Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Endings--To a Season & a Life

Ends of races are anticipated long before the finish line.
But an end to a young athlete's very life sometimes comes upon us unseen and unexpected.
Scanning Twitter about 12 hours ago, I saw reference to an article titled "Olympic runner found dead in pool...".
Forewarned isn't always forearmed, so the shock I felt at discovering this athlete was David Torrence was extreme.
Only 31, he died in a condo pool in Scottsdale AZ, where he was living while training.
He was set to run in the Hoka One One Mile this weekend.
Kyle Merber, one of the race organizer's, said the race would be named in Torrence's honor!
Dozens of tributes poured forth on Let's Run, Twitter, and T&FN from athletes, coaches, agents, and organizations, all agreeing on 1 thing---David Torrence will be sorely missed--not just because of his records on the track, but for being a genuine good person!
Further details on his death will be posted when available.

But yes, life does go on, as well as scheduled T&F meets!
The Women's Steeplechase and both gender's HJ's remained the features of this past week's activity.

At the Eberstadt HJ meet, Mutaz Barshim again jumped 2.40 (7-10.50), this time having a bit of competition!
Danil Lysenko, of Russia, and just 20 years old, ended 2nd with 7-9.75!
This is the Age 20 record!
And he becomes 17th A-T World, tied with TEN others!!
Marie Laurence-Jungfleisch led the Women, jumping 6-6.75!

Berlin's venerable ISTAF meet--now an IWC affair--saw Norah Tanui dominate the SC, running away from the field, winning in 9:03.70.
This was an ISTAF Meet Record, and it breaks her own Age 21 record too!
She moves from 9th A-T World, to 7th!
Gesa Krause continues to leap barriers (Sic!), again breaking her own National Record of Germany, time of 9:11.85!
She's now 18th A-T World!

And Colleen Quigley--in her first SC since being banished from the WC final by ignorant judges and foolish rules--showed she was a medal contender to watch, as she placed 3rd in a 4.03 second PR of 9:15.97!
She moves from 6th to 4th on the A-T US list!
She missed the World list by just 2.12 seconds!!

Irony ruled the Women's 600!
Changed from an 800 at a certain unnamed South African athlete's request, so the WOMEN's WR could be chased---this event became the farce that ALL races do when this athlete (& 2 others) are entered!
"Winning" in a "WR" of 1:21.77 once again proved that WOMEN ONLY races need to ban these 3 from participating!
So, in MY T&F Record Book, and blog, Ajee Wilson is the WOMAN who broke the World Record, HER time of 1:22.39 entering History!!
Besides the WR, Wilson destroyed the American Record, and the Age 23 record!
Noelie Yarigo was the next Woman to finish, her time being 1:25.78.
Kendra Chambers ran 1:27.45.

Konstanze Klosterhalfen continued her amazing season, winning the ISTAF 1500 in a PR of 3:58.92, far ahead of the 4:01.60 PR by Eilish McColgan!
Another having a great 2017, Susan Krumins PR'ed in 3rd in 4:02.25!
A Canadian battle ensued for the 5th place spot, with newcomer Gabriela Stafford beating the Veteran Nicole Sifuentes, 4:03 55 to 4:04.82.
Stafford's time was a PR for the 21 year old!
The 2 Americans--Shannon Rowbury and Shelby Houlihan, ended 7th & 8th!!

In other ISTAF events---
Dina Asher-Smith upset Marie Josee Ta Lou in the 200, 22.41 to 22.44!
Tianna Bartoletta had a busy meet--winning the 100 in 11.04, taking just 5th in the LJ (behind ShaKeela Saunders's 22-0.75 winner, then running lead-off on the US 4X100 team that lost to Germany's 42.17!
The US ran 43.07!
Jamaica may have a new star, as Julian Forte suddenly sped a 9.91 100!
His previous best was 9.99!
David Storl won the SP with 69-3.25, while Sam Kendricks won the PV at 19-2.75!
Piotr Malachowski won the DT with 220-5.
Johannes Vetter took the JT with his 294-9.
Birhanu Belew took the 5000 in 13:11.00.

