World Records have become scarce commodities in T&F in recent years.
Especially ones that break marks made 28 years ago!
But when Kendra (Keni) Harrison ran the 100H in 12.24 at the Prefontaine Classic, World Record chatter became rampant!
Then she failed to make TeamUSA for Rio!
Would she end her season?
Or reach out for redemption?
In the 2-day London Diamond League meet, she simply broke the World Record, set by Yordanka Donkova in 1988 at 12.21.
She faced a field that included the entire Rio US 100H squad.
Her start was good, but she didn't take the lead until the 3rd or 4th hurdle.
Increasing it all the way to the tape, her 12.20 beat her nearest foe by 0.37 seconds, and that was Brianna Rollins, whose 12:26 in 2013 caused equal amounts of WR talk!!
She dipped at the line, so the photo-timer didn't catch her time, but caught Rollins's 12.57 instead!
Instant commentary was that it sure LOOKED faster than that!
And it was!
It's the WR, the American Record (breaking her own mark!), the London DL Meet Record, and the Age 23 record.
She remains 1st American.
And she moves from 2nd A-T World to 1st!
Kristi Castlin's 12.59 followed Rollins, with Nia Ali in 4th with 12.63.
Times of mere mortals!!
(BTW, her heat time was 12.40, which had initially broken the Meet Record!! And Jessica Ennis-Hill ran a solid 12.76 in a heat!)
Much more to report from LondonTown, but let's move to Houston Texas, where a relatively minor meet was held at Rice University!
The American Track League held its 2nd (and final) meet of 2016, with all its "entertainment"---cheerleaders, music, beer, fans just feet away from the action, with instant mingling post-event!
And an American Record by the snake-loving, humorous, and strikingly beautiful Arkansas alum, Sandi Morris!!
Entering the 5-person PV--after Morgann LeLeux & 2 others NH'ed, and the only other with a mark went out after 14-3.25--Morris made that height, plus 14-9, 15-1, and 15-5 on initial tries.
It took two to make 15-9.
Then, lifting her pole, she sped down the raised runway, the crowd gasping as she cleared cleanly at 16-2, or 4.93!!
Screaming over and over as she fell to the pit, she jumped up and screamed some more, the new American Record holder, and now 2nd on the A-T World list to Yelena Isinbayeva!!
It's also the ATL Meet Record, and the Age 24 record--beating an Isi mark from 2006!!
She moves from 2nd A-T US, tied with 1 other, to 1st.
And she moves from 8th A-T World, tied with 3 others, to 2nd!!
Her 3 tries at 16-7.50 (5.07) missed.
This time.
In one of the best DL meets, with many standout performances, few were more loudly applauded by the British crowd than Laura Muir's 1500 National Record-breaking time of 3:57.49!!
This took down "Dame" Kelly Holmes's mark from the 2004 OG's!
It misses my World Top 24 Performers list by 0.95 seconds!
Ten women broke 4:04, with just 1 calling Africa her home!!
Sifan Hassan was 2nd in 4:00.87, being outkicked by Muir's 61 second final 400!!
Meraf Bahta, Laura Weightman, and Axumawit Embaye were next.
Then came US Trials 4th placer (by a few diving hairs!) Amanda Eccleston, running her second PR time in just a few days, her 4:03.25 finally getting her on the A-T US list, in 17th place!!
In 10th came Morgan Uceny's 4:03.96!
Pushed OFF my US list was Cindy Bremser's 4:04.09, from 1985!
Another London crowd fave was Mo Farah, who got his wheels turning with 2 laps to go, ending with a sub-2:00 800 in one of his rare sub-13:00 5000's, his 12:59.29 beating a class field by over 15 seconds!!
Bernard Lagat, a year older than when he shattered the Age 40 & Over record with his 13:14.97, cut 0.01 from his own mark, for the new Age standard!!
Ryan Hill and Ben True were less than 2 seconds back, in 5th & 6th!
British female sprinters have been coming on of late, and that solidified in a new National Record for their 4X100 Relay team, time of 41.81.
It's also a Meet Record, and moves them from 11th A-T Nation to 6th!
The British Men fielded TWO teams, their A squad's 37.78 nipping their B team's 37.81!
Canada took 3rd with 38.17!
In the Women's 400, Shaunae Miller nabbed a PR, her time of 49.55 missing my A-T World list by 0.27 seconds!!
Stephanie McPherson was far back, running 50.40!
Renaud Lavillenie and Ekaterina Stefanidi took the PV's, with respective marks of 19-4.25 and 15-9.
Sam Kendricks took 2nd to Renaud with his 19-1.50, while Yarisley Silva was 2nd to the Greek with her 15-5.75!
Eliza McCartney took 3rd with 15-1.75, while Kristen Brown's 14-10 missed my US DDD by 1 inch!!
Sandra Perkovic got the Meet Record with her Discus Throw of 229-5!!
Dani Samuels was far behind with her 210-4.
The sprints had BIG names--though their times were--at least for them!---average!
Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce won her 100 heat in 11.03, beating Christiana Williams's 11.05.
Marie Josee Ta Lou took the other heat in 10.96, with Michelle Lee Ahye 2nd in 11.03, and Dina Asher-Smith next in 11.07.
Ta Lou matched her heat time in the final, with Ahye improving to 10.99 in 2nd, and SAFP next in 11.06!!
Jimmy Vicaut won his 100 heat in 9.96, but a headwind slowed the final.
After being driven in on his Bolt-mobile, Usain Da Man took the 200 in 19.89.
While "slow" by his standards, it marked his return to action after DNS'ing the Jamaican Trials, and being allowed to prove his fitness in London!!
He did.
(Alonzo Edward was 2nd in 20.04, with Adam Gemili 3rd in 20.07!)
Dafne Schippers, looking in GREAT shape, strode her 200 in 22.13, easily beating Tiffany Townsend's 22.63!
Kaylin Whitney--who might have done better had she chosen to try for the World Junior's instead of facing top Pro's like Schippers--was 7th in 23.12.
Ruth Beitia took the HJ with a good 6-6, missing the Age 37 record by just 0.25 inches!!
Katarina Johnson-Thompson--aka KJT--was 2nd with 6-4.75, a PR!
She also took the LJ with a solid 22-4.75, beating Shara Proctor's 22-3.75!!
Andrew Pozzi ran his 110H heat in 13.19, a PR.
The final was slower!
Kerron Clement took the one-lap Hurdles in 48.40, beating Javier Culson's 48.63!
Delilah Muhammad's 53.90 took the Women's 400H, with Sara Petersen running 54.33, and Shamier Little back in 6th with her 55.01.
Joe Kovacs won the SP with his 72-2.75.
Tom Walsh's 70-8 beat David Storl's 70-2.25 for 2nd, with US Olympian Darrell Hill next with 69-8.25!
Jakub Vadlejch's 281-3 took the Javelin Throw.
Christian Taylor got the longest TJ of 2016, his 58-4 nabbing the Meet Record!!
Canadian Brandon McBride's PR of 1:43.95 barely lost to Pierre Ambroise-Bosse's 1:43.88 in the 800!
GB's Shelayna Oskan-Clarke took the Women's race, her 1:59.46 beating Lynsey Sharp's 1:59.54, and the revived Molly Ludlow's 1:59.56!!
The Women's 3000SC became "tactical" after the rabbit led them through a K in 3:01.
Habiba Ghribi's 9:21.35 prevailed over Stephanie Garcia's 9:26.26.
In 4th--with a PR of 9:31.75--came Aisha Praught.
Next was Shalaya Kipp--whose knee met a hurdle straight on--in 9:34.12.
She was left with a reddened kneecap, and some anger at the barrier!!
Silas Kiplagat took a Mile "walk", his time being 3:53.04!
Leo Manzano had one of "his days"--ending in 11th in 4:01.61.
In the Eberstadt, Germany HJ's, Derek Drouin won the Men's with 7-9.75, while Marie Laurence-Jungfleisch took the Women's with her 6-6.75!
In an unknown meet, Lisa Ryzih PV'ed 15-6.25, making her 22nd A-T World, tied with 1 other!
At the Morton Games, in Dublin, Ireland, Katie Mackey continued her strong summer, winning the Mile in 4:25.48.
This makes her 12th A-T US!!
Heather Kampf took 2nd in 4:27.33, making her 22nd A-T US!
(It was a bit surprising to me that she wasn't already ON my list--but I guess she runs most of her Mile races on Roads and INdoor tracks!!)
Cory McGee's 4:28.55 misses my US list by 0.94 seconds!
Stephanie Schappert ran 4:30.07, while Aisling Cuffe was 9th in 4:36.23!
(What was SHE doing in Europe?? I believe she graduated from Stanford, but I haven't heard anything about her turning Pro!! Does she have XC eligibility left?? I'll see what I can find out!!)
BTW, two women of note were axed FROM my US list!!
