17:10.02 & 236-3

This blog has been reporting all of the Records & great Marks emerging from these Olympic Games.
These always involve numbers!
But what do these numbers symbolize?
Look at the title!
Those two figures define what these Games are all about.
One is the time of an athlete's race.
The other is how far another athlete threw an implement.
I'll begin by telling you about those numbers, and what they really mean.

The Women's 5000 meter heats began Day Five of T&F competition.
These were a formality, as we already knew the outcome of the final.
Almaz Ayana would again destroy an iconic World Record, and the word "limits" would be expunged from lexicons that describe what athletes are capable of!
Who MADE it to the final---besides Ayana---didn't really matter!

Helen Obiri took the first heat in 15:19.38.
Yasmine Can, Mercy Cherono, Shelby Houlihan, and Susan Kuijken all came in under 15:20.
Kim Conley, however, faded to 12th in 15:36.00 as the major non-Q.

Ayana, after following a similarly paced 2nd heat, decided to jog a bit faster, and loped to a 15:04.35, about 13 seconds ahead of the other Q's, including Senbere Teferi, Vivian Cheruiyot, and GenGen LaCaze, who continued her season-long string of PR's with her latest, 15:20.45!
Stephanie Twell and Mimi Belete failed to move on.

Somewhere past two miles, Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand fell.
Abbey D'Agostino, right behind her, got tangled, and went down--hard!
But she got up, now far behind the pack, and urged Hamblin to get up and finish.
It's the Olympics, she said!
Hamblin rose, and the two began jogging forward.
Then Abbey crumbled, her knee unable to function.
She appeared in dire pain, as now Hamblin stopped to urge D'Agostino to get up and run.
She did---slowly.
Hamblin, after one final plea for Abbey to finish, strode ahead, not hurt.
She finished well over a minute behind the leaders.
But the cameras--and the eyes of the world--were on Abbey as she winced with every step, but each step getting her nearer to the finish line, over 4 laps away!

When she arrived---in 17:10.02--she was met by Hamblin, who embraced this woman she'd never met before, allowing her to stand in dignity.
She then called for medical help, and a wheelchair was brought to take Abbey away.
She would need surgery, and her Games and season were finished.
Even though both were advanced to the final, only Hamblin would run--and said she'd be thinking of her new friend Abbey all the way!

THAT, as a viral outpouring of messages said, was the Spirit of the Games--what they really MEANT!!

The other number---that 236-3--also tells you what these Games are about.
We all knew that Pawel Fajdek was the Anita Wlodarczyk of the Hammer Throw---meaning he was 100% certain of victory, and by a HUGE margin!!
But, as John Lennon sang, "Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans"!
In the qualifying round of the HT, Fajdek's "plans" were to spin around, whip that ball & chain out to 250 or 260 on his first try, then retire for the day, Q'ed to move on to the Gold!

Except his best effort measured that same 236-3.
And he became one of a long list of names who failed to qualify for that final!
Again in comparison to his female peer, it would be as if SHE hadn't advanced either!
A total shocker!!

Wojciech Nowicki's 254-9 led the dozen, with Ivan Tikhon's 251-0 next in line.
All 3 Americans would join Fajdek on the sidelines!

Now on to the more "normal" numbers!

The Women's PV qualifying also saw some major names fail to advance.
(I could once again say Yelena Isinbayeva was FORCED out of the final by nefarious means, unlike ones who were given a CHANCE to succeed!!)
The Sweetheart of Rio--Fabiana Murer--No Heighted!!
(Imagine the same if Isi had NH'ed out of the Moscow World Championships in 2013!!)
For an unknown reason, Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou was a DNS!
Two of the teens didn't make it either--Wilma Murto and Lexi Weeks.
Weeks went out after clearing 14-7.25!
Angelica Bengtsson, Ling Li, and Alysha Newman also failed to Q.
Jenn Suhr performed admirably, despite having incurred a BAD virus--but not Zika!!
Unless she winds up in a hospital, she'll be in the final!

The Men's TJ final saw two Americans get Gold and Silver!!
And it all happened in the first round!
Will Claye PR'ed by one-quarter inch--to 58-3.25, giving his friend Christian Taylor  a target to aim for!
And Taylor's first shot landed at 58-7.25, enough for the win!
Claye remains 7th A-T US.
And he moves from 22nd A-T World, tied with 2 others, to the same spot, but minus the ties!!

Want MORE "Spirit of the Games" stuff??
To begin his celebration, Claye went to the stands where his girlfriend of several years sat.
Her name is Queen Harrison!
Yes, THAT Queen Harrison!
With everyone watching, he PROPOSED to her---and she accepted!--and gave her a diamond ring.
Fair exchange, yes?
He'd be getting a Silver, and he gave Queen a Diamond!!

BTW, Bin Dong's 57-8.25 took the Bronze, with Shuo Cao 4th!
John Murillo's 56-1 for 5th is the National Record of Colombia!!

