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Richards-Ross encouraged by finish in 200

By WTOP Staff

MICHAEL WAGAMAN
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Three months into her comeback from toe surgery, four-time Olympic champion Sanya Richards-Ross is already making significant strides.

She also is poised to add to her collection of national titles in the women’s 400 meters.

Richards-Ross ran a relaxed but encouraging 52.39 seconds in her heat Thursday to advance to the semifinals at the U.S. Outdoor Championships. It was a full second slower than Richard-Ross’ best time this year and well off her American record set in 2006.

Not that she’s worried about it.

“This is the best I’ve felt all year,” Richards-Ross said. “I felt my rhythm down the backstretch was better and I got good position around the curve.”

Although the pain in her right big toe hasn’t subsided much since the surgery, Richards-Ross is using each meet as another step forward in her recovery.

She looked strong in her heat and was stride-for-stride with Francena McCorory until coasting over the final 10 meters. McCorory finished in 51.64.

More importantly Richards-Ross showed no lingering effects from the surgery she had for Hallux Rigidus, a hereditary condition that is similar to turf-toe injuries suffered by football players.

“It’s similar but I think it’s worse,” Richards-Ross said. “I’m actually in more pain most of the time but I’m getting through.”

A small crowd at Hornet Stadium was on hand for the first full day of competition and were treated to one of the more unique sights ever seen on at a track meet.

Five-time national champ Alysia Montano ran in the 800 while 34 weeks pregnant.

Montano completed the race in 2:32.13 and finished last in her heat.

Still, she was beaming afterward.

“I’ve been running throughout my pregnancy and I felt really, really good during the whole process,” Montano said. “I just didn’t want to get lapped and be the first person to get lapped in the 800.”

The marquee event, the men’s 100, was already minus one of its top stars after Justin Gatlin opted to skip the nationals. Then Dentarius Locke, who has the third-fastest time by an American this year, pulled up halfway through his heat and fell to the track.

Two-time US champ Walter Dix also struggled. He placed third in his heat and advanced to the semifinals but his time of 10.38 seconds was only good enough for 13th overall.

In the women’s 100, English Gardner edged Tori Bowie by three-hundredths of a second to earn the top seed in the semifinals. Gardner won her heat in 11.30, and Bowie was second at 11.33.

Duane Solomon, who has already clocked three of the top four fastest times in the world this year in the men’s 800, coasted to an easy win in his heat. Solomon’s time of 1:47.19 earned him the top seed heading into Friday’s semifinals.

“I wanted to lead and stay out of trouble and make sure I qualified easily,” Solomon said.

Solomon had to alter his workout plans after a rigorous schedule earlier in the year left the reigning national champ with little practice time.

“I was going from meet to meet every weekend and maybe getting one day of practice and training,” Solomon said. “When I ran at Mt. Sac I was maybe only 70 percent. We’re still trying to build that base up. A couple more weeks and I’ll be ready.”

Kibwe Johnson won the men’s hammer with a heave of 243 feet, 4 inches. AG Kruger, who owns the best mark by an American this year, was second at 240-7.

“I really thought I had another meter or two in me, so I am not terribly happy,” Johnson said. “But the main goal was to win and I did that.”

Amanda Smock won the women’s triple jump on her final attempt. Smock, a three-time national champion, went 45-2 1/4.

In other finals, Galen Rupp won his sixth consecutive national title in the 10,000 in 28:12.07, Kara Patterson won her fifth US championship in the javelin and first since 2011 with her throw of 204-10, and Kim Conley won the women’s 10,000 in 32:02.07.

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
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