Lolo Jones - A Class Act in Defeat

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"I was shocked. My mind was numb,'' she said. "I worked so hard for this, and it disappeared in less than a second.''

"All I could think of was just getting back on my two feet and standing strong.''

Jones did that as she passed through the media interview area, talking for several minutes with a large group of reporters, graciously stopping again to speak with a few others who could not get close enough to hear her.

Her eyes were moist, but she made no excuses, had no complaints, simply explained her misfortune by getting to the essence of the event.

"It's the hurdles,'' she repeated. "If you can't get over all 10, you can't be the champion.''

I disagree.

A champion is the class of the field.

No one in these Olympics has shown any more class than Lolo Jones.

-- Philip Hersh

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