In this post, I will cover all 4 groups--World, US, Collegiate, and HS.
There's a lot to cover, so I'll begin with the Men.
World-Men
While I believe Justin Gatlin will compete INdoors, I don't think he can go faster than Mo Greene's 6.39 in the 60.
The Europeans will have their INdoor Championships, but I also don't see any Euros as being that fast!
Same goes for the 200, although that 19.92 is a somewhat easier target.
I've said it before, and I'll repeat it.
If LaShawn Merritt or Kirani James took a SERIOUS shot at the 44.57 WR, it would be GONE!!
Of the Middle Distance events (600,800, 1000, 1500, 1 Mile, 2000), I'd call the 600 and 1000 the easiest targets.
The 1000 needs "just" an 800 in 1:45 with another lap in 29.95!
The Distance events (3000, 2 Mile, 5000) already have WR attempt promises!
Galen Rupp will target K Bekele's 8:04.35 Two Mile on January 31st.
He "almost" made it last year at BU, but after about 2600 meters, fell off the needed pace!
I think he can do it this year!
The INdoor 3000 and 5000 WR's are too tough!
It would take the top 2 or 3 guys making a SERIOUS attempt on those records to get them!
Colin Jackson's 7.30 60H WR is safe!
With Renaud Lavillenie set for the Karlsruhe meet (See my previous post!), anything can happen, even a WR.
And with the European Championship on the calendar, I'm assuming Karlsruhe will not be the only meet where Lavillenie will compete!
The HJ WR is "only" 7-11.50.
Will Barshim, Bondarenko and Company attack it?
If they do, I'd give Sotomayor's record an 80% chance of falling!
The LJ WR is safe.
But the TJ WR of 58-9.50 could go, with Teddy Tamgho and Will Claye in the mix.
Both throwing events (SP, WT) WR's are going to still be there when 2015 is done!
I said it before, but if Ashton Eaton tries for his own record of 6645 in the Hept, he can break it.
The DMR time of 9:25.97 is getting a major attack from the US and Kenya at the Armory meet. (See my previous post!).
It would take a simple combo of 2:52, 48, 1:50, and 3:55 to get it.
And you can juggle those numbers in several ways, and still break the record!
It's GONE!
If anyone goes after the 4X800 record of 7:13.11, that mark can go down too.
It's "just" four 1:48.27's!!
The 4X400 is safe.
US-Men
The 60 is safe. (See above.)
The 200 AR of 20.10 is possible, but not likely.
I'd give it about 30% chance.
See above for my 400 prediction!
Johnny Gray's 1:45.00 in the 800 COULD go, but probably won't, although Duane Solomon seems ready for a big year.
Remember that last year, Nick Symmonds said HE was targeting the AR (AND the 1000 mark too!).
Will he do it this year?
I don't see it, with all his extra-curricular activities perhaps messing up his training routine!
The 600 mark of 1:15.61 could go, as Eric Sowinski is entered in a BIG race. (Don't have the details here, but it includes some Top-rated Americans!)
I think the 1500, 1 Mile, and 2000 AR's are safe.
That is, unless Rupp or Will Leer go for them!
As noted above, Rupp is aiming for the WORLD Record in the 2 Mile.
But I don't see the 3000 AR going down in that race too!
And as far as I know, there's no NOP tries for the 5K mark this year!
The 60H record is safe.
If Eric Kynard is in shape, Hollis Conway's 7-10.50 HJ record could go, or at least be tied!
The LJ AR won't be broken.
See above for my take on the TJ mark!
Despite all the attention paid the PV (See my post on that!), I just don't see Jeff Hartwig's 19-9 in any danger this year.
See above for my Throws predictions.
Same for the Heptathlon!
Also for the Relays!
Collegiate-Men
With Trayvon Bromell and Trentavis Friday possibly competing, both Sprint events (60 and 200) could fall!
The CR's are 6.45 and 20.10.
They're tough--even for those 2--but doable.
I'd give the 60 a 55% chance of going, while the 200 gets a 70% chance!
The 400 and 800 are safe.
But the 600, being VERY popular Collegiately in recent years, could fall.
Same goes for the 1000.
That 2:18.55 would take a 1:48.5 with a final lap in 30.00 to break it!
Not certain, but I'm guessing Ed Cheserek will race mostly to win, not to break records.
That said, Ches is Ches!
