"These guys [led by winner Matt Tegenkamp in 8:02.52] have been around a while, and I haven't," Centrowitz said. "I wasn't feeling all that great coming in, but you learn something every race. I'm still learning how to run with the big guys."
Tiombe Hurd of Upper Marlboro, the American record-holder in the women's triple jump (with a 47-foot, 5-inch leap in 2004), could never find her groove and wound up seventh yesterday at 43-0 1/4 , in the event won by Shakeema Welsch with a 45-9 leap.
"I had a lot of problems today," the 34-year-old Howard University graduate said. "I just couldn't put it together. I've had no technical [triple jump specialty] work so far, but I know I've got a lot of time, too. The Olympic trials [beginning June 26 in Eugene, Ore.] are still way off. I know I can reach the [qualifying] standard of 14.40 [meters]."
