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August 22, 2004 4:01 pm

Morrison takes easy route in hurdles qualifying

By MIKE PRATER

Gannett News Service

ATHENS, Greece - United States hurdler Melissa Morrison knows what she's doing on a track.

She's a former South Carolina star, an assistant coach for the Gamecocks, and a bronze medallist in the 100-meter hurdles at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

She ran her first qualifying heat in Athens on Sunday, and if she says she nailed her game plan, you have to believe her.

The game plan: Keep it easy, keep it smooth, advance into Monday night's semifinals inside Olympic Stadium.

Mission accomplished.

``I wanted to cruise through the first round, and I think I did just that. I wanted to try and conserve as much energy as I could going into tomorrow. ... It was a very easy round, and that's what I wanted to accomplish,'' Morrison said.

Wearing sleek sunglasses on a hot evening in Athens, Morrison won her heat in 12.76 seconds - the fourth fastest time of the night. Teammate Joanna Hayes popped the fastest time at 12.71, followed by Mariya Koroteyeva of Russia (12.72) and Canadian champion Perdita Felicien (12.73).

There are two semifinals Monday night, and the top eight run in the finals Tuesday.

Morrison, who once gave up the sport after finishing eighth at the 1996 Olympic Trials, said there was no reward in winning her heat.

``I don't think me having to win through the rounds is going to boost my confidence. Me getting here is confidence enough,'' she said. ``Making it through the rounds and getting to the finals, that's what's going to matter and I'm going to give it my all and see what happens.''

Canadian hurdler Angela Whyte ran a 13.01 for a third-place finish in her heat and was the final qualifier for Monday night's semifinals. The University of Idaho graduate student said she struggled with a poor start.

``If I would have had a really good start, I would have been able to run a better race, but stuff like that happens,'' she said.

Whyte walked off the track thinking she had failed to qualify. She has a season-best of 12.75 this year and couldn't find her rhythm in her Olympic debut. Whyte made the semifinals by .01 seconds.

``Just a few things technically in the race didn't go well. ... After the poor start, I couldn't find any rhythm or keep the speed,'' she said.

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