Prefontaine Classic of 2021

 Although I promised a separate post covering just the Two Mile races, I decided--upon seeing the results--that a separate post wasn't necessary!
However, read on to find what DID happen in those events, and everything else at the "new" Hayward Field!

Things began Friday evening with some distance races, mostly for Women.
The first Men's mile saw Brit Geordie Beamish (LOVE that name!!) win in 3:54.86!
Then Rebecca Mehra took the 1st Women's 1500 in 4:06.35!

Special Note on the Women's Two Mile--
Francine Niyonsaba is a woman with higher than normal levels of testosterone, and was limited by World Athletics to running only certain distances.
However, my FIRM belief is that testosterone high women should be banned from ALL Track events!
Thus Niyonsaba's mark is NOT considered legal by this blog!
So my lists and records do NOT include her time!
Argue your points if you want, my mind is made up!

So MY winner of the Deuce was Letesenbet Gidey, with her great 9:06.74!
It's a Meet Record, and ranks 2nd A-T World!
Helen Obiri's 9:14.55 ranks 9th A-T World, and gets her the Age 31 Record!
Konstanze Klosterhalfen's 9:18.16 is the Age 24 Record, Germany's National Record, and ranks her 13th A-T World!
Amy Eloise-Markovic finished 4th in 9:21.98.
She's ranked 18th A-T World!

Elise Cranny ran 9:22.44 in 5th.
She ranks 5th A-T US, and 20th A-T World!
Well back in 6th was Katie Wasserman's 9:40.82.
Shockingly, that actually ranks her 11th A-T US!
Katie Rainsberger's 9:41.79 ranks her 14th A-T US!

Sifan Hassan's announced WR attempt in the 5000 ended Friday's program, but her 14:27.89 fell well short!
But she won easily over Senbere Teferi's 14:42.25 and Fantu Worku's 14:42.85!
Back in 5th came American Alicia Monson!
Her 14:48.49 is her first sub-15, and ranks her 8th A-T US!
Abbey Cooper also PR'ed, her 14:52.37 ranking her 13th A-T US!

Andre De Grasse sprinted a windy (2.9) 100 in 9.74!
Then Noah Lyles showed how it's done in the 200, his 19.52 the Age 24 Record and the Meet Record!
Kenny Bednarek's solid 19.80 looked snail pace in comparison!
Lyles's brother Josephus PR'ed in 3rd with 20.03!
(Fastest brothers act in history??)
Rai Benjamin took 5th in 20.16!

Marco Arop is consistent over 800 meters, as his 1:44.51 took the race here!
The Bowerman Mile was going to be a showdown between Tim Cheruiyot and Jakob Ingebrigtsen!
Hardly!
When the youngster starts moving, do NOT get in his way--he'll cut you to pieces!!
His 3:47.24 is the fastest ever Mile run OUTdoors in the United States!!
It of course gets the MR, and it breaks his own National Record of Norway.
He ranks 8th A-T World!
Stew McSweyn fought hard, but lost to Jakob's kick, despite running 3:48.40, just 0.03 off his PR!
Cheruiyot was really never in it, but his 3:51.17 took 3rd!
Ronald Kwemoi ran 3:51.31 in 4th, beating the 3:51.63 PR by Ollie Hoare!
Matthew Centowitz finished 9th in 3:53.32!

Knocked OFF my World DDD was Steve Ovett's 3:48.40 from 1981!!

The Men's Two Mile was far better than the Women's, but still not as good as it COULD have been!
Josh Cheptegei won it in 8:09.55.

Selemon Barega was close behind in 8:09.82.
And he JUST nipped Paul Chelimo's 8:09.83!
But the American nabbed the Age 30 Record!
Jacob Kiplimo's 8:10.16 gets him the best 4th Place mark, and ranks him 12th A-T World!
Berihu Aregawa ran 8:11.04 for the best 5th Place mark.
He ranks 15th A-T World.

Two Americans were next in good times.
Grant Fisher's 8:11.09 is the best 6th Place mark.
He ranks 3rd A-T US, and 16th A-T World!
Joe Klecker ran 8:11.55 for the best 7th Place mark!
He ranks 5th A-T US, and 18th A-T World!

Place Records continued to be broken!
Mark Lomuket's 8:15.54 is the best 8th Place mark!
N Melok (sp?) ran 8:16.75 for the best 9th Place mark.
And Michael Kibet's 8:18.01 ranks as the best 10th Place mark.
(My Records only go through 10th Place for this event!)
But in 12th came Luis Grijalva's 8:21.98, which gets him Guatemala's National Record!

The 4P man, Pedro Pablo Pichardo, won the TJ easily, his 57-10.25 pummeling Hughes Zango's 56-2!
Ryan Crouser destroyed the Prefontaine MR with his 75-11.50 in the Shot Put!
Joe Kovacs took 2nd with his 71-11.75--a decent mark, but FOUR FEET behind Crouser's best!
Darlan Romani's 71-2 beat Tom Walsh's 70-2.25 for 3rd!

And then came THE RACE of (pun intended) the CENTURY!
All of the Tokyo podium was there--meaning the 3 Jamaicans.
Oh yeah, that brash (to be nice) blonde tressed (this time!) joint smoker was there also!
SAFP, ET-H, SJ, and (drum roll, please!) Sha'Carri Richardson!

When the smoke faded, and the fire on the track was extinguished, Elaine Thompson-Herah had run a World Rec...um, er...the 2nd (??) fastest time EVER, behind only Flojo's ever-controversial and debated 10.49!!
Out in front by 25 meters, she steam rolled down Hayward's speedy track, leaving maybe the greatest field in 100 meter history in her wake!
It's the Meet Record, Jamaica's National Record, and the Age 29 Record!
As noted, she's 2nd A-T World!

Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce ran 10.73, but looked to be in another race!!
But she tied for the best 2nd Place mark!
Shericka Jackson's 10.76 tied for the best 3rd Place mark!
Then came Teahna Daniels's 10.83, crushing her old PR!
It's the best 4th Place mark, and ranks her 14th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Another trio ended sub-11--Marie Josee Ta Lou's 10.90 beat the 10.96 of Javianne Oliver, with Mujinga Kambundji's 10.96 taking 7th!
Brianna Williams ran 11.09.
Richardson??
DEAD LAST in 11.14!!

Maybe she's learned a lesson here--STFU and GROW UP!!

BTW, ET-H's 10.54 and 21.53 adds to 32.07, 2nd A-T World on that Combined Events list!

As with the Men's 100, the Women's 200 was spoiled by a wind of 2.4.
Ms Kambundji surprised Gabby Thomas and Dina Asher-Smith, winning in 22.06!

Athing Mu ended her 2021 campaign by breaking her own Americaan Record in the 800!
And I think she was actually aiming at a possible World Record!
After a first 400 of 55.4, she passed 600 in 1:24.4.
But then she faded to a 30.6, ending in her new AR of 1:55.04!
She also breaks the MR, and her own Age 19 Record!
She ranks 7th A-T World!
Her 49.57 and 1:55.04 adds to 2:44.61, keeping her 4th A-T World, and making her 1st for the US!

Kate Grace took a far back 2nd in 1:57.60, followed by Natoya Goule's 1:57.71 and Raevyn Rogers's 1:58.01.
Ajee Wilson ended in 7th with her 2:00.21.
Just one of those days!

Faith Kipyegon broke her own Meet Record with her runaway 3:53.23!
Linden Hall ran 3:59.73 in 2nd, with Josette Norris a solid 3rd in 4:00.07!
Laura Muir tried to stay with Kipyegon, but faded badly over the last 300, ending 12th in 4:05.92!!

Courtney Frerichs is fast (pun intended!) becoming the US's premier Steeplechaser, with Emma Coburn having a generally down season (although pretty good compared to other Americans).
Norah Tanui took just 2:55 for her 1st K, with Frerichs fairly close!
They tangled for most of the next 2K, but Tanui's kick took her to a big win in 8:53.65!
It's the MR and ranks 3rd A-T World!
Her Combined Events times of 8:33.61 and 8:53.65 adds to 17:27.26, which ranks her 2nd A-T World!

For Frerichs, her 8:57.77 cuts over 3 seconds from her previous AR!!
She gets the Age 28 Record.
She ranks 4th A-T World, and gets the best 2nd Place mark!
Her 8:47.90 and 8:57.77 adds to 17:45.67, making her 8th A-T World and 2nd A-T US (behind one Jenny Simpson!!).

Hyvin Jepkemoi just can NOT get under 9 minutes!!
Her PR is 9:00.01, and her 9:00.05 here has to bother her just a bit!
(She's also run 9:00.12!!)
Anyway, she does get the Age 29 Record and the best 3rd Place mark!!
Winfred Yavi's 9:04.27 took 4th, with Celliphine Chespol's 9:07.07 beating Gesa Krause's 9:07.61 for 5th!
Another good time was Peruth Chemutai's 9:10.07!
Marissa Howard PR'ed, her 9:22.69 ranking her 8th A-T US!

Delilah Muhammad had it easy in a 400H absent WR holder Syd McLaughlin and Femke Bol!
Her 52.77 was far ahead of Shamier Little's 53.79.
Gianna Woodruff's 54.20 just nipped her own National Record of Panama!

Iryna Hereshchenko and Vashti Cunningham needed a jump-off to determine the winner.
Hereshchenko's 6-6 beat Vashti's 6-6!
Finally (at Pre), for some reason, most of the Women's PV was a miss menagerie!
Surviving best was Katie Nageotte, who won with 15-9.75!
Holly Bradshaw cleared 15-5.75 in 2nd, with Olivia Gruver topping 14-10!
No one else bettered 14-4, with Ekaterina Stefanidi No Heighting!!

I have a few other marks to report--from before Pre--
Josette Norris ran a Mile in 4:25.92, ranking her 23rd A-T US!
Marvin Bracy sprinted a 100 in a PR-tying 9.85!
Rebecca Mehra is coming on--doubling in the 800 and 1500 with 2:00.82 and 4:04.90!
The latter time was courtesy of a 60.82 final 400!!

Jessica Ramsey threw the SP 63-0.25!
Ferdinand Omwura broke the Kenya NR with his 100 of 9.86!
He ranks 23rd A-T World, tied with a whopping 9 others!
J Joseph sped the 110H in 13.12, getting Switzerland's NR!
And Ajia Del Ponte broke her own NR of Switzerland with her Century of 10.90!
She also PR'ed in the 200 with 22.38!

Sydney McLaughlin made HUGH news with a highly emotional, tear-laden Instagram video lasting over 10 minutes!
Her main point was how she's never sought celebrity, and was in despair over some of the messages she received on social media!
She said all she wanted was respect!
You really need to watch it to get everything she said.
Beware--you WILL start crying also--as I did--while watching!

But then she Insta'ed again, this time with a beautiful photo of her husband to be (a Pro football player!), in which he's on his knees apparently proposing.
She wears a beautiful dress and carries a bouquet of flowers!

Allyson Felix appeared on Jimmy Kimmel's show, and said kind words about Sha'Carri Richardson.
Which that little Diva apparently did not appreciate!
She tweeted some DISS shit at the 11 time Olympic medalist!!

Get a life, Sweetheart!!

Up next are the Lausanne and Paris DL's!!

2021 Tokyo Olympics (Best & Worst, More or Less)

Let's begin with the obvious--

Longest Olympics Ever?
These, of course!
It ended about a year after they were scheduled to begin!
Was it worth the wait?
Let's take a peek!

World Records
The Women nabbed 2, the Men one!
Sydney McLaughlin's 51.46 in the 400H, and Yulimar Rojas's 51-5 in the Triple Jump!
The Men's sole WR was Karsten Warholm's 45.94 in the 400H
Warholm's was the best, followed by Rojas, then Syd!

American Records
Rai Benjamin's 400H of 46.17 actually broke the WR also, if only Warholm hadn't done it first--in the same race!
McLaughlin's 51.46, obviously!
Ironic a bit, but Delilah Muhammad's 51.58 Silver WOULD have been the WR & AR (a la Benjamin!) if only The Kid hadn't gotten there first!
Anyway, besides the 400H, we enjoyed Athing Mu's 1:55.21 AR in the 800!
Sad that the former AR holder didn't make the Final!

Meet Records
This one gets a bit tricky on the Men's side.
Do I count only the LAST Meet Record, or all of them?
You see, Ryan Crouser had the audacity (& talent!) to smash the Shot Pur MR THREE times!
First was 74-11, then 75-2.75, finally to 76-5.50!
Same with the Men's 1500, but by 2 different Men!
Abel Kipsang broke it first in his Semi, running 3:31.65.
Then Jakob Ingebrigtsen smashed that one by more then 3 seconds in the Final with his 3:28.32!
Then there was Warholm's 45.94, and Damian Warner's 9018 Decathlon!
For the Women, we had Faith Kipyegon's 3:53.11, Elaine Thompson-Herah's 10.61, Syd's 51.46,, Yulimar's 51-5 in the TJ, and Jasmine Camacho Quinn's 12.26, run in her Semi!!
Total of 12--7 for the Men, 5 for the Women!

