No, this is NOT my last POST before the World Championships begin on August 4th--this Friday!
Below, I will tell you of the plans for this blog before, during, and after the WC's!
This is just a collection of thoughts on a varied range of subject matter, all under the umbrella of Track & Field.
Call it a "cleaning out the closets" before your visitors arrive!
First, I have a few Records & Marks to report!
When Beatrice Chepkoech ran 8:28.66 in the 3000 in Monaco, I didn't make much of it, since her time didn't make my A-T World list!!
But then I thought--Wait! Is this the Beatrice Chepkoech who ran the 3000SC in 9:00.70??
Yep, one and the same!
Thus, her times add to 17:29.36, which just happens to make her FIRST on my World Combined Events list for the 3000 & 3000SC!!
A MAJOR oversight, now corrected!
Speaking of corrections, I made a BIG mistake in my reporting of that fall by English Gardner in the 4X100 Relay in Monaco!
I'd said that the team from France couldn't finish after Gardner rolled into their lane, forcing their runner to "hurdle" her!
Well, that "hurdler" DID finish, and the French team's time was 43.76!
Of course, it probably would have been faster if not for Gardner's "presence"!
Now on to my "normal" set of new marks!
Piotr Lisek PV'ed 19-2.25, another PR for him!
Tom Walsh beat Ryan Whiting in a meet in Georgia (US state!), 72-3.75 to 71-0.50, the latter Whiting's best mark in a couple of years!
Raven Saunders showed London readiness with 63-0 at the same meet!
Michael Feldman threw the Hammer 242-8, moving him from 14th A-T HS to 9th!
Mel Lawrence PR'ed in the 3000SC--even WINNING the small European meet's race!!
Her time of 9:34.94 moves her from 20th A-T US to 18th!
Alexa Efraimson has NOT had any PR's this summer, but she's had a good series of fast times--and high places!
Her latest was a WIN in the 800 (in Sweden), time of 2:01.39.
Lanae Tava Thomas LJ'ed 21-11 for the Junior Class record!!
It moves her from 16th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 5th!!
But her becoming the Junior Class record holder REMOVES one Carol Lewis from that listing, Lewis's 21-7.75 dating from 1980!!
Michal Haratyk tossed the Shot 71-9.50 for a PR.
And Anita Wlodarczyk returned to the site of her 272-3 World Record from 2016--the Skolimowska Memorial!
Her 271-10 missed her own WR by 5 inches.
Her 5 fair throws were all 80 meters or longer!
Caster Semenya, Francine Niyonsaba, Margaret Wambui
Those 3 names have become notorious these past few years, with Semenya's being the "firestarter".
It's all about how their levels of testosterone (a MALE hormone!) alters their strength levels, moving them more towards the strength levels of MEN, thus making their participation in WOMEN's races "questionable"!
IMO, Semenya's is the worst case, but Wambui comes close!
Niyonsaba doesn't SEEM as "male" as the others, but has been included in Message Board discussions of Semenya--thus I include her in my trio of "nameless" athletes.
Semenya plans to run both the 800 and 1500 in London, while the other 2 will be in just the 800.
I can come to no other conclusion but that the IAAF (or whomever!) is WRONG in allowing them to compete in WOMEN's races!!
Setting arbitrary levels of allowable testosterone is NOT the answer!!
The answer is in having a TOTALLY LEVEL playing field--with the ONLY differences coming from levels of training, their health, or in latent ability!!
Until that time, this blog will NOT include Semenya, Wambui, or Niyonsaba in its considerations!
What that makes ME is of no consequence!!
I stand my ground!
Russians will be competing in London, but under a "neutral flag"!
This too is unacceptable to me!!
Oh, NOT the fact that Russians will be there, but that they will be there as "neutrals"!!
In the latest attack on these CLEAN athlete's integrity and reputations, the IAAF has ruled that the Russian National Anthem can NOT be played or sung in or around London WC venues---which INCLUDE the hotels where the RUSSIANS will be staying!!
They can't even have their RING-TONES on their phones keyed to play their National Song!!
Is this absurdity, or just sheer INSANITY??
I say it's BOTH!!
I hope massive protests (by Brits and by other WC athletes) will occur!
I hope people will stand outside the hotel and play the song--LOUD & PROUD!!
These people ARE Russians!
They should be respected and recognized as RUSSIANS!
This blog will.
It's apparently been decided!
Paris gets the 2024 Olympics, and Los Angeles gets the Games in 2028!
Okay, whatever.
But my thoughts aren't with which city gets which Games, but whether the idea of having T&F as part of ANY Olympics is even a viable or smart decision any more.
I grew up following T&F before the World Championships were given birth in 1983.
The OG's I followed were in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976, and 1980--prior to the WC's formation!
Those Tokyo Games were magnificent!
Then came the FARCE of Mexico City, where Bob Beamon leapt from being a 27 foot LJ'er to the WR holder at 29-2.50!
It's also where the raised arms of Tommie Smith and John Carlos became THE symbol of Black Power in America!
1972's Munich Games brought us the massacre of 11 Israeli's by Arab terrorists!
In 1976, several African nations boycotted the Montreal Olympics!
Then we had "Jimmy Carter's Boycott" in 1980.
(Which brought on the Eastern Bloc's boycott of the 1984 Games in LA---but that came AFTER the WC's had begun!!)
See the "trail of tears" that I see---and saw??
But it's not just "politics" or "hatred" that should END Track and Field's participation in the Olympics.
It's the entire IDEA of the OG's!
Baron Von Coubertin brought the Ancient Olympics back---in 1896--as a paean to amateurism in sports!
He wanted athletes's LOVE of the sport to be the key ingredient in the OG's to follow, for them to vie for Gold or Silver MEDALS---not for the monetary value of gold or silver itself!!
Baron, yours was a LOST cause from the get-go!!
You can love the sport as much as you want, but "love" doesn't provide for a home, for food, for clothes, and for college educations for your children!!
In today's world, athletics is left for Professionals, NOT amateurs!
And thus, the idea that the Baron had in the 1890's is virtually impossible to attain--and maintain!!
This, I believe, is what brought the idea of a World Championships of Track and Field to fruition--and success!!
It began as sort of an "interim OG"--meaning it would happen every 4th year, but in odd-numbered years.
Then, after the first pair (1983 & 1987), it became an every-2-years event (1991, 1993, 1995, etc).
I say, let's make it an ANNUAL meet!!
To replace the Olympics?
Not necessarily!
In the "Olympic year", why not have BOTH??
Let athletes CHOOSE which to emphasize!
Or schedule them in such a way that athletes won't HAVE to choose!!
(Europeans and Commonwealth athletes participate in their Regionals AND in the Olympics/WC's!)
There are enough great athletes to "share the wealth".
Usain Bolt!
He is scheduled to compete in the 100 and the 4X100 Relay in London!
The 100 Final is on the meet's 2nd day--August 5th!
The 4X100 Relay Final is one week later--August 12th!
Yet the subject of Bolt's upcoming retirement has been dominating MB discussions for MONTHS!!
Oh God, what will T&F do withOUT him??
Can the sport SURVIVE??
Oh, fiddle faddle!!
This sport has had Super Icons before!
All came, conquered, then left!
So has (and will) Bolt!
Sure, he has a personality larger than life!
In the internet age, it's fairly easy to become a "personality"!
Or a "celebrity"!
Without giving too much away, let's say that my WC Men's 100 Preview might NOT see Bolt as the CLEAR favorite!!
He's FAR removed from his halcyon days of his 9.58 & 19.19 WR's!
Yet his name has, and will continue to be THE name of these OG's!
It was the same in 1992, when "Dan & Dave" was the most ubiquitous ad of the Barcelona Games!
Even AFTER O'Brien NH'ed in the OT Decathlon PV!!
Same went for Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson.
Remember all the noise in 2012 for Jessica Ennis-Hill??
My suggestion?
MUTE all the Bolt-orama nonsense!!
Watch his "final" races, but watch all the OTHER sensational athletes (most of whom will probably perform better than Usain in London!!) as well!
Speaking of OG icons, what about Mo Farah?
The old "medals vs records" argument always arises!
(See my post where I compare Mo to Lasse Viren!!)
Farah has won "doubles" in recent WC's and OG's!
He MIGHT do so again!
But except in rare cases, Farah has run just fast enough to win!!
To me, and the idea behind this blog, that's not enough!
Even at Age 34, I could see Farah running MUCH faster than his current PR's--except maybe in the 1500!
I wish he'd make attempts at same in the 5000 and 10000!
Even times falling short of the WR's might be enough to strengthen Farah's ultimate legacy!!
12:45 and 26:30, Sir Mo!
You CAN do it!!
This post is already too long, so I'll shorten my other subjects to brief "paras"!
There are THREE Diamond League meets coming AFTER the London meet!!
Birmingham, Zurich, and Brussels!
Let's hope for FULL participation by the "stars" of the WC's--and some A-T Great marks!!
At the onset of each season (INdoors & OUTdoors), I present the 24th best mark on my A-T lists--giving athletes notice of what's needed to make each list!
I did the same back in March for this OUTdoor season!
Thus far, we've seen the following changes--
Collegiates--Their season ended with the NCAA meet! Twelve Men's events, and 16 Women's, have NEW 24th place marks!
HS--They have until August 31st to better their marks, but as of now, we have 13 Men's and 16 Women's events that have new Best 24th place marks!
The US lists have been altered in 11 Men's and 14 Women's events!
The World lists have seen just a half-dozen event changes for each gender!!
Expect MANY more (for the World, and some for the US) changes to come in London and beyond!
A mark of 52.54 over 400 meters was recently reported on the T&FN website--and MB!!
The girl is 13 years old, and the mark is apparently a record for that age!
But she's not the only one!
This year, it seems, there are more "U17" marks that have made "grown men cry" than in past years!
Tyrese Cooper, Grace Ping, and so many others!
As the "experts" keep saying, most of these phenoms won't even be competing a few years later, let alone become future Allyson Felix's or Usain Bolt's!
We (and I) have seen that happen over and over and over again!!
But it's also okay to wonder why THIS year--there are so many!!
And this isn't just a US thing---it's worldwide!!
Speaking of "teen phenoms", still no word from Mary Cain!
Nothing!
Tomorrow is August 1st, so I'm saying her 2017 OUTdoor Track season is OVER---before it began!!
IF---IF she appears in 2017, it will be in a Road Race or in XC--or in an early INdoor rust-buster!!
And this still-young lady of 21 has LOTS of rust to bust!!
WHY this silence?
If you believe those "wits" from Let's Run, Cain is---
not wanting to be questioned about the Salazar drug issue!
ON drugs!!
no longer in the sport--has retired!
pregnant!!!
too fat!!
just being 'normal" for awhile!!
You choose!
LOL
In (sort of) the same vein, August 31st will mark the END of the long row of High Schoolers as Pro's we've witnessed---beginning with Cain turning Pro in late 2013!
(Yes, I know Alana Hadley did so earlier, but she too seems to be making 2017 a NON-competitive year!!)
We've had Hadley, Cain, Alexa Efraimson, Kaylin Whitney, Khalifa St Fort, Candace Hill, Vashti Cunningham, and Drew Hunter all serve as HS PRO's!!
As of September, the list will be EMPTY!!
Will anyone be the "first" of a new group?
WHO will that be??
The London WC's has scheduled a 50000 Meters Walk for Women!
As of now, there are SEVEN Women listed as entrants--one of whom had to SUE to get included!!
Many (ALL!!) are seeing this as a "farce/disaster" in the making!!
I don't!
I see it as a VERY EXCITING and HISTORIC moment in our sport!!
This blog will give FULL & EQUAL coverage to this event--as to any & all others!!
It (and these Women!) deserves no less!!
Finally---yes, finally!!--my plans for WC's coverage!
A full Schedule will be posted either tomorrow or August 2nd!!
Then will follow my usual Men's & Women's Previews--focusing on which Meet Records might be broken!!
Then comes the Meet itself!
Not sure yet, but I'll probably have THREE Results posts--spaced about 3 days apart!
These will report on Qualifying rounds, Heats, Semi's, and Finals!!
In all the usual detail you've come to expect from this blog!!
I'll finish with my Wrap-Up---and/or a Best & Worst report--a day or so after the meet ends!!
See you soon!!
Monday, July 31, 2017
Sunday, July 23, 2017
Jr Meets rival Monaco in final push to WC
My readers (All 3 of them! LOL) might be tired of my constant raps (NOT the musical kind!!) at the Diamond League meets!
Some ARE truly deserving of my complaints.
The Men's 800 went to Emmanuel Korir, who suddenly (??) looms as one of the favorites for Gold in London!!
His 1:43.10 misses my World DDD by 0.29 seconds!
His C-E times for the 400 & 800 are now 44.53 & 1:43.10, total time of 2:27.63!!
He is 3rd A-T!!
Marcin Lewandowski's 3:34.04 in 8th gave him Poland's National Record.
Matthew Centrowitz languished in 9th, his 3:34.43 not even his 2017 best!
Knocked OFF my World list were 2 big names--Ayanleh Souleiman's 3:29.58 from 2014, and Nick Willis's 3:29.66 from 2015!
Wayde Van Niekerk got a challenge from Isaac Makwala in the 400, but won, 43.73 to 43.84, even though he cruised the middle of the race!
Mariya Lasitskene solidified her WC favorite's role, her 6-8.75 HJ the new Monaco Meet Record!!
Two Americans ran solid races, with Shannon Rowbury's non-PR of 8:33.38 taking 6th, while Shelby Houlihan SMASHED her former best by over 50 seconds (!!), her 8:37.40 in 8th making her 9th A-T US!!
Speaking of DeGrasse, lots of chatter about him supposedly being "booted" from the open 100--because (supposedly) Usain Bolt ordered it!!
(Check out the "discussion" on T&FN's MB!!)
Whatever the case, Mr DA MAN had it easy, and won in 9.95 over Isaiah Young's 9.98.
Rachel Baxter PV'ed 14-5.50, getting the P-A Jr MR!!
She missed her 3 tries at a HSR 14-8!!
She remains 3rd A-T HS!
The European U20 Championships were good too, but overall, not quite up to Pan-Am's standards!!
Taken OFF my US list was--Shelby Houlihan!!
I'd say her 8:37 3K ability (See above!) will get her back ON the list soon---with room to spare!!
Houlihan's 15:06.14 was from last year!!
Marisa Howard cut 7 seconds off her 3000SC PR, winning a race in 9:30.92!!
This Oiselle Woman moves from 21st A-T US to 16th!
Megan Rolland--another Oiselle gal--was 3rd in 9:40.94.
Mujinga Kambundji tied her own National Record of Switzerland, running the 100 in 11.07!
Sandra Perkovic broke her own National Record of Croatia, throwing the Discus out 234-3--the farthest anyone has throw since 1992--according to one source!
She moves from 18th A-T World to 16th!!
Finally, Samantha Watson PR'ed again in the 800, her 2:00.65 keeping her 3rd A-T HS!!
Some ARE truly deserving of my complaints.
But then there are DL's like Monaco, where the RESULTS fall short of EXPECTATIONS---and thus our (MY!) judgment of their quality ALSO falls short---even though the results were indeed GREAT---if measured against most any other scale of value!!
But enough of this---I'll save it for one of my "off-season extra" posts!!
Ajee Wilson MADE the Herculis meet!!
Ajee Wilson MADE the Herculis meet!!
While a couple of my "unlisted" 3-some were "1st" & "2nd"---by IAAF and other's standards & rules--in MY Record Book & on MY blog, Ajee Wilson's American Record-smashing time of 1:55.61 WON the race!!
With Laura Roesler rabbiting, the bell was rung at 55.31.
However, Ajee & Co were probably at 56-low or mid at that point.
This was unlike most (All??) of Wilson's previous 1st laps, where a 57-high would be considered fast!
So her announced quest to break Jearl Miles-Clark's AR of 1:56.40 seemed to be ON!!
The 600 point was reached by the "leader" in 1:26.7, with Ajee very close!
So her announced quest to break Jearl Miles-Clark's AR of 1:56.40 seemed to be ON!!
The 600 point was reached by the "leader" in 1:26.7, with Ajee very close!
She sprinted hard down the straight, and hit home in 1:55.61, cutting JMC's mark by 0.79 seconds!
She also smashed her old PR by 2.06 seconds!!
She also smashed her old PR by 2.06 seconds!!
She gets the Age 23 record, as well as the AR!
She moves from 7th A-T US to the Top!
She moves from 7th A-T US to the Top!
And she's now 18th A-T World!!
Her 400 PR is listed as just 54.43 (in the FAST Annual!), but added to her 1:55.61, her total US Combined Events time for the 400 & 800 is now 2:50.04.
She ranks 3rd A-T!!
(Surely she can run a LOT faster over 400!!)
Sifan Hassan was next in 1:56.81.
On the World C-E list for the 800 & Mile, her times of 1:56.81 & 4:18.20 adds to 6:15.01.
Her 400 PR is listed as just 54.43 (in the FAST Annual!), but added to her 1:55.61, her total US Combined Events time for the 400 & 800 is now 2:50.04.
She ranks 3rd A-T!!
(Surely she can run a LOT faster over 400!!)
Sifan Hassan was next in 1:56.81.
On the World C-E list for the 800 & Mile, her times of 1:56.81 & 4:18.20 adds to 6:15.01.
She's ranked 9th A-T there!
Melissa Bishop nipped her own National Record of Canada (by 0.01 secs!!), her 1:57.01 the new mark!
Melissa Bishop nipped her own National Record of Canada (by 0.01 secs!!), her 1:57.01 the new mark!
Lynsey Sharp ran 1:58.01, while Brenda Martinez ran her 2017 fastest, 1:58.43.
The Men's 800 went to Emmanuel Korir, who suddenly (??) looms as one of the favorites for Gold in London!!
His 1:43.10 misses my World DDD by 0.29 seconds!
His C-E times for the 400 & 800 are now 44.53 & 1:43.10, total time of 2:27.63!!
He is 3rd A-T!!
Brandon McBride was 2nd in 1:44.41.
The Men's 1500 saw a great 2-man battle up front, with Elijah Manangoi's 3:28.80 prevailing over Tim Cheruiyot's 3:29.10!!
Manangoi is now 9th A-T World!!
Cheruiyot ranks 15th A-T World!!
