Mission Viejo Racewalker Can’t Relax Yet

Allen James’ strategy in the men’s 20-kilometer walk at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials Wednesday night at Tad Gormley Stadium worked beautifully.

“My plan was to go out at a good even pace and pick it up at 5K and 10K,” said James, who did just that in completing the course in 1 hour 29 minutes 28.0 seconds, leaving more experienced competitors behind.

“It just kind of went according to plan. It was pretty tough out there, but I tried not to think about the conditionas and focused on what I was doing.”

James, a Mission Viejo resident who has never competed in an Olympics or a world championship, came into the stadium Wednesday with a sizable lead. He passed race leader Morgan between the 14- and 15-kilometer marks when Morgan stopped to tie his shoe. James was fifth at the beginning of the walk.

Morgan of the New York Athletic Club placed second in 1:30.23, and Jonathan Matthews of the Golden Gate Race Walkers was third (1:30.39).

Although James, 28, who competes for Athletes in Action, finished first, he will qualify for the Games only if Morgan and Matthews do not make the Olympic qualifying standard for the 20K walk by July 8. None of the three walkers have met the standard, and as long as Morgan and Matthews do not meet it, James will compete for the U.S. team in Barcelona.

James was ranked second in the nation last year, while Tim Lewis, who placed ninth, was top-ranked and came into Wednesday’s walk with the best time. Morgan was the defending Olympic trials champion, placing 37th in the 1988 Games; Lewis was the TAC national champion in 1991 and placed 31st at the world championships in Tokyo.

In the first round of the women’s 1,500-meter run, former University High and UCLA runner Polly Plumer qualified for Friday’s semifinal, placing seventh in the second of three heats (4:16.70). Ruth Wysocki, who is coached by UC Irvine Coach Vince O’Boyle, was fifth in Heat 1 and also advanced.