Little drama in the Men's 1500 heats.
Asbel Kiprop cruised 3:38.97 in the first heat, with Taoufik Makhloufi crawling through in 3:46.82 in the second!
Aman Wote and Filip Ingebrigtsen were non-Q's

The Women's 100H heats went by the book, with Susan Kallur and that dancing Aussie, Michelle Jenneke, failing to advance.
Winners of the 6 heats were Kristi Castlin, Nia Ali, Cindy Ofili, Cindy Roleder, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, and Brianna Rollins---all running between 12.54 (Rollins) and 12.86 (Roleder).
Nothing shocking or surprising.

Shocks?
Well, the Women's Discus Throw final ALMOST had a Pawel Fajdek-style shock of shocks!!
After her first two rounds were deemed fouls, Sandra Perkovic found herself up against the wall!
Would this tough spike-haired babe be sent packing---and red-faced?
NO!
With her 3rd try, she spun that heavy little spacecraft and sent it flying---out to her Gold-winning distance of 227-0!
Melina Robert-Michon threw 218-11, breaking her own National Record of France, to take the Silver, with Denia Caballero coming in at 214-4 in the Bronze position!
Perky fouled her last three throws also!!
WHEW!!
(Dani Samuels finished 4th, Nadine Muller 6th, and Julia Fischer in 9th!)

The Men needed 10 heats of the 200 to select the semi-finalists.
No real biggies missed out, although Femi Ogunode, Julian Reus, and Jon Borlee were some recognizable names on that list!
In heat 2, Bruno Horteland won in 20.12, setting a new National Record for Spain!
And he beat the 20.13 of Yohan Blake!!
In the 3rd heat, Salem Yaqoob's 20.19 became the National Record of Bahrain!
Nery Brenes's 20.20 in heat 7 is the National Record of Costa Rica!
Justin Gatlin, LaShawn Merritt, Nickel Ashmeade, Andre De Grasse, and Usain Bolt were all heat winners, the fastest that of De Grasse, who sped a 20.09!
Miguel Francis, who had run some VERY fast 200's earlier this year, was a DNS from heat 4!

The Men's HJ was supposed to be a Battle of the B's--Mutaz Barshim vs Bogdan Bondarenko--both hoping for a return to their 2014 form!
And they didn't jump badly.
BB's 7-7.75 was the same height achieved by Andriy Protsenko, Robbie Grabarz, and Erik Kynard.
But Bondarenko got the Bronze on fewer misses!
Barshim reached 7-8.75, all alone in the Silver spot.
But the Double D guy---Derek Drouin was clear through his first 6 heights, before needing two at his winning 7-9.75, or 2.38!
Not quite 2014, but getting there, to paraphrase Bob Dylan's "Not Dark Yet"!!

Two National Records fell in the Women's JT qualifying!
Maria Andrejczyk's 220-2 nabbed the NR of Poland.
It also gave her 16th A-T World!!
Sara Kolak's 210-11 is the Croatian National Record!
Liz Gleadle, Kim Mickle, and all 3 Americans failed to move on!
Kara Winger had the longest US throw, a 200-2!

The 3 semi's of the Men's 110H went to Orlando Ortega (13.32), Omar McLeod (13.15), and Dimitri Bascou (13.23).
Pascal Martinot-Legarde ran 13.25 behind McLeod, with Devon Allen following in 13.36.
Milan Trajkovic sped 13.31 behind Bascou, and got the National Record of Croatia!
Jeff Porter (Tiffany's hubby!) and Andrew Riley failed to advance!

The final of the Women's Long Jump would NOT include Christabel Nettey, Janay DeLoach, or Shara Proctor, all of whom failed to advance from the Q rounds!
Ivana Spanovic's 22-6.50 led the way, with unknown (to me!!) Milaha Mihambo next with 22-4.50.
Tianna Bartoletta Q'ed with 21-11.50, while the sole Russian at these Games (at least in the T&F portion!!), Darya Klishina, reached 21-9.25.
She would represent all the banned CLEAN Russians in Rio!!

Sydney McLaughlin was stopped by the sniffles!!
Incurring a cold a few days before---which was a partial reason for her poor performance in the earlier heats--McLaughlin was again matched with Superstar Zuzana Hejnova, and again finished in 5th, time of 56.22.
She was going home, now with Olympic Games experience BEFORE beginning her Senior year of High School!!
This won't be her last Games!!

Hejnova won the semi in 54.55.
Ashley Spencer also won a semi, in 54.87.
Then Delilah Muhammad got in a good workout, speeding a 53.89--the fastest--to take semi 3 over Sara Petersen's 54.55, and Leah Nugent's 54.98.
In semi 2, Janeive Russell and Elidh Doyle also dipped under 55!
Wendy Nel and Sage Watson also failed to advance!

