US high jumpers Jesse Williams and Chaunte Howard Lowe have never earned medals in world or Olympic competition, but both believe things could be different this year.
As the US indoor athletics championships returned to this mile-high (1620-meter altitude) city for the first time since 1966, Williams and Lowe turned in dominant performances on the first day of the meet that selects the US team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships March 12-14 in Doha, Qatar.
Williams soared 2.34 meters to win the men's high jump title, and he moved to second place on the 2010 year list in the process.
Lowe edged over the bar at 1.98 meters, to claim the women's gold medal and advance to equal sixth in the world for the year.
For Williams, it was a tough battle over at least three top rivals. For Lowe, it was a walk-away, with no one even close.
"When the bar reached 2.31, I think I was in fourth place, so I knew I had to clear 2.34 first attempt if I was even going to make the team," Williams said. "Otherwise, the early misses I had would really have cost me.
"Now (in Doha), I'll get my chance to take on the Russians, who've been winning so much in my event, and everyone else. I really want to take it to the Russians."
Toughest of those Russians is Ivan Ukhov, the world leader at 2.37. With the gold medal here assured, Williams took one attempt at 2.37 before calling it a day.
After clinching her own victory, Lowe moved the bar up to 2.01 - and nearly cleared. She was up and apparently over - but as she was in the pit the bar came down.
"I knew I was over it, I felt it," she said. "But I really felt great doing it, and it gave me confidence. I know I can jump at those heights. I can jump with anyone."
Except, perhaps, for Blanka Vlasic of Croatia, the world leader at 2.06. Altitude may have been a factor in the men's and women's 3,000 meter races.
Bernard Lagat won the men's 3,000m in a slowish 8:12.60 over Galen Rupp (8:13.49), and front-running Renee Metevier Baillie (9:14.90) fought off Sara Hall (9:14.92) and Shannon Rowbury (9:15.41) in the women ?s 3,000.
Rupp said he was satisfied to book his ticket to Doha.
"I made the team, that was my top goal," he said. "I didn't need to do anything special here."
Erica McLain was one of the happiest winners. With her first-attempt 14.06 mark in the women's triple jump final, she posted a Doha qualifying mark by a single centimeter. And that 14.06 eventually held up for the victory.
America's top all-arounders got into the spirit of things. Bryan Clay, the 2008 Olympic decathlon champion, advanced through the opening round of both the 60-meter hurdles and 60-meter dash and runs the semi-finals of these events Sunday.
Joining him in the 60 hurdles semi-finals is Trey Hardee, the 2009 World Championships decathlon gold medalist. Clay and Hardee were the only athletes who came to Albuquerque with assured positions on the USA's Doha-bound team. Both gained wild card invitations to the heptathlon event in Qatar based on past achievements.
Copyright 2010 AFP American Edition
