Men’s 400m, final
LaShawn Merritt, first place, 43.97
“I knew if I came off good, I was going to finish up good. I worked the last 50 a little bit more than I did in the previous rounds. I still feel like I had a little bit left so I’m pleased about it.”
“People always say they look at my film to tell their athletes, ‘This is how you’re supposed to run the last part of the race.’ They haven’t been looking at it lately so I had to give them something to look at.”
Gil Roberts, second place, 44.73
“The goal was to make it to Rio, and I did whatever I could to get it. I got second so I’m pleased with it. I’ve still got things to work on, so that’s always a positive knowing that you didn’t do everything perfect when you lost. I’ve got things to fix and hopefully I’m better at Rio.”
On making first Olympic team:
“Man, I’m ecstatic. Words can’t describe how I really feel right now, but I put everything into this season to make it to the Olympics. That’s been a dream of mine since I was a kid, and I’m on cloud nine right now. I just can’t wait to talk to my family.”
David Verburg, third place, 44.82
On making the Olympic team
“It actually hasn’t sunk in yet. I have tried to let it sink it. I’ve wanted to be an Olympian since I started running track. I missed it in ’12. I cried. I’ve never been so happy to finish third in my life. That was the whole goal. Since September I’ve been thinking about it. In the back of my mind, the closer it got to July, the more I was like, ‘Rio. I’ve got to make the team.’”
“For me to come out here from a small school and a small stature and still make one of the hardest teams in the world to make and become an Olympian, after that no one can take that away from me. How many people can say that they are an Olympian for USA Track and Field?”
