Yep, it's THAT week, folks!
Last week (See a previous post!) was pretty noisy, if you're into VERY early list-making marks!
But while this weekend hasn't exactly been catatonic, the decibel count was reduced noticeably!!
That said---with the Texas (and Florida!) Relays almost upon us---we DID see a few marks well worth a mention!
The Pole Vault was both a HIGHlight and a LOWlight!
For example, the Arkansas meet had Lexi & Tori Weeks in it, plus Desiree Freier & Ariel Voskamp--the so called (by me!) Arkansas PV Factory!
(If you recall, one Sandi Morris was a member of this exclusive club, and still serves as a key mentor & friend to its current team!)
Anyway, the weather was near freezing, and so the Vault was affected--negatively!
Voskamp, Freier, and Tori Weeks NH'ed at 13-3.50!
Lexi made that height, then another, on 1st try, and went on to clear 13-11.25 on 2nd attempt!
But she could go no farther, as she XXX'ed out at 14-5.25!
Then there's Sydney Clute!
The Indiana Vaulter PR'ed at 14-11, becoming the weekend's best PV'er!
She's now 9th A-T Collegiate.
She misses the US list by just 2 inches!
Sam Kendricks led the Men with 19-0.75, the first OUTdoor 19 footer of 2017!
Out of Australia comes the report of a 14 year old boy Vaulting 16-1.75--for a WORLD Age 14 record!!
Sasha Zoya was born June 25, 2002!!
This was part of the National Junior Championships,being held in concordance with the Adult version!!
In fact, Liz Parnov led the Women with a PR of 14-9.50!!
This meet is a multi-day meet, with Sunday being its opening day!
Might as well finish off my PV news here!
Colleen Clancy got up to 13-7, missing my HS list by 1 inch!
Carson Dingler rose to 13-10, but it's not a PR!
Also under the heading of PV News comes the report that Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou is pregnant, and will miss the entire 2017 season!
Tobi Amusan---Her 1st name is MUCH longer, but thankfully, she calls herself Tobi!!--sped an altitude-aided 100H time of 12.63, becoming the first Collegiate sub-13 time!
(Wind was 1.3.)
This is the Soph Class record, breaking the mark set last year by Jasmine Camacho-Quinn!
It's also the World Age 19 record, erasing another JCQ mark!
She is 9th A-T Collegiate!
She's from Nigeria, but Gloria Alozie holds their National Record at 12.44!
Trey Cunningham ran a non-PR 13.51 over the 110H!
In other speedster news---
South Africa--minus both Wayde Van Niekerk & recent 9.95 man Thando Roto--did a 4X100 Relay in 38.47!
With those 2--plus Simbine--can they reach the mid-37's?
Watch out, Jamaica and the US!!
Ashley Henderson sped an 11.10 100 to lead all Collegiates!
She misses the Collegiate DDD by 0.02 seconds!
Wind was 1.8.
Just'N Thymes sped a 200 in 20.24, but had a slight wind-aid of 2.1.
Thomas Burns ran a fast 300H recently (See an earlier post!), but has already improved on it!
His opening 36.12 has moved to 35.81, now making him 0.51 faster than ANYone ran in all of 2016!!
I don't keep 300H lists, but he'd be around 16th or 17th A-T HS now!
He's a Junior!
Symone Mason and Candace Hill continue their fine seasons!
For Mason (the amateur), she's now run the 400 in 52.42, missing my HS DDD by 0.24 seconds!
(Remember, she's also sped a 100 in 11.24, and a 200 in 23.00!!)
Hill--normally thought of as a 100-200 person--seems to be running a LOT of "over" distance stuff this year--starting with her INdoor 300's and a 400 or two!
OUTdoors, she's chopped her HS PRO (& HS PRO Senior Class) 400 records down to 52.70!!
Is is possible she could be better at 400 than at 100?
Or are these just a series of rust-busters?
Tripp Piperi has reached 74-11.50 with the SP!
He moves from 7th A-T HS, tied with 1 other, to 5th!
In other "Throws" news---
Killian Knibb has thrown the Discus a non-PR of 199-7!
Maggie Ewen couldn't quite match her incredible opening HT of 238-6 (See my earlier post!), but her 235-3 wasn't exactly an embarrassment!
She added a DT of 196-3, missing the Collegiate list by 1 foot, 2 inches!!
Gabe Oladipo--He'd opened his DT season with a 211 foot shot!--reached 215-3, making him 10th All-Time HS!
BTW, his mark was listed as 215-2.50, so I made it 215-3!
I don't have any other mark in this event with fractions in it, so I "gave" him half an inch!!
Gwen Berry Hammered a 236-0 HT (sic!) this weekend!
Raven Saunders got her SP out to 60-8.75, which would have her leading the WORLD!!
(She led the WORLD INdoors too, lest you've forgotten!!)
But Raven's quite the Throws lover!
She also had a DT of 180-2, and a HT of 182-5!!
A trio of High Jumpers made headlines!
Vernon Turner, who HJ'ed 7-4.50 last OUTdoor season, has added a half-inch, his 7-5 moving him from 8th A-T HS, tied with 5 others, to 5th, tied with 2 others!!
United States High School Women might have another Amy Acuff or Vashti Cunningham in the making!!
Aged 14 (Born July 20th, 2002!), Kamiya Dendy has reached 5-10!!
Now don't get TOO excited, as she got over the same height in 2016 too!!
But she was an 8th Grader then, and that mark was her SEASON high!
She just jumped a 5-10 in MARCH!!
The Frosh Class record is Cunningham's 6-0.25 from 2013!!
Then there's Jelena Rowe!
In a LATE INdoor meet held last week (March 22nd), Ms Rowe topped her previous (INdoor) season best of 6-0 by an inch!
Her 6-1 moves her from 10th A-T HS, tied with 7 (!) others, to 4th, tied with 1 other!
Remember, this was an INdoor meet!
Not much distance stuff to report, outside of the World Cross Country meet in Uganda.
(See below!)
Biggest item is probably that Steepler Bridget Franek has announced her retirement!!
At the Raleigh Relays, Allie Buchalski ran the 5000 in 15:35.55!
In 4th came Ryen Frazier's 16:02 and change!
Alyson Churchill, a HS Frosh, ran a 3200 (UGH!) in a decent 10:23.81.
Claudia Lane ran the same distance in 10:12.
Don't know her Grade!
The INdoor Marathon WR's--both genders!--were broken over the weekend, as was the American Women's record!
In The Armory--in what is now an Annual event, and VERY popular!!!--Chris Zabloski ran 2:21:48 for the Men's WR!
Laura Menninen ran it in 2:42:31 for the Women's World Record!
In 2nd (She said "I was 2nd of 2! in an interview!! LOL) came Kate Pallardy, whose AR is now 2:44:11.
She gave birth to her 3rd (Or 2nd??) child about a year ago, and hadn't reached her full training level of 90 miles per week yet!
She said she can run sub-2:40, and actually led the first half of the "race"!!
She wants elite-level athletes to give it a try!!
(They reverse direction every 30 laps (6K)--to save their hips!!)
As expected, the Kenyans dominated the World XC Championships this year!
Taking the 1st six places in the Men's race, Geoff Kamworor emerged the winner, running 28:24!
Len Barsoton took 2nd (28:36), Abadi Hadis 3rd (28:43), Jamal Yimor 4th (28:46), Aron Kifle 5th (28:49), and Muktar Edris 6th (28:56)!
The first 4 Americans were Kenyan-born--to complete the "Kenyan" domination!!
Leading the US was Sam Chelanga's 29:12 in 11th!
Len Korir, Shadrack Kipchirchir, and Stan Kebenai followed several places back!
The Women's Senior race was taken by Irene Cheptai's 31:57!
Alice Aprot was 2nd---after leading from the gun!--in 32:01, with Lilian Renyenuk 3rd in 32:11, Hyvin Jepkemoi 4th in 32:32, Agnes Tirop 5th, also in 32:32, with 6th placer Faith Kipyegon getting to the finish in 32:49!
Top American was Aliphine Tuliamuk's 33:43 in 15th.
Stephanie Bruce and Natosha Rogers were 21st & 22nd, about a minute behind Tuliamuk!
I thought of doing a separate post about this, but decided against it!
Nonetheless, the death of legendary American shot Putter Brian Oldfield deserves a VERY SPECIAL mention!!
Reportedly ill for a few years, he died this weekend at Age 71.
He was a GIANT of his event--and of the sport of Track & Field--in EVERY sense of the word!
Not only were his Records & Marks great--He threw the first 75-0 SP!!--but his personality would EASILY have won my Personality of the Year awards, if I'd been doing that then!
He wore patriotically designed "speedos", and a photo of him wearing them appeared on Sports Illustrated's cover!
He smoked cigarettes--a lot--and DURING a performance!!
He ate prodigious meals--even more than other Throwers did!!
He was one of those who appeared as a "Pro" in those ITA meets (International Track Association) in 1973 and 1974!
In an event where being a "character" was almost part of the job requirement--Brian was a CHARACTER!!
He was controversial, but he was LOVED!!
A fantastic athlete, and a totally intriguing PERSON, Brian Oldfield will be greatly missed!!
Rest in Peace, Brian!
Monday, March 27, 2017
Tuesday, March 21, 2017
2017 OUTdoor Records Predictions--Part 3
Here we go again!!
Part 3 of a 3-parter--your final Intro to the OUTdoor season that's already gotten off to a rip-roaring start!!
This post will Predict Age Records for Ages 29 down through my "0-17" group, which, as noted in Part 1, covers every Age from birth to Age 17!
Also as noted earlier, my Age Records use actual birthdates--NOT just the year!!
BTW, if I don't offer names for an event in one of the years, it most likely means the record for that event in that age is too tough--and there are no viable candidates capable of breaking the record--or even approaching it!
(It could also mean I couldn't identify anyone who I thought could challenge the record!! That doesn't mean no one is capable! It just means that I overlooked them!! Mea culpa!! LOL)
Well, enough of this--let's finish this baby off!!
Age 29
If I can spell Taoufik Makhloufi's name, then he DESERVES to be listed here!! LOL
And he really does, as he's capable of nailing the Age 29 records for the 1000 (2:14.30), the 1500 (3:27.40) and the Mile (3:49.34)!
But he has to wait until April 29th to try!
Betsy Saina has to wait until the last day of June (the 30th) to go after the times of 14:26.90 and 30:08.06 in the 5 & 10K!
Sofia Assefa has all year to chase a 3000SC time of 9:06.57!
Age 28
Speaking of Ms Saina (who lives and trains in the US!!), she has until June 29th to run the 5000 in 14:31.42, or the 10000 in 30:01.09--the latter record owned by one Paula Radcliffe!!
Gwen Berry--as I keep reminding you ad nauseum!--is the American Record holder in the HT---despite USADA and USATF denying her "official" record-holding status!!
But she'll have to add over 7 feet to her 250-4 AR to get the Age 28 record of 257-10!
After her WR in the WT INdoors, however, I feel she's ready for BIG improvements in her Hammer tossing!!
She has to wait until June 29th to start her efforts!!
Another Hammerer of note is Pawel Fajdek!
He ALSO has to add at least 7 feet to his PR to get this Age record--it's 282-3!
He begins his quest on June 4th!
Asbel Kiprop needs to return to his 3:47 and 3:26 form to nail two of the 3 records listed here!
They are 3:28.47 for the 1500, and 3:47.65 for the Mile!
Add a 1000 time of 2:14.43 to the list!
He starts his campaign on June 30th!
David Rudisha has a time 1.36 seconds slower than his WR 800 to chase.
He needs a time of 1:42.27!
Will Evan Jager remain standing throughout his Steeples this year?
Let's hope so!
That way, he'll have a GREAT chance to run the distance in 7:56..81!!
Julius Yego needs to fling the Javelin out 301-3 to get this Age record!
Dong Bin of China needs to TJ 57-6.25!
Age 27
Christian Taylor wants the WR---and to pass the 60 foot barrier--a 2-for-1 special!!
So reaching 57-11--but only from June 18th on!--should be a Hop, Skip, and a Jump (Hee Hee!) for this classy dude!!
Two Men will be reaching for the skies in the HJ!
Derek Drouin and Bogdan Bondarenko will both be reaching for a height of 7-10.50!!
Another going for the stratosphere--but with a long pole in her hands!--will be Ekaterina Stefanidi--who needs to PV the, ummm, World Record of 16-7.25---and that's just to TIE the record!!
Good luck, Woman!!
Can Sharika Nelvis run 100H in 12.28?
She'll have to, to nail this Age record down!
The gun goes off on May 10th for her!!
Asbel Kiprop appears here too! (See Age 28!)
He needs FAST times here as well!
How about 3:26.89 in the 1500, and 3:46.76 for the Mile?
He has until June 29th!
(Maybe in the Bowerman Mile?)
A couple of sprinters get some stage time!
Tori Bowie would need Class A+ form to speed a 10.76 100 or a 200 in 21.71.
(She starts this chase on August 27th!)
Ditto for Chris LeMaitre!
He'll need times of 9.69 and 19.72, but only starting June 11th!
Delilah Muhammed seems fully capable of running 400H in 52.74!
That's the time she needs for this record!
Sandra Perkovic always opens her seasons with a DT in the 230's!
She did so again this year already!
But she'll need a PR of 237-2 to get this Age record!
Do NOT bet against her!!
(However, she has to wait until June 21st!!)
Age 26
Mr Taylor is here too!
He has until June 17th to TJ 58-8.75!
Brianna Rollins can do this AFTER the WC's, since her quest to run the Age 26 record of 12.21 in the 100H only begins on August 18th!
Mutaz Barshim needs to HJ 7-11.25!
His quest begins as of June 24th---which just so happens to be MY birthday too (but NOT my 26th, sad to say!! LOL).
Tori Bowie has some uber-quick times here too to run!
How about 10.71 and 21.71?
But only through August 26th!
Emma Coburn has to run a 3K Steeplechase in 9:06.72.
She'll do it!
As is the case every year (for the past 3 years or so!), Genzebe Dibaba has a cornucopia of Record Delights to ponder chasing!
2:32.23 for the 1000, 3:55.68 for the 1500, 4:21.57 for the Mile, 8:21.42 over 3K, 9:16.95 for the Deuce, and 14:25.78 for the 5000!
Pick and choose, Sweetheart!!
They're yours for the taking!
(Not to mention the WORLD Record in the 2000 meters!!--for a nice set of matching records!)
Age 25
This Age is loaded!!
Start with Wayde Van Niekerk, who could probably run the needed 43.65 in his Heat at the WC's!
(Good, because he has to wait until July 15th anyway!!)
Ms Rollins (See Age 26 also!) can cruise a 12.33 in her 100H race for this record!
She can also do this in London, as she has until August 17th!
We'll find out if Almaz Ayana is for real--and I believe she is!!--when she nails the following Age records--8:19.78 over 3000 meters, 9:12.90 for 3218 meters, aka the Two Mile, or 14:28.39 in the 5000, and 29:56.34 over her WR distance!
With sub-29:00 potential, she could probably get the 5000 Age record in her opening half of her 10!!
(Not really joking here, folks!!)
Dafne Schippers and Elaine Thompson might be going head-to-head several times this year!
Including in their dual campaigns to get the Age 25 records of 10.70 and 21.76!!
Thompson's begins June 28th, while Schippers's starts June 15th!
Two other Women might go mano-a-mano (or is that womano-a-womano?? LOL), but in the Pole Vault!
Sandi Morris might NOT be looking forward to the return to battle of Demi Payne--possibly as soon as the Texas Relays!!
Their target height is 16-1.25!
But Morris will have to wait until July 8th--so that Texas Relays "date" is off for them!
Speaking of the PV, Piotr Lisek has to wait until August 15th (AFTER London!!) to seek a height of 19-8.25!
Lawrence Okoye needs a Discus Throw of 228-10 for this record!
Hyvin Jepkemoi needs a 3000SC of 9:01.59 to Q for this record!
Yes, she can!
Three exciting "new" names are in this Age bracket!!
Kevin Mayer seeks to make people forget the retired Ashton Eaton (HA! Forget Ashton?? You gotta be kidding!!).
His target here is relatively easy (compared to Eaton's two 9000+ scores!!)--it's 8837 points!
Can he get to 9000?
For that, I'd give him 40-60 odds---which are actually pretty good!
This guy has TALENT!!
Andrew Pozzi was the HOT hurdler INdoors, with his best 60H time being 7.43!
Can he extend that to a 110H in 12.92?
Sure!
Finally, there's the new South Africa National Record holder in the LJ, Luvo Manyonga!
He'll need an additional 4 inches to get this Age record of 28-7.75!
Is 29 feet---or even Mike Powell's WR of 29-4.50 in his wheelhouse?
Not this year!!
But YES!
Age 24
That Px4 guy (aka Pablo Pichardo) must TJ 59-2.50, but only from June 30th on!
Ms's Schippers and Thompson are here too!
(See Age 25!)
The times they want are 10.70 and 21.78 (Almost twins to their Age 25 times!), but Schippers has until June 14th, while ET has until June 27th!
Kendra Harrison must run the 100H in 12.26!
Sandi Morris has until July 7th to soar to 16-4.75 in the PV!
Piotr Lisek has until August 15th to PV 19-10.50!
Ryan Crouser has the "easy" target of 72-10.25 in the SP!
Jairus Birech has to dip under 8 minutes in the 3000SC--exactly 7:59.18--for this Age record!
Ayanleh Souleiman has--as per the norm for middle distancers--3 targets!
The 1000 (2:12.18), the 1500 (3:27.64), and the Mile (the WR of 3:43.13!!).
The first two are possible!
Pretty much forget the Mile!
Laura Muir became the Golden Girl of the INdoor Circuit this year!
Will she repeat OUTdoors--even with a gal named Genzebe hanging around?
We'll see!
But the times she needs--while a distinct stretch--aren't impossible!
(Not if you've ever seen her run!!)
How about 2:31.93 over 1K, 3:50.07 in the 1500, 4:17.25 for a Mile, 8:20.68 over 3K, 9:21.35 for the Deuce, and 14:12.59 over 5000 meters?
She HAS the wheels--and the attitude!!--to get the job done!!
Even with Dibaba's 1500 WR!!
And if she goes up against the Ethiopian?
Even better!
Finally, we have a Russian who SHOULD have competed in Rio last summer--SHOULD have being the operative phrase!!
She was the leading HJ'er INdoors at 6-8!
She'll need to up her game---literally!!--to 6-9.50 for this record!
Her name is Mariya Kuchina!
Age 23
The PPPP man is here too!
He has until June 29th to reach 58-3.75 in the TJ.
Shawn Barber (IF he returns to form!!) and Braz Da Silva have the PV height of 19-9.25 to chase, but Barber's quest begins on May 27th!
Jonathan Kitilit can think about a 1000 time of 2:13.40.
If Shaunae Miller perfects her diving technique (LOL), she can chase a 400 time of 48.63!
She HAS the necessary talent!
Faith Kipyegon has been at this game since her teens!
Give her STRONG odds for a 3:55.22 in the 1500, 4:18.08 in the Mile, 8:21.14 over 3K, a WR-equaling 8:58.58 in the Two Mile, and another WR-equaling 14:11.15 in the 5K!
Alice Aprot Nowowuna (I'm going to call her Alice Aprot!) can add the 10000 time of 29:54.66 to the times listed under Kipyegon--except omit the 2 shorter distances for Aprot!
Omar McLeod has to hit 12.92 for his 110H race!
Nafissatou Thiam would have to go to Talence AFTER London to try for 6942 Heptathlon points, as her quest doesn't begin until August 19th!
(Or just wait for 2018!!)
Fedric Dacres had a DT of 225+ earlier this year!
He needs to increase that to 227-5 for this record!
Age 22
Thiam's target here is 6887 points, but she has until August 18th!!
The dates for London are August 4th to the 13th!
Get the hint, Ms Thiam??
The same points total applies for Kendell Williams too!
But she'll be coming off a Collegiate INdoor AND OUTdoor season!!
Assuming she'll make the team, she can then ease through to August--and those 6887 points!
Consesius Kipruto has a 3000SC time of 7:55.51 to chase!
That's asking a lot, but he's up to the task!!
Age 21
Dawit Seyaum has a GREAT name---IMHO!
But a name won't get you a record!
But times of 2:33.15 (1000), 3:56.18 (1500), 4:15.8 (Mile), 8:27.78 (3000), and 9:38.44 (2 Mile) will!!
But she has to wait for July 27th!!
Shure Demise SHUREly (Sic! Shades of SUHRly you jest!! LOL) can run a Marathon in 2:23:11!
But where?
She'll have all year!
Two VERY impressive--and VERY young--TJ'ers have the same target to go after!
It's 48-11!
Neither Yulimar Rojas or Keturah Orji has reached it, INdoors or OUTdoors!
But both have more than enough power and speed to do so--someday!
And "someday" could be one of the remaining days of 2017!!
Age 20
Ms Seyaum repeats here!
She has until July 26th to run a 1000 in 2:30.85, a 1500 in 3:50.46, a Mile in 4:23.92, 3000 meters in 8:06.11, or a 2 Mile in 9:40.01.
Obviously, the Deuce would be a WALKING race for her, while she'd have to match the Chinese NR in the 3K!!
She's young, and VERY skinny (TOO thin??), but Konstanze Klosterhalfen also has the Mile and 2 Mile targets that Ms Seyaum does!
Add a 5000 in 14:28.09!
Is that calling for too much improvement too fast?
NO!!
This girl is aggressive and tough--and has the untrainable fearlessness of a front-runner!
Watch out for her--and hope she remains healthy!!
Alexa Efraimson--who turned 20 about a month ago!--can also chase the Mile and 2 Mile marks!
The 3000SC WR holder--Ruth Jebet--needs only a 9:17.35 here!!
In her London Heat??
Is Noah Lyles for real?
Absolutely!!
So give him at least half a chance to speed a 100 in 9.84, or a 200 in 19.63.
But he has to wait until July 18th!!
Abdelelah Haroun has to dip under 44 seconds in the 400--to 43.96--for this record!
Jaheel Hyde is one talented guy!
But can he run the 400H in 47.39---this year?
Odds are 30-70!
Konrad Bukiowiecki needs a SP of 70-7.25!
Give it to him!
Then there's the 3 Women who are fast becoming household names in T&F circles--Weeks, Weeks, and McCartney!!
Leading candidate for the Age 19 PV record has to be Eliza McCartney!!
The record is 15-9.75, and McCartney (No relation to Sir Paul!!) has less than an inch to go!
The Weeks twins--Lexi and Tori--are a "match made in Heaven"--so to speak!!
While Lexi has the Olympic experience, it was Tori who had the steadier INdoor season!
But give both a good shot at following McCartney to the "Top of the Toppermost!".
(You have to be a true Beatles fan to know where that came from!! LOL)
Age 19
Karabo Sibanda holds the Age 18 record in the 400 from last year!
But he'll need to slice 0.38 seconds from his 44.25 PR to get this Age record!
Noah Lyles has until July 17th to sprint the 100 and 200 in 9.84 and 19.81!
(Yes, the Age 18 and Age 19 100 records are the same--both held by Trayvon Bromell, while run in different years!!)
Ewe Swoboda and Kaylin Whitney need a 200 of 22.07 for this Age record!
Swoboda can add the 100 time of 10.88 to her To-Do list!
(Whitney seems to be better at 200!!)
Swoboda has until July 25th!
Anna Cockrell is having the better 2017 so far, despite Tonea Marshall having the faster 60H time!!
But look for Cockrell as the one to challenge this Age record of 12.69 over 100H!
She's one who can run a fast 400H also, so look for her to possibly challenge the 54.14 needed for this record!
Neeraj Chopra has a JT distance of 277-6 to reach!
Wilma Murto needs a PV of 15-9 to "rise to the occasion" here!!
Jordan Geist needs to PR from his INdoor best with the 16 pound SP by a full foot and change to nail this Age record of 69-4.25!
I hope he takes some shots--LOL--at it---beginning July 21st!
Vashti Cunningham has to reach 6-7 in the HJ--a height she's made a couple of attempts at!!
Age 18
Geist has until July 20th to reach 68-2.25 in the SP!