The Men's 1500 saw a great 2-man battle up front, with Elijah Manangoi's 3:28.80 prevailing over Tim Cheruiyot's 3:29.10!!
Manangoi is now 9th A-T World!!
Cheruiyot ranks 15th A-T World!!
Marcin Lewandowski's 3:34.04 in 8th gave him Poland's National Record.
Matthew Centrowitz languished in 9th, his 3:34.43 not even his 2017 best!
Knocked OFF my World list were 2 big names--Ayanleh Souleiman's 3:29.58 from 2014, and Nick Willis's 3:29.66 from 2015!
Wayde Van Niekerk got a challenge from Isaac Makwala in the 400, but won, 43.73 to 43.84, even though he cruised the middle of the race!
In 6th, Luka Janezic's 44.84 gave him Slovenia's National Record!
Two good Field event battles--
Caterine Ibarguen came through in Round 6 with her winning 48-9 TJ!
But Yulimar Rojas was last in the order, so when she hit the sand 48-8 from the board, it was only then that Ibarguen could celebrate!!
Both Thomas Rohler and Johannes Vetter were FAR off their PR's, but here, Rohler was clearly better, his 292-6 winning over Vetter's 3rd place mark of 279.4!!
Caterine Ibarguen came through in Round 6 with her winning 48-9 TJ!
But Yulimar Rojas was last in the order, so when she hit the sand 48-8 from the board, it was only then that Ibarguen could celebrate!!
Both Thomas Rohler and Johannes Vetter were FAR off their PR's, but here, Rohler was clearly better, his 292-6 winning over Vetter's 3rd place mark of 279.4!!
Mariya Lasitskene solidified her WC favorite's role, her 6-8.75 HJ the new Monaco Meet Record!!
A pair of 19 year olds ended with 6-5.50 marks--Yulija Levchenko and Vashti Cunningham!
The two 3000 meter races---one with, the other without hurdles--were fast, but still short of expectations!
Evan Jager ran his final 800 (14 barriers, 2 water pits) in 2:03, but his 8:01.29 winner fell short of his own AR!!
Evan Jager ran his final 800 (14 barriers, 2 water pits) in 2:03, but his 8:01.29 winner fell short of his own AR!!
Jairus Birech's 8:07.68 took 2nd,while Stan Kebenai's 8:08.30 in 3rd moves him from 20th A-T US all the way to 2nd!!
Helen Obiri won the Women's 3K with her Age 27 record time of 8:23.14!
Beatrice Chepkoech trailed in 2nd with her 8:28.66.
Then came Laura Muir's 8:30.64, followed by Eilish McColgan's 8:31.39.
Then came Laura Muir's 8:30.64, followed by Eilish McColgan's 8:31.39.
Two Americans ran solid races, with Shannon Rowbury's non-PR of 8:33.38 taking 6th, while Shelby Houlihan SMASHED her former best by over 50 seconds (!!), her 8:37.40 in 8th making her 9th A-T US!!
Also, on my US Combined Events list for the 1500 & 3000, Houlihan's 4:03.39 & 8:37.40 adds to 12:40.79, making her 5th A-T!!
Meraf Bahta's 9th place time of 8:37.50 is the National Record of Sweden!!
Dominique Scott PR'ed by 5 seconds with her 11th place time of 8:41.33!
Meraf Bahta's 9th place time of 8:37.50 is the National Record of Sweden!!
Dominique Scott PR'ed by 5 seconds with her 11th place time of 8:41.33!
Kendra Harrison took a close 100H race, 12.51 to Sharika Nelvis's 12.52!!
Danielle Williams was 3rd in 12.58, while Nia Ali and Sally Pearson were next, both with 12.68's!!
In other Monaco events--
Kori Carter took the 400H with her 53.36, over Shamier Little's 54.02.
But finishing only 6th was Ashley Spencer's 55.92!!
Danielle Williams was 3rd in 12.58, while Nia Ali and Sally Pearson were next, both with 12.68's!!
In other Monaco events--
Kori Carter took the 400H with her 53.36, over Shamier Little's 54.02.
But finishing only 6th was Ashley Spencer's 55.92!!
Marie Josee Ta Lou took the 200 in 22.25 over Kyra Jefferson's 22.42!
Piotr Lisek took the PV with 19-1.
Yet another "bad" meet for Renaud Lavillenie--his 18-9.25 being only 5th!!
Yet another "bad" meet for Renaud Lavillenie--his 18-9.25 being only 5th!!
Two 4X100 Relays opened the Track portion of the meet!
The USA Red team took the Women's race in 42.34!
The order was Tianna Bartoletta, Allyson Felix, English Gardner, and Ailiyah Brown!
But just after Gardner handed off to Brown, she fell to the track, rolled into the lane to her right, causing the French team to have to "hurdle" her, ending their run!!
Gardner suffered an injury, needing her teammates to carry her off the track!
But she wasn't DQ'ed, even though she DID impede the French runner!!
China shocked the US Men's team, winning 38.19 to USA Red's 38.30, and USA Blue's 38.41!!
China shocked the US Men's team, winning 38.19 to USA Red's 38.30, and USA Blue's 38.41!!
Canada DNF'ed.
Not sure whose fault it was, but Andre De Grasse was on that team!
Not sure whose fault it was, but Andre De Grasse was on that team!
Speaking of DeGrasse, lots of chatter about him supposedly being "booted" from the open 100--because (supposedly) Usain Bolt ordered it!!
(Check out the "discussion" on T&FN's MB!!)
Whatever the case, Mr DA MAN had it easy, and won in 9.95 over Isaiah Young's 9.98.
The Pan American Junior (U20??) Championships--held in the coastal city of Trujillo in Peru--saw a HSR--and several other great marks make this one of the best meets of this type!
Alyssa Wilson improved her PR (and HSR!!) by 11.75 inches, her 58-1 also taking down her own Senior Class record!
She of course remains 1st A-T HS!!
However, the Meet Record remains Raven Saunders's 59-11.25, set when she was a College Frosh!!
Alyssa Wilson improved her PR (and HSR!!) by 11.75 inches, her 58-1 also taking down her own Senior Class record!
She of course remains 1st A-T HS!!
However, the Meet Record remains Raven Saunders's 59-11.25, set when she was a College Frosh!!
Tia Jones met Tara Davis again over 100H!
Jones won, her 13.01 being the P-A Jr Meet Record!
Jones won, her 13.01 being the P-A Jr Meet Record!
It also takes 0.01 seconds off her own Soph Class record!
Davis ran 13.05 in 2nd!
Tara also won the LJ, but her winning leap of 21-4.25 was wind-aided, so didn't get the MR!
Her best legal effort of 20-11.25 was still better than the Silver winner!
Davis also ran anchor on the US 4X100 Relay winner!!
Davis ran 13.05 in 2nd!
Tara also won the LJ, but her winning leap of 21-4.25 was wind-aided, so didn't get the MR!
Her best legal effort of 20-11.25 was still better than the Silver winner!
Davis also ran anchor on the US 4X100 Relay winner!!
Rachel Baxter PV'ed 14-5.50, getting the P-A Jr MR!!
She missed her 3 tries at a HSR 14-8!!
She remains 3rd A-T HS!
Carson Dingler was a solid 2nd with her 13-9.25!
Roxana Gomez took the 400 in a Meet Record time of 51.46.
Jaevin Reed's 51.71 in 2nd makes her 11th A-T HS!!
Eric Edwards's 13.33 INTO an 0.6 wind won the 110H--39 inch variety!
Ryan Sanchez of Puerto Rico took the 800 in 1:46.41, another Meet Record!!
The old record??
Joachim Cruz's 1980 winner!!
Roxana Gomez took the 400 in a Meet Record time of 51.46.
Jaevin Reed's 51.71 in 2nd makes her 11th A-T HS!!
Eric Edwards's 13.33 INTO an 0.6 wind won the 110H--39 inch variety!
Ryan Sanchez of Puerto Rico took the 800 in 1:46.41, another Meet Record!!
The old record??
Joachim Cruz's 1980 winner!!
Cameron Cooper apparently stepped off the track for a bit, then got back on and finished the race--but it gained him a DQ!!
But (aside from the HSR of Wilson) maybe the best event was the Men's 400!!
Both Josephus Lyles and Jamal Walton were trash-talking sub-45 times--but only Walton made his reality!!
His 44.99 is 2nd A-T HS, as he becomes only the 2nd HS'er to go sub-45!!
Lyles PR'ed in 45.30 in 2nd!!
Cut FROM my HS list was Jeremy Wariner's 45.57, dating from 2002!!
Both Josephus Lyles and Jamal Walton were trash-talking sub-45 times--but only Walton made his reality!!
His 44.99 is 2nd A-T HS, as he becomes only the 2nd HS'er to go sub-45!!
Lyles PR'ed in 45.30 in 2nd!!
Cut FROM my HS list was Jeremy Wariner's 45.57, dating from 2002!!
Laulanga Collins threw the Discus 194-6, just short of her PR.
But it did set a Pan Am Jr's Meet Record!!
Tyrese Cooper ran a solid 20.59 in the 200, but Chris Taylor's 20.38 took the W.
I don't keep lists for Men's "Junior" weights, but Jordan Geist shattered the Meet Record in the SP with his 72-3!
Adriana Rodriguez took the Heptathlon, her 5733 score nabbing the MR!!
But it did set a Pan Am Jr's Meet Record!!
Tyrese Cooper ran a solid 20.59 in the 200, but Chris Taylor's 20.38 took the W.
I don't keep lists for Men's "Junior" weights, but Jordan Geist shattered the Meet Record in the SP with his 72-3!
Adriana Rodriguez took the Heptathlon, her 5733 score nabbing the MR!!
Sarah Edwards, as expected, won the 3000SC, but her 10:10.68 fell 6 seconds short of the MR!
In 3rd came HS'er Alexandra Harris's 10:14.76!
She moves from 5th A-T HS to 3rd!!
Eric Van Der Els won the 1500 in a MR time of 3:43.16.
Cooper Teare was 3rd in 3:46.46!
(Too many sub-4 Mile attempts this season??)
Quincy Hall got the 400H Meet Record with his 49.02 winner!
The 10000 Walk saw Alegna Gonzalez DESTROY the Meet Record (by about 2 minutes 20 seconds!!), her 44:43.9 a clear winner.
Taylor Ewart Walked 50:01-ish!!
In 3rd came HS'er Alexandra Harris's 10:14.76!
She moves from 5th A-T HS to 3rd!!
Eric Van Der Els won the 1500 in a MR time of 3:43.16.
Cooper Teare was 3rd in 3:46.46!
(Too many sub-4 Mile attempts this season??)
Quincy Hall got the 400H Meet Record with his 49.02 winner!
The 10000 Walk saw Alegna Gonzalez DESTROY the Meet Record (by about 2 minutes 20 seconds!!), her 44:43.9 a clear winner.
Taylor Ewart Walked 50:01-ish!!
The US teams took both 4X400 Relays with Record-breaking performances of one form or another!!
But I need to preface the Women's results by telling you that I THOUGHT the MR was Jamaica's 3:23.70 from the 1993 meet!
But I need to preface the Women's results by telling you that I THOUGHT the MR was Jamaica's 3:23.70 from the 1993 meet!
Golly Gee Whiz, that's what good old Wikipedia SAID it was!!
Turns out Wiki ain't always right!!
Jamaica's 1993 time was 3:32.70---NOT 3:23.70!!
Jamaica's 1993 time was 3:32.70---NOT 3:23.70!!
Anyway, the USA team got the MR with their 3:28.57!!
As for the Men, their 3:00.33 is not just the P-A Jr MR, but apparently the WORLD best for a "Junior" team!!
(Again, I don't keep "Junior" records or lists!!)
This was withOUT Ty Cooper!!
As for the Men, their 3:00.33 is not just the P-A Jr MR, but apparently the WORLD best for a "Junior" team!!
(Again, I don't keep "Junior" records or lists!!)
This was withOUT Ty Cooper!!
I suspect that WITH him, they might have cracked the 3 minute barrier!!
The European U20 Championships were good too, but overall, not quite up to Pan-Am's standards!!
Tell that to the winners of the Multi's there!!
Using Junior implements and hurdle height, Niklas Kohl's 8435 was a MR!
Using Junior implements and hurdle height, Niklas Kohl's 8435 was a MR!
IF he'd used International implements and 42 inch hurdles, he'd have broken the Age 19 record!!
I'm not sure where he stands on the "Junior" list!1
The Women don't have that problem!!
I'm not sure where he stands on the "Junior" list!1
The Women don't have that problem!!
From the 9th Grade on, they use Professional implements and hurdle heights!!
(My very early "extra" post---Should HS Boys throw the 16 pound SP from Day One" speaks to this discrepancy!!)
That said, Alina Shukh's 6381 points winner missed the Age 18 record by 34 points!!
(Will she compete in London--and break that record??)
The National Record of Switzerland--as I noted in an earlier post--has taken a whipping in 2017!
(My very early "extra" post---Should HS Boys throw the 16 pound SP from Day One" speaks to this discrepancy!!)
That said, Alina Shukh's 6381 points winner missed the Age 18 record by 34 points!!
(Will she compete in London--and break that record??)
The National Record of Switzerland--as I noted in an earlier post--has taken a whipping in 2017!
First it was Geraldine Ruckstuhl's 6291 at Gotzis.
Then came Caroline Agnou's 6330 at the Euro U23 meet!!
Now it's Ruckstuhl's turn again, as her 2nd place 6357 score gets that mark!
THREE times in about 2 months--by two different women!!
Now it's Ruckstuhl's turn again, as her 2nd place 6357 score gets that mark!
THREE times in about 2 months--by two different women!!
How often does THAT happen??
Belgium's Heusden-Zolder meet once again saw a LOAD of traffic from the United States in its distance races--always that meet's featured events!!
(Someone counted over 30 Americans entered!!)
It was the Women's 1500 and 5000 that saw big changes in the Record Book and on their logs of PR's!!
(Someone counted over 30 Americans entered!!)
It was the Women's 1500 and 5000 that saw big changes in the Record Book and on their logs of PR's!!
(Another "funny" story regarding Wikipedia, but in a better light!!)
The winner was Susan KRUMINS in 14:53.35.
Huh, WHO is SHE??
So I went to my old pal Wiki, and saw she's the FORMER Susan Kuijken, as she got married late last year!!
AHA!!
Anyway, it's her first sub-15!!
The winner was Susan KRUMINS in 14:53.35.
Huh, WHO is SHE??
So I went to my old pal Wiki, and saw she's the FORMER Susan Kuijken, as she got married late last year!!
AHA!!
Anyway, it's her first sub-15!!
Also getting her initial sub-15 was Emily Infeld!!
Her 14:56.33 in 3rd makes her 12th A-T US!!
Her 14:56.33 in 3rd makes her 12th A-T US!!
Surprising (just a bit!) in 3rd was 36 year old Shalane Flanagan, her time being 14:58.99.
It's not that she was incapable of such a time, but she IS 36, AND she's mainly a Marathoner now, or at least a "Roadie" more than she's a "Trackster"!!
This bodes well for her future races!!
This bodes well for her future races!!
Emily Sisson's 15:10.90 was good for 7th!!
Taken OFF my US list was--Shelby Houlihan!!
I'd say her 8:37 3K ability (See above!) will get her back ON the list soon---with room to spare!!
Houlihan's 15:06.14 was from last year!!
The 1500 saw Steeple specialist Colleen Quigley shock by winning--and by her BIG PR of 4:03.93!!
She misses the US list by 0.34 seconds!!
Amanda Eccleston also ran good, her 4:04.34 taking 3rd!
Another Steepler--and one who's had problems there lately (See a previous post!)--showing some speed on the flat was Stephanie Garcia!!
She misses the US list by 0.34 seconds!!
Amanda Eccleston also ran good, her 4:04.34 taking 3rd!
Another Steepler--and one who's had problems there lately (See a previous post!)--showing some speed on the flat was Stephanie Garcia!!
Her PR is now 4:04.63.
She finished 5th, one slot ahead of Alexa Efraimson, who ran her 2nd-fastest time of 4:04.75!!
She finished 5th, one slot ahead of Alexa Efraimson, who ran her 2nd-fastest time of 4:04.75!!
Eliza McCartney--coming back from an injury--won the H-Z Pole Vault with 15-1.50!
Speaking of the PV, Sandi Morris took her hometown's Street Vault with a good 15-7, then missed 3 tries at 15-11 or so!
They loved her there in Greenville, South Carolina!!
Mondo Duplantis easily won the Euro U20 meet with his clearance of 18-6.50!!
The H-Z meet's Men's 5000 saw 2 Americans run okay times!
Ben True and Hassan Mead finished 3rd & 4th, their respective times being 13:10.83 and 13:11.20.
In a meet for Throwers, Alex Young PR'ed by a bit, his 244-0 HT making him 24th A-T US.
But Ed Burke, one of America's best from decades earlier, saw his 243-11 from 1984 GO!!
In the Euro meet, Germany's Women's 4X100 Relay ran 43.27 in their HEAT, getting the "Junior" record!!
They ran 43.44 in the final!
They loved her there in Greenville, South Carolina!!
Mondo Duplantis easily won the Euro U20 meet with his clearance of 18-6.50!!
The H-Z meet's Men's 5000 saw 2 Americans run okay times!
Ben True and Hassan Mead finished 3rd & 4th, their respective times being 13:10.83 and 13:11.20.
In a meet for Throwers, Alex Young PR'ed by a bit, his 244-0 HT making him 24th A-T US.
But Ed Burke, one of America's best from decades earlier, saw his 243-11 from 1984 GO!!
In the Euro meet, Germany's Women's 4X100 Relay ran 43.27 in their HEAT, getting the "Junior" record!!
They ran 43.44 in the final!
Earlier in the week--or in meets other than those reported above--came 4 other marks--all of which altered my Record Book!!
Marisa Howard cut 7 seconds off her 3000SC PR, winning a race in 9:30.92!!
This Oiselle Woman moves from 21st A-T US to 16th!
Megan Rolland--another Oiselle gal--was 3rd in 9:40.94.
Mujinga Kambundji tied her own National Record of Switzerland, running the 100 in 11.07!
Sandra Perkovic broke her own National Record of Croatia, throwing the Discus out 234-3--the farthest anyone has throw since 1992--according to one source!
She moves from 18th A-T World to 16th!!
