Crunch Time in Prep for Rio

It's building.
You can feel it, sense it, see it.
Athletes you haven't seen for awhile, or who had "bad" races or marks  a month or 2 ago, are appearing at meets far and wide.
Everybody who HAS a chance to make the team, or just BELIEVE they do, are running, throwing, and jumping like never before.
Yes, with just 18 days to go before the US Trials begin in Eugene, or the short time before other nation's trials and selections take place--athletes are seeing it's crunch time in their final preparations for the Olympics--or in trying to make their respective teams!
And we, the observers, are loving the show!
So let's see what's what, and who's who.

The Bislett Games in Oslo, Norway was, as has been the case too often in recent years, NOT the best DL meet you would expect just 2 months out from the Games, and especially from a meet with such a great history as Bislett has.

Thomas Rohler continued his streak of big Javelin Throws--293-0!
While it's a PR, he remains 15th A-T World!
Johannes Vetter was 2nd with 285-9, followed by Keshorn Walcott with his best this year--283-3.

Faith Kipyegon took over the Mile reins in the absence of Genzebe Dibaba, who withdrew just before the meet, as she won in a non-PR time of 4:18.60.
But behind her came Laura Muir's super PR of 4:19.12, which makes her 14th A-T World!!
In 6th came Karolina Grovdal, whose 4:26.23 is the National Record of Norway!

Dafne Schippers sprinted her 2nd fastest ever 200, a 21.93, easily defeating her Beijing WC rival Elaine Thompson, who ran just 22.64 in 2nd!
Schippers now owns the Oslo Meet Record!

Joe Kovacs won the SP with a throw of 72-2.50, but it was Konrad Bukowiecki who headlined the event.
His 69-4.25 throw breaks his own Age 19 record!

In other Oslo events--
Hyvin Chepkemoi Hiyeng slowed by about 10 seconds in the 3000SC from her recent sub-9:00 time, but still beat Sofia Assefa by about 9 seconds with her 9:09.57 winner.
Genevieve LaCaze got a slight PR with her 9:30.52 in 6th.
Asbel Kiprop jogged to a 3:51.48 Mile, just enough to beat Elijah Manangoi's 3:52.04, Taoufik Makhloufi's 3:52.24, and Nick Willis's 3:52.26.
Renaud Lavillenie could clear just a measly 19-0.25 in the PV, and Sandra Perkovic lobbed the Discus out just 220-2 for the win.
Brianna Rollins ran against a wind of 0.4 to run her 12.56 winner in the 100H.
Dawn Harper-Nelson came next in 12.75, while Jasmin Stowers ran 12.79 in 3rd.
Sally Pearson, in her second race back from the fractured wrist, could manage just 13.14 in 7th!
Ivana Spanovic took the LJ with 22-9.25, while Ruth Beitia could reach just 6-2.75 in the HJ.
Andre De Grasse won his 100 race in 10.07 (0.6 wind) over Michael Rodgers's 10.09, while Dentarius Locke ran 10.12 in 3rd.
BTW, in a 1500 "B" race, Henrik Ingebrigtsen's young brother, Jakob, ran 3:42.44 in 9th place.
Did I forget to tell you he's 15 years old?!
And he won't be 16 until the fall!!
Sources say it's the Age 15 record!
It's the same pace you'd run for a 3:59 Mile!!
In the 5000, Hagos Gebrhiwet used a final 800 of 1:53.14 to win in 13:07.70.
Muktar Idris took 2nd in 13:08.11, with young Yonif Kejelcha next in 13:08.34.
Alexis Copello won the TJ with 55-5.75, while Teddy Tamgho--once a 59 foot guy--could reach just 55-1.50.
All 4 of the finalists---that awful rule!!--fouled in the 6th round!!
Stephanie McPherson won the 400 in 51.04, with Natasha Hastings running 51.38.
Finally--from Oslo, that is--is the 400H, which was won in 48.79 by Yasmani Copello over Javier Culson and Michael Tinsley!!

Before moving forward, let's look back.
I have some "old" marks to report--old meaning maybe a few days to a week or so!!
From the Birmingham DL, I forgot to mention that Consesius Kipruto's 8:00.12 3000SC moves him from 14th A-T World to 13th!
In Prague, Yousief Meite's 9.99 in the 100 is the Ivory Coast National Record--obviously their first sub-10!!
Jimmy Vicaut tied his own National Record of France (and the entire European continent's best!!) in the 100 with his 9.86.
The wind was 1.8.
Kim Collins just keeps on rolling!
He actually ran his fastest ever 100 recently--a 9.93!!--to break his own Age 40 record!!
It also broke his own National Record of St Kitts!
(But in a more recent outing, he pulled up with groin tightness!)
Italy's Desiree Rossit HJ'ed a World leader of 6-5.50!
She's 22 years old.
Alina Talay sped to a 100H time of 12.63, good enough to break her own National Record of Belarus!!
Margaret Wambui--whose name has been appearing on MB's in the same breath as Caster Semenya's recently!!--ran the 800 in 1:57.52.
Anita Hinriksdottir--that once-so-promising youngster from Iceland--now 20!--came close to her 2013 PR in the 800 with a recent 2:00.54!
She was just 0.05 seconds removed!
This was also in Prague.
Brittney Reese got her best LJ of 2016--a leap of 23-1.25!
Pawel Fajdek accomplished the same in the Hammer, reaching 268-1.
A couple of veteran Pole Vaulters had great marks recently!
Jenn Suhr--seemingly over her calf tightness--flew over a bar set at 15-11.
This tied Fabiana Murer's 15-11 from 2015 as the Age 34 record!
Ekaterina Stefanidi added a quarter inch to Suhr's mark, her 15-11.25 breaking the National Record of Greece!!
She moves from 17th A-T World, tied with 2 others, all the way to 5th!!

A few older HS marks to report!
Alyssa Wilson broke her own Junior Class record in the SP, tossing it out 55-3.50.
But she remains 2nd All-Time HS!
Nickolette Dunbar also PR'ed in the SP, her 52-3.75 making her 18th A-T HS!!
And Sydney McLaughlin had a great one day double, winning both the 400 flat and 400H at her New Jersey state meet!
Her 51.87 in the flat race makes her 12th A-T HS.
(It's 0.03 slower than her INdoor HSR time of 51.84, set earlier this year.  If you look at T&FN's "absolute" list, all you'll see is that INdoor mark!  And unless she runs faster than that, it's all you'll see all year!!!  More argument for STOPPING that ludicrous AND CONFUSING practice, T&FN!!!)
Rant finished, I can now give you her 400H time--it's 56.23--not a PR!

Two sprint-centric meets took place over the weekend--the Star Athletics meet in Florida, and the Racers Grand Prix meet in Jamaica!
And there is MUCH to report from them!

Star Athletics is the training group for 18 year old Kaylin Whitney, just graduated from HS, and for veteran Justin Gatlin!
Whitney ran her fastest legal 100 (She had a windy 11.01 last year!) since 2014--11.17--even though she finished just 4th!
In 5th was HS Junior--but also a Pro!!--Candace Hill, who finished in 11.19.
This was the first time they ran in a final together!!
(They ran heat times of 11.20 and 11.26 earlier in the day!)
BTW, for Whitney, she breaks her own HS PRO record, and gets the 12th Grade HS PRO record also!
But Ms Hill also got a HS PRO record, as she broke Ms Whitney's 11th Grade record!!
Small world, eh?

But it was the first 2 in the race who startled the world!!
Murielle Ahoure sprinted to a World leading PR time of 10.78, the wind a legal 1.6!!
And she beat one Veronica Campbell-Brown--all of 34 years old!--who ran a solid 10.83!!
For Ahoure, it's the National Record for the Ivory Coast!
(See above for the Men's IC National Record!!)
She moves from 18th A-T World, tied with 2 others, to 11th, tied with 2 others!
Between them and Whitney came JoAnna Atkins, who ran 11.09.
In a separate section, in 5th, was Jasmine Todd, whose 11.44 wasn't too promising, especially coming on the heels of her sudden departure from the University of Oregon team just before the NCAA Championships!!
Ahoure ran 10.80 in her heat, with VCB doing 10.94, but there was a slight wind of 2.1.
Todd ran 11.33 in that race!


Hill doubled in the 200, dashing a fine 22.38, beating the vet Shalonda Solomon, who did 22.59.
This time--if it had been legal--would have been a low-altitude world's Age 17 best--but alas, a wind of just 2.1 removed that dream!!


In the Men's 200, Tyson Gay's 20.21 beat Justin Walker's 20.26.
In the 100, Marvin Bracy missed his PR by 0.01, his 9.94 winning over Aaron Brown's 10.01 and Clayton Vaughn's 10.02.
The earlier heats found my namesake Mr Brown using a max legal wind of 2.0 to run 9.96, which just edged Mr Gay's 9.97!

Ronnie Ash sped the 110H in 13.18--in a heat!
He didn't run the final!
Candice Price ran the 100H in 12.75.

In the Racers meet, two ULTRA World Class racers (sic!) made their initial Olympic year outings special ones for fans everywhere!
Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce, aka SAFP, ran 11.09 in the 100, beating Barbara Pierre's 11.11.
Two other veterans--Kelly Ann-Baptiste and Carmelita Jeter--were also-rans, KAB's 11.15 giving her 3rd, while CJ's 11.26 brought her home in 6th!
In the Men's race, Mr Usain Bolt reportedly stumbled out of the blocks, jogged a step or two (!!), then began to sprint, ending with 9.88!!
He--also reportedly!!--even let up before the tape!!
Running 9.94's in 2nd and 3rd were Jamaican stars Nickel Ashmeade and Yohan Blake.
Asefa Powell finished 4th in 9.98!
(A similarly renowned American foursome would have to include Mr's Gatlin & Gay, as well as Mr Rodgers and maybe Trayvon Bromell at his very best!!)
The wind was 1.0.

Shaunae Miller gave reason for Dafne Schippers, Elaine Thompson, and Allyson Felix to be a bit worried!
She PR'ed in the 200, her 22.05 breaking her own National Record of the Bahamas!
But it still misses my World A-T Top 24 Performers list by 0.06 seconds!!
She beat Jenna Prandini's 22.39!
The wind was 0.8.

Miguel Francis used a wind of 1.2 to run the 200 in 19.88.
It's the National Record of Antigua.
But he also misses my World DDD--by 0.03 seconds!

David Oliver ran the 110H in 13.09.
Sharika Nelvis won the 100H in 12.61, beating shock WC Gold winner of Beijing Danielle Williams's 12.77!
Chaunte Lowe continued her steady season in the HJ, winning with 6-4.
Sharika Jackson took the 400 in 50.72, while 20 year old Michael Cedeno took the Men's race in 44.37!
Bralon Taplin followed in 44.76, with Javon Francis and LaLonde Gordon next in 44.81 and 44.84.
Johnny Dutch ran the World leading 400H time of 48.10, but it wasn't a PR.
Natoya Goule won the 800 in 2:00.23, beating Kenia Sinclair's 2:01.12.
Finishing back in 5th was Phoebe Wright in 2:03.69!

The best race was one I don't keep records or lists for--the Men's 300 meters!!
And it was a BLAZER!!!
Wayde Van Niekerk outran LaShawn Merritt, 31.03 to 31.23!!
These are the 3rd and 4th best ever times, according to my World's Greatest in Athletics book!!
Only Michael Johnson's WR of 30.85 and Usain Bolt's 30.97 are faster!!
But that's not all!
In 3rd, 4th, and 5th--with, based on the same above source, the best Place times ever--were Tony McQuay (31.64), Gil Roberts (31.81), and Isaac Makwala (31.91)!!