Murto needs only a 15-0.25 in the PV to get this mark!
But she has only until June 10th to do so!
Yohao Shi needs to LJ 27-0.50 for this record!
He reached 27-2.75 last year at Age 17 for that record!!
Candace Hill needs 10.89 and 22.18 in the two short sprints for these Age records!
Sydney McLaughlin has to wait until August 7th to run 54.40 in the 400H for this mark!
BTW, she's said (in an interview) that she does NOT plan on going to the WC's---even if she makes the team---which she WILL!!
So I'm doubtful she'll be in Europe--or find a meet here--to run that time in late summer!
0 to 17
Mondo Duplantis broke the INdoor HSR SIX frigging times this past season!!
Now he's heading OUTdoors!
The record here is kindergarten stuff for Armand--18-4.50!
(18-5 was his 2nd of those six HSR's!!--just to give you SOME idea of his massively prodigious talents!!)
But he'll need to beat Emmanouil Karalis to that height!
Whoever gets there first, this Age record is DEAD!!
Women Vaulters have a fairly easy target height also!
Lisa Gunnarson and Olivia McTaggart will both be going after a height of 15-0.75!!
Both have yet to reach 15 feet!!
I'm giving the edge to Gunnarson!
Can Tia Jones return to her 12.84 form in the 100H--a time she ran while 15 years old??
Now 16, she has LOADS of time to bring that record DOWN!!
But Syd McLaughlin has only through August 6th to break her HSR of 54.15 in the 400H!
(See Age 18!)
Sammy Watson got my INdoor Athlete of the Year award!
(See an earlier post!)
One of FIVE High School Records she smashed was in the 1000---which she nailed twice!!
But her fastest time was 2:40.72!
Can she PR by almost 4 seconds to get this record--which is 2:36.8?
Absolutely!!
This girl is a true SuperStar!!
Speaking of same, we arrive at MISTER Tyrese Cooper!!
This man has taken every superlative known to this writer of over 50 years!!
He's broken so many Age records, it's ridiculous!!
And maybe the most amazing thing is that he tends to double and triple in every meet---even in meets where he breaks those records!!
How fast can he go?
In the year when the sport is about to lose someone named Bolt, can we even IMAGINE that lightning (as in lightning BOLT--sic!) can strike twice??
YES!!
Barring a change of direction in his life, or health problems unforeseen, I can definitely see this guy following in Usain's footsteps--the only difference being that Ty doesn't hate the 400!!
And it's in THAT event where I personally see his greatest potential!!
So give this Age record of 44.71 to him---NOW!!
Wrap it up and put a nice red ribbon on it!!
Cut the cake!
Etc etc etc!!
And THAT, as they say, is THAT!!
Welcome to OUTdoors 2017!!
Part 3 of a 3-parter--your final Intro to the OUTdoor season that's already gotten off to a rip-roaring start!!
This post will Predict Age Records for Ages 29 down through my "0-17" group, which, as noted in Part 1, covers every Age from birth to Age 17!
Also as noted earlier, my Age Records use actual birthdates--NOT just the year!!
BTW, if I don't offer names for an event in one of the years, it most likely means the record for that event in that age is too tough--and there are no viable candidates capable of breaking the record--or even approaching it!
(It could also mean I couldn't identify anyone who I thought could challenge the record!! That doesn't mean no one is capable! It just means that I overlooked them!! Mea culpa!! LOL)
Well, enough of this--let's finish this baby off!!
Age 29
If I can spell Taoufik Makhloufi's name, then he DESERVES to be listed here!! LOL
And he really does, as he's capable of nailing the Age 29 records for the 1000 (2:14.30), the 1500 (3:27.40) and the Mile (3:49.34)!
But he has to wait until April 29th to try!
Betsy Saina has to wait until the last day of June (the 30th) to go after the times of 14:26.90 and 30:08.06 in the 5 & 10K!
Sofia Assefa has all year to chase a 3000SC time of 9:06.57!
Age 28
Speaking of Ms Saina (who lives and trains in the US!!), she has until June 29th to run the 5000 in 14:31.42, or the 10000 in 30:01.09--the latter record owned by one Paula Radcliffe!!
Gwen Berry--as I keep reminding you ad nauseum!--is the American Record holder in the HT---despite USADA and USATF denying her "official" record-holding status!!
But she'll have to add over 7 feet to her 250-4 AR to get the Age 28 record of 257-10!
After her WR in the WT INdoors, however, I feel she's ready for BIG improvements in her Hammer tossing!!
She has to wait until June 29th to start her efforts!!
Another Hammerer of note is Pawel Fajdek!
He ALSO has to add at least 7 feet to his PR to get this Age record--it's 282-3!
He begins his quest on June 4th!
Asbel Kiprop needs to return to his 3:47 and 3:26 form to nail two of the 3 records listed here!
They are 3:28.47 for the 1500, and 3:47.65 for the Mile!
Add a 1000 time of 2:14.43 to the list!
He starts his campaign on June 30th!
David Rudisha has a time 1.36 seconds slower than his WR 800 to chase.
He needs a time of 1:42.27!
Will Evan Jager remain standing throughout his Steeples this year?
Let's hope so!
That way, he'll have a GREAT chance to run the distance in 7:56..81!!
Julius Yego needs to fling the Javelin out 301-3 to get this Age record!
Dong Bin of China needs to TJ 57-6.25!
Age 27
Christian Taylor wants the WR---and to pass the 60 foot barrier--a 2-for-1 special!!
So reaching 57-11--but only from June 18th on!--should be a Hop, Skip, and a Jump (Hee Hee!) for this classy dude!!
Two Men will be reaching for the skies in the HJ!
Derek Drouin and Bogdan Bondarenko will both be reaching for a height of 7-10.50!!
Another going for the stratosphere--but with a long pole in her hands!--will be Ekaterina Stefanidi--who needs to PV the, ummm, World Record of 16-7.25---and that's just to TIE the record!!
Good luck, Woman!!
Can Sharika Nelvis run 100H in 12.28?
She'll have to, to nail this Age record down!
The gun goes off on May 10th for her!!
Asbel Kiprop appears here too! (See Age 28!)
He needs FAST times here as well!
How about 3:26.89 in the 1500, and 3:46.76 for the Mile?
He has until June 29th!
(Maybe in the Bowerman Mile?)
A couple of sprinters get some stage time!
Tori Bowie would need Class A+ form to speed a 10.76 100 or a 200 in 21.71.
(She starts this chase on August 27th!)
Ditto for Chris LeMaitre!
He'll need times of 9.69 and 19.72, but only starting June 11th!
Delilah Muhammed seems fully capable of running 400H in 52.74!
That's the time she needs for this record!
Sandra Perkovic always opens her seasons with a DT in the 230's!
She did so again this year already!
But she'll need a PR of 237-2 to get this Age record!
Do NOT bet against her!!
(However, she has to wait until June 21st!!)
Age 26
Mr Taylor is here too!
He has until June 17th to TJ 58-8.75!
Brianna Rollins can do this AFTER the WC's, since her quest to run the Age 26 record of 12.21 in the 100H only begins on August 18th!
Mutaz Barshim needs to HJ 7-11.25!
His quest begins as of June 24th---which just so happens to be MY birthday too (but NOT my 26th, sad to say!! LOL).
Tori Bowie has some uber-quick times here too to run!
How about 10.71 and 21.71?
But only through August 26th!
Emma Coburn has to run a 3K Steeplechase in 9:06.72.
She'll do it!
As is the case every year (for the past 3 years or so!), Genzebe Dibaba has a cornucopia of Record Delights to ponder chasing!
2:32.23 for the 1000, 3:55.68 for the 1500, 4:21.57 for the Mile, 8:21.42 over 3K, 9:16.95 for the Deuce, and 14:25.78 for the 5000!
Pick and choose, Sweetheart!!
They're yours for the taking!
(Not to mention the WORLD Record in the 2000 meters!!--for a nice set of matching records!)
Age 25
This Age is loaded!!
Start with Wayde Van Niekerk, who could probably run the needed 43.65 in his Heat at the WC's!
(Good, because he has to wait until July 15th anyway!!)
Ms Rollins (See Age 26 also!) can cruise a 12.33 in her 100H race for this record!
She can also do this in London, as she has until August 17th!
We'll find out if Almaz Ayana is for real--and I believe she is!!--when she nails the following Age records--8:19.78 over 3000 meters, 9:12.90 for 3218 meters, aka the Two Mile, or 14:28.39 in the 5000, and 29:56.34 over her WR distance!
With sub-29:00 potential, she could probably get the 5000 Age record in her opening half of her 10!!
(Not really joking here, folks!!)
Dafne Schippers and Elaine Thompson might be going head-to-head several times this year!
Including in their dual campaigns to get the Age 25 records of 10.70 and 21.76!!
Thompson's begins June 28th, while Schippers's starts June 15th!
Two other Women might go mano-a-mano (or is that womano-a-womano?? LOL), but in the Pole Vault!
Sandi Morris might NOT be looking forward to the return to battle of Demi Payne--possibly as soon as the Texas Relays!!
Their target height is 16-1.25!
But Morris will have to wait until July 8th--so that Texas Relays "date" is off for them!
Speaking of the PV, Piotr Lisek has to wait until August 15th (AFTER London!!) to seek a height of 19-8.25!
Lawrence Okoye needs a Discus Throw of 228-10 for this record!
Hyvin Jepkemoi needs a 3000SC of 9:01.59 to Q for this record!
Yes, she can!
Three exciting "new" names are in this Age bracket!!
Kevin Mayer seeks to make people forget the retired Ashton Eaton (HA! Forget Ashton?? You gotta be kidding!!).
His target here is relatively easy (compared to Eaton's two 9000+ scores!!)--it's 8837 points!
Can he get to 9000?
For that, I'd give him 40-60 odds---which are actually pretty good!
This guy has TALENT!!
Andrew Pozzi was the HOT hurdler INdoors, with his best 60H time being 7.43!
Can he extend that to a 110H in 12.92?
Sure!
Finally, there's the new South Africa National Record holder in the LJ, Luvo Manyonga!
He'll need an additional 4 inches to get this Age record of 28-7.75!
Is 29 feet---or even Mike Powell's WR of 29-4.50 in his wheelhouse?
Not this year!!
But YES!
Age 24
That Px4 guy (aka Pablo Pichardo) must TJ 59-2.50, but only from June 30th on!
Ms's Schippers and Thompson are here too!
(See Age 25!)
The times they want are 10.70 and 21.78 (Almost twins to their Age 25 times!), but Schippers has until June 14th, while ET has until June 27th!
Kendra Harrison must run the 100H in 12.26!
Sandi Morris has until July 7th to soar to 16-4.75 in the PV!
Piotr Lisek has until August 15th to PV 19-10.50!
Ryan Crouser has the "easy" target of 72-10.25 in the SP!
Jairus Birech has to dip under 8 minutes in the 3000SC--exactly 7:59.18--for this Age record!
Ayanleh Souleiman has--as per the norm for middle distancers--3 targets!
The 1000 (2:12.18), the 1500 (3:27.64), and the Mile (the WR of 3:43.13!!).
The first two are possible!
Pretty much forget the Mile!
Laura Muir became the Golden Girl of the INdoor Circuit this year!
Will she repeat OUTdoors--even with a gal named Genzebe hanging around?
We'll see!
But the times she needs--while a distinct stretch--aren't impossible!
(Not if you've ever seen her run!!)
How about 2:31.93 over 1K, 3:50.07 in the 1500, 4:17.25 for a Mile, 8:20.68 over 3K, 9:21.35 for the Deuce, and 14:12.59 over 5000 meters?
She HAS the wheels--and the attitude!!--to get the job done!!
Even with Dibaba's 1500 WR!!
And if she goes up against the Ethiopian?
Even better!
Finally, we have a Russian who SHOULD have competed in Rio last summer--SHOULD have being the operative phrase!!
She was the leading HJ'er INdoors at 6-8!
She'll need to up her game---literally!!--to 6-9.50 for this record!
Her name is Mariya Kuchina!
Age 23
The PPPP man is here too!
He has until June 29th to reach 58-3.75 in the TJ.
Shawn Barber (IF he returns to form!!) and Braz Da Silva have the PV height of 19-9.25 to chase, but Barber's quest begins on May 27th!
Jonathan Kitilit can think about a 1000 time of 2:13.40.
If Shaunae Miller perfects her diving technique (LOL), she can chase a 400 time of 48.63!
She HAS the necessary talent!
Faith Kipyegon has been at this game since her teens!
Give her STRONG odds for a 3:55.22 in the 1500, 4:18.08 in the Mile, 8:21.14 over 3K, a WR-equaling 8:58.58 in the Two Mile, and another WR-equaling 14:11.15 in the 5K!
Alice Aprot Nowowuna (I'm going to call her Alice Aprot!) can add the 10000 time of 29:54.66 to the times listed under Kipyegon--except omit the 2 shorter distances for Aprot!
Omar McLeod has to hit 12.92 for his 110H race!
Nafissatou Thiam would have to go to Talence AFTER London to try for 6942 Heptathlon points, as her quest doesn't begin until August 19th!
(Or just wait for 2018!!)
Fedric Dacres had a DT of 225+ earlier this year!
He needs to increase that to 227-5 for this record!
Age 22
Thiam's target here is 6887 points, but she has until August 18th!!
The dates for London are August 4th to the 13th!
Get the hint, Ms Thiam??
The same points total applies for Kendell Williams too!
But she'll be coming off a Collegiate INdoor AND OUTdoor season!!
Assuming she'll make the team, she can then ease through to August--and those 6887 points!
Consesius Kipruto has a 3000SC time of 7:55.51 to chase!
That's asking a lot, but he's up to the task!!
Age 21
Dawit Seyaum has a GREAT name---IMHO!
But a name won't get you a record!
But times of 2:33.15 (1000), 3:56.18 (1500), 4:15.8 (Mile), 8:27.78 (3000), and 9:38.44 (2 Mile) will!!
But she has to wait for July 27th!!
Shure Demise SHUREly (Sic! Shades of SUHRly you jest!! LOL) can run a Marathon in 2:23:11!
But where?
She'll have all year!
Two VERY impressive--and VERY young--TJ'ers have the same target to go after!
It's 48-11!
Neither Yulimar Rojas or Keturah Orji has reached it, INdoors or OUTdoors!
But both have more than enough power and speed to do so--someday!
And "someday" could be one of the remaining days of 2017!!
Age 20
Ms Seyaum repeats here!
She has until July 26th to run a 1000 in 2:30.85, a 1500 in 3:50.46, a Mile in 4:23.92, 3000 meters in 8:06.11, or a 2 Mile in 9:40.01.
Obviously, the Deuce would be a WALKING race for her, while she'd have to match the Chinese NR in the 3K!!
She's young, and VERY skinny (TOO thin??), but Konstanze Klosterhalfen also has the Mile and 2 Mile targets that Ms Seyaum does!
Add a 5000 in 14:28.09!
Is that calling for too much improvement too fast?
NO!!
This girl is aggressive and tough--and has the untrainable fearlessness of a front-runner!
Watch out for her--and hope she remains healthy!!
Alexa Efraimson--who turned 20 about a month ago!--can also chase the Mile and 2 Mile marks!
The 3000SC WR holder--Ruth Jebet--needs only a 9:17.35 here!!
In her London Heat??
Is Noah Lyles for real?
Absolutely!!
So give him at least half a chance to speed a 100 in 9.84, or a 200 in 19.63.
But he has to wait until July 18th!!
Abdelelah Haroun has to dip under 44 seconds in the 400--to 43.96--for this record!
Jaheel Hyde is one talented guy!
But can he run the 400H in 47.39---this year?
Odds are 30-70!
Konrad Bukiowiecki needs a SP of 70-7.25!
Give it to him!
Then there's the 3 Women who are fast becoming household names in T&F circles--Weeks, Weeks, and McCartney!!
Leading candidate for the Age 19 PV record has to be Eliza McCartney!!
The record is 15-9.75, and McCartney (No relation to Sir Paul!!) has less than an inch to go!
The Weeks twins--Lexi and Tori--are a "match made in Heaven"--so to speak!!
While Lexi has the Olympic experience, it was Tori who had the steadier INdoor season!
But give both a good shot at following McCartney to the "Top of the Toppermost!".
(You have to be a true Beatles fan to know where that came from!! LOL)
Age 19
Karabo Sibanda holds the Age 18 record in the 400 from last year!
But he'll need to slice 0.38 seconds from his 44.25 PR to get this Age record!
Noah Lyles has until July 17th to sprint the 100 and 200 in 9.84 and 19.81!
(Yes, the Age 18 and Age 19 100 records are the same--both held by Trayvon Bromell, while run in different years!!)
Ewe Swoboda and Kaylin Whitney need a 200 of 22.07 for this Age record!
Swoboda can add the 100 time of 10.88 to her To-Do list!
(Whitney seems to be better at 200!!)
Swoboda has until July 25th!
Anna Cockrell is having the better 2017 so far, despite Tonea Marshall having the faster 60H time!!
But look for Cockrell as the one to challenge this Age record of 12.69 over 100H!
She's one who can run a fast 400H also, so look for her to possibly challenge the 54.14 needed for this record!
Neeraj Chopra has a JT distance of 277-6 to reach!
Wilma Murto needs a PV of 15-9 to "rise to the occasion" here!!
Jordan Geist needs to PR from his INdoor best with the 16 pound SP by a full foot and change to nail this Age record of 69-4.25!
I hope he takes some shots--LOL--at it---beginning July 21st!
Vashti Cunningham has to reach 6-7 in the HJ--a height she's made a couple of attempts at!!
Age 18
Geist has until July 20th to reach 68-2.25 in the SP!
Murto needs only a 15-0.25 in the PV to get this mark!
But she has only until June 10th to do so!
Yohao Shi needs to LJ 27-0.50 for this record!
He reached 27-2.75 last year at Age 17 for that record!!
Candace Hill needs 10.89 and 22.18 in the two short sprints for these Age records!
Sydney McLaughlin has to wait until August 7th to run 54.40 in the 400H for this mark!
BTW, she's said (in an interview) that she does NOT plan on going to the WC's---even if she makes the team---which she WILL!!
So I'm doubtful she'll be in Europe--or find a meet here--to run that time in late summer!
0 to 17
Mondo Duplantis broke the INdoor HSR SIX frigging times this past season!!
Now he's heading OUTdoors!
The record here is kindergarten stuff for Armand--18-4.50!
(18-5 was his 2nd of those six HSR's!!--just to give you SOME idea of his massively prodigious talents!!)
But he'll need to beat Emmanouil Karalis to that height!
Whoever gets there first, this Age record is DEAD!!
Women Vaulters have a fairly easy target height also!
Lisa Gunnarson and Olivia McTaggart will both be going after a height of 15-0.75!!
Both have yet to reach 15 feet!!
I'm giving the edge to Gunnarson!
Can Tia Jones return to her 12.84 form in the 100H--a time she ran while 15 years old??
Now 16, she has LOADS of time to bring that record DOWN!!
But Syd McLaughlin has only through August 6th to break her HSR of 54.15 in the 400H!
(See Age 18!)
Sammy Watson got my INdoor Athlete of the Year award!
(See an earlier post!)
One of FIVE High School Records she smashed was in the 1000---which she nailed twice!!
But her fastest time was 2:40.72!
Can she PR by almost 4 seconds to get this record--which is 2:36.8?
Absolutely!!
This girl is a true SuperStar!!
Speaking of same, we arrive at MISTER Tyrese Cooper!!
This man has taken every superlative known to this writer of over 50 years!!
He's broken so many Age records, it's ridiculous!!
And maybe the most amazing thing is that he tends to double and triple in every meet---even in meets where he breaks those records!!
How fast can he go?
In the year when the sport is about to lose someone named Bolt, can we even IMAGINE that lightning (as in lightning BOLT--sic!) can strike twice??
YES!!
Barring a change of direction in his life, or health problems unforeseen, I can definitely see this guy following in Usain's footsteps--the only difference being that Ty doesn't hate the 400!!
And it's in THAT event where I personally see his greatest potential!!
So give this Age record of 44.71 to him---NOW!!
Wrap it up and put a nice red ribbon on it!!
Cut the cake!
Etc etc etc!!
And THAT, as they say, is THAT!!
Welcome to OUTdoors 2017!!
2017 OUTdoor Records Predictions--Part 2
I'm back!
Hope it won't be too confusing for you, me dividing up the Core Group Predictions like this!
But that 1st part really did become too long!
And with the memory of those 34 HSR's broken INdoors still clear in my mind, I want to give them my undivided attention!
Besides, predictions are predictions, no matter WHAT they're about!!
Anyway, enough gibberish!
Please refer to Part 1 for my role call of general guidelines!
Let me add one thing, however, specific to this group!
In the case of the Men's 110H, SP, DT, and HT, I am dealing with TWO sets of HSR's--the HS hurdle heights and weights, and the Professional hurdle heights and weights!
Same goes with the Men's Decathlon, where there's the HS implement record, and the Pro implement record!
I'll refer to them as, for example, 110H-HS and 110H-C, or DT-HS and DT-C.
(The "C" stands for Collegiate, which is the same everything as for Pro's!!)
High School--MEN
ZERO chance for the 100, 200, 800, 1500, Mile, 5000, 10000, HJ, LJ, TJ, DT-HS & C, JT, HT-HS & C, and Decathlon-HS & C!
Despite Tyrese Cooper's magnificent presence, and despite his opening his OUTdoor campaign with a Soph Class record of 20.55 in the 200, I see him having the best chance for a HSR in the 400!
I think he'll improve both his 100 & 200 PR's, but NOT all the way to HSR levels!
Not THIS year, at least!
But I DO feel he has the tools to FINALLY--after 35 years!--break Darrell Robinson's 44.69 HSR!!
Especially if he can get into a race against the Olympic-level Professionals!!
DJ Principe ran 4:00.97 for the INdoor Mile, but I feel he has the best chance to get the 3000 & 2 Mile records!
And there's solid back-up to chase him!
The NBIN 2 Mile was solid, but not enough there to see a threat to the 5 & 10K's.
Then there's the 3000SC!
Both of the Affolder brothers--Noah and Sam--are Steeplers!
(Sam has the Frosh Class record!!)
So while they're many seconds off Bailey Roth's 8:47 HSR, I can see them as solid threats!
Definitely sub-9:00 material!
What can Trey Cunningham do with the OUTdoor 110's?
I say he can break BOTH records--the 39 AND 42 inch heights!!
Sub 13 & sub 13.50?
Mondo!!!
The OUTdoor HSR is 18-4.75!
ONLY question remaining--Does he break that record on his 2nd or 3rd height of his first OUTdoor competition this year??
And how many times does he break his own record after that?
As for the SP's--both of them!--we COULD have a PAIR of Michael Carter record stalkers!!
Jordan Geist is the obvious choice, given his 68-4 with the 16 pound INdoor SP!
Yes, I DO see him breaking that historic 81-3.50!!
But watch for Tripp Piperi to make Geist have to work for it!!
Same goes for all the HS Relays, as it did for the other groups!!
High School--WOMEN
NO chance for the 100, 200, 3000SC, HJ, TJ, DT, JT, and Heptathlon!
(I'll talk about Candace Hill separately!!)
How fast can Sydney McLaughlin run?
She ran 51.61 INdoors, and wasn't really winded!
She has the INdoor HSR in the 300!
50.68 for the OUTdoor 400 is NOT impossible!
Neither is her erasing her own 400H record either!!
The 800 has one name to think about--Sammy Watson!
Her 2:01.78 INdoors removed ONE "Mary" from the HSR book.
Can she do the same with the OTHER "Mary" OUTdoors??
In the right conditions--given her 1:27.13 speed over 600 meters INdoors--I say YES!!
And maybe on the same track where Ms Cain ran her 1:59.51 in 2013!!
As for the 1500 and Mile marks, we need more info on the status (and plans!) of Kate Murphy!
She apparently got injured a bit INdoors, and curtailed her season!
But she still has that 4:07 1500 street cred going for her!
With that in mind, Polly Plumer's venerable HSR Mile SHOULD be doomed!!
(And Cain's 4:04.62 too!!)
