Let's Catch Up!

 For reasons many & varied, I've been AWOL most of February!
But the sport of Track & Field has been anything but!
No, Covid hasn't exited--yet!--but T&F decided to take back their world!
Thus, this INdoor season is actually a SEASON (despite Millrose's cancellation!).
Covid has done something else too--they've made OUTdoors begin earlier in the States than normal!
So these past 4 weeks have been (literally) Record-breaking!
So much so that I can't fit the whole month into 1 (or even 2 or 3) posts!
But we gotta start somewhere, so let's look back in sorta chronological order to what went down since my previous post!
(All places on lists--and Records!--are as of the post they're covered in!)

The 3rd American Track League meet--held February 7th in Fayetteville--was a good one!
Led by the Women's Vertical Jumps, we saw Sandi Morris go 16-0 in the PV to easily get the Meet Record!
She made 3 attempts at a World Record 16-7.50--still trying to adjust to a longer pole!
Olivia Gruver soared over 15-8.25, making her 6th A-T US, and moving her onto the World INdoor list at 17th, but tied with 2 others!

In a Virginia meet, Bridget Guy cleared 15-5, making her 9th A-T US, tied with 1 other!

Back in Arkansas, Vashti Cunningham High Jumped 6-6.75, getting the ATL Meet Record!
She's 3rd A-T US, tied with 1 other!
She misses the World list by a quarter inch!!
Jessica Rowe topped 6-3.25, missing the US list by a quarter inch!!

One Hobbs Kessler--a HS Senior--took down Drew Hunter's HSR in the Mile, even though he ended in 3rd place!
T Hedsaills (sp?) won the race in 3:56.79!
He barely beat the ageless Nick Willis, whose 3:56.82 is the new Age 37 Record!
Then came Kessler's 3:57.66!!
He gets the HSR, the Senior Class Record, and the Age 17 Record!!

Many believed he'd come "out of nowhere", but that wasn't exactly true!
Yes, his official best had been 4:20+ for the full Mile!
But he'd run 4:08 in a time trial, and everybody thought he was ready for a 4:04!
Then Covid erased the OUTdoor HS season of 2020, ending Kessler's quest!
With great even pacing, he took over the HSR behind his friend & sometime coach and mentor Willis!!
BTW, his 1500 time enroute of 3:43.07 (14.59 for his final 109 meters!!) makes him 2nd A-T HS!!

Other ATL marks--
Michael Cherry sped the 400 in 45.24.
This makes him 15th A-T US, tied with 1 other, and 23rd A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Blessing Okagbare got the MR in the 60 with her time of 7.10!
She also ran 23.01 in the 200!!
Jenna Prandini took that one lapper in 22.55, not a PR!
Quanera Hayes ran 22.70 in 2nd, making her 24th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Marquis Dendy LJ'ed 26-11.75 for a MR!
In the Women's 800, Adelle Tracey took the Win in 2:02.11.
But Sophia Gorriaran's 2:02.44 in 2nd makes her 4th A-T High School!

A Texas meet saw a couple of great Collegiate marks!
Tripp Piperi came within 2 inches of the CR with his SP of 71-4!!
So he's 2nd A-T Collegiate, 12th A-T US, and entered the World DDD as 22nd A-T, tied with 1 other!!
Athing Mu sped the 2 lapper in 50.52!
This makes the Texas A&M Frosh 4th on both the Collegiate and US lists, as well as 20th A-T World!!

Yaroslava Mahuchukh continues to roll--or flop!!
She cleared a stratospheric 6-9 in Slovakia, breaking her own National Record of Ukraine, and her own Age 19 Record!
It makes her 3rd A-T World, tied with 2 others!

Continuing with more Verticals--
Mondo Duplantis's PV of 19-9.25 broke his own Age 21 Record!
And he needed it to top the comebacking Renaud Lavillenie and the rising Chris Nilsen, both of them clearing 19-5.50, and tying for 2nd!
Anzhelika Sidorova cleared 15-11.75.
In a separate meet, Holly Bradshaw topped 15-11.