Finally, Samantha Watson PR'ed again in the 800, her 2:00.65 keeping her 3rd A-T HS!!
Not sure if or when she'll try again to break 2 minutes as a High Schooler!!
Okay, Dear Readers, the World Championships are now just 12 days away!!
While I'm almost certain to post again BEFORE I begin my series of WC posts, I'm not sure when exactly that will be!!
Or what it will be about!!
As far as I know, there are NO more meets scheduled between now and then---or at least nothing "major"!!
I hope I'm WRONG!!
Of course, IF any marks pop up, they WILL be reported---here!!
Enjoy this little "break"!
See you soon!
While I'm almost certain to post again BEFORE I begin my series of WC posts, I'm not sure when exactly that will be!!
Or what it will be about!!
As far as I know, there are NO more meets scheduled between now and then---or at least nothing "major"!!
I hope I'm WRONG!!
Of course, IF any marks pop up, they WILL be reported---here!!
Enjoy this little "break"!
See you soon!
Sunday, July 16, 2017
Season in WC Prep Mode
It's after all of the National Championships, and some early DL's that came close to living up to their name--and before the Monaco DL, which is LOADED!
Oh, there was today's Rabat DL, and several small European meets--where Americans like to show up and make their rent money!
With this in mind, you'd think I'd have little of note to report!
Think again!
Katie Nageotte--who is NOT going to London's WC's!--is suddenly the hottest US PV'er!!
She first nailed a 15-5.75, which moved her from 19th A-T US, tied with 7 (!!) others, to 5th--tied with no one!!
Second was Emily Grove--who IS going to London!!--with 15-0!!
Not bad to have TWO American Women clear 15 feet in a smallish European meet!!
(And neither of them being Jenn Suhr or Sandi Morris!!)
Then she upped her PR to 15-6.25 in Madrid!
Holly Bradshaw won that event with 15-9.25, breaking her own National Record of Great Britain.
She moves from 16th A-T World, tied with 1 other, to 15th, also tied with 1 other!
Nageotte moves from 5th A-T US to 4th, tied with 1 other.
She also enters the World list as 24th A-T, tied with 3 others!
Lisa Ryzih also topped 15-6.25, so she's now also 24th A-T World, tied with 3 others, including Nageotte!!
As for Morris, she cleared 15-7.25 on July 7th in Sotteville, and will next compete in her hometown in South Carolina!
NOTE--Added 2 hours after initial posting--
Late news from Padua's PV.
Ekaterina Stefanidi won with her 15-5.75, while Emily Grove flipped over 15-1.
Also, Mariya Lasitskene took the Padua HJ with 6-6.75!
The Men's JT has been taking a beating!
Thomas Rohler was on a roll for awhile, beating (among others) Johannes Vetter!
Well, now--um--Vetter is better!!
His massive 309-10 was actually his FOURTH PR of the day in Lucerne!
Here's his incredible series--
His 297-9 moved him from 16th A-T World to 12th!
His 298-9 kept him there.
Then he exploded out to 305-4 in the 4th round!
This moved him from 12th A-T World to 4th!!
His 5th round was his "worst"--293-8.
Then he hit his 309-10, and that moved him from 4th A-T World into 2nd!!
As for Rohler--he finished 2nd with 293-5.
That means ALL of Vetter's throws were--again, um!--better!!
BTW, this gives Vetter the National Record of Germany, and the Age 24 record!!
Also in that meet, Lovisa Lindh broke her own National Record of Sweden in the 1000 meters with her 2:35.15.
The Women's 3000 saw Aisha Praught-Leer take 3rd with her 8:53.43.
Emily Infeld took 5th with 8:55.41, while Courtney Frerichs PR'ed with 8:56.99.
On my US Combined Events list for the 3000-3000SC, Frerichs's times of 8:56.99 and 9:19.09 adds to 18:16.08.
She is now 4th A-T US on that list!
Sarah Pagano also dipped under 9 minutes with her 8:58.91.
The Goteborg 3000SC saw Katie Landwehr run a solid 9:37.00, making her 20th A-T US!
While not PR'ing, Alexa Efraimson has been racing some decent 1500's on the Euro Circuit!
In the Morton Games, she actually WON--this a first for her over the Mile/1500 distance since her amateur HS days!!
Her time was 4:06.73!
Then today, news came in from Padua's meet!
She finished 2nd in 4:06.12, her best of 2017.
Who beat her?
Oh, just someone named--Laura Muir!!
(Muir ran 4:05.01.)
The field was missing all of the "names"---except for Muir!--but it was NOT a weak field either!!
In 6th came Dominique Scott's PR of 4:08.04!
Drew Hunter is another youngster who impressed in Padua!
While Jonathan Sawe won the 1500 in 3:36.56, the only other one to finish ahead of Hunter's PR of 3:36.77 was---Ayanleh Souleiman!!
Hunter had run the Mile in the Morton Games, his 3:56.79 taking 6th!
Robert Domenic's 3:55.71 was the winner, as 12 Men ran under 3:59!!
Sam Prakel's 3:56.55 in 3rd was one of those!
The Throws---besides the JT (See above!)--have been solid.
In Sotteville, Yaimi Perez's 227-0 DT beat Sandra Perkovic's 224-1.
Konrad Bukowiecki's 70-10 PR may not have made my A-T World list, but it erased one of the (or THE?) oldest Age Records in the Book!!
Randy Matson had thrown 70-7.25 in 1965 for the Age 20 record!
That mark is GONE!!
The Rabat SP opened that meet with some blazers!
Ryan Crouser improved from his 71-10-ish opener to the Meet Record of 73-8.75!!
But some of the glory was saved for Jamaica's O'Dayne Richards!
His 72-0.75 broke his own National Record!
He's now just 1.75 inches removed from my World list!!
Barbora Spotakova had it easy in Rabat, her 209-1 enough to take the JT!
Isaac Makwala may suddenly be a threat in the WC 200!!
(And 400!!)
In Madrid, he opened with a 43.92 in the 400--not a PR.
But then he whipped out a 19.77 over the half lap!
This breaks his own National Record of Botswana!!
He becomes 15th A-T World!!
And on my World Combined Events list for the 100-200-400, his times of 10.20, 19.77, and 43.72 adds to 1:13.69.
But he remains 3rd on that list!
In other Short Stuff--
Chijindu Ujah won the Rabat 100 in a Meet Record time of 9.98., wind a negative 0.3.
Andre De Grasse also nabbed a Rabat Meet Record--his 20.03 in the 200 taking the honors!
(Wind of 0.4.)
Zuzana Hejnova took a Ho-Hum 400H in 54.22.
Cassandra Tate was a weak 7th!!
Elaine Thompson can't win for--winning, it seems!
She won the Rabat 100 in 10.87, beating Marie Josee Ta Lou's 10.90.
But the AQ's (Armchair Quarterbacks!) on the T&FN Message Board went into immediate "Can ET even win the WC's, let alone run 10.70 ever again?" mode!!
The "perks" of being the best!
Oh, and it's the Rabat Meet Record!!
The Rabat Women's 400 was supposed to be the "Hit Pick" event!
Well, maybe you can rate Shaunae Miller-Uibo's 49.80 winner as such!
But 2nd was over a full second behind!!
SMU's time is also a Rabat Meet Record!
In Padua, Allyson Felix also had it easy, her 22.80 INTO a 1.0 wind an easy winner!
Kaylin Whitney finished just 6th (There were 2 sections, and she finished 6th overall!), but her 23.26 was a 2017 best!
And here's all the rest of it---
Jacob Ingebrigtsen has been knocking off some great times as a 16 year old this year!
Add his latest--the 3000SC in 8:26.81--to that list!
Think of it this way--If he were a 16 year old attending a US High School, he'd have just ended his 10th Grade year, most likely!
The HSR in this event is 8:47.04, run by Bailey Roth when he was a Senior!!
Another 16 year old TJ'er from Cuba?
Yep.
The latest is named Jordan Diaz, and his 56-9.25 takes over the Age 16 record slot!
(As well as my "Age 0-17" slot, since his mark betters anything I had by a 17 year old!!)
The Switzerland National Record in the Heptathlon has taken a beating this year.
First, it was Geraldine Ruckstuhl.
Now it's Caroline Agnou.
Her winning score was 6330 at the Euro U23 meet!
The Women's HJ in Madrid was good--
Inika McPherson matched her 2014 PR of 6-5 to win.
She remains 14th A-T US, tied with 2 others.
Ruth Beitia broke her own Age 38 record with her 6-4.25 clearance!!
Pawel Wojciechowski took the Rabat PV with his 19-2.25--it becoming the Meet Record!
Rushwal Samaal's 27-4.75 LJ beat Jarrion Lawson's 27-4.
Gesa Krause surprised the African contingent in the Rabat 3000SC, taking the final water jump cleanly, while the Africans showed their "classic" technique, and falling behind to stay!
Krause's time was a non-PR of 9:18.87.
Disconsolate in 8th was American Stephanie Garcia, who ran 9:40.63.
She later sent out a "3-tweet" message to her fans---essentially saying she's in great shape, but her confidence is lacking!
She's coming home---before returning to the Splish-Splash wars, probably in post-WC meets!
Nijel Amos won again--this time the Rabat meet in 1:43.91.
Angela Cichocka took the 1500 there in 4:01.93.
Brenda Martinez's 4:02.75 in 3rd took the measure of AR holder Shannon Rowbury, who ended 6th in 4:04.73.
Abdelaati Iguider's 55 last lap took the flat 3000 in Rabat--his time being 7:37.82.
The 3K with hurdles & such took 8:05.12 of Soufiani El Bakhali's time.
His being Moroccan cheered the home nation crowd!!
Andy Bayer ran a non-PR of 8:16.73 in 5th.
With his recent 7:38+ over the flat 3K distance (See an earlier post!), I expected more from him!
I'd guess he has definite 8:05-ish potential!!
BTW, Consesius Kipruto was a mysterious DNF late in the race!
I don't believe he was a rabbit, as he never led!!
Andriy Protsenko in the HJ, and Caterine Ibarguen in the TJ, took easy wins, their respective marks being 7-6 & 47-7.25.
Is Ajee Wilson still thinking of chasing Jearl Miles-Clark's AR of 1:56.40 in the Monaco 800--as her coach seemed to intimate in an earlier interview?
If so, her 1:59.19 win in Padua might be seen as a "tempo" type lead-up!!
Deajah Stevens is the latest Oregon Duck sprinter to abandon her team to go Pro early!
No sponsor named yet.
Then there's Ed Cheserek.
Still waiting for his US citizenship--and he may have a little wait!--he also says he's turning Pro, but is waiting for a sponsor to sign him up!!
Hmmm.
Maybe a NON-US citizen---and a Kenyan-born fellow whose 5000 & 10000 PR's are hidden somewhere in the depths of the Kenyan A-T lists---doesn't really have much of worth to sell---his many NCAA medals & points notwithstanding!!
And why the fuck does Mary Cain continue her Year of Silence??
See you after Monaco!!
Oh, there was today's Rabat DL, and several small European meets--where Americans like to show up and make their rent money!
With this in mind, you'd think I'd have little of note to report!
Think again!
Katie Nageotte--who is NOT going to London's WC's!--is suddenly the hottest US PV'er!!
She first nailed a 15-5.75, which moved her from 19th A-T US, tied with 7 (!!) others, to 5th--tied with no one!!
Second was Emily Grove--who IS going to London!!--with 15-0!!
Not bad to have TWO American Women clear 15 feet in a smallish European meet!!
(And neither of them being Jenn Suhr or Sandi Morris!!)
Then she upped her PR to 15-6.25 in Madrid!
Holly Bradshaw won that event with 15-9.25, breaking her own National Record of Great Britain.
She moves from 16th A-T World, tied with 1 other, to 15th, also tied with 1 other!
Nageotte moves from 5th A-T US to 4th, tied with 1 other.
She also enters the World list as 24th A-T, tied with 3 others!
Lisa Ryzih also topped 15-6.25, so she's now also 24th A-T World, tied with 3 others, including Nageotte!!
As for Morris, she cleared 15-7.25 on July 7th in Sotteville, and will next compete in her hometown in South Carolina!
NOTE--Added 2 hours after initial posting--
Late news from Padua's PV.
Ekaterina Stefanidi won with her 15-5.75, while Emily Grove flipped over 15-1.
Also, Mariya Lasitskene took the Padua HJ with 6-6.75!
The Men's JT has been taking a beating!
Thomas Rohler was on a roll for awhile, beating (among others) Johannes Vetter!
Well, now--um--Vetter is better!!
His massive 309-10 was actually his FOURTH PR of the day in Lucerne!
Here's his incredible series--
His 297-9 moved him from 16th A-T World to 12th!
His 298-9 kept him there.
Then he exploded out to 305-4 in the 4th round!
This moved him from 12th A-T World to 4th!!
His 5th round was his "worst"--293-8.
Then he hit his 309-10, and that moved him from 4th A-T World into 2nd!!
As for Rohler--he finished 2nd with 293-5.
That means ALL of Vetter's throws were--again, um!--better!!
BTW, this gives Vetter the National Record of Germany, and the Age 24 record!!
Also in that meet, Lovisa Lindh broke her own National Record of Sweden in the 1000 meters with her 2:35.15.
The Women's 3000 saw Aisha Praught-Leer take 3rd with her 8:53.43.
Emily Infeld took 5th with 8:55.41, while Courtney Frerichs PR'ed with 8:56.99.
On my US Combined Events list for the 3000-3000SC, Frerichs's times of 8:56.99 and 9:19.09 adds to 18:16.08.
She is now 4th A-T US on that list!
Sarah Pagano also dipped under 9 minutes with her 8:58.91.
The Goteborg 3000SC saw Katie Landwehr run a solid 9:37.00, making her 20th A-T US!
While not PR'ing, Alexa Efraimson has been racing some decent 1500's on the Euro Circuit!
In the Morton Games, she actually WON--this a first for her over the Mile/1500 distance since her amateur HS days!!
Her time was 4:06.73!
Then today, news came in from Padua's meet!
She finished 2nd in 4:06.12, her best of 2017.
Who beat her?
Oh, just someone named--Laura Muir!!
(Muir ran 4:05.01.)
The field was missing all of the "names"---except for Muir!--but it was NOT a weak field either!!
In 6th came Dominique Scott's PR of 4:08.04!
Drew Hunter is another youngster who impressed in Padua!
While Jonathan Sawe won the 1500 in 3:36.56, the only other one to finish ahead of Hunter's PR of 3:36.77 was---Ayanleh Souleiman!!
Hunter had run the Mile in the Morton Games, his 3:56.79 taking 6th!
Robert Domenic's 3:55.71 was the winner, as 12 Men ran under 3:59!!
Sam Prakel's 3:56.55 in 3rd was one of those!
The Throws---besides the JT (See above!)--have been solid.
In Sotteville, Yaimi Perez's 227-0 DT beat Sandra Perkovic's 224-1.
Konrad Bukowiecki's 70-10 PR may not have made my A-T World list, but it erased one of the (or THE?) oldest Age Records in the Book!!
Randy Matson had thrown 70-7.25 in 1965 for the Age 20 record!
That mark is GONE!!
The Rabat SP opened that meet with some blazers!
Ryan Crouser improved from his 71-10-ish opener to the Meet Record of 73-8.75!!
But some of the glory was saved for Jamaica's O'Dayne Richards!
His 72-0.75 broke his own National Record!
He's now just 1.75 inches removed from my World list!!
Barbora Spotakova had it easy in Rabat, her 209-1 enough to take the JT!
Isaac Makwala may suddenly be a threat in the WC 200!!
(And 400!!)
In Madrid, he opened with a 43.92 in the 400--not a PR.
But then he whipped out a 19.77 over the half lap!
This breaks his own National Record of Botswana!!
He becomes 15th A-T World!!
And on my World Combined Events list for the 100-200-400, his times of 10.20, 19.77, and 43.72 adds to 1:13.69.
But he remains 3rd on that list!
In other Short Stuff--
Chijindu Ujah won the Rabat 100 in a Meet Record time of 9.98., wind a negative 0.3.
Andre De Grasse also nabbed a Rabat Meet Record--his 20.03 in the 200 taking the honors!
(Wind of 0.4.)
Zuzana Hejnova took a Ho-Hum 400H in 54.22.
Cassandra Tate was a weak 7th!!
Elaine Thompson can't win for--winning, it seems!
She won the Rabat 100 in 10.87, beating Marie Josee Ta Lou's 10.90.
But the AQ's (Armchair Quarterbacks!) on the T&FN Message Board went into immediate "Can ET even win the WC's, let alone run 10.70 ever again?" mode!!
The "perks" of being the best!
Oh, and it's the Rabat Meet Record!!
The Rabat Women's 400 was supposed to be the "Hit Pick" event!
Well, maybe you can rate Shaunae Miller-Uibo's 49.80 winner as such!
But 2nd was over a full second behind!!
SMU's time is also a Rabat Meet Record!
In Padua, Allyson Felix also had it easy, her 22.80 INTO a 1.0 wind an easy winner!
Kaylin Whitney finished just 6th (There were 2 sections, and she finished 6th overall!), but her 23.26 was a 2017 best!
And here's all the rest of it---
Jacob Ingebrigtsen has been knocking off some great times as a 16 year old this year!
Add his latest--the 3000SC in 8:26.81--to that list!
Think of it this way--If he were a 16 year old attending a US High School, he'd have just ended his 10th Grade year, most likely!
The HSR in this event is 8:47.04, run by Bailey Roth when he was a Senior!!
Another 16 year old TJ'er from Cuba?
Yep.
The latest is named Jordan Diaz, and his 56-9.25 takes over the Age 16 record slot!
(As well as my "Age 0-17" slot, since his mark betters anything I had by a 17 year old!!)
The Switzerland National Record in the Heptathlon has taken a beating this year.
First, it was Geraldine Ruckstuhl.
Now it's Caroline Agnou.
Her winning score was 6330 at the Euro U23 meet!
The Women's HJ in Madrid was good--
Inika McPherson matched her 2014 PR of 6-5 to win.
She remains 14th A-T US, tied with 2 others.
Ruth Beitia broke her own Age 38 record with her 6-4.25 clearance!!
Pawel Wojciechowski took the Rabat PV with his 19-2.25--it becoming the Meet Record!
Rushwal Samaal's 27-4.75 LJ beat Jarrion Lawson's 27-4.