Also, how fast is Brie Oakley over the Mile distance!!
We KNOW what she can do over longer distances, but I haven't a clue as to her REAL potential at the Mile!!
Give Oakley a solid chance to break the two longest track HSR's, except the 3000SC (unless she decides to take THAT up too!!).
Murphy's INdoor opener over 3000 meters was 9:14.
So I think she has sub-9:00 potential--if she's healthy!
The OUTdoor Deuce is "just" 9:53.54--NOT 9:38.68, the INdoor best!!
So either Murphy or Oakley could take several seconds off that!
I see Oakley's potential in the 5 & 10 as being in HSR territory--maybe 15:40 and 32:30!!
Will she go for them??
Tia Jones didn't show HSR ability INdoors, but she DOES hold the 100H record!
Let's see whether Chanel Brissett and Tara Davis can also get under that barrier!!
Of course, McLaughlin OWNS the 400H!
But I'd love to see her ALSO take down Lashinda Demus's 300H time of 39.98!
Demus is the only HS'er to dip under 40 seconds!
I could see Sydney dipping into the 38's!!
Tara Davis also has a few LJ'ing chits to cash in!
Can she reach Kate Hall's 22-5!
Yes, she can!
But even with her 43-2 TJ best, and having Jasmine Moore and Titiana Marsh to spur her on, I can't see any of them reaching 45 feet!!
Alyssa Wilson should remove Raven Saunder's name from the OUTdoor Record Book, the way she did INdoors!
As for the Javelin Throw, the main question is the health status of Madison Wiltrout!
If she's 100%, look for her to break her own HSR of 185-8!!
Joy McArthur threw the Hammer 203-8 last year!
She can add 11 feet to break Shelby Ashe's HSR!!
The Relay situation is the same here as elsewhere!
As for the ONLY HS PRO remaining, Candace Hill can rewrite the HS PRO record book in all 3 sprints!!
Actually, she's already established an OUTdoor 400 best, and has broken Kaylin Whitney's 200 record!!
The 100 could go down too---as it's her own!!
Alright, Dear Readers, it's on to the AGE Records!!
As usual, I'll begin with the oldest (40 & over), and work my way down to Age 30 in this post, with the remaining Ages put in Part 3!!
Both genders are mixed together in each Age category!!
40 & over
I wish Kim Collins would run just ONE serious 200 this year!
The Age record he'd be chasing is an easy one--20.64!
I mean, he could jog that in a Heat!!
(He wouldn't even have to go forward to the Semi or the Final!!)
Do it, Kim!!
As for his own Age 40 record in the 100, forget it!!
9.93 is beyond the capabilities of a human 41 years of age (as of April 5!).
Famous last words?
Fabrizio Donato has a similar problem!
He TJ'ed an awesome 55-6.50 last year after turning 40!
Can he break that mark 1 year later?
Is Mark Kiptoo retired?
If he's NOT, let's recall his 2:06:00 Marathon when 39 in 2015!
Two years later, can he beat the 2:08:38 Age record?
Of course he can!!
Age 39
NO athletes to talk about!
Age 38
Chris Brown!
He has the Age 35, 36, and 37 records!
The Age 38 space for the 400 is blank!
Run ONE race, Chris, and it's yours!!
Ruth Beitia is amazing!
She can add a second OUTdoor Age record here, as this space is blank too!!
Edna Kiplagat turns 38 on September 15th!
Just in time for the Berlin Marathon--hint, hint!!
The time she'd need is (for her) a loping 2:24:06!
Age 37
I have no idea what Kiplagat's plans are, but she'll have until September 14th to run 2:21:28 to take one second off this Age record!
She just ran a Half in NYC in 69:37 in freezing temps!
I'd say she's ready!!
Age 36
Amber Campbell threw the Hammer 242-10 in 2016 for the Age 35 record!
The Age 36 record is 237-5--and this is a WC's year!
You do the math!
But she needs to be 36 here--which she becomes on June 6th!!
Is Barbora Spotakova retired?
I can't get past the notion that I saw something to that end somewhere in recent months!
But if she's not, she may still have a tough time getting this Age record in the JT!
It's 224-2--and we should remember that Rio was won with a throw of 217-1!
Also, she needs to wait until June 30th!
Will Shalane Flanagan return to the track for a late season 10000?
Looks doubtful--as she seems to be solely a Marathoner now (and other Road distances!).
But if she finds a race, the Record is 31:07.58!
She'd have to do it AFTER July 8th, her 36th birthday!!
Same goes for the 26-2---which has a tag of 2:19:19 attached--which would be a new AR!!
Don't bet on it!!
Age 35
Those "G-Men"--Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay--will have times of 9.97 and 20.11 to chase down (Gay only from August 9th!).
Easy marks for both--and I see who gets them as toss-ups!
Gatlin might be stressed from the antipathy shown him by anti-drug fans!
Gay has the grief of losing his 15 year old daughter to violence last year to deal with--or to motivate him!!
Amber Campbell will be 35 through June 5th!
She has her own Age 35 record to chase--242-10! (See Age 36!)
Both Marathon records are in danger!
Mary Keitany and Shalane Flanagan (until July 7th!) have a 2:21:30 to chase!
Ken Bekele (beginning July 13th) and Wilson Kipsang will go after---and should cruise to!--Haile Gebrsellassie's 2:03:59 PR--which was the first to break 2:04!!
Barbora Spotakova has it easier here than Age 36--as the JT record is 216-6!
But she has until June 29th to do it!
Two male Steeplers have question marks regarding their status as active athletes!
If NOT retired, give both PK Koech and Ezekiel Kemboi equal odds for taking down the Age record of 8:13.25!!
I'm not sure what the Age 35 record is for the Women's 400!
It got crossed out from my Book somehow!
I THINK it was in the 50's--meaning between 50 and 51 seconds!
So give Novlene Williams-Mills a clear road to this unknown mark!
Finally, we have Jenn Suhr!
Currently traveling in an RV with hubby & dog, I have no idea when she'll compete next!
But 15-11.75 should be met in her first meet!!
Age 34
Olga Saladukha has faded some from the limelight!
So TJ'ing 48-10 would be tough for her at this stage!
Her attempts--if any--need to begin June 4th!
Bershawn Jackson returned to sub-48 second 400H form in 2016!
If he remains there, then he'd need a 47.63 to get this record, beginning May 8th!
Asefa Powell is likely to fall short of the necessary 9.80 & 19.75 needed for Age 34 records in the 100 and 200!
But don't count him COMPLETELY out!!
Will Gladys Cherono race 26.2 after May 12th?
She'd need to run 2:20:21 to get this mark!
Give her half a chance!
As for Sir Mo (Farah to us serfs!!), the 2 Mile slot is empty for this Age!
Enroute, he could run 7:32.01 for a Double Dip into the Record pool!!
Age 33
A trio of distance Women have the same marks to go after!
Vivian Cheruiyot, Viola Kibiwot, and Meseret Defar have the 3000, 2 Mile, 5000, and 10000 times of 8:27.12, 9:38.38, 14:38.09, and 30:48.51 to run for!
All of them are cinches for these talented ladies!!
(If they could time the 2 Mile enroute to the 5K....!!)
Dennis Kimetto's health status is iffy, so even a time of 2:04:47 might be difficult!
Will Molly Huddle race a Marathon between August 31st, 2017, and August 30th, 2018??
If she does, that's the window she has to nail Deena Kastor's AR of 2:19:36!!
And YES, she CAN run that fast!!
Aman Wote needs to run the 1500 & Mile in 3:30.58 and 3:50.16!
He turns 33 on April 18th.
A pair of HJ'ers are in the mix for Age records here!
Donald Thomas needs a 7-8.50 sometime from July 1st on, while Chaunte Lowe has all season to reach 6-7!
Both should do it!
Habiba Ghribi needs a 9:07.32 for the 3000SC Age record!
Nicole Buchler would need a PV of 15-10!
And maybe THE most likely to get the Age record here is Caterine Ibarguen!
Her target is 48-7.50!
But what about Trey Hardee?
Beset by injuries in recent years, IF he completes another Decathlon, the score he'd want is 8340!
Watch him at USATF!
Age 32
A knowledgeable source said that Val Adams may NOT be active this year, as she wants to start a family with her new husband!
She didn't compete INdoors, and she cancelled a meet recently Down Under!
Another formidable barrier to an Age record here is the mark she'd need---68-10.75!!
Color this IMPOSSIBLE!!
I said it about INdoors, and I'll say it again here---Shannon Rowbury has MANY Age records to chase!
The 1000 (2:35.46), 1500 (3:56.65), Mile (4:17.44), 3000 (8:22.62), 2 Mile (NO mark!!), and the 5000 (14:26.17)!
And despite the Mile, 3000, and 5000 being well past the AR's, Ms Rowberry has all the tools necessary!!
Tirunesh Dibaba has a full year--beginning October 1st!--to get a Marathon time of 2:19:25!
Choose your venue, Tiru!!
Eliud Kipchoge can run a 2:04:29 in his sleep---or with a heel flap loose in his shoe!!!
So give him this mark on a Silver Platter!
Aries Merritt needs a 12.96 in the 110H's---but AFTER July 24th!!
Then there's Anita Wlodarczyk!
246-0?
Jeez!
GONE!!!
Age 31
Back to Tiru!
Ms Dibaba has until September 30th for the following--5000 in 14:32.79, 10000 in 30:13.17, and the Marathon in 2:17:42!
She's good for all of them!!
(BTW, if that 10K looks familiar, it's Molly Huddle's AR!!)
But she may have company in the 5 & 10, as Geleta Burka has the wheels also!
For her, add the 3K and Deuce times of 8:35.26 and a totally laughable 9:53.35!!
Add Jenny Simpson to the battle for the 3K, the 2 Mile, and the 5000--even though the latter mark would break the AR by about 6 seconds!!
Simpson also has a 1500 time of 3:56.91 and a Mile time of 4:23.40 to think about!!
But only from August 31st forward!
(The last DL??)
A couple of Merritt's have "merit" to go after times of 19.87 in the 200 (for LaShawn, but only from June 27th forward!) and 13.00 in 110H (Aries, but just until July 23rd!).
Why not the 400 mark for LaShawn also?
It's Michael Johnson's 43.18, and I just don't think he can do it!
Kamila Licwinko will find it tough to get over 6-8.75 in the HJ, so give her 5-95 odds!!
But Russian Ivan Ukhov need only find a venue to welcome him to make it over 7-8.75!
Tianna Bartoletta has until August 29th to LJ 23-2!
Kerron Clement has to run the 400H in 47.79.
Not unthinkable!
Galen Rupp can run sub-2:05 in the Marathon!
But can he do it in 2:03:05--and in a race after May 8th??
Give THAT one 1-99 odds!!
Ditto for a track 10000 of 26:41.58!!
Anita's here also! (See Age 32!)
But here she has her own mark of 272-3 to chase!
Do NOT bet against her--although she has to do this one by August 7th!!
Finally, there's Usain!
(If he were British, he'd be SIR Usain!! Or LORD!!!)
Anyway, IF he races AFTER the World Champs--from August 21st on--he has times of 9.85 and 19.87 to add to his collection!!
Age 30
Mr Bolt is here also---until August 20th!
9.75 and 19.74, Sir!!
Renaud Lavillenie has the INdoor WR in the PV!
Well, the OTHER WR is available too!
But it's Sergey Bubka's 20-1.75!!
Good luck, Renaud!!
Another athlete who will have a problem getting an Age record here is Sally Pearson!
The mark is 12.44, but she hasn't run that fast since fracturing her wrist!!
Jenny Simpson has most of the season (until August 22nd) to get times of 3:56.29 (1500), 4:20.34 (Mile), 8:24.41 (3000), 9:12.59 (2 Mile), and 14:23.75 (5000).
Even knowing that the 1500 is Rowbury's AR, or that the 3000 and 5000 would smash the AR's, is anyone brave enough to say she CAN'T do it??
I'm not!!
Marcin Lewandowski's targets (from June 13th forward!) are an 800 in 1:43.08, and a 1000 in 2:14.64!
Yarisley Silva is a PV'er in comeback mode!
But can she come back to a height 1 inch shy of 16 feet (from June 1st)?
At best, 50-50 odds!!
Isaac Makwela needs a 400 of 43.68!
Capable, but iffy!
Then there's Brittney Reese!
Her target is a 23-9 LJ!
Assuming she nails that distance, will we see a white flag---or a red one??
Good question with this talented woman!!
Okay, folks, that's Part 2!
The remainder of the Age Records will be in Part 3---soon!
Hope it won't be too confusing for you, me dividing up the Core Group Predictions like this!
But that 1st part really did become too long!
And with the memory of those 34 HSR's broken INdoors still clear in my mind, I want to give them my undivided attention!
Besides, predictions are predictions, no matter WHAT they're about!!
Anyway, enough gibberish!
Please refer to Part 1 for my role call of general guidelines!
Let me add one thing, however, specific to this group!
In the case of the Men's 110H, SP, DT, and HT, I am dealing with TWO sets of HSR's--the HS hurdle heights and weights, and the Professional hurdle heights and weights!
Same goes with the Men's Decathlon, where there's the HS implement record, and the Pro implement record!
I'll refer to them as, for example, 110H-HS and 110H-C, or DT-HS and DT-C.
(The "C" stands for Collegiate, which is the same everything as for Pro's!!)
High School--MEN
ZERO chance for the 100, 200, 800, 1500, Mile, 5000, 10000, HJ, LJ, TJ, DT-HS & C, JT, HT-HS & C, and Decathlon-HS & C!
Despite Tyrese Cooper's magnificent presence, and despite his opening his OUTdoor campaign with a Soph Class record of 20.55 in the 200, I see him having the best chance for a HSR in the 400!
I think he'll improve both his 100 & 200 PR's, but NOT all the way to HSR levels!
Not THIS year, at least!
But I DO feel he has the tools to FINALLY--after 35 years!--break Darrell Robinson's 44.69 HSR!!
Especially if he can get into a race against the Olympic-level Professionals!!
DJ Principe ran 4:00.97 for the INdoor Mile, but I feel he has the best chance to get the 3000 & 2 Mile records!
And there's solid back-up to chase him!
The NBIN 2 Mile was solid, but not enough there to see a threat to the 5 & 10K's.
Then there's the 3000SC!
Both of the Affolder brothers--Noah and Sam--are Steeplers!
(Sam has the Frosh Class record!!)
So while they're many seconds off Bailey Roth's 8:47 HSR, I can see them as solid threats!
Definitely sub-9:00 material!
What can Trey Cunningham do with the OUTdoor 110's?
I say he can break BOTH records--the 39 AND 42 inch heights!!
Sub 13 & sub 13.50?
Mondo!!!
The OUTdoor HSR is 18-4.75!
ONLY question remaining--Does he break that record on his 2nd or 3rd height of his first OUTdoor competition this year??
And how many times does he break his own record after that?
As for the SP's--both of them!--we COULD have a PAIR of Michael Carter record stalkers!!
Jordan Geist is the obvious choice, given his 68-4 with the 16 pound INdoor SP!
Yes, I DO see him breaking that historic 81-3.50!!
But watch for Tripp Piperi to make Geist have to work for it!!
Same goes for all the HS Relays, as it did for the other groups!!
High School--WOMEN
NO chance for the 100, 200, 3000SC, HJ, TJ, DT, JT, and Heptathlon!
(I'll talk about Candace Hill separately!!)
How fast can Sydney McLaughlin run?
She ran 51.61 INdoors, and wasn't really winded!
She has the INdoor HSR in the 300!
50.68 for the OUTdoor 400 is NOT impossible!
Neither is her erasing her own 400H record either!!
The 800 has one name to think about--Sammy Watson!
Her 2:01.78 INdoors removed ONE "Mary" from the HSR book.
Can she do the same with the OTHER "Mary" OUTdoors??
In the right conditions--given her 1:27.13 speed over 600 meters INdoors--I say YES!!
And maybe on the same track where Ms Cain ran her 1:59.51 in 2013!!
As for the 1500 and Mile marks, we need more info on the status (and plans!) of Kate Murphy!
She apparently got injured a bit INdoors, and curtailed her season!
But she still has that 4:07 1500 street cred going for her!
With that in mind, Polly Plumer's venerable HSR Mile SHOULD be doomed!!
(And Cain's 4:04.62 too!!)
Also, how fast is Brie Oakley over the Mile distance!!
We KNOW what she can do over longer distances, but I haven't a clue as to her REAL potential at the Mile!!
Give Oakley a solid chance to break the two longest track HSR's, except the 3000SC (unless she decides to take THAT up too!!).
Murphy's INdoor opener over 3000 meters was 9:14.
So I think she has sub-9:00 potential--if she's healthy!
The OUTdoor Deuce is "just" 9:53.54--NOT 9:38.68, the INdoor best!!
So either Murphy or Oakley could take several seconds off that!
I see Oakley's potential in the 5 & 10 as being in HSR territory--maybe 15:40 and 32:30!!
Will she go for them??
Tia Jones didn't show HSR ability INdoors, but she DOES hold the 100H record!
Let's see whether Chanel Brissett and Tara Davis can also get under that barrier!!
Of course, McLaughlin OWNS the 400H!
But I'd love to see her ALSO take down Lashinda Demus's 300H time of 39.98!
Demus is the only HS'er to dip under 40 seconds!
I could see Sydney dipping into the 38's!!
Tara Davis also has a few LJ'ing chits to cash in!
Can she reach Kate Hall's 22-5!
Yes, she can!
But even with her 43-2 TJ best, and having Jasmine Moore and Titiana Marsh to spur her on, I can't see any of them reaching 45 feet!!
Alyssa Wilson should remove Raven Saunder's name from the OUTdoor Record Book, the way she did INdoors!
As for the Javelin Throw, the main question is the health status of Madison Wiltrout!
If she's 100%, look for her to break her own HSR of 185-8!!
Joy McArthur threw the Hammer 203-8 last year!
She can add 11 feet to break Shelby Ashe's HSR!!
The Relay situation is the same here as elsewhere!
As for the ONLY HS PRO remaining, Candace Hill can rewrite the HS PRO record book in all 3 sprints!!
Actually, she's already established an OUTdoor 400 best, and has broken Kaylin Whitney's 200 record!!
The 100 could go down too---as it's her own!!
Alright, Dear Readers, it's on to the AGE Records!!
As usual, I'll begin with the oldest (40 & over), and work my way down to Age 30 in this post, with the remaining Ages put in Part 3!!
Both genders are mixed together in each Age category!!
40 & over
I wish Kim Collins would run just ONE serious 200 this year!
The Age record he'd be chasing is an easy one--20.64!
I mean, he could jog that in a Heat!!
(He wouldn't even have to go forward to the Semi or the Final!!)
Do it, Kim!!
As for his own Age 40 record in the 100, forget it!!
9.93 is beyond the capabilities of a human 41 years of age (as of April 5!).
Famous last words?
Fabrizio Donato has a similar problem!
He TJ'ed an awesome 55-6.50 last year after turning 40!
Can he break that mark 1 year later?
Is Mark Kiptoo retired?
If he's NOT, let's recall his 2:06:00 Marathon when 39 in 2015!
Two years later, can he beat the 2:08:38 Age record?
Of course he can!!
Age 39
NO athletes to talk about!
Age 38
Chris Brown!
He has the Age 35, 36, and 37 records!
The Age 38 space for the 400 is blank!
Run ONE race, Chris, and it's yours!!
Ruth Beitia is amazing!
She can add a second OUTdoor Age record here, as this space is blank too!!
Edna Kiplagat turns 38 on September 15th!
Just in time for the Berlin Marathon--hint, hint!!
The time she'd need is (for her) a loping 2:24:06!
Age 37
I have no idea what Kiplagat's plans are, but she'll have until September 14th to run 2:21:28 to take one second off this Age record!
She just ran a Half in NYC in 69:37 in freezing temps!
I'd say she's ready!!
Age 36
Amber Campbell threw the Hammer 242-10 in 2016 for the Age 35 record!
The Age 36 record is 237-5--and this is a WC's year!
You do the math!
But she needs to be 36 here--which she becomes on June 6th!!
Is Barbora Spotakova retired?
I can't get past the notion that I saw something to that end somewhere in recent months!
But if she's not, she may still have a tough time getting this Age record in the JT!
It's 224-2--and we should remember that Rio was won with a throw of 217-1!
Also, she needs to wait until June 30th!
Will Shalane Flanagan return to the track for a late season 10000?
Looks doubtful--as she seems to be solely a Marathoner now (and other Road distances!).
But if she finds a race, the Record is 31:07.58!
She'd have to do it AFTER July 8th, her 36th birthday!!
Same goes for the 26-2---which has a tag of 2:19:19 attached--which would be a new AR!!
Don't bet on it!!
Age 35
Those "G-Men"--Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay--will have times of 9.97 and 20.11 to chase down (Gay only from August 9th!).
Easy marks for both--and I see who gets them as toss-ups!
Gatlin might be stressed from the antipathy shown him by anti-drug fans!
Gay has the grief of losing his 15 year old daughter to violence last year to deal with--or to motivate him!!
Amber Campbell will be 35 through June 5th!
She has her own Age 35 record to chase--242-10! (See Age 36!)
Both Marathon records are in danger!
Mary Keitany and Shalane Flanagan (until July 7th!) have a 2:21:30 to chase!
Ken Bekele (beginning July 13th) and Wilson Kipsang will go after---and should cruise to!--Haile Gebrsellassie's 2:03:59 PR--which was the first to break 2:04!!
Barbora Spotakova has it easier here than Age 36--as the JT record is 216-6!
But she has until June 29th to do it!
Two male Steeplers have question marks regarding their status as active athletes!
If NOT retired, give both PK Koech and Ezekiel Kemboi equal odds for taking down the Age record of 8:13.25!!
I'm not sure what the Age 35 record is for the Women's 400!
It got crossed out from my Book somehow!
I THINK it was in the 50's--meaning between 50 and 51 seconds!
So give Novlene Williams-Mills a clear road to this unknown mark!
Finally, we have Jenn Suhr!
Currently traveling in an RV with hubby & dog, I have no idea when she'll compete next!
But 15-11.75 should be met in her first meet!!
Age 34
Olga Saladukha has faded some from the limelight!
So TJ'ing 48-10 would be tough for her at this stage!
Her attempts--if any--need to begin June 4th!
Bershawn Jackson returned to sub-48 second 400H form in 2016!
If he remains there, then he'd need a 47.63 to get this record, beginning May 8th!
Asefa Powell is likely to fall short of the necessary 9.80 & 19.75 needed for Age 34 records in the 100 and 200!
But don't count him COMPLETELY out!!
Will Gladys Cherono race 26.2 after May 12th?
She'd need to run 2:20:21 to get this mark!
Give her half a chance!
As for Sir Mo (Farah to us serfs!!), the 2 Mile slot is empty for this Age!
Enroute, he could run 7:32.01 for a Double Dip into the Record pool!!
Age 33
A trio of distance Women have the same marks to go after!
Vivian Cheruiyot, Viola Kibiwot, and Meseret Defar have the 3000, 2 Mile, 5000, and 10000 times of 8:27.12, 9:38.38, 14:38.09, and 30:48.51 to run for!
All of them are cinches for these talented ladies!!
(If they could time the 2 Mile enroute to the 5K....!!)
Dennis Kimetto's health status is iffy, so even a time of 2:04:47 might be difficult!
Will Molly Huddle race a Marathon between August 31st, 2017, and August 30th, 2018??
If she does, that's the window she has to nail Deena Kastor's AR of 2:19:36!!
And YES, she CAN run that fast!!
Aman Wote needs to run the 1500 & Mile in 3:30.58 and 3:50.16!
He turns 33 on April 18th.
A pair of HJ'ers are in the mix for Age records here!
Donald Thomas needs a 7-8.50 sometime from July 1st on, while Chaunte Lowe has all season to reach 6-7!
Both should do it!
Habiba Ghribi needs a 9:07.32 for the 3000SC Age record!
Nicole Buchler would need a PV of 15-10!
And maybe THE most likely to get the Age record here is Caterine Ibarguen!
Her target is 48-7.50!
But what about Trey Hardee?
