Skip to main content

Allyson Felix won’t run 200 in Sacramento

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Bob Kersee is having a difficult time trying to get Allyson Felix to slow down.

Nearly a year after tearing a hamstring in her right leg at the world championships, the four-time Olympic champion sprinter has been pushing her coach to loosen the restrictions.

It hasn’t worked yet.

“I’m trying to push it so hard and he’s just kind of reeling me back in,” Felix said Wednesday. “I know I’m getting on his nerves because he has clearly told me that. It’s just a very different year so I’m trying my best to be patient and take my time to get back.”

As part of Kersee’s plan to ease her back, the 28-year-old sprinter won’t run in her signature event, the 200 meters, this week in the U.S. championships. Instead, she will focus on her footwork and speed in the 100.

Felix won the 100 at the 2010 U.S. championships but hasn’t run it competitively this year. She’ll run it twice more in Europe before narrowing her focus back to the 200.

“I have no idea where I am in the 100 meters so it’s going to be as much as a shock to me,” Felix said. “My speed is struggling and I don’t have the turnover that I typically have.”

Felix is no stranger to the track at Sacramento State. In 2004 at age 18 in the Olympic trials at the track, she won the first of her six American titles in the 200.

She won her first individual gold medal and fourth overall at the 2012 Olympics in London.

Then came the world championships in Moscow. Felix was in the thick of things until the final turn when she suddenly pulled up and grabbed the back of her leg before falling to the track.

It’s been a long, often painful, road back since but Felix is determined to make another run at Olympic gold in 2016.

“I’m hoping by the end of this season I’m able to produce some really great times,” Felix said. “I’m hoping that August is really a time that I can peak. We’ll see if it goes according to plan or not.”

Without Felix in the 200, Tori Bowie is the favorite.

The 23-year-old has the fastest time in the world this season at 22.18 seconds. Bowie also is one of the favorites in the 100, along with Morolake Akinosum, whose best this year is an 11.04.

Reigning triple jump gold medalist Christian Taylor, meanwhile, has at least temporarily put his experiment with the 400 aside.

Taylor’s biggest hurdle will be longtime friend Walter Claye, who notched the third-best jump in the world last month at the IAAF Diamond League meet in Eugene, Oregon.

“Me and Christian have been dueling it out since high school,” Claye said. “We would just go back and forth. Then we became teammates and we’ve just been going at it. We bring the best out of each other.”

The men’s 100, normally the marquee event of this meet, will be without Justin Gatlin. Gatlin, who has the top three times in the world this year, is skipping the event to focus on a showdown next month in Switzerland against American teammate Tyson Gay. It will be Gay’s first race in more than a year following a doping suspension.

The first finals were held on the grounds of the state capitol Wednesday night.

Joseph Kovacs won the men’s title at 72 feet, 3 1/2 inches on his second-to-last throw. It’s Kovac’s first national title and the second-best throw by an American this year. Kurtis Roberts was second at 70-5 1/4, and Reese Hoffa, the 2012 Olympic bronze medalist, was third at 61-9 1/2.

In the women’s event, Michelle Carter won her fifth U.S. title with a mark of 63-9 3/4. Felisha Johnson was second at 62-11 1/4, and Tia Brooks third at 61-9 1/2.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote