EUGENE, Ore. — Sanya Richards-Ross stepped over a puddle, ran hard for a few more steps, then jogged to the finish line for an easy win.
A routine result Friday at the rain-drenched Olympic trials that left one of America’s biggest track stars with nothing to complain about.
Well, almost nothing.
“Other than it messing up my hair, it’s OK,” she said.
Richards-Ross, LaShawn Merritt, Allyson Felix, Dawn Harper and Carmelita Jeter were among those who made it through the first day of rain-soaked Olympic trials without any problems.
Richards-Ross ran her qualifying heat in the 400 meters in 51.69 seconds, winning by 0.55 seconds even though she jogged to the finish.
“We all have to compete in it,” said Richards-Ross, who will also try to qualify in the 200 next week. “Whatever it is, go out here and put in your best show.”
A few minutes earlier, Merritt, the defending Olympic champion at 400 meters, took to the rain-slickened track, sidestepped a runner who fell in the lane next to him and finished in 45.36 seconds, the best time in the men’s heats.
“I saw him and I had to do a little step more toward the inside of my lane, where I should’ve been in the first place,” Merritt said.
Jeremy Wariner, the 2004 Olympic champion, also advanced to the semifinals, though his race wasn’t quite such a breeze. He finished third in his heat in a time of 45.84.
“Just clearing the cobwebs out,” Wariner said. “I worked my turn pretty well. I saved a lot for the homestretch.”
David Neville, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist, finished last in his heat and won’t go to London unless he is chosen for the relay team.
The 400 runners have semifinals to day, with finals scheduled for Sunday.
In the women’s 100, Felix and Jeter each won their heats easily.
“It was OK. Just wanted to make it safely to the next round,” Felix said. “I feel like (today) will be better. Always good to get that first one out of the way.”
In the women’s 100 hurdles, Harper, the defending Olympic champion, won her heat in 12.79 seconds.
Jones also qualified but not by much. She finished third in her heat for the last automatic qualifying spot after running 13.01. Her race was delayed when Shericka Ward false started.
“I felt really good, but it was a bad race,” Jones said. “After the false start, I just relaxed a little bit too much.”
Meet organizers scrubbed women’s pole vault preliminaries, meaning all 29 athletes, including 2008 Olympic silver medalist Jenn Suhr, will move to finals Sunday.
In the decathlon, Ashton Eaton was ahead of a world-record pace for two events. His shot put throw of 46 feet, 7¾ inches slowed him down, but he still ended the day with 4,728 points — 322 ahead of Trey Hardee and 17 ahead of the pace Dan O’Brien was on when he set the U.S. record of 8,891.
“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work my team has put in,” Eaton said.
Eaton, an Oregon native, also finished the day by running in the pouring rain, finishing the 400 meters in 46.70 seconds.
Everybody else was trying to make the best of the weather, knowing that under U.S. rules, the top three qualify — no excuses or second chances, even for the best of the best.
“You have to adapt to what the weather is, how the track is,” Merritt said. “It’s all about going in with a plan and executing.”