Beset by injuries in recent years, IF he completes another Decathlon, the score he'd want is 8340!
Watch him at USATF!
Age 32
A knowledgeable source said that Val Adams may NOT be active this year, as she wants to start a family with her new husband!
She didn't compete INdoors, and she cancelled a meet recently Down Under!
Another formidable barrier to an Age record here is the mark she'd need---68-10.75!!
Color this IMPOSSIBLE!!
I said it about INdoors, and I'll say it again here---Shannon Rowbury has MANY Age records to chase!
The 1000 (2:35.46), 1500 (3:56.65), Mile (4:17.44), 3000 (8:22.62), 2 Mile (NO mark!!), and the 5000 (14:26.17)!
And despite the Mile, 3000, and 5000 being well past the AR's, Ms Rowberry has all the tools necessary!!
Tirunesh Dibaba has a full year--beginning October 1st!--to get a Marathon time of 2:19:25!
Choose your venue, Tiru!!
Eliud Kipchoge can run a 2:04:29 in his sleep---or with a heel flap loose in his shoe!!!
So give him this mark on a Silver Platter!
Aries Merritt needs a 12.96 in the 110H's---but AFTER July 24th!!
Then there's Anita Wlodarczyk!
246-0?
Jeez!
GONE!!!
Age 31
Back to Tiru!
Ms Dibaba has until September 30th for the following--5000 in 14:32.79, 10000 in 30:13.17, and the Marathon in 2:17:42!
She's good for all of them!!
(BTW, if that 10K looks familiar, it's Molly Huddle's AR!!)
But she may have company in the 5 & 10, as Geleta Burka has the wheels also!
For her, add the 3K and Deuce times of 8:35.26 and a totally laughable 9:53.35!!
Add Jenny Simpson to the battle for the 3K, the 2 Mile, and the 5000--even though the latter mark would break the AR by about 6 seconds!!
Simpson also has a 1500 time of 3:56.91 and a Mile time of 4:23.40 to think about!!
But only from August 31st forward!
(The last DL??)
A couple of Merritt's have "merit" to go after times of 19.87 in the 200 (for LaShawn, but only from June 27th forward!) and 13.00 in 110H (Aries, but just until July 23rd!).
Why not the 400 mark for LaShawn also?
It's Michael Johnson's 43.18, and I just don't think he can do it!
Kamila Licwinko will find it tough to get over 6-8.75 in the HJ, so give her 5-95 odds!!
But Russian Ivan Ukhov need only find a venue to welcome him to make it over 7-8.75!
Tianna Bartoletta has until August 29th to LJ 23-2!
Kerron Clement has to run the 400H in 47.79.
Not unthinkable!
Galen Rupp can run sub-2:05 in the Marathon!
But can he do it in 2:03:05--and in a race after May 8th??
Give THAT one 1-99 odds!!
Ditto for a track 10000 of 26:41.58!!
Anita's here also! (See Age 32!)
But here she has her own mark of 272-3 to chase!
Do NOT bet against her--although she has to do this one by August 7th!!
Finally, there's Usain!
(If he were British, he'd be SIR Usain!! Or LORD!!!)
Anyway, IF he races AFTER the World Champs--from August 21st on--he has times of 9.85 and 19.87 to add to his collection!!
Age 30
Mr Bolt is here also---until August 20th!
9.75 and 19.74, Sir!!
Renaud Lavillenie has the INdoor WR in the PV!
Well, the OTHER WR is available too!
But it's Sergey Bubka's 20-1.75!!
Good luck, Renaud!!
Another athlete who will have a problem getting an Age record here is Sally Pearson!
The mark is 12.44, but she hasn't run that fast since fracturing her wrist!!
Jenny Simpson has most of the season (until August 22nd) to get times of 3:56.29 (1500), 4:20.34 (Mile), 8:24.41 (3000), 9:12.59 (2 Mile), and 14:23.75 (5000).
Even knowing that the 1500 is Rowbury's AR, or that the 3000 and 5000 would smash the AR's, is anyone brave enough to say she CAN'T do it??
I'm not!!
Marcin Lewandowski's targets (from June 13th forward!) are an 800 in 1:43.08, and a 1000 in 2:14.64!
Yarisley Silva is a PV'er in comeback mode!
But can she come back to a height 1 inch shy of 16 feet (from June 1st)?
At best, 50-50 odds!!
Isaac Makwela needs a 400 of 43.68!
Capable, but iffy!
Then there's Brittney Reese!
Her target is a 23-9 LJ!
Assuming she nails that distance, will we see a white flag---or a red one??
Good question with this talented woman!!
Okay, folks, that's Part 2!
The remainder of the Age Records will be in Part 3---soon!
Monday, March 20, 2017
2017 OUTdoor Records Predictions--Part 1
The more things change, the more they remain the same!
This might apply to the breaking (or survival!) of records--or the way I present my case for such!
As I did last OUTdoor season, I'm going to combine my Core Group Records Predictions (World, US, Collegiate, High School) with my Age Records Predictions!
But the Age Records Predictions will be written out a bit differently!
Instead of saying something like "Athlete X will go after Record Y", I may put it like this--"Athlete X has a snowball's chance in Hell to get Record Y!"!!
While not giving actual odds (40-60 or 70-30, etc), I'm going to tell you my opinion as to whether the athlete I list has a REALISTIC chance to break a record!!
Hopefully, this will make for a more entertaining read for YOU!!
(Let me know what you think!)
Well, there's LOTS to cover, so let's begin!
First, the usual guidelines!
1. The Core Group Predictions will be broken down by Group, and Gender!
2. Records I see as having ZERO possibility to be broken will only have the event listed, without any athlete's names, or commentary!
3. I may list 1 or 2 athletes who are MOST likely to break a particular record!
For the Age Records---
1.. Ages will go from "40 & Over" (Athlete can be ANY age over 40, such as 41 or 42!) down to "0 to 17" (Athlete can be 15 or 16, etc, but no older than 17!).
2. Actual birthdates are used to determine Age, not just the year alone!
3. Thus, an athlete can break TWO different Age Records in the same year---even the same weekend!!
4. I will list as many athletes as I believe--given the opportunity, health, and DESIRE!--have a GENUINE chance to break a record! (In the past, I offered up some names that had only a "slim to none" chance to get a record. I won't do that this year!)
5. The unforeseen (weather conditions, injury or illness, pregnancy, retirement, a HS'er or Collegian suddenly turning Pro) may determine if a record gets broken--or not!
World--MEN
NO chance for the 100, 200, 800, 1000, 1500, Mile, 3000, 2 Mile, 5000, 10000, 110H, 400H, HJ, LJ, DT, JT, HT, or the Decathlon!
Wayde Van Niekerk can get his own WR in the 400, though he may concentrate on the 100 & 200 this year!
If he goes for it, he can get it!
The Marathon record should fall!
But not at the WC's!
Probably in Berlin, with the usual suspects (Wilson Kipsang, Eliud Kipchoge, Ken Bekele) given the favorites position!
(Forget a sub-2:00:00, however!! IF it goes, should remain in the 2:02's somewhere!)
Christian Taylor might have Pablo Pichardo to challenge him again in the TJ!
If those 2 meet a few times, one of them could go 60-plus--but probably no more than 60-6!!
Renaud Lavillenie is getting older--and nearer to retirement!
He has the INdoor WR!
He might want BOTH!!
Unless Shawn Barber, Piotr Lisek--or Mondo Duplantis (Half-joking!! Give him 2-3 more years!!) suddenly pull a "Raven Saunders" (Break their PR by a FOOT, not inches!), the odds apply ONLY to the Frenchman!
The SP record is 75-10.25 (Disputed by T&FN!).
But Joe Kovacs, for example, was said to have thrown 77 feet in practice!
Ryan Crouser and Tom Walsh are moving fast towards that mark!
It's NOT impossible!
And what about Konrad Bukowiecki, or even (3-4 years from now) Jordan Geist??
I didn't list any Relays as having "ZERO" chance--solely because I don't know who will show for the World Relays meet this year, or who Drake or Penn might attract!
(Not to mention the World Championships!!)
Let's just say that--given the right team & the perfect weather & the opportunity at the right moment--ALL of the Men's World Relay records have SOME degree of vulnerability!!
World--WOMEN
NO chance for the 100, 200, 400, 800 (Caster Semenya, Margaret Wambui, and Francine Niyonsaba NOT eligible for Records, by MY blog's rules!!), 3000, Marathon, HJ, LJ, TJ, SP, DT, JT, and Heptathlon!!
I see the 1000--given aggressive pacing (56 or 57 first lap!), 2 or more Class A athletes going at it, and perfect conditions--as having a good chance to fall! Maybe Genzebe Dibaba vs Laura Muir vs Ajee Wilson??
G-D's 1500 WR may SEEM impregnable, but she said (then) she could run 3:47! With Muir and Faith Kipyegon (And??) to challenge her AFTER the rabbit leaves---well, I could see it falling!
Same with the Mile!!
(The latter should be sub-4:10!!)
Will Genzebe try to get BOTH 2000 meter WR's??
I sure hope what Almaz Ayana (and Alice Aprot!) did last year wasn't a fluke!
Doesn't SEEM so!
With that in mind, the WR's in the 5000 and 10000 could go down!!
I ALMOST took Paula Radcliffe's Marathon WR off my "NO chance!" list!
Those low-65 minute Half-M's are worth a time in the 2:15's!
If the Big Girls go to Berlin, I'd give them 10-90 odds!
Without the Hard Core Gang---like I said, NO chance!!
Both Hurdles WR's can fall!
And Kendra Harrison AIN'T the only likely candidate!!
Any Woman already having run in the 12.30's could get it!
Or someone---say, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn?--advancing like wildfire could erase it in a one-off!!
The 400H WR is actually kind of weak!
Have a sub-50 flat Woman take it on, and it GOES!!
(SOMEday for Syd McLaughlin---but not this year!!)
That Pole Vault!!
(Oh, how I wish Yelena Isinbayeva weren't FORCED to retire!!!)
Bring IN SHAPE Jenn Suhr, Demi Payne, Ekaterina Stefanidi, Yarisley Silva, and Sandi Morris together, and watch that WR (NOT the bar!!!) fall!!
But 17 feet will have to wait a few years!
One name for the Hammer Throw!
ANITA!
Goodbye WR!!
Same applies for the Women's Relays as for the Men's! See above!
United States--MEN
NO chance for the 200, 400, Mile, 10000, 110H, 400H, LJ, DT, JT, HT, and the Decathlon!
The 100 AR is 9.69!
The "G-Men" (Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay) are too old IMO!
But what about Trayvon Bromell or Christian Coleman?
A perfect wind, a loud crowd, a medal or team position at stake---and who knows?
Johnny Gray's 800 AR is overdue to fall!
Clay Murphy, a re-stoked Duane Solomon, a HOT Boris Berian or Donavan Brazier--with maybe a "Last Shot at Glory" Nick Symmonds--- could take this baby down!!
Ditto with Rick Wohlhuter's now-43 year old 1000 mark!!
In a fast race (Monaco??), Matthew Centrowitz CAN run faster than 3:50!
3:29.30?
Yes!
It will be the "newcomers"--like Ben True, Ryan Hill, Eric Jenkins, or one of the US Army crew--who have the best chance at the 5K record!
(Maybe have Galen Rupp be the rabbit??)
Speaking of Rupp, Ryan Hall's Boston Marathon mark of 2:04:58 will be his for the taking!
Berlin, Chicago, some other fall race--the pacers going 1:27+ at 30K--and Rupp is suddenly a 2:04 Marathoner!!
I believe in Erik Kynard!!
i think he has the talent to break the AR in the HJ!
But he'll need motivation--and competition!!
The latter's been missing the past year or two!
Give him 30-70 odds!
Taylor for the TJ!
Sam Kendricks for the PV record?
(God, I wish Duplantis had chosen to stick to his American side of his DNA!!)
Unless Chris Nilsen suddenly adds a foot to his PR, it's all up to Sam!
Odds NOT good--but not impossible either!
Crouser or Kovacs for that 75-0 AR!!
This year?
60-40! (I'm sweating!!)
Relays get the usual disclaimer!
United States--WOMEN
NADA for the 100, 200, LJ, DT, JT, and the Heptathlon!
I know, I know--that leaves a LOT of AR's "realistically" up for grabs!
Shoot me!
The 400 mark is 48.70, NOT 47.60!
With Felix in her Last Hurrah (Maybe!!), and supported by Courtney Okolo, Phyllis Francis, and maybe a shocker or 2, it's doable!
All of the distance marks also have viable candidates!
For the 800 & 1000, it's Wilson, Kate Grace, Brenda Martinez, Alysia Montano (A TINY question as to whether she'll run seriously this year--or is even retired!!), and maybe even those SUPER Collegians--Raevyn Rogers or Jazmin Gray!!
For the 1500, Mile, 3000, 2 Mile, and even the 5000, it's Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowberry, but so many others!!
Emma Coburn should go faster!
Sub-9:00?
Odds are 30-70 for THAT!!
Will Molly Huddle find herself in a Rio Redux 10K??
Not to mention decide to go all-out in Berlin or Chicago for Deena Kastor's Marathon AR!
(I believe Huddle would have a better chance than Shalane Flanagan at this point!)
After that NYC Half, watch for Emily Sisson too!
Both Hurdles AR's are doable!
(If the AR in the 400H is breakable, why not the WR, just 0.13 seconds faster? Because I believe that, IF it's broken, it will be by a TINY amount!!)
Chante Lowe vs Vashti Cunningham!
Both are capable--and ready!--to get the HJ record!
60-40 odds!
Keturah Orji for her own TJ mark, and Michelle Carter for her own SP record!
(Raven Saunders MIGHT reach 65 feet this year, but won't be near the AR!!)
Gwen Berry could get HER OWN record in the Hammer Throw!
Can Maggie Ewen improve on her season-opening mind-bender? (See a previous post!)
Will Deanna Price out-throw such as Amber Campbell?
Relays--see above!
Collegiate--MEN
ZERO chance for the 400, 3000SC, 110H, 400H, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, SP, JT, and HT!
With a backing (LEGAL!) wind, the 100 and 200 has an ON FIRE Christian Coleman aiming squarely at both!!
And he'll have INdoor 60 speedster Kendel Williams as strong competition!
(Too bad Noah Lyles went Pro!)
Emmanuel Korir vs Isaiah Harris--the TWO guys who broke the CR in the INdoor 600!!--for the 800 mark!
As for ALL or ANY of the distances from 1500 to the 10000 (Except the 3000SC!!), Are you listening, Mr Cheserek?
If he WANTS them, he CAN get them!
Biggest question, however, might be whether he gets the opportunity!!
The DT doesn't have any really prime candidates!
BUT--the CR isn't all that great--it's 223-7!
A good wind in southern California--or Texas--and BOOM!!
The decathlon mark is 8465!
But the past few years has given us a strong and deep field of 10-eventers!
2017 should be no different!
The only barrier would be the old cliche of--With 10 events, there's 10 ways it could go wrong!
Relays get the same disclaimer.
Except for that 4XMile!
PLEASE, guys, take that one UNDER 16 minutes!!
Collegiate--WOMEN
NO chance for the 1500, 3000SC, 100H, 400H, HJ, or the DT!
Yes, another slough of "possible" CR's!!
The 100 and 200 could fall to a DUCK!!
Not those Water Waddling-types, but those FAST Women who call themselves Oregon DUCKS!!
Even that 10.78 in the 100--given those wild Eugene winds!!
One race with a 1.9 or 2.0 wind, and the CR is suddenly 10.77 or faster!
Watch for Deajah Stevens to want to amend for her INdoor DQ in the 200!!
And with a healthy Hannah Cunliffe and Ariana Washington around---!!!
Shakima Wimbley has that 36.72 in the INdoor 300, and she's gotten off to a good start OUTdoors!
That 400 mark is tough, but I can see her dipping under 50 seconds!
How FAR under is the main question!!
The aforementioned Rogers & Fray combo could duel to a CR 800!
Will "tactics" interfere?
The 3000, 5000, and 10000 all have a band of solid candidates--too many to mention!
Maybe they'll all go to Payton Jordan??
The Mile CR SHOULD be under 4:20--given Jenny's 3:59.90 in the 1500 being equivalent to 4:17!
The record's just 4:29.04, Ladies!
Give it a go, PLEASE!!
All of the best Collegiate Steeplers have graduated!
A "new" group--maybe led by Elinor Purrier?--will be taking over!
Can any of them clear the (TIME-) barriers like Courtney Frerichs did??
30-70 odds!
There was that INdoor SEC Long Jump that saw 3 Women go 22 feet or farther!
22-11.0.50 is doable---especially in a similar competition!!
Orji & Saunders are almost GIVENS to take down their own CR's in the TJ & SP!!
Will it be the 15-0 toppers Tori & Lexi Weeks--or maybe a "rookie" like Kally Long--that seem destined to rearrange the CR in the PV?
I can see 15:9 as the new record!
Sixteen feet?
I'd give THAT one 20-80 odds---and maybe even THAT is too generous!!
The JT record is good--Maggie Malone's 204-0 from last year!
I'm NOT saying she's the one, but sister Audrey Malone has gotten off to a decent start this year!!
Give it 40-60 odds!
Maggie Ewen "rust-busted" with a HT of 238-6--just INCHES from the CR!!
Heck, she's a candidate for the AMERICAN Record--let alone the Collegiate!!
Will Kendell Williams segue into Pro-dom with a going-away gift of another CR in the Hept??
Sure, why not!!
Watch for Taliyah Brooks (And....???) to give her cold sweats!
Those Relays again!
But will SOMEONE please set up an attempt at the TOTALLY obscure Collegiate Record in the 4 by Mile??
It's just 18:39 and change--or barely under 4:40 per Mile!!
An All-Star HIGH SCHOOL team could take that down!!!
At the Penn Relays, maybe??
Okay, friends, this has gone on too long!
So I'm going to put the HS Records Predictions at the top of my next post!
With that--and the Age Records--still to go, this will be a THREE-parter!!
Not sure exactly when, but I'll have both posted within the next 24 to 36 hours!!
This might apply to the breaking (or survival!) of records--or the way I present my case for such!
As I did last OUTdoor season, I'm going to combine my Core Group Records Predictions (World, US, Collegiate, High School) with my Age Records Predictions!
But the Age Records Predictions will be written out a bit differently!
Instead of saying something like "Athlete X will go after Record Y", I may put it like this--"Athlete X has a snowball's chance in Hell to get Record Y!"!!
While not giving actual odds (40-60 or 70-30, etc), I'm going to tell you my opinion as to whether the athlete I list has a REALISTIC chance to break a record!!
Hopefully, this will make for a more entertaining read for YOU!!
(Let me know what you think!)
Well, there's LOTS to cover, so let's begin!
First, the usual guidelines!
1. The Core Group Predictions will be broken down by Group, and Gender!
2. Records I see as having ZERO possibility to be broken will only have the event listed, without any athlete's names, or commentary!
3. I may list 1 or 2 athletes who are MOST likely to break a particular record!
For the Age Records---
1.. Ages will go from "40 & Over" (Athlete can be ANY age over 40, such as 41 or 42!) down to "0 to 17" (Athlete can be 15 or 16, etc, but no older than 17!).
2. Actual birthdates are used to determine Age, not just the year alone!
3. Thus, an athlete can break TWO different Age Records in the same year---even the same weekend!!
4. I will list as many athletes as I believe--given the opportunity, health, and DESIRE!--have a GENUINE chance to break a record! (In the past, I offered up some names that had only a "slim to none" chance to get a record. I won't do that this year!)
5. The unforeseen (weather conditions, injury or illness, pregnancy, retirement, a HS'er or Collegian suddenly turning Pro) may determine if a record gets broken--or not!
World--MEN
NO chance for the 100, 200, 800, 1000, 1500, Mile, 3000, 2 Mile, 5000, 10000, 110H, 400H, HJ, LJ, DT, JT, HT, or the Decathlon!
Wayde Van Niekerk can get his own WR in the 400, though he may concentrate on the 100 & 200 this year!
If he goes for it, he can get it!
The Marathon record should fall!
But not at the WC's!
Probably in Berlin, with the usual suspects (Wilson Kipsang, Eliud Kipchoge, Ken Bekele) given the favorites position!
(Forget a sub-2:00:00, however!! IF it goes, should remain in the 2:02's somewhere!)
Christian Taylor might have Pablo Pichardo to challenge him again in the TJ!
If those 2 meet a few times, one of them could go 60-plus--but probably no more than 60-6!!
Renaud Lavillenie is getting older--and nearer to retirement!
He has the INdoor WR!
He might want BOTH!!
Unless Shawn Barber, Piotr Lisek--or Mondo Duplantis (Half-joking!! Give him 2-3 more years!!) suddenly pull a "Raven Saunders" (Break their PR by a FOOT, not inches!), the odds apply ONLY to the Frenchman!
The SP record is 75-10.25 (Disputed by T&FN!).
But Joe Kovacs, for example, was said to have thrown 77 feet in practice!
Ryan Crouser and Tom Walsh are moving fast towards that mark!
It's NOT impossible!
And what about Konrad Bukowiecki, or even (3-4 years from now) Jordan Geist??
I didn't list any Relays as having "ZERO" chance--solely because I don't know who will show for the World Relays meet this year, or who Drake or Penn might attract!
(Not to mention the World Championships!!)
Let's just say that--given the right team & the perfect weather & the opportunity at the right moment--ALL of the Men's World Relay records have SOME degree of vulnerability!!
World--WOMEN
NO chance for the 100, 200, 400, 800 (Caster Semenya, Margaret Wambui, and Francine Niyonsaba NOT eligible for Records, by MY blog's rules!!), 3000, Marathon, HJ, LJ, TJ, SP, DT, JT, and Heptathlon!!
I see the 1000--given aggressive pacing (56 or 57 first lap!), 2 or more Class A athletes going at it, and perfect conditions--as having a good chance to fall! Maybe Genzebe Dibaba vs Laura Muir vs Ajee Wilson??
G-D's 1500 WR may SEEM impregnable, but she said (then) she could run 3:47! With Muir and Faith Kipyegon (And??) to challenge her AFTER the rabbit leaves---well, I could see it falling!
Same with the Mile!!
(The latter should be sub-4:10!!)
Will Genzebe try to get BOTH 2000 meter WR's??
I sure hope what Almaz Ayana (and Alice Aprot!) did last year wasn't a fluke!
Doesn't SEEM so!
With that in mind, the WR's in the 5000 and 10000 could go down!!
I ALMOST took Paula Radcliffe's Marathon WR off my "NO chance!" list!
Those low-65 minute Half-M's are worth a time in the 2:15's!
If the Big Girls go to Berlin, I'd give them 10-90 odds!
Without the Hard Core Gang---like I said, NO chance!!
Both Hurdles WR's can fall!
And Kendra Harrison AIN'T the only likely candidate!!
Any Woman already having run in the 12.30's could get it!
Or someone---say, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn?--advancing like wildfire could erase it in a one-off!!
The 400H WR is actually kind of weak!
Have a sub-50 flat Woman take it on, and it GOES!!
(SOMEday for Syd McLaughlin---but not this year!!)
That Pole Vault!!
(Oh, how I wish Yelena Isinbayeva weren't FORCED to retire!!!)
Bring IN SHAPE Jenn Suhr, Demi Payne, Ekaterina Stefanidi, Yarisley Silva, and Sandi Morris together, and watch that WR (NOT the bar!!!) fall!!
But 17 feet will have to wait a few years!
One name for the Hammer Throw!
ANITA!
Goodbye WR!!
Same applies for the Women's Relays as for the Men's! See above!
United States--MEN
NO chance for the 200, 400, Mile, 10000, 110H, 400H, LJ, DT, JT, HT, and the Decathlon!
The 100 AR is 9.69!
The "G-Men" (Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay) are too old IMO!
But what about Trayvon Bromell or Christian Coleman?
A perfect wind, a loud crowd, a medal or team position at stake---and who knows?
Johnny Gray's 800 AR is overdue to fall!
Clay Murphy, a re-stoked Duane Solomon, a HOT Boris Berian or Donavan Brazier--with maybe a "Last Shot at Glory" Nick Symmonds--- could take this baby down!!
