Seems every time I try to get started on my promised INdoor Records Predictions post, I find some MAJOR announcement (via Twitter & T&FN, mainly) that forces me to postpone it!
So consider this an "extra" post, but at least in part, connected to my upcoming (SOON!!) predictions post!
Without further ado, here are the MAJOR announcements of the title!
Desiree Freier's INdoor HSR has been reduced!
T&FN has claimed that there were some illegalities in the planting box, and therefore the 14-6 she vaulted in that OUTdoor Texas meet last year (where the PV was moved INdoors because of bad weather) is NOT legal!
Thus, while Freier still holds the INdoor HSR, it's her 14-2.75, NOT that 14-6!
Of course, she also is the OUTdoor HSR holder with her 14-7.25 from the WJC meet!
BTW, Jack Shepard's 2015 edition of his HS Track agrees!
That 14-6 is nowhere to be found in his book!
Another big announcement is that I made an error!
(That's a "big" announcement?? LOL)
It concerns Liv Westphal, who finished 3rd in that spectacular INdoor 5000 in December.
I said in the post about the 5K that she was of French nationality, and therefore not eligible for the US Top 24 list.
I was wrong, based on the lists published in the February issue of T&FN, and reprinted in their eTN.
Her 15:31.62 is listed on T&FN US list of top 2014 marks.
(Although their list is their "absolute" list, meaning it has both OUTdoor AND INdoor marks!! UGH!!)
Anyway, that mark makes her 11th A-T US INdoors!!
I have one new mark to report.
British runner Kirsten McAslan has run the 600 INdoors in 1:26.22.
That's 2nd on the British list, to Jenny Meadows!
It's the Age 21 record too.
And it makes her 15th A-T World!
The remaining "MAJOR" announcements are all about who is going to compete where.
These include OUTdoor meets (and races) as well as INdoor.
While I thought to just incorporate them into my Records Predictions post, I'll list them separately here, with brief "record possibility" information.
I'll do INdoors first.
The Boston NB meet just got better!
Meseret Defar is returning from giving birth with her 1st race being Boston's 2000 meters race!
Gabriela Szabo's WR of 5:30.53 is definitely in jeopardy, IF Defar returns in top shape!
(I'm assuming she WILL be!!)
Genzebe Dibaba's Ethiopian record of 5:34.25 should be broken also.
As for Kim Conley's 5:41.10 Meet Record? Bye-bye!!
Set to join her will be Emma Coburn.
She looks to improve on her 5:47.20 (5th A-T US) from last year.
Also announced for Boston is 40 year old Bernard Lagat.
He'll race the 3000, where he WILL shatter the INdoor Age 40 record!
But he might lose the race, as Hagos Gebrhiwet will run also!
The Karlsruhe meet (January 31st) just got very HOT!!
Renaud Lavillenie will PV there!
Will he break his own WR?
He'll have Raphael Holzdeppe for "competition"!
Also set for Karlsruhe is David Storl in the SP.
Already announced for the January 31st Armory Track Invitational are Mary Cain and Jordan Hasay in the 2 Mile.
Add Abbey D'Agostino, Marielle Hall, and Buze Direba to the mix!
Galen Rupp is aiming for the WR (!!) at this meet, and will have NOP mate Cam Levins along for the ride, as well as Japan's Suguru Okao.
While Rupp should win easily, I'm not so sure Cain will!
Especially if Salazar has her on the leash of "Go for Defar's record, and ignore the "faster girls"!" idea he gave her before her 2013 race against Tirunesh Dibaba!
I personally hope she goes for the WIN (and gets the AR in the process!!), not just 9:34.02!
The Women's HJ at this meet will feature the top 2 drug-free Americans, Brigetta Barrett and Chaunte Lowe!
Barrett is hopefully coming back from a fairly dry 2014.
Will Claye was previously announced for the TJ.
Speaking of the Armory meet, the Men's DMR is going to be GREAT!
Set to compete:
United States (with Matt Centrowitz anchoring?)
Kenya (don't know their team's make-up)
Ireland
Brooks Beasts
NJ/NY TC
and Collegiate teams
Villanova
Mississippi
Columbia
Wisconsin
This meet is a TWO day affair (January 30th set for all HS and Collegiate events), so I'm not sure if the Collegiate teams listed above will be in the Pro race, or in a separate Collegiate race.
A couple of announcements for OUTdoor events!
The Boston Marathon's US entry list includes the iconic Meb Keflezighi and Shalane Flanagan!
But Meb will have Jeff Eggleston , Fernando Cabada, Nick Arcianaga, AND Dathan Ritzenhein to contend with.
Flanagan will have Des Linden and Amy Hastings to make the race honest!
The Gotzis Multis (end of May) just got the World Record holder on its list of entrants.
And he's bringing his wife along, where SHE will also compete!
Ashton Eaton better be in top shape, as 2014's Top-rated Decathlete, Trey Hardee is also on the list!
I will immediately get to work on my Predictions post, which should be up in a couple of hours!
I promise!
LOL
Bummer about Desiree Freier's indoor PV record. That 14-6 was a good mark. I wonder if the "irregularity" of the planting box provided her with any advantage? Probably not, but I understand the need for uniformity in vaulting facility specifications. Desiree proved that the mark was no fluke with her higher outdoor record of 14-7.25, which of course still stands. I'm glad she has that mark as her principal HS legacy, as she is clearly the best HS vaulter so far.
ReplyDeleteI once did an analysis of the potential effects of a too-shallow or too-deep planting box. It does have an effect, but whether or not it's an advantage, disadvantage, or neither depends on the specific circumstances of the particular vaulter and his or her relationship to the pole they are using at the time. Altogether, it can be considered a non-factor, but again, I understand and support the need for uniform vaulting conditions, including the depth of the planting box.