Gesa Krause surprised the African contingent in the Rabat 3000SC, taking the final water jump cleanly, while the Africans showed their "classic" technique, and falling behind to stay!
Krause's time was a non-PR of 9:18.87.
Disconsolate in 8th was American Stephanie Garcia, who ran 9:40.63.
She later sent out a "3-tweet" message to her fans---essentially saying she's in great shape, but her confidence is lacking!
She's coming home---before returning to the Splish-Splash wars, probably in post-WC meets!
Nijel Amos won again--this time the Rabat meet in 1:43.91.
Angela Cichocka took the 1500 there in 4:01.93.
Brenda Martinez's 4:02.75 in 3rd took the measure of AR holder Shannon Rowbury, who ended 6th in 4:04.73.
Abdelaati Iguider's 55 last lap took the flat 3000 in Rabat--his time being 7:37.82.
The 3K with hurdles & such took 8:05.12 of Soufiani El Bakhali's time.
His being Moroccan cheered the home nation crowd!!
Andy Bayer ran a non-PR of 8:16.73 in 5th.
With his recent 7:38+ over the flat 3K distance (See an earlier post!), I expected more from him!
I'd guess he has definite 8:05-ish potential!!
BTW, Consesius Kipruto was a mysterious DNF late in the race!
I don't believe he was a rabbit, as he never led!!
Andriy Protsenko in the HJ, and Caterine Ibarguen in the TJ, took easy wins, their respective marks being 7-6 & 47-7.25.
Is Ajee Wilson still thinking of chasing Jearl Miles-Clark's AR of 1:56.40 in the Monaco 800--as her coach seemed to intimate in an earlier interview?
If so, her 1:59.19 win in Padua might be seen as a "tempo" type lead-up!!
Deajah Stevens is the latest Oregon Duck sprinter to abandon her team to go Pro early!
No sponsor named yet.
Then there's Ed Cheserek.
Still waiting for his US citizenship--and he may have a little wait!--he also says he's turning Pro, but is waiting for a sponsor to sign him up!!
Hmmm.
Maybe a NON-US citizen---and a Kenyan-born fellow whose 5000 & 10000 PR's are hidden somewhere in the depths of the Kenyan A-T lists---doesn't really have much of worth to sell---his many NCAA medals & points notwithstanding!!
And why the fuck does Mary Cain continue her Year of Silence??
See you after Monaco!!
Sunday, July 9, 2017
Mile Book Rewritten
And it began with Tom Bosworth.
WHO??
He's a British lad of 27 who normally Walks 20000 meter races!
In the London Diamond League, he Walked One Mile!
But taking just 5:31.08 to do so, he smashed the World Record by about 6 seconds, sources tell me!!
Erick Barrondo, while Walking "only" 5:34.95 in 2nd, also got under the old mark!!
That was the 1st Track event of the meet, while the Women's (running!) Mile was the penultimate event!
But it was that race--tied in with the Women's Mile from Lausanne--that assaulted the Record Books like no other Women's Mile in history---although the World Record remains as it was!!
Thought to be a targeted attempt on the British National Record by Laura Muir---and it was!!--it became so much more!!
Let the FACTS tell the tale!!
First, the Lausanne race was meant to be a WR attempt by Genzebe Dibaba!
Hitting 1200 in 3:10.9 (Not sure if that was for 1320 yards, or 1200 meters!), she then sludged through her slowest lap of the race, hitting the tape in 4:16.05, a brilliant time for mere mortals--but G-D is not a mere mortal!!
However, she did nab the Age 26 Record, as well as the Lausanne Meet Record!!
(Ironically enough, if she'd been part of the London Mile, she'd have WON--and broken the Meet Record there too!!)
Only problem with the Lausanne race was her (lack of!) competition!!
Second place was Nelly Jepkosgei's 4:25.15--over 9 seconds behind!!
Ten Women dipped under 4:29!
Impressive?
Heh.
(You ain't seen nothing yet!!)
Jenny Meadows, who rabbited the Lausanne race also, led the pack through a quick 400 (440??) of 62.34, with Laura Muir tagging along a yard or so behind, and Helen Obiri situated close by, with the American trio of Jenny Simpson, Kate Grace, and Stephanie Garcia hanging back in a "2nd pack"!
While they slowed to 64.93 for the 2nd lap, their halfway (??) split of 2:07.27 was still a perfect pace for a go on Zola Budd Pieterse's NR of 4:17.57!
After Meadows split off, Muir led them through 1200 (1320?) in 3:12.28, off a 65.01 3rd lap!!
But Obiri was now right ON Muir's back, and Simpson was seen moving up, though still well back!
They ran that way through the next 200, before Obiri attacked with a vigor only a Kenyan PoliceWoman can bring to the fight!!
And she was gone, Muir grimacing her way to the finish line, but clearly struggling, falling further behind with every Obiri step!
Obiri ran 4:16.56, getting the London Meet Record (Mary Slaney's 4:19.89 from 1985, I discovered AFTER posting my Preview!!), as well as the Age 27 Record, and the National Record of Kenya!!
She is 5th A-T World!!
Muir ran 4:18.03, missing the NR, but moving from 15th A-T World to 12th!
Winny Chebet was 3rd, her 4:19.55 becoming 18th A-T World!!
Next came Angelika Cichocka's 4:19.58, making her the Best 4th Place ever!!
She also gets the National Record of Poland!
And the Age 29 Record!
She's now 19th A-T World!!
Simpson followed close in hand, her 4:19.98 making her's the Best 5th Place in history!!
She gets the Age 30 Record!
She is 20th A-T World!
She moves from 5th A-T US to 2nd!!
Plus, her US Combined Events time for the 800-Mile is now 6:20.43 (2:00.45 and 4:19.98) moving her from 4th A-T to 3rd!
Laura Weightman's 4:20.88 takes the Best 6th Place position!!
It misses my reconstructed World list by just 0.09 seconds!!
Ciara Mageean's 4:22.40 makes her the Best Ever for 7th Place!!
She's also now 2nd on the A-T list for Ireland!!
Melissa Courtney holds the Best 8th Place record with her 4:23.15!
Australia's Linden Hall ran 4:23.96--and yes, you know the drill!!--she's now the Best Ever for 9th Place!
Followed by Kate Grace, whose 4:24.01 takes the Best 10th Place Record---making her the dubious "twin" of Matthew Centrowitz!!
(See my previous post!! LOL)
But it also makes her 8th A-T US!!
And her Combined Events (800 & Mile) totals of 1:58.28 & 4:24.01, adding to 6:22.29, makes her 5th A-T on that list!!
Stephanie Garcia was next in line (Like waiting in line at the DMV!! LOL), her 4:24.68 becoming the Best Ever 11th Place mark!!
She's now 12th A-T US!!
CORRECTION (posted July 10th)
Chris Chavez presented a US Top 10 list on Twitter which said Garcia was 10th A-T HS!
So I checked the Record Books, and found my times for Gina Procaccio and Patti Sue Plumer in 1990 and 1991 were WRONG!
Instead of my listing for Gina as 4:24.35, she actually ran 4:24.85!
Also, in PSP's case, her real time was 4:24.90, NOT 4:24.46!!
Thus, Garcia's time makes her 10th A-T US!!
My apologies!
BTW, shoved OFF the US list are two currently active stars--Heather Kampf's 4:27.23 from 2016, and Kim Conley's 4:27.23 from 2012!!
And taken OFF the World list is the infamous Regina Jacobs, her 4:20.93 from 1998 no longer Top 24!!
But guess what?
The endless parade of Best Place marks continued!!
Stephanie Twell's 4:25.39 takes the prize for 12th Place!
Katie Snowden's 4:25.89 is Best 13th Place!
And Jessica Judd--a star of the 2012 World Juniors in the 800!--is now Best Ever for 14th Place, off her 4:28.59!
(At least according to some sources, as my Place Marks end at 12th Place!!)
As for Axumawit Embaye--thought to be a contender in this race--She finished LAST---her 4:35.54 taking 15th!
And Yes, there WERE other events in London's DL worth reporting!!
I'll do them in the general order of the schedule!
Daniel Stahl came from behind to take the Discus Throw, his 218-11 not setting any records.
Charlene Lipsey won the non-DL 800 in 1:59.43.
The Women's PV might have had some wind problems, as there were more misses at lower heights than normal for this quality of a field!
And this resulted in relatively early XXX's for Yarisley Silva, Mary Saxer, and a couple of others!
But Sandi Morris--a day after turning 25!!--was having problems, taking 2 tries at a pair of her bars!
She made 15-3, but no higher!
Nicole Buchler made 15-6.25 to take 2nd!
Ekaterina Stefanidi, the winner at 15-9.25, took 3 tries at 16-1.25, but it wasn't to be---this time!
They had heats of the sprint races!
Dafne Schippers sped 10.96 (-0.4!) in the 100, while Kendra Harrison timed 12.47 (-0.1) in her 100H heat!
Aries Merritt's 110H heat was a 13.22, a wind of 0.4 against him!
The finals were good!
Elaine Thompson--apparently wearing either FLATS or tiny "trainer" spikes!!--won the 100 in 10.94, against a wind of 1.4!!
As the T&FN pundits said, running that fast against a wind of 1.4 AND in non-Pro spikes (or flats!!) was this short of remarkable!!
Schippers--wearing REAL spikes!--was 2nd in 10.97, while Blessing Okagbare was 3rd in 10.99!
Merritt won his final in 13.09, with a zero wind!!
Second was Milan Trajkovic's 13.25, which broke his own National Record of Cyprus!!
Harrison's winner was 12.39 (0.2), but it was the 2nd placer who opened eyes!!
Sally Pearson--who broke her wrist last year!!--is BACK!!
Her time of 12.48 is her fastest since 2012!!!
Sharika Nelvis took 3rd in 12.62, but two Americans were DNF's--Kristi Castlin and Jasmine Stowers!
Other sprint races went to--
Ameer Webb's 20.13 in the 200, wind a minus-0.7!
In 2nd was Fred Kerley, whose 20.24 was a PR by 0.21 seconds!!
Chijindu Ujah took a lackluster 100 in 10.02.
Ageless Kim Collins improved his 2017 best to 10.20 in 5th!
The Men's 400H was a good battle between newcomer Kyron McMaster and the Vet Kerron Clement!
Clement took this one in 48.02, while McMaster ran 48.12 in 2nd!
This sort of validated McMaster's 47.80 from earlier this year!!
Allyson Felix is NOT hurting!!
Questions about her readiness for the WC have been standard fare all year on Message Boards, but her 49.65 WIPE OUT of the Women's 400 field answered any questions resoundingly!!
While it didn't break any records, it made mincemeat of a quality field!
Courtney Okolo was 2nd in 50.29!
Third went to 400H specialist Shamier Little, whose 50.40 was a PR by 0.66 seconds!!
Not only that, but she's now Number ONE on my US Combined Events list for the 400 & 400H!!
Her 50.40 and 52.75 adds to 1:43.15, moving her past Ashley Spencer into the Top position on that list!!
Novlene Williams-Mills was 4th in 50.60.
London Meet Records fell to Tianna Bartoletta's last round LJ of 23-0--and to Barbora Spotakova's JT of 223-11.
Ivana Spanovic might have been injured, as she stopped jumping after her 1st round 22-7, which wound up taking 2nd!
But I don't know that for sure!
Sara Kolak was 2nd in the JT with her 222-6!
Mariya Lasitskene took a different approach (Not literally, as in "approach" toward the bar!! LOL) after she won the HJ with her 6-6.75 effort.
She took one shot at 6-8, then passed to 6-9.75, where she missed twice!
Vashti Cunningham impressed in 2nd, her 6-5.50 mark a good one!
She missed 3 times at the 2.00 barrier!
The Men's 800 saw Donavan Brazier give challenge to Nijel Amos, but Amos just pulled away to win in 1:43.18!
Brazier ran 1:43.95, while Asbel Kiprop's 1:44.43 turned back Erik Sowinski's 1:44.92!
Chris O'Hare took the 1500 in 3:34.75, while Mo Farah supposedly ran (Jogged, kicked, to be precise!) his final Track race in GB--although I assume he wasn't counting his 5K & 10K upcoming at the WC!!
His 7:35.15 didn't impress, despite a 55 last lap!
But 3 Americans ran solid times!
Hassan Mead was 7th, his 7:38.51 making him 18th A-T US!!
But his standing on my US Combined Events list for the 3000, 5000, and 10000 improved!
His times of 7:38.51, 13:02.80, and 27:33.04 adds to 48:14.35.
He moves from 9th to 7th on that list!
Andy Bayer's 7:38.90 makes him 19th A-T US!
But even more relevant, he also moves up on a US Combined Events list!
His times of 7:38.90 and his 3000SC time of 8:14.46 adds to 15:53.36, moving him from 5th into 3rd on that list!!
Also running good was Eric Jenkins, whose 7:40.36 was a PR!
Knocked OFF my US list were Andy Bumbalough's 7:40.02 from 2013--and the venerable Bill McChesney, whose 7:40.19 dates from 1982!!
That ends my report from London!
But I have FIVE more marks to give you!
At the Canada National Championships, they held the Pan Am U20 Multis
(Don't ask! LOL)
Anyway, Tyra Gittens, a Tennessee HS Senior, scored 5490 points in the Heptathlon, moving her from 12th A-T HS to 6th!!
Lanae Tava Thomas LJ'ed 21-0.
This makes her 16th A-T HS, tied with 2 others!
She's just ending her Junior year!!
At the American JavFest meet, held today in Pennsylvania, a few marks were reported!
Ariana Ince threw the spear 201-4, moving her from 7th A-T US to 5th!!
Dana Baker, also ending her Junior year at a Kansas HS, threw 169-2.
This moves her from 21st A-T HS to 13th!!
Finally, Cy Hostetler has reason to celebrate!
His 272-8 wasn't a PR, but it WAS enough to Q him for a ticket to London's WC's!!
Next up is the Rabat DL--and who knows what else!!
(I should check my own OUTdoor Schedule post, shouldn't I?? LOL)
But I'll be there with my full report about whatever DOES happen!!
WHO??
He's a British lad of 27 who normally Walks 20000 meter races!
In the London Diamond League, he Walked One Mile!
But taking just 5:31.08 to do so, he smashed the World Record by about 6 seconds, sources tell me!!
Erick Barrondo, while Walking "only" 5:34.95 in 2nd, also got under the old mark!!
That was the 1st Track event of the meet, while the Women's (running!) Mile was the penultimate event!
But it was that race--tied in with the Women's Mile from Lausanne--that assaulted the Record Books like no other Women's Mile in history---although the World Record remains as it was!!
Thought to be a targeted attempt on the British National Record by Laura Muir---and it was!!--it became so much more!!
Let the FACTS tell the tale!!
First, the Lausanne race was meant to be a WR attempt by Genzebe Dibaba!
Hitting 1200 in 3:10.9 (Not sure if that was for 1320 yards, or 1200 meters!), she then sludged through her slowest lap of the race, hitting the tape in 4:16.05, a brilliant time for mere mortals--but G-D is not a mere mortal!!
However, she did nab the Age 26 Record, as well as the Lausanne Meet Record!!
(Ironically enough, if she'd been part of the London Mile, she'd have WON--and broken the Meet Record there too!!)
Only problem with the Lausanne race was her (lack of!) competition!!
Second place was Nelly Jepkosgei's 4:25.15--over 9 seconds behind!!
Ten Women dipped under 4:29!
Impressive?
Heh.
(You ain't seen nothing yet!!)
Jenny Meadows, who rabbited the Lausanne race also, led the pack through a quick 400 (440??) of 62.34, with Laura Muir tagging along a yard or so behind, and Helen Obiri situated close by, with the American trio of Jenny Simpson, Kate Grace, and Stephanie Garcia hanging back in a "2nd pack"!
While they slowed to 64.93 for the 2nd lap, their halfway (??) split of 2:07.27 was still a perfect pace for a go on Zola Budd Pieterse's NR of 4:17.57!
After Meadows split off, Muir led them through 1200 (1320?) in 3:12.28, off a 65.01 3rd lap!!
But Obiri was now right ON Muir's back, and Simpson was seen moving up, though still well back!
They ran that way through the next 200, before Obiri attacked with a vigor only a Kenyan PoliceWoman can bring to the fight!!
And she was gone, Muir grimacing her way to the finish line, but clearly struggling, falling further behind with every Obiri step!
Obiri ran 4:16.56, getting the London Meet Record (Mary Slaney's 4:19.89 from 1985, I discovered AFTER posting my Preview!!), as well as the Age 27 Record, and the National Record of Kenya!!
She is 5th A-T World!!
Muir ran 4:18.03, missing the NR, but moving from 15th A-T World to 12th!
Winny Chebet was 3rd, her 4:19.55 becoming 18th A-T World!!
Next came Angelika Cichocka's 4:19.58, making her the Best 4th Place ever!!
She also gets the National Record of Poland!
And the Age 29 Record!
She's now 19th A-T World!!
Simpson followed close in hand, her 4:19.98 making her's the Best 5th Place in history!!
She gets the Age 30 Record!
She is 20th A-T World!
She moves from 5th A-T US to 2nd!!
Plus, her US Combined Events time for the 800-Mile is now 6:20.43 (2:00.45 and 4:19.98) moving her from 4th A-T to 3rd!
Laura Weightman's 4:20.88 takes the Best 6th Place position!!
It misses my reconstructed World list by just 0.09 seconds!!
Ciara Mageean's 4:22.40 makes her the Best Ever for 7th Place!!
She's also now 2nd on the A-T list for Ireland!!
Melissa Courtney holds the Best 8th Place record with her 4:23.15!
Australia's Linden Hall ran 4:23.96--and yes, you know the drill!!--she's now the Best Ever for 9th Place!
Followed by Kate Grace, whose 4:24.01 takes the Best 10th Place Record---making her the dubious "twin" of Matthew Centrowitz!!
(See my previous post!! LOL)
But it also makes her 8th A-T US!!
And her Combined Events (800 & Mile) totals of 1:58.28 & 4:24.01, adding to 6:22.29, makes her 5th A-T on that list!!
Stephanie Garcia was next in line (Like waiting in line at the DMV!! LOL), her 4:24.68 becoming the Best Ever 11th Place mark!!
She's now 12th A-T US!!