Ditto with Rick Wohlhuter's now-43 year old 1000 mark!!
In a fast race (Monaco??), Matthew Centrowitz CAN run faster than 3:50!
3:29.30?
Yes!
It will be the "newcomers"--like Ben True, Ryan Hill, Eric Jenkins, or one of the US Army crew--who have the best chance at the 5K record!
(Maybe have Galen Rupp be the rabbit??)
Speaking of Rupp, Ryan Hall's Boston Marathon mark of 2:04:58 will be his for the taking!
Berlin, Chicago, some other fall race--the pacers going 1:27+ at 30K--and Rupp is suddenly a 2:04 Marathoner!!
I believe in Erik Kynard!!
i think he has the talent to break the AR in the HJ!
But he'll need motivation--and competition!!
The latter's been missing the past year or two!
Give him 30-70 odds!
Taylor for the TJ!
Sam Kendricks for the PV record?
(God, I wish Duplantis had chosen to stick to his American side of his DNA!!)
Unless Chris Nilsen suddenly adds a foot to his PR, it's all up to Sam!
Odds NOT good--but not impossible either!
Crouser or Kovacs for that 75-0 AR!!
This year?
60-40! (I'm sweating!!)
Relays get the usual disclaimer!
United States--WOMEN
NADA for the 100, 200, LJ, DT, JT, and the Heptathlon!
I know, I know--that leaves a LOT of AR's "realistically" up for grabs!
Shoot me!
The 400 mark is 48.70, NOT 47.60!
With Felix in her Last Hurrah (Maybe!!), and supported by Courtney Okolo, Phyllis Francis, and maybe a shocker or 2, it's doable!
All of the distance marks also have viable candidates!
For the 800 & 1000, it's Wilson, Kate Grace, Brenda Martinez, Alysia Montano (A TINY question as to whether she'll run seriously this year--or is even retired!!), and maybe even those SUPER Collegians--Raevyn Rogers or Jazmin Gray!!
For the 1500, Mile, 3000, 2 Mile, and even the 5000, it's Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowberry, but so many others!!
Emma Coburn should go faster!
Sub-9:00?
Odds are 30-70 for THAT!!
Will Molly Huddle find herself in a Rio Redux 10K??
Not to mention decide to go all-out in Berlin or Chicago for Deena Kastor's Marathon AR!
(I believe Huddle would have a better chance than Shalane Flanagan at this point!)
After that NYC Half, watch for Emily Sisson too!
Both Hurdles AR's are doable!
(If the AR in the 400H is breakable, why not the WR, just 0.13 seconds faster? Because I believe that, IF it's broken, it will be by a TINY amount!!)
Chante Lowe vs Vashti Cunningham!
Both are capable--and ready!--to get the HJ record!
60-40 odds!
Keturah Orji for her own TJ mark, and Michelle Carter for her own SP record!
(Raven Saunders MIGHT reach 65 feet this year, but won't be near the AR!!)
Gwen Berry could get HER OWN record in the Hammer Throw!
Can Maggie Ewen improve on her season-opening mind-bender? (See a previous post!)
Will Deanna Price out-throw such as Amber Campbell?
Relays--see above!
Collegiate--MEN
ZERO chance for the 400, 3000SC, 110H, 400H, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, SP, JT, and HT!
With a backing (LEGAL!) wind, the 100 and 200 has an ON FIRE Christian Coleman aiming squarely at both!!
And he'll have INdoor 60 speedster Kendel Williams as strong competition!
(Too bad Noah Lyles went Pro!)
Emmanuel Korir vs Isaiah Harris--the TWO guys who broke the CR in the INdoor 600!!--for the 800 mark!
As for ALL or ANY of the distances from 1500 to the 10000 (Except the 3000SC!!), Are you listening, Mr Cheserek?
If he WANTS them, he CAN get them!
Biggest question, however, might be whether he gets the opportunity!!
The DT doesn't have any really prime candidates!
BUT--the CR isn't all that great--it's 223-7!
A good wind in southern California--or Texas--and BOOM!!
The decathlon mark is 8465!
But the past few years has given us a strong and deep field of 10-eventers!
2017 should be no different!
The only barrier would be the old cliche of--With 10 events, there's 10 ways it could go wrong!
Relays get the same disclaimer.
Except for that 4XMile!
PLEASE, guys, take that one UNDER 16 minutes!!
Collegiate--WOMEN
NO chance for the 1500, 3000SC, 100H, 400H, HJ, or the DT!
Yes, another slough of "possible" CR's!!
The 100 and 200 could fall to a DUCK!!
Not those Water Waddling-types, but those FAST Women who call themselves Oregon DUCKS!!
Even that 10.78 in the 100--given those wild Eugene winds!!
One race with a 1.9 or 2.0 wind, and the CR is suddenly 10.77 or faster!
Watch for Deajah Stevens to want to amend for her INdoor DQ in the 200!!
And with a healthy Hannah Cunliffe and Ariana Washington around---!!!
Shakima Wimbley has that 36.72 in the INdoor 300, and she's gotten off to a good start OUTdoors!
That 400 mark is tough, but I can see her dipping under 50 seconds!
How FAR under is the main question!!
The aforementioned Rogers & Fray combo could duel to a CR 800!
Will "tactics" interfere?
The 3000, 5000, and 10000 all have a band of solid candidates--too many to mention!
Maybe they'll all go to Payton Jordan??
The Mile CR SHOULD be under 4:20--given Jenny's 3:59.90 in the 1500 being equivalent to 4:17!
The record's just 4:29.04, Ladies!
Give it a go, PLEASE!!
All of the best Collegiate Steeplers have graduated!
A "new" group--maybe led by Elinor Purrier?--will be taking over!
Can any of them clear the (TIME-) barriers like Courtney Frerichs did??
30-70 odds!
There was that INdoor SEC Long Jump that saw 3 Women go 22 feet or farther!
22-11.0.50 is doable---especially in a similar competition!!
Orji & Saunders are almost GIVENS to take down their own CR's in the TJ & SP!!
Will it be the 15-0 toppers Tori & Lexi Weeks--or maybe a "rookie" like Kally Long--that seem destined to rearrange the CR in the PV?
I can see 15:9 as the new record!
Sixteen feet?
I'd give THAT one 20-80 odds---and maybe even THAT is too generous!!
The JT record is good--Maggie Malone's 204-0 from last year!
I'm NOT saying she's the one, but sister Audrey Malone has gotten off to a decent start this year!!
Give it 40-60 odds!
Maggie Ewen "rust-busted" with a HT of 238-6--just INCHES from the CR!!
Heck, she's a candidate for the AMERICAN Record--let alone the Collegiate!!
Will Kendell Williams segue into Pro-dom with a going-away gift of another CR in the Hept??
Sure, why not!!
Watch for Taliyah Brooks (And....???) to give her cold sweats!
Those Relays again!
But will SOMEONE please set up an attempt at the TOTALLY obscure Collegiate Record in the 4 by Mile??
It's just 18:39 and change--or barely under 4:40 per Mile!!
An All-Star HIGH SCHOOL team could take that down!!!
At the Penn Relays, maybe??
Okay, friends, this has gone on too long!
So I'm going to put the HS Records Predictions at the top of my next post!
With that--and the Age Records--still to go, this will be a THREE-parter!!
Not sure exactly when, but I'll have both posted within the next 24 to 36 hours!!
Sunday, March 19, 2017
Serious Stuff Early
No rust-busting THIS year!!
The 2017 OUTdoor season is up and running--and throwing--and jumping---early!
Normally, the really serious stuff waits until the weekend of the Texas Relays--at least!
But here we are--10 days from that prestigious meet's opening day--and I already have a long list of Top 24 marks, and a few records, to report!
If you've followed the sport for awhile, you'll be surprised at the volume of quality marks already in!
It began in South Africa, where their summer season is just closing down!
Luvo Manyonga had already LJ'ed close to the National Record!
Now he owns it!
His astounding 28-3.50 (8.62) is reportedly the longest LJ (sic!) since 2009---meaning OF this decade!!
Besides his NR, he now ranks 12th A-T World!!
No Age 25 record, however!
He'll have to add about 4 inches for that!
Another great mark emerging from SA was the 9.92 (1.7 wind) 100 of Akani Simbine, that nation's best sprinter--WVN notwithstanding!!
Second was Thando Roto, his 9.95 his 1st dip under the 10 second barrier!
Several High Schoolers segued from INdoors to OUTdoors with ease, already rewriting my HS Record Book in abundance!
As Candace Hill is our only remaining member of the exclusive HS PRO Club, it's only natural she'd be setting, or breaking, records!
At a meet at Georgia Tech, she sped a 200 in 22.76 (wind of 0.5), breaking Kaylin Whitney's 12th Grade HS PRO Class Record of 22.84 from last year!
Then she popped a 400 in 52.94, establishing a HS PRO record for that event, as Whitney hadn't run one, while Hill ran one this year, but INdoors! (See an earlier post!)
She also gets the HS PRO 12th Grade record for that distance!
Tyrese Cooper exploded out of the walls of various INdoor arenas into the sunshine and breezes of OUTdoor tracks with 2 exciting marks!
His 20.55 in the 200--wind of just 0.2--broke the Soph Class record of the venerable Noah Lyles, set just 3 years ago!
It makes him 19th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
In his FIRST OUTdoor race of 2017!!!
But he wasn't done!
(He rarely is, as he loves to double and triple in all his meets!!)
He did one lap in 46.16.
Not a PR, and no record, but not bad--to say the least--for this time of year--whether you're a Collegian or a Pro--but especially not bad if you're just a 16 year old HS kid!!
(He'll be 17 in 2 days!!)
Symone Mason used the Bob Hayes meet (Where else?) as HER stomping grounds!
And STOMP she did!!
Her opening shot was an 11.24 Century, wind of 0.9!
This makes her 17th A-T HS, tied with 2 others!
Then she popped a 200 (1.6) in 23.00!!
That mark leaves her 23rd A-T HS!!
TWO list-making marks in HER first OUTdoor meet!!
But her 100 did something more!
It erased the names of 2 iconic & historic names FROM my DDD!!
Allyson Felix ran that 22.11 in Mexico City, still the HSR!
But her 100 best in HS wasn't of the same quality!
Her 11.29 from 2003 no longer resides on my list!
Neither does the 11.29 of Margaret Bailes.
Huh?
Who is she?
In 1968, Ms Bailes, then 17 years old, was a member of the Gold medal-winning 4X100 team from the United States in the Mexico City Olympics!
She then ran for Churchill HS in Eugene OR!
And she RETIRED immediately after the OG!!
She now lives in the Bronx (NY), and is 66 years old!!
(Thank you, Wikipedia! LOL)
I don't keep 300H records or lists, but I need to report the time of Thomas Burns!
He's the Frosh Class record holder--with his 37.22 from 2015.
Now he's run 36.12, which just happens to be 0.20 faster than ANYone ran that event in all of 2016!!
In HIS first OUTdoor race of 2017!
(At least, I THINK it's his first race--although he might have rust-busted earlier!)
Turner Washington threw the Discus 211-1 at the Willie Williams Classic, missing the HS list by just 4 inches!!
Still with the HS'ers, the much-ballyhooed Men's 5000 at the Texas Distance Festival--Ballyhooed by Flotrack, that is!--wasn't a dud--by any stretch!--but it definitely was NOT at the level Flotrack'ers predicted!
Cooper Teare--hot off a fast Mile at NBIN--took the race in 14:13.26, giving him 19th place on the A-T HS list, that list's first entry since 2013!
Connor Lane was 2nd in 14:17.89, but he misses my DDD by 2.34 seconds!
Noah Affolder ran 14:18.26 in 3rd.
This race had good depth, with 7 guys getting in under 14:30!!
(We don't expect times like these until the Arcadia meet, normally!)
Knocked OFF my list was the historic name of Ralph Serna, whose 14:16.2 was run in 1974!
Rachel Baxter had to wait for OUTdoors to get back over 14-0 in the PV.
She reached exactly that height, but no PR for the Senior Vaulter!
Maggie Ewen had a good 2016, PR'ing in the HT at 231-3.
Well, she has a new PR!
In HER first OUTdoor effort, she swung the ball and chain out 238-6 from the ring, giving her the Collegiate Junior Class record, even though she appears to be redshirting, as she competed as unattached!
She moves from 6th to 2nd on the A-T Collegiate list!
And she moves from 15th A-T US, tied with 1 other, to 8th!!
That was at the Baldy Castillo meet in Arizona!
There were several other good marks from that meet!
Kori Carter (known as @KoriMonster on Twitter!) had a productive early meet!!
She ran the 100H in 12.78, wind of 0.6!
She also ran a PR in the 200, time of 23.07 (wind legal)!
Georgeanne Moline opened with a solid 51.93 in a 400 at Tucson's Willie Williams Classic!
(Please excuse an earlier version of this post, wherein yours truly made a GRIEVOUS error---mistaking Moline's 51.93 for one I'd IMAGINED I'd seen tweeted as being by Kori Carter!! Wrong person, wrong meet!! See above!)
Morgann LeLeux got a PR by 0.50 inches in her PV opener!
Her 15-1.50 moves her from 17th A-T US, tied with 7 (!) others, to 15th, tied with 2 others.
Kristina Owsinski is coming back, her opener of 13-11.25 as proof.
Chris Nilsen went over 18-6.50 as his rust-buster!
Another PV'er to answer the call early was UT-Arlington Frosh Helen Felda, as she PV'ed 13-9.75, a PR.
Matthew O'Neal is suddenly a 56-2 TJ'er at age 22!!
He missed the US list by 2.75 inches!
The wind was 1.4.
Liguelin Santos ran a 600 in Puerto Rico in 1:15.90, defeating Ryan Sanchez's 1:16.29.
Blair Henderson opened with a fast (for mid-March!!) 800 of 1:47.58 at the Louisiana Classic!
He also ran the 1500 in 3:47 and change!
He's an LSU Senior!
LSU's Women's 4X100 Relay team produced a quick opener of 43.12!
Texas A&M's Men ran their 4X100 in 39.13.
USC's Men's 4X400 squad won their race at the Trojan Invite in 3:06.57.
(The Trojans also ran the 4X100 in 39.31!)
But the Professional Altis team sped a 3:01.02 at Baldy Castillo!!
That team had Bralon Taplin on 2nd leg, and was anchored by Deon Lendore!!
A&M finished 2nd in 3:05.72, while Iowa was 3rd in 3:06.28, all solid (VERY-) early season times!
Amelie Iuel had a good day at the Trojan Invite!
She ran a 200 in 23.46.
But her 51.81 in the 400 is the National Record of Norway, a record that was 25 years old!!
(One of her parents is half Norwegian!!)
Also running fast there was Kendell Ellis, who sped the 200 in 22.79, wind of 1.5.
Matti Martinsen, a Junior at North Dakota State, threw the Javelin 253-1, for a Collegiate leader!
Kyle Long had a DT of 206-0.50.
He's an ASU Senior.
Brooke Andersen, an NAU Junior, had a HT of 221-3, making her 22nd A-T Collegiate!
Audrey Malone had a good JT of 181-8, though it's not a PR!
Finally--in the field events department--Valerie Allman had a DT opener of 202-3, a PR by 9 inches!!
But she remains 23rd A-T US!
Other interesting running marks included--
Mike Berry's 46.05 in the 400, as well as a 21.26 in the 200.
Natoya Goule doing the 400 in 53.41, but also moving a bit out of her comfort zone for a 1500 in 4:26.89!
She added an anchor leg for a 4X400 team that ran 3:39.25!
And Zola Pieterse--who used to be Zola Budd!!--ran a track 10000 in 37:30.84!
She's now 50 years old!!
I'll close with a report from this morning's NYC Half-Marathon!
And despite it having snowed yesterday, and with the temperature at 33 degrees at race's start--the NY Sanitation Department spent all night clearing the race course of snow and ice!!--the races were pretty damn fast!!
Callum Hawkins, the fast-rising British star--He'd run a Half in 60:00!!--led much of the way, with Ethiopian expatriot Feyisa Lilesa on his back!
Their first 10K was a safe 28:46 against the weather!
But when they warmed up, they split a 28:12 for their 2nd 10K, passing 20K in 56:58!
Then Lilesa made a move, opening a couple of meters gap on the Brit!
But Hawkins didn't fade, and it then came down to a final straightaway (150 meters) sprint to the tape!
Lilesa prevailed--putting up his now-normal crossed-arms symbol of solidarity with his fellow Ethiopians--but just so!
He won it in 60:04, with Hawkins running a solid 60:08.
Stephen Sambu was 4th in 60:55, with first American Chris Derrick running 61:12 in 6th!!
Noah Droddy and Diego Estrado followed in 7th and 8th, both a few seconds under 62 minutes!
Forty year old Abdi Abdirahman finished in 15th place, time of 63:22.
Molly Huddle did it again!
She won her 3rd straight NYC Half, though the weather prevented any record for her!
Huddle and recent new sometime-training partner Emily Sisson ran side by side through almost the entire race!
In her first venture over the distance, Sisson--who's been HOT on the Roads in recent months--gave Huddle a run for her money--literally!!
In fact, the camera angle (WHEN they focused on the Women's leaders!!) appeared to show Sisson slightly ahead of Huddle!!
But only by half a step--if that!
At the end, though, it was the Huddle Hammer that won the day--and the race!
(I tweeted to my Twitter Model/Runner friend Aysha Mirza that when Huddle puts the hammer down, the nail is driven right through the wall!! LOL)
Huddle's time was a great 68:19--considering the conditions--and the early slow pace!
They went through 5000 in 16:59--not much under 1:12 pace!!
Picking it up to 16:28, they hit 10K in 33:27!
Then they REALLY picked it up--throwing in a 15:42 split!
(Sisson's track 10K PR is 31:38!!)
Keep that last fact in mind a bit longer, please!
They hit 20K in 64:49!
That means Huddle's (AND Sisson's!!!) SECOND 10000 was run in 31:22!!
If the course was accurate--and the NYRR makes sure of that!!--Sisson beat her track PR by about 16 seconds---in the SECOND 10K of a race run in almost-freezing temperatures, on a road just hours earlier cleared of snow and ice!!
Absolutely amazing!!
Huddle's 68:19 beat Sisson's debut time of 68:21 with her final sprint.
Diane Nukuri took 3rd in 69:13, with 37 year old Edna Kiplagat timing 69:37 in 4th!
Amy Cragg finished just one second behind Kiplagat, with Swedish rookie Sarah Lahti running 69:58 in 6th.
Des Linden was a far back 7th in 1:11:05!
Next post, as promised earlier---but slightly delayed LOL---will be my Age Records Predictions, followed by my Predictions for which WR's, AR's, CR's, and HSR's might be broken this OUTdoor season!
Which has quite obviously already gotten quite serious!!
The 2017 OUTdoor season is up and running--and throwing--and jumping---early!
Normally, the really serious stuff waits until the weekend of the Texas Relays--at least!
But here we are--10 days from that prestigious meet's opening day--and I already have a long list of Top 24 marks, and a few records, to report!
If you've followed the sport for awhile, you'll be surprised at the volume of quality marks already in!
It began in South Africa, where their summer season is just closing down!
Luvo Manyonga had already LJ'ed close to the National Record!
Now he owns it!
His astounding 28-3.50 (8.62) is reportedly the longest LJ (sic!) since 2009---meaning OF this decade!!
Besides his NR, he now ranks 12th A-T World!!
No Age 25 record, however!
He'll have to add about 4 inches for that!
Another great mark emerging from SA was the 9.92 (1.7 wind) 100 of Akani Simbine, that nation's best sprinter--WVN notwithstanding!!
Second was Thando Roto, his 9.95 his 1st dip under the 10 second barrier!
Several High Schoolers segued from INdoors to OUTdoors with ease, already rewriting my HS Record Book in abundance!
As Candace Hill is our only remaining member of the exclusive HS PRO Club, it's only natural she'd be setting, or breaking, records!
At a meet at Georgia Tech, she sped a 200 in 22.76 (wind of 0.5), breaking Kaylin Whitney's 12th Grade HS PRO Class Record of 22.84 from last year!
Then she popped a 400 in 52.94, establishing a HS PRO record for that event, as Whitney hadn't run one, while Hill ran one this year, but INdoors! (See an earlier post!)
She also gets the HS PRO 12th Grade record for that distance!
Tyrese Cooper exploded out of the walls of various INdoor arenas into the sunshine and breezes of OUTdoor tracks with 2 exciting marks!
His 20.55 in the 200--wind of just 0.2--broke the Soph Class record of the venerable Noah Lyles, set just 3 years ago!
It makes him 19th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
In his FIRST OUTdoor race of 2017!!!
But he wasn't done!
(He rarely is, as he loves to double and triple in all his meets!!)
He did one lap in 46.16.
Not a PR, and no record, but not bad--to say the least--for this time of year--whether you're a Collegian or a Pro--but especially not bad if you're just a 16 year old HS kid!!
(He'll be 17 in 2 days!!)
Symone Mason used the Bob Hayes meet (Where else?) as HER stomping grounds!
And STOMP she did!!
Her opening shot was an 11.24 Century, wind of 0.9!
This makes her 17th A-T HS, tied with 2 others!
Then she popped a 200 (1.6) in 23.00!!
That mark leaves her 23rd A-T HS!!
TWO list-making marks in HER first OUTdoor meet!!
But her 100 did something more!
It erased the names of 2 iconic & historic names FROM my DDD!!
Allyson Felix ran that 22.11 in Mexico City, still the HSR!
But her 100 best in HS wasn't of the same quality!
Her 11.29 from 2003 no longer resides on my list!
Neither does the 11.29 of Margaret Bailes.
Huh?
Who is she?
In 1968, Ms Bailes, then 17 years old, was a member of the Gold medal-winning 4X100 team from the United States in the Mexico City Olympics!
She then ran for Churchill HS in Eugene OR!
And she RETIRED immediately after the OG!!
She now lives in the Bronx (NY), and is 66 years old!!
(Thank you, Wikipedia! LOL)
I don't keep 300H records or lists, but I need to report the time of Thomas Burns!
He's the Frosh Class record holder--with his 37.22 from 2015.
Now he's run 36.12, which just happens to be 0.20 faster than ANYone ran that event in all of 2016!!
In HIS first OUTdoor race of 2017!
(At least, I THINK it's his first race--although he might have rust-busted earlier!)
Turner Washington threw the Discus 211-1 at the Willie Williams Classic, missing the HS list by just 4 inches!!
Still with the HS'ers, the much-ballyhooed Men's 5000 at the Texas Distance Festival--Ballyhooed by Flotrack, that is!--wasn't a dud--by any stretch!--but it definitely was NOT at the level Flotrack'ers predicted!
Cooper Teare--hot off a fast Mile at NBIN--took the race in 14:13.26, giving him 19th place on the A-T HS list, that list's first entry since 2013!
Connor Lane was 2nd in 14:17.89, but he misses my DDD by 2.34 seconds!
Noah Affolder ran 14:18.26 in 3rd.
This race had good depth, with 7 guys getting in under 14:30!!
(We don't expect times like these until the Arcadia meet, normally!)
Knocked OFF my list was the historic name of Ralph Serna, whose 14:16.2 was run in 1974!
Rachel Baxter had to wait for OUTdoors to get back over 14-0 in the PV.
She reached exactly that height, but no PR for the Senior Vaulter!
Maggie Ewen had a good 2016, PR'ing in the HT at 231-3.
Well, she has a new PR!
In HER first OUTdoor effort, she swung the ball and chain out 238-6 from the ring, giving her the Collegiate Junior Class record, even though she appears to be redshirting, as she competed as unattached!
She moves from 6th to 2nd on the A-T Collegiate list!
And she moves from 15th A-T US, tied with 1 other, to 8th!!
That was at the Baldy Castillo meet in Arizona!
There were several other good marks from that meet!
Kori Carter (known as @KoriMonster on Twitter!) had a productive early meet!!
She ran the 100H in 12.78, wind of 0.6!
She also ran a PR in the 200, time of 23.07 (wind legal)!
Georgeanne Moline opened with a solid 51.93 in a 400 at Tucson's Willie Williams Classic!