Place Records
By my count, we saw 23 Place Records broken or tied in these Games!
The Men's 400H did a clean sweep, with ALL the Places from 2nd through 8th wiped from the Books!
(T&FN has 1st Place Records, but I see those as redundant, since 1st is obviously the WR!!)
Five fell in the 4 X 400 Relay, two in the 4 X 100 Relay, and 1 in the 200!
The Women's 400H also topped this list, but they got "just" 4 there!
Add 2 from the 4 X 100 Relay, and 1 each from the 4 X 400 Relay and the 100.
So 11 of the 23 were broken in one event!!

OK, those are the basics!
Now we come to opinions--MINE!
No committees or groups, just me!

Best Performances--MEN
1. Warholm's 45.94
2. Ingebrigtsen's 3:28.32
3. Ryan Crouser's 76-5.50
4. Damian Warner's 9018
5. Andre De Grasse's 19.62
6. USA's 2:55.70

Best Performances--WOMEN
1. Rojas's 51-5
2. McLaughlin's 51.46
3. ET-H's 10.61 
4. ET-H's 21.53
5. Jamaica's 41.02
6. USA's 3:16.85

Best US Performances--MEN
1. Benjamin's 46.17
2. Crouser's 76-5.50
3. The 2:55.70
4. Noah Lyles's 19.74
5. Cole Hocker's 3:31.40
6. Chris Nilsen's 19-7

Best US Performances--WOMEN
1. McLaughlin's 51.46
2. Athing Mu's 1:55.21
3. Molly Seidel's Bronze
4. Allyson Felix's 49.46
5. Muhammad's 51.58
6. Katie Nageotte's 16-0.75

Best Event Depth--MEN
Come on!  The 400H, duh!
The 4 X 400 Relay.
And the 1500!

Best Event depth--WOMEN
The 400H wins here also!
That 800!
The 400 was pretty decent too!

Best Shocks--MEN
We expected the 400H WR of 46.70 to go down.
My Preview guessed 46.50 (or faster), but I was a tad uneasy about saying even that!!
So that 45.94 easily wins my SHOCK prize!
Strong Honorable Mention to Lamont Jacobs's 9.80!
Not so much for the time, but WHO took Gold!!
Special Mention goes to the TIE between Mutaz Barshim and Gianmarco Tamberi in the HJ!
Who but two CLASSY gentlemen would voluntarily give up sole possession of the Gold??!!!

Best Shocks--WOMEN
She was running with a Woman whose WR was 11:09 faster than she'd ever run (in her two previous marathons)!!
Not to mention MANY others with PR's faster than her's!
Molly Seidel's Bronze was the Women's SHOCK of the Games for me!
HM's goes to ET-H's double Gold!
I truly thought SAFP would take the 100!

Worst Shocks--MEN
Johannes Vetter's EIGHTH PLACE in the JT!!
How much cash was lost in bets here?
HM's go to the crash that took down Nijel Amos and Isaiah Jewett in the 800 Semi!
Amos was sent to the Final, where he didn't do so hot!
Add Grant Holloway's getting "only" silver to this lot!
I mean, the guy was a LOCK for Gold, right??

Worst Shocks--WOMEN
Emma Coburn was on her way to breaking 9:00 in a recent race, but went for a swim in the water pit first!
So her falling, but finishing anyway (in 9:41), and then getting Disqualified was merely adding insult to injury!
Ajee Wilson not making the Final!
Sandi Morris's pole breaking, shaking her up, then not even Q'ing for the Final!
What happened to Maggie Malone, the AR holder?
Ditto for DeAnna Price in the HT!

The Veteran's Prize--MEN
Eliud Kipchoge crushed a 14:24 5K split late in the Marathon, winning easily, on a day he'd rather be anywhere else but Sapporo!
Hansle Parchment had been around, and wasn't cotton candy!
But beating Grant Holloway??
Nick Willis broke the Age 38 Record, despite his 3:35.41 being comparatively pedestrian!

The Veteran's Prize--WOMEN
Who else but Allyson Felix??
49.46 in the open 400, then 49.54 split in the Relay!
Her Age 35 Record could last awhile!
Valerie Adams taking Bronze in the SP--with TWO fairly recent births behind her!
Add Anita Wlodarczyk.
She got the Age 35 Record and the Gold!

Best Teenager--MEN
Erriyon Knighton!!
He'll be 17 for a few more months, yet proved he belonged with the likes of Noah Lyles and Andre De Grasse!
What would you expect from someone who broke Usain Bolt's Age 17 Record earlier this year??

Best Teenager--WOMEN
Athing Mu's totally controlling the 800 (Won her Heat, Semi, and Final!), and getting the AR.
Add her 48.32 (!!) anchor for that Superstar US Relay squad, and it's merely (TONS of) icing on the cake!!
HM goes to Keely Hodgkinson, also from the 800 Final!
Broke the British Record of Kelly Holmes!
Mu and Hodgkinson are both 19!

Let's take a moment to be sad!
Granted, the degree of (and reason for) this sadness are worlds apart!
Raven Saunders's mother passed away suddenly (She was 50!) just days after seeing her daughter win the Silver in the SP.
Raven learned of this while still in Tokyo!
She's home now, taking care of arrangements for the funeral and memorials!
This, not long after going through a period of depression and mental stress!
What more must she endure?

Sam Kendricks tested positive for Covid, and was sent home before the PV Q round!
A dream gone--like that!!

Both of them will be back--stronger than ever!

Best Semi or Heat--MEN
Abel Kipsang broke the Games Record with his 3:31.65 in the 1500 Semi!
This is the kind of race I wish for in the Final--that it came in the Semi thrilled me to the core!

Best Semi or Heat--WOMEN
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn used her Semi to cement her "Favorite" status in the 100H, crushing Sally Pearson's MR of 12.35 with her 12.26!!
(She ran 12.37 in the Final!)

Let's have some fun for a bit, shall we?

Best Hair
This prize goe to Sydney McLaughlin, but only in the 4 X 400 Relay!
She normally puts her hair in "Mickey Mouse ears", probably for practical reasons!
So when she came out for the Relay, seeing her hair WILD and FRIZZY brought on a huge smile!
(Honestly?  I LOVE her hair--or any woman's!--that way!!  Keep it that way, Syd!!)
I won't give a prize for the "Worst" hair!
But weren't Shaunae Miller-Uibo's flowing PINK locks a tad garish??!!
SAFP's Jamaica colors were okay, but even that has seen better "hair days"!
(Onward, before I get into trouble with the "Women are not just their Bodies" police!  LOL)

Best Double (or Triple)--MEN
The 9.89 and 19.62 of Andre De Grasse!
He didn't medal in either, but how about JuVaughn Harrison doubling in the HJ and LJ, two disparate events!!
He HJ'ed 7-7.75 for 7th, then LJ'ed 26-10 to take 5th!!
Add Rai Benjamin's 43.5 Relay leg to his 46.17 Silver and you have a great "double"!

Best Double (or Triple)--WOMEN
Sifan Hassan's "Triple Quest"--which saw her take the 5000 and 10000 Gold, and Bronze in the 1500!
Plus, she ran Heat and Semi in the 1500, plus the 5000 Heat, the latter in a good time of 14:47.89!
That was a Triple to behold!
For Best Double, none other than Elaine Thompson-Herah's brilliant 10.61 and 21.53!!
Special Mention should go to the Women who added a strong Relay leg to their Open races!
Mu's 48.32 and her 1:55.21 were amazing!
So were Syd's & Delilah's (and Femke Bol's) "doubles".
And Felix and...!!

Which were the WORST events?
(This category always makes me ill.  Criticizing an Olympian in public isn't something I love doing!)
BULLSHIT, Mr Krohn!!
You know you SALIVATE thinking of who to pound to the ground!!
LOL

Worst Event--MEN
I choose the 800!
The high temperatures and humidity can't be blamed here, as it might be in the longer races!
No, this was just a jogfest, with all its ugly connotations!!
(With due respect & apologies to those who JOG for whatever reason!!)
But in an Olympic Final??
Going out in 54.0 is something even HS kids don't do in their Championship races!
The 10K was VERY slow!
Heat to blame?
Partially--or at least I so thought, until they blasted their last lap in 53 and change!
Then I saw it as just cowardly strategy!!
Sorry, guys!
The Women ran relatively fast in THEIR 10K--why not the Men?
Add the 400 to this pile of manure!
Even though this event has been lousy all year, I expected more in the Olympics!

Worst Event--WOMEN
The Marathon had the heat & humidity to blame for the slower times, but Molly Seidel's performance salvaged this event from the slosh pile!
The same cannot be said for the Javelin Throw.
So many crashed and burned, with marks far off their bests!
The Steeplechase was pretty soft also--or at least softer than I expected!

Worst Mistake by World Athletics (and/or other agencies)
This "prize" goes to WA allowing high testosterone Women Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi into the 200, and Francine Niyonsaba into the 5000 and 10000--despite their having a higher than normal amount of testosterone in their bodies!
Granted, they DID prevent Mboma & Masilingi from also running the 400, but I just don't understand the difference!
How can high testosterone in a Woman not make them faster and stronger than Women with "normal" amounts, no matter the distance??
WA says there IS a difference!
I disagree--100%!!
As far as I can tell, there is still a chance for their marks to be erased somewhere down the line.
As with Caster Semenya denying medals going to "testosterone normal" Women--such as Ajee Wilson and Melissa Bishop (-Nriagu)--in the past, the above named Women are doing the same here!
I stand unapologetic in my opinion on this matter!
It's the same as having a boxing match between a Bantamweight and a Heavyweight--or a race between a Wheelchair racer and one running on their feet!
It's no contest there!
Why should this be any different?

Let's end on a positive note!

Best Series in a Field Event--MEN
Not just for the Men, but for anyone at anytime!!
No one surpasses the series put (Sic!) down by Ryan Crouser in the SP!!
His 6 throws added to just over 450 feet!!
That's an AVERAGE of a wee bit over 75 feet per throw!!
Dwell on this for a second!
How many have thrown 75 feet ONCE, let alone AVERAGING that much over a 6-throw series??
Absolutely mind-bending!!

Best Series in a Field Event--WOMEN
Yulimar Rojas stunned everyone with her 51-5 Triple Jump WR!
But she had two others that measured at least 50 feet in her series!
She sailed 50-0.50 for her 1st, then added a 50-6, before crushing the World Record of Inessa Kravetts, set 26 years ago!!
There's many Women who would kill to jump 50 feet once in their lives!
To do so THREE times in a 6-rounder leaves you wondering, What's next?

So!
The 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games are finished!
Was it the Best Ever?
While I pride myself on my knowledge of T&F History, I don't have the answer!
I'll say this!
It was definitely NOT the worst!!

Back with more T&F soon!
(The Prefontaine Classic is coming, as are other DL's--plus the Collegiate & High School Cross Country seasons start soon, and then there's the Fall Marathons and other Road races!!)

Thanks for being a reader of my blog!
Much appreciated!!

2021 Tokyo Olympics (The Last Days)

The last days of any Olympics are always some of the best, as they include most of the Finals!
And these last days of Tokyo's Games were indescribably delicious!
Let me tell you why!

The Women's 4 X 400 Relay heats saw the US team of Kaylin Whitney, Wadeline Jonathas, Kendell Ellis, and Lynna Irby run 3:20.88!
Jamaica ran 3:21.95, with Poland and Great Britain following!
The Netherlands 3:24.01 is their National Record, and ranks them 16th A-T Nation!
Belgium also got an NR, their 3:24.08 ranking them 17th A-T Nation.
And Switzerland's NR of 3:25.90 ranks them 23rd A-T Nation!

Abel Kipsang proved you don't need a Final to break a Meet Record.
His 3:31.65 led the Men's 1500 Semi's, and broke the MR of 3:32.07!
Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr weren't far behind!
Charles Grathem's 3:32.86 is Luxembourg's National Record!
Rio winner Matthew Centrowitz didn't advance, despite running 3:33.69!
Neither did Nick Willis, but his 3:35.41 is the Age 38 Record!
Marcin Lewindowski and Ayanleigh Souleiman were both DNF!

The Men's 400 was a bit lackluster this year, and despite a sub-44 winner, it continued so here!

Steven Gardiner dominated with his 43.85!
Anthony Zambrano took Silver with 44.08, while Kirani James's 44.19 was 3rd!
Michael Cherry PR'ed in 4th, his 44.21 ranking him 19th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Michael Norman ended 5th in 44.31.

