Lolo Jones and Kellie Wells will compete for a medal in London. EUGENE -- Lolo Jones heard the doubters. Worse, she heard her own doubts. "I've been fighting this whole season," she said. "Lots of 12.9s and 13.0s.
"I was filled with fear. I didn't have an easy morning. It was a constant battle in my head.
"I had my sports psychologist on speed dial 1, my pastor on speed dial 2 and my mom on 3."
And now, she has this: a spot on the U.S. team bound for the 2012 London Olympics.
Jones, one of the sweethearts of the 2008 games in Beijing, experienced heartbreak four years ago when she crashed into the second-to-last hurdle in the final, finishing seventh. She has spent all season trying to push away worries that at 29, she might not have enough to get a second chance at a medal.
But she did Saturday night in the women's 100-meter hurdles final, finishing third behind Dawn Harper (12.73) and Kellie Wells (12.77). Jones clocked in at 12.86, beating Virginia Crawford (12.90).
When she crossed the finish line, Jones stood nervously on the track staring up at the readerboard, waiting for times to appear. The PA announcer made the suspense worse, telling spectators, "Harper first, Wells second and ... maybe Jones third?"
When the time appeared and Jones realized she had locked up a spot, she collapsed to the ground in joy and relief, kicking her legs and screaming. When she got up, a euphoric Jones jumped around celebrating, tossing her trademark sunglasses into the roaring crowd.
"So many people had said it'd be hard," said Jones, who has battled injuries this season. "I had to overcome doubts and fears and execute technically. I'm thrilled to have another chance."
Harper, the defending Olympic champion, had to deal with nagging problems of her own before the final.
"I cramped up two or three times (beforehand)," she said. "I was worried I could go down in the race. But my coach told me before the final, 'I'd better see that flag in your hands at the end.'"
Harper and Wells, the 2011 U.S. champion, were favored to go 1-2 at the trials, but that didn't diminish the joy of earning a spot.
"People think this is a four-year journey," said an emotional Wells, "but it's really a life journey."
Jones probably would agree. She said afterward that she has contemplated quitting multiple times in the past year, frustrated by injuries -- spinal surgery in August, then two hamstring tears that required "extensive treatment" -- and a lack of good races.
In the past few months, she had so many heated conversations with her coach, Dennis Shaver, that she compared it to "a married couple bickering." Disgusted with her 13.01 time in the prelims on Friday, Jones said she had "a meltdown" in a postrace talk with Shaver, becoming so irate that she threw a shoe.
"There were a lot of times this season when I wanted to give up," Jones said. "I didn't think I'd be ready. I can't believe I got it done in time. I'm shocked."
Maybe her surprise will have worn off by the time she boards the plane to London.
--Lindsay Schnell (I came, I saw, I tweeted)Â
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