Gone are a pair of Amy's--Rudolph's 4:27.66 from 1999, and Wickus's 4:27.68 from 1997!!
John Gregorek took the Men's Mile in 3:55.57, with Kyle Merber and Colby Alexander close behind, both under 3:56 also!
Eleven broke 4 minutes!
Stephen Mozia continues to raise his National Record of Nigeria in the SP, his latest reaching 68-3.75!!
An earlier meet in Hungary saw some good results!
Akani Simbine is proving his sprint talents outside of South Africa!
His 9.89 broke his own National Record, as he beat Asefa Powell's 9.92, a wind of 1.9 providing some help.
But Simbine misses my World list by 0.02 seconds!!
He also took the 200, his 20.16 beating Isiah Young's 20.24.
Kirani James easily took the measure of Tony McQuay, 44.60 to 45.08.
Blessing Okagbare won a windy (2.6) 100 in 10.92.
Veronica Campbell-Brown's 22.52 took the 200.
Kaylin Whitney had a good race in 4th, 22.85!
Molly Ludlow's 1:59.99 lost only to Francine Niyonsaba's 1:59.84 in the 800.
David Rudisha showed good fitness, winning the Men's race in 1:43.35, with Jonathan Kitilit next in 1:44.16.
Erik Sowinski was 4th in 1:45.44.
Donald Thomas showed a big return to form, winning the HJ with 7-9.25.
This ties the Age 32 record!!
Bogdan Bondarenko took 2nd with his 7-8.50!
In throwing events, Pawel Fajdek took the HT with his 266-1.
Zoltan Kovago's 220-3 took the Discus Throw from Daniel Stoll's 219-7.
And Valerie Adams appears to be MOST of the way back to form, winning the SP with her best "comeback" throw of 66-3!!
Christine Schwanitz took 2nd with 66-1, HER best of the year!!
Michelle Carter threw 64-2.50, while Anita Marton reached a PR of 63-11.50!!
(Must mean some "big meet" is just around the bend!! LOL)
To close this post, I'll return to Houston and the ATL meet!
Jenna Prandini double-dipped, winning the 100 in 11.21, and the 200 in 22.42.
Both marks beat the Meet Records--held by VCB!!
Phyllis Francis took 2nd in the 200, time of 22.50.
Wallace Spearmon broke his own MR with his 200 time of 20.31.
Andre De Grasse beat the Super Vet Asefa Powell in the 100, 10.02 to 10.08, fighting a bit of wind!
Cy Hostetler took the Javelin, throwing 265-3.
It's also a Meet Record!
Sharika Nelvis took the 100H in 12.83.
The Men's 400H had an interesting participant!!
Remember 2014, when Decathlete Ashton Eaton ran a bunch of 400H's, with a best of 48.69?
Well, this time, Curtis Beach took a turn, finishing 3rd to Jeshua Anderson's 49.48, with his 49.87!
I'm pretty sure that's a PR.
I've never heard of his running that event before!!
(BTW, Mr Eaton ran the flat 400 in one of his fastest times--45.63. He also threw the Javelin. His wife, Brianne Thiesen-Eaton, ran the 100H in 13.04. Ashton also took a short turn in the ESPN TV booth, commentating on---his wife's race!! LOL)
A featured race was supposed to be the 1000, pitting 800 specialist Clay Murphy against 1500 man Matthew Centrowitz.
Jogging past 400 in 56, it became a MoBot affair, ending with a little last straight sprint, with Murphy holding off Centro, 2:20.12 to 2:20.20!!
The Women's 800 saw Natoya Goule take the lead after the rabbit left, but Ajee Wilson opened up in the final 100, prevailing 1:59.98 to 2:00.33.
McKayla Fricker was 3rd in 2:01.29.
In the best race of the evening, Courtney Okolo ran the 300 in 35.74.
I believe--though I'm not 100% certain--this makes her 6th A-T World, and 2nd A-T US!!
My "World's Greatest in Athletics" book (See my review of this great book in an older post!!) includes separate lists of hand-timed marks, as well as "enroute" marks. I did NOT include those in my calculations!!)
It's a Meet Record!
Kendell Baisden was a good 2nd, running 36.39.
I believe that makes her either 7th or 8th A-T US!!
The World Junior Championships---the Under 20 version!!--concludes later today!
I already have several pages of some excellent results, ready to post!
The meet ends today with 8 more finals!!
At its conclusion, I'll post another litany of results--entirely from that 6 day meet!!
See you then!
No comments:
Post a Comment