Nafi Thiam needed just 6791 points to win the Heptathlon!
She wasn't really challenged, though she was just 3rd after Day One!
Leading then was Anouk Vetter, with 3968 points!
She wound up 2nd with 6689!
Most surprising was Bronze winner Emma Oosterwezell, especially after being just 11th after the 200!
She moved up 8 spots with her 6590!
Second after the first day with 3941 points, Noor Vidts wound up 4th, scoring 6571.
Kendell Williams scored 6508 in 5th, with Annie Kunz getting 6th with 6420, a full 283 off her winning Trials score!
Erica Bougard ended in 9th!
Not finishing were Katerina Johnson-Thompson, Nadia Broersen, and Yorgelis Rodriguez!

Damian Warner began the Decathlon with fantastic Dec marks of 10.12 and 27-0.50!
After his 8995 at Gotzis, people were eyeing a 9000 score, and they got it here!
His 9018 crushed the MR of 8893 by 125 points!
He also broke his own Canada National Record!

He gets the Age 31 Record, and ranks 4th A-T World!
Kevin Mayer scored 8726 to take the Silver, with Bronze going to Australia's Ashley Moloney, his 8649 missing my World DDD by 18 points!
He did break his own National Record, however!
Garrett Scantling's 8611 gave him 4th!
Pierce LePage's 8604 took 5th!
Zach Ziemek's 8435 was 6th, while Steve Bastien was 10th with 8236 points!
Maicel Uibo was just 15th!
Not finishing were Thomas Van Der Plaetzen and Nicholas Kaul.
Warner's 1st day score was 4922!

The Men's 50K Walk (There wasn't any for the Women!) saw Dawid Tomala (sp?) rise to the top despite the steamy day in Sapporo!
His 3:50:08 beat the 3:50:44 of Jonathon Hilbert!
Evan Dunfee of Canada Walked 3:50:59 for the Bronze!
BTW, check out Dunfee's Twitter for some entertaining tweets!
Matej Toth ended 14th, Walking 3:56.23!
Erick Barrondo was DQ'ed, while WR holder Yohan Diniz DNF'ed!

Antonella Palmisano kept Italy's Gold streak going, winning the Women's 20K Walk in a heat slowed 1:29:12.
Sandra Arenas was 2nd in 1:29:37, with Hong Liu's 1:29:57 taking the Bronze!
Robyn Stevens's 1:37:42 gave her 33rd position, which gave her bragging rights in the Nick Christie & Robyn Stevens household!
LOL

As always in Championship 4 X 400 races, there was a plethora of National Records broken!
The US led the heats with their 2:57.77.
The team was Trevor Stewart, Randolph Ross, Bryce Deadmon, and Vernon Norwood.
Botswana ended 2nd, their 2:58.33 their NR, ranking them 8th A-T Nation!
Poland was next with 2:58.55, followed by Trinidad & Tobago's 2:58.60!
Italy's 2:58.91 is their NR, ranking them 12th A-T Nation.
The Netherlands 2:59.06 also nabbed an NR, and ranks them 14th A-T Nation.
India's 3:00.25 NR ranks them 22nd A-T Nation!

Shiying Liu's 217-11 won a fairly dry Women's Javelin Throw.
Silver went to Maria Andreaczyk's 211-11, which barely edged the 211-10 of Kelsey-Lee Barber!
America's great hope Maggie Malone couldn't connect, and ended far off her best in 10th, just behind another with problems, Christin Hussong!

If only they'd moved maybe 200 meters sooner, we might have seen another Meet Record broken!!
As it was, Josh Cheptegei's 12:58.15 in the Men's 5000 Final was fun to watch!
His last 1000 of 2:25.7 helped him beat back the 12:58.61 of Mo Ahmed, and the 12:59.05 of Paul Chelimo.
And the American got his Bronze with one of his least controversial races!!
Nicholas Kimeli's 12:59.17 gave him 4th, ahead of Jacob Kiplimo's 5th place mark of 13:02.40!
Mohamed Katir finished in 8th, ahead of Grant Fisher's 13:08.40!
Fisher ranks 21st A-T US!
Luis Grijalva's 13:10.09 is Guatemala's National Record!
Will Kincaid ended in 14th!

In the Women's 400 Final, SMU (aka Shaunae Miller-Uibo) time trialed 48.36, slicing 0.01 off her Bahamas NR, while keeping her 6th A-T World!
She has her hair as pink as pink can be, but here she was red hot!!
(OK, enough with the jokes, Mr Krohn!)
Marileidy Paulino keeps chugging out PR's and NR's!

Her 49.20 breaks her own National Record of the Dominican Republic, and ranks her 19th A-T World!
Another who just keeps on giving is Allyson Felix!
Her 49.46 in 3rd smashed her own Age 35 Record!
Stephanie McPherson ran 49.61 to take 4th, while Candice McLeod's 49.87 beat Jodie Williams's 49.97!
In my Combined Events for the 100-200-400, SMU's 10.96, 21.74 and 48.36 adds to 1:21.06, keeping her 3rd A-T World!

In the Women's 1500 Final, Faith Kipyegon was tailed by Sifan Hassan until the bell rang!
Then she used a 59.1 final 400 to kick away from her AND a hard charging Laura Muir to win easily in a Meet Record smashing 3:53.11.
This removed Paula Ivan's 33 year old MR from the books!
Muir was never better, her 3:54.50 breaking her own National Record of Great Britain!
She ranks 14th A-T World!
Hassan closed in 3:55.86 for 3rd.
Freweyni Gebreeziheber (sp?)ran 3:57.10, beating Gabby Stafford's 3:58.43 and Linden Hall's 3:59.01 PR!
Elle Purrier St Pierre didn't have it, and ended 10th in a subdued 4:01.95, while Cory McGee finished 14th!

Jamaica's 4 X 100 Relay Women could not be beaten, not with SAFP and ET-H and Shericka Jackson on the team!
In fact, it was only a couple of so-so hand-offs that limited them to 41.02, instead of destroying the World Record!!
It's their National Record, and makes them 2nd A-T Nation!
The US was far back, but still nabbing Silver with their 41.45!
Great Britain took the Bronze with 41.88!
Switzerland ran 42.08, while Germany's 42.12 ties for the best 5th Place mark!
Brianna Williams led off the Jamaicans, while the US team had Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, Jenna Prandini, and Gabby Thomas!

Italy got another Gold, this one in the Men's 4 X 100 Relay Final.
And they needed every tiny increment of time, their 37.50 just nipping Great Britain's 37.51 for the better medal!
Italy's time is their NR, and ranks them 5th A-T Nation!
Canada took 3rd with their 37.70!
China's National Record of 37.79 makes them 9th A-T Nation, tied with 1 other!
Jamaica's 37.84 is the best 5th Place mark!
Germany's 38.12 breaks their own best 6th Place mark!

The times were slowed somewhat by the heat, despite the 6 a.m. Sapporo time start!
But the Women's Marathon produced maybe the greatest, and most heartwarming, shock upset of the entire Games!
Molly Seidel might have been the top American, but she was on no one's formchart to finish Top 10, let alone medal!
Yet there she was, as mile by mile (or K by K) passed by, right up there with the WR holder Brigid Kosgei, and Half Marathon stud Peres Jepchirchir, and several other veteran Marathoners!
A group of a dozen or so passed the Half in 1:15:14, Seidel among them, even inching in front for a breath or two.
Then, with the leaders reduced to 4 with a 5K or less to go, Lornah Salpeter of Israel dropped back suddenly (She faded all the way to 66th!!), giving Seidel an almost certain Bronze!
Jepchirchir won it after breaking away from Kosgei, her time of 2:27:20 beating the WR holder by 16 seconds!
Another 10 back came Seidel, fist pumping the crowd (Yes, people watched the race in person!), and screaming for joy as she won the most unexpected medal of the Athletics portion of the Games!
Reza Deraji was 4th in 2:28:38!
Sally Kipyego finished 17th, while Aliphine Tuliamuk was among the non-finishers!
Also with a DNF were Birhane Dibaba and Ruth Chepngetich!

This is going to be an extra long post, because I don't want to do a separate post for just a handful of events!
Hang in there, folks!

Both High Jumps saw the best of recent years prevail, even though Mutaz Barshim shared his Gold with Gianmarco Tamberi (See previous post!)!
The Women's Final saw Russian (I refuse to kowtow to the ridiculous and demeaning designation of "ROC" used by WA!!) Mariya Lasitskene top a loaded field with her 6-8.25!
She'd been having a shakey year, but showed her true talent when it counted!
Nicola McDermott continued her exciting rise, her 6-7.50 breaking her own National Record of Australia!
She misses my World list by a mere half inch!
Yaroslava Mahuchukh took the Bronze with 6-6.75!
Vashti Cunningham could clear just 6-5, and finished 6th!

She did it!!

Well, at least Sifan Hassan got medals in all 3 events of her Triple Gold Quest!

Her 2nd Gold came in the 10000 Final, where she defied the heat by running 29:55.32!!
She ran splits of about 15:08 and 14:47!
Second went to Kalkidan Gezehegne's 29:56.18!
WR holder Letesenbet Gidey took the Bronze with 30:01.72, a full minute behind her World Record!
Helen Obiri stuck with them for half the race, then faded to a 30:24.27 5th place time!
Konstanze Klosterhalfen ran 31:01.97 in 8th, with Eilish McColgan 3 seconds back in 9th.
Emily Sisson ended in 10th, Karissa Schweizer in 12th, and Alicia Monson in 13th!

Johannes Vetter was a SOLID pick for Gold in the Men's JT!
Would love to know how many bets were lost when he could not climb over 8th place, his best mark around 45 feet short of his PR!
Winning was Q leader Neeraj Chopra, whose 287-1 beat the 284-4 of Jakub Vadlejch, and the 280-4 of Vitazlov Vesely!
Vesely tied the Age 38 Record!

The Mile (or in the Olympics, the "Metric Mile") has always been a Classic distance!
But many of them have been tactical!
Not this one, Baby!!
After getting the MR in the Semi's, Abel Kipsang ran even faster in the Final.
But his 3:29.56 could net him only 4th place!!
Winning was Norway's "other" GOAT wannabe, Jakob Ingebrigtsen!!
His sprint off the final curve took him to the line in a new Meet Record of 3:28.32!
It breaks his own NR, and gives him the Age 20 Record!
He ranks 8th A-T World!
Tim Cheruiyot gave it his all, but his 3:29.01 wasn't enough.
He did edge out Josh Kerr's 3:29.05 for the Silver!
Cole Hocker is also just 20, so his 3:31.40 in 6th also impressed, especially his Oregon Duck and US fans!
It ranks him 8th A-T US!

According to unofficial info, Sydney McLaughlin led off the US Women's winning 4 X 400 Relay team with 49.96!
She handed off to Allyson Felix, and what more can you say about this Legend?
Felix sprinted 49.58, handing off to Delilah Muhammad.
She flashed by in a mere 48.87 before passing the baton to 800 Gold winner Athing Mu!
How about 48.32 for this Wonder Woman?!
This was a Super Team, in the same sense as the Traveling Wilbury's having been a Super Group!!
Only Felix has claimed the 400 flat as her event (although some feel she's a combo 200 & 400 person), with Mu's specialty the 800, and Syd & Delilah being 1-2 on the World 400H list!
Their time of 3:16.85 beat Poland's NR 3:20.53 by 3.68 seconds!
Poland is 8th A-T Nation!
Jamaica ran 3:21.24 without Stephanie McPherson!
Canada and GB were next, followed by the Netherlands NR of 3:23.74, anchored by Femke Bol's 48.9!!
They rank 16th A-T World!
Belgiun's 3:23.96 is also an NR, and ranks them 17th A-T World!
Cuba's 3:26.82 gets them the best 8th Place mark!

The Men's US 4 X 400 squad had no problem winning Gold!
Their 2:55.70 was surprisingly swift, given the paucity of fast 400's this season!
Michael Cherry, Michael Norman, Bryce Deadmon, and Rai Benjamin comprised the 4-some, with Benjamin's anchor a reported 43.5-ish!!
The Netherlands ran 2:57.18 for their National Record.
They rank 5th A-T Nation!
Botswana again broke their NR, their 2:57.27 making them 6th A-T Nation!
It's also the best 3rd Place mark!
Belgium--with two Borlee's finishing up--also got their NR with 2:57.88.
They are 7th A-T Nation, and get the best 4th Place mark!
Poland's 2:58.46 gets the best 5th Place mark!
Jamaica gets the best 6th Place mark with their 2:58.70!
Italy again topped their National Record, their 2:58.81 netting them the best 7th Place mark, and ranks them 13th A-T Nation!

