Shanghai fizzles-Collegiates sizzle

In a nutshell, that's basically it!
While there were SOME great marks in Shanghai, this 2nd DL of 2015 essentially fizzled!
(Like Stockholm and Rome did last year!)
But the day (weekend!) was saved by many thrilling Collegiate Conference performances (and team battles!).

But I have to begin with Almaz Ayana's sensational run over 5000 meters in Shanghai!
She followed a pacer through 3K in 8:36--which is 14:20 pace.
But Ethiopian Ayana picked up the pace, even though she would eventually finish 26 seconds ahead of 2nd place!
By herself, she ran steady 66-67's, finishing in the third best-ever time of 14:14.32.

What was best about it was that it was never hyped!
Meaning that in pre-meet talk, NOTHING was said about her going for a fast time.
None of that bullshit "I'm going for the WR!"---which almost never happens!!

She just went out there and ran fast---then ran even faster!---and wound up becoming 3rd A-T World!
Simple.
And definitely NO fizzle!

BTW, it's the Shanghai Meet Record.
And she came from 6th A-T World down to that 3rd!
Oh yes, forgot to mention that the first two on that list?
They're also Ethiopian, so no National Record!
(Or Age 23 record either!!)

Only 3 other events produced list or record changing marks.

Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou PV'ed 15-6.25 for a new Greece National Record.
She moves from 20th A-T World, tied with 3 others, to 16th, tied with 1 other.

Mutaz Barshim HJ'ed 7-9.75, out-jumping Bogdan Bondarenko for the Shanghai Meet Record.

And China's Huihui Lu threw the Javelin 210-2, also a Shanghai Meet Record.

And that was basically it from Shanghai!
And they call that a DIAMOND League meet?
Ha!

The US Collegiate scene was another story altogether!
And a guy named Tevin Hester set the stage!

His wind-aided 9.87 was the fastest 100 of the day!
(Would've broken the CR, if legal!)
But even though not acceptable, there WERE a couple of sub-10's that DO make my DDD!!

Andre De Grasse, the Canadian attending USC, tore up the track at the PAC-12 meet at UCLA.
He ran 9.97 in the 100, beating Ato Boldon's 10.03 from 1996 for the Meet Record!
This makes him 9th A-T Collegiate, tied with 5 others!

But he also ran solid 200's.
His heat was a 20.03
This makes him 12th A-T Collegiate, tied with 2 others.
It's also the National Record of Canada.
Then he ran 20.05 in the final!

The other sub-10 was a shocker.
Bryce Robinson suddenly emerged (He wasn't listed in T&FN's initial Top 10 NCAA Formchart!) to run 9.99.
This makes him 16th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others.

What it does also is take OFF my Top 24 list a legend!
Frankie Fredericks mark from 1989 is no longer a DDD-worthy mark!!
And neither is a mark by James Sanford, dating from 1980!!
He too is OFF my list!

And Mr Hester?
He also had a wind-LEGAL 200 of 20.18.

Speaking of the sprints, the SEC meet had quite a spectacular 4X100 Relay.
The Women's team from Texas A&M set the SEC Meet Record with their time of 42.61.
But they were followed closely by Florida's 42.72.
They move from the 7th fastest School to 3rd.
The 4th place spot was taken by Kentucky, whose 42.85 moves them from 10th A-T School to 6th!
FOUR schools running between 42.61 and 42.85 in one race!
That's the SEC for you!!

But the great marks weren't limited to the track.
Keturah Orji (as reported in my last post!) was beaten in the LJ by Quenesha Burks, but she prevailed in her signature event, the Triple Jump.

Her winning jump of 46-4.25 was initially reported as having 0.0 wind!
But that was soon changed to a +2.7, thus negating her first 46 footer for record or list purposes!
She did, however, have a legal jump of 45-5, which is her OUTdoor PR.
And it made her the Collegiate Frosh Class Record holder!
She moves from 19th A-T Collegiate to 14th, tied with 1 other.
And she moves onto the US list, taking 20th place, tied with 3 others!

As in Doha,  the Men's SEC Triple Jump produced quite a battle.
Latario Collie's 56-4.50 was good.
It makes him 9th A-T Collegiate, tied with 2 others.

But it was Marquis Dendy's 56-11.25 which prevailed for the SEC Meet Record.
It makes him 4th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other.
It also makes him 15th A-T US!

BTW, speaking of that Doha TJ, I forgot to tell you that Christian Taylor's 2nd place mark of 59-2.25 is the best 2nd Place mark ever!!