Khaddi Segnia got a World Leader in the LJ with her mark of 22-4.50!
She took that over from Malaika Mihambo's 22-2.50, done in Berlin!
Another World Leader came in the Women's 60H when Christina Clemons (formerly Manning) ran 7.85!
Seleman Barega ran a World Leading 1500 in France!
His 3:34.62 makes him 20th A-T World!
Second went to the non-PR of Bethwell Birgen, who was close behind in 3:34.67!
Femke Bol continued her fine season by breaking her own NR of the Netherlands, running the 400 in 50.81!

The NR of Switzerland fell in the Women's Pentathlon.
Annik Kalin scored 4507 points!
Finally (INdoors!), HS'er Jaylen Slade sprinted one lap in 20.97, making him 7th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!

In a New Zealand SP duel, Jacko Gill's 70-7.25 topped veteran Tom Walsh's 70-5!!

A meet called the Prickly Pear (!) in Arizona saw a couple of fast 3000's!
This OUTdoor "meet" had Marc Scott victorious over an all-star American field!
Scott's 7:36.08 topped Grant Fisher's 7:37.21.
Fisher ranks 14th A-T US!
Right behind him came his former Stanford teammate Sean McGorty, whose 7:37.47 makes him 15th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Joe Klecker ended 4th in 7:39.18, making him the caboose on my US list!!

The Women were at least as good!
Canadian Gabby Stafford (Who else?) took the W in 8:38.57!
Then came 3 Americans in quick order!!
Colleen Quigley sprinted to the line in 8:40.23, making her 14th A-T US!
Next came Karissa Schweizer's 8:40.25, making her 15th A-T US!
Finally, Elise Cranny ticked off an 8:40.33 for 16th A-T US!!
Remember, these are OUTdoor marks!!

My "February Report" continues soon...I hope!

Fayetteville Rules!

 On both the Professional and Collegiate stages, Fayetteville Arkansas was where T&F athletes and fans were focused!
The Razorback Invitational and the second edition of the American Track League were both held on that historic track and field!
There were some standout performances, but it was the overall quality that held our attention!

The Hogs meet saw the University of Oregon Men obliterate the Collegiate Record in the Distance Medley Relay!
They actually ran faster than Kenya's World Record, but one member was from Australia, thus not qualified for either World or American Record status!!
A couple of teams went out in 2:49 for the 1st leg, setting it up for a quick final time!
With an anchor 1600 of 3:54, the Ducks ran 9:19.42, taking about 5 seconds off the Collegiate Record!
They also got the Meet Record, of course!
Iowa State ran well, as their 9:27.90 ranks them 8th A-T School!
Mississippi (Ole Miss) was 3rd in a solid 9:30.62!

Anna Hall broke through to a Pentathlon score of 4590 points! 
She also gets the MR, and is ranked 4th A-T Collegiate, and 9th A-T US!!
(Another Multi's person--Tyra Gittens--scored 4612 in another meet, so Gittens takes 3rd A-T Collegiate!!)

Charlie Hunter ran the Mile in 3:54.54 in the Razorback meet, getting the Junior Class Record, and ranking 6th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!

I'd like to say the ATL meet was again highlighted by a World Record in the Ryan Crouser Shot Put Show, but alas, he only tied the PREVIOUS World Record he'd destroyed in last week's edition!
His series was solid, with 4 Puts over 73 feet--his best being 74-4.25!

The true star of that meet was Bryce Hoppel!
His 800 in 1:44.37 is 2nd A-T US, a Meet Record, and 6th A-T World!
And he slightly negative split the race!
Charlie Grice of Great Britain was 2nd, with 3rd going to Eric Sowinski's 1:45.69 PR!
He's 6th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Craig Engels, who rarely runs an 800, finished in 1:46.10, making him 17th A-T US!!