You've read in this blog occasionally about a young lady by the name of Katelyn Tuohy.
I believe I began speaking of her when she was a sixth grade student!
Well, now she's grown to be an EIGHTH Grade student--and not too bad of a RUNNER either!!
In a recent 1500 race against HS stud Sammy Watson, Tuohy ran 4:24.36 in a valiant losing effort, setting a new Eighth Grade record (according to sources!)!!
Mary Cain holds the Frosh Class (9th Grade) record with her 4:17.84, set back in 2011.
Do you think Ms Tuohy--who seems to be a VERY serious racer!!--can break Ms Cain's record??
At her age, it's not that uncommon to cut 6 or 7 seconds off one's time for the distance in the space of a year!
BTW, Watson won the race in 4:22.09!

Ever hear of the Torpy brothers?
Well, neither had I.
But I think you will--and maybe for a long time to come!
In the same 800 race, Sean Torpy ran the fastest HS 800 of the year--1:47.95--to beat brother Chris Torpy's 1:49.80!!
Sean is now 9th A-T HS!
Watch for them!!

The last meet in this report is the Portland Track Festival, sort of a poor man's version of Payton Jordan!
And it produced a whole bunch of automatic Q's for the upcoming Trials---and not just the US Trials!!


It began on Saturday evening with the 10000's!
Natosha Rogers is BACK!!!
Basically disappearing after failing to make the 2012 Olympic team--despite running a PR of 31:59!--she started training again a year or so ago, and seemed in Trials form here!
Her 32:06.82 broke the PTF Meet Record!
She beat Tati Roberta de Cavalho's 32:09.14 and Sarah Pagano's 32:16.30.
Rogers turned 25 on May 7th!


The Men's race also saw the Meet Record broken--this time by Gabriel Geay's 28:04.98.
Noah Droddy ran 28:22.62 in 2nd.

Brenda Martinez negative split her 800 to run 2:00.21 for the win.
Her laps were 60.42 and 59.79!!
McKayla Fricker and Annie LeBlanc followed in 2:01.35 and 2:02.30.
In another section, Lauren Johnson won in 2:01.59.

The Men's 800's were taken by Drew Windle's winner of 1:45.65 and Anthony Romaniu's 1:45.94.
Behind Windle came Edwin Kemboi's 1:46.24.
Back in 5th and 6th behind Romaniu were a couple of fellows named Matthew Centrowitz and David Torrence, who is supposedly going to represent Peru in Rio!!
They ran in the high 1:47's!!

Centro doubled in the 1500, but could run only 3:41.59 there, finishing in 9th place!!
Winning that race was recent NCAA Champion Clayton Murphy, who ran 3:36.23--missing the Q time by 0.03 seconds!!
He beat Jordan McNamara's 3:38.07, Dorian Ulrey's 3:38.34, Ben Saarel's PR of 3:38.40, and Hassan Mead's 3:38.47!
In 7th, with a big PR time of 3:38.62, came Matthew Maton!
Christian Soratos came between Maton and Centro in 3:39.59.
After the race, in his Flotrack interview, Murphy said he's going Pro!!

The 5000's weren't fast.
In fact, looking at the names of the winners, the times were those we call Joggers!!
But they were happy nonetheless!!
Kim Conley ran 15:16.75, saying she WANTED to run tactically, to test her kick!!
She beat Gabe Grunewald's near PR of 15:19.50.
Now Gabe will have to decide which distance to run at the Trials, as she's also Qualified for the 1500!
Conley plans to do the 10K there.
Lucy Oliver ran 15:20.13 in 3rd, and she was followed by Alisha Williams.
Back some came Jordan Hasay's 15:32.19 and Erin Finn's 15:34.50.
Jen Rhines finished 17th in 16:05.20.
She turns 42 on the 1st day of the Trials, July 1st!!

