The Fall of the Rome DL (& more!)

Should I have titled it "Roman" DL?
Whatever.
This year's version was NOT a good meet, pure and simple.
(For more on DL's in general, see my comments below!)
Sure, there were a FEW great performances, and some standout Performers--but on the whole, it just left too much in the tank for it to be termed "great".

Almaz Ayana was pretty much the whole ball of wax!
Asking for the first 3000 (of the 5000) to go at 8:29 was too much to ask!
It was Ayana herself who took the field past 2K in 5:41, then 3000 in 8:30!
That's WR pace!!
All alone, she fell off a bit to a K in 2:53, which left her needing a closing kilometer of 2:47.
Her first 400 of that final K was 69.
Then she hit 66, which gave rise to WR dreams coming true!
I didn't see the race, but she fell back to 68 pace for the final 200 (34 seconds).
Still, her time of 14:12.59 made her 2nd A-T World, moving up from 3rd!
She gets the Rome Meet Record, as well as the Age 24 record!
Mercy Cherono PR'ed in 2nd over 21 seconds behind!

Valerie Adams is on her way back to the Top of the Mountain!!
She had 5 Puts better than the 2nd placer!
Her best was 64-7.25.

The Women's---and I emphasize WOMEN's--800 was won by Francine Niyonsaba in 1:58.20.
Lynsey Sharp was 2nd in a good 1:59.03.
Ajee Wilson fell apart in the final 200, finishing 10th & last in 2:03.
Oh BTW, someone named Caster Semenya ran 1:56.64.

In the absence of the Big 2--Jenn Suhr & Yelena Isinbayeva--Greece took over the Women's PV in Rome, with Ekaterina Stefanidi's 15-7 outdueling Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou's 15-7 for the win!
Yarisley Silva matched her 2016 best of 15-1 in 3rd.
Wilma Murto--who got up to 15-5.50 INdoors--couldn't go higher than 14-3.25, which was still her OUTdoor PR!!
Fabiana Murer No Heighted at 14-9!!

Ameer Webb doubled in the 200 and 100--20.04, then a PR of 9.94, finishing a tick behind Justin Gatlin's 9.93.
Trayvon Bromell might have felt a tightening, so slowed to a 20.80 for 7th in the half lap!
Gatlin's time was 0.02 from the Age 34 record!!

Elaine Thompson took the win from Pre winner English Gardner's 10.92 with her 10.87 in the 100.

Other good performances were Consesius Kipruto's 8:01.41 in the 3000SC, with 2nd 10 seconds back!
Cory Leslie's 8:20.43 gave him 9th place!
Wayde Van Niekerk's 44.19 to take the 400 from Bralon Taplin's 44.43 and Isaac Makwala's 44.85.
Orlanda Ortega winning the 110H in 13.22 over Pascal Martinot-Legarde's 13.29.
Janieve Russell of Jamaica running a World leading 400H time of 53.96.
Georgeanne Moline stumbled over the 1st hurdle, and never recovered, finishing 8th in 57.64!
Caterine Ibarguen continuing her winning streak, her 34th straight TJ win measuring 48-6.
Olga Rypakova was 2nd with a 47-7.25.
(Again, I remind you that 20 year old Collegian Keturah Orji recently had a windy jump of 47-11.)
Mutaz Barshim fizzled again, leaving the HJ podium topper to Bogdan Bondarenko's 7-7.75!
Barshim was 6th with 7-5.25!!
Greg Rutherford won the LJ---yawn!--with 27-3.25!
Barbora Spotakova is having a hard time getting back to her dominating self--finishing 6th in the JT to Sunette Viljoen's pedestrian throw of 203-3!
Robert Urbanek took the DT with 213-3.
The Men's 1500 was another stroll in the park, with 12th place being just 2.11 behind Elijah Manangoi's 3:33.96 winner.
The "B" Men's 100 was all James Dasaolu's, time of 10.11.
In the "B" Women's 800, Tigist Assefa won in 2:00.84, with Chanelle Price in 5th with 2:02.07.
Laura Roesler might have followed the theme of the whole meet---by falling!!---and DNF'ing!!

Before I get to my "commentary", I have a selection of other marks to offer!
This is a BUSY few days--with Rome, the California State HS meet, a couple of US-centric middle distance meets, a couple of other European meets, plus the Friehofer's 5000 Road Race for Women!
That's why I'm doing this results post now---so I can share my thoughts on some items of note---leaving the rest of the results for another post 2 or 3 days from now!


First, some "old" stuff.
In those Miles at Pre, the 1500 splits were given for Michael Slagowski, Drew Hunter, and Austin Tamagno!
Hunter's was 3:41.65, which moves him up 1 place on the A-T HS list, from 4th to 3rd!
Slagowski's was a non-PR 3:43.03.
Tamagno was timed in 3:44.32, also not a PR.