Finally--and I do mean finally!!--we have the Men's Marathon!!
And who else but the Shakespeare (even though I'm not a fan of the Bard, but that's for another time and place!!) of the Marathon could win this Tokyo (Sapporo!) Olympic Marathon?
Eliud Kipchoge made even MORE history, winning easily in 2:08:38!
Splitting 65:15 and 63:23, Kipchoge chugged a 5000 in 14:24 late in the race to run away from the pack!
Abdi Nageeye ran 2:08:58 in the Silver slot, with Bashir Abdi taking the Bronze over Lawrence Cherono!
Suguru Osako was 6th, while Galan Rupp faded in the last half, ending in 8th place!
Jake Riley was 29th, while 44 year old Abdi Abdirahman finished 41st, time of 2:18:27!

Thank you for your patience, and I hope you enjoyed this journey through the Olympics Memory Forest!
My plans are to have a "wrap-up" post, where I'll list some "bests and worsts", some lists, and other trivia, all about these now ENDED 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games!!

See you soon!

2021 Tokyo Olympics (400H WR--Women)

 It's deju vu all over again, someone said.
If you're a 400H fan, you'll understand.
In my previous post, I reported on Karsten Warholm's amazing 400H WR of 45.94!
Read on, my friends!

Neeraj Chopra led the Men's Javelin Throw Q round with 284-3.
Johannes Vetter's went 281-0.
Not Qualifying were Keshorn Walcott, Curtis Thompson, and Julius Yego.
Michael Shuey had 3 fouls!

Grant Holloway cruised to a time of 13.13 in the 110H semi's!
Devon Allen was next in 13.18, followed by two Jamaicans--Hansle Parchment and Ronald Levy--both running 13.23!
Daniel Roberts didn't advance!

The Men's 400H was Historic!
This one made us wonder--WTF is going on?!
Promoted as yet one more showdown between the Ali & Frazier of Women's 400H, it did not disappoint.
Delilah Muhmmad blasted the first 150, making up staggers across the track.
Sydney McLaughlin was sprinting too, but looked slow.
Femke Bol was watching the show from an inside lane.
Coming off the last curve, DM's lead was gone, except by a foot or two!
Going into Boltian mode over the final 50, Syd the Kid showed her power, leg speed, and control, and a fine finish line dip!
Her 51.46 cut 0.44 off her recent WR, sending the Women's side of this event clearly into Today!
Muhammad had nothing to apologiize for with her 51.58 in 2nd.
Nor did Bol, whose 52.03 again smashed her NR of the Netherlands!!
McLaughlin breaks her own WR, AR, Age 21 Record (though just 3 days before turning 22!!), and of course the Meet Record!
Muhammad gets the Age 31 Record, and ranks 2nd A-T World and US!
She also gets the best 2nd Place mark.
Bol gets the best 3rd Place mark, plus breaks her own NR.
She's 3rd A-T World!
Janieve Russell finished in 53.08, and gets the best 4th Place mark for her effort.
She ranks 24th A-T World!
Anna Ryzhykova (53.48) and Victoriya Taschuk (53.79) also ran well.
Anna Cockrell ran 54.19, but was DQ'ed for running outside her lane.

My Combined Events lists were rewritten!
Syd's 12.65 & 51.46 adds to 64:11.
She's 1st A-T World & US!
Her 50.07 & 51.46 adds to 1:41.53
She's 2nd A-T World and 1st A-T US here!
DM's 13.33 and 51.58 adds to 64.91.
She's 2nd A-T World and US!
Her 50.60 and 51.58 adds to 1:42.18.
She's 3rd A-T World and 2nd A-T US here!
Bol's 50.37 and 52.03 adds to 1:42.40, making her 5th A-T World!

The Women's 1500 Semi's were hot, maybe despite the high temps!
Faith Kipyegon made 3:56.80 look easy, making Sifan Hassan's triple Gold quest look a bit doubtful!
Frewayni Gebreezilshe (sp?) ran 3:57.54.
Gabby Stafford's 3:58.28 beat the Australia National Record of 3:58.81 run by Jessica Hull!
Nozomi Tanaka again broke her Japan NR with her first sub-4--3:59.19!
Hassan jogged 4:00.23, while Laura Muir's time was 4:00.73.
Elle Purrier St Pierre made the final with her 4:01.00.
Kristian Maki's 4:01.23 is the National Record of the Czech Republic!
Not Qualifying, but breaking her own NR of Finland was Sara Kuivista, who ran 4:02.35.
Heather MacLean DNQ'ed, while Cory McGee took a bad fall, but was advanced!

The Women's 400 Semi's were fast and deep also!
Stephanie McPherson led the charge with 49.34.
This misses my World list by 0.06 seconds!
Marileidy Paulino reached a new level with her 49.38, breaking her own NR of the Dominican Republic!
Candice McLeod's 49.51 surprised a bit.
(BTW, is she related to Omar??)
Shaunae Miller-Uibo looked strong in running 49.60!
Roxana Gomez's 49.71 ended ahead of Quanera Hayes's 49.81.
Then came the venerable legend Allyson Felix, whose 49.89 again broke her own Age 35 Record!
Jodie Williams finished off the sub-50's with 49.97.
Sada Williams ran "only" 50.11, but nabbed the National Record of Barbados!
Wadeline Jonathas didn't make it through!

The bad luck (??) of Emma Coburn continued to torment in the Women's 3000SC!
She ran 9:41 AND was DQ'ed!!
Peruth Chemutai aquitted herself well, winning in a fine 9:01.45.
She gets Uganda's NR, and now ranks 8th A-T World.
Courtney Frerichs took the lead maybe halfway through, then kept it for a couple of laps, finally slowing a bit, but still getting Silver with her 9:04.79!
Hyvin Kiyeng took the Bronze in 9:05.39.
Makidas Abebe's 9:06.16 in 4th ranks her 14th A-T World!
In 6th came Mariana Mismas-Zrimsek's 9:14.84, breaking her own NR of Slovenia!
Two more NR's came from Elizabeth Bird's 9:19.68 (GB), and Genevieve LaLonde's 9:22.40 (Canada).
Val Constien ended in 12th!

America's best Men's Hammer Throw hope in this century (Rudy Winkler) ended just 7th, throwing 252-11, over 18 feet under his PR!
But Wojciech Nowicki was at his best, his 270-9 winner missing my World DDD by 4 inches!
Elvind Hendriksen surprised most by taking Silver with 267-8.
He breaks his own National Record of Norway!
Pawel Fajdek ended 3rd with 267-6, while Mykayla Kokhan reached 263-9 in 4th!
Daniel Haugh also was far from his best, ending in 11th!

The Men's 800 Final wasn't as awful as Centro's Rio embarrassment, but in that territory!
Emmanuel Korir split 54.0 and 51.1 to win in 1:45.08 from Ferguson Rotich, whose 1:45.23 beat out Patryk Dobek's 1:45.39 for Silver.
Peter Bol ended in 4th.
Nijel Amos was never in it, ending 8th, with Clay Murphy even worse in 9th!

Andre De Grasse is ALL the way back!
He charged around the curve, then lifted like never before, crossing the line in a brilliant 19.62!
He again broke his NR of Canada, and now ranks 8th A-T World!
Kenny Bednarek's 19.68 ranks him 11th A-T World, tied with 1 other, and 8th A-T US!
And then came the "favorite"--Noah Lyles--but he didn't seem in 19.50 shape (his PR).
Still, his 19.74 took the Bronze!
Erriyon Knighton--still just 17!--was 4th in 19.93.
Not bad for a HS kid!
Joseph Fahnbullah's 19.96 broke his own NR of Liberia, and ties for best 5th Place mark!

The Women's High Jump Q round went by the books, with the only "casualties" being Alessia Trost, and two Americans--Rachel McCoy and Tynita Butts-Townsend!

The British (GB) Women's 4 X 100 Relay team won the Semi in 41.55, their National Record!
This makes them 5th A-T Nation!
Dina Asher-Smith ran 3rd leg!
The US team of Javianne Oliver, Teahna Daniels, English Gardner, and Aleia Hobbs ran 41.90.
Germany's 42.00 edged Switzerland's NR of 42.06.
The Swiss are now 12th A-T Nation!
Jamaica ran sans SAFP and ET-H, but having Shericka Jackson netted them a time of 42.15!
Not advancing was Italy, but their 42.84 is an NR, and ranks them 23rd A-T Nation!

All this time, I thought I was joking when I referred to Pedro Pablo Pichardo with a FOUR-P acronym!!
After all, there's "just" 3 P's there!
Lo and behold, looking at his Athletics Annual bio, he also has "Peralta" listed as part of his name!!
Have no idea where that name fits, but it DOES make my "PPPP" absolutely legit!!
LOL
That said, he blasted a 59-0 winning Triple Jump, breaking his own NR of Portugal!
His PR is the 59-4 from 2015, which stands as Cuba's NR!!
Yaming Zhu was 2nd with 57-7.75!
Co-favorite Hughes Zango's 57-3.75 was enough to net him the Bronze, but no challenge for the 4P man!
Will Claye reached 57-2.75 in the dreaded 4th!
Yasso Trike's 57-2.25 in 5th gives him Algeria's National Record!
Donald Scott was 7th!

Ryan Crouser did NOT get his own World Record when his SP reached a massive 76-5.50 in the final round of the Shot Put Final!
Oh weep!
BUT listen to this--His 6 throws added to over 450 feet!
Divide by 6, and you have an otherworldly AVERAGE of 75 and a bit!!
He of course gets the MR!!
Joe Kovacs would have won EVERY Olympics before this one with his 74-3.75!
But his Silver does get him the Age 32 Record!
Tom Walsh's 73-8.75 nets him the Age 29 Record!
Darlan Romani ended in 4th with his 71-9.50!
Payton Otterdahl didn't have it, and ended back in 10th!

The Men's US 4 X 100 Relay team finished their heat race with no DQ's, dropped batons, or the like.
And they ran a decent time of 38.10!
And here's that cuss word "BUT"--they weren't fast enough, and didn't advance to the final!
Trayvon Bromell, Fred Kerley, Ronnie Baker, and Crayvon Gillespie made up the team!
Meanwhile, Jamaica ran 37.82 despite their lackluster team, followed by China's and Canada's 37.92's!
Italy's 37.95 got them their National Record, which ranks them as 11th A-T Nation!
Great Britain and Germany were next, ahead of Ghana's NR of 38.08, ranking them 18th A-T Nation!
Denmark also ran an NR--their 38.16 ranking them 19th A-T Nation!

Shocker of the Games?
Grant Holloway had run 12.81 at the Trials 6 weeks ago!
Here, no one broke even 13.00!
Despite some decent times in his heat and semi, his 13.09 final got him a mere Silver!
When you're classified a "LOCK" for Gold, 2nd just doesn't pass the test!
But all credit to Jamaica--who lost Omar McLeod in their Trials--who took the Gold and Bronze!
Hansle Parchment has been around, so his running 13.04 isn't surprising.
But his placing is!
Ronald Levy's 13.10 was just behind Holloway!
Devon Allen finished 4th in 13.14.
Another veteran--Pascal Martinot-Legarde--ended 5th in 13.16!

The Men's 20000 Meter Walk was slowed a bit by the weather, but a win's a win, so congrats to Italy's Mossimo Stano, who Walked 1:21:05.
Koki Ikeda did Japan proud with his Silver in 1:21:14.
Toshi Yamanishi won the Bronze, following his teammate in 1:21:28!
Nick Christie Walked 1:34:47 to end 50th of 52 finishers!

The Opening Height in the Women's Pole Vault final was 14-9!
While a fairly easy height for Olympic level athletes, to START there can be difficult even in the best of conditions!
Add the stress of an Olympic Games, and you're looking at massive failure!
Morgann LeLeux Romero (She apparently got married!) and Anicka Newell No-Heighted!
While most of the Women cleared 14-9, most couldn't go an inch higher!
(What if they'd had a lower height or 2 to acclimate??)
Whatever the case, Katie Nageotte was on her game, and was the clear winner with her 16-0.75!
Anzhelika Sidorova cleared 15-11 for Silver, with Bronze winner Holly Bradshaw getting the same height--and thrilled to do so!
Kat Stefanidi went over 15-9 for 4th!

This is already a long post, so I'll stop here!
There should be two more posts of results, followed by an overview of the T&F portion of the Tokyo Games, soon to come!

2021 Tokyo Olympics (400H WR--Men)

 Pardon my insensitivity (or whatever you choose to call it!), but I must open this chapter with a note about this blog and its writer--Moi!
As my loyal readers know, I've been consistently and firmly against having women wih high testosterone levels in All Women races!
In the past (and through today!), I have always ignored any and all records, marks, and places by Caster Semenya, Francine Nyonsaba, and Margaret Wambui!
Thus, when Semenya would "win" an 800, I said in my blog that Ajee Wilson (for example) was the winner, and that time was the winning time, not Semenya's!
I now add Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi to the list!
I know I'm also ignoring the World Athletics (and any other agency's) allowance for them to run in certain events, but not in others.
I feel that's unfair.
If testosterone creates an advantage in one event, I feel it does so in all events!
Keep this in mind when I report on the Women's 200 heats, which now begins this post!!

