Much to do before the start of the Men's Marathon, so better get to it!
(This two-part Women's section will take about 4--maybe 5--hours. But since the first Women's event doesn't begin for another 3 and a half hours or so, I'll have these posted BEFORE that, so it won't be cheating!!)
The same format is used here as with the Men! (See Part 1 of the Men's for my Notes on that!)
Heptathlon--August 22nd & 23rd
(WR-7291 MR-7128)
As was noted in the title of this event's thread on the T&FN Message Board, this event is really a Battle of the Hyphens.
Meaning, the top 3 contenders SHOULD be Brianne Theisen-Eaton, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and returning-from pregnancy Jessica Ennis-Hill.
These 3 are otherwise known as BTE, KJT, and JEH.
The World Record and Meet Record are out of the picture.
But it wouldn't be a shocker to see at least one of these women tipping over the 7000 points barrier.
Others who should be respectable are Barbara Nwaba, Nadine Visser, Nadine Broersen, Karolina Tyminski, Nafastou Thiam, Sharon Day-Monroe (one more hyphen!!), and even Erica Bougard, although she's had a long Collegiate season!
Some Place marks might go down!
Eleven here have PR's of 6500 or more, 26 have PR's over 6200, and 34 have PR's over 6000.
Hanna Melnychenko won Moscow with 6586, beating BTE's 6530.
Those 2 were the only ones over 6500, but 8 made it over 6300, and 17 over 6000.
Top American was 6th.
Shot Put--August 22
(WR-74-3 or 22.63 MR-69-8.25 or 21.24)
Valerie Adams ain't here.
She's at home in New Zealand recovering from a THIRD surgery!!
That clears the way for Christina Schwanitz.
But watch out for Michelle Carter, Natalia Mikhnevich, and China;s own Li Gong, who should be a MASSIVE crowd favorite!
Adams won Moscow with 68-6.
She was the only one over 67 feet, but 5 got past 65, and 7 past 60 feet!
Triple Jump--August 24
(WR & MR-50-10.25 or 15.50)
Caterine Ibarguen leads the field, and if she had some wind and maybe some heated competition, she MIGHT get close to the World & Meet Record.
But don't hold your breath!
Olga Saladukha, Ekaterine Koneva, and maybe Olga Rypakova could give her some heat.
The latter has a lifetime PR of 15.25, but she's reached just 14.48 this year!
The lone American, Christina Epps, has a PR that ranks her 27th out of 28 in the field!
Ibarguen won Moscow with a jump of 48-8.75.
Three got over 48 feet.
No American made the Final.
Don't expect anything different here!
100--August 24
(WR-10.49 MR-10.70)
Not quite the legend that her Countryman Bolt is, nonetheless, Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce (SAFP) is maybe a more solid favorite here than "HE" is!
That MR could get kicked out the Nest (pun very much intended!).
Earlier this year saw a mass of 10.8 times.
Several of them were run by English Gardner, Tori Bowie, Murietta Ahoure, Blessing Okagbare, and Michelle Lee-Ayhe.
Add Jasmine Todd, Dafne Schippers, Jeneba Tarmoh, Veronica Campbell-Brown (VCB), and Sherone Simpson.
Khalifa St Fort is just 17, and still in High School!
Some Place marks could fall.
SAFP cleaned Ahoure's clock in Moscow, winning in 10.71 over Ahoure's 10.93.
Five dipped under 11 seconds.
The fastest Heat & Semi were 10.94 and 10.87.
10000--August 24
(WR-29:31.78 MR-30:04.18)
This event is missing the "Big Guns".
No Tirunesh Dibaba.
No Meseret Defar.
And no Almaz Ayana or Genzebe Dibaba (who could probably DESTROY the WR if she wanted to!!).
But it does have a seemingly healthy and in-shape Vivian Cheruiyot!
Add Geleta Burka, Sally Kipyego, Alamitu Haroye, Betsy Saina, Mamitu Daska, and Belaynesh Oljira to the mix.
And what will Americans Shalane Flanagan and Molly Huddle do?
They COULD invade the other's territory!
Watch also for Susan Kuijken!
No Records here.
(I'd be shocked--I say SHOCKED!--if there were!)
Tirunesh won it all in 2013, timed in 30:43.35.
Four were under 30:50, and one more under 31:00.
Americans finished 8th, 12th, and 14th.
Discus Throw--August 25
(WR-252-0 or 76.80 MR-235-0 or 71.62)
In another year, this might be a Coronation for Sandra Perkovic.
But she's not as "HOT" as in the past, so watch for Denia Caballero to challenge her.
