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!