Lauren Rain Williams--still just 16 years old--ran the 200 in 22.80!
She moves from 11th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 6th!!

Joy McArthur--still new to the HT list--improved her A-T HS standing from 9th to 5th with her throw of 198-7!
Erika Malaspina PV'ed 13-9 for 13th A-T HS, tied with 5 others!
Madison Wiltrout continues her comeback from surgery, her JT of 164-1 being her longest of 2016!!

On the World scene, Sosthene Moguenera LJ'ed a World leading 23-6.
She's 22nd A-T World, tied with 2 others!!


In the Adrian Martinez meet, some good distance stuff emerged.
The HS Men's Mile list for 2016 can now be said to be equal to the Women's 1500 list.
They--as do the Women in the 1500--now total FOUR guys who have run the Mile in 4:01.50 or faster this year!!
That 4:01.50 belongs to Thomas Ratcliffe, who finished 8th in a race with Pro's, the winner, Sam Penzenstadler, timed in 3:57.73, with the first 6 breaking 4:00!
It ranks him 15th A-T HS, tied with 1 other.
That "other" happens to be Gerry Lindgren, who ran a hand-timed 4:01.5 in 1964!!
(I call that a tie, even though hand-times can't be exactly compared to FAT's!)

Sammy Watson was another HS'er who shone at this meet!
In fact, she placed 2nd in a field of Pro women behind only McKayla Fricker's winning 2:02.77.
Her 2:03.06 moves her from 14th A-T HS to 11th!

Brie Felnagle took the Mile from Emily Lipari, time of 4:32.72.
And Gabe Grunewald passed leading Kim Smith in the final lap, winning the 5000 in 15:25.40!
Sarah Pagano took 2nd in 15:26.79, while Smith finished 4th in 15:32.10.

Take a break, and come back for some of my OPINIONS!!

(And some news!)

On Caster Semenya
In my last post, I stated that this blog (& my T&F Record Book) would NOT accept any time run by Semenya for Records of any kind, or my Top 24 lists!
There's a LONG thread on this subject on the T&FN Message Board.
The opinions mostly say that Semenya does NOT belong in a "Women's" race!!
Period!!
The ruling that allows her to race with Women MUST be withdrawn!
She must be banned from future competitions until and unless she "becomes" equal to other Women in "her" internal make-up!
I see this as no different than having someone FULL of performance enhancing drugs being allowed to race!!
This must END!!
One person (on the MB) suggested the other women might choose to walk off the track if Semenya appears!!
I FULLY support a "girlcott" of Semenya's appearances!!
Consequences be damned!!
It's time to END kowtowing to Political Correctness, and face down the REALITY of this situation!!
Semenya is NOT an equal to the females of T&F.
Period!!

On Russia and Yelena Isinbayeva
Again, you know where I stand on these dual subjects, especially if you read my recent post!
You can't ban an entire nation, without banning those who are innocent.
If a town finds 99 of their citizens guilty, and one person innocent of all charges, do you send all 100 to prison??
NO!!
Isi has threatened to sue to be able to compete in Rio if the Russian ban is upheld later this month!
(Several people are predicting that SOME Russians---Isi??-- will be allowed to compete, but probably NOT under the Russian flag!)
If the last is the only way to get her to Rio---and some DL's before then!!---I fully support that move!!
She's said that if the ban is lifted, she'll compete in 2 DL's and the European Championships before the OG!!
You are VERY welcome, Miss Isinbayeva!!
Without you, the Rio Women's PV will be an empty farce!!

On the Diamond League set-up
It's a loser!
We get the same events in half the meets, with the other half having the same monotonous set-up!
Most of these meets have lengthy histories--e.g Weltklasse, Van Damme, DN Galan, London, Paris, Herculis, and even Rome's Golden Gala.
Before the DL was born in 2010, you'd see lots of different events--a few, like the 10000 or the Mile particular to meets like the Bislett Games.
Today, you get the same old tired menu!
I realize lots of "average" fans like the Points system of the DL.
But wouldn't they like even more a meet that gave $1,000,000 for a WR??
Try it.

Field Events & the Number of Rounds
The rule was changed for some high-profile meets to make the meet more palatable for the masses of TV viewers.
Instead of the Top 8 or 9 getting an additional 3 rounds---for a total of 6--it's now a case where just the Top 4 get those last 3 jumps or throws!
This is supposed to save time, so the TV folks can show more ads, or babble on (Babylon??!!) incessantly!!
But all it does is prevent an athlete who might have his or her best throw or jump in the later rounds from GETTING that winning effort!!
Not everyone is a first-attempt master!
And having a few extra throws won't bore those who came to see--say, Valerie Adams--get SIX shots instead of maybe just 3.
(Bad example?  Adams rarely finishes out of the final 4!!)
Again, the T&FN MB has been opining on this of late.
And again, most of the opiners HATE this rule!
As do I.

