Maine's Pierce wins 1,500 at U.S. Championships

Anna Pierce, left, beats Nike teammate Erin Donohue to the line, winning the women's1500 meter run at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Saturday, June 26, 2010, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Doug Wells)

- Doug Wells

DES MOINES, Iowa — Telstar High School graduate Anna (Willard) Pierce used her sprinter’s speed over the final 200 meters to edge Erin Donohue at the tape to win the women’s 1,500-meter run at the U.S. Track and Field Championships on Saturday.

Willard overcame a pedestrian pace to cross the finish line in 4 minutes, 13.6 seconds.

Donohoe was second in 4:13.87 and Shannon Rowbury was third in 4:14.41.

“I wanted to (kick) with between 300 and 400 to go, but I was in a terrible position,” Pierce said. “But I ended up getting out and having a clear run from about 220 out. So the last 200 was great.

“I was worried I wasn’t going to catch her, but then the last 100, the crowd was really cheering, and I really felt a good surge. So I was happy with it overall. Obviously it was slow. It was a hot day, so I wasn’t expecting too fast (of a time).”

A 2008 Olympian in the steeplechase and the No. 6 ranked runner in the world in the 1,500 last year, Pierce found herself in a tight pack with lots of bumping leading up to the final lap.

The jostling caused a couple of runners to fall.

“I never get spiked, and I got a couple spike wounds,” Pierce said. “It was just crazy. Nobody wanted to lead obviously. And then I saw Christin (Wurth) get in that little box, and once she gets in a box, I can tell she gets a little anxious to get out of it. So I think that caused a little chaos. And then obviously a couple of people went down, and I was just happy I wasn’t one of them.”

Pierce was never seriously concerned that she wasn’t going to be able to get in position for her winning kick.

“I figured that between the 300 and the 200, there was enough straightaway that I could get out of that and get a free position,” Pierce said. “But it’s tough when someone gets a good gap on you with only 200 meters left and not much track left. So you really have got to go for it.”

The victory was Pierce’s first outdoor national championship. A former American record holder in the steeplechase, Pierce owns an indoor national championship in the 1,500.

Bates College graduate and former collegiate national champion Kelley Godsey finished fifth Saturday in the women’s hammer. Godsey’s best throw was 208 feet, 4 inches, edging the sixth-place finisher by four inches. Amber Campbell won the event with a throw of 234-7.

Ben True of Cumberland competed Friay night in the men’s 5,000-meter run. The Greely andDartmouth graduate, who is now a member of the renowned Oregon Track Club, placed 14th.