(Please excuse an earlier version of this post, wherein yours truly made a GRIEVOUS error---mistaking Moline's 51.93 for one I'd IMAGINED I'd seen tweeted as being by Kori Carter!! Wrong person, wrong meet!! See above!)
Morgann LeLeux got a PR by 0.50 inches in her PV opener!
Her 15-1.50 moves her from 17th A-T US, tied with 7 (!) others, to 15th, tied with 2 others.
Kristina Owsinski is coming back, her opener of 13-11.25 as proof.
Chris Nilsen went over 18-6.50 as his rust-buster!
Another PV'er to answer the call early was UT-Arlington Frosh Helen Felda, as she PV'ed 13-9.75, a PR.
Matthew O'Neal is suddenly a 56-2 TJ'er at age 22!!
He missed the US list by 2.75 inches!
The wind was 1.4.
Liguelin Santos ran a 600 in Puerto Rico in 1:15.90, defeating Ryan Sanchez's 1:16.29.
Blair Henderson opened with a fast (for mid-March!!) 800 of 1:47.58 at the Louisiana Classic!
He also ran the 1500 in 3:47 and change!
He's an LSU Senior!
LSU's Women's 4X100 Relay team produced a quick opener of 43.12!
Texas A&M's Men ran their 4X100 in 39.13.
USC's Men's 4X400 squad won their race at the Trojan Invite in 3:06.57.
(The Trojans also ran the 4X100 in 39.31!)
But the Professional Altis team sped a 3:01.02 at Baldy Castillo!!
That team had Bralon Taplin on 2nd leg, and was anchored by Deon Lendore!!
A&M finished 2nd in 3:05.72, while Iowa was 3rd in 3:06.28, all solid (VERY-) early season times!
Amelie Iuel had a good day at the Trojan Invite!
She ran a 200 in 23.46.
But her 51.81 in the 400 is the National Record of Norway, a record that was 25 years old!!
(One of her parents is half Norwegian!!)
Also running fast there was Kendell Ellis, who sped the 200 in 22.79, wind of 1.5.
Matti Martinsen, a Junior at North Dakota State, threw the Javelin 253-1, for a Collegiate leader!
Kyle Long had a DT of 206-0.50.
He's an ASU Senior.
Brooke Andersen, an NAU Junior, had a HT of 221-3, making her 22nd A-T Collegiate!
Audrey Malone had a good JT of 181-8, though it's not a PR!
Finally--in the field events department--Valerie Allman had a DT opener of 202-3, a PR by 9 inches!!
But she remains 23rd A-T US!
Other interesting running marks included--
Mike Berry's 46.05 in the 400, as well as a 21.26 in the 200.
Natoya Goule doing the 400 in 53.41, but also moving a bit out of her comfort zone for a 1500 in 4:26.89!
She added an anchor leg for a 4X400 team that ran 3:39.25!
And Zola Pieterse--who used to be Zola Budd!!--ran a track 10000 in 37:30.84!
She's now 50 years old!!
I'll close with a report from this morning's NYC Half-Marathon!
And despite it having snowed yesterday, and with the temperature at 33 degrees at race's start--the NY Sanitation Department spent all night clearing the race course of snow and ice!!--the races were pretty damn fast!!
Callum Hawkins, the fast-rising British star--He'd run a Half in 60:00!!--led much of the way, with Ethiopian expatriot Feyisa Lilesa on his back!
Their first 10K was a safe 28:46 against the weather!
But when they warmed up, they split a 28:12 for their 2nd 10K, passing 20K in 56:58!
Then Lilesa made a move, opening a couple of meters gap on the Brit!
But Hawkins didn't fade, and it then came down to a final straightaway (150 meters) sprint to the tape!
Lilesa prevailed--putting up his now-normal crossed-arms symbol of solidarity with his fellow Ethiopians--but just so!
He won it in 60:04, with Hawkins running a solid 60:08.
Stephen Sambu was 4th in 60:55, with first American Chris Derrick running 61:12 in 6th!!
Noah Droddy and Diego Estrado followed in 7th and 8th, both a few seconds under 62 minutes!
Forty year old Abdi Abdirahman finished in 15th place, time of 63:22.
Molly Huddle did it again!
She won her 3rd straight NYC Half, though the weather prevented any record for her!
Huddle and recent new sometime-training partner Emily Sisson ran side by side through almost the entire race!
In her first venture over the distance, Sisson--who's been HOT on the Roads in recent months--gave Huddle a run for her money--literally!!
In fact, the camera angle (WHEN they focused on the Women's leaders!!) appeared to show Sisson slightly ahead of Huddle!!
But only by half a step--if that!
At the end, though, it was the Huddle Hammer that won the day--and the race!
(I tweeted to my Twitter Model/Runner friend Aysha Mirza that when Huddle puts the hammer down, the nail is driven right through the wall!! LOL)
Huddle's time was a great 68:19--considering the conditions--and the early slow pace!
They went through 5000 in 16:59--not much under 1:12 pace!!
Picking it up to 16:28, they hit 10K in 33:27!
Then they REALLY picked it up--throwing in a 15:42 split!
(Sisson's track 10K PR is 31:38!!)
Keep that last fact in mind a bit longer, please!
They hit 20K in 64:49!
That means Huddle's (AND Sisson's!!!) SECOND 10000 was run in 31:22!!
If the course was accurate--and the NYRR makes sure of that!!--Sisson beat her track PR by about 16 seconds---in the SECOND 10K of a race run in almost-freezing temperatures, on a road just hours earlier cleared of snow and ice!!
Absolutely amazing!!
Huddle's 68:19 beat Sisson's debut time of 68:21 with her final sprint.
Diane Nukuri took 3rd in 69:13, with 37 year old Edna Kiplagat timing 69:37 in 4th!
Amy Cragg finished just one second behind Kiplagat, with Swedish rookie Sarah Lahti running 69:58 in 6th.
Des Linden was a far back 7th in 1:11:05!
Next post, as promised earlier---but slightly delayed LOL---will be my Age Records Predictions, followed by my Predictions for which WR's, AR's, CR's, and HSR's might be broken this OUTdoor season!
Which has quite obviously already gotten quite serious!!
Thursday, March 16, 2017
OUTdoor Schedule--2017
The SUN is shining here in Bellingham WA!!
Spring is just 5 days away (The Spring Equinox, that is!).
What does that mean?
Track & Field moves OUTdoors!
(Okay, so we've had OUTdoor results come in from Down Under, South Africa, and sunny spots around the USA throughout the INdoor season! Picky, picky! LOL)
Following is a fairly complete Schedule for all the meets I believe MIGHT produce good marks , as well as major Road races & XC meets!!
It's longer than normal for me, so I want to get going on it!
First, a couple of notes!
1. Dates are as accurate as is known right now, and were taken from T&FN!!
2. State HS meets are from states I feel will produce the best marks! Not all states are listed!
3. I give the state's initials where a meet is held. Most are obvious, so I don't give initials for those!
4. "SUPER" major meets are in ALL CAPS!
5. To save room, meets having the same dates are put together, separated by 2 hyphen marks!
Use this as a guide, not as the final word!
MARCH
24-25 Florida State Relays--PAC 12/Big 10 Invite (AZ)--Raleigh Relays (NC)
25 Arkansas Spring Invite--UTEP Springtime
26 WORLD XC (Uganda)
APRIL (A few meets start in late March! The March date is listed first!)
29-1 TEXAS RELAYS
30-1 FLORIDA RELAYS
31-1 STANFORD INVITE--Challenge of Champions (AL), a HS meet!
1 Mondo Invite (CA)--Duke/Michigan/NC Tri
2 CARLSBAD 5K--Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (DC)
7-8 Colorado Invite--SUN ANGEL CLASSIC--Tiger Classic (AL), Towns Invite (OH)
ARCADIA INVITE, a HS meet!--Grenada Invite
8 Baylor Invite--MJ/JJK Invite--Stanford/Cal & Penn St/LSU/USC/Purdue "duals"
9 Paris & Rotterdam Marathons
12-15 Mt SAC (& Mt SAC Multis)
15 ACC/Big 10 Challenge (KY)--UCLA Invite
15-17 CARIFTA GAMES
17 BOSTON MARATHON
19-22 Kansas Relays
20-21 Olympic Invite (CA)
21-22 Cardinal Classic--Duke Invite--McDonnell Invite--Owens Classic
22 LSU Alumnai--UTEP Invite
22-23 WORLD RELAYS (Bahamas)
23 LONDON MARATHON
25-29 DRAKE RELAYS
27-29 PENN RELAYS
28 Jones Memorial (FL)
28-29 Longhorn Invite--Scott Invite--SEC Relays (LA)
29 ASU/Arizona dual
29-30 Oregon State High Performance
30 UCLA/USC dual
MAY
1st Week State HS meets in AL--AZ--FL--LA--MS
2 Horned Frog Invite (TX)--Arkansas Twilight--PAYTON JORDAN INVITE--Oregon Twilight--Seminole Twilight
5 DOHA DIAMOND LEAGUE
5-7 SWAC Conference
6 Oxy Invite
6-7 PAC 12 Multis
7 Prague Marathon--Bloomsday 12K
2nd Week State HS meets in AR--GA--NM--OK--SC--TX
10-11 BYU Last Chance
10-13 Mountain West Conference
11-13 SEC CONFERENCE (SC)--Loucks Games (NY), a HS meet
12-13 Big East & IC4A/ECAC Conferences
13 Cayman Invite--Riverbank 25K (MI)--SHANGHAI DIAMOND LEAGUE
16 Beijing IWC
18-20 Elite Classic (AZ)
Last part of May, from the 16th to the 31st!
State HS meets in CO--ID--IL--IA--KS--KY--MD--MO--NE--NV--NC--OR--PA--TN--WA
20 Jamaica Invite
21 Golden GP (Japan)
26-27 PREFONTAINE CLASSIC DIAMOND LEAGUE
27 Golden South (FL), a HS meet
27-28 GOTZIS MULTIS
JUNE
1-3 Great Southwest (NM), a HS meet
1st Week State HS meets in CA--IN--MA--MI--NJ--NY--OH--VA--WI
3 Rio IWC--Flanders Cup (Belgium)--Freihofer's 5K (Women only!)
5 Odlozil Memorial (Czech Republic)
7-10 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
8 ROME DIAMOND LEAGUE
10 European 10000 Cup (Belarus), a Track race!
10-11 PORTLAND TRACK FESTIVAL
11 HENGELO--Jerome Classic
13 Nurmi Games
14 Kusocinski Memorial (Poland)
15 OSLO DIAMOND LEAGUE
16-18 NEW BALANCE NATIONALS
17 Grandma's Marathon
17-18 Adidas Dream--BROOKS PR
18 STOCKHOLM DIAMOND LEAGUE
18-22 Jamaican National Championships
22-24 USATF JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
23-25 European Team Championships--USATF CHAMPIONSHIPS
28 Golden Spike (Ostrava IWC)
29 TRACKTOWN SERIES (San Francisco)
JULY (A couple of meets overlap from June!)
27-2 USATF Youth Championships
30-2 Great Britain National Championships
1 PARIS DIAMOND LEAGUE
1-2 European Multis
2 TRACKTOWN SERIES (Portland)--Znamenskiy Memorial (Russia)
6 LAUSANNE DIAMOND LEAGUE--TRACKTOWN SERIES (NYC)
6-9 Canadian National Championships
9 LONDON DIAMOND LEAGUE--Brussels GP
11 Goteburg GP
13-15 Russian National Championships
14 Madrid IWC
14-16 EBERSTADT HIGH JUMP--French National Championships
16 RABAT DIAMOND LEAGUE
18 Cork City (Ireland)
20-23 European Junior Championships
21 MONACO DIAMOND LEAGUE
21-23 Pan Am Junior Championships (Puerto Rico)
22 Heusden-Zolder (Belgium)
AUGUST
4-13 THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (London) !!!!!!!
18 Malmo Games
20 BIRMINGHAM DIAMOND LEAGUE--Falmouth 7.1 Mile
20-25 World University Games (Taiwan)
22 Skolimowska Memorial (Where Anita Wlodarczyk threw the HT 272-3 last year!!)
24 ZURICH WELTKLASSE DIAMOND LEAGUE
26 Crim 10 Mile (MI)
27 ISTAF IWC
29 Zagreb IWC
SEPTEMBER
1 BRUSSELS DIAMOND LEAGUE
3 Rieti
4 New Haven 20K
9 DecaNation--Great North City Games
10 Great North Half-Marathon (Great Britain)
16-17 TALENCE MULTIS
17 Philadelphia Half-Marathon
24 BERLIN MARATHON
OCTOBER
1 Twin Cities Marathon
8 CHICAGO MARATHON--Rock & Roll Half-Marathon (San Jose, CA)
9 Tufts 10K (Women only!)
15 Lisbon Half-Marathon--Amsterdam Marathon
29 Frankfort Marathon
NOVEMBER
5 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
18 NCAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
DECEMBER
2 NIKE CROSS NATIONALS XC
3 Fukuoka Marathon--Sacramento Marathon
9 USATF Clubs Championships--FOOT LOCKER XC
Again, these were taken (Stolen!! LOL) from the March issue of T&FN!
Please check at T&FN website, as well as a particular meet or race website for any possible changes!!
Hope this helps you follow the season!
But remember--the BEST way to follow this OUTdoor season is by reading my blog!!
LOL
Next up will be my Age Records Preview, followed by my Predictions for which WR's, AR's, CR's, and HSR's might be broken this OUTdoor season!!
(Plus whatever results might pop up!!)
See you soon!
Spring is just 5 days away (The Spring Equinox, that is!).
What does that mean?
Track & Field moves OUTdoors!
(Okay, so we've had OUTdoor results come in from Down Under, South Africa, and sunny spots around the USA throughout the INdoor season! Picky, picky! LOL)
Following is a fairly complete Schedule for all the meets I believe MIGHT produce good marks , as well as major Road races & XC meets!!
It's longer than normal for me, so I want to get going on it!
First, a couple of notes!
1. Dates are as accurate as is known right now, and were taken from T&FN!!
2. State HS meets are from states I feel will produce the best marks! Not all states are listed!
3. I give the state's initials where a meet is held. Most are obvious, so I don't give initials for those!
4. "SUPER" major meets are in ALL CAPS!
5. To save room, meets having the same dates are put together, separated by 2 hyphen marks!
Use this as a guide, not as the final word!
MARCH
24-25 Florida State Relays--PAC 12/Big 10 Invite (AZ)--Raleigh Relays (NC)
25 Arkansas Spring Invite--UTEP Springtime
26 WORLD XC (Uganda)
APRIL (A few meets start in late March! The March date is listed first!)
29-1 TEXAS RELAYS
30-1 FLORIDA RELAYS
31-1 STANFORD INVITE--Challenge of Champions (AL), a HS meet!
1 Mondo Invite (CA)--Duke/Michigan/NC Tri
2 CARLSBAD 5K--Cherry Blossom 10 Mile (DC)
7-8 Colorado Invite--SUN ANGEL CLASSIC--Tiger Classic (AL), Towns Invite (OH)
ARCADIA INVITE, a HS meet!--Grenada Invite
8 Baylor Invite--MJ/JJK Invite--Stanford/Cal & Penn St/LSU/USC/Purdue "duals"
9 Paris & Rotterdam Marathons
12-15 Mt SAC (& Mt SAC Multis)
15 ACC/Big 10 Challenge (KY)--UCLA Invite
15-17 CARIFTA GAMES
17 BOSTON MARATHON
19-22 Kansas Relays
20-21 Olympic Invite (CA)
21-22 Cardinal Classic--Duke Invite--McDonnell Invite--Owens Classic
22 LSU Alumnai--UTEP Invite
22-23 WORLD RELAYS (Bahamas)
23 LONDON MARATHON
25-29 DRAKE RELAYS
27-29 PENN RELAYS
28 Jones Memorial (FL)
28-29 Longhorn Invite--Scott Invite--SEC Relays (LA)
29 ASU/Arizona dual
29-30 Oregon State High Performance
30 UCLA/USC dual
MAY
1st Week State HS meets in AL--AZ--FL--LA--MS
2 Horned Frog Invite (TX)--Arkansas Twilight--PAYTON JORDAN INVITE--Oregon Twilight--Seminole Twilight
5 DOHA DIAMOND LEAGUE
5-7 SWAC Conference
6 Oxy Invite
6-7 PAC 12 Multis
7 Prague Marathon--Bloomsday 12K
2nd Week State HS meets in AR--GA--NM--OK--SC--TX
10-11 BYU Last Chance
10-13 Mountain West Conference
11-13 SEC CONFERENCE (SC)--Loucks Games (NY), a HS meet
12-13 Big East & IC4A/ECAC Conferences
13 Cayman Invite--Riverbank 25K (MI)--SHANGHAI DIAMOND LEAGUE
16 Beijing IWC
18-20 Elite Classic (AZ)
Last part of May, from the 16th to the 31st!
State HS meets in CO--ID--IL--IA--KS--KY--MD--MO--NE--NV--NC--OR--PA--TN--WA
20 Jamaica Invite
21 Golden GP (Japan)
26-27 PREFONTAINE CLASSIC DIAMOND LEAGUE
27 Golden South (FL), a HS meet
27-28 GOTZIS MULTIS
JUNE
1-3 Great Southwest (NM), a HS meet
1st Week State HS meets in CA--IN--MA--MI--NJ--NY--OH--VA--WI
3 Rio IWC--Flanders Cup (Belgium)--Freihofer's 5K (Women only!)
5 Odlozil Memorial (Czech Republic)
7-10 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
8 ROME DIAMOND LEAGUE
10 European 10000 Cup (Belarus), a Track race!
10-11 PORTLAND TRACK FESTIVAL
11 HENGELO--Jerome Classic
13 Nurmi Games
14 Kusocinski Memorial (Poland)
15 OSLO DIAMOND LEAGUE
16-18 NEW BALANCE NATIONALS
17 Grandma's Marathon
17-18 Adidas Dream--BROOKS PR
18 STOCKHOLM DIAMOND LEAGUE
18-22 Jamaican National Championships
22-24 USATF JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS
23-25 European Team Championships--USATF CHAMPIONSHIPS
28 Golden Spike (Ostrava IWC)
29 TRACKTOWN SERIES (San Francisco)
JULY (A couple of meets overlap from June!)
27-2 USATF Youth Championships
30-2 Great Britain National Championships
1 PARIS DIAMOND LEAGUE
1-2 European Multis
2 TRACKTOWN SERIES (Portland)--Znamenskiy Memorial (Russia)
6 LAUSANNE DIAMOND LEAGUE--TRACKTOWN SERIES (NYC)
6-9 Canadian National Championships
9 LONDON DIAMOND LEAGUE--Brussels GP
11 Goteburg GP
13-15 Russian National Championships
14 Madrid IWC
14-16 EBERSTADT HIGH JUMP--French National Championships
16 RABAT DIAMOND LEAGUE
18 Cork City (Ireland)
20-23 European Junior Championships
21 MONACO DIAMOND LEAGUE
21-23 Pan Am Junior Championships (Puerto Rico)
22 Heusden-Zolder (Belgium)
AUGUST
4-13 THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (London) !!!!!!!
18 Malmo Games
20 BIRMINGHAM DIAMOND LEAGUE--Falmouth 7.1 Mile
20-25 World University Games (Taiwan)
22 Skolimowska Memorial (Where Anita Wlodarczyk threw the HT 272-3 last year!!)
24 ZURICH WELTKLASSE DIAMOND LEAGUE
26 Crim 10 Mile (MI)
27 ISTAF IWC
29 Zagreb IWC
SEPTEMBER
1 BRUSSELS DIAMOND LEAGUE
3 Rieti
4 New Haven 20K
9 DecaNation--Great North City Games
10 Great North Half-Marathon (Great Britain)
16-17 TALENCE MULTIS
17 Philadelphia Half-Marathon
24 BERLIN MARATHON
OCTOBER
1 Twin Cities Marathon
8 CHICAGO MARATHON--Rock & Roll Half-Marathon (San Jose, CA)
9 Tufts 10K (Women only!)
15 Lisbon Half-Marathon--Amsterdam Marathon
29 Frankfort Marathon
NOVEMBER
5 NEW YORK CITY MARATHON
18 NCAA CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
DECEMBER
2 NIKE CROSS NATIONALS XC
3 Fukuoka Marathon--Sacramento Marathon
9 USATF Clubs Championships--FOOT LOCKER XC
Again, these were taken (Stolen!! LOL) from the March issue of T&FN!
Please check at T&FN website, as well as a particular meet or race website for any possible changes!!
Hope this helps you follow the season!
But remember--the BEST way to follow this OUTdoor season is by reading my blog!!
LOL
Next up will be my Age Records Preview, followed by my Predictions for which WR's, AR's, CR's, and HSR's might be broken this OUTdoor season!!
(Plus whatever results might pop up!!)
See you soon!
2017 INdoors Best Ever?
"Ever" is a frightening word!
So is "best".
So judgmental, so definitive!
Then shall we just compare 2017 against 2016?
Well, there is NO comparison!
Not because 2017 was missing a World Championships, or that 2016 didn't have a European Championships!
Nor that a somewhat differing set of athletes competed in my 4 core groups!
(For example, some HS'ers became Collegiates, while some Collegiates graduated, or turned Pro!)
Therefore, it's best we stick with facts, numbers, stuff we KNOW don't lie!
In that case, it's no contest--2017 was BY FAR the better year!!
Let's take a look.
In 2016, there were 4 World Records broken, 2 for each gender!
Three American Records were broken, all by the Women!
Six Collegiate Records went down, 2 by Men, and 4 by Women!
The HS set saw 13 HSR's fall, 7 by the Men, and 6 by the Women!
The Totals were 11 by the Men, and 15 by the Women, for a Grand Total of 26!
Not a bad showing, you say??
HA!
In the season just ended, 7 WR's fell, 4 by Men, and 3 by Women!
Eight American Records changed hands, 3 for the Men, 5 for the Women!
Fourteen Collegiate Records fell, 6 for the guys, while the girls broke 8!
The HS'ers?
They broke HSR's 32 times, 14 for the Men, and 18 going to the Women!!
Totals for 2017 were 27 Records by the Men, while the Women broke 34!
Grand Total was a whopping 61!!
Now, you could say that ONE athlete broke the same event record several times!
Mondo Duplantis, for example, broke the PV HSR (his own!) SIX times!
Okay, so let's give just ONE record to each event, if broken by the same person!
So Mondo's 6 becomes one!
Sammy Watson's 2 HSR's in the 600 becomes just 1.
Here's the changed numbers--for 2017!
World-------Remains at 7, as no one athlete (or team, in the case of Relays!) broke an event record twice or more!
US----------Nine AR's were broken, with no one repeating!
Collegiate--14 CR's fell, with no one getting more than 1 in any event!
(Ed Cheserek got 2 CR's, but in different events--the 1500 and Mile!)
HS---------Here's where we LOSE some records, as there were some repeat breakings by the same person, as noted above!!
The 14 HSR's broken by Men is reduced to 6--as Duplantis, Tyrese Cooper, and Trey Cunningham all had multiple breakings of records in the same event!
The Women did somewhat better, as their total of 18 (which, BTW, includes the 4 HS PRO records Candace Hill got!!) is reduced to 15, so they lose just 3 marks!!
With those reductions, our totals now are---
WR-----------7
US------------9
CR-----------14
HS-----------21
Grand Total is now 51, a loss of 10 from the previous total of 61.
Still significantly better than 2016!!
Now let's look at my Top 24 Performers lists numbers, my so called DDD's!
In 2016, the Men got on the 4 lists 148 times!
The Women got 224 listings.
The Grand Total was 372!
(That was down 1 from 2015's total of 373!!)
In 2017?
We have 441 DDD listings with the year of 2017 as the date!
(As you know, if an INdoor mark for a certain season---say, 2017---happens in December, that mark is counted in the previous year's totals, since, in the example I gave, December of 2016 is still 2016, even if the season is the "2016-2017" INdoor season!!)
Anyway, that total of 441 is divided as follows---
188 for the Men
253 for the Women
From 373 to 441--even though there wasn't a WC's!!