The 1500, 1 Mile, 3000, and 5000 CR's are ALL in danger.... if Cheserek chooses to ATTACK the records!
Even without the injured Devon Allen, the Collegiate short hurdles scene is strong!
The CR of 7.47 could go.
The HJ, LJ, and TJ CR's can go to sleep for another year free of nightmares of someone crushing them to death!
The PV Collegiate Record has ALREADY been broken!!
Can it fall again?
YES!!
And it could be either Shawn Barber or Sam Kendricks doing the honors!
Ryan Whiting's SP mark is tough, but Ryan Crouser could get it.
The 79-7.50 WT CR is a "softie".
I see at least one 80 footer on the horizen!
And maybe a FEW!!
Eaton's 6499 Hept is probably safe, though the Collegiate Multi's scene is fairly strong!
(But probably not THAT strong!)
As I've said before, Relays records are hard to predict, not knowing a team's make-up.
Also messing things up is the fact that many fast relays are spoiled by their being run on Oversize Tracks!
But I could see the DMR going down, as well as the 4X400.
Oh Hell, how about ALL of them!!
(Only half-kidding!)
HS-Men
It's too bad that most of the record-breaking on the High School level doesn't happen until the END of the season--at the NBIN meet.
But this season appears to be off to an early start, as the 1st reportable mark (Ryen Frazier's mile) came VERY early---in November!!
That said, let's see what's what with the Men HSers!
Casey Combest's 60 HSR is safe.
But Noah Lyles could get the 200 mark of 20.69.
He's just an 11th grader!
The 400 HSR won't fall.
The 600 HSR of 1:17.58 has gotten an early threat from Richard Rose, who has already run 1:18.40!
With Grant Fisher in the mix, the 1000 mark could be in danger, as well as Alan Webb's iconic 1500 and 1 Mile HSR's of 3:43.27 and 3:59.86.
And if Fisher (or several other strong contenders!) goes after them, the 3000 and 2 mile HSR's of Ed Cheserek could fall too!
(If Fisher runs 3:43.0 and 3:59.0, and given a 15 second per half slowdown rate, he could run 7:56 and 8:28. Even a 20 second slowdown rate would give him times of 8:06---VERY close to the HSR!--and 8:38!)
As with the Women, the Men's 5000 INdoor HSR is relatively weak!
Yes, even though it was set by King Ches!!
But....13:57.04 is still a VERY good record, especially for INdoors!
If "they" attack it--presumably at NBIN--it could go.
Both the 39 inch (7.57) and 42 inch (7.85) 60H HSR's are probably safe.
I'd give them slightly less than 50% chance of going down!
The HJ record of 7-5.25 is safe....I think!
So are the LJ and TJ marks!
Although the LJ SEEMS to be on a bit of an upward spiral!
Devin King's PV mark is NOT safe!
Not with Brandon Bray and Pauli Benavides ALREADY over 17-3!!
Forget about seeing the SP or WT records falling any time soon!
The Pentathlon HSR is Gunnar Nixon's 4307.
Can it fall?
The HS Multis are tough to predict, as newcomers pop up out of nowhere more frequently than in other events.
That said, I see Nixon's mark remaining on the books after this season is over!
As in the other groups, HSR's in the Relays are NEVER completely safe!
I can't wait to see how many---or IF any!--- go down!
Wanting to give equal room to the women, I'm going to do them in a separate post!!
(That will make THREE posts in one day!! LOL)
See you all soon!
Oh, and thank you for making my PV post my most viewed post ever!!
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Some MAJOR Announcements
Seems every time I try to get started on my promised INdoor Records Predictions post, I find some MAJOR announcement (via Twitter & T&FN, mainly) that forces me to postpone it!
So consider this an "extra" post, but at least in part, connected to my upcoming (SOON!!) predictions post!
Without further ado, here are the MAJOR announcements of the title!
Desiree Freier's INdoor HSR has been reduced!
T&FN has claimed that there were some illegalities in the planting box, and therefore the 14-6 she vaulted in that OUTdoor Texas meet last year (where the PV was moved INdoors because of bad weather) is NOT legal!
Thus, while Freier still holds the INdoor HSR, it's her 14-2.75, NOT that 14-6!
Of course, she also is the OUTdoor HSR holder with her 14-7.25 from the WJC meet!
BTW, Jack Shepard's 2015 edition of his HS Track agrees!