Kendra Harrison exploded from a 12.7 girl all the way to 12.50, setting an SEC Meet Record!
It moves her from 6th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other, to 3rd.
And it moves her from 21st to 15th on the A-T US list!

The ACC had quite the meet too.
(See my previous post for earlier marks from there!)

Shakima Wimbly?
Who's she?
She's another who came out of nowhere (at least to my limited range of knowledge!) to suddenly be "a contender" (As they said in "Rocky"!  LOL) at the NCAA.
But will she double?

She should, as she ran the 200 in 22.43, making her 19th A-T Collegiate.
And she added a 400 of 50.84, which makes her 22nd A-T Collegiate.
Both are ACC Meet Records!

Natoya Goule ran a solid 800 time of 2:01.32 to garner the ACC Meet Record.
But no PR!

And Notre Dame's Women's 4X400 team ran 3:31.17 for yet another ACC Meet Record.

Shamier Little ran a World-leading (and PR time of) 54.68 in the 400H.
This moves her from 23rd to 16th on the A-T Collegiate list.

Kyra Jefferson suddenly became the fastest Collegiate 200 woman this year, running a great 22.39.
She's now 15th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other.

Katelyn Daniels threw the Discus 193-10 for the Big 10 Meet Record.

Adding to the list of 6000+ scores in the Women's Heptathlon (See my previous post!) was Jess Herauf's score of 6014 points.
It's the Big 10 Meet Record.
And it makes her 22nd A-T Collegiate!

To indicate just how LOADED the 2015 Women's Collegiate Heptathlon is, note that Herauf's mark removed FROM my list---another mark from 2015!!

The PAC-12 meet, in addition to Andre DeGrasse's sprint double, had some other highlights.

Raevyn Rogers won the 800 in 2:01.67, garnering the Collegiate Frosh Class record in the process.

Shelby Houlihan was supposed to have a great duel with Stanford's freshman Elise Cranny.
But Cranny faded on the last lap to 4th, while Houlihan finished in 4:11.06 for the PAC-12 Meet Record.

USC's Women's 4X100 team won the race in 43.10, another PAC-12 Meet Record.
But they narrowly lost to Oregon's Ducks, who won the meet, 185 to 182!!

A meet in Europe (I believe!) produced a National Record for South Africa.
Anasdo Jobodwana sprinted 200 in 20.06 for his NR.

A couple of relatively new Pro's produced some interesting results.

Abbey D'Agostino decided against running at the Hoka One-One meet.
Instead, she stayed home in Massachusetts and ran in a "Twilight" meet, soloing to victory in the 1500, time of 4:13.91.
She won by about 8 seconds!
Emily Liparei was 3rd in 4:22+.

But even better---MUCH better!!--was 18 year old Alexa Efraimson's 800 time of 2:01.13.
This was at the Portland meet, a "last chance" affair that took place last night.

Her training mate (and 2:03 800 girl) Makayla Fricker paced her through about 600 meters, but it was all Alexa's show.
Her splits were approximately 60 and 61, and she finished strong, indicating a potential for getting into the 1:59's.....soon!!
And she's the new HS PRO 800 meter record holder too!!
Of course, she had only one mark and person to beat--Mary Cain!!

Oh yes, almost forgot!
This puts her on the 2015 OUTdoor Top 10 list for the WORLD!!

But on the AMATEUR High School front, there were some outstanding marks!

Lexi Weeks PV'ed 14-2.
She remains 3rd A-T HS, but now she's not tied with anyone!

Rai Benjamin, perhaps better known for his INdoor exploits over 400 and 300 meter flat races, ran the 400H in 50.45, making him 18th A-T HS!
With his great 400 speed, he's on target to go under 50 seconds...soon!

Bobby Colantonio threw a PR in the HT, his mark of 243-7 moving him from 11th to 7th on the A-T HS list!!

Kendall Sheffield blazed through the 110H in 13.42.
He's now 18th A-T HS, tied with 1 other.

Jordyn Colter broke the Colorado state record in the 800 with her 2:04.56.
She's 21st A-T HS.

And Ryan Clark sprinted the 100 in 10.26, making him 23rd A-T HS, tied with 1 other.

Well, I THINK that's a wrap on the fizzle and sizzle of this past weekend!
(If I find enough other marks worthy of my lists, I might produce another post in a day or two.
Otherwise, my next post won't be until this coming weekend!)

Enjoy this, and see you soon!!