EUGENE, Oregon — Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh were ruled to have finished in a dead heat for third place in the women's 100 meters at the US Olympic Track and Field Trials after a photo review.
The ruling by meet referees means that Tarmoh, who thought she had edged Felix for third by .001 of a second, and Felix, who thought he bid for a 100-200 double at London was over, must wait to learn their fate.
USA Track and Field spokesman Jill Geer said there is no protocol in place to break such a deadlock to determine who should claim the last trip to the London Olympics. Only the top three in each final earn berths on the US squad.
Officials were meeting to try to determine what tie-breaker procedure might be used to determine the third Olympic qualifier.
Reigning world champion Carmelita Jeter won the 100 crown in 10.92 seconds with Tianna Madison second in 10.96, and Felix and Tarmoh both in third in 11.07.
Tarmoh had been credited with a victory in 11.068 seconds to 11.069 for Felix based upon the first look at camera photos.
Felix finished second in the 200 meters at the 2004 and 2008 Olympics and will try to qualify in that event next week, but she had hoped to make the team in the 100 as well, calling it "the icing on the cake."
Copyright © 2013 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
