On the final day of competition at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, 2008 Olympian Nick Symmonds continued his dominance of the 800 meters at Hayward Field. For his efforts, Symmonds was named the Visa Athlete of the Meet.

*** Click here to view photos from the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Day 4 (Sunday) ***

Dawn Harper, the 2008 Olympic Gold medalist in the 100 meter hurdles, won her first national championship in 12.36 seconds (wind aided), the fourth-fastest time ever by an American under any conditions.

Day 3 of the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships featured a full schedule of compelling finals. LaShawn Merritt claimed the national title at 400 meters and remained undefeated in 2009.

*** Click here to view photos from the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Day 3 (Saturday) ***

2004 Olympian and 2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Lashinda Demus won the 400 meter hurdles in 53.78, the fastest in the world this year and a new Hayward Field record.

Former Arizona State University Sun Devils Dwight Phillips and Kyle Alcorn earned spots on Team USA for the 2009 World Championships by placing on the podium in their respective events. Phillips, the 2004 Olympic champion in the long jump, claimed his fourth outdoor national title. Alcorn, the 2008 NCAA steeplechase champion, earned his first berth to the world championships, after placing 3rd in the 3,000 meter steeplechase final. Former Sun Devils Ryan Warrenburg and Aaron Aguayo also competed in Saturday’s steeplechase final.

2008 Olympic Trials champion and Olympic Games finalist Shannon Rowbury took the lead in the final 100 meters to claim her second 1,500 meter title at Hayward Field.

Carmelita Jeter, the 2007 World Outdoor Championships bronze medalist, was declared the winner of the Visa Women’s 100 meters by one-1,000th of a second in a photo finish with 2008 Olympic Trials champion Muna Lee, on Day 2 of the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.

*** Click here to view photos from the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Day 2 (Friday) ***

The men’s 100 meters was also a close duel. 2009 USA Indoor 60m champion and two-time NAIA outdoor sprint champion Michael Rodgers held off Beijing Olympic finalist Darvis “Doc” Patton by one-100th of a second, in a wind-aided 9.91 seconds.

2007 World Outdoor Championships fourth-place finisher and 2008 Olympic Games finalist Matt Tegenkamp won his first USA Outdoor title and led an Oregon Track Club sweep of the men’s 5,000 meters over teammates Chris Solinsky and Evan Jager.

2008 Olympian Kara Goucher, who already qualified for the World Championships team in the marathon, claimed her second consecutive national title at 5,000 meters. Goucher is expected to only compete in the marathon in Berlin.

After thrilling the Track Town USA crowd last year in the Olympic Trials with her desperate race against both the clock and her competitors on the track, Amy Yoder Begley returned to Eugene, Oregon and rocked the house. Yoder Begley captured her first USA championship in the 10,000 meter run with an inspired stretch run, to defeat 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Shalane Flanagan and set a new Hayward Field record.

*** Click here to view photos from the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships – Day 1 (Thursday) ***

In the men’s 10,000 meter final, local favorite Galen Rupp captured the title in his last appearance in an Oregon Ducks uniform.