That 14-6 is nowhere to be found in his book!
Another big announcement is that I made an error!
(That's a "big" announcement?? LOL)
It concerns Liv Westphal, who finished 3rd in that spectacular INdoor 5000 in December.
I said in the post about the 5K that she was of French nationality, and therefore not eligible for the US Top 24 list.
I was wrong, based on the lists published in the February issue of T&FN, and reprinted in their eTN.
Her 15:31.62 is listed on T&FN US list of top 2014 marks.
(Although their list is their "absolute" list, meaning it has both OUTdoor AND INdoor marks!! UGH!!)
Anyway, that mark makes her 11th A-T US INdoors!!
I have one new mark to report.
British runner Kirsten McAslan has run the 600 INdoors in 1:26.22.
That's 2nd on the British list, to Jenny Meadows!
It's the Age 21 record too.
And it makes her 15th A-T World!
The remaining "MAJOR" announcements are all about who is going to compete where.
These include OUTdoor meets (and races) as well as INdoor.
While I thought to just incorporate them into my Records Predictions post, I'll list them separately here, with brief "record possibility" information.
I'll do INdoors first.
The Boston NB meet just got better!
Meseret Defar is returning from giving birth with her 1st race being Boston's 2000 meters race!
Gabriela Szabo's WR of 5:30.53 is definitely in jeopardy, IF Defar returns in top shape!
(I'm assuming she WILL be!!)
Genzebe Dibaba's Ethiopian record of 5:34.25 should be broken also.
As for Kim Conley's 5:41.10 Meet Record? Bye-bye!!
Set to join her will be Emma Coburn.
She looks to improve on her 5:47.20 (5th A-T US) from last year.
Also announced for Boston is 40 year old Bernard Lagat.
He'll race the 3000, where he WILL shatter the INdoor Age 40 record!
But he might lose the race, as Hagos Gebrhiwet will run also!
The Karlsruhe meet (January 31st) just got very HOT!!
Renaud Lavillenie will PV there!
Will he break his own WR?
He'll have Raphael Holzdeppe for "competition"!
Also set for Karlsruhe is David Storl in the SP.
Already announced for the January 31st Armory Track Invitational are Mary Cain and Jordan Hasay in the 2 Mile.
Add Abbey D'Agostino, Marielle Hall, and Buze Direba to the mix!
Galen Rupp is aiming for the WR (!!) at this meet, and will have NOP mate Cam Levins along for the ride, as well as Japan's Suguru Okao.
While Rupp should win easily, I'm not so sure Cain will!
Especially if Salazar has her on the leash of "Go for Defar's record, and ignore the "faster girls"!" idea he gave her before her 2013 race against Tirunesh Dibaba!
I personally hope she goes for the WIN (and gets the AR in the process!!), not just 9:34.02!
The Women's HJ at this meet will feature the top 2 drug-free Americans, Brigetta Barrett and Chaunte Lowe!
Barrett is hopefully coming back from a fairly dry 2014.
Will Claye was previously announced for the TJ.
Speaking of the Armory meet, the Men's DMR is going to be GREAT!
Set to compete:
United States (with Matt Centrowitz anchoring?)
Kenya (don't know their team's make-up)
Ireland
Brooks Beasts
NJ/NY TC
and Collegiate teams
Villanova
Mississippi
Columbia
Wisconsin
This meet is a TWO day affair (January 30th set for all HS and Collegiate events), so I'm not sure if the Collegiate teams listed above will be in the Pro race, or in a separate Collegiate race.
A couple of announcements for OUTdoor events!
The Boston Marathon's US entry list includes the iconic Meb Keflezighi and Shalane Flanagan!
But Meb will have Jeff Eggleston , Fernando Cabada, Nick Arcianaga, AND Dathan Ritzenhein to contend with.
Flanagan will have Des Linden and Amy Hastings to make the race honest!
The Gotzis Multis (end of May) just got the World Record holder on its list of entrants.
And he's bringing his wife along, where SHE will also compete!
Ashton Eaton better be in top shape, as 2014's Top-rated Decathlete, Trey Hardee is also on the list!
I will immediately get to work on my Predictions post, which should be up in a couple of hours!
I promise!
LOL
So consider this an "extra" post, but at least in part, connected to my upcoming (SOON!!) predictions post!
Without further ado, here are the MAJOR announcements of the title!
