Shanghai's DL was a meet where expectations (wishes, hopes, dreams) crashed into the proverbial wall of reality!!
It's against the law of T&F nature to run Records in an early season meet!
But Shanghai's two featured races did provide some wicked runs!
Abderrahman Samba beat Rai Benjamin in the 400H
Salwa Naser beat Sydney McLaughlin in the flat 400!
Benjamin had the lead through 300 meters and into the straight!
But he broke his rhythm on a late hurdle, and Samba's smooth-appearing long stride overtook him!
He powered through the line in 47.27, the year's fastest time--and reportedly the fastest time run in May!
Benjamin's 47.80 was--shock!--his 2nd best time after last year's 47.02!!
Samba got the Meet Record!!
For that Women's race, it came down to a matter of race strategy!
McLaughlin tends to close hard, while Naser goes out fast--and holds it!
To a T, that's how it went!
Naser sprinted out to a lead she never relinquished!
McLaughlin came on strong down the final straight, but just missed nabbing the Gold!
The score was 50.65 to 50.78 at the tape!!
But excellent races--losing to the highest of expectations!!
The longest races got the year's Leaders, but nothing near what they wanted!1
The Men's 5000 was still a race when the rabbits left after 3K!
One lap slowed to 66, and that nailed the lid on a sub-13 time!
Yomif Kejelcha's 3:47 INdoor Mile speed prevailed in 13:04.16!
Selemon Barega and Hagos Gebrhiwet both ended sub-13:05 as well!
The Women's Steeple was easily won by WR holder Beatrice Chepkoeach, as her 9:04.53 Meet Record won by 7 seconds!!
More from Shanghai later!
Remember Kenny Bednarek's emergence INdoors when he ran 20.30 as a Junior College Frosh??
OUTdoors, he opened his season with 20.29!
Safe to say those runs did NOT give any hints of what he would do at the JUCO Champs!!
His heat took all of 19.82 seconds!!
That cut his PR by a mere 0.47 seconds!
It's obviously a JC Record, but if you count him as a Collegiate runner (as I do!!), then he is now 3rd A-T on that list!!
I've always ignored Divisions in the Collegiate circle.
But what about the Community (or Junior) Colleges?
They're 2 year schools, from which athletes transfer to 4 year schools to finish their education!
Should a JC athlete be penalized for BEING a Collegiate athlete??
Whatever the official decision is, his 19.82 still is the third fastest ever run by someone calling himseelf a College student!!
BTW, that ranks him 13th A-T US, and misses the World list by just 0.02 seconds!!
But he wasn't done!
No, the final took a measly 19.49---simply the fastest EVER windy Men's 200!!!
(Yes, faster LEGAL times have been run, but none this fast with a wind at their back!!
Said wind, BTW, was a powerful 6.1!!
We have a new STUD in the sprints!!
While on that subject, Michael Norman showed his March lap of 43.45 wasn't a fluke!
He ran the Osaka 200 in 19.84, tying his 2018 PR!!
The Women's 1500 also saw a 2019 Leader!
In a close finish, Rababe Arafi's 4:01.15 beat Gudef Tsegay by 0.10---with several more close behind!
Back in 9th or so came Alexa Efraimson, her 4:04.53 taking over the US lead for the year!!
The Shanghai Men's 100 was yet another "showdown" race!
Noah Lyles vs Christian Coleman--with a few supporting players!
Coleman held a big lead with 30 meters to go, and seemed the probable winner!
Then from nowhere came Lyles, whose final 20 meters has to be the fastest ever!
Coleman was still sprinting hard when the finish line dips came!
The W went to Lyles--by a whisker!!
Both were timed in 9.86!!
For Lyles, it was a PR, and makes him 8th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
He's 17th A-T World, tied with 6 others!!
Bingtian Su was 3rd in 9.95, while Britain's Reece Prescod got under 10 with his 9.97!!
Other Shanghai news---
Aleaia Hobbs won the 100 in 11.03.
Blesing Okagbare was 2nd in 11.05!
The Women's PV saw Ekaterina Stefanidi, Nikoleta Kiriakopoulou, Li Lang, and Sandi Morris all clear 15-5.75--in that order!
The Women's JT went to Huihui Lyu's 219-5, a Meet Record!
Chase Ealey got her first DL win with a SP of 62-3.75!
Omar McLead took the Men's 110H in 13.12!
Aaron Brown beat Andre DeGrasse in a battle of Canadians in the 200--20.07 to 20.21!
The meet once known as the Oxy Invitational--now the USATF Distance Classic--produced some good times, but no Meet Records!
In case you forgot, this is the meet where Mary Cain ran her HSR of 4:04.62, and where Mo Farah ran the 5000 in 13:12!
Rachel Schneider was the surprise winner of the Women's 5000, her 15:06.71 a big PR!
She beat Aisha Praught-Leer's 15:07.50!
But Praught-Leer nabbed the National Record of Jamaica!!
Stephanie Bruce got a PR in 4th, time of 15:17.76!
Not bad for a multi-Mom, age 34, and training as a Marathoner!!
Clay Murphy won the 800 in 1:46.10.
Nokki Hiltz won the 1500 in 4:07.71.
Karissa Schweizer was 2nd in 4:08.51, while Konstanze Klosterhalfen took 3rd in 4:09.16!
KK had run very poorly in the earlier 800--won by Kate Grace in 2:02 and change!!
Lawi Lalang ran away with the Men's 5000 in 13:25.14!
The Tucson Elite Throwers Meet saw Ryan Crouser throw the SP 74-4.50!
Sean Donnelly improved his HT to 253-3!
In an earlier race, Syd the Kid ran her first 400H of the year--time of 54.14!
This tied the Age 19 Record!!
Shadae Lawrence keeps improving in the DT!
Her latest distance was 213-5 at the Mountain West Conference--a Meet Record--and breaking her own National Record of Jamaica!!
Channel Brissett ran the 100H in 12.70!
She's 17th A-T Collegiate, tied with 4 others!
Forgot to mention the Shanghai Men's JT--taken by Andreas Hofmann's 287-3!
Keturah Orji won a LJ with her 22-3.75!
Kendra Harrison ran a World Leader in the 100H--12.47!
Finally, Kayla Davis ran the 400 in 52.08.
Big whoop??
YES, when you're told she's a HS Frosh, Age 15!!
Her time is the Frosh Class Record!!
Those so called NCAA "Regionals" are next up!
YAWN!!
See you soon!
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