Collegiates Explode

In what might be termed a weekend of transition, it was the Collegiates that led the storming of the fortress that is my Record Book!
The attack came from all sides--the track AND the field--and seemed to be never ending!
(BTW, "weekend of transition" is that 72 hour period between the "rust-busting" of December and January, and the "serious work" of the last 6 weeks of the INdoor season!!  It's a time when one doesn't expect the DELUGE of fantastic marks that exploded from the many venues of America and the World these past few days!)

Let's start with the Dubai Marathon!
The Men's finish became what some dubbed the "best track race" NOT on a track!!
After a series of 5K's in the 14:30's (14:31, 14:36, 14:40, 14:37, and 14:33), the lead group still numbered 6 or 7!
Sisay Lemma was the nominal leader, but they were really tied in a knot!
This nearly-all Ethiopian field was running FAST--a few seconds under WR pace--yet seemed to be cruising behind a pacer!
That pacer found himself about 15 meters in front, and the thought was that he might try to steal the race!
But he finally DNF'ed after another 5000 in 14:43.
This changed the thinking from WR to "racing"!
And what a RACE it became!!
As they came into the final 500 meter stretch of road, it became a simulated track race!!

At the tape, the Winner's blood belonged to Mosinet Geremew, in a time of 2:04:00.
He's now 12th A-T World!
Alema Gebresilase came next, just 2 seconds off, in 2:04:02.
The next 5 finishers all set Place Records, as well as some others!

Tamirat Tola's 2:04:06 is the best 3rd Place mark!
He's 13th A-T World, tied with 1 other.
Asefa Mengstu sprinted in with the same time--2:04:06--for the best 4th Place mark!
He also gets the Age 33 Record!!
He is also 13th A-T World, tied with Tola!!
Sisay Lemma faded just a bit--running 2:04:08!
It's the best 5th Place mark, the Age 27 Record, and makes him 15th A-T World!!
Birhanu Legese gets the best 6th Place mark--2:04:15--AND the Age 23 Record!
He is 16th A-T World!!
With the best 7th Place mark came Sesfa Tura's 2:04:44.

And the Women were pretty close to the Men, depth-wise!!
Reaching the Half in about 1:10:05 (Couldn't get actual split!), the pace then picked up!
With a couple of Men "rabbiting", a group of 5 or 6 tagged along in fluid striding motion!
After 5K's ranging from 16:28 (3rd) to 16:45 (1st) & 16:43 (5th), they changed gears!
While most eyes were on the experienced Ethiopians (Feysa Tadese, Worknesh Degefa, and Gelete Burka), it was the eventual winner--Roza Dereje--who stayed quiet & hidden in the mix!
But when the 5K's sped up to the 16:20's, it was Dereje who came to the front--and stayed there!

Her 2:19:17 claims the 7th A-T spot on the World list!!
(So she apparently ran her 2nd Half in 69:12 or so!!)
Tadese took 2nd, time of 2:19:30.
She WAS 24th on my DDD, but with Dereje's time, became 25th--for a few seconds!
Then she whipped herself back ONto the list--in 10th!!
Matching Deena Kastor's American Record time of 2:19:36 was Yebryual Melesa!
She becomes the best 3rd Place ever!!
And she is now 12th A-T World, tied with Kastor!
Degefa gets the best 4th Place mark with her 2:19:53!
She ranks 24th A-T World!!

The best 5th Place mark goes to Haflemesh Tesfay's 2:20:13!!
It's also the Age 23 Record!
Best 6th Place goes to the veteran Burka, her time being 2:20:45!
Dera Dida's 2:21:45 becomes the best 7th Place mark!
She gets the Age 21 Record!!
WOW!!

Now let's sort out the rubble of the T&F portion of the weekend!

Seattle's Dempsey Arena is best known--infamously, in my eyes!!--as the site of a 307 meter Oversize Track!
But it was on its FIELD where the best mark of the Weekend happened!

Just over a year ago, then-HS Senior Jordan Geist shocked the T&F World by shoving the rarely-thrown 16 pound ball out 68-4, utterly destroying the HSR of Ryan Crouser--a 63-11.
His 68-4 was even farther than the iconic Mike Carter had thrown OUTdoors in HS!!
But he began his Frosh season with a butterball in the 63's!
Not bad, but...!!!

Then came the Seattle meet!
His series went like this---
64-5.25----67-7.50 (breaking the Frosh Class Record by about 2 feet!!)----69-3.50 (breaking his own Frosh Class Record!!----66-10----67-9---and closing with a monster Shot (pun intended!) of 70-4.50--again breaking his own Frosh Class standard!!!
He is 7th A-T Collegiate!
He gets 18th spot on the A-T US list!!
And he misses the World (!!) list by just 6 inches!!!

In my blog post called "Of Babies and Snakes", I reviewed the GREAT book "18 Months Raising the Bar"---about the 2015-2016 seasons when Demi Payne and Sandi Morris clashed fiercely for Collegiate supremacy in the PV!
Well, folks, we may have a "Part II" developing here!!
(NOT with Ms's Payne & Morris, however!!)

Coming off an injury, Lexi (Weeks) Jacobus is BACK!!
After leaving twin sister Tori Hoggard behind at 14-4.75, Jacobus went over 15-1.50, reaching the sphere of her 2016 Rio OUTdoor season!
While not an INdoor PR, it does give her the Junior Class Record!!
She then tried thrice at 15-7.25, but missed!
The comparison to Payne & Morris comes from the knowledge that she passed Olivia Gruver's earlier 15-1 (See previous post!)--claiming (temporary??) Collegiate leadership!!
Stay tuned!!

Skipping around, the Texas Tech meet saw former SEC Multi's rivals Erica Bougard and Kendell Williams--now both Professionals!--go at it again!
Bougard's 4504 beat Williams's 4375---this time!
BTW, they train together!!
Annie Kunz took 3rd with her 4078 score!

In the Razorback meet, Taliyah Brooks scored 4395 points, beating Louisa Grauvogel's 4253.
Tyra Gittens scored 4009 in 3rd!

Let's move to NY's Armory for one of the better January Mile races!
Kate Van Buskirk sprinted ahead at the end, her 4:26.92 breaking Sheila Reid's 4:27.02 Canadian National Record!
(Reid's time came in 2013, when Mary Cain ran 2nd to her in the HSR time of 4:28.25!!)
Rachel Schneider was 2nd, her 4:27.30 not a PR!

But in 3rd--with a great kick--came Karissa Schweizer's 4:27.54!
This makes her 4th A-T Collegiate!!
And 18th A-T US!!
But she ALSO gets 3rd A-T Collegiate on the 1500 list!
Her enroute time was 4:10.68.

Shannon Osika was 4th, time of 4:27.55--just a tick behind Schweizer!
She moves from 24th A-T US to 19th!!
Canada's Gabriella Stafford was 5th in 4:28.88!!
Oregon's Lilli Burdon, who ended 7th in the Mile, claimed 20th A-T Collegiate with her 1500 enroute time of 4:15.72.

Knocked OFF my Collegiate list was Jordan Hasay's 4:33.01 from 2011.
Shoved OFF my US list were 2 icons--Abbey D'Agostino & Vicki Huber!
Abbey's 4:28.31 came in 2014, while Huber's 4:28.31 was from 1988!!

The Men's Mile in NY was fast also!
But while Craig Engels ran 3:57.35 to win, beating Julian Oakley's 3:57.45, and UO's redshirting Mick Stanovick's 3:57.90, the crowd was watching Brodey Hasty's attempt to dip under 4 minutes while in HS!
Nope!
His 4:03.26 back in 13th moves him from 22nd A-T HS all the way to 6th!!
His 1500 enroute time of 3:47.39 moves him from 23rd to 6th on the A-T HS list!!
Reed Brown and Cooper Teare--both UO Frosh--ran under 4 for the 1st time--Brown in 3:59.03, Teare in 3:59.29!

To save space, but also to more neatly present what I have left to report, I'll move to my by-event-group listing M.O.!!

Sprints & Hurdles
A German race found Gina Luckenkemper's 7.11 beating Lisa Mayer's 7.17 in the 60!
In Iowa, Aleia Hobbs sped a 60 in 7.14, becoming 10th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!
In the Ostrava meet, Ewe Swoboda sped the 60 in 7.21, while Spain's Yanier Perez was timed in 6.53!
In the Ostrava 300, Pavel Maslak's non-PR of 32.52 beat Karol Zalewski's 32.60!
But Zalewski's time makes him 19th A-T World!
Petri Swoboda's 7.56 won the Ostrava 60H!
In the ISTAF meet, Tatjana Pinto's 7.08 took over the World lead!!
She'd run her heat in 7.13.
Mujinga Kambundji ran her heat in 7.14, while Michelle Lee-Ahye was timed in 7.16!
Also in Berlin, Kim Collins continued his miraculous ageing process, speeding over 60 meters in 6.64!
He'll be 42 on April 5th!!
Bingtian Su won that race in 6.55.
Andrew Pozzi won the 60H in 7.58!
The ISTAF Women's 60H saw Alina Talay winning in 7.89, with Pam Dutkiewicz 2nd in 7.91.
Cindy Roleder (7.93) and Sharika Nelvis (7.94) were next!

Alaysha Johnson of UO ran the 60H in 8.10 in NYC.
I should mention here that Ncincihli Titi's recent 20.45 200 (See earlier post!) is the National Record of South Africa!

Lynna Irby had quite the Razorback meet!!
She ran the fastest Collegiate 200--time of 22.96, beating Payton Chadwick's 22.99!
But it was in the 400 where she really shone!!
Her 51.48 makes her 16th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
She's also 20th A-T US!
She's just a Freshman!!
She beat Kendell Ellis's 51.53, the time not a PR!
Next came Sharrika Barnett's 51.64, which makes her 23rd A-T Collegiate!!

Omar McLeod doubled in the 60 flat and 200--times of 6.77 and 21.12.
Kendra Harrison did the same--times of 7.37 and 23.31.
In the Armory, Deajah Stevens sped a 60 in 7.24!
She then later was a member of a US team that broke the American Record in the 4X200 Relay!!
Their time of 1:32.67 beat the 1994 record of 1:33.24!!
The other members were Kyra Jefferson, Daina Harper, and Asha Ruth!
In the Ocean Breeze, Austin Kratz sped a 200 in 21.23, making him 21st A-T HS!!
Karsten Warholm ran a 400 in 45.88, becoming the National Record holder of Norway!!
In NY---before Irby's race--Courtney Okolo had run the 400 in 51.89, which was the temporary World leader!
She beat Shakima Wimbley's 52.11.
Devon Allen doubled in the 60H and 200--times of 7.64 & 20.94!
Dior Hall sped 60H in 7.98.
Kristei Johnson's 7.18 flat 60 misses my Collegiate DDD by 0.01 seconds!
On Liberty's track (where Katelyn Tuohy ran her 15:37.12 HSR over 5000---see my previous post!), Obi Igbokwu ran the 400 in 45.72, making him the Collegiate leader!
In NYC, Mario Heslop ran the 300 in 33.26, making him 10th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!!
Morolake Akinosun's 7.18 won Texas Tech's 60.
Tobi Amusan's 7.94 took the 60H!
(She'd run her heat in 7.95!)
She beat Queen Harrison's season opener of 8.03!
While completely worthless for List or Record purposes, I suppose I should mention Raevyn Rogers winning the 400 in 52.24 on Seattle's OT!!

This is already a LONGGGG post!
Should I keep going---or start a 2nd post??
Oh well, let's continue!
Take a break, then return for MUCH more!!

Distances
Sarah Brown returned to action with a Mile in 4:36.81!
She's back from injury & motherhood, among other things!!
In the Ostrava Men's 3000, Mohammed Tiouali's 7:44.58 beat Ben Kigen's 7:44.77!
The Women's race saw Helen Obiri prevailing, her 8:38.81 beating Beatrice Chepkoech's 8:39.15!
Fantasy Worku took 3rd in 8:39.55.
Back in 5th was OUTdoor 3000SC WR holder Ruth Jebet--time of 8:48.99!
(That's less than 4 seconds faster than her WR in the SC!!)
Oregon ran the DMR in 11:00.13 in the Armory, but without Katie Rainsberger!
They beat Villanova's 11:11.76.
The UO Men won their DMR in 9:31.87, getting a 3:58.7 anchor--from someone!!)

In Boston, Shadrack Kipchirchir's planned attack on the 3000 American Record went awry early!
Still, his 7:42.71 makes him 21st A-T US!
Emmanuel Bor was 2nd in 7:44.93, while Kirubel Erassa's 7:47.48 was 3rd!
Pushed OFF the US list was an oldie!
Doug Padilla's 7:43.69 from 1990 is GONE!!

Daniel Kuhn's 600 time of 1:16.62 isn't a PR.
Natalija Piliusina's 4:32.67 beat Marathoner (!!!) Kellyn Taylor's 4:33.40 in the Mile!
And Taylor said she'd wanted a sub-4:30, so was disappointed!!
In NYC, Lauren Paquette won the 3000 in 8:53.09, making her 22nd A-T US!
She beat Sarah Pagano's 8:58.42.
Jessica Hull of the Ducks ran 9:11.03 in 3rd!
But OFF my US list is one Joanie Samuelson, her 8:53.55 dating from 1983!!
Ajee Wilson slowed at the end, but still won the NY 800 in 2:00.90.
Natoya Goule was 2nd in 2:01.07.
But Charlene Lipsey had a bad race, ending 6th in 2:03.74!
Jazmine Fray took the Arkansas 800 in 2:02.30.
Second was Jasmine Staebler's 2:03.59!
On Liberty's track, Rachel Pocratsky ran the 1000 in 2:41.98.
This makes her suddenly 6th A-T Collegiate!!

Seattle's OT saw some USELESS fast times run!
Bethan Knights won the 5000 in 15:45.95, as she beat Vanessa Fraser's 15:46.02.
In a last minute decision, Galen Rupp and Yomif Kejelcha ran the 5000 as a workout!
Kejelcha nipped Rupp at the tape--13:34.67 to 13:34.78.
Later, Kejelcha won a Mile in 3:56.95.
Finally (in my OT report!), Sifan Hassan wanted to work on her kick!
She did, winning the OT 3K in 8:34.45 over the 8:43.28 of Ageless Shalane Flanagan!!
Flanagan actually didn't try staying with Hassan, as she used Brie Oakley and another Cal Gal as her personal rabbits!

And MORE!!!

Michael Saruni--who had run 1:45.92 on an OT earlier--ran a Collegiate leading 800 time of 1:45.19!
Coached by Paul Ereng at UTEP--Ereng holding the CR of 1:44.84 from 1989--and both being Kenyans--Saruni's time was run on a LEGAL track!!
He is now 2nd--to Ereng!!--A-T Collegiate!!
He's also 18th A-T World!!

In Albuquerque's 5000 feet of altitude, Ed Cheserek reigned supreme again---his 3:54.73 Mile beating Ben Blankenship by about 7 seconds--Ches's time being 2nd best ever run at that level of altitude--though Kip Keino's faster time was run OUTdoors!
And---Shadrack Kipchirchir won a Mile race in 3:55.52.
In 2nd was Syracuse's Justyn Knight, whose 3:55.82 makes him 15th A-T Collegiate!
Sadly, I couldn't find a 1500 enroute time for Knight!!

Field Events & Multi's
Trey Knight has done it AGAIN!!
His 83-6.75 WT broke his own Soph Class Record!
He moves from 11th to 5th on the A-T HS list!!
Amazing!!!
(He also did the SP--mark of 62-1.25 a PR!)

Tomas Stanek threw the Shot 70-10.75, becoming 23rd A-T World!
Jordan Geist's mark (See above!) makes him currently 2nd in the World!!
In Missouri, Alex Gochenour did a Pentathlon, scoring 4368 points.
It's not a PR.
Madeline Holmberg scored 4133 points!
The ISTAF Pole Vault saw Piotr Lisek beating Renaud Lavillenie and Thiago Braz, 19-1.50 to their 18-8.25's!
Lisa Gunnarsson is becoming one of the better Collegiate PV'ers!
Her latest is a 14-7.50 clearance!
She missed her 3 tries at 15-0!
Matt Ludwig's 18-6.75 took the Penn State PV.
Jake Wooten cleared 18-3 in the Armory.
Chris Nilsen PV'ed 18-9.25.
He moves from 12th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other, to 10th!
Kristen Hixson PV'ed 14-10.75.
In the Texas Tech meet, Annie Rhodes Johnigan's 14-10 beat Anicka Newell's 14-10!
Kortney Ross and Kristen Brown both went over 14-6, while Megan Clark made it over 14-2.
Johnigan and Newell both tried 3 times at 15-1.75!!

David Lucas threw the WT 71-6.75!
Janeah Stewart won the Razorback meet WT with her 75-3.50!
In NY, Alyssa Wilson won the SP with her 54-11.50.
Tripp Piperi improved to 65-0.75, but fell 5 feet behind his former HS rival Geist!!
Danniel Thomas-Dodd won a SP with her 60-6.75!
This breaks her own National Record of Jamaica!!
Penn State saw a good SP duel.
Darrell Hill's 67-4.75 prevailed over Ashinia Miller's 67-0.
Annette Echikunwoke's WT sailed out to 77-8.75!
She moves from 8th A-T Collegiate to 6th!
She becomes 9th A-T US, and 12th A-T World!

A few more marks!!
These in the Jumps Dept!

But I'll open by saying that Janay DeLoach Soukup is pregnant--due this spring!
AND---she has retired!!

Kate Hall's 21-6 beat Tara Davis's 21-1.25 in the LJ!
Randall Cunniingham won a HJ at 7-4.50, then failed 3 times at 7-5.75!!
Donald Scott TJ'ed 55-4.25!
At Texas Tech, THREE Men HJ'ed 7-6.50!!
Jeron Robinson was the winner, with Trey Culver in 2nd, and Frosh Vernon Turner 3rd!!
Turner's mark becomes the Collegiate Frosh Class Record!!
He's 17th A-T Collegiate, tied with ELEVEN others!!
In Seattle, Django Lovett got over 7-6!
Uber-Vet Brittney Reese LJ'ed 21-6.75, beating Christobel Nettey's 21-6.25!

Mariya Lasitskene continues her domination of the Women's HJ--her latest being an INdoor PR of 6-8.25!!
She moves from 11th A-T World, tied with 3 others, to 8th, where she's also tied with 3 others!
Fellow Russian Danyil Lysenko HJ'ed 7-9.25.
This makes him 18th A-T World, tied with 6 others!!
Moving OUTdoors for a second, Eliza McCartney returned from injury in a big way!
She went over 15-5, then missed 3 tries at 15-10--with tries 1 & 3 being termed "good"!!

FINALLY---Yes, REALLY!!--I have some results from this morning's Osaka Women's Marathon!!
Winner was Mizuki Matsuda's 2:22:44!
She beat the 2:23:48 of Honami Maeda!!
In 12th was the American Esther Atkins, whose 2:36:57 qualifies her for the OT Marathon!!

Thank you for hanging in there!!
See you soon!