CORRECTION (posted July 10th)
Chris Chavez presented a US Top 10 list on Twitter which said Garcia was 10th A-T HS!
So I checked the Record Books, and found my times for Gina Procaccio and Patti Sue Plumer in 1990 and 1991 were WRONG!
Instead of my listing for Gina as 4:24.35, she actually ran 4:24.85!
Also, in PSP's case, her real time was 4:24.90, NOT 4:24.46!!
Thus, Garcia's time makes her 10th A-T US!!
My apologies!
BTW, shoved OFF the US list are two currently active stars--Heather Kampf's 4:27.23 from 2016, and Kim Conley's 4:27.23 from 2012!!
And taken OFF the World list is the infamous Regina Jacobs, her 4:20.93 from 1998 no longer Top 24!!
But guess what?
The endless parade of Best Place marks continued!!
Stephanie Twell's 4:25.39 takes the prize for 12th Place!
Katie Snowden's 4:25.89 is Best 13th Place!
And Jessica Judd--a star of the 2012 World Juniors in the 800!--is now Best Ever for 14th Place, off her 4:28.59!
(At least according to some sources, as my Place Marks end at 12th Place!!)
As for Axumawit Embaye--thought to be a contender in this race--She finished LAST---her 4:35.54 taking 15th!
And Yes, there WERE other events in London's DL worth reporting!!
I'll do them in the general order of the schedule!
Daniel Stahl came from behind to take the Discus Throw, his 218-11 not setting any records.
Charlene Lipsey won the non-DL 800 in 1:59.43.
The Women's PV might have had some wind problems, as there were more misses at lower heights than normal for this quality of a field!
And this resulted in relatively early XXX's for Yarisley Silva, Mary Saxer, and a couple of others!
But Sandi Morris--a day after turning 25!!--was having problems, taking 2 tries at a pair of her bars!
She made 15-3, but no higher!
Nicole Buchler made 15-6.25 to take 2nd!
Ekaterina Stefanidi, the winner at 15-9.25, took 3 tries at 16-1.25, but it wasn't to be---this time!
They had heats of the sprint races!
Dafne Schippers sped 10.96 (-0.4!) in the 100, while Kendra Harrison timed 12.47 (-0.1) in her 100H heat!
Aries Merritt's 110H heat was a 13.22, a wind of 0.4 against him!
The finals were good!
Elaine Thompson--apparently wearing either FLATS or tiny "trainer" spikes!!--won the 100 in 10.94, against a wind of 1.4!!
As the T&FN pundits said, running that fast against a wind of 1.4 AND in non-Pro spikes (or flats!!) was this short of remarkable!!
Schippers--wearing REAL spikes!--was 2nd in 10.97, while Blessing Okagbare was 3rd in 10.99!
Merritt won his final in 13.09, with a zero wind!!
Second was Milan Trajkovic's 13.25, which broke his own National Record of Cyprus!!
Harrison's winner was 12.39 (0.2), but it was the 2nd placer who opened eyes!!
Sally Pearson--who broke her wrist last year!!--is BACK!!
Her time of 12.48 is her fastest since 2012!!!
Sharika Nelvis took 3rd in 12.62, but two Americans were DNF's--Kristi Castlin and Jasmine Stowers!
Other sprint races went to--
Ameer Webb's 20.13 in the 200, wind a minus-0.7!
In 2nd was Fred Kerley, whose 20.24 was a PR by 0.21 seconds!!
Chijindu Ujah took a lackluster 100 in 10.02.
Ageless Kim Collins improved his 2017 best to 10.20 in 5th!
The Men's 400H was a good battle between newcomer Kyron McMaster and the Vet Kerron Clement!
Clement took this one in 48.02, while McMaster ran 48.12 in 2nd!
This sort of validated McMaster's 47.80 from earlier this year!!
Allyson Felix is NOT hurting!!
Questions about her readiness for the WC have been standard fare all year on Message Boards, but her 49.65 WIPE OUT of the Women's 400 field answered any questions resoundingly!!
While it didn't break any records, it made mincemeat of a quality field!
Courtney Okolo was 2nd in 50.29!
Third went to 400H specialist Shamier Little, whose 50.40 was a PR by 0.66 seconds!!
Not only that, but she's now Number ONE on my US Combined Events list for the 400 & 400H!!
Her 50.40 and 52.75 adds to 1:43.15, moving her past Ashley Spencer into the Top position on that list!!
Novlene Williams-Mills was 4th in 50.60.
London Meet Records fell to Tianna Bartoletta's last round LJ of 23-0--and to Barbora Spotakova's JT of 223-11.
Ivana Spanovic might have been injured, as she stopped jumping after her 1st round 22-7, which wound up taking 2nd!
But I don't know that for sure!
Sara Kolak was 2nd in the JT with her 222-6!
Mariya Lasitskene took a different approach (Not literally, as in "approach" toward the bar!! LOL) after she won the HJ with her 6-6.75 effort.
She took one shot at 6-8, then passed to 6-9.75, where she missed twice!
Vashti Cunningham impressed in 2nd, her 6-5.50 mark a good one!
She missed 3 times at the 2.00 barrier!
The Men's 800 saw Donavan Brazier give challenge to Nijel Amos, but Amos just pulled away to win in 1:43.18!
Brazier ran 1:43.95, while Asbel Kiprop's 1:44.43 turned back Erik Sowinski's 1:44.92!
Chris O'Hare took the 1500 in 3:34.75, while Mo Farah supposedly ran (Jogged, kicked, to be precise!) his final Track race in GB--although I assume he wasn't counting his 5K & 10K upcoming at the WC!!
His 7:35.15 didn't impress, despite a 55 last lap!
But 3 Americans ran solid times!
Hassan Mead was 7th, his 7:38.51 making him 18th A-T US!!
But his standing on my US Combined Events list for the 3000, 5000, and 10000 improved!
His times of 7:38.51, 13:02.80, and 27:33.04 adds to 48:14.35.
He moves from 9th to 7th on that list!
Andy Bayer's 7:38.90 makes him 19th A-T US!
But even more relevant, he also moves up on a US Combined Events list!
His times of 7:38.90 and his 3000SC time of 8:14.46 adds to 15:53.36, moving him from 5th into 3rd on that list!!
Also running good was Eric Jenkins, whose 7:40.36 was a PR!
Knocked OFF my US list were Andy Bumbalough's 7:40.02 from 2013--and the venerable Bill McChesney, whose 7:40.19 dates from 1982!!
That ends my report from London!
But I have FIVE more marks to give you!
At the Canada National Championships, they held the Pan Am U20 Multis
(Don't ask! LOL)
Anyway, Tyra Gittens, a Tennessee HS Senior, scored 5490 points in the Heptathlon, moving her from 12th A-T HS to 6th!!
Lanae Tava Thomas LJ'ed 21-0.
This makes her 16th A-T HS, tied with 2 others!
She's just ending her Junior year!!
At the American JavFest meet, held today in Pennsylvania, a few marks were reported!
Ariana Ince threw the spear 201-4, moving her from 7th A-T US to 5th!!
Dana Baker, also ending her Junior year at a Kansas HS, threw 169-2.
This moves her from 21st A-T HS to 13th!!
Finally, Cy Hostetler has reason to celebrate!
His 272-8 wasn't a PR, but it WAS enough to Q him for a ticket to London's WC's!!
Next up is the Rabat DL--and who knows what else!!
(I should check my own OUTdoor Schedule post, shouldn't I?? LOL)
But I'll be there with my full report about whatever DOES happen!!
Women Shine at Diamonds
Validation!
Yes, my Preview of the Women's Mile races at the 2 latest Diamond League meets was maybe a bit--um--overblown!
But the London race gave me the validation I was waiting (& hoping!) for after Lausanne!
And I will detail that historic race at the end of this post!
(Such a tease!)
NOTE: I decided midway through this report to save the London results for a 2nd post!! I make mention of this later!
So much more went down this past week!
It maybe began with the news that Michaela Meijer had PV'ed 15-5.50, getting the National Record of Sweden!
She missed the World list by 0.75 inches!
And she would be in London!
The Peachtree 10000 meters Road Race was run in hot weather, slowing the times!
Len Korir beat Shadrack Kipchirchir by 1 second, 28:16 to 28:17!
Sam Chelanga came 3rd some 12 seconds later, followed by Chris Derrick!
But in 5th was now-42 year old Bernard Lagat, his 28:42 still a quality time!
Aliphine Tuliamuk took the Women's race in 32:48!
Sarah Pagano was a surprise 2nd in 33:00!
Jordan Hasay was 3rd 7 seconds back of Pagano!
Jess Tonn, formerly of Stanford, took 4th in her first Road 10K!!
Proving you don't need DL status to produce a good T&F meet, the Istvan Gyulai Memorial provided a slough of top marks!
Pawel Fajdek kept steady at 270+ in the HT, his 271-1 winning easily!
Shaunae Miller-Uibo upped the ante in the World 400 stakes, winning in 49.86 over Courtney Okolo's 50.41.
Justin Gatlin isn't running super fast 100's (Yet!!), but he's winning!
His latest was here in 9.98, beating Akani Simbine's 9.99--wind of 0.9!
Steven Gardiner took the Men's 400 in 44.61.
Kori Carter won the 400H in 54.22.
Rushwal Samaai LJ'ed 27-4.50!
David Rudisha returned to his winning ways, his 1:44.90 doing the job in the 800!!
But it was the pair of High Hurdle races that were the real highlights!
Kendra (No more Keni!!) Harrison ran her fastest of the year, her 12.28 falling just 0.02 seconds shy of the Age 24 Record!!
With a tiny breeze of 0.1, she easily whipped Jasmin Stowers's 12.66!
Sally Pearson finished 6th in 12.76.
Then Omar McLeod sped the 110H in 12.96 (0.3), and needing most of it to beat Russian Sergey Shubenkov's 13.01.
Aries Merritt was a good 3rd in 13.11, followed by Balazs Baji's 13.15!
The latter is the new National Record of Hungary--a treat for the home crowd!!
The final TrackTown Summer Series meet of 2017 took place in NY, and was loaded with solid performances!
The 5K Road Races got automatic Meet Records, as last year, they ran a 4 Mile race!
Tommy Curtin's 14:11 and Kim Conley's 16:08 were the winning times!
The Hammer Throws also got new MR's--
Colin Dunbar-Hatton's 238-5 nabbing the Men's, while Gwen Berry improved her own MR with her 244-3!
Devon Allen (13.36) and Queen Harrison (12.75) took the 110/100H races!
Darrell Hill (68-5.75) and Michelle Carter (61-6.75 didn't get MR's, but won their SP comps!
The HJ's saw the MR's getting broken or tied!
Inika McPherson tied her own MR with 6-2.75!
Eric Kynard's 7-6.50 is the new TTSS MR for the Men!
Quanesha Burks took the LJ with 22-5.
(Brittney Reese didn't compete!)
The distances were a mixed bag!
While Paul Chelimo did break his own MR in the 3000, his 7:47.96 was still a jogfest!
Senna Verstegen took the Women's 800 in 2:00.22!
Ce'Aira Brown's 2:00.84 in 3rd was a PR!
Stephanie Garcia ran 8:52.74 in the 3000, breaking her own MR!
Her Combined Events total for the 3000 & 3000SC became 18:12.22 (8:52.74 & 9:19.48), but she remains 3rd on the US list!
Nicole Tully was 2nd in 8:54.28.
Two more SC'ers came next with PR's--
Marisa Howard ran 8:57.15, while Megan Rolland finished in 9:00.48!
Amanda Eccleston won the Women's 1500 in 4:05.51, with Portland winner Hannah Fields 2nd in 4:05.70, while Alexa Efraimson again faded a bit at the end, finishing in 4:06.25!
The 800 saw a GREAT race produce one of the best US 800's in awhile!
At the tape, it was new Track Darling Drew Windle in front, his 1:44.63 PR becoming the TTSS Meet Record!!
And he misses the US DDD by only 0.20 seconds!!
Right behind him came Erik Sowinski's 1:44.66!
Then it was Ed Kemboi's 1:44.77, followed by a good PR by Andres Arroyo of 1:44.98!
Jake Garn's 1:45.04 just missed joining the US Sub-1:45 Club!!
Robby Andrews wanted (NEEDED!!) to run the 1500 in 3:36 to make his win at USATF a guaranteed ticket to London's WC's!
And he got it--even though Johnny Gregorek's PR of 3:35.00 beat him by 0.25 seconds!
Ben Blankenship's 3:35.29 took 3rd, while Craig Engels's 3:35.95 was 4th!
Lausanne is in Switzerland, but there was nothing cheesy about this DL!
(Don't shoot me! I LOVE Swiss Cheese!! LOL)
From the opening "shot", this was clearly going to be one of the best DL's of the year!!
And yes, that opening event WAS the Shot Put for Men!!
Ryan Crouser lofted the ball out 73-5.50 for the Lausanne Meet Record, and enough to easily turn back Tom Walsh's best effort of 72-1.
Tomas Stanek took 3rd with his 70-1, but it was further down the line where more Records got broken!!
In 7th came Tsanko Arnaudov's 68-3!
This became the Best 7th Place mark!!
And in 8th, getting the Best 8th Place record was Jacko Gill's 67-11.
The Field Events continued the momentum, as a great competition saw Rio Gold winner Sara Kolak come from behind to defeat veteran Barbora Spotakova in the JT, 224-6 to 221.1.
For Kolak, it's the Lausanne Meet Record!
She moves from 24th A-T World, tied with 2 others, all the way to 7th!!
Kathryn Mitchell was a good 3rd with her 216-11.
Ivana Spanovic's 22.3.50 took a Women's LJ hampered by headwinds!
Then came the Men's Pole Vault, which "featured" the 17 year old Mondo Duplantis!
How would he fare on the summer circuit--his appearance at the Prefontaine meet coming back in May?
The opening height was 18 feet-plus!
How many HS kids OPEN at that sort of height??
He made it, and he made 18-9.50, but could not go higher--not today!!
He finished 7th!
And Renaud Lavillenie didn't win either!
His 19-3 took the Bronze!
It was left to a Pole (Sic!) and an American to fight to the finish!
And both Sam Kendricks and Pawel Wojciechowski got Records!
Kendricks's 19-5.50 got the Lausanne Meet Record!
Woji (YOU spell his name TWICE!! LOL) cleared the same height, breaking his own National Record!!
An early Track event--the Women's 400H--was supposed to be a runaway for US Champ Delilah Muhammad!
But she stopped at the 1st barrier, a DNF!
Ashley Spencer wound up winning in 53.90 over Lisa Sprunger's 54.29!
Sharika Nelvis took an almost "average" 100H, with Americans taking Places 1 through 5!!
Her 12.53 was 0.04 ahead of Jasmin Stowers's 12.57.
Next came a PR for Christina Manning, whose 12.58 makes her 21st A-T US!!
Both Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin ran 12.61's, with Ali edging her in 4th!
Matthew Centrowitz--as we all have heard, ad nauseum!--won Rio Gold with a 50.5 last 400 in a 3:50 race!
We also all know--because I've told you!--that his PR of 3:30.40 ended only TENTH in the Monaco DL of 2015--that time getting him the Best 10th Place record--a record of some dubious nature!
And here we go again!
In a rabbited race--although this time the winner, Aman Wote, ran "just" 3:32.20--Centro ended back in 7th, time of 3:34.83.
Okay, so he'd had a slight training setback a few months ago, and was happy with his time!
But WHICH Centro is the REAL Centro---the 10th & 7th Place finisher--or the Gold Medal Winner??
We will find out soon enough!
BTW, don't worry!
I've decided to do my London report in a separate post!
This is getting too long, and I want to finish with Lausanne here--EXCEPT for the Women's Mile, which I'm also saving for Post Number Two!!
Another anticipated race was the Women's 200!
While she had to struggle mightily down the home straight, Dafne Schippers finally pulled past Marie Josee Ta Lou just before the tape!!
They had a breeze of 0.5 to run against also, but their times of 22.10 and 22.16 were still good!
In fact, Ta Lou broke her own National Record of Ivory Coast!!
Kyra Jefferson ran a solid 22.34 in 3rd!
Two other Field Events produced some fireworks!
Mariya Lasitskene (formerly Kuchina) HJ'ed 6-9.
This moves her from 14th A-T World, tied with 4 others, to 5th, where she's also tied with 4 others!!
Then she made 3 attempts at the World Record height of 6-10.75, or 2.10!!
Not sure, but this might be the first time ANY Women has attempted to BREAK the WR in this century!!
Finishing in 6th was the Ageless Ruth Beitia, her 6.2.75 tying her own Age 38 Record!!
PPPP is BACK!
Christian Taylor was beating Will Claye in the TJ, 57-4.75 to 56-2--when Pedro Pablo Pichardo stepped to the runway for his final effort!
Landing 57-9 from the board, he won--and beat the presumed "ironclad" Gold winner of the upcoming WC's!!
Now that's NOT so "ironclad"!!
Justin Gatlin again won the 100 in another "okay" time of 9.96, this time defeating Ben Meite's 9.98!
For once, the Women's 800 was ALMOST a completely WOMEN's 800!!
An unnamed intruder ran 1:56.82, but the REAL winner was the On FIRE Charlene Lipsey!!
Her 1:57.38 moves her from 16th A-T US all the way up into 6th!!
She's just 0.04 slower than current US list leader (Meaning the list of currently active 800 gals!!) Alysia Montano, who we know is now carrying her 2nd child!!
And she's faster than Ajee Wilson and Brenda Martinez!!
Eunice Sum came next in 1:57.78, followed by the PR run of Sifan Hassan, her time being 1:58.13!
Laura Muir also PR'ed, her 1:58.69 being her first dip into the Sub-2:00 pool!!
Lovisa Lindh's 1:58.77 gave her the National Record of Sweden!!
All 10 "women" finished under 2 minutes!
(Some lanes were doubled up at the start!)
Speaking of barriers being broken, the Men's 5000 finally saw a good RACE!!
It didn't appear possible after the rabbit took them through 3K about 6 seconds slower than asked!
But Muktar Edris is in top shape, and he HAD to be, as a 17 year old gave him a battle right to the end!!
Edris's 12:55.23 gave him the Lausanne Meet Record!!
But it was the teenager (Born January 20, 2000, according to the IAAF!!) Seleman Barego's 12:55.58 that turned people's heads!!