The Men's version of the one-lap Hurdles semi's gave up a pair of National Records!!
Kerron Clement took the win in a good 48.26.
But it was the 48.87 of Sergio Fernandez in 2nd that got him Spain's National Record!!
Jaheel Hyde's 49.17 wasn't enough to get him to the final!
Like McLaughlin, he also finished 5th!
Semi 3 saw Thomas Barr's 49.00 become the National Record of Ireland!
Annsert Whyte's 48.32 prevailed over Javier Culson's 48.46 in the first race.
Non-Q's included LJ Van Zyl and America's Byron Robinson, who nonetheless ran a PR of 48.65!

More semi's!!
And these were a bit more closely watched than some others!
The Women's 200's were up!
Not unexpectedly, it was Dafne Schippers who not only won semi one, but did so in the fastest overall time--21.96!
And she beat her main rival, Elaine Thompson, who ran 22.13.
A sign of what was to come??

Not advancing from that race were Blessing Okagbare and Mujinga Kambundji, who finished in 5th & 6th!
Marie Josee Ta Lou ran a PR of 22.28 to take round 2.
Jenna Prandini was kicked off the stage by running only 22.55 in 4th!
Tori Bowie tore around the track in 22.13 to win semi 3.
In 2nd was Michelle Lee-Ahye, whose 22.25 broke her own National Record of Trinidad & Tobago!!
Simone Facey and Murielle Ahoure ended out of the money in 3rd and 4th!

This is getting rather lengthy, so I'll cut it short after reporting on 3 more events!
Then I'll combine what I have left, with what I'll gather from this morning's session, and post again AFTER that session--which begins in just one hour!!

The Women's 1500 final!!
Which Genzebe Dibaba would show up?
The WR-smashing "Baby Baby", or the tired and worn out from all the Jama Aden shit version?
After an opening lap in 76.8 ("led" by Shannon Rowbury!), we had to wait to find out!
Hiding back in 4th--in an even slower 77.9!--Dibaba looked comfortable!
But who wouldn't be at that pace??!!
Dibaba strode to the front just as they passed 800 in 2:27.2, their 2nd lap taking 69.3.
The Women's 800 Meter race was under way!!
Having begun her sprint just after the finish line---with 800 to go--she made like Alysia Montano, hitting her "first lap" in 56.7!!
Faith Kipyegon was right behind, running 56.8, followed by Sifan Hassan's 57.9.
The US duo of Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury hung back, going through in the mid-58's!!
They were letting the Ethiopian and Kenyan get away, maybe thinking they couldn't possibly keep going at warp speed!

But this was the woman who had sped 1:56.9 the previous year to win the WC race!
Except the controversies surrounding her coach---and herself!--must have taken their toll--because Kipyegon passed her, winning going away in 4:08.92, and winning the 800 "race" as well, with her 1:57.2!!
Dibaba was fading a bit, and could manage "only" 46.4 over the last 300---against Kipyegon's 44.7!
But still in 4th where the 1500 starts, Simpson timed her kick perfectly, overtaking Hassan, and closing fast on Dibaba---just missing her target (4:10.27 to 4:10.53) by closing in 44.6.
Rowbury's 45.0 brought her home in 4th!
Simpson had won a Bronze---the first since 1984!!

And their final 800's?
As noted, Kipyegon ran 1:57.2, while Dibaba managed 1:58.5.
Now, keep in mind that in an open 800, Rowbury's PR was 1:59.97, while Simpson's was just 2:00.45!!
Here, Rowbury closed in 1:59.2!
Simpson whipped through a 1:58.9!!
(Think they might decide to enter a REAL 800 soon??)

While the Gold winner---Omar McLeod--was thrilled by his victory in 13.05, the numbers geeks (like myself!!) weren't so ecstatic!!
What happened to all those sub-13's these guys were running in the past several years---and decades??
McLeod made it a runaway, as 2nd was 0.12 back, Orlando Ortega's 13.17 beating Dmitri Bascou's 13.24 for the Silver!
Pascal Martinot-Legarde and Devon Allen followed in a line.
Ronnie Ash was DQ'ed!

Finally---for THIS post, at least!--the Men's 5000 heats!
Mo Farah (obviously!) and Bernard Lagat sped into the top 5 at the right time to cruise into the final.
Hagos Gebrhiwet took that 1st heat in 13:24.65.
Paul Chelimo ran a bit faster (13:19.54) to take the 2nd, with two more coming in at sub-13:20.
David Torrence, that new Peruvian, Q'ed with 13:23.20, which became the SECOND National Record he set in his new country!!
Failing to move on were Caleb Ndiku, Isiah Koech, and Ali Kaya.
Hassan Mead fell, but was advanced to the final anyway!!

In my next post, I'll begin with the Women's 800 heats, and go on from there.
Like I said, it will be the WOMEN's 800 heats!!
LOL