Aries Merritt won the 110H in 13.17.
Christina Manning continues a good season, winning the 100H in 12.54, a PR!
She moves from 21st A-T US to 20th, tied with 1 other!
Danielle Williams was 2nd in 12.58.

Meets in Zagreb and Rovereta--as well as a few others--provided some impressive stats!
Lost in the mix was a massive breaking of the Age 32 record by Anita Wlodarczyk in the HT!!
On August 15th, in Warsaw, she threw 261-10, destroying the old record by over 15 feet!!
Malwina Kopron keeps improving, this time to 252-1, making her 10th A-T World!

Isaiah Young took a 100 in 9.97 over Julian Forte's 9.99!
W (?) Kenyamal won the 800 in 1:43.94.
Selemon Boraga won the 3000 in 7:38.90, with Mo Ahmed's 7:40.49 finishing 3rd!
Ajee Wilson won a "free from the unnamed" 800 in 1:57.72.
Winny Chebet was 2nd in 1:58.13, with Lynsey Sharp 3rd in 1:58.35.
Jenny Simpson was 8th, time of 2:01.64!

Norah Tanui won again in the SC, her 9:04.56 far in front!
Leah O'Connor ran 9:31.61 in 6th!

Sandra Perkovic really exploded in rounds 5 and 6 in the DT, her marks being 231-1 and 232-4!!
Whitney Ashley was a far back 2nd with 206-4!
Russian Sergey Shubenkov won his 1st race of 2017, his 13.12 beating Devon Allen's 13.19 in the 110H!

In the WUG, Taiwan's (Or Chinese Taipei??) Chao-Tsun Cheng got the Age 23 record in the JT with his throw of 299-9!
It's also the National Record and the Meet Record!
He is 12th A-T World!
Second was Andreas Hofmann, his 298-9 becoming 14th A-T World!!
(Someone has already dubbed 2017 the "Year of the Spear"!!)

Damien Birkenhead PR'ed in the SP, his 70-0.50 becoming Australia's National Record!!

In Norway's Nationals, Karoline Grovdal sped the 3000SC in 9:13.35 for the National Record!
This makes her 22nd A-T World!
Young Jakob Ingebrigtsen tripled, with his 5000 time of 13:35.84 being his best!
At 16, he'd probably be a Soph (or maybe a Jr) in a US High School!
The HSR is Galen Rupp's 13:37.91, run as a Senior!!

There was a Pole Vault-only meet held in Beckum, Germany!
Sandi Morris won it with a clearance of 15-9!!
But 2nd found Alysha Newman PR'ing at 15-7, breaking her own National Record of Canada!
This makes her 22nd A-T World, tied with 2 others!!
(It also takes OFF my DDD two athletes whose marks came this year--Katie Nageotte and Lisa Ryzih!  Thus, the year's count of 5 athletes with 2017 marks on my list was reduced to four!!)

The Bobby Crim 10 Mile Road Race was won by Joshua Kogo in 47:01, with Dathan Ritzenhein taking 4th in 47:31.
The Women's race was won by Buze Diriba Kajila (Was she recently married??) in 51:49, with Diane Kipyokei 2nd in 51:56!

You may already know this, but Galen Rupp and Jordan Hasay are going to race the Chicago Marathon!
Shalane Flanagan has been added to the NY Marathon field!
And Ken Bekele is joining Wilson Kipsang and Eliud Kipchoge on the streets of Berlin on September 25th!!
WHOA baby!!!!!

Finally, Raevyn Rogers became the latest female Oregon Duck to turn Pro at least one year before graduation!!
She's signed with---natch!---Nike!!

Next post will cover the last DL---the Van Damme Memorial from Brussels!
(As well as the David Torrence Memorial Mile, mentioned above!)

See you soon!









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