It was a PR by some 20 seconds--and missed the Age 17 Record by just 1.40 seconds!!
Joshua Jeptegei also dipped under 13--his time in 3rd being 12:59.83.
And the parade of solid events just kept on coming!!
After his WR 300 of 30.81 (See a previous post!), we all wondered what Wayde Van Niekerk might run here!!
The Meet Record was Michael Johnson's 43.66 from the 1996 version!
Not soft!
WVN took it down, however, his 43.62 looking "easy", according to everyone who watched it!
(I watched it later, and fully agree! He put the brakes on with 10 meters to go!!)
Babaloki Thebe got a PR by 0.20 seconds, his 44.02 in 2nd making him 17th A-T World!!
And Isaac Makwala's 44.08 in 3rd wasn't exactly--Heh!--Swiss Cheese!!
Vernon Norwood finished 4th in 44.47, while Michael Cherry's 44.66 in 5th was a PR by a sliver of 0.01 seconds!!
The meet ended as it began, with another Record falling!!
The Women's 4X100 Relay was won by--Yes, Switzerland!--in 42.53!!
They got their National Record, and moved from 21st A-T Nation to 16th!!
I apologize for not including my London report in this post, but I want to try to keep my posts at "readable" lengths--not make them a TASK to get through!!
Also, the Women's Mile in LondonTown was just so very good, that I want to give it the space it deserves!!
Besides, I want to show you WHY I feel validated after my blaringly audacious Preview post of a few days ago!
As promised, I've also kept the results from the Lausanne Women's Mile for my next post!!
See you soon---a few short hours!--with all the London results!!
Yes, my Preview of the Women's Mile races at the 2 latest Diamond League meets was maybe a bit--um--overblown!
But the London race gave me the validation I was waiting (& hoping!) for after Lausanne!
And I will detail that historic race at the end of this post!
(Such a tease!)
NOTE: I decided midway through this report to save the London results for a 2nd post!! I make mention of this later!
So much more went down this past week!
It maybe began with the news that Michaela Meijer had PV'ed 15-5.50, getting the National Record of Sweden!
She missed the World list by 0.75 inches!
And she would be in London!
The Peachtree 10000 meters Road Race was run in hot weather, slowing the times!
Len Korir beat Shadrack Kipchirchir by 1 second, 28:16 to 28:17!
Sam Chelanga came 3rd some 12 seconds later, followed by Chris Derrick!
But in 5th was now-42 year old Bernard Lagat, his 28:42 still a quality time!
Aliphine Tuliamuk took the Women's race in 32:48!
Sarah Pagano was a surprise 2nd in 33:00!
Jordan Hasay was 3rd 7 seconds back of Pagano!
Jess Tonn, formerly of Stanford, took 4th in her first Road 10K!!
Proving you don't need DL status to produce a good T&F meet, the Istvan Gyulai Memorial provided a slough of top marks!
Pawel Fajdek kept steady at 270+ in the HT, his 271-1 winning easily!
Shaunae Miller-Uibo upped the ante in the World 400 stakes, winning in 49.86 over Courtney Okolo's 50.41.
Justin Gatlin isn't running super fast 100's (Yet!!), but he's winning!
His latest was here in 9.98, beating Akani Simbine's 9.99--wind of 0.9!
Steven Gardiner took the Men's 400 in 44.61.
Kori Carter won the 400H in 54.22.
Rushwal Samaai LJ'ed 27-4.50!
David Rudisha returned to his winning ways, his 1:44.90 doing the job in the 800!!
But it was the pair of High Hurdle races that were the real highlights!
Kendra (No more Keni!!) Harrison ran her fastest of the year, her 12.28 falling just 0.02 seconds shy of the Age 24 Record!!
With a tiny breeze of 0.1, she easily whipped Jasmin Stowers's 12.66!
Sally Pearson finished 6th in 12.76.
Then Omar McLeod sped the 110H in 12.96 (0.3), and needing most of it to beat Russian Sergey Shubenkov's 13.01.
Aries Merritt was a good 3rd in 13.11, followed by Balazs Baji's 13.15!
The latter is the new National Record of Hungary--a treat for the home crowd!!
The final TrackTown Summer Series meet of 2017 took place in NY, and was loaded with solid performances!
The 5K Road Races got automatic Meet Records, as last year, they ran a 4 Mile race!
Tommy Curtin's 14:11 and Kim Conley's 16:08 were the winning times!
The Hammer Throws also got new MR's--
Colin Dunbar-Hatton's 238-5 nabbing the Men's, while Gwen Berry improved her own MR with her 244-3!
Devon Allen (13.36) and Queen Harrison (12.75) took the 110/100H races!
Darrell Hill (68-5.75) and Michelle Carter (61-6.75 didn't get MR's, but won their SP comps!
The HJ's saw the MR's getting broken or tied!
Inika McPherson tied her own MR with 6-2.75!
Eric Kynard's 7-6.50 is the new TTSS MR for the Men!
Quanesha Burks took the LJ with 22-5.
(Brittney Reese didn't compete!)
The distances were a mixed bag!
While Paul Chelimo did break his own MR in the 3000, his 7:47.96 was still a jogfest!
Senna Verstegen took the Women's 800 in 2:00.22!
Ce'Aira Brown's 2:00.84 in 3rd was a PR!
Stephanie Garcia ran 8:52.74 in the 3000, breaking her own MR!
Her Combined Events total for the 3000 & 3000SC became 18:12.22 (8:52.74 & 9:19.48), but she remains 3rd on the US list!
Nicole Tully was 2nd in 8:54.28.
Two more SC'ers came next with PR's--
Marisa Howard ran 8:57.15, while Megan Rolland finished in 9:00.48!
Amanda Eccleston won the Women's 1500 in 4:05.51, with Portland winner Hannah Fields 2nd in 4:05.70, while Alexa Efraimson again faded a bit at the end, finishing in 4:06.25!
The 800 saw a GREAT race produce one of the best US 800's in awhile!
At the tape, it was new Track Darling Drew Windle in front, his 1:44.63 PR becoming the TTSS Meet Record!!
And he misses the US DDD by only 0.20 seconds!!
Right behind him came Erik Sowinski's 1:44.66!
Then it was Ed Kemboi's 1:44.77, followed by a good PR by Andres Arroyo of 1:44.98!
Jake Garn's 1:45.04 just missed joining the US Sub-1:45 Club!!
Robby Andrews wanted (NEEDED!!) to run the 1500 in 3:36 to make his win at USATF a guaranteed ticket to London's WC's!
And he got it--even though Johnny Gregorek's PR of 3:35.00 beat him by 0.25 seconds!
Ben Blankenship's 3:35.29 took 3rd, while Craig Engels's 3:35.95 was 4th!
Lausanne is in Switzerland, but there was nothing cheesy about this DL!
(Don't shoot me! I LOVE Swiss Cheese!! LOL)
From the opening "shot", this was clearly going to be one of the best DL's of the year!!
And yes, that opening event WAS the Shot Put for Men!!
Ryan Crouser lofted the ball out 73-5.50 for the Lausanne Meet Record, and enough to easily turn back Tom Walsh's best effort of 72-1.
Tomas Stanek took 3rd with his 70-1, but it was further down the line where more Records got broken!!
In 7th came Tsanko Arnaudov's 68-3!
This became the Best 7th Place mark!!
And in 8th, getting the Best 8th Place record was Jacko Gill's 67-11.
The Field Events continued the momentum, as a great competition saw Rio Gold winner Sara Kolak come from behind to defeat veteran Barbora Spotakova in the JT, 224-6 to 221.1.
For Kolak, it's the Lausanne Meet Record!
She moves from 24th A-T World, tied with 2 others, all the way to 7th!!
Kathryn Mitchell was a good 3rd with her 216-11.
Ivana Spanovic's 22.3.50 took a Women's LJ hampered by headwinds!
Then came the Men's Pole Vault, which "featured" the 17 year old Mondo Duplantis!
How would he fare on the summer circuit--his appearance at the Prefontaine meet coming back in May?
The opening height was 18 feet-plus!
How many HS kids OPEN at that sort of height??
He made it, and he made 18-9.50, but could not go higher--not today!!
He finished 7th!
And Renaud Lavillenie didn't win either!
His 19-3 took the Bronze!
It was left to a Pole (Sic!) and an American to fight to the finish!
And both Sam Kendricks and Pawel Wojciechowski got Records!
Kendricks's 19-5.50 got the Lausanne Meet Record!
Woji (YOU spell his name TWICE!! LOL) cleared the same height, breaking his own National Record!!
An early Track event--the Women's 400H--was supposed to be a runaway for US Champ Delilah Muhammad!
But she stopped at the 1st barrier, a DNF!
Ashley Spencer wound up winning in 53.90 over Lisa Sprunger's 54.29!
Sharika Nelvis took an almost "average" 100H, with Americans taking Places 1 through 5!!
Her 12.53 was 0.04 ahead of Jasmin Stowers's 12.57.
Next came a PR for Christina Manning, whose 12.58 makes her 21st A-T US!!
Both Nia Ali and Kristi Castlin ran 12.61's, with Ali edging her in 4th!
Matthew Centrowitz--as we all have heard, ad nauseum!--won Rio Gold with a 50.5 last 400 in a 3:50 race!
We also all know--because I've told you!--that his PR of 3:30.40 ended only TENTH in the Monaco DL of 2015--that time getting him the Best 10th Place record--a record of some dubious nature!
And here we go again!
In a rabbited race--although this time the winner, Aman Wote, ran "just" 3:32.20--Centro ended back in 7th, time of 3:34.83.
Okay, so he'd had a slight training setback a few months ago, and was happy with his time!
But WHICH Centro is the REAL Centro---the 10th & 7th Place finisher--or the Gold Medal Winner??
We will find out soon enough!
BTW, don't worry!
I've decided to do my London report in a separate post!
This is getting too long, and I want to finish with Lausanne here--EXCEPT for the Women's Mile, which I'm also saving for Post Number Two!!
Another anticipated race was the Women's 200!
While she had to struggle mightily down the home straight, Dafne Schippers finally pulled past Marie Josee Ta Lou just before the tape!!
They had a breeze of 0.5 to run against also, but their times of 22.10 and 22.16 were still good!
In fact, Ta Lou broke her own National Record of Ivory Coast!!
Kyra Jefferson ran a solid 22.34 in 3rd!
Two other Field Events produced some fireworks!
Mariya Lasitskene (formerly Kuchina) HJ'ed 6-9.
This moves her from 14th A-T World, tied with 4 others, to 5th, where she's also tied with 4 others!!
Then she made 3 attempts at the World Record height of 6-10.75, or 2.10!!
Not sure, but this might be the first time ANY Women has attempted to BREAK the WR in this century!!
Finishing in 6th was the Ageless Ruth Beitia, her 6.2.75 tying her own Age 38 Record!!
PPPP is BACK!
Christian Taylor was beating Will Claye in the TJ, 57-4.75 to 56-2--when Pedro Pablo Pichardo stepped to the runway for his final effort!
Landing 57-9 from the board, he won--and beat the presumed "ironclad" Gold winner of the upcoming WC's!!
Now that's NOT so "ironclad"!!
Justin Gatlin again won the 100 in another "okay" time of 9.96, this time defeating Ben Meite's 9.98!
For once, the Women's 800 was ALMOST a completely WOMEN's 800!!
An unnamed intruder ran 1:56.82, but the REAL winner was the On FIRE Charlene Lipsey!!
Her 1:57.38 moves her from 16th A-T US all the way up into 6th!!
She's just 0.04 slower than current US list leader (Meaning the list of currently active 800 gals!!) Alysia Montano, who we know is now carrying her 2nd child!!
And she's faster than Ajee Wilson and Brenda Martinez!!
Eunice Sum came next in 1:57.78, followed by the PR run of Sifan Hassan, her time being 1:58.13!
Laura Muir also PR'ed, her 1:58.69 being her first dip into the Sub-2:00 pool!!
Lovisa Lindh's 1:58.77 gave her the National Record of Sweden!!
All 10 "women" finished under 2 minutes!
(Some lanes were doubled up at the start!)
Speaking of barriers being broken, the Men's 5000 finally saw a good RACE!!
It didn't appear possible after the rabbit took them through 3K about 6 seconds slower than asked!
But Muktar Edris is in top shape, and he HAD to be, as a 17 year old gave him a battle right to the end!!
Edris's 12:55.23 gave him the Lausanne Meet Record!!
But it was the teenager (Born January 20, 2000, according to the IAAF!!) Seleman Barego's 12:55.58 that turned people's heads!!
It was a PR by some 20 seconds--and missed the Age 17 Record by just 1.40 seconds!!
Joshua Jeptegei also dipped under 13--his time in 3rd being 12:59.83.
And the parade of solid events just kept on coming!!
After his WR 300 of 30.81 (See a previous post!), we all wondered what Wayde Van Niekerk might run here!!
The Meet Record was Michael Johnson's 43.66 from the 1996 version!
Not soft!
WVN took it down, however, his 43.62 looking "easy", according to everyone who watched it!
(I watched it later, and fully agree! He put the brakes on with 10 meters to go!!)
Babaloki Thebe got a PR by 0.20 seconds, his 44.02 in 2nd making him 17th A-T World!!
And Isaac Makwala's 44.08 in 3rd wasn't exactly--Heh!--Swiss Cheese!!
Vernon Norwood finished 4th in 44.47, while Michael Cherry's 44.66 in 5th was a PR by a sliver of 0.01 seconds!!
The meet ended as it began, with another Record falling!!
The Women's 4X100 Relay was won by--Yes, Switzerland!--in 42.53!!
They got their National Record, and moved from 21st A-T Nation to 16th!!
I apologize for not including my London report in this post, but I want to try to keep my posts at "readable" lengths--not make them a TASK to get through!!
Also, the Women's Mile in LondonTown was just so very good, that I want to give it the space it deserves!!
Besides, I want to show you WHY I feel validated after my blaringly audacious Preview post of a few days ago!
As promised, I've also kept the results from the Lausanne Women's Mile for my next post!!
See you soon---a few short hours!--with all the London results!!
Thursday, July 6, 2017
Miles for Women
I did a post in 2015---actually two of them!--on the Women's Mile race in the 2015 Van Damme (Brussels) Diamond League!
A class elite field had been announced--Faith Kipyegon, Sifan Hassan, Jenny Simpson, Shannon Rowbury, Abeba Aregawi, among others---and a VERY fast time was expected!
My initial post--Van Damme Women's MILE--a Preview--came out the day before the meet, on September 10th.
My Brussels results post--on the 11th--was titled Irony Defines Brussels Mile!
The "irony" was that the winner--Ms Kipyegon--ran 4:16.71, which happens to be the exact time of Mary Slaney's American Record--which I'd said might be a valid target for both Rowbury and Simpson in that race!
While there WERE some good results, it was nowhere near the top quality I'd spoken of in my Preview!
So why trod that shaky ground again?
Well, THIS year---in the space of the next 7 days--there will be THREE Women's One Mile races--in Lausanne later today, in London on the 9th, and in the Morton Games on the 12th!
IMPORTANT NOTE--ADDED a few minutes after I initially posted this!!
The Morton Games people just tweeted me that the Morton Games Women's Mile has been changed to a 1500--so some people can chase the Qualifying standard for the World Championships!!
Entered already--according to Morton officials--are Alexa Efraimson, Sara Sutherland, Nicole Tully, and Nicole Sifuentes!
See my comments about the Morton meet below!
And remember---NO Women's mile there---it's a 1500 this year!!
So take whatever I say below about this race with this ADDED NOTE in mind!!
My apologies!
(I'd tweeted them a half hour before starting this post, asking them for an entry list, but decided not to wait for a reply!)
I have the entry lists (or provisional entry list, in the case of London) for the first pair of meets, and pretty strong confidence that the Irish meet will also have a good field!
So following is my in-depth Preview of what Records might be broken, and who might find their way onto my World or US Top 24 Performers lists (or improve their place, if already on a list).
The World Record is 4:12.56, and Genzebe Dibaba might be in pursuit!
Jenny Meadows is being called on to pace the first 1000 in 2:36.
That's a heavy burden for a woman Age 36.
But Dibaba has a tendency to run her own race, as she did when Chanelle Price fell off pace in the Monaco 1500 of 2015. and Dibaba ran a 60 second 3rd lap on her way to her WR of 3:50.07!
However, the Lausanne field isn't very deep, with maybe Axumawit Embaye being her chief rival!
If they hit anywhere near that 2:36, that's 3:54 pace for 1500, which is 4:10 or 4:11 for the type of finish Genzebe is capable of!
If they hit 2:38, that's 3:57 for 1500, and 4:13 or 4:14 for the Mile!
Dibaba's OUTdoor PR is 4:14.30, from the 2016 race in Rovereto!
The London race has Laura Muir as its centerpiece, and while no pacers have been announced, I'd bet her idea is to chase the British Record of 4:17.57 by Zola (Budd) Pieterse in 1985!!
Her Mile best is 4:19.12, but her 1500 PR of 3:55.22 is 4:12 pace for the Mile!!
For her National Record, she'd need to come by 1500 no slower than 4:01.00!!
But let's look at ALL the potential Records these races could challenge!
Place Records don't have to be broken all in one race!
So any that survive the Lausanne race could fall in London.
(Again, I have ZERO info on entries for the Morton Games, but that race won't produce any Place Records!)
Place Records
2 (4:17.33) Needs 4:00 or 4:01 at 1500!
3 (4:17.57) Ditto!
4 (4:20.35) A 4:03 would do it!
5 (4:21.13) Maybe 4:03.50 to 4:04 low!
6 (4:21.92) 4:04 mid to 4:05!
7 (4:23.50) Just a 4:06 or 4:07 at 1500!!
8 (4:24.31) A 4:07 should do it!
9 (4:25.32) Need just 4:07 high to 4:08 & change!
10(4:26.84)If she passes 1500 in 4:09, give her 80-20 odds!
What are the Meet Records?
Lausanne's is just 4:21.30!!
Piece of cake for Dibaba, even if SHE falls before the Record does!! LOL
London has NO Meet Record, as far as I can tell!!
The Morton Games Meet Record has fallen twice in recent years--both times to Americans!!
Molly Huddle's 4:26.84 PR won the 2014 race!
(BTW, that 10th Place Record is NOT Huddle's---of course!)
