Miles-Clark books Athens ticket

Jearl Miles-Clark booked a ticket to her fifth Olympic Games following her victory in the women’s 800m final at the US track and field trials in Sacramento last night.

American record holder Miles-Clark, 37, will be joined by her sister-in-law Hazel Clark, who came third, and runner-up Nicole Teter in the American bid to win a first medal at the distance since Kimberley Gallagher’s bronze in 1988.

Miles-Clark led from wire to wire, initially with Clark, the sister of her husband the coach JJ Clark, as they pushed the pace along to reach the bell at 57.5seconds for a quick first 400m.

US leader this year Teter made her move down the back straight as Clark faded a little but as they reached the turn, Miles-Clark pulled clear with Teter in hot pursuit and crossed the line in one minute 59.06secs, for the second fastest time by an American this year and more than a second ahead of Teter (2:00.25).

Clark, who won the 2000 trials ahead of Miles-Clark and her sister Joetta Clark-Diggs, fought off the challenge of Kameisha Bennett to claim third in 2:00.37.

For Miles-Clark, whose victory earned her an eighth US championship title at either 400m or 800m it was the first time she had managed the feat in an Olympic year.

She said: “I am so thrilled to win my first Olympic trials.”

She was also due to go in the third heat of the evening’s women’s 400m qualifiers but after winning the 800m said she consulted with her coach and decided to withdraw from the event rather than risk injury.

There was an upset in the men’s 800m final when 2003 world indoor champion David Krummenacker failed to make the team.

The three-time US champion was believed to be the man to beat and had the fastest personal best in the field at 1:43.92.

Instead he struggled to stay with the early pace set by front-running Jonathan Johnson and Jebreh Harris and failed to find the kick down the home straight to secure his berth.

Harris went through the first 400m in 50.35secs but it was Johnson who did the real damage by stretching out the field down the back straight. US leader in 2004 Khadevis Robinson led the chase with Derrick Peterson as Harris faded and Krummenacker tried in vain to close the gap.

Johnson crossed the line first in a personal best 1:44.79. “I surprised myself,” he said.

Robinson was second in 1:44.91 while Peterson also collected a PB with 1:45.08.