Galen Rupp finally put on his racing kit!!
And actually ran!!
His loping 13:20.69 easily won from Tsegay Tuemay's 13:23.04.
He still plans to run the 10K at the Trials---and Rio!!

The Men's 3000SC was won by Carl Stones in 8:35.59, as no men got a Q time!
But Bailey Roth--who just PR'ed at the NCAA meet in the semi race, though not Q'ing for the final!!--PR'ed again in 3rd place here, running 8:36.65.

The Women's Steeple, however, saw SEVERAL women qualify!!
Lennie Waite, a 30 year old from Great Britain, ran 9:35.91 to get the PTF Meet Record!
Mel Lawrence made a big breakthrough, finishing 2nd in 9:36.55.
She's now 18th A-T US!!
Megan Rolland--who graduated in 2010 from the school I attended for 4 years in the 70's (though didn't graduate from!!)-Humboldt State University in Arcata CA--took 3rd in a PR of 9:36.88!
She's 19th A-T US!!
Veteran Nicole Bush was next in 9:39.84.
Then came Sarah Pease in 9:40.94 and Alycia Butterworth in 9:41.24.

Remember the name of the HSR holder in the 3000SC?
Brianna Nerud?
Well, FOUR YEARS (almost!) after TWICE breaking the HSR at the Barcelona World Junior Championships, she finally broke through into the 9's!!
Her HSR PR of 10:00.72 has now become 9:58.48, giving her 2nd in another section!!
Congratulations, Brianna!!
There's lots more to come!!

Speaking of High Schoolers----
The (slow?? section) Women's 1500 saw a TRIO of spectacular young women EACH get a solid Personal Record time!!
And it was WON by the fastest HS woman since the days of Mary Cain, Alexa Efraimson, and Elise Cranny!!
In fact, her winning time was FASTER than Ms Cranny's new PR run in the NCAA Championships!!!
Christina Aragon won with a fierce sprint down the final straight--eyes on the clock!--in 4:09.27, a PR by 1.97 seconds!!
It's the Senior Class record!
She moves from 4th to 3rd--ahead of Cranny!!--on the A-T HS list!!
In 2nd came Lianne Farber's 4:12.35.
In 3rd was the next HS'er, Katie Rainsberger, whose 4:12.62 was a PR by 1.66 seconds!
She remains 5th A-T HS!
Then came Ella Donaghu, who improved her previous best by 1.17 seconds.
Her time was 4:14.11.
She moves from 8th to 6th on the A-T HS list!!
Paige Kouba, the Harvard runner who hails from Eugene, and who just ran a PR in the 3000SC at the NCAA's, finished 9th in 4:16.61--beaten by 3 HS girls!!

Yet another HS woman--Annie Hill, a Sophomore!!--finished 4th in another section, time of 4:24.50!
That race was dominated by a couple of moonlighting Steeplechasers!!  Jamie Cheever's PR time of 4:11.62 won over the PR by Shalaya Kipp--4:13.39.

The "A" race was won by 2016's high-riser, Kate Grace, who outkicked two Canadians--Nicole Sifuentes and Gabriella Stafford--running 4:05.93.
Sifuentes and Stafford ran in the mid-4:06's.
Stephanie Brown ran 4:09.16.
Another NCAA winner---in fact, the one who JUST avoided losing to the above-mentioned Ms Cranny--Marta Freitas--ran 4:15.94 in 10th place.
That was about 6 seconds slower than she ran one day before!!

I'll close this "epic" (in length only!!) report by happily stating Mutaz Barshim has RETURNED!!
He's back in the world of 2.40 (metric) HJ's!!
He cleared exactly that height--7-10.50 in English measurement--in a recent meet!!

One special announcement--
Molly Huddle said she is going to run her first Marathon in the New York City race this fall!!
Something we can all look forward to!!

See you soon!