Gabby Thomas's 22.20 led the heats in the Women's 200!
Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce's 22.22 beat out Mujinga Kambundji's tying of her 22.26 Switzerland National Record!
Marie Josee Ta Lou ran 22.30, while Shaunae Miller-Uibo ran 22.40.
Shericka Jackson ran a sluggish 23.2, and didn't advance!

While her time of 12.37 couldn't match her Semi's 12.26, Jasmine Camacho-Quinn had no problem turning back Kendra Harrison's 12.52 in the 100H Final!
Megan Tapper proved the real deal by taking Bronze in 12.55!
Tobi Amusan's 12.60 took 4th!
Brittany Anderson, who ran 12.40 in the Semi's, ended in the caboose position!

For the most part, the Women's Pole Vault Q round went as predicted.
Except for the famous snake charmer Sandi Morris.
On an attempt at 4.55--an easy height for any of these women--her pole broke, and she landed near the pole box.
She didn't seem injured, but clearly upset and shaken!
She did not move on to the final, a Major loss!!
(She later said she'd rest and heal for 4 to 6 weeks, then try to come back for the DL final!)
Also not qualifying were Alysha Newman and Angelica Moser!

Elaine Thompson-Herah may not be as flashy and gregarious as SAFP, but right now, she's Jamaica's (and the World's) fastest!!
Her 21.66 led the 200 Semi's!
That ties her PR, and gets her the Age 29 Record!
Gabby Thomas is rolling back to her Eugene Trials form, running 22.01!
Marie Josee Ta Lou's 22.11 held off the 22.13 of SAFP, and the 22.14 of SMU!
Not making the final were Jenna Prandini, Anavia Battle, and Dafne Schippers!

In the Women's DT Final, I was hoping Sandra Perkovic would do better than her 4th, but such has been the dominance of Valarie Allman all season that it was no real shock that Allman easily won the Gold!
Her 226-4 was actually sub-par, but was more than enough for the W!
Kristin Pudenz surprised in 2nd with her 219-4!
Yaime Perez won the Bronze with 215-7 ahead of Perky's 213-3!

We finally got some class 400's from the Men!
The semi's were led by the 43.88 of Kirani James, and the 43.93 of Anthony Zambrano!
Zambrano gets Colombia's NR, and ranks him 16th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Steven Gardiner's 44.14 also was pretty good!
Liemarvin Bonevacia's 44.62 gave him 7th and the Netherlands NR!
Wayde Van Niekerk and Deon Lendore didn't make the Final!

As expected, Sydney McLaughlin (53.03), Delilah Muhammad (53.30), and Femke Bol (53.91) led the Women's 400H Semi's!
Janieve Russell's 54.10 finished ahead of Anna Cockrell's 54.17, while Gianna Woodruff  added her 54.22 to the mix!
Lea Sprunger didn't move on!

The Men's 3000SC Final began as a "walking dead" sort of race!
Things picked up a bit, but Soufiane El Bakkali's winning time of 8:08.90 was pedestrian!
It was also predestined!
Lemecha Girma took Silver in 8:10.38!
Ben Kigen's 8:11.45 took the Bronze over Ejuayeha Taye's 8:14.97!
Back in 11th came the American Bernard Keter!

In the first Final of her projected triple, Sifan Hassan recovered from her earlier (by hours!) heat of the 1500 (See previous post!), winning with aplomb in a cruising 14:36.79!!
This was after a first 3000 in just under 9:00!
Helen Obiri chased her until Hassan started her sprint, but ended 2nd in 14:38.36!
Gudaf Tsegay used a sprint to take 3rd in 14:38.87 ahead of Agnes Tirop's 14:39.62!
Americans Karissa Schweizer and Elise Cranny didn't offer much, ending back in 11th and 13th respectively, times just under 14:56!

The 4P man (Actually, his name is a 3P!), Pablo Pedro Pichardo, led all Qualifiers with his 58-1.25 in the TJ!
Hughes Zango, a co-favorite for the Gold, barely made it through, ending as 12th Qualifier, hitting just 55-2.75!
Not passing on were Max Hess, Chris Benard, Corey McLeod, and Super Vet Nelson Evora!

Fifteen runners ran faster than 3:37 in the Semi's of the Men's 1500, led by Ismail Deljani's 3:36.00!
Tim Cheruiyot was next in 3:36.01, followed by Ollie Hoare's 3:36.09!
Cole Hocker easily moved on with his 3:36.16!
Not moving forward were Filip Ingebrigtsen and Sam Teferi.
Yared Nuguse was a DNS, claiming an injury!

World Leader Maria Andrejczyk also led the Women's JT Qualifying round, hitting 214-0!
Maggie Malone had no problems, throwing 206-11.
But big names Tatsiana Khaladovich, Barbora Spotakova, and Kara Winger didn't pass through!
Sara Kolak fouled three times!
A personal note--I have a caregiver helping with some household stuff, and she's a former SP'er when in HS!
One of her teammates was Kara Patterson, now Winger!!
She remembers her as being "really nice" and being heavily recruited by colleges!!

NBC (and probably millions of fans!) had big smiles when Allyson Felix ran 50.84 to easily move on to the 400 Semi's!
But Marilaidy Paulino had the fastest time--50.06!
Shaunae Miller-Uibo ran 50.50!
Amantle Montsho was a DNF!

Let's just call the Podium Women of the Long Jump class acts all, and surely poster children of Tianna Bartoletta's maxim of "Survive & Advance"!!
The competition was better then the marks, expected after a whole year of multiple 23 foot jumps!
In the end, Malaika Mihambo barely made it, her 7.00 (22-11.75) winning the Gold!
Ancient Warrior (She's just 34!) Brittney Reese flew out 22-10.50, as did Bronze winner Ese Brume, the places being decided by 2nd best jumps!
Ivana Spanovic was in the fight, but her 22-8 gave her the poisonous 4th position!
Mariya Beth-Romanchuk's 22-7 took 5th, with Wild Child Tara Davis leaping 22-5.25 for 6th!

The Men's 200 Heats were led by Ken Bednarek's 20.01.
Yancarlos Martinez surprised in 2nd with 20.13!
Yet that's the Dominican Republic's National Record!!
Noah Lyles cruised to 20.18 as 3rd best time!
Not advancing were Hakim Sani Brown and Adam Gemili!!

Let us kneel, my friends.
Let the World (the Universe) meditate on the numbers sent flying from the scorched track after the Men's 400H Final ended!
Is this hyperbole, dramatic overload, or just plain FACT?
Listen!
Karsten Warholm, that Norwegian mythical creature, stupified all the so called experts most insane predictions--even mine, which thought a sub-46.50 would be a shock--sprinting through the finish line in an unbelievable 45.94!
Yes, I said forty FIVE!!
Warholm left his previous World Record (from just weeks before!) way behind, cutting a full 0.76 seconds off his PR, off his own National and Age 25 Records, and off the frigging charts!!
Not to mention the Olympic Games Meet Record!
Take that in---45.94--over 10 hurdles and one lap of track!
Was he worlds ahead of Rai Benjamin, who took 2nd?
Heck, no!
Benjamin's 46.17 crushed the old best 2nd Place mark!
It also broke Kevin Young's former WR and AR of 46.78!
Benjamin also gets the Age 24 Record, and ranks him 2nd A-T World!
Before talking about the rest of the runners, let's see what damage they did to my Combined Events lists!
Warholm's 44.87 and 45.94 adds to 1:30.81, making him 2nd A-T World!
Benjamin's 44.31 and 46.17 claims 1st on the World and US lists for the same C-E!
His times add to 1:30.48!
I also found a 110H time for Warholm (from my 2021 Athletics Annual book).
So his 14.30 and 45.94 adds to 1:00.24, which makes him 1st A-T World!

Alison Dos Santos has cut his PR a few times in 2021, but never by this much!
His 46.72 was actually faster than Kevin Young's WR when the year began, but good for only Bronze here!!
It slashes his own NR of Brazil, is the best 3rd Place mark, and is the Age 21 Record!
It also ranks him 3rd A-T World!
Kyron McMaster was 4th in 47.08, also chopping a big chunk off his PR--0.42 seconds!
He breaks his own NR of the British Virgin Islands!
It's the best 4th Place mark, and ranks him 8th A-T World!
Abderrahman Samba didn't PR, but his 47.12 is the best 5th Place mark!
Breaking his own best 6th Place mark (!!) was Yasmane Copello, whose 47.81 also ties his own NR of Turkey!
Y Magi's 48.11 breaks his own National Record of Estonia, and is the best 7th Place mark!
Completing the Place Record revision was Alessandro Sibilio's 48.77, which nipped 0.01 seconds off the old best 8th Place mark!

OK, take a breather, and come back for more!!

Grant Holloway's 13.02 was a clear leader in the 110H heats!
Ronald Levy's 13.17 was next best!
Wilhelm Belocian was DQ'ed, reason unknown!
Not starting were Sergey Shubenkov and Orlando Ortega.
Not sure his argument, but I believe Shubenkov was advanced to the Semi's anyway!
Hope to have more info on that later!

Ryan Crouser lobbed his 16 pound ball 72-4.25, yawned, and walked away!
He, um, Q'ed for the Final!
So did the 70-6.25 of Tomas Walsh!
Not making it were Michal Haratyk, Filip Miheljevic, Tomas Stanek, Nick Ponzio, and Konrad Bukowiecki!

The Men's Pole Vault Final gave Mondo Duplantis yet 3 more attempts at the WR height of 6.19!
Which he cleared with quite a bit of space, but knocked the bar off with one body spot!
But his 19-9 clearance was enough for the Gold!
Chris Nilsen was on fire, and his 19-7 gave him Silver.
He's ranks 24th A-T World, tied with 1 other, and 7th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Rio winner Thiago Braz cleared 19-3 for the Bronze!
Buried back in 8th was the 18-8.25 of Renaud Lavillenie!

They didn't even break 13:30 in the Men's 5000 heats!!
Mohamed Katir led the way, with Paul Chelimo right behind him!
Morgan McDonald, Marc Scott, and Getnet Wale (!!) didn't make the final!

Queen Anita survived and advanced (Sic!) through a few "down" years, only to re-emerge in the Olympic year as only T&F Royalty can!
Still nowhere near WR shape, Ms Wlodarczyk swung her ball and chain out 257-6 for the Gold!
This gets her the Age 35 Record!
Zheng Wang took Silver with 252-8, while Malwina Kopron joined fellow Pole Anita on the podium with 247-8!
The Americans seemed primed to give Wlodarczyk her greatest challenge, but DeAnna Price was hurting, and reached just 239-9, ending in 8th place!
Brooke Andersen came nowhere near her best, her 236-10 getting her 10th.
Gwen Berry was 11th!

The Semi's in the Men's 200 "het up" a  bit, as they say!
Andre De Grasse is having the year he's always dreamed of, his 19.73 breaking his own National Record of Canada, and ranking him 14th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Ken Bednarek sprinted 19.91, ahead of the 19.99's by Aaron Brown, Joseph Fahnbullah, and Noah Lyles!
Fahnbullah's time is the NR of Liberia!
Erriyon Knighton showed being just 17 isn't inhibitive to a great performance in a stress-inducing situation!
He timed 20.02!
Divine Oduduru timed a good 20.16, but was a DNQ.
Ramil Guliyev also didn't make the final!

The last two events of this post are the Women's 800 and 200 Finals--and both were sensational!!

While there was a doubter or two, if there was anyone being more touted as SURE Gold than Athing Mu, please tell me who she was!
After a year that would be termed spectacular or phenomenal--or both!--Mu outdid herself!
The group of 8 Women passed 400 in a so-so 57.82!
Everyone was there!
As they were when they came off the final curve, with 100 meters to go!
Mu (pronounced as MO!) had a very slight lead, as she'd had almost from the gun!
Strong rival Natoya Goule was starting to fade (She'd end in 8th, time of 1:58.26!), but fellow teen wonder Keely Hodgkinson was sprinting hard on the inside of Mu, who was nearly in lane 2.
Mu just kicked harder, but she didn't LOOK faster!
She never does!!
She actually negative split the race (57.8 & 57.4), her 1:55.21 cutting Ajee Wilson's \American Record by 0.40 seconds!
This is the Age 19 Record, and makes her 10th A-T World!!
Hodgkinson destroyed her PR, and got Great Britain's National Record!
Her 1:55.88 misses my new Top 24 A-T World list by 0.01 seconds!
Raevyn Rogers nabbed the Bronze with her PR of 1:56.81.
This makes her 4th A-T US!
Jemma Reekie was the 2nd Brit in the race, ending in a PR of 1:56.90!
Chunya Wang was 5th in 1:57.00!
Habitam Alemu's 1:57.56 gave her 6th, ahead of the 3rd Brit's--Alexandra Bell's--1:57.66!
Mu's 49.57 and 1:55.21 adds to 2:44.78, making her 4th A-T World, and 1st A-T US on my Combined Events lists!

