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.
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!!
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!
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 gets the Age 23 record, as well as the AR!
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.
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!
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!!

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!!

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!!
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.

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!

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!!
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!!
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!!
Canada DNF'ed.
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!!

Tia Jones met Tara Davis again over 100H!
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!!

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!!
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!!
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!!
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!!
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!
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!!
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!!
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!
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!!
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!
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!!
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!!
(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!!

Also getting her initial sub-15 was Emily Infeld!!
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!!
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!!
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!!
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!

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!


3 comments:

  1. There were 3 athletes from Georgia who competed at the Pan American (U-20) Championship. All 3 shined at the Pan American Games. In addition to Carson Dingler winning a silver medal in the polevault, there was Tia Jones, a rising junior at Walton High School, who won a GOLD MEDAL in the 100m hurdles with a time of 13.01 seconds. Brian Herron, a 16 yr old rising junior at Lakeside Dekalb High, was also a GOLD MEDALIST. He ran a 45.1 lead off leg split on the 4 x 400m relay team, helping to establishing not only a new Pan-American U20 record, but a NEW WORLD JUNIOR RECORD at 3:00.33. Watch the 4x400m race video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t_Ur896I6E. Brian Herron (leadoff), Zach Shinnick (second leg), Sean Hooper (third leg), and Josephus Lyles (anchor leg).

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for all the info on Georgia! My blog doesn't pay much attention to where an athlete is from!
      As for Brian, are you his father or brother, or otherwise related?
      Also, if you're a new reader, you might be interested to know I first mentioned Brian when he ran that INdoor 47.97 a year or 2 ago!
      I also don't report many relay leg times---because they're often inaccurate, and because they don't make my A-T lists!
      (If they did, then Allyson Felix's 47.72 would be 2nd A-T World!!)
      With 2 years of HS to go for both Brian and Tyrese Cooper, hoping for many more records to come from both!!

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  2. I am very impressed with your track records blog. How in the world do you have the time to keep up with all of these stats? Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete