Star Power at TX, FL & Stanford

Don't read the title wrong!
There was much more going down this weekend than the "Star Power" of Mondo Duplantis at the Texas Relays, Sydney McLaughlin at the Florida Relays, or Gwen Jorgensen & Karissa Schweizer in the Stanford Invitational 10000!!
But you still had to shade your eyes when seeing what these MEGA stars did!!
It was simply amazing!!

The Men's "elite" PV at the Texas meet was long-awaited---
Through the days-long agony of the battle to allow Duplantis to even compete there without fear of losing the remainder of his HS eligibility in Louisiana!!
Then through an unexplained delay of almost an hour from the originally scheduled start-time!

But when the dust had settled--and after the wannabes had XXX'd out of the comp--there stood Shawn Barber, Renaud Lavillenie, and Mondo, all seeking a 19-5 clearance!
Barber & Mondo opened at 17-11.25.
Renaud & Shawn made 18-5.25, while Mondo passed!
Then all 3 made 18-9.25!
(Remember, we're speaking of the INdoor WR holder, the rejuvenated Canadian, and the High Schooler!)
At 19-1, Lavillenie made it on 1st try, Duplantis passed, while Barber failed his initial try, then passed!
The Frenchman and the Canadian made 19-5 on first attempt, while Duplantis needed all 3 to make it!!
So Lavillenie got the Texas Relays Meet Record!
Barber got a nice comebacking mark to boost his confidence!
But it was Mondo who took home the bacon & the flashy swag!!
He gets the HSR, the Senior Class Record, the Age 18 Record, and the National Record of Sweden!!
The only thing he missed was making my World DDD---by 1.25 inches!!
(BTW, all 3 got XXX at 19-9!!)

While we're on the PV, let's clear the decks!
In the Women's elite portion of the TX meet, Jenn Suhr recertified why she's the Queen of US Vaulting--no matter who else might beat her!!
Madison Heath became 24th A-T Collegiate, tied with 5 others, when she PR'ed at 14-7.25!
Annie Rhodes-Johnigan, Tori Hoggard, and Morgann LeLeux all made 14-9, but no more!
Lexi Jacobus was all alone in 3rd when she made 14-11.
But Virginia Tech's Frosh from Sweden--Lisa Gunnarsson--may finally be reaching the vast potential she first showed as a prodigal 15 year old!
Her make at 15-1 makes her 7th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!!

Then there was Jenn!
Her 15-10 clearance broke her own Texas Relays Meet Record and Age 36 Record!!
She took 3 shots at 16-5.25!!

The College Boys were not to be denied!
At least not Devin King and Chris Nilsen, who each topped 19-0.25!
King moves from 12th A-T Collegiate to 7th, tied with 3 others!
Nilsen moves from 19th A-T Collegiate, tied with 7 others, to 7th, tied with 3 others!
Both become 24th A-T US, tied with 9 others, including each other!

Oh, Sydney, Sydney---and I speak not of the site of the 2000 Olympics!!
What CAN'T this girl do??
She began her Florida Relays extravaganza with a 200 PR of 22.39!!
Helped by a 1.5 wind, she's now 22nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
This, in an event she rarely runs, and where her previous OUTdoor PR was a HS time of 22.96!
Not only that, but the 100H WR holder--Kendra Harrison--finished a far back 2nd in 22.81!

24 hours later, she's on the track again---and the track is WET---and she steams through to an incredible 50.07 full lap!!
From lane 6 (??), she was ahead of everyone by 275 meters!!
The announcer said she'd passed 300 in 36-something---shades of her INdoor time over 300 meters of 36.12 from December!!
While tightening up some over the last 50 or so---with Sharrika Barnett moving up---she ended with the Frosh Class Record and the Florida Relays Meet Record!
She's now 2nd A-T Collegiate!
She misses the US list by 0.01 seconds!!
On my Combined Events list for the US 400-400H, her time of 1:43.89 (50.07 & 53.82) moves her from 7th A-T to 5th!
Barnett ended with a good PR of 50.93!!

Then came the meet-ending 4X400's!
In the Women's race, Kentucky won with a new School Record of 3:26.92.
(They move from 16th A-T School to 9th!!)
As for McL, her 3rd leg timed out at 49.45!!
22.39, 50.07, and 49.45 Relay!!
Not bad for an 18 year old juggling Frosh!!
BTW, Purdue finished 2nd in the Relay with 3:28.52.
They become 17th A-T School!!

Stanford---no matter the name of the specific meet (Stanford or Cardinal Invite, or the Payton Jordan)--is known best for their distance races!
And they once again produced!
The featured race was the Women's 10K--because Tri-athlete-turned Marathoner Gwen Jorgensen & Collegiate stud-horse Karissa Schweizer were going head to head!!
Jorgensen was a new mother, and her only previous track 10K was well into the 33's, and years ago!
Schweizer had never run one!

While hoping for a Collegiate Record, it really all depended on what Jorgensen chose to do!
I figured Schweizer would follow Gwen's lead--literally!!
Yet it was the Mizzou girl who took the reins when the pace wasn't to her liking!
Trading the lead, they cruised through a long series of 77's--off by 2-3 seconds per lap from CR pace--hitting 5000 in 16:04!
Joining them up front was 34 year old journeywoman Carrie Dimoff!
When crunch time came, Jorgensen took off, opened a 5 meter gap, which she held to the line, time of 31:55.68!!
Dimoff shocked some by ending 2nd in 31:57.85!!
Schweizer held most of her ground, timed in 32:00.55!!
This makes her 8th A-T Collegiate!

Others ran well too!
Alice Wright's 32:15.73 in 4th was a PR by about 14 seconds, moving her from 24th A-T Collegiate to 17th!
Sharon Lokedi was 5th in 32:21.19.
This makes her 21st A-T Collegiate!
Paige Stoner's 32:23.38 in 6th makes her 24th A-T Collegiate!!

Knocked OFF my Collegiate list was Sylvia Mosqueda's 32:28.57 from 1988--which was the Collegiate Record at that time!!
I saw that race in person at Hayward Field!!

I COULD make this a TWO-post affair--but I won't!
I just don't want to get into that habit!
So the rest of this report will be the usual "by-event-group" listing!

Field Events
The most astounding leap forward--pun intended!!--came from Oiselle's Tori Franklin in the Triple Jump!!
Owning a 46-5.25 OUTdoor PR from 2017, her first legal effort measured 45-11.50.
Then she bounded out to 47-1.50!!
This moved her from 17th A-T US to 5th!
Her 3rd legal try measured 47-6.25!!
This moved her from 5th to 2nd--behind only AR holder Keturah Orji!!
It's also the Texas Relays Meet Record!!

Nick Miller improved his National Record of Great Britain with a HT of 256-10 at Stanford!
Reggie Jagers got a big PR in the Discus Throw with his 214-9 at Texas.
Two HS girls--Nastassja Campbell and Mackenzie Hayward (only a Junior)--cleared 14-0 in the PV!
Both became 7th A-T HS, tied with 5 others!
We suddenly have a new HS star in the Javelin Throw!
Tzuriel Pedigo began his series with a PR of 230-1.
This made him 13th A-T HS!
He improved in Round 6 to 234-11--moving him from 13th to 7th!!
Sondre Guttormsen PV'ed 17-11 for an OUTdoor PR, and 12th A-T HS!!

Jasmine Moore TJ'ed 44-1, moving her from 8th A-T HS to 6th!
Serena Brown's DT of 198-1 at Texas misses the Collegiate list by 1 inch!!
Jeron Robinson HJ'ed 7-7 at Texas, missing the US list by 0.75 inches!!
Tray Oates PV'ed 18-6.75 at Florida!
A Florida State Senior--Austin Droogsma--SP'ed 66-8 at Florida.
Stanford's Lena Giger improved her SP mark to 57-9.50, while Valerie Allman had a DT of 199-0!!
Texas opened their meet with good Multi's marks of 5946 for Taliyah Brooks, and 8046 for Hunter Veith!
Anderson Peters threw the Javelin a non-PR distance of 267-7!
And Denzel Comenentia sent his HT out 250-3!!
This gave him the National Record of the Netherlands!
And makes him 9th A-T Collegiate!

Distances (Including Distance-oriented Relays)
Stanford set Allie Ostrander loose in the 3000SC!
Her unexpected PR of 9:38.57 moves her from 13th A-T Collegiate to 8th!
It also gets her the Stanford Invite Meet Record, and makes her 22nd A-T US!!
Marie Bouchard of San Francisco ran 9:47.03 in 2nd, missing the Collegiate list by 0.73 seconds!!
Texas saw a good DMR, with the Clemson Women edging those from Texas A&M--11:08.71 to 11:09.43!
Clemson's time makes them 24th A-T School!!

Drew Hunter made his return from injury a good one.
He ended 2nd (to Peter Callahan's 3:38.41) in the Stanford 1500--time of 3:39.49.
He also ran the 800 in 1:49 and change, ending well behind Nigel Amos's 1:44.65!!
Amos will be in the Commonwealth Games next week!!

Texas A&M's Women joined together in the 4 X 800 Relay, their 8:29.25 netting them their School Record and the Texas Relays Meet Record!
Clemson finished 2nd in a good 8:30.58!
Claudia Saunders won the 800 at the Raleigh Relays in 2:02.86!
The Hoka NJ/NY TC got wins for both genders in Florida's 4 X 800's!
The Women ran 8:24.79 for the Florida Relays Meet Record!
The Men won in 7:18.29!

Stanford's Men's 10000 went to Vincent Kiprop--time of 28:19.07!
Lopez Lomong ended 2nd in 28:21.37!
Oregon's Lilli Burdon defeated Indiana's Katherine Receveur in the 5000--15:42.65 to 15:43.26!

And the Sprints--Relays and Open races!
Steven Gardiner ran the 200 in 20.20 in Florida, wind of 2.0.
Christian Taylor opened his 2018 with a 400 of 45.48--not a PR!
Tamari Davis ran a good 11.29 in her heat, while taking the final in 11.34!
Wind was 0.5 for the heat, but she misses my HS DDD by 0.03 seconds!!
Anthony Schwartz zipped his 100 heat in 10.18--max 2.0 wind--then took the final in 10.16, with a 1.7 breeze.
Jazmine Camacho-Quinn ran AGAINST a wind of 0.8, but timed her 100H in 12.77 anyway!!
Grant Holloway's 13.45 in the 110H used a wind of 0.7!

Newly-married--and returning from a 2017 ban!!--Brianna Rollins McNeal sped the 100H in 12.62, aided by the max 2.0!
But her first race was actually her heat of 12.70, where her wind was just 1.3!
She also won the 200 in 23.12--wind of 0.9!

Another beginning anew--as a Professional!!--was Hannah Cunliffe!
In her initial Pro races, she ran on 2 Relays--USA Red's winning 1:34.62 in the 4 X 200 (led off!), and their 43.88 in the 4 X 100!!

Elijah Hall proved his INdoor antics were for real!
He anchored Houston's 4 X 200 Relay of 1:21.20!
But he REALLY tore things up with his 200 winner of 20.11!
He misses the Collegiate DDD by 0.04 seconds!
And he beat Dedric Duke's 20.27!
Wind was 1.6.
LSU's Women ran their 4 X 100 in 42.66!

The USA Red 4 X 400 team was solid--members being Quanera Hayes, Shamier Little, Ashley Spencer, and Courtney Okolo!!
Their time was 3:26.16, beating USA Blue's 3:27.32!
Despite having Justin Gatlin lead off their 4 X 100, the USA Red team lost to the Dominican Republic--38.89 to 38.96.
Also running 38.96 were 3rd placer's USA Blue!
Pure Athletics ran 1:28.77 in the 4 X 200, tying the Florida Relays Meet Record!
Their Men's team also won--time of 1:20.79!
USA Red took the Florida 4 X 400 in 3:27.07!
The final Florida race was the Men's 4 X 400!
And Florida won with a good 3:01.00!!

The Texas Relays always produces a long list of wind-aided times---some HEAVILY windy!!
They did it again!!
Aleia Hobbs's 10.93 100 had a small aid of 2.2!
But her final had a larger 3.7--and her time of 10.86 showed it!!
Tara Davis won her 100H race in 13.04, but she had a wind of 3.2 to help her!
Damion Thomas's 13.43 over 110H  had a 3.6!
But Rochelle Burton had the fastest 100H---her 12.64 aided by a 3.3 blast!
Tonea Marshall was 2nd in that race with a good 12.73!!
Gabby Thomas's 22.13 over 200 meters had a humongous 4.6 to push her along!
Then there was Blessing Okagbare's 10.72 Century--with a mere 2.7 behind her!!

One news item of note--Jenny Simpson is entered in the Doha 3000--against Helen Obiri!!
Speculation is already rampant on whether Mary Slaney's AR of 8:25.83 will survive!!
I'm saying it will NOT!!

Thanks for hanging in there!!
See you soon with more great Records & Marks!!