In 2016, Katie Mackey took that down with her 4:25.48 PR!
How about Age Records?
I did my research, and got the birthdates of ALL the athletes entered in Lausanne and London!
So here's my take on which Age Records might go!
(If an Age isn't listed, it means no entrants of that Age are listed for the first 2 meets!)
18 Fantu Worku is the only 18 year old (Again, no knowledge of Morton's entries yet!), and should get the 4:28.16 Age Record in the Lausanne race! A 1500 in 4:10 or 4:11 should get her there!
19 Esther Chebet has ZERO chance to get Pieterse's 4:17.57 in Lausanne!
20 Dawit Seyaum is in London's race, and should easily take down the 4:23.92 Age Record!
22 Axumawit Embaye is the ONLY Woman entered in both Lausanne AND London!! But she'll have a task before her if she wants the 4:17.75 Age Record! 45-55 odds!
23 No one really stands out here, even though this Age has 4 entrants between the 2 races! And the 4:18.08 Record would require she pass 1500 in 4:01. Maybe Caroline Chepkemoi? 20-80 odds!
24 Laura Muir is twenty four--and that rhymes!! LOL The Record is 4:17.25! If Muir seriously chases the British NR, give her 85-15 odds!! Oh heck, make that a 100% guarantee!!
The German Steeplechaser--Gesa Krause--is also 24!
25 This is the Age when Dibaba ran her 4:14.30 last year! No one in either field comes close to her level!
26 The Age Record is 4:21.57! It's not a matter of IF, but by how MUCH Genzebe CRUSHES it!!
If she wasn't this age, or wasn't running, the Record might STILL fall--with both Laura Weightman and Linden Hall capable of nipping it!
27 Helen Obiri is in the best shape of her life! The Age Record is 4:16.71 (By Mary Slaney!!), but if she's on, give her 80-20 odds! She'll need a 4:00 through 1500--at least!!
28 While Kate Grace is good, and getting MUCH better, she's just NOT capable of getting the World Record of 4:12.56!! She's in the London race!
29 This Record is 4:22.18. Angelika Cichocka and Stephanie Garcia (in London) would need to come by 1500 in at least 4:05 to have any chance at all!! Give Cichocka the edge, with 60-40 odds!
30 Jenny Simpson's OUTdoor best is 4:22.18! But her 1500 PR is worth a Mile in 4:13 or 4:14!! If she stays with Muir--and Simpson's one to not fear challenging the leader!--Slaney's AR will fall--and maybe fall HARD!! Give her 75-25 odds for this Age Record of 4:20.39!
36 Jenny Meadows, Genzebe's rabbit in Lausanne, is listed for London---but NO indication she'll be Muir's rabbit also!! IF she finishes the whole race, this Age Record slot is now EMPTY--at least in my Record Book!! (There must be a Record for this Age, but I doubt it's very good, so if Meadows should run in the low 4:30's or faster, I'll put her name in the Book! She's never run a Track Mile for time, as far as I know! It's likely, however, that she WILL be Muir's key rabbit here!!)
National Records?
Thirteen nations are represented in the Lausanne and London Miles!
In alphabetical order--
Australia's NR is 4:22.66. Linden Hall has a decent chance to get it!
Ethiopia's NR is Genzebe's 4:14.30. Toss a coin!!
Germany's NR is 4:21.59. Ms Krause will probably fall short--but not by much!
Great Britain's NR is 4:17.57, as noted above! Muir--even though Scottish--should nail this one!
Ireland's NR is 4:17.25, but I doubt Ciara Mageean--even in London's race--can get it!
Italy has an NR of 4:23.29. But Margherita Magnani would have to be at her very best to break it! Give her 30-70 odds!
Kenya's NR is 4:16.71. Obiri, as earlier noted, is in top shape! Give her 80-20 odds! She's also in the London field!
Morocco's NR is 4:23.50. Malika Akkaoui is this nation's sole entrant in either race! She's a sub-2:00 800 person, but doesn't have the distance strength to get this mark! Not yet! But give her 35-65 odds anyway!
Poland has an NR of 4:22.96. Cichocka is 29 now, but give her 60-40 odds in London's race!
Romania's NR of 4:15.61 will NOT fall!!
Spain's NR is 4:21.13, and is safe!
Esther Chebet is NOT the Ugandan who's tasked to lead Dibaba through the first 800 today (before Meadows hopefully takes over!), but she WILL get Uganda's NR---for the simple reason that there apparently is NO Mile Record for her nation!! Hope she doesn't DNF! LOL
And then there's us---er, I meant US--as in the United States!!
See my comments above for Jenny's chances to get Queen Mary's NR!!
Queen Mary?
Gee, is that insulting to say in Royal England?
As for my Top 24 Performers lists--my DDD's--
Genzebe Dibaba (2nd) and Laura Muir (14th) are currently on the World list!
Jenny Simpson (5th) is on my US list!
24th Place on the World list is 4:21.13!
There are 16 Women with times of under 4:20.00!!
24th US best is 4:27.23.
There's just Slaney at sub-4:20!
But there's 10 Americans with sub-4:25's!
Both Dibaba and Muir could rise on the World DDD!
Several could MAKE the list under perfect circumstances--
Axumawit Embaye, Dawit Seyaum, Caroline Chepkemoi, Gesa Krause, Helen Obiri, Jenny Simpson, Kate Grace, Laura Weightman, Angelika Cichocka, and Linden Hall have fair to good chances!
(If ALL should beat the present-24th best, I'm sure 1 or 2 or more might get thrown OFF the list immediately--by other's entering!!)
For the US list, give both Kate Grace and Stephanie Garcia excellent odds to make it!
And give Simpson an excellent chance to move up---WAY up!!
What about the Morton Games Women's Mile?
IMPORTANT NOTE--This race is going to be at 1500 meters, NOT a Mile!! Please see my NOTE above for more info! My apologies again!
Let me take some wild guesses as to which Americans will be there.
(The first 3 finishers in 2016 were Americans--Mackey, Heather Kampf, and Cory McGee!!)
Alexa Efraimson might fly over after today's NY TrackTown Summer Series meet!
Maybe Grace and Garcia?
(I doubt Simpson will go there!)
Will Mackey return to defend her title?
Amanda Eccleston?
Whoever shows from here, it should be a sub-4:30 race---and maybe challenging Mackey's MR of 4:25.48!
Of course, Irish Women will be there, including probably Mageean!!
Now we'll see how THIS Preview fares against the one I did in 2015!!
A class elite field had been announced--Faith Kipyegon, Sifan Hassan, Jenny Simpson, Shannon Rowbury, Abeba Aregawi, among others---and a VERY fast time was expected!
My initial post--Van Damme Women's MILE--a Preview--came out the day before the meet, on September 10th.
My Brussels results post--on the 11th--was titled Irony Defines Brussels Mile!
The "irony" was that the winner--Ms Kipyegon--ran 4:16.71, which happens to be the exact time of Mary Slaney's American Record--which I'd said might be a valid target for both Rowbury and Simpson in that race!
While there WERE some good results, it was nowhere near the top quality I'd spoken of in my Preview!
So why trod that shaky ground again?
Well, THIS year---in the space of the next 7 days--there will be THREE Women's One Mile races--in Lausanne later today, in London on the 9th, and in the Morton Games on the 12th!
IMPORTANT NOTE--ADDED a few minutes after I initially posted this!!
The Morton Games people just tweeted me that the Morton Games Women's Mile has been changed to a 1500--so some people can chase the Qualifying standard for the World Championships!!
Entered already--according to Morton officials--are Alexa Efraimson, Sara Sutherland, Nicole Tully, and Nicole Sifuentes!
See my comments about the Morton meet below!
And remember---NO Women's mile there---it's a 1500 this year!!
So take whatever I say below about this race with this ADDED NOTE in mind!!
My apologies!
(I'd tweeted them a half hour before starting this post, asking them for an entry list, but decided not to wait for a reply!)
I have the entry lists (or provisional entry list, in the case of London) for the first pair of meets, and pretty strong confidence that the Irish meet will also have a good field!
So following is my in-depth Preview of what Records might be broken, and who might find their way onto my World or US Top 24 Performers lists (or improve their place, if already on a list).
The World Record is 4:12.56, and Genzebe Dibaba might be in pursuit!
Jenny Meadows is being called on to pace the first 1000 in 2:36.
That's a heavy burden for a woman Age 36.
But Dibaba has a tendency to run her own race, as she did when Chanelle Price fell off pace in the Monaco 1500 of 2015. and Dibaba ran a 60 second 3rd lap on her way to her WR of 3:50.07!
However, the Lausanne field isn't very deep, with maybe Axumawit Embaye being her chief rival!
If they hit anywhere near that 2:36, that's 3:54 pace for 1500, which is 4:10 or 4:11 for the type of finish Genzebe is capable of!
If they hit 2:38, that's 3:57 for 1500, and 4:13 or 4:14 for the Mile!
Dibaba's OUTdoor PR is 4:14.30, from the 2016 race in Rovereto!
The London race has Laura Muir as its centerpiece, and while no pacers have been announced, I'd bet her idea is to chase the British Record of 4:17.57 by Zola (Budd) Pieterse in 1985!!
Her Mile best is 4:19.12, but her 1500 PR of 3:55.22 is 4:12 pace for the Mile!!
For her National Record, she'd need to come by 1500 no slower than 4:01.00!!
But let's look at ALL the potential Records these races could challenge!
Place Records don't have to be broken all in one race!
So any that survive the Lausanne race could fall in London.
(Again, I have ZERO info on entries for the Morton Games, but that race won't produce any Place Records!)
Place Records
2 (4:17.33) Needs 4:00 or 4:01 at 1500!
3 (4:17.57) Ditto!
4 (4:20.35) A 4:03 would do it!
5 (4:21.13) Maybe 4:03.50 to 4:04 low!
6 (4:21.92) 4:04 mid to 4:05!
7 (4:23.50) Just a 4:06 or 4:07 at 1500!!
8 (4:24.31) A 4:07 should do it!
9 (4:25.32) Need just 4:07 high to 4:08 & change!
10(4:26.84)If she passes 1500 in 4:09, give her 80-20 odds!
What are the Meet Records?
Lausanne's is just 4:21.30!!
Piece of cake for Dibaba, even if SHE falls before the Record does!! LOL
London has NO Meet Record, as far as I can tell!!
The Morton Games Meet Record has fallen twice in recent years--both times to Americans!!
Molly Huddle's 4:26.84 PR won the 2014 race!
(BTW, that 10th Place Record is NOT Huddle's---of course!)
In 2016, Katie Mackey took that down with her 4:25.48 PR!
How about Age Records?
I did my research, and got the birthdates of ALL the athletes entered in Lausanne and London!
So here's my take on which Age Records might go!
(If an Age isn't listed, it means no entrants of that Age are listed for the first 2 meets!)
18 Fantu Worku is the only 18 year old (Again, no knowledge of Morton's entries yet!), and should get the 4:28.16 Age Record in the Lausanne race! A 1500 in 4:10 or 4:11 should get her there!
19 Esther Chebet has ZERO chance to get Pieterse's 4:17.57 in Lausanne!
20 Dawit Seyaum is in London's race, and should easily take down the 4:23.92 Age Record!
22 Axumawit Embaye is the ONLY Woman entered in both Lausanne AND London!! But she'll have a task before her if she wants the 4:17.75 Age Record! 45-55 odds!
23 No one really stands out here, even though this Age has 4 entrants between the 2 races! And the 4:18.08 Record would require she pass 1500 in 4:01. Maybe Caroline Chepkemoi? 20-80 odds!
24 Laura Muir is twenty four--and that rhymes!! LOL The Record is 4:17.25! If Muir seriously chases the British NR, give her 85-15 odds!! Oh heck, make that a 100% guarantee!!
The German Steeplechaser--Gesa Krause--is also 24!
25 This is the Age when Dibaba ran her 4:14.30 last year! No one in either field comes close to her level!
26 The Age Record is 4:21.57! It's not a matter of IF, but by how MUCH Genzebe CRUSHES it!!
If she wasn't this age, or wasn't running, the Record might STILL fall--with both Laura Weightman and Linden Hall capable of nipping it!
27 Helen Obiri is in the best shape of her life! The Age Record is 4:16.71 (By Mary Slaney!!), but if she's on, give her 80-20 odds! She'll need a 4:00 through 1500--at least!!
28 While Kate Grace is good, and getting MUCH better, she's just NOT capable of getting the World Record of 4:12.56!! She's in the London race!
29 This Record is 4:22.18. Angelika Cichocka and Stephanie Garcia (in London) would need to come by 1500 in at least 4:05 to have any chance at all!! Give Cichocka the edge, with 60-40 odds!
30 Jenny Simpson's OUTdoor best is 4:22.18! But her 1500 PR is worth a Mile in 4:13 or 4:14!! If she stays with Muir--and Simpson's one to not fear challenging the leader!--Slaney's AR will fall--and maybe fall HARD!! Give her 75-25 odds for this Age Record of 4:20.39!
36 Jenny Meadows, Genzebe's rabbit in Lausanne, is listed for London---but NO indication she'll be Muir's rabbit also!! IF she finishes the whole race, this Age Record slot is now EMPTY--at least in my Record Book!! (There must be a Record for this Age, but I doubt it's very good, so if Meadows should run in the low 4:30's or faster, I'll put her name in the Book! She's never run a Track Mile for time, as far as I know! It's likely, however, that she WILL be Muir's key rabbit here!!)
National Records?
Thirteen nations are represented in the Lausanne and London Miles!
In alphabetical order--
Australia's NR is 4:22.66. Linden Hall has a decent chance to get it!
Ethiopia's NR is Genzebe's 4:14.30. Toss a coin!!
Germany's NR is 4:21.59. Ms Krause will probably fall short--but not by much!
Great Britain's NR is 4:17.57, as noted above! Muir--even though Scottish--should nail this one!
Ireland's NR is 4:17.25, but I doubt Ciara Mageean--even in London's race--can get it!
Italy has an NR of 4:23.29. But Margherita Magnani would have to be at her very best to break it! Give her 30-70 odds!
Kenya's NR is 4:16.71. Obiri, as earlier noted, is in top shape! Give her 80-20 odds! She's also in the London field!
Morocco's NR is 4:23.50. Malika Akkaoui is this nation's sole entrant in either race! She's a sub-2:00 800 person, but doesn't have the distance strength to get this mark! Not yet! But give her 35-65 odds anyway!
Poland has an NR of 4:22.96. Cichocka is 29 now, but give her 60-40 odds in London's race!
Romania's NR of 4:15.61 will NOT fall!!
Spain's NR is 4:21.13, and is safe!
Esther Chebet is NOT the Ugandan who's tasked to lead Dibaba through the first 800 today (before Meadows hopefully takes over!), but she WILL get Uganda's NR---for the simple reason that there apparently is NO Mile Record for her nation!! Hope she doesn't DNF! LOL
And then there's us---er, I meant US--as in the United States!!
See my comments above for Jenny's chances to get Queen Mary's NR!!
Queen Mary?
Gee, is that insulting to say in Royal England?
As for my Top 24 Performers lists--my DDD's--
Genzebe Dibaba (2nd) and Laura Muir (14th) are currently on the World list!
Jenny Simpson (5th) is on my US list!
24th Place on the World list is 4:21.13!
There are 16 Women with times of under 4:20.00!!
24th US best is 4:27.23.
There's just Slaney at sub-4:20!
But there's 10 Americans with sub-4:25's!
Both Dibaba and Muir could rise on the World DDD!
Several could MAKE the list under perfect circumstances--
Axumawit Embaye, Dawit Seyaum, Caroline Chepkemoi, Gesa Krause, Helen Obiri, Jenny Simpson, Kate Grace, Laura Weightman, Angelika Cichocka, and Linden Hall have fair to good chances!
(If ALL should beat the present-24th best, I'm sure 1 or 2 or more might get thrown OFF the list immediately--by other's entering!!)
For the US list, give both Kate Grace and Stephanie Garcia excellent odds to make it!
And give Simpson an excellent chance to move up---WAY up!!
What about the Morton Games Women's Mile?
IMPORTANT NOTE--This race is going to be at 1500 meters, NOT a Mile!! Please see my NOTE above for more info! My apologies again!
Let me take some wild guesses as to which Americans will be there.
(The first 3 finishers in 2016 were Americans--Mackey, Heather Kampf, and Cory McGee!!)
Alexa Efraimson might fly over after today's NY TrackTown Summer Series meet!
Maybe Grace and Garcia?
(I doubt Simpson will go there!)
Will Mackey return to defend her title?
Amanda Eccleston?
Whoever shows from here, it should be a sub-4:30 race---and maybe challenging Mackey's MR of 4:25.48!
Of course, Irish Women will be there, including probably Mageean!!
Now we'll see how THIS Preview fares against the one I did in 2015!!
Sunday, July 2, 2017
Ostrava 6, Paris 0
Another puzzling title from Yours Truly?
Not really.
In terms of Meet Records broken, the Ostrava IWC meet shut out the Paris Diamond League, 6 to nothing!!
Here you have the Diamond League concept, supposedly established to determine the best--or at least the most consistently winning--athletes in a chosen series of events.
Seven meets have one schedule of events, while the other 7 have a different set!
This supposedly gives MOST athletes a chance to win the DL Grand Prize!
Points are given for each Win---and to some placers!
But here's the thing.
When being the "best" is based on number of victories---and not on the quality of the marks (Although I believe they give bonus dollars for WR's!)--you get what happened in Paris--and it seems, more often than not in recent years--DL's that seem more like top Collegiate dual meets than World Class meets bringing together World Class athletes performing at their best!!
Sure, the timing of the DL's (Their place on the schedule!), and bad weather, contribute to a meet's quality, or lack thereof!
Paris was the 1st DL that came after the USATF meet, aka the WC Trials!
So you had very few Americans there!
Others are waiting for more "prestigious" DL's, such as Monaco and Weltklasse.
Also, many athletes aren't there for points, but just to compete!
Yet they keep avoiding key head-to-heads, another supposed attraction of the DL's!
(At least in the initial concept!)
Well, I could rant on this forever!
(Add track 10000's to the program!)
But this blog is here to report on Records & Marks!
And in the past few days, it was Ostrava that produced!!
Wayde Van Niekerk said he wanted the WR in the 300 meters.
And he came through!
His 30.81 betters Michael Johnson's old WR of 30.85, dating from March 24, 2000!
BTW, MJ's mark was run in Pretoria, South Africa, WVN's home country!!
The old Meet Record was held by one Usain Bolt, a 30.97!!
Isaac Makwala took 2nd in 31.44!
Pawel Fajdek is on fire!
He got the Ostrava Meet Record in the HT with his 273-9!!
Wojciech Nowicki was 2nd with 263-6!
Taking third was Bence Halasz, his 258-8 breaking the Age 19 record!!
Both HT's were held on the meet's 1st day, and Anita Wlodarczyk (Who else??) threw it 261-6--actually below average for her, but good for another Meet Record!!
Another "below average" mark becoming an Ostrava Meet Record came from the flying legs of Christian Taylor!
His new MR in the TJ measured 57-7.75!
Thomas Rohler rolled another 300---um, er, I meant THREW another 300--his 300-3 setting a new MR in the Javelin Throw!
The other MR to come on the track came from Gudaf Tsegay!
Her 1500 winning time of 4:00.96 is the new mark!
Speaking of Mr Bolt--as I did earlier--he won the 100 in 10.06, defying a wind of 0.3 against him!
He left immediately to consult his doctor about some back pain!
Mo Farah had said he wanted a "fast" time in Ostrava's 10K!
Well, compared to his PR oof 26:46, I don't think you'd call 27:12.09 "fast"!!
But it was enough to defeat Matthew Kimeli, who ran 27:14.43!
Dorien Garfield, a new name in the 110H, PR'ed in 13.09 for an Ostrava win!
One who did NOT win was David Rudisha!
His 2:19.43 took just 4th in the 1000!!
Although I've heard this is the LONGEST distance he's ever raced!!
(Had to check all my lists--INdoors & OUTdoors--just to make sure!)
Yep, it was the longest he's ever raced!
Tomas Stanek's 70-11.75 took the Ostrava SP.
Pam Dutkiewicz won the 100H in 12.72, wind of 1.0.
Russian (NOT "neutral" in my eyes!!) Anzhelika Sidorova won the PV with a 15-5 clearance.
Alaysha Newman was 2nd with 15-3.
As for Paris, expectations and hopes were much more exciting than the results!
(Although, to be fair, even a DL's "average" marks are pretty good, in the larger scope of things! It's just when we measure them against what we feel a DL's marks SHOULD be that they fall short!)
The Women's 3000SC saw WR holder Ruth Jebet take a dive, falling from the lead to a 4th place finish in 9:10.95.
Beatrice Chepkoech took advantage, winning in 9:01.69!
Hyvin Kiyeng's 9:06.00 was 2nd!
Celephine Chespol's 9:07.34 was 3rd.
Emma Coburn had said she wanted to break her AR, but she stayed back too far, and wound up 5th in 9:11.08.
However, that becomes the best-ever mark for 5th Place!!
In the Men's flat 3000, Muktis Edris took the W in 7:32.31.
He outkicked Ronald Kwemoi (7:32.88) and Yomif Kejelcha (7:33.37).
Ben True took 6th, but his 7:35.53 was a PR, moving him from 11th A-T US to 10th!
Elaine Thompson sprinted 10.91 (0.1) to take the 100, but it was her slowest winning time of the year!
In fact, I believe it was her first time outside the 10.7's (in a final) this year!!
Marie Josee Ta Lou was 2nd in 10.96.
Russian Sergey Shubenkov won a good 110H race--a HEAT!!--his 13.09 just nipping the 13.10 of Devon Allen.
Dorien Garfield was 3rd in 13.15, while Omar McLeod was 4th, also timed in 13.15!
In the final, Ronald Levy of Jamaica won it in 13.05, wind a minus 0.1!
Andrew Pozzi was 2nd in 13.14.
McLeod felt cramps behind a knee, but says he's okay!
However, it slowed him to a 13.41, and 7th place!
Devon Allen False Started!!
The Women's 1500 produced times--and a race--definitely worthy of DL standards!!
Sifan Hassan defeated Faith Kipyegon, 3:57.10 to 3:59.51.
A close 3rd went to Gudaf Tsegay's 3:59.55, a PR!
Thomas Rohler lost the JT, his 286-2 mark exactly 5 feet behind Johannes Vetter's winner!
Sam Kendricks defeated Renaud Lavillenie in the PV, his winning height 19-1.
Christian Taylor TJ'ed to a win with his 56-8.75!
Nijel Amos won the 800 in 1:44.24.
Novlene Williams-Mills took the 400 in a slow 51.03.
Lijiao Gong took an Americans-less SP with a toss of 62-9.50!
Mutaz Barshim performed well, ALMOST making 7-10!
But his winning HJ height was 7-8.50!
Ben Meite won the 100 in 9.99.
A weak 200 field saw Ramil Guliyev win in 20.15.
The Lausanne entry list (NOT finalized!) looks FAR better!! But we'll see what the RESULTS are!!
In the 1st of 3 meets, the Track Town Summer Series kicked off at Stanford!
The HT was shown in its entirety on the livestream!
Gwen Berry led the Women (in a "mixed" event) with 239-0.
Alex Young took the Men's portion with his 236-0.
Both were TTSS Meet Records!
Paul Chelimo started fast, then slowed to a 7:48.58 MR win in the 3000.
Australian Steven Solomon wasn't a team member, but his guest appearance resulted in a win, time of 45.19--also a Meet Record!
Senne Verstagen won the 800 in 2:01.20.
Ricky Robertson won the HJ with 7-4.25.
Aaron Mallett PR'ed to take the 110H in 13.37, wind of 1.6.
Queen Harrison won the 100H in 12.73, wind of 0.8.
Quanesha Burks upset Brittney Reese in the LJ, her 22-2.25 enough to win!
But maybe the best events of the meet were the closing Men's HS Mile, and the Women's 1500.
Making yet another attempt at a sub-4, Cooper Teare instead had to do battle with a surprising Luis Grivalja, who PR'ed by 10 seconds (!!) to run 4:02.64!
Teare slowed too much in the 3rd lap, but held on to win in 4:01.92!
This became a Meet Record!
Another shocker of sorts happened in the 1500.
Alexa Efraimson was leading after the rabbit departed, but fell to 3rd when Amanda Eccleston and Hannah Fields passed her!
Fields--a Brooks Beastie--had a PR in the 4:11 range!
(But she'd recently run a 2:00.53 PR over 800!)
Using a fierce kick, she prevailed in 4:05.30--a 6 second PR!!
And it was good for a TTSS Meet Record!!
Eccleston finished in 4:05.44, while Efraimson ran a still good 4:06.16.
Emily Lipari again PR'ed with her 4:07.29!
The 2nd segment of the TTSS (in Portland) was okay, but with the usual livestream presentation problems--i.e. the longest track race interrupted several times for field event efforts!
In the opening event--the SP--we again were treated to seeing EVERY throw over the first full hour!!
If only EVERY event could be shown like that!!
It was again a "mixed" event--where each 2-person team had one woman, one man!
Ryan Whiting took the "Men's" event with 69-4.25.
After a slow start, Shot Diva Michelle Carter finally nailed a 62-3 for the "Women's" W!
Both were TTSS Meet Records!
The Women's 3000 was filled with 3000SC'ers, which made it interesting!
Stephanie Garcia won it in 9:01.05, not a PR!
In a 1st time event, it became a MR!
Phyllis Francis defeated a pretty good 400 field, her time being 50.69.
Another Meet Record!
In the final event--meant to be a WC Q standard chaser for Robby Andrews--instead became a RACE to the tape by two guys also needing the Q (although if Andrews gets it, by virtue of his USATF win, he'd be first in line to make the team!).
When Andrews DNF'ed at 1200 meters, Ben Blankenship went on to beat Kyle Merber, their 3:37.43's separated by an 0.004 margin!!
But it took a meet in Sollentuna--a town near Stockholm--to bring forth the best mark of the week--Paris DL's presence notwithstanding!!
Daniel Stahl suddenly whipped the Discus out 233-10 from the ring, breaking a most venerable National Record of Sweden!!
The old mark was held by the iconic Ricky Bruch, and dated from 1984!!
This makes Stahl 9th A-T World!!
Lausanne is on July 6th!
I will have a detailed report--whether it's an average DL, or one of the A-T best!!
The July 4th Peachtree 10K is coming also.
But Shalane Flanagan withdrew!!
Not sure why!
Also, the final TTSS meet---in NYC--is on the 6th!
This one has a full slate of events!
Hopefully the weather gods will cooperate!
See you soon with all the Records & Marks!
Not really.
In terms of Meet Records broken, the Ostrava IWC meet shut out the Paris Diamond League, 6 to nothing!!
Here you have the Diamond League concept, supposedly established to determine the best--or at least the most consistently winning--athletes in a chosen series of events.
Seven meets have one schedule of events, while the other 7 have a different set!
This supposedly gives MOST athletes a chance to win the DL Grand Prize!
Points are given for each Win---and to some placers!
But here's the thing.
When being the "best" is based on number of victories---and not on the quality of the marks (Although I believe they give bonus dollars for WR's!)--you get what happened in Paris--and it seems, more often than not in recent years--DL's that seem more like top Collegiate dual meets than World Class meets bringing together World Class athletes performing at their best!!
Sure, the timing of the DL's (Their place on the schedule!), and bad weather, contribute to a meet's quality, or lack thereof!
Paris was the 1st DL that came after the USATF meet, aka the WC Trials!
So you had very few Americans there!
Others are waiting for more "prestigious" DL's, such as Monaco and Weltklasse.
Also, many athletes aren't there for points, but just to compete!
Yet they keep avoiding key head-to-heads, another supposed attraction of the DL's!
(At least in the initial concept!)
Well, I could rant on this forever!
(Add track 10000's to the program!)
But this blog is here to report on Records & Marks!
And in the past few days, it was Ostrava that produced!!
Wayde Van Niekerk said he wanted the WR in the 300 meters.
And he came through!
His 30.81 betters Michael Johnson's old WR of 30.85, dating from March 24, 2000!
BTW, MJ's mark was run in Pretoria, South Africa, WVN's home country!!
The old Meet Record was held by one Usain Bolt, a 30.97!!
Isaac Makwala took 2nd in 31.44!
Pawel Fajdek is on fire!
He got the Ostrava Meet Record in the HT with his 273-9!!
Wojciech Nowicki was 2nd with 263-6!
Taking third was Bence Halasz, his 258-8 breaking the Age 19 record!!
Both HT's were held on the meet's 1st day, and Anita Wlodarczyk (Who else??) threw it 261-6--actually below average for her, but good for another Meet Record!!
Another "below average" mark becoming an Ostrava Meet Record came from the flying legs of Christian Taylor!
His new MR in the TJ measured 57-7.75!
Thomas Rohler rolled another 300---um, er, I meant THREW another 300--his 300-3 setting a new MR in the Javelin Throw!
The other MR to come on the track came from Gudaf Tsegay!
Her 1500 winning time of 4:00.96 is the new mark!
Speaking of Mr Bolt--as I did earlier--he won the 100 in 10.06, defying a wind of 0.3 against him!
He left immediately to consult his doctor about some back pain!
Mo Farah had said he wanted a "fast" time in Ostrava's 10K!
Well, compared to his PR oof 26:46, I don't think you'd call 27:12.09 "fast"!!
But it was enough to defeat Matthew Kimeli, who ran 27:14.43!
Dorien Garfield, a new name in the 110H, PR'ed in 13.09 for an Ostrava win!
One who did NOT win was David Rudisha!
His 2:19.43 took just 4th in the 1000!!
Although I've heard this is the LONGEST distance he's ever raced!!
(Had to check all my lists--INdoors & OUTdoors--just to make sure!)
Yep, it was the longest he's ever raced!
Tomas Stanek's 70-11.75 took the Ostrava SP.
Pam Dutkiewicz won the 100H in 12.72, wind of 1.0.
Russian (NOT "neutral" in my eyes!!) Anzhelika Sidorova won the PV with a 15-5 clearance.
Alaysha Newman was 2nd with 15-3.
As for Paris, expectations and hopes were much more exciting than the results!
(Although, to be fair, even a DL's "average" marks are pretty good, in the larger scope of things! It's just when we measure them against what we feel a DL's marks SHOULD be that they fall short!)
The Women's 3000SC saw WR holder Ruth Jebet take a dive, falling from the lead to a 4th place finish in 9:10.95.
Beatrice Chepkoech took advantage, winning in 9:01.69!
Hyvin Kiyeng's 9:06.00 was 2nd!
Celephine Chespol's 9:07.34 was 3rd.
Emma Coburn had said she wanted to break her AR, but she stayed back too far, and wound up 5th in 9:11.08.
However, that becomes the best-ever mark for 5th Place!!
In the Men's flat 3000, Muktis Edris took the W in 7:32.31.
He outkicked Ronald Kwemoi (7:32.88) and Yomif Kejelcha (7:33.37).
Ben True took 6th, but his 7:35.53 was a PR, moving him from 11th A-T US to 10th!
Elaine Thompson sprinted 10.91 (0.1) to take the 100, but it was her slowest winning time of the year!
In fact, I believe it was her first time outside the 10.7's (in a final) this year!!
Marie Josee Ta Lou was 2nd in 10.96.
Russian Sergey Shubenkov won a good 110H race--a HEAT!!--his 13.09 just nipping the 13.10 of Devon Allen.
Dorien Garfield was 3rd in 13.15, while Omar McLeod was 4th, also timed in 13.15!
In the final, Ronald Levy of Jamaica won it in 13.05, wind a minus 0.1!
Andrew Pozzi was 2nd in 13.14.
McLeod felt cramps behind a knee, but says he's okay!
However, it slowed him to a 13.41, and 7th place!
Devon Allen False Started!!
The Women's 1500 produced times--and a race--definitely worthy of DL standards!!
Sifan Hassan defeated Faith Kipyegon, 3:57.10 to 3:59.51.
A close 3rd went to Gudaf Tsegay's 3:59.55, a PR!
Thomas Rohler lost the JT, his 286-2 mark exactly 5 feet behind Johannes Vetter's winner!
Sam Kendricks defeated Renaud Lavillenie in the PV, his winning height 19-1.
Christian Taylor TJ'ed to a win with his 56-8.75!
Nijel Amos won the 800 in 1:44.24.
Novlene Williams-Mills took the 400 in a slow 51.03.
Lijiao Gong took an Americans-less SP with a toss of 62-9.50!
Mutaz Barshim performed well, ALMOST making 7-10!
But his winning HJ height was 7-8.50!
Ben Meite won the 100 in 9.99.
A weak 200 field saw Ramil Guliyev win in 20.15.
The Lausanne entry list (NOT finalized!) looks FAR better!! But we'll see what the RESULTS are!!
In the 1st of 3 meets, the Track Town Summer Series kicked off at Stanford!
The HT was shown in its entirety on the livestream!
Gwen Berry led the Women (in a "mixed" event) with 239-0.
Alex Young took the Men's portion with his 236-0.
Both were TTSS Meet Records!
Paul Chelimo started fast, then slowed to a 7:48.58 MR win in the 3000.
Australian Steven Solomon wasn't a team member, but his guest appearance resulted in a win, time of 45.19--also a Meet Record!
Senne Verstagen won the 800 in 2:01.20.
Ricky Robertson won the HJ with 7-4.25.
Aaron Mallett PR'ed to take the 110H in 13.37, wind of 1.6.
Queen Harrison won the 100H in 12.73, wind of 0.8.
Quanesha Burks upset Brittney Reese in the LJ, her 22-2.25 enough to win!
But maybe the best events of the meet were the closing Men's HS Mile, and the Women's 1500.
Making yet another attempt at a sub-4, Cooper Teare instead had to do battle with a surprising Luis Grivalja, who PR'ed by 10 seconds (!!) to run 4:02.64!
Teare slowed too much in the 3rd lap, but held on to win in 4:01.92!
This became a Meet Record!
Another shocker of sorts happened in the 1500.
Alexa Efraimson was leading after the rabbit departed, but fell to 3rd when Amanda Eccleston and Hannah Fields passed her!
Fields--a Brooks Beastie--had a PR in the 4:11 range!
(But she'd recently run a 2:00.53 PR over 800!)
Using a fierce kick, she prevailed in 4:05.30--a 6 second PR!!
And it was good for a TTSS Meet Record!!
Eccleston finished in 4:05.44, while Efraimson ran a still good 4:06.16.
Emily Lipari again PR'ed with her 4:07.29!
The 2nd segment of the TTSS (in Portland) was okay, but with the usual livestream presentation problems--i.e. the longest track race interrupted several times for field event efforts!
In the opening event--the SP--we again were treated to seeing EVERY throw over the first full hour!!
If only EVERY event could be shown like that!!
It was again a "mixed" event--where each 2-person team had one woman, one man!
Ryan Whiting took the "Men's" event with 69-4.25.
After a slow start, Shot Diva Michelle Carter finally nailed a 62-3 for the "Women's" W!
Both were TTSS Meet Records!
The Women's 3000 was filled with 3000SC'ers, which made it interesting!
Stephanie Garcia won it in 9:01.05, not a PR!
In a 1st time event, it became a MR!
Phyllis Francis defeated a pretty good 400 field, her time being 50.69.
Another Meet Record!
In the final event--meant to be a WC Q standard chaser for Robby Andrews--instead became a RACE to the tape by two guys also needing the Q (although if Andrews gets it, by virtue of his USATF win, he'd be first in line to make the team!).
When Andrews DNF'ed at 1200 meters, Ben Blankenship went on to beat Kyle Merber, their 3:37.43's separated by an 0.004 margin!!
But it took a meet in Sollentuna--a town near Stockholm--to bring forth the best mark of the week--Paris DL's presence notwithstanding!!
Daniel Stahl suddenly whipped the Discus out 233-10 from the ring, breaking a most venerable National Record of Sweden!!
The old mark was held by the iconic Ricky Bruch, and dated from 1984!!
This makes Stahl 9th A-T World!!
Lausanne is on July 6th!
I will have a detailed report--whether it's an average DL, or one of the A-T best!!
The July 4th Peachtree 10K is coming also.
But Shalane Flanagan withdrew!!
Not sure why!
Also, the final TTSS meet---in NYC--is on the 6th!
This one has a full slate of events!
Hopefully the weather gods will cooperate!
See you soon with all the Records & Marks!
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