It should be noted that two key athletes were MIA, due to them being in contact recently with Covid people!
It was just a precaution---they are NOT infected!!--but Donovan Brazier and Raevyn Rogers were cut from their respective 600's!

Sandi Morris returned from her own bout with Covid, not only making a World Leading 15-9.25 in the PV, but then attempting 16-3.25!
She's on longer poles, and is still adjusting to them, but she cleared that winning height without getting near the bar!!
It's a Meet Record!

Heather MacLean upset Dani Jones in the Mile, her MR time being a good 4:27.84!
Jones ran about 3 seconds slower!
SMU (Shaunae Miller-Uibo), regally tall with a head of blue and black hair, ran her 200 in 22.40!
She ranks 9th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
In Rogers's absence (See above!), Sammy Watson took the 600 by 0.01 seconds in 1:28.29, making for a very easy Meet Record to break!
In Brazier's absence (Also see above!), Nick Hilson cruised to a 600 MR of 1:19.14!
Jereem Richards also got an ATL MR with his 200 of 20.74!

Multi's star Kendell Williams LJ'ed 21-8 for another Meet Record!
If she can hit that in an OUTdoor Heptathlon, she'd score big points!
(Or for that matter, an INdoor Pentathlon!!)
Mikiah Brisco tied the MR in the short sprint, her time being 7.17!

Back to the Razorback (sic!) affair---
In a tight 5000 meter battle, Katie Izzo's 15:36.22 prevailed over Lauren Gregory's 15:36.51, with Izzo getting the MR!
Jessica Drop took a shorter distance race, her 9:03.29 getting the MR in the 3K!
Sage Hurta's 2:02.54 ranks 20th A-T Collegiate in the 800!
Matt Boling continued his solid season, racing the 200 in 20.53.
And Arkansas's Women timed 3:30.80 in the 4 X 400 Relay!!

But Fayetteville wasn't the only venue to produce great marks!
On a (rock and reeling) roll, KC Lightfoot AGAIN broke the (his own!) Collegiate Record in the PV!
He's now in real World Class territory, his 19-6.25 clearance also gaining him the Junior Class Record!
He's 4th A-T US, and 14th A-T World, tied with 1 other!!

But he has solid company!
First, comebacking Renaud Lavillenie also cleared 19-6.25, getting the Karlsruhe Meet Record!
At another meet--in France--he topped 19-9, then failed at his sole try at 6.20, a WR!
BTW, he ties the Age 34 Record with that mark!
So what did Mister Mondo do?
Duplantis got the Age 21 Record with his 19-8.50 clearance!
Then he tried to one-up Lavillenie, going for 6.21!!
Mondo now has FIVE INdoor Age Records--Ages 17, 18, 19, 20, and 21!
(My Age Records begin at Age 17, and yes, I know he has other Age Records from earlier Ages!)
Torben Blech took 2nd with 19-2.75, a PR!!

Keely Hodgkinson chopped 2 seconds off her 800 time in a race in Austria!
The Brit sped the 4 laps in 1:59.03, becoming the first teen Woman to run under two minutes INdoors!!
I don't have her exact birthdate yet, but I know she was still 18 when she ran this, so gets the Age 18 Record!!
N Power was a far back 2nd in 2:02.44, but gets the National Record of Ireland!

New 400H star Femke Bol has some wheels!
She got the Netherlands NR in the 400 with her time of 50.96!!
That was also in that Vienna meet!

Some other Record breaking action from everywhere---
A pair of High Schoolers finished 1-2 against a field of Pro's and Collegiates in a Virginia 600!
Sophia Gorriaran took only 1:27.02 for the 3 lapper, while Roisin Willis ended in 1:27.20!!
They were two seconds ahead of everyone else!!
Gorriaran gets the Soph Class Record, is 2nd A-T HS, and 14th A-T US!!
Willis is 4th A-T HS, and 17th A-T US!!
Another great youngster--although Athing Mu is a Freshman at Texas A&M--performed with luster!
She anchored her team in the 4 X 400 Relay with a--Get this!!--50.02!!
This girl has a future!!
(BTW, A&M ran 3:31.09!)