Are you convinced yet?
Comparatively, 2016 SUCKED, while 2017 RULED!!
Sticking to my DDD lists, let's break it down by event!
(I did this a bit in my AOY posts, when I rated the "Event of the Year"! BTW, I found some additional 2017 marks--mostly in the HS realm--by going over the yearly lists on the T&FN website! Just a handful or so--nothing spectacular!!)
World Men
The 600 led with 8.
The 5000 got 7.
The 300 nabbed 6.
The 2 Mile got 4.
The 200 has 3.
The 60, 400, Mile, WT, and the Heptathlon all got 2.
The 60H, TJ, PV, and SP have 1 apiece.
Striking out were the 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, HJ, LJ, and the 4X400 Relay!
World Women
The WT led with 8.
The 300 got 6.
The 600 has 5.
The 200, Mile, 3000, and the 60H have 3.
The 800, 1000, 5000, and HJ get 2 each.
The 60, 1500, 2000, LJ, TJ, PV, and the Pentathlon have 1 each!
The 400, 2 Mile, SP, and the 4X400 Relay get none!
US Men
The 600 leads with 9.
The 300 has 8.
The 1500, Mile, and 2 Mile have 5 apiece!
The 5000 got 4.
The WT and Heptathlon have 3 each.
The 60, 200, and 800 have 2 each.
The 400, 1000, 3000, and TJ have 1 apiece.
Getting ZERO were the 2000, 60H, HJ, LJ, PV, SP, and the 4X400 Relay!
US Women
The 600 got a whopping 11 to lead!!
The 300 has 9.
The WT has 6.
The 1000 and PV get 5 each.
The 200, 800, and Mile have 4 each.
The 60, 400, 2000, 5000, 60H, and LJ get 3 apiece!
The 1500, 3000, TJ, and the Pentathlon have 2 each.
The HJ and SP get 1 apiece.
Striking out was the 2 Mile---sad to say!!
Collegiate Men
The 600 leads with 8.
The Heptathlon and the 4X400 Relay have 6 apiece.
The WT has 5.
The 200 gets 3.
The 60, 400, and PV have 2 each.
The 300, 1000, 1500, Mile, 60H, LJ, TJ, and the SP have 1 apiece.
With NONE are the 800, 3000, 5000, HJ, and the DMR!
(Remember, NO Oversize Track marks make my lists!!)
Collegiate Women
The 4X400 Relay leads with 7!!
The 800 and 60H have 5 each.
The 60, 200, 600, PV, and SP have 4 apiece.
The Mile, TJ, WT, and the DMR have 3 each.
The 400, 1500, 5000, LJ, and the Pentathlon have 2 apiece.
The 300, 1000, and the HJ have 1 each!
With NONE is the 3000!!
(It should be noted that my 300 lists for both Collegiate Men and Women are NOT 24 deep, but remain about half filled!!)
HS Men
The 1500 and Mile have 6 apiece.
The 3000 has 5.
The 200, 2 Mile, and 60H have 4 each.
The 300, 400, 600, and the PV have 3 each.
The SP, WT, and the Pentathlon have 2 apiece.
The 1000 and 5000 have 1 apiece.
With ZERO are the 60, HJ, LJ, and TJ!!
HS Women
The 3000 and LJ each have 7.
The PV and WT have 6 each.
The 300 and 400 get 5 apiece.
The 200, 1000, 2 Mile, 60H, and TJ have 4 each.
The 600, 800, 1500, 5000, and SP have a pair each.
The 60, HJ, and the Pentathlon get 1 apiece.
Only the Mile has ZERO!!
I'll end this post by listing--in chronological order of their breaking (as near as I can determine!!)--ALL of the SIXTY ONE Records we saw getting broken this INdoor season!
Won't give actual dates, just their name, the mark, and which record(s) they broke!
That's the best way--IMO--to SEE how incredible this season has been!
The first one was December 22, 2016!
Jordan Geist (68-4, HSR)
Ty Cooper (33.03, HSR)
Candace Hill (7.30 & 36.86, HS PRO & HS PRO)
Mondo Duplantis (18-2 & 18-5, HSR & HSR)
Quanera Hayes (35.71, AR)
Kaela Edwards (2:40.79, CR)
Lake Braddock (VA) (11:34.54, HSR)
Emmanuel Korir (1:14.97, WR & CR)
Sammy Watson (1:28.67, HSR)
UO (10:48.77, CR)
Casimir Loxsom (1:14.91 (WR & AR)
Isaiah Harris (1:14.96, CR)
Texas A&M (3:02.52, CR)
USA-NB (10:40.31, WR & AR)
Trey Cunningham (7.49, HSR)
Ty Cooper (32.87, HSR)
Sage Watson (1:08.40, CR)
Sammy Watson (1:27.13, HSR)
Mondo Duplantis (18-6.50 & 18-9.25, HSR & HSR)
Genzebe Dibaba (5:23.75, WR)
Lauren Harris (6:17.59, HSR)
Hannah Cunliffe (7.07, CR)
Courtney Okolo (1:07.34, AR)
Ajee Wilson (1:58.27, AR)
Sammy Watson (2:01.78, HSR)
Tara Davis (21-11, HSR)
Jazmine Fray (2:00.69, CR)
Mondo Duplantis (18-10.25, HSR)
Candace Hill (53.05, HS PRO)
Sydney McLaughlin (36.82, HSR)
NJ/NY TC (16:12.81, WR & AR)
Keturah Orji (46-11.75, AR & CR)
Ed Cheserek (3:52.01 & 3:37.01, CR & CR)
Gwen Berry (84-0, WR & AR)
Candace Hill (36.56, HS PRO)
USC (3:27.03, CR)
Noah Lyles (31.87, WR & AR)
Sammy Watson (2:43.18 & 2:40.72, HSR & HSR)
Raven Saunders (64-2.25, CR)
Brie Oakley (15:55.75, HSR)
Christian Coleman (6.45, CR)
Mondo Duplantis (19-1, HSR)
East Orange (NJ) (28.62, HSR)
Western Branch (VA) (30.60, HSR)
Sydney McLaughlin (51.61, HSR)
Carlisle TC (PA) (9:56.18, HSR)
Trey Cunningham (7.45 & 7.40, HSR & HSR)
Lauren Harris (6:53.44, HSR)
Refer to any of my posts for full details on ALL of these amazing records!!
But you know why this season (and every season!!) is even MORE awesome than seeing how many WR's, AR's, CR's, and HSR's got broken?
Because this blog goes way beyond those 4 core groups of records!
I report ALL of the following also--
National Records (besides the USA)
Meet Records
Age Records
Place Records
Class Records
Plus I have those Combined Events lists!!
PLUS---EVERY mark that makes (or comes close to!!) my Top 24 All-Time Performers lists!!
(I even list names of historic athletes who are bumped OFF those lists!!)
All those reasons---and more---why you should read my blog, and recommend it to other fans of T&F records & marks!!
And now---Trumpets please!!--it's onwards to---
OUTdoors!!
First of my OUTdoor Previews coming SOON!!
(And hopefully, some early results!! That is, other than the ones already reported DURING the INdoor campaign!!)
So is "best".
So judgmental, so definitive!
Then shall we just compare 2017 against 2016?
Well, there is NO comparison!
Not because 2017 was missing a World Championships, or that 2016 didn't have a European Championships!
Nor that a somewhat differing set of athletes competed in my 4 core groups!
(For example, some HS'ers became Collegiates, while some Collegiates graduated, or turned Pro!)
Therefore, it's best we stick with facts, numbers, stuff we KNOW don't lie!
In that case, it's no contest--2017 was BY FAR the better year!!
Let's take a look.
In 2016, there were 4 World Records broken, 2 for each gender!
Three American Records were broken, all by the Women!
Six Collegiate Records went down, 2 by Men, and 4 by Women!
The HS set saw 13 HSR's fall, 7 by the Men, and 6 by the Women!
The Totals were 11 by the Men, and 15 by the Women, for a Grand Total of 26!
Not a bad showing, you say??
HA!
In the season just ended, 7 WR's fell, 4 by Men, and 3 by Women!
Eight American Records changed hands, 3 for the Men, 5 for the Women!
Fourteen Collegiate Records fell, 6 for the guys, while the girls broke 8!
The HS'ers?
They broke HSR's 32 times, 14 for the Men, and 18 going to the Women!!
Totals for 2017 were 27 Records by the Men, while the Women broke 34!
Grand Total was a whopping 61!!
Now, you could say that ONE athlete broke the same event record several times!
Mondo Duplantis, for example, broke the PV HSR (his own!) SIX times!
Okay, so let's give just ONE record to each event, if broken by the same person!
So Mondo's 6 becomes one!
Sammy Watson's 2 HSR's in the 600 becomes just 1.
Here's the changed numbers--for 2017!
World-------Remains at 7, as no one athlete (or team, in the case of Relays!) broke an event record twice or more!
US----------Nine AR's were broken, with no one repeating!
Collegiate--14 CR's fell, with no one getting more than 1 in any event!
(Ed Cheserek got 2 CR's, but in different events--the 1500 and Mile!)
HS---------Here's where we LOSE some records, as there were some repeat breakings by the same person, as noted above!!
The 14 HSR's broken by Men is reduced to 6--as Duplantis, Tyrese Cooper, and Trey Cunningham all had multiple breakings of records in the same event!
The Women did somewhat better, as their total of 18 (which, BTW, includes the 4 HS PRO records Candace Hill got!!) is reduced to 15, so they lose just 3 marks!!
With those reductions, our totals now are---
WR-----------7
US------------9
CR-----------14
HS-----------21
Grand Total is now 51, a loss of 10 from the previous total of 61.
Still significantly better than 2016!!
Now let's look at my Top 24 Performers lists numbers, my so called DDD's!
In 2016, the Men got on the 4 lists 148 times!
The Women got 224 listings.
The Grand Total was 372!
(That was down 1 from 2015's total of 373!!)
In 2017?
We have 441 DDD listings with the year of 2017 as the date!
(As you know, if an INdoor mark for a certain season---say, 2017---happens in December, that mark is counted in the previous year's totals, since, in the example I gave, December of 2016 is still 2016, even if the season is the "2016-2017" INdoor season!!)
Anyway, that total of 441 is divided as follows---
188 for the Men
253 for the Women
From 373 to 441--even though there wasn't a WC's!!
Are you convinced yet?
Comparatively, 2016 SUCKED, while 2017 RULED!!
Sticking to my DDD lists, let's break it down by event!
(I did this a bit in my AOY posts, when I rated the "Event of the Year"! BTW, I found some additional 2017 marks--mostly in the HS realm--by going over the yearly lists on the T&FN website! Just a handful or so--nothing spectacular!!)
World Men
The 600 led with 8.
The 5000 got 7.
The 300 nabbed 6.
The 2 Mile got 4.
The 200 has 3.
The 60, 400, Mile, WT, and the Heptathlon all got 2.
The 60H, TJ, PV, and SP have 1 apiece.
Striking out were the 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 3000, HJ, LJ, and the 4X400 Relay!
World Women
The WT led with 8.
The 300 got 6.
The 600 has 5.
The 200, Mile, 3000, and the 60H have 3.
The 800, 1000, 5000, and HJ get 2 each.
The 60, 1500, 2000, LJ, TJ, PV, and the Pentathlon have 1 each!
The 400, 2 Mile, SP, and the 4X400 Relay get none!
US Men
The 600 leads with 9.
The 300 has 8.
The 1500, Mile, and 2 Mile have 5 apiece!
The 5000 got 4.
The WT and Heptathlon have 3 each.
The 60, 200, and 800 have 2 each.
The 400, 1000, 3000, and TJ have 1 apiece.
Getting ZERO were the 2000, 60H, HJ, LJ, PV, SP, and the 4X400 Relay!
US Women
The 600 got a whopping 11 to lead!!
The 300 has 9.
The WT has 6.
The 1000 and PV get 5 each.
The 200, 800, and Mile have 4 each.
The 60, 400, 2000, 5000, 60H, and LJ get 3 apiece!
The 1500, 3000, TJ, and the Pentathlon have 2 each.
The HJ and SP get 1 apiece.
Striking out was the 2 Mile---sad to say!!
Collegiate Men
The 600 leads with 8.
The Heptathlon and the 4X400 Relay have 6 apiece.
The WT has 5.
The 200 gets 3.
The 60, 400, and PV have 2 each.
The 300, 1000, 1500, Mile, 60H, LJ, TJ, and the SP have 1 apiece.
With NONE are the 800, 3000, 5000, HJ, and the DMR!
(Remember, NO Oversize Track marks make my lists!!)
Collegiate Women
The 4X400 Relay leads with 7!!
The 800 and 60H have 5 each.
The 60, 200, 600, PV, and SP have 4 apiece.
The Mile, TJ, WT, and the DMR have 3 each.
The 400, 1500, 5000, LJ, and the Pentathlon have 2 apiece.
The 300, 1000, and the HJ have 1 each!
With NONE is the 3000!!
(It should be noted that my 300 lists for both Collegiate Men and Women are NOT 24 deep, but remain about half filled!!)
HS Men
The 1500 and Mile have 6 apiece.
The 3000 has 5.
The 200, 2 Mile, and 60H have 4 each.
The 300, 400, 600, and the PV have 3 each.
The SP, WT, and the Pentathlon have 2 apiece.
The 1000 and 5000 have 1 apiece.
With ZERO are the 60, HJ, LJ, and TJ!!
HS Women
The 3000 and LJ each have 7.
The PV and WT have 6 each.
The 300 and 400 get 5 apiece.
The 200, 1000, 2 Mile, 60H, and TJ have 4 each.
The 600, 800, 1500, 5000, and SP have a pair each.
The 60, HJ, and the Pentathlon get 1 apiece.
Only the Mile has ZERO!!
I'll end this post by listing--in chronological order of their breaking (as near as I can determine!!)--ALL of the SIXTY ONE Records we saw getting broken this INdoor season!
Won't give actual dates, just their name, the mark, and which record(s) they broke!
That's the best way--IMO--to SEE how incredible this season has been!
The first one was December 22, 2016!
Jordan Geist (68-4, HSR)
Ty Cooper (33.03, HSR)
Candace Hill (7.30 & 36.86, HS PRO & HS PRO)
Mondo Duplantis (18-2 & 18-5, HSR & HSR)
Quanera Hayes (35.71, AR)
Kaela Edwards (2:40.79, CR)
Lake Braddock (VA) (11:34.54, HSR)
Emmanuel Korir (1:14.97, WR & CR)
Sammy Watson (1:28.67, HSR)
UO (10:48.77, CR)
Casimir Loxsom (1:14.91 (WR & AR)
Isaiah Harris (1:14.96, CR)
Texas A&M (3:02.52, CR)
USA-NB (10:40.31, WR & AR)
Trey Cunningham (7.49, HSR)
Ty Cooper (32.87, HSR)
Sage Watson (1:08.40, CR)
Sammy Watson (1:27.13, HSR)
Mondo Duplantis (18-6.50 & 18-9.25, HSR & HSR)
Genzebe Dibaba (5:23.75, WR)
Lauren Harris (6:17.59, HSR)
Hannah Cunliffe (7.07, CR)
Courtney Okolo (1:07.34, AR)
Ajee Wilson (1:58.27, AR)
Sammy Watson (2:01.78, HSR)
Tara Davis (21-11, HSR)
Jazmine Fray (2:00.69, CR)
Mondo Duplantis (18-10.25, HSR)
Candace Hill (53.05, HS PRO)
Sydney McLaughlin (36.82, HSR)
NJ/NY TC (16:12.81, WR & AR)
Keturah Orji (46-11.75, AR & CR)
Ed Cheserek (3:52.01 & 3:37.01, CR & CR)
Gwen Berry (84-0, WR & AR)
Candace Hill (36.56, HS PRO)
USC (3:27.03, CR)
Noah Lyles (31.87, WR & AR)
Sammy Watson (2:43.18 & 2:40.72, HSR & HSR)
Raven Saunders (64-2.25, CR)
Brie Oakley (15:55.75, HSR)
Christian Coleman (6.45, CR)
Mondo Duplantis (19-1, HSR)
East Orange (NJ) (28.62, HSR)
Western Branch (VA) (30.60, HSR)
Sydney McLaughlin (51.61, HSR)
Carlisle TC (PA) (9:56.18, HSR)
Trey Cunningham (7.45 & 7.40, HSR & HSR)
Lauren Harris (6:53.44, HSR)
Refer to any of my posts for full details on ALL of these amazing records!!
But you know why this season (and every season!!) is even MORE awesome than seeing how many WR's, AR's, CR's, and HSR's got broken?
Because this blog goes way beyond those 4 core groups of records!
I report ALL of the following also--
National Records (besides the USA)
Meet Records
Age Records
Place Records
Class Records
Plus I have those Combined Events lists!!
PLUS---EVERY mark that makes (or comes close to!!) my Top 24 All-Time Performers lists!!
(I even list names of historic athletes who are bumped OFF those lists!!)
All those reasons---and more---why you should read my blog, and recommend it to other fans of T&F records & marks!!
And now---Trumpets please!!--it's onwards to---
OUTdoors!!
First of my OUTdoor Previews coming SOON!!
(And hopefully, some early results!! That is, other than the ones already reported DURING the INdoor campaign!!)
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
INdoors 2017--Collegiate & HS AOY's
And here's the 2nd half of my Awards Banquet!!
Too little space to cover all 4 of my core groups, I had to split them into 2 posts!
In this, you'll find my AOY's, POY's EOY's, and Personalities of the Year for the College and High School crowds!
Please refer to my World & US post for all the usual Rules & Regs!!
Onward!!
Athlete of the Year--Collegiate Men
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN
A VERY simple choice--and probably not surprising to you at all--especially if you've read my World & US post already!!
Two wins at NCAA's, two fantastic World & US-leading times--two incredibly strong races--both against top Collegiate competition!!
Honorable Mentions
This list is long!
What a year this was for Records broken & great marks making my DDD's!
So I must give honorifics to everyone deserving of them!
We'll start with Fred Kerley, whose legendary season in the 400 has already been described!
But I need to once again say I was most impressed with his Lead-Off Relay leg of 44.96!
Don't believe I've ever heard of a LEAD-OFF leg in a Collegiate Relay being sub-45 seconds!!
It being the 1st leg, it's easier to believe this was his REAL time---not one aided by a running start!
How about the TWO Collegiate Record breakers in the 600--Emmanuel Korir, then Isaiah Harris?!
(Korir's was the WORLD Record---for one week!!)
Then we have the inimitable (& legendary!) Mr Edward Cheserek!!
He of the CR in the Mile--then a week later, FINALLY being revealed as breaking the CR in the 1500 enroute!!--in a race against Pro's!!
Weird that he actually LOST his mile race at the NCAA's!!
Chris Nilsen finally jumped (or I should say Vaulted!!) ahead of his HS PR--as a Collegiate Frosh!
He's now the leading Collegiate PV'er!
Mustafa Hassan suddenly added 3 feet or so to his PR in the SP, almost hitting the 70 foot mark in a fairly weak year for the event--the World round!!
KeAndre Bates won the NCAA Long Jump--yet his specialty is the TJ--where he was 2nd!
Still, consistent in his production of top marks all season!
Performance of the Year--Collegiate Men
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN!!
That good ol' 200 again!!
Honorable Mentions
Sorry for repeating myself, but top athletes produce the leading marks--normally!
So kudos--AGAIN!--to Fred Kerley for his Relay leg & his 44.85 World-leading 400!
To Mr's Korir & Harris--for their fantastic 600 times--Korir's being the 1st under 1:15!!
To King Ches, for his TWO Collegiate Records!!
To Mr Hassan, for his "shot" up the ranks of Collegiate (& World) Shot Putters!
To KeAndre Bates, for possibly becoming the next great American Horizontal Jumps Master!!
To Chris Nilsen, for a solid steady year of top PV marks!
Finally, to a pair of Heptathletes, who produced a real dog-fight in the most important Collegiate meet of the season!
Tim Duckworth was well ahead of Devon Williams leading into the 1000!
But while the British National Record holder jogged his race (Well, maybe HE didn't think he was jogging!! LOL), Devon raced his!
The result?
A win by the Georgia ace--by 12 points--both getting solid PR's--and for Duckworth, a new NR!!
Event of the Year--Collegiate Men
The 600--of course!
Eight Men added their names to my DDD list with 2017 marks!
The Heptathlon and the Relays added 6 apiece to their lists!
BTW, all 6 Relay marks came in the 4X400!
The DMR struck out this season!!
Personality of the Year
ED CHESEREK
I've often been critical of King Ches's tactics in a race--a younger clone of Sir MoBot's methods!!
But, as he proved with his CR's in the Mile & 1500 against Professional runners, when he WANTS & NEEDS to run fast, he CAN!!
He gets this award NOT solely for those great marks, but for being the core focus of his opponents daily nightmares!!
They seemingly GIVE him the race--knowing always he'll come whizzing by on his way to 10 more points for his beloved Oregon Ducks!
On top of his athletic ability, he's a crowd pleaser!
He PERFORMS---in the way a certain Mr Prefontaine once did!
The crowd just eats it up!
And he's a really NICE dude!!
Can't wait for his US citizenship papers to come through!
Athlete of the Year--Collegiate Women
RAVEN SAUNDERS
Forget the fact that Valerie Adams & Christina Schwanitz were missing this season!
Forget the fact that the American Record holder was almost so!
When a COLLEGIATE athlete leads the WORLD, you forget that she did so in a weakened event!!
By any measurement, that's an impressive place to be for one so young--especially in an event known to be most welcoming to athletes in their late 20's or 30's!!
She's 10 years ahead of her time!!
She led the World most of the year--until Anita Marton (No slouch!!) skipped ahead of her!
Then, just days later, Raven answered the challenge!
With a sixth round effort, she punched the ball out 64-2.25--saying "Take THAT, World!!"!
And that, as they say, was that!
Honorable Mentions!
Again, so many!!
Keturah Orji probably deserves EQUAL billing with Ms Saunders---and I almost gave them BOTH the top prize!!--but in the end, Orji's standing against the World didn't quite match Saunders's!
Jazmin Fray shocked many with her 2:43.15 1000 early in the season!
But the real shocker came a bit later, when she broke the CR in the 800!!
Hannah Cunliffe put down her selfie camera, and took up some HARD training--the result being the CR in the 60, and a solid season of top 60 & 200 times!
Karissa Schweizer also shocked many--maybe including herself!!--with her NCAA Cross Country victory!
She then opened up INdoors with a fast December 5000!
She ended it with a fast 5000 (5th A-T) in the Championship final!!
In a year when the HJ generally took a back seat to most other events, Madaline Fagan jumped 6-4 to win the NCAA's!
No one saw that coming!!
Sha'Keela Saunders LJ'ed 22-7.75--just one-quarter inch away from nabbing the title of "Co-CR holder"!!
And this was a GREAT year for Women in the Collegiate LJ!!
Kendell Williams & Taliyah Brooks put on a good battle for top honors in the Pentathlon!
While Williams won, both deserve HM's!!
Finally, ONE of the Weeks twins had a FANTASTIC year in the Pole Vault---and it wasn't the Rio Olympian!!
Sister Tori took over the event--temporarily???--from Sister Lexi--becoming the latest Collegian to clear 15 feet!!
Performance of the Year--Collegiate Women
KETURAH ORJI & RAVEN SAUNDERS
One broke her own American and Collegiate Records.
The other broke her own Collegiate Record--and led the WORLD!
BOTH get my top prize in this category!!
There was no way I could think to separate them, so I didn't!
(BTW, the Collegiate Coaches Association ALSO gave both their award--but for AOY!!)
Honorable Mentions
Ms's Cunliffe, Fray, Schweizer, Williams, and Tori Weeks get listed here--for reasons stated above!
But add Sha'Keela Saunders for her ALMOST getting the LJ CR!!
Special Mention
Deajah Stevens was DQ'ed in her 200 race at NCAA's!
She didn't win, she didn't place, she didn't get the Collegiate Record!
Yet she accomplished all three---UNTIL videos showed her blatantly running out of her lane--several times!