On the USA Women's PV
This year APPEARED to be the year that the US might SWEEP the medals in Rio!!
Jenn Suhr, Demi Payne, and Sandi Morris--in no particular order---were seen as serious candidates for a medal sweep!!
Then the shit hit the fan!!
Suhr said she was still bothered by a calf strain or tightness, and either under-performed, or withdrew from meets she'd been listed as an entrant!
(This was combined, however, with some GREAT Vaults!!)
Then Payne's pole broke, making for T&FN's Photo of the Century--but also making for a "gnarly" fractured thumb!!
She SAID she'd be okay, but she cancelled out of her NCAA "Regional", thus basically ending her Collegiate career.
Will it also end her season?
Then Morris ALSO broke a pole, but her injuries were a bit less severe than Payne's.
She also had to withdraw from some meets, but promised she'll be ready for the Trials.
Our three best female PV'ers---all on the DL (disabled list, silly!).

MIA's
In the past, this blog has wondered about some (mostly female) athletes who either disappeared, or performed far worse than they'd done before.
And I'm still wondering about some of them.
Wesley Frazier?
A star in HS--times of 4:39, 10:12, and 15:55--then very little at Duke, before skipping town to go home to North Carolina State, where she's continued down her Trail of Tears!
Will she come back?
Sarah Baxter?
She was undefeated (until her very last race!) as a XC runner at Simi Valley HS in California.
Going to Oregon, she was expected to star, even as a Freshman in 2014!
Nope!
Her latest times are times HS'ers beat!!
She's just ending her Soph year, so has time to turn things around.
Hannah and Haley Meier, twins from Michigan who were going to team with Frazier at Duke, but while they did better than Wesley, it was nowhere near what they did as Michigan HS'ers!
Where are they?
Alana Hadley?
We all know her story.
Going Pro in 2012 as a HS Soph, choosing to race Marathons instead of track 3200's or whatever!
She won the Indy race of 2014 in 2:38:34---a 3:21 improvement over her Indy time of 2013!---then an endless series of DNF's---including from the NYC Marathon!!
Many people blame it on her father, who also coaches her!
How about Wesley's sister, Ryen?
Another super talent, who won a few of her early XC races at NC State!
But nothing recently.
Is she injured?
Or is she just on the same sinking ship her sister is on??
Mary Cain?
TEN HSR's in 2013!!
Some good times in 2014, especially INdoors.
Then less--and less--and less!
And now NOTHING!!
Alberto Salazar said she's "not in race shape"!!
Well, duh!
The rise of Cain (raising Cain!!  LOL) was meteoric!
The fall has been almost as dramatic---and steep!!
Brigetta Barrett?
A 6-8.25 HJ'er in a nation where no one---except a HS Pro--has gotten over 6-6 since her "disappearance".
She was injured in 2015, then jumped 6-0.50 in an early INdoor meet.
And nothing since!!
Despite the great comeback by 3-time mom Chaunte Lowe, and the HSR-smashing jumps of Vashti Cunningham, Barrett's return would be most welcome!!

UO loses two
Jasmine Todd was supposed to race the 100 and the 4X100 Relay, as well as LJ, at the West Prelims!
She withdrew from all of them, then issued a statement that said "due to unforeseen circumstances" "NOT related to injury", she was ending her career at the University of Oregon.
Yet again, this "mystery" has been turned inside out with speculation, rumor, and gossip on Track and Field News's Message Board.
Take your pick.
She's either had a catfight with another UO team member, or doesn't like her coaches, or maybe is  pregnant!!
Then, before the ink was dry on Todd's closing down her stay at UO, MaryBeth Sant said SHE has "regrettably" chosen to end her career.
Period!!
Meaning she's RETIRING from the sport!
Due to a string of injuries she's been unable to recover from!
Two talented Oregon sprinters---suddenly GONE from the team!!
As I suggested in my last post, Hannah Cunliffe might just follow suit.
In fact, her seeking a dual-citizenship with Italy can be seen as the opening shot of such a change!
She'll compete at the NCAA (in just the 100 and Relay, as she failed to qualify in the 200!!), and then??
Will she go Pro?
Or return to Oregon in the fall for her last 2 years of eligibility??

On TrackTown, the movie
Aaah, to end this diatribe on a most HAPPY note!
Alexi Pappas, who will race the 10000 for Greece in Rio, is also a talented movie-maker!
She and her boyfriend, Jeremy Teicher, have combined to make 2 movies so far.
The last is TrackTown, a story STARRING Pappas about a woman distance runner!
Well, duh!!
But it's getting rave reviews as one of the "6 best independent" movies at the Los Angeles Film Festival, where it will have its premiere on the 4th---2 days from now!!
I can't wait until it's released on DVD, and available for purchase!
I'll be the proverbial first in line!!
I LOVE sweet Alexi!!


See you soon!!