Lots more to report, so let's use the "by event group" method---
The Sprints
Dina Asher-Smith sped her Karlsruhe 60 in 7.08, a World Leader!
Bryce Deadmon ran the 400 in the Texas Tech meet in 45.29!
He's 18th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other, and 19th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
In Karlsruhe, Wilhelm Belocian had fast times in the 60H in both heat and final!
His heat was 7.48, and his final one tick slower!
N Nazeri (sp?) got the NR of Finland with her 60H time of 7.92, also at Karlsruhe!
She broke her own Record!

Distances
Let me begin here with some marks I left out of my previous post!!
The Las Vegas Half Marathon saw 3 Women make my US list!
Molly Seidel won it with her 69:20, making her 11th A-T US!
Sarah Pagano's 69:41 makes her 14th A-T US!
Emily Durgin was 3rd in 69:47, making her 15th A-T US!

Bethwell Birgen took the Karlsruhe 3000 in 7:34.12 over the 7:35.39 of Muhammed Kata (sp?).
Moving to OUTdoors in New Zealand, Sam Tanner ran a Mile in 3:54.97!

Jumps
Isaac Grimes LJ'ed 26-10 in South Carolina!
He's 18th A-T Collegiate, tied with 2 others!
Olivia Gruver PV'ed 15-3.75 in Seattle!
L Povea TJ'ed 47-8.50!
OUTdoors, two Girls PV'ed 13-9!
Emery Prentice and Heather Abadie are each 23rd A-T HS, tied with 9 others, including each other!
Finally--in this event group!--we have Ivana Spanovic's LJ of 21-8.50 finishing 3rd behind the 22-1-50's of Milaika Mihambo and Khaddi Segnia!

Throws
Monique Hardy upped her Collegiate Frosh Class Record by an inch with her WT toss of 69-7!
Denzel Comenentia whipped his WT out 79-2 to get the Netherlands NR!
He ranks 17th A-T World!
I never heard of her before, but Maddy Nilles got a WT of 77-1.25!
Hopefully, it's real, because if so, she's now 14th A-T US and 20th A-T World!

Karlsruhe had a great field in the SP with some surprises!
A Dongmo won it with a throw of 64-5.75!
This gets her Portugal's National Record!
Fanny Roos improved her own NR of Sweden by taking 2nd with 61-2!
But two biggies--Christina Schwanitz and Raven Saunders--ended just 5th and 8th, respectively, with marks not worth reporting!!

Before closing, a few more items!
The 2nd ATL meet was much better presented this 2nd go-round!
Maybe it was the presence of Ato Boldon in the booth!

Do you like Alexi Pappas--especially her personality and honesty??
Then you MUST read her new memoir titled "Bravey"!!
It's pure Alexi all the way through!
She has a very sad story to tell, but she offers lots of clues as to how to be "Bravey" in dealing with them!

I follow "Fast Women" on Twitter!
So I signed up for their weekly Newsletter!
It's free, although if you want to donate something to them, do so!
The Newsletter focuses almost solely on Women's running, although other T&F events are sometimes mentioned, as are Men!
It is EXCELLENT in every way!
Reporting on almost EVERY elite race--on road or track--and many sub-elite times--they do so in a very conversational way of writing (what I try to do here!).
They also provide easy links to many podcasts and videos of "fast women".
They cover--as I also do!--the World, US, Collegiate, and HS scenes!
You can read at least the past 30 Newsletters in their Archives (as I did!!), dating back to September 14th of 2020!
Highly recommended!!

Week 3 of the ATL is coming next, and much more!!
See you soon!