.75m/61-6.25 on her final toss to make the final. Ohio State’s NCAA indoor and outdoor champion Adelaide Aquilla (Westlake, Ohio / USATF Lake Erie) did not advance after putting a best of 17.68m/58-0.25 in the second round.
Women's Triple Jump qualifying
American record holder Keturah Orji (Atlanta, Georgia / USATF Georgia) notched her best jump of the night in round one with a 14.26m/46-9.5 and was the sole American to advance to the final. Jasmine Moore (Athens, Georgia / USATF Georgia) had only one legal jump, spanning 13.76m/45-1.75 in round three to place 23rd overall, and former American record holder Tori Franklin (East Lansing, Michigan / USATF New York) was 25th with a best of 13.68m/44-10.75.
Mixed 4x400m Relay heats
Initially disqualified, USA won its appeal and was reinstated as the winner of heat 1 and will advance into Saturday’s final. Elija Godwin (Athens, Georgia / USATF Georgia) split 45.6 and passed off in seventh to Lynna Irby (Indianapolis, Indiana / USATF Indiana). Irby made up the deficit with a 49.7 carry and put her quartet in the lead after two laps. Taylor Manson (Gainesville, Florida / USATF Florida) kept the U.S. in contention with her 50.96 carry on the third circuit to hand off in second, and Bryce Deadmon (Houston, Texas / USATF Gulf) ran well to catch and pass the Nigerian runner on the final bend, running a 44.99 split which carried Team USA on to victory in 3:11.39.
Full session results are available on the World Athletics website. The next session starts at 8:00 P.M. ET with the Women’s 400m hurdles heats. Fans in the U.S. can watch here via NBC properties.
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