And in the Women's 200 Final, ET-H came through again!!
Ms Thompson-Herah's incredible 21.53 broke her own Jamaican NR!
It breaks her own Age 29 Record, and ranks her 2nd A-T World!
Add her 10.61, and you have 32.14, which makes her 2nd A-T World on that C-E list!
Gabby Thomas came through for Silver, her time of 21.87 beating SAFP's 21.94!!
Marie Josee Ta Lou was 4th, time of 22.27!
Mujinga Kambundji's 22.30 gave her 5th, while Shaunae Miller-Uibo faded bad in the final straight, and ended last!!

Thanks for sticking around!
I think my next report will be shorter, but should have more incredible results for you to savor!

2021 Tokyo Olympics (From Superb to Exquisite)

 Hope you enjoyed my first installment of Olympic Games results!
Here's my new assortment--ranging from the superb to the exquisite--in the order that they happened--beginning right where I left off!!

Juan Echevarria led the Men's Long Jump Qualifying with a good 27-10.75!
Among those not going to the Final are Corey McLeod, and Americans Marquis Dendy and Steffin McCarter!!

Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce led a Speed Camp of the World's fastest Women through the Semi's of the 100.
Her 10.73 was followed by Elaine Thompson-Herah's 10.76!
Marie Josee Ta Lou and Shericka Jackson both ran 10.79's!
Others going sub-11 were Mujinga Kambundji (10.96) and Teahna Daniels (10.98)!
But several top names didn't advance!
Dina Asher-Smith, Michelle Lee-Ahye, Jenna Prandini, Javianne Oliver, and Michelle Ahoure, among others!

The Men's 100 Heats went pretty much according to form, with Andre De Grasse's 9.91 leading the way!
Italy's Lamont Jacobs keeps getting better, as his 9.94 broke his own National Record of Italy!
Fred Kerley ran the other sub-10, with a 9.97!
Divine Oduduru didn't advance!

Who else but Daniel Stahl would be taking the Gold this year in the Discus Throw??
His mark was 226-0!
Simon Pettersson's 221-1 edged Lukas Weisshaidinger's 220-6 for the Silver!
Matthew Denny reached 219-10 in the 4th position!
Was hoping to see Stahl reach at least 230, but a win's a win!

Athing Mu had the fastest Semi time in the 800, with 1:58.07!
Habitam Alemu was next with 1:58.40, while Laura Muir's replacement Alex Bell was next in 1:58.83!
Bell was followed by that other teen wonder--Keely Hodgkinson--who ran 1:59.12!
A few others broke two minutes, including Finland's Sara Kuivisto, whose 1:59.41 broke her own National Record!
A real shocker came when Ajee Wilson didn't make the final!!
Others included Rose Almanza, Winnie Nanyondo, and Halimah Nakaayi!!

The Jamaicans, and the rest of the world, couldn't decide who would be the best female sprinter!
SAFP had the faster time, but ET-H was having a really great year!
And how did Shericka Jackson become so fast so suddenly?
Thus, it wasn't a total shock to see that trio sweep the medals in Tokyo!!
Thompson-Herah sped 10.61, which ranks her 2nd A-T World!!
She gets the Meet Record, Jamaica's NR, and the Age 29 Record!
Shelly Ann was next, her flowing Mama Locks colored green and yellow.
She ran 10.74, keeping her ahead of Jackson by a slight margin, as Shericka ran 10.76!
That's the best 3rd Place mark, and ranks her 11th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Marie Josee Ta lou was 4th in 10.91.
The pair of Swiss came next, with Ajla Del Ponte edging Mujinga Kambundji, 10.97 to 10.99!
Teahna Daniels finished 7rth in 11.02!
BTW, ET-H's 10.61 & 21.66 adds to 32.27, tying her for 2nd A-T World on that Combined Events list!

Anita Wlodarczyk is coming into form at the right time.
Her 252-7 led the Women's HT Qualifying!
Zheng Wang hit 243-8, while Brooke Andersen's 242-9 was next!
All 3 Americans made the final!

Winfred Yavi's 9:10.80 was the fastest heat time in the Women's 3000SC!
All 3 Americans advanced to the final, with Emma Coburn's 9:16.91 the fastest!
Peruth Chemutai's 9:12.72 was also quick!
Genevieve LaLonde ran 9:22.64, breaking her own NR of Canada!
Purity Kirui didn't go through!

Ivana Spanovic led the Women's LJ qualifiers with her leap of 22-11.75!
Malaika Mihambo reached 22-10.75, while Brittney Reese and Tara Davis were 3rd and 4th in the Q round!
Quanesha Burks, however, just missed, as she finished 13th!
Lorraine Ugen didn't qualify, nor did Darya Klishina, who had 3 fouls!

The Women's Shot Put was just about perfect, with (at least) my 3 favorites coming through, like the Champions they are!
Liljia Gong has been steadiest all year, so it wasn't surprising she hit 67-6.25 for the Gold!
Raven Saunders kept her "Joker" mask on while Putting the ball 64-11.25 for the Silver!
Twice a Mom Valerie Adams--Excuse me, DAME Valerie Adams!!--took bronze with 64-4.50, her best of 2021!
Posing for photos later, she held up a small photo of her two children!!
And equally entertaining was Raven's "twerk" routine, wearing sport panties!!
Our sport needs more people like Adams and Saunders!!
Auriel Dongmo was 4th with 64-2.50!
Jessica Ramsey, the Trials winner, suffered three fouls!

The Men's 400 heats were rather blah, with Michael Cherry leading with his 44.82.
Isaac Makwala ran 44.86!
Randolph Ross, whose 43.85 is the World Leader, didn't make the Semi's!
Nor did Pavel Maslak!
Emmanuel Korir ran, but was DQ'ed!

The Men's HJ ended in a TIE for Gold!!
Mutaz Barshim returned to some past glory, as his 7-9.25 tied the record of Gianmarco Tamberi!
After consulting with officials, they agreed to SHARE the 1st place award!
Thus, no Silver was given!!
Maksim Nedesekau also cleared 7-9.25, but was given 3rd.
However, he tied his own NR of Belarus!
Sang Wu's 7-8.50 in 4th is South Korea's NR!
JuVaughn Harrison performed close to his best, but his 7-7.75 got him just 7th!

Trayvon Bromell--almost everyone's bet to win the Men's 100--did not make it to the final!!
Sad, but things like this happens at every Championship type meet!!
Bingtian Su's 9.83 broke his own National Record of China, leading the Finalists!
He ranks 12th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
That "1 other" is Ronnie Baker, who also ran 9.83!
He ranks 6th A-T US!
Lamont Jacobs just keeps breaking his own NR of Italy--this time with 9.84!
This ranks him 14th A-T World, tied with 3 others!
Akani Simbine also was fast, running 9.90!
Besides Bromell, Jimmy Vicaut, Yohan Blake, Filip Tortu, and Femi Ogunode also didn't advance!

JCQ--aka Jasmine Camacho-Quinn--has been dominant all year in the 100H, so she used her Semi to continue on her path!
She blazed a 12.26 to lead the Semi's!
This is the Meet Record, ties the Age 24 Record, and breaks her own National Record of Puerto Rico!
She ranks 4th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Brittany Anderson's light also shone bright, as her 12.40 is the Age 20 Record, and makes her 19th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
Kendra Harrison ran 12.51.
Not going through were such names as Christina Clemons, Ebony Morrison (but her 12.74 is Liberia's NR!), Lumi Bogliolo (whose 12.75 is Italy's NR!), and the British sisters, Tiffany Porter and Cindy Sember!

Yulimar the Magnificent!!
OH MY GOD!!!
Ms Rojos finally (We all knew it was coming!!) SHATTERED the WR of Inessa Kravets, standing since 1995!!
Her series led off with 15.41 (50-6), which broke the Games Record.
She also had a 50-0.50, before her last round 51-5, or 15.67!

Besides the World and Meet Record, she gets her own Venezuela NR and her own Age 25 Record!
Patricia Mamona hit the sand at 49-3 for Silver!
This breaks her own National Record of Portugal, and ranks her 24th A-T World!
Ana Peleteiro's 48-9.50 took 3rd, and broke her own NR of Spain!
Shaneika Ricketts was oh so close to a medal with her 48-8.50!
Liadagmis Povea was 5th with 48-2.25.
Keturah Orji started good with 47-10.50, but didn't improve, and finished 7th!
Thirty seven year old Caterine Ibarguen had a good 46-4.50 in 10th, but missed that Age Record by a few inches!
Rojas's 22-7 and 51-5 adds to 74-0, making her 3rd A-T World on that Combined Events list!

The Men's 800 semi's, as with the heats, were led by Ferguson Rotich, this time in 1:44.04!
Peter Bol again got the Australian NR he ran in his heat, his new Record being 1:44.11.
Clayton Murphy ran 1:44.18!
Bryce Hoppel, Marco Arop, and Pierre Ambroise-Bosse didn't make the final!
Then there was the incident involving the favorite Nijel Amos, and America's Isaiah Jewett.
Who did what to whom, and who should be DQ'ed, if anyone, is still up for argument--but not with the officials.
Both hit the track, but took awhile to rise back up, then jog, arm in arm, to the finish!
This was seen as an act of supreme graciousness and the epitome of Olympic brotherhood, or some such bullshit!
Not such a pretty picture was the fact that Amos was moved on to the final, while Jewett wasn't--despite the general consensus that it was Amos's fault!!

The probable key players in the Men's 400H are going on to the Final!
Karsten Warholm's 47.30 led the 4-some, the others being Alison Dos Santos (whose 47.31 breaks his own NR of Brazil, and ranks him 14th A-T World), Rai Benjamin (47.37), and Abderahman Samba (47.47)!!
Kenny Selmon didn't make it through, nor did Jaheel Hyde, who sadly tripped on a late hurdle and went crashing to the track!

Did ANYone pick Italy's Lamont Jacobs to medal, let alone medal in Gold, before this year began--or even before July 30th??
Me neither!
Yet here he is, Tokyo 100 Olympic Champion, in yet ANOTHER National Record!!
His 9.80 is his 4th (??) NR of 2021, and 3rd in this OG!!
He ranks 15th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
Another surprise is Fred Kerley.
Unlike Jacobs, he was seen as a probable Olympian, but in the 400!
Then the 200, maybe adding the 100 to that double!
So his 9.84 for Silver is a bit of a surprise!
It makes him 15th A-T World, tied with 3 others!
And 7th A-T US!
Andre De Grasse's 9.89 edged out Akani Simbine's 9.90 for the Bronze!
Ronnie Baker ran 9.95 for 5th, and Bingtian Su's 9.98 gave him 6th!

Bence Halasz, Ivan Tikhon, Marcel Lomnicky, Gleb Dudarev, and Alex Young didn't make the final of the Men's HT!
Wojciech Nowicki led the Q round with 261-9!
Rudy Winkler threw 258-6, as did E Hendriksen!
The latter gets Norway's National Record!

For some reason, Faith Kipyegon felt like displaying some of her strength, running the fastest heat time ever in an Olympics or World Championship 1500!
Her time was 4:01.40!
(I hope the final is faster--but don't count on it!  LOL)
Winnie Nanyondo followed in 4:02.24, with Linden Hall next in 4:02.27!
Nazumi Tanaka took advantage of Kipyegon's pacing, getting Japan's NR with her 4:02.33!
All 3 Americans advanced!
Rebebe Arafi didn't!
Neither did Aisha Praught-Leer, but she wasn't expected to, as she's said she was hurting, and just wanted to run her heat!
She ran 4:15 and change!

I'll close off the results portion of this post with the Men's Long Jump Final!
Miltiadis Tentoglou won the Gold with his 27-7.25!
But this event was pretty quiet, relatively speaking!
Juan Echevarria also LJ'ed 27-7.25, but the Greek had a better back-up jump!
Maykel Masso of Cuba was 3rd with his 26-11.25!
JuVaughn Harrison completed his double of the HJ and LJ with his 5th place mark of 26-10.
Competing a LOT throughout the INdoor and OUTdoor season for LSU, it's amazing he even made the team!
Finishing 7th and 5th in the Olympic Games is pretty amazing!
He has a long career ahead of him!

I'm very sad to say I just saw a tweet by Raven Saunders (See above!), stating her mother Clarissa had passed away!
Also saw a short interview with her mom--from last Friday--where she appeared totally healthy, smiling & laughing, stating how proud she was!
Raven said she's taking time away from social media "to care for family and mental".
This woman has already gone through so much shit, and now to lose her mother a day or two after winning the Silver medal in the SP!
Please protect her, so she can mourn her loss, and come back to us and her sport soon!

I'll continue my report in a bit!

2021 Tokyo Olympics (Opening Events)

 Health--and everything else prevailing--this is the first of a few detailed reports on the Olympic T&F events!
I'll be including ALL the happenings (minus the slow 100 preliminary rounds, and the "mixed relays", which I see as a desecration of our sport!), and that includes Finals, Semi's, Heats of Track events, and Finals and Qualifying rounds of all the Field events!!
They'll be presented in chronological order!
This post includes the entire 1st day, and the morning session of the 2nd day--July 30th & 31st (in Japan!).
Enjoy reading!

The Men's High Jump Qualifying opened things up in the 2nd Tokyo Olympics--the first being in 1964!
All the essential characters made it to the Final!
The key non-Qualifier  was Andrej Protsenko!
All the Americans moved on!

The Men's Heats of the 3000SC saw the fastest ever opening round!!
Lamecha Girma led the way with a quick 8:09.83!
Riaji Miura was next with 8:09.92.
That's the National Record of Japan!
Ben Kigen ran 8:10.80!
Also Qualifying was Benard Keter, with 8:17.31.
Keter ranks 19th A-T US!
Avenish Sable's 8:18.12 did not move him on, but he gets India's NR as consolation!
Also not moving on were Leonard Bett and 2 Americans, Mason Ferlic and Hillary Bor!!

The Men's Discus Throw Q round saw who else but Daniel Stahl leading the way--with 216-11!
Andrius Gudzius was next with 216-4!
Not qualifying were Fedric Dacres (!!), Piotr Malachowski, Reggie Jagers, and Mason Finley!

Two Women broke two minutes in the 800 Heats!
Natoya Goule led the way with her 1:59.83, with Jemma Reekie running 1:59.97!
Athing Mu won her section with an easy (and negative split) 2:01.10!
Ajee Wilson sailed through with 2:00.02.
Sara Kuivista ran 2:00.15, moving forward!
She also gets the NR of Finland!
Not going through were Melissa Bishop-Nriagu and Eunice Sum!
The Canadian had recently won an 800 in 1:58.36, so this was a shocker!

All the players in the Men's 400H sailed through to the Semi's, led by Abderahman Samba's 48.38!
Alison Dos Santos followed in 48.42!
Rai Benjamin ran 48.60!
Karsten Warholm cruised his round in 48.65!

OMG, those Women's 100 Heats!!
Yes, I said HEATS!!
Marie Josee Ta Lou ran it like a Final--yet didn't!
Meaning, there was some gas left in the tank!
Her 10.78 ties the National Record of the Ivory Coast!
It ranks her 16th A-T World, tied with 5 others!
(BTW, the fastest times were all run in separate races!)
Elaine Thompson-Herah sped 10.82, also seeming to coast!
Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce's contribution to Speed City was 10.84!

In one heat, Mujinga Kambundji's 10.95 tied the Switzerland NR!
That didn't last long!
Agia Del Ponte's 10.91 wiped it from the books!
Daryll Neita finally went sub-11, running 10.96!
Teahna Daniels took the first race with 11.04!
Blessing Okagbare and Dina Asher-Smith also went through, but with slower times!

Just in--Okagbare has been provisionally suspended, due to a positive drug test for Human Growth Hormone!
So apparently she will NOT be in the Semi's!

Asha Phillip and Super Veteran Kelly Ann Baptiste didn't move on!
Taken OFF my World list were the 10.81's of Dafne Schippers (from 2015) and Marlies Gohr (from 1983!!).

The Women's Heats (Should be called Semi's!) of the 5000 were fast!!
Sifan Hassan opened her "Triple Quest" with 14:47.80, helped by a last 400 of about 61.
Agnes Tirop ran 14:48.01, followed by Senbere Teferi's 14:48.31!
E Taye ran 14:48.52 for 4th fastest!
Lillian Rengerek, Yasmin Can, and Karissa Schweizer all ran in the lower 14:50's!
Also moving on were Helen Obiri and Elise Cranny!
Cranny ran smart, and her 14:56.14 looked easy!
Not moving on were Nazumi Tanaka, Rachel Schneider (just over 15!!), Jessica Judd, Dominique Scott, and new British NR holder Eilish McColgan!
Amy Eloise Markovic ran a PR of 15:03.22, but also didn't make the Final!
And Laura Galvan broke her own NR of Mexico, but her 15:00.16 also didn't make the Final!

Yulimar Rojas led the Women's Triple Jump Qualifying with 48-5.50!
Ana Peleteiro was next with 47-11.75!
Caterine Ibarguen moved on, as did Keturah Orji!
Thea LaFond's 47-10.75 is the new NR of Dominica!
But missing the Final will be Jasmine Moore and Tori Franklin!!

The Women's Shot Put Q round could be called the "Gong & Song Show", as Liljao Gong led with 63-10.25, while J Song was next with 63-1.25!
Raven Saunders--elaborate Batman mask and all--hit 63-0.75!
But some big names didn't make the Final!
They were Danielle Thomas-Dodd, Christina Schwanitz, Brittany Crew (3 fouls!), Anita Marton, and Adelaide Aquilla!!

The first day ended with the 1st Final of the Games--the Men's 10000!
The heat and humidity were high, so their opening 5000 being just 14:11 was maybe expected!
Actually, that 5K leading time is misleading!
Uganda's Stephen Kissa sprinted to a massive lead at the gun, and wasn't caught until just before the 5000 mark.
Gossip mill has it that he was Uganda's team rabbit!!
In fact, as do rabbits in DL's, for example, he DNF'ed right after that!!
But if he WAS Uganda's rabbit, it didn't help much, as the other two wound up with Silver and Bronze!!
Anyway, the winner was Selemon Barega's 27:43.22.
His splits were about 14:11 and 13:32!
His final 1000 was a rapid 2:25, and his last 400 was 53.97!!
So was the weather really that bad??
Josh Cheptegei took 2nd with 27:43.63, with the Bronze going to Jacob Kiplimo's 27:43.87!
Benihu Aregawa was the dreaded 4th, but well behind the winning trio--time of 27:46.16!
Grant Fisher ran 27:46.39, with Mo Ahmed next in 27:47.76!
Yomif Kejelcha was 8th, with Rhonex Kipruto ending 9th!
Morhad A Doumni(??) ran 27:53.58 for the National Record of France!
The other two Americans--Will Kincaid and Joe Klecker-- ended 15th & 16th, respectively!

BTW, this was the slowest winning time since 1992!
The only slower times since Tokyo 1964 were in 1968, 1984, and those Barcelona Games!

The Women's 400H Heats went off without major players missing out!
Delilah Muhammad led the way with 53.97!
Femke Bol's time was 54.43, with Anna Ryzhykova next in 54.56!
Sydney McLaughlin cruised through in 54.65!
It might be interesting to note that two of the runners not moving on were Jamaican--Ronda Whyte and Leah Nugent!!
They were both DQ'ed--reasons not known!!

The Women's Discus Throw Q rounds went pretty much as expected, as Valarie Allman's 217-11 was the leading mark, and Sandra Perkovic eased through with 209-2.
However, the list was long in the category of Non-Q's!!
Jorinde van Klinken didn't make it, nor did Dania Cabellero!!
Marija Tolj was the closest to making the Final, but her 201-8 just wasn't enough!
Melina Robert-Michon, Dani Stevens, and the other Americans--Kelsey Card and Rachel Dincoff--also failed to move on!

I'm sure everyone knows already the tragic fate of Sam Kendricks in the Men's Pole Vault!
He tested positive for Covid, and was sent home before the Q round!!
Replacing him was the US alternate Matt Ludwig--but with a last minute 20 hour flight, and arrival at the stadium that morning, and not even getting his uniform until just one hour before competing, it's not shocking he didn't make it to the Final!
The top height was 18-10.25!
Besides Ludwig, not making the Final were Valentin Lavillenie, Konstantinas Filippidis, Sondre Guttormsen, and Pawel Wojciechowski!!

The Men's 800 Heats were led by a quickie--Ferguson Rotich's 1:43.75!!
Peter Bol's 1:44.13 is Australia's new National Record!
Not moving on were Brandon McBride and Mark English!
All three Americans are in the Semi's!

This report ends with the Heats of the Women's 100H!!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn was fastest, with 12.41.
Megan Tapper surprised by being next fastest with her PR of 12.53!
I'd never heard of her before!
She's from Jamaica!!

The only "name" not making the Semi's was Annimarie Korte!

Be back with more results in a day or two!

Tokyo Olympic Games of 2021

 I'm sure you noticed the year I gave to these Games in my title!
Because they're taking place in 2021, why the fuck would you say they're the 2020 Games?
My first rant!

Second would be that these Games are even taking place, with the host nation being under Covid emergency status!
With no fans in the stands.
With their being held in late July and early August--instead of a couple of months later, as the 1964 Tokyo Games were!

So it's not shocking that the best US Pole Vaulter is out of the Games after a positive Covid test!
Or that Simone Biles (the star gymnast, in case you didn't know!) messed up her routine, and blamed it on mental stress--aka the "twisties"--then dropped out of the rest of her events!

Or that the Village beds are made of cardboard, because the organizers wanted athletes to be celibate, so told them having sex on those "beds" would break them!

But I'm here to talk about the Track & Field section of the Olympics--due to begin in just a few hours!
I'm going to run through the events, suggesting which OG Records might be broken--which athletes or match-ups to watch for--and any other trivia I know of!

The Women's 100 MR of 10.62 may go!
The Jamaican duo of SAFP and ET-H should go 1-2.
The Men's MR of 9.63 is safe!

The 19.30 and 21.34 MR's in the 200's are safe!
Gabby Thomas hasn't raced since her 21.61, so has yet to prove herself!
I think Dina Asher-Smith is Gabby's strongest opponent, despite Shaunae Miller-Uibo!
Is Noah Lyles ready to dominate, and what about Erriyon Knighton?

Both 400's are wide open, with the 43.03 Men's MR inviolable, but the 48.25 for the Women fearing SMU's attack!

Take it with 1000 grains of salt--or take it to the bank--Athing Mu will take the Gold, and will threaten the World Record!
Thus the MR of 1:53.50 has a fair chance to fall!
Rudisha's 1:40.91 will last until at least 2024!

Tim Cheruiyot might lead from the gun--and if he does, will Cole Hocker follow?
Can Hocker go sub-3:30--if Cheruiyot does?
For the Women, will Elle Purrier St Pierre make people forget the loss of Houlihan's AR speed?
Will she be buried beneath the brilliance of Sifan Hassan and Faith Kipyegon??
The MR's of 3:53.96 and 3:32.07 can both fall!

Can Hassan win her triple?
Will she even attempt it?
Will Tokyo's weather make the distances tactical?
What kind of shape is Karissa Schweizer in--14:26, or 15:00?
The Women's 5000 MR of 14:26.17 is more likely to go down than Ayana's 29:17.45!
For the Men, the MR's of 12:57.82 and 27:01.17 SHOULD fall--but tactics is the ever looming monster!

Emma Coburn was enroute for a sub-9 in the 3000SC recently.
If she runs that time here, watch out, Beatrice & Hyvin!!
And where on this map is Frerichs?
If Coburn gets her way, goodbye to the 8:58.81 MR!
For the Men, Soufiane El Bakkali can topple the MR of 8:03.28, and live to brag about it!

The Marathon MR's of 2:06:32 and 2:23:07 CAN fall, but the weather and the course (unknown to me!) will keep that question dangling till near the end!

Same with the Walks!
I don't have all the MR's here, but the 1:25:02 for the Women's 20K is in danger!

The Hurdles race--both the sprint and one lappers--are all standing on the very edge of a 10000 foot (meter?) drop!!
Grant Holloway--barring disaster (and he NEVER has a disastrous race!), will challenge the 12.80 World Record, and make mincemeat of the 12.91 MR!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn is the best 100H'er this year--no contest.
If she's on point, watch for a sub-12.30.
The MR is 12.35!
The old World Record (& MR!!) in the Men's 400H is the 46.78 Karsten Warholm just broke!
With the match (MASH??) up between him and Rai Benjamin, I'm envisioning a possible sub-46.50 here!!
No shit!!
As for the 52.64 Women's MR (dating from 2008!), that one might go in the SEMIS!!!!
As for Syd the Kid--look at the clock when she crosses the finish--Does it say 51.50??

Yaroslava Mahuchukh (and maybe a recently revived Mariya Lasitskene) will challenge the Meet Record of 6-9!
Can't say the same for the Men topping their MR of 7-10!
Unless Juvaughn Harrison isn't wiped out from a full Collegiate season (plus doubling in the LJ!).
Sad to say Mutaz Barshim may struggle just to medal, let alone win or break records!
One more question for the Women--How high goes Vashti Cunningham??