Also watch for Gia Lewis-Smallwood, Dani Samuels, and Nadine Muller.
A dark horse could be Shelbi Vaughan, but just for Top 6 or so!
Perky (HAHA!) won Moscow with 223-0.
She was the only one over 220 feet.
Five got past 210.
Top American was 5th!
1500--August 25
This event should receive AT LEAST as much attention as the Bolt-Gatlin circus!
For one reason.
Her name is Genzebe Dibaba.
She's going to double, she says.
This is her first event.
Questions:
Does she GUN it from the gun--and disappear?
Does anyone DARE follow her?
If she turns out to be a tiny bit HUMAN, watch for the top two Americans, Shannon Rowbury and Jenny Simpson, to challenge.
Add Sifan Hassan, and you've got yourself a RACE!
The WR is out of the question!
The Meet Record SHOULD fall---and maybe it will happen in a SEMI!!
Other players should be Faith Kipyegon, Abeba Aregawi, Dawit Seyaum, Tatyana Tomashova, Laura Muir, and Maureen Koster--the latter two recently under 4:00 for the 1st time!
The other Americans?
Both Kerri Gallagher's and Lauren Johnson's PR's are 7th best in their respective heats!
Only the first 6 automatically qualify for the Semi's.
Amana Bakhit of Sudan has a PR of 4:19.51, but her 2015 best is over a minute slower--5:22.27!!
WHY is she here??
Aregawi beat Simpson in 2013, 4:02.67 to 4:02.99.
Four got under 4:05 then.
Genzebe Dibaba was just 8th in 4:05.99.
She'd run her Semi in 4:05.23.
Then-17 year old Mary Cain ran HER semi in 4:05.21!
The fastest Heat was 4:06.78, the fastest Semi was 4:04.82.
Pole Vault--August 26
(WR-16-7.25 or 5.06 MR-16-5.25 or 5.01)
Maybe not at WR or MR level, but this event COULD be one of the best of the entire meet!
There are several women in the 15-5 (4.70) or higher territory.
If none of them No Height, and if they're all "ON", watch out!
Yarisley Silva has been on fire, with the only 16 footer of the year.
But not far behind are Jenn Suhr, Fabiana Murer, Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou, Silke Spiegelburg, and Anzhelika Sidorova.
Add on former Collegiate studs, Demi Payne and Sandi Morris, and local favorite Ling Li, and you've got yourself a competition!
Place marks could go down!
The "Missing One", aka Yelena Isinbayeva, won in Moscow with 16-0.50 over Jenn Suhr's 15-9.75.
She was the only American in that Final!
Seven got over 15 feet!
400H--August 26
(WR-52.34 MR-52.42)
This one seems more wide open than most events.
Zuzana Hejnova seems back in top shape, but Kaliese Spencer, Shamier Little, and Sara Petersen have run some good times.
There's also the veteran, Natalya Antyukh, but she's nowhere near her 52.70 PR, having run just 55.92 in 2015--so far!
Kori Carter and Cassandra Tate are the other Americans who might surprise.
This is generally a young person's event, so 36 year old Naroa Agvire stands out a bit.
Hejnova won Moscow in 52,83.
She was the only one under 54 seconds!
Fastest Heat was 54.42.
Fastest Semi was 53.52.
3000 Steeplechase--August 26
(WR-8:58.81 MR-9:06.57)
Here's another wide open event.
Because they're so close in talent, going for a fast time probably won't be in the cards.
But because of that very same talent, the MR could fall!
And American Emma Coburn could WIN!!
Not as fast or as sharp as in 2014, when she set the American Record with her 9:11.42, she nonetheless is no worse than any other major player.
Those include Habiba Ghribi, Hiwot Ayalew, Virginia Nyambura, Sofia Assefa, Etanesh Diro, and Hyvin Jepkemoi.
Add youngster Ruth Jebet--age 18--and maybe even new Jamaican, Aisha Praught, and you have a RACE!
New Place marks could be set!
Milcah Chemos won in 2013 in 9:11.65.
Five were under 9:20.
The fastest Heat was 9:24.02.
No Americans made the Final!!
That will certainly change in 2015!!
And that's it for the first part of this 2-part Women's Preview.
However---I will NOT be doing Part 2 right now.
It's just over a half hour until the start of the Men's Marathon--and the first Morning Session of the meet.
But I WILL have it posted for your reading pleasure soon after the end of the Morning Session!
It won't be cheating, since the events I'll be previewing don't begin until August 27th!!
So look for Part 2 sometime tonight!!
Meanwhile, enjoy these 3 posts---AND watching the meet!!
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