TCU's Gipson fourth in long jump prelims at U.S. track trials

EUGENE, Ore. -- Maybe the response just slipped. Or maybe the question completely caught her off guard.

As Allyson Felix sauntered away from the crowd and toward the safety of a restricted area, she actually broke her vow of silence.

"Feeling good," she said in almost a hushed voice. And then she was off again, escorted by coach Bobby Kersee.

Felix is looking solid on the track even in the midst of controversy, winning her 200 semifinal heat at Olympic trials on Friday.

Same with training partner Jeneba Tarmoh, who moments earlier captured her race convincingly, too.

After today's 200 final, these two sprinters will finally address how they will break their third-place tie in the 100 and decide who earns the final spot to the London Games in the event.

Hyleas Fountain leads the heptathlon after the first day of competition.

Emma Coburn won her second straight national title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase to earn a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. Bridget Franek and Shalaya Kipp earned the other two spots on the team.

Gipson 4th in prelims

NCAA champion Whitney Gipson, who attended Birdville High School and TCU, was fourth in the long jump prelims with a jump of 22 feet, 5 inches to advance to Sunday's finals. Janay DeLoach led qualifying at 23-51/2. Gipson went 22-4 1/2 at the NCAA Outdoors.

Dix out of 200

Some of the biggest names in U.S. sprinting were missing from the men's 200 meters. Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay were expected to sit out but the absence of Walter Dix was a bit of a surprise.

Dix was hampered by a lingering left hamstring injury and now his only option for making it to London will be as a member of the 400 relay team.

Wallace Spearmon, who trains in Arlington, had the fastest 200 time (29.17) in the prelims, showing he's rounding back into form. Spearmon has been bothered recently by a sore left Achilles tendon. Former TCU standout Darvis "Doc" Patton, Spearmon's training partner, had the sixth fastest time (20.40) and TCU's Charles Silmon (20.68, 18th) also advanced to the semifinals.

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