As noted above, Juvaughn Harrison is ready for 28 (feet!).
But is 28 ready for him?
The Greek Tentoglou is an unknown factor--but whatever you think of him, throw that "8.60" of his into the garbage pail!!
The MR of 29-2.50 is VERY safe!
So is the 24-3.50 for the Women!
Is Tara Davis--like Harrison--still strong after a full Collegiate season?
How many over 23 feet?

Yulimar Rojas!
That's all you need to know about the Women's TJ.
The MR is 50-6--the WR is 50-10.25!
Fifty One feet is NOT far removed from Rojas's wheelhouse!!
She's fast becoming the Blanka Vlasic of the Women's TJ--demonstrative, personable, entertaining, and a GREAT athletic specimen!!
The 59-4.25 MR for the Men is doable, especially with the probable heated duel between Hughes Zango and PPPP--aka Pedro Pablo Pichardo!
Wish Christian Taylor had made the team, and was in prime shape!!

Sam Kendricks's loss (See above!) is the event's loss--and the Tokyo Olympics loss!
What a TRI-match it would've been with Sam, Renaud, and Mondo!
Well, we still have Mondo--who WILL destroy the MR of 19-9.25!!
Will the empty stands kill the inspiration needed for him to break the WR also?
The PV "community" is strong, so I can see all the "losers" cheering him every step of the way!
BTW, Matt Ludwig is Sam's alternate.
He's on his way to Tokyo, and hopefully will make the final!
The Women's PV is fucking LOADED!!
And NO ONE is heavily favored--for the win, or even to medal!
Too many names to mention here, but look for this to be the DEEPEST field event in Tokyo!!
How many over 16 feet??
Even the MR of 16-6.75 could fall if all the stars are in alignment!

Ryan Crouser and the MR of 73-10.75 are like a hungry Godzilla and a plate full of Tokyo--ready to be DEVOURED!!
Remember, he hit 75-2.50 in the Q round at the Trials!
Is 77 feet--or even 78--on the horizen?
Even if Tom Walsh and Joe Kovacs were to match their Doha 2019 marks, Crouser should win Gold easily!
The Women's MR of 73-6.25 (!!) will still be around in 2120!!
But can't wait to see how Saunders and Ramsey contend with a renewed Mama Val!!

I so WISH for Jorinde van Klinken to prove her 230-4 from the spring wasn't all wind and mirrors!
But alas, give this one to Valarie Allman or Queen Perky--aka Sandra Perkovic!
The 237-2 MR is a goodie, but will probably remain on the books!
Daniel Stahl has a MUCH better shot at the Men's MR of 229-3!!
(He recently hit 234 and change--see a previous post!)

The Men's Javelin Throw MR of 297-1 can fall in Qualifying, if Johannes Vetter's entire 2021 season is any indication!!
Give the WR of 323-1 odds of 30-70 to also go down!
The Women's MR is 234-8, dating from 2004!
It's safe!
Will Maggie Malone medal--and will she again break her own American Record?

Oh, those Hammer Throws!!
The Women's MR is held by the WR holder--Anita Wlodarczyk!
Her best this year is about 17 feet removed from the WR, and about 14 feet from the MR of 269-11.
Now we come to the topper--Can the Americans SWEEP??
DeAnna Price and Brooke Andersen are strong contenders for Gold.
And what about Gwen Berry?
The Men's is another of those TRI-matches!
Pawel Fajdek vs Wojciech Nowicki vs Mykayla Kokhan!!
Lay your bets on who you pick to win--but save your pennies when it comes to the 278-3 MR going down!
Won't happen!

The Multis may be one of the least predictable events here!
Is Kevin Mayer ready to hit 9000 again?
Will Maicel Uibo or Damian Warner match or surpass their PR's?
(Warner scored 8995 at Gotzis!)
The MR is "just" 8893--and should go, barring disaster!
Forget the Women's MR--which is JJK's World Record!!
How will the VERY strong US trio do?
Can they repeat--or improve on--their Trials scores??

The Relays (NOT including the mixed relays, which I see as below the stature of the 5 rings of the Olympic Games, and should be ignored!!) are, of course, dependent on a few things--
Who's on the teams?
Will a team be DQ'ed, for whatever reason?
Will the baton still be in hand at the finish line?
That said, the US Women's 4 X 400 might be extremely fascinating--especially if 400H's Syd McLaughlin and Delilah Muhammad are on the team!
And how about Athing Mu??
The MR is the WR, and should stand!
The Men's 4 X 100 teams don't have that "Bolt" factor, so I see a good race, but an "average" time!
The Women are also missing someone--a certain vivacious loquacious and quite colorful marijuana smoker!!
Without "her" (or is it "she/her"?), the MR (& WR) of 40.82 remains on the books!

So all in all, my friends, this Olympics (for T&F fans) CAN/SHOULD/MIGHT be one of the greatest ever!
And whatever year you attach to its name, stay tuned to this blog for all the results, commentary, and critical analysis--stuff you DON'T get from the TV coverage!!

Enjoy, and see you soon!

Last Train to Toke-Ee-Ooo (apologies to the Monkees)

 Best title ever?
Worst?
Whatever, this is my last collection of results before the T&F part of the Tokyo Olympics begins in a few hours!
And there were some good ones!

Maggie Malone broke her own American Record in the Javelin Throw, hitting 221-1, adding 22 inches to her old mark!!
She now ranks 18th A-T World, tied with 1 other!!

Josette Norris had a pair of races, giving strong weight to making her "Most Improved" US runner of the year!
She first battled Jessica Hull for over 3 laps before sprinting ahead to 3:59.72 in a 1500!
This makes her 9th A-T US!
Hull ran 4:00.73, close to her PR!
Nikki Hiltz ended in 4:02.94, while Michaela Meyer ran 4:04.02, chopping her best by 6 seconds!

Then Norris won a tight 5000 from Konstanze Klosterhalfen, 14:51.32 to 14:51.97.
That was a small PR for Norris, and makes her 9th A-T US!
Add the two marks together, and her Combined Events total is 18:51.04, making her 7th A-T US!
In 3rd came Emily Infeld, who is coming off of three years of being stalked by some lunatic, having moved and out of fear, do all sorts of other maneuvers to stay safe!
The stalker was arrested and is in prison!
Despite all that, Infeld ran a PR of 14:54.09, making her 13th A-T US!
And Abbey Cooper ran her first sub-15, her 14:56.58 in 4th making her 20th A-T US!

Let's go back a bit and cover the High School scene!
This included the new version of the former New Balance Nationals.
Same meet essentially, but now named the Nike HS Nationals!!

The HSR for the Women's 4 X Mile Relay now belongs to Saratoga Springs of NY, their time of 19:40.67 taking a 16 second chunk off the old HSR!
Niwot of Colorado (Elise Cranny's HS!) also smashed the old record with their 19:45.37!
Saratoga Springs also ran 11:42.62 in the DMR, but Niwot won that race in 11:33.51!!

The 3000 Walk was won in the quick time of 14:12.66 by Madison Morgan!
Oh, almost forgot--Ms Morgan is an 8th Grader!!

Hana Moll PV'ed 14-4, making her 8th A-T HS!
The Women's HS 14 foot club grew to 23 OUTdoors (!!) with Allison Neiders clearance of 14-0, making her 16th A-T HS, tied with 7 others!

Ellie Shea won the 5000 in 16:10.42!
She thus smashed the Frosh Class Record of the late Kim Gallagher by 23.58 seconds!!
Gallagher's time was run in 1979!!
Shea is now 12th A-T HS!!
Caroline Wells ended 2nd in 16:16.02, making her 16th A-T HS!

The Heptathlon produced a couple of solid marks--488 points apart!!
Ariel Pedigo scored 5343 points, making her 14th A-T HS!
Jai Creonna Geer-Holt (!!) scored 4855 points, but let me add a little fact!
Ms Geer-Holt happens to be an 8th Grader, and gets that Class Record!
Among her 7 events, she HJ'ed 5-10.75, which might also be a Class Record!
(I don't keep 8th Grade records!!)

Other Nike  meet marks--
Kohana Nokato's JT measured 169-1, making her 16th A-T HS!
Jordan Anthony sprinted a 100 in 10.21, making him 17th A-T HS, tied with 4 others!
A good HT competition saw John Fay throw 236-10 to beat Robinson O'Hagan's 236-9!!
They are 17th and 18th A-T HS, respectively!!

Also mostly a HS meet is the Brooks PR!
Nathan's Green (4:01.76) and Mountain (8:42.16) took the Meet Records down in the Mile and Two Mile, respectively!
Mountain is ranked 8th A-T HS!
Parker Wolfe took 2nd in the longer race, his 8:43.91 making him 11th A-T HS!

Better known as an 800 runner, Roisin Willis ran 52.64 to take a close 2nd to Kennah Sanders's 52.62 in the 400!
Audrey DaDamio won the Two Mile in 10:02.87, making her 16th A-T HS!
And Juliette Whittaker won the Mile in 4:38.65, making her 10th A-T HS!
Riley Stewart's 4:40.66 in 2nd just misses my HS list!!

The Gateshead DL (the second one!!) had some good marks!
Mohamed Katir got Spain's NR in the 3000, his 7:27.64 making him 15th A-T World!
On my C-E lists, his 3:28.76 and 7:27.64 adds to 10:56.40, amking him 6th A-T World!
His 1500 added to his 12:50.79 adds to 16:19.55, making him 8th A-T World on that list!
Stew McSweyn finished 2nd with 7:28.94!
In 8th came Yemana Cripps's 7:37.90, which breaks his own National Record of Italy!

Several athletes continued their winning ways!
But Valerie Adams proved she's going to be a serious contender in Tokyo by winning the SP with 64-9.25. her best mark since 2016!!
Daniel Stahl's 234-3 in the DT is the World Leader!
Sandra Perkovic won her DT with 216-11.
Femke Bol cruised to the 400H win in 53.24!
Trayvon Bromell took the 100 in 9.98!

Elliott Giles nipped Jye Edwards in the Mile, 3:52.49 to 3:52.50!
Kate Grace won the Women's Mile in 4:27.20!
Great Britain edged Canada in the Men's 4X100 Relay, 38.27 to 38.29!
Sandi Morris is back on top, having won the Gateshead PV with 15-7.25!
Holly Bradshaw was 2nd with 15-5.50!
T Morgunov took the Men's PV with 19-2.25!
Wojciech Nowicki took the HT with 266-11.
Yaroslava Mahuchukh won the HJ by clearing 6-6.75!
And Nazomi Tanaka broke her own NR of Japan with her 3000 time of 8:40.84!

Another ATL meet saw several MR's fall!
(Though I need to research this a bit!!)
Yohan Blake's 9.95 is one of them!
So is Kyree King's 20.26 in the 200!
As is Jesus Lopez's 1:43.44 in the 800!
This is also Mexico's NR!!

Lorraine Ugen's 22-7.25 lso serves as the probable MR in the LJ!
Rhonda Whyte's 400H of 54.47 also qualifies!
Michael Diebasa (sp?) sped the 110H in 13.23 for another possible MR!
Nick Ponzio won the SP with 69-8.25!
He was representing Italy, so that's a switch--literally!
Two other probable MR's were Danielle Williams's 12.62 in the 100H, and English Gardner's 11.12 in the Century without hurdles!

No MR, but Melissa Bishop-Nriagu impressed by winning the 800 in 1:58.36!
Sadi Henderson improved to 1:58.62 in 2nd!
Sabrina Southerland was a good 3rd in 1:58.77!

Michael Shuey had one of the best American Men's Javelin Throws in awhile, his 281-1 making him 4th A-T US!!
Colby Alexander ran the 1500 in 3:33.65, making him 18th A-T US!
Chase Ealey Put the Shot 63-9.75!
Keturah Orji's winning TJ measured 47-9.75!
Valarie Allman's DT flew out 223-6!
Mariya Lasitskene returned to form by taking the HJ with 6-6.75!

Taryn Rawlings has been running some solid times recently--and winning!
She ran a Mile in 4:28.93!
She beat the 4:29.26 by Raevyn Rogers!

Festus Lagat won an 800 in 1:44.47.
In 2nd came Brannon Kidder's first sub-1:45!
He ran 1:44.99!
Nia Akins won the Women's 800 in 2:00.24, edging Dani Aragon's PR of 2:00.30!

In her latest win, Taryn Rawlings took a 1500 in 4:05.02!
Henry Wynne won (Sic!) the 1500 in 3:34.22!
Isaac Updike took the 3000SC in 8:20.17.
He beat Dan Michalski's 8:20.96!!
Josephus (not Noah!!) Lyles took the 200 in 20.22!

Finally, in an announced attempt to break Alan Webb's American Record in the Mile (3:46.91), Matthew Centrowitz used pacers to go out in a quick 54.
He was still fast through the three-quarter point, but by then, he was alone!
Still, his 3:49.26 (about 58 last lap!) ranks him 5th A-T US, and was a PR by over a second!!

Next up--the OLYMPICS!!!