But her time--even if not legal--of 22.28 was so phenomenal--It would have shattered the CR by 0.12 seconds!!--that I can't NOT make mention of it here!
If only!
Another Special Mention goes out to the UO Women's DMR time of 10:48.77, as well as USC's 4X400 Relay time of 3:27.03--both of which get the title of Collegiate Record holders!!
Event of the Year--Collegiate Women
The Relays!!
While the 4X400 has 7 Schools with 2017 times, while the DMR has 3, BOTH get the prize for EOY!
But the 800 and 60H got 5 each!
Top field events were the PV and SP, with 4 apiece!
Personality of the Year--Collegiate Women
RAVEN SAUNDERS & HANNAH CUNLIFFE
Both are great athletes, as noted above!
But both have personalities to die for!
Saunders just EXUDES a dynamic that EXPLODES in your face!!
Yet her smile & energy & genuine humanity tell you she's been a WINNER all her life, and will continue to be!!
As for Cunliffe, I first became aware of her MOSTLY through her ubiquitous presence on Twitter during her last year of High School!
She would post these glamorous selfies--all showing an exotic brunette who thought so much of herself, she couldn't stop sending all these photos of herself out to the world!
Nothing "bad"---but definitely at least PG-13 rated!
Segue to College, where she suddenly leaves Oklahoma to go to Oregon, erupting into this still-glamorous--but now HUGELY talented Woman ready for MAJOR advances in her running career!
She might still LOVE the camera, but now that side of herself has emerged into a crowd-pleasing attitude that just screams "I'm the BEST, and that's why you LOVE me!"!!
She just might be the next Lolo Jones-Maggie Vessey-Michelle Jenneke combined!!
Athlete of the Year--High School Men
ARMAND "MONDO" DUPLANTIS
Just one friggin' word--INCREDIBLE!!
What more need be said about a guy who's been breaking PV records since he was a lad in knickers--and who has broken Age & Class & HS (and now National!!) Records with endless rapidity!
Even though short in stature, he's the fastest rising (pun intended!!) PV'er EVER!!
From 16-1 as a Frosh--just 2 short years ago--to 19-1--as a Junior in HS, this son of former elite Vaulter Dad Greg, has simply rewritten the Record Book!!
Where will it end?
Representing Sweden (through his Mom being Swedish!), he wants to MEDAL in the London World Championships this summer!
Don't doubt him!!
Honorable Mentions
What a year it's been for HS'ers!!
While most of the HSR's went to the Women, the Men did quite well too, thank you!
Besides the 6 produced by our AOY, Trey Cunningham took care of 3 of them--two in the NBIN alone!
(He also got some 55H records, but I don't have those in my Record Book!!)
Then there's Tyrese Cooper!
Breaking records since Age 14 at least, he's been improving ever since!
Just this year, he got Soph Class records in the 200 and 400--the latter just 0.09 seconds shy of the HSR!!
At age 16!!
Then there's Jordan Geist!
While he didn't quite reach Ryan Crouser's INdoor HSR with the 12 pound SP, he DID sort of "nip" Mr Crouser's HSR with the 16!!
Like maybe by FOUR FEET FIVE INCHES!!!
At one time, that made him WORLD LEADER!!
And he's still one of the best--despite throwing that weighted ball in just ONE meet--back in December!!
Others worthy of mention include--
Tripp Piperi, who was shadowed only by Geist in the SP!
DJ Principe, who ran a Mile in 4:00.97, and had a good steady year!
Jacob Wickey, who powered the WT out to the high-70's all season--and beat Geist in a great NBIN showdown!
Kyle Garland, who shocked with a 4150 score in the NBIN Pentathlon!
Brodey Hasty--he of the wild flowing hair (echoes of Evan Jager??)--who took the NBIN Deuce!
Cameron Cooper, who beat a heavy fave in the 800 at The Armory in the number 2 time INdoors in history!
Performance of the Year--High School Men
MONDO DUPLANTIS & JORDAN GEIST
For the 19-1 and the 68-4!
No contest--and no way to break the tie!
Honorable Mentions
To BOTH Cooper's (Ty & Cameron)!
To Principe & Hasty!
To Garland & to Cunningham!!
All incredible, and all who--in most other years--might have been number one!
Special Mentions go to the DMR HSR of 9:56.18 by the Carlisle TC of Pennsylvania, and to the East Orange (NJ) team that shattered the Shuttle Hurdle Relay HSR!!
Event of the Year--High School Men
The 1500 and Mile share the top spot with 6 apiece!
The 3000 had 5--in a year when, obviously, the distances took top billing for the Men!
Best field event was the PV--with 3.
Personality of the Year--High School Men
MONDO DUPLANTIS
This is NOT given for his athletic exploits!
But for what happened AFTER his latest HSR!
He bounced up from the Vault pad, raised his arms in victory--the crowd going apeshit!!--then ran over to Dad Greg, sitting in the stands, and hugged him!!
THAT--to me--spoke volumes!
Such a humble, popular, and loving person!!
Beyond his Vaulting, he'll be a STAR for life!!
Athlete of the Year--High School Women
SAMANTHA "SAMMY" WATSON
Who else?
Beginning by nipping 0.20 off the HSR in the 600, that was the first of FIVE High School Records she destroyed this season!!
Against Professionals, she smashed that 600 mark by 1.54 seconds!
Then, also against Pro's, she first broke Sarah Bowman Brown's HSR in the 1000, then got THAT record by another 2.46 seconds in the final!!
But hold on!
Remember a certain Mary Decker Slaney?
Well, Sammy took care of a record Ms Decker first set 43 years earlier--the 800--by just 0.02 seconds!!
She ran the Mile at NBIN, but decided to just jog it!
Honorable Mentions
Like the Men, LOADED with great athletes!
Sydney McLaughlin breaking her own HSR in the 400, while also getting the amateur HSR in the 300.
Alyssa Wilson, who happened to smash the HSR of Raven Saunders, who had, in turn, smashed the HSR of Michelle Carter!
Where does that place Wilson??
Brie Oakley, the first HS'er to go sub-16:00 in the INdoor 5000, while becoming the SEVENTH consecutive women to break the NBIN Meet Record!!
She added a 9:56.06 Two Mile as icing on the cake!
Lauren Harris, HS's best Walker--EVER!!
Jill Shippee, who invaded Shelby Ashe territory in the WT!
Tara Davis & Chanel Brissett, the season's two best 60H'ers!
But Tara deserves Special Mention, as she broke the HSR in the LJ, and won 2 of 3 events at NBIN--all against top competition!!
Performance of the Year--High School Women
SAMMY WATSON
So much to choose from, but when you crack a HSR set in 1974--and it's 2017!--well, you get the picture!!
Honorable Mentions
Watson's---well, ALL of them!!
Sydney's pair!
Oakley's double dip!
Tara's duo!
And Ms Shippee's explosion forward in the WT--after Gianna Rao had been the dominant force in that event all season!!
Special Mention goes to Western Branch's (of VA) crushing of the Shuttle Hurdle Relay HSR---by 0.59 seconds!!
Event of the Year--High School Women
The 3000!!
Surprised?
So many ran fast in the NBIN Two Mile--and all got enroute times at 3000!
So THAT helped make this event the winner here, with 7 marks!
The 300 & 400, as well as the WT and PV, each got 5 spots on my DDD's!
Personality of the Year--High School Women
SAMMY WATSON
Breaker of 5 HSR's, this shy-appearing, beautifully-dimpled powerhouse made fans root for her by her humble and ever-ready smile, while hiding in the guise of a fearsome animal once she stepped on the track!
What I most love about her is that she WANTS to break records, so doesn't seem the type who will sit & kick---even in future Professional races!
And don't count her out as a potential London TeamUSA member this summer!!
Before I close---FINALLY!!--I need to speak of my HS PRO Division!!
This year, it consisted of just ONE member--Candace Hill!
So--obviously, she wins ALL the awards in this category!!
But let me state her credentials!
In her final year of HS--amateur or Pro--Hill ran some of the fastest 300 times by HS girls!
Of course, none of them can count as HSR's!
That's why I created my HS PRO division!!
Anyway, her time of 36.56 came in a race against--sic!--Professionals!
That broke her earlier best of 36.86!
She added a 400 of 53.05 and a 60 of 7.30, the latter of which broke her own HS PRO record from 2016!!
She'll still be a HS PRO OUTdoors, but when she graduates in June, will anyone fill in the gap??
Friends, that is IT!!
But this INdoor season series of Wrap-Ups aren't done yet!
I have one more coming!!
And I'm calling it an "extra" post--as it will detail the numbers behind me saying this was maybe the GREATEST EVER INdoor season for Record Smashing!!
Look for that one in a day or two!!
Then I'll begin my series of OUTdoor Previews!!
Yep, the SUNSHINE Season is UPON us!!
See you soon!
Too little space to cover all 4 of my core groups, I had to split them into 2 posts!
In this, you'll find my AOY's, POY's EOY's, and Personalities of the Year for the College and High School crowds!
Please refer to my World & US post for all the usual Rules & Regs!!
Onward!!
Athlete of the Year--Collegiate Men
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN
A VERY simple choice--and probably not surprising to you at all--especially if you've read my World & US post already!!
Two wins at NCAA's, two fantastic World & US-leading times--two incredibly strong races--both against top Collegiate competition!!
Honorable Mentions
This list is long!
What a year this was for Records broken & great marks making my DDD's!
So I must give honorifics to everyone deserving of them!
We'll start with Fred Kerley, whose legendary season in the 400 has already been described!
But I need to once again say I was most impressed with his Lead-Off Relay leg of 44.96!
Don't believe I've ever heard of a LEAD-OFF leg in a Collegiate Relay being sub-45 seconds!!
It being the 1st leg, it's easier to believe this was his REAL time---not one aided by a running start!
How about the TWO Collegiate Record breakers in the 600--Emmanuel Korir, then Isaiah Harris?!
(Korir's was the WORLD Record---for one week!!)
Then we have the inimitable (& legendary!) Mr Edward Cheserek!!
He of the CR in the Mile--then a week later, FINALLY being revealed as breaking the CR in the 1500 enroute!!--in a race against Pro's!!
Weird that he actually LOST his mile race at the NCAA's!!
Chris Nilsen finally jumped (or I should say Vaulted!!) ahead of his HS PR--as a Collegiate Frosh!
He's now the leading Collegiate PV'er!
Mustafa Hassan suddenly added 3 feet or so to his PR in the SP, almost hitting the 70 foot mark in a fairly weak year for the event--the World round!!
KeAndre Bates won the NCAA Long Jump--yet his specialty is the TJ--where he was 2nd!
Still, consistent in his production of top marks all season!
Performance of the Year--Collegiate Men
CHRISTIAN COLEMAN!!
That good ol' 200 again!!
Honorable Mentions
Sorry for repeating myself, but top athletes produce the leading marks--normally!
So kudos--AGAIN!--to Fred Kerley for his Relay leg & his 44.85 World-leading 400!
To Mr's Korir & Harris--for their fantastic 600 times--Korir's being the 1st under 1:15!!
To King Ches, for his TWO Collegiate Records!!
To Mr Hassan, for his "shot" up the ranks of Collegiate (& World) Shot Putters!
To KeAndre Bates, for possibly becoming the next great American Horizontal Jumps Master!!
To Chris Nilsen, for a solid steady year of top PV marks!
Finally, to a pair of Heptathletes, who produced a real dog-fight in the most important Collegiate meet of the season!
Tim Duckworth was well ahead of Devon Williams leading into the 1000!
But while the British National Record holder jogged his race (Well, maybe HE didn't think he was jogging!! LOL), Devon raced his!
The result?
A win by the Georgia ace--by 12 points--both getting solid PR's--and for Duckworth, a new NR!!
Event of the Year--Collegiate Men
The 600--of course!
Eight Men added their names to my DDD list with 2017 marks!
The Heptathlon and the Relays added 6 apiece to their lists!
BTW, all 6 Relay marks came in the 4X400!
The DMR struck out this season!!
Personality of the Year
ED CHESEREK
I've often been critical of King Ches's tactics in a race--a younger clone of Sir MoBot's methods!!
But, as he proved with his CR's in the Mile & 1500 against Professional runners, when he WANTS & NEEDS to run fast, he CAN!!
He gets this award NOT solely for those great marks, but for being the core focus of his opponents daily nightmares!!
They seemingly GIVE him the race--knowing always he'll come whizzing by on his way to 10 more points for his beloved Oregon Ducks!
On top of his athletic ability, he's a crowd pleaser!
He PERFORMS---in the way a certain Mr Prefontaine once did!
The crowd just eats it up!
And he's a really NICE dude!!
Can't wait for his US citizenship papers to come through!
Athlete of the Year--Collegiate Women
RAVEN SAUNDERS
Forget the fact that Valerie Adams & Christina Schwanitz were missing this season!
Forget the fact that the American Record holder was almost so!
When a COLLEGIATE athlete leads the WORLD, you forget that she did so in a weakened event!!
By any measurement, that's an impressive place to be for one so young--especially in an event known to be most welcoming to athletes in their late 20's or 30's!!
She's 10 years ahead of her time!!
She led the World most of the year--until Anita Marton (No slouch!!) skipped ahead of her!
Then, just days later, Raven answered the challenge!
With a sixth round effort, she punched the ball out 64-2.25--saying "Take THAT, World!!"!
And that, as they say, was that!
Honorable Mentions!
Again, so many!!
Keturah Orji probably deserves EQUAL billing with Ms Saunders---and I almost gave them BOTH the top prize!!--but in the end, Orji's standing against the World didn't quite match Saunders's!
Jazmin Fray shocked many with her 2:43.15 1000 early in the season!
But the real shocker came a bit later, when she broke the CR in the 800!!
Hannah Cunliffe put down her selfie camera, and took up some HARD training--the result being the CR in the 60, and a solid season of top 60 & 200 times!
Karissa Schweizer also shocked many--maybe including herself!!--with her NCAA Cross Country victory!
She then opened up INdoors with a fast December 5000!
She ended it with a fast 5000 (5th A-T) in the Championship final!!
In a year when the HJ generally took a back seat to most other events, Madaline Fagan jumped 6-4 to win the NCAA's!
No one saw that coming!!
Sha'Keela Saunders LJ'ed 22-7.75--just one-quarter inch away from nabbing the title of "Co-CR holder"!!
And this was a GREAT year for Women in the Collegiate LJ!!
Kendell Williams & Taliyah Brooks put on a good battle for top honors in the Pentathlon!
While Williams won, both deserve HM's!!
Finally, ONE of the Weeks twins had a FANTASTIC year in the Pole Vault---and it wasn't the Rio Olympian!!
Sister Tori took over the event--temporarily???--from Sister Lexi--becoming the latest Collegian to clear 15 feet!!
Performance of the Year--Collegiate Women
KETURAH ORJI & RAVEN SAUNDERS
One broke her own American and Collegiate Records.
The other broke her own Collegiate Record--and led the WORLD!
BOTH get my top prize in this category!!
There was no way I could think to separate them, so I didn't!
(BTW, the Collegiate Coaches Association ALSO gave both their award--but for AOY!!)
Honorable Mentions
Ms's Cunliffe, Fray, Schweizer, Williams, and Tori Weeks get listed here--for reasons stated above!
But add Sha'Keela Saunders for her ALMOST getting the LJ CR!!
Special Mention
Deajah Stevens was DQ'ed in her 200 race at NCAA's!
She didn't win, she didn't place, she didn't get the Collegiate Record!
Yet she accomplished all three---UNTIL videos showed her blatantly running out of her lane--several times!
But her time--even if not legal--of 22.28 was so phenomenal--It would have shattered the CR by 0.12 seconds!!--that I can't NOT make mention of it here!
If only!
Another Special Mention goes out to the UO Women's DMR time of 10:48.77, as well as USC's 4X400 Relay time of 3:27.03--both of which get the title of Collegiate Record holders!!
Event of the Year--Collegiate Women
The Relays!!
While the 4X400 has 7 Schools with 2017 times, while the DMR has 3, BOTH get the prize for EOY!
But the 800 and 60H got 5 each!
Top field events were the PV and SP, with 4 apiece!
Personality of the Year--Collegiate Women
RAVEN SAUNDERS & HANNAH CUNLIFFE
Both are great athletes, as noted above!
But both have personalities to die for!
Saunders just EXUDES a dynamic that EXPLODES in your face!!
Yet her smile & energy & genuine humanity tell you she's been a WINNER all her life, and will continue to be!!
As for Cunliffe, I first became aware of her MOSTLY through her ubiquitous presence on Twitter during her last year of High School!
She would post these glamorous selfies--all showing an exotic brunette who thought so much of herself, she couldn't stop sending all these photos of herself out to the world!
Nothing "bad"---but definitely at least PG-13 rated!
Segue to College, where she suddenly leaves Oklahoma to go to Oregon, erupting into this still-glamorous--but now HUGELY talented Woman ready for MAJOR advances in her running career!
She might still LOVE the camera, but now that side of herself has emerged into a crowd-pleasing attitude that just screams "I'm the BEST, and that's why you LOVE me!"!!
She just might be the next Lolo Jones-Maggie Vessey-Michelle Jenneke combined!!
Athlete of the Year--High School Men
ARMAND "MONDO" DUPLANTIS
Just one friggin' word--INCREDIBLE!!
What more need be said about a guy who's been breaking PV records since he was a lad in knickers--and who has broken Age & Class & HS (and now National!!) Records with endless rapidity!
Even though short in stature, he's the fastest rising (pun intended!!) PV'er EVER!!
From 16-1 as a Frosh--just 2 short years ago--to 19-1--as a Junior in HS, this son of former elite Vaulter Dad Greg, has simply rewritten the Record Book!!
Where will it end?
Representing Sweden (through his Mom being Swedish!), he wants to MEDAL in the London World Championships this summer!
Don't doubt him!!
Honorable Mentions
What a year it's been for HS'ers!!
While most of the HSR's went to the Women, the Men did quite well too, thank you!
Besides the 6 produced by our AOY, Trey Cunningham took care of 3 of them--two in the NBIN alone!
(He also got some 55H records, but I don't have those in my Record Book!!)
Then there's Tyrese Cooper!
Breaking records since Age 14 at least, he's been improving ever since!
Just this year, he got Soph Class records in the 200 and 400--the latter just 0.09 seconds shy of the HSR!!
At age 16!!
Then there's Jordan Geist!
While he didn't quite reach Ryan Crouser's INdoor HSR with the 12 pound SP, he DID sort of "nip" Mr Crouser's HSR with the 16!!
Like maybe by FOUR FEET FIVE INCHES!!!
At one time, that made him WORLD LEADER!!
And he's still one of the best--despite throwing that weighted ball in just ONE meet--back in December!!
Others worthy of mention include--
Tripp Piperi, who was shadowed only by Geist in the SP!
DJ Principe, who ran a Mile in 4:00.97, and had a good steady year!
Jacob Wickey, who powered the WT out to the high-70's all season--and beat Geist in a great NBIN showdown!
Kyle Garland, who shocked with a 4150 score in the NBIN Pentathlon!
Brodey Hasty--he of the wild flowing hair (echoes of Evan Jager??)--who took the NBIN Deuce!
Cameron Cooper, who beat a heavy fave in the 800 at The Armory in the number 2 time INdoors in history!
Performance of the Year--High School Men
MONDO DUPLANTIS & JORDAN GEIST
For the 19-1 and the 68-4!
No contest--and no way to break the tie!
Honorable Mentions
To BOTH Cooper's (Ty & Cameron)!
To Principe & Hasty!
To Garland & to Cunningham!!
All incredible, and all who--in most other years--might have been number one!
Special Mentions go to the DMR HSR of 9:56.18 by the Carlisle TC of Pennsylvania, and to the East Orange (NJ) team that shattered the Shuttle Hurdle Relay HSR!!
Event of the Year--High School Men
The 1500 and Mile share the top spot with 6 apiece!
The 3000 had 5--in a year when, obviously, the distances took top billing for the Men!
Best field event was the PV--with 3.
Personality of the Year--High School Men
MONDO DUPLANTIS
This is NOT given for his athletic exploits!
But for what happened AFTER his latest HSR!
He bounced up from the Vault pad, raised his arms in victory--the crowd going apeshit!!--then ran over to Dad Greg, sitting in the stands, and hugged him!!
THAT--to me--spoke volumes!
Such a humble, popular, and loving person!!
Beyond his Vaulting, he'll be a STAR for life!!
Athlete of the Year--High School Women
SAMANTHA "SAMMY" WATSON
Who else?
Beginning by nipping 0.20 off the HSR in the 600, that was the first of FIVE High School Records she destroyed this season!!
Against Professionals, she smashed that 600 mark by 1.54 seconds!
Then, also against Pro's, she first broke Sarah Bowman Brown's HSR in the 1000, then got THAT record by another 2.46 seconds in the final!!
But hold on!
Remember a certain Mary Decker Slaney?
Well, Sammy took care of a record Ms Decker first set 43 years earlier--the 800--by just 0.02 seconds!!
She ran the Mile at NBIN, but decided to just jog it!
Honorable Mentions
Like the Men, LOADED with great athletes!
Sydney McLaughlin breaking her own HSR in the 400, while also getting the amateur HSR in the 300.
Alyssa Wilson, who happened to smash the HSR of Raven Saunders, who had, in turn, smashed the HSR of Michelle Carter!
Where does that place Wilson??
Brie Oakley, the first HS'er to go sub-16:00 in the INdoor 5000, while becoming the SEVENTH consecutive women to break the NBIN Meet Record!!
She added a 9:56.06 Two Mile as icing on the cake!
Lauren Harris, HS's best Walker--EVER!!
Jill Shippee, who invaded Shelby Ashe territory in the WT!
Tara Davis & Chanel Brissett, the season's two best 60H'ers!
But Tara deserves Special Mention, as she broke the HSR in the LJ, and won 2 of 3 events at NBIN--all against top competition!!
Performance of the Year--High School Women
SAMMY WATSON
So much to choose from, but when you crack a HSR set in 1974--and it's 2017!--well, you get the picture!!
Honorable Mentions
Watson's---well, ALL of them!!
Sydney's pair!
Oakley's double dip!
Tara's duo!
And Ms Shippee's explosion forward in the WT--after Gianna Rao had been the dominant force in that event all season!!
Special Mention goes to Western Branch's (of VA) crushing of the Shuttle Hurdle Relay HSR---by 0.59 seconds!!
Event of the Year--High School Women
The 3000!!
Surprised?
So many ran fast in the NBIN Two Mile--and all got enroute times at 3000!
So THAT helped make this event the winner here, with 7 marks!
The 300 & 400, as well as the WT and PV, each got 5 spots on my DDD's!
Personality of the Year--High School Women
SAMMY WATSON
Breaker of 5 HSR's, this shy-appearing, beautifully-dimpled powerhouse made fans root for her by her humble and ever-ready smile, while hiding in the guise of a fearsome animal once she stepped on the track!
What I most love about her is that she WANTS to break records, so doesn't seem the type who will sit & kick---even in future Professional races!
And don't count her out as a potential London TeamUSA member this summer!!
Before I close---FINALLY!!--I need to speak of my HS PRO Division!!
This year, it consisted of just ONE member--Candace Hill!
So--obviously, she wins ALL the awards in this category!!
But let me state her credentials!
In her final year of HS--amateur or Pro--Hill ran some of the fastest 300 times by HS girls!
Of course, none of them can count as HSR's!
That's why I created my HS PRO division!!
Anyway, her time of 36.56 came in a race against--sic!--Professionals!
That broke her earlier best of 36.86!
She added a 400 of 53.05 and a 60 of 7.30, the latter of which broke her own HS PRO record from 2016!!
She'll still be a HS PRO OUTdoors, but when she graduates in June, will anyone fill in the gap??
Friends, that is IT!!
But this INdoor season series of Wrap-Ups aren't done yet!
I have one more coming!!
And I'm calling it an "extra" post--as it will detail the numbers behind me saying this was maybe the GREATEST EVER INdoor season for Record Smashing!!
Look for that one in a day or two!!
Then I'll begin my series of OUTdoor Previews!!
Yep, the SUNSHINE Season is UPON us!!
See you soon!
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