Felix to run 100m in London; Dara Torres retires

Los Angeles sprinter Allyson Felix got the last spot in the 100 meters race at the London Olympics when her training partner, Jereba Tarmoh, decided not to take part in a special runoff race arranged to settle their tie finish at the Olympic trials last month. Tarmoh, who felt she had won the June 23 trial, said Monday "It would have been unfair to myself if I went out there not wholeheartedly." The runoff race had been scheduled for last night, after the runners were given the choice of using either a coin toss or a race to break the tie. There was room for only one more woman in the Olympics field for the 100 meters race. The runners, who have been friends, are both coached by Bob Kersee.

From an NBC interview with Tarmoh:

But aren’t you also saying that you were bullied into a decision by them?

Yeah. I felt that way, but I am also a very sensitive person and anything can make me feel like I am being bullied. I think if they had probably had procedures for dead heats before this track meet and before we ran the finals, it would have been easier on Allyson and I. It was really hard on both of us.

You and Allyson were friends before this. Are you still friends now?

Oh yes. I have the utmost respect for Allyson. She is my friend, my sister, my competitor and training partner. I have no ill feelings toward her. I wish her the best of luck and Godspeed.

You are still planning to go to London to run the relay, correct?

Yes, I am, but I guess you never know what happens

Felix was going to London anyway to run in the 200 meters and in relay events.

Add Olympics: Dara Torres, the Los Angeles swimmer who won three silver medals at the Beijing games at the age of 41, missed out on qualifying for the London games. She announced her retirement after competing in five previous Olympics.

“This is really over,” Torres said Monday night in Omaha. “That's it, I'm going to enjoy some time with my daughter, have a nice summer and cheer on the U.S. team from afar.”

Torres goes out as the first American to swim in five Olympics, the oldest female swimmer ever at the Games, and tied with Jenny Thompson for the most Olympic medals by a U.S. female swimmer, with 12. 3 Wire Sports