Desiree Freier's INdoor HSR has been reduced!
T&FN has claimed that there were some illegalities in the planting box, and therefore the 14-6 she vaulted in that OUTdoor Texas meet last year (where the PV was moved INdoors because of bad weather) is NOT legal!
Thus, while Freier still holds the INdoor HSR, it's her 14-2.75, NOT that 14-6!
Of course, she also is the OUTdoor HSR holder with her 14-7.25 from the WJC meet!
BTW, Jack Shepard's 2015 edition of his HS Track agrees!
That 14-6 is nowhere to be found in his book!
Another big announcement is that I made an error!
(That's a "big" announcement?? LOL)
It concerns Liv Westphal, who finished 3rd in that spectacular INdoor 5000 in December.
I said in the post about the 5K that she was of French nationality, and therefore not eligible for the US Top 24 list.
I was wrong, based on the lists published in the February issue of T&FN, and reprinted in their eTN.
Her 15:31.62 is listed on T&FN US list of top 2014 marks.
(Although their list is their "absolute" list, meaning it has both OUTdoor AND INdoor marks!! UGH!!)
Anyway, that mark makes her 11th A-T US INdoors!!
I have one new mark to report.
British runner Kirsten McAslan has run the 600 INdoors in 1:26.22.
That's 2nd on the British list, to Jenny Meadows!
It's the Age 21 record too.
And it makes her 15th A-T World!
The remaining "MAJOR" announcements are all about who is going to compete where.
These include OUTdoor meets (and races) as well as INdoor.
While I thought to just incorporate them into my Records Predictions post, I'll list them separately here, with brief "record possibility" information.
I'll do INdoors first.
The Boston NB meet just got better!
Meseret Defar is returning from giving birth with her 1st race being Boston's 2000 meters race!
Gabriela Szabo's WR of 5:30.53 is definitely in jeopardy, IF Defar returns in top shape!
(I'm assuming she WILL be!!)
Genzebe Dibaba's Ethiopian record of 5:34.25 should be broken also.
As for Kim Conley's 5:41.10 Meet Record? Bye-bye!!
Set to join her will be Emma Coburn.
She looks to improve on her 5:47.20 (5th A-T US) from last year.
Also announced for Boston is 40 year old Bernard Lagat.
He'll race the 3000, where he WILL shatter the INdoor Age 40 record!
But he might lose the race, as Hagos Gebrhiwet will run also!
The Karlsruhe meet (January 31st) just got very HOT!!
Renaud Lavillenie will PV there!
Will he break his own WR?
He'll have Raphael Holzdeppe for "competition"!
Also set for Karlsruhe is David Storl in the SP.
Already announced for the January 31st Armory Track Invitational are Mary Cain and Jordan Hasay in the 2 Mile.
Add Abbey D'Agostino, Marielle Hall, and Buze Direba to the mix!
Galen Rupp is aiming for the WR (!!) at this meet, and will have NOP mate Cam Levins along for the ride, as well as Japan's Suguru Okao.
While Rupp should win easily, I'm not so sure Cain will!
Especially if Salazar has her on the leash of "Go for Defar's record, and ignore the "faster girls"!" idea he gave her before her 2013 race against Tirunesh Dibaba!
I personally hope she goes for the WIN (and gets the AR in the process!!), not just 9:34.02!
The Women's HJ at this meet will feature the top 2 drug-free Americans, Brigetta Barrett and Chaunte Lowe!
Barrett is hopefully coming back from a fairly dry 2014.
Will Claye was previously announced for the TJ.
Speaking of the Armory meet, the Men's DMR is going to be GREAT!
Set to compete:
United States (with Matt Centrowitz anchoring?)
Kenya (don't know their team's make-up)
Ireland
Brooks Beasts
NJ/NY TC
and Collegiate teams
Villanova
Mississippi
Columbia
Wisconsin
This meet is a TWO day affair (January 30th set for all HS and Collegiate events), so I'm not sure if the Collegiate teams listed above will be in the Pro race, or in a separate Collegiate race.
A couple of announcements for OUTdoor events!
The Boston Marathon's US entry list includes the iconic Meb Keflezighi and Shalane Flanagan!
But Meb will have Jeff Eggleston , Fernando Cabada, Nick Arcianaga, AND Dathan Ritzenhein to contend with.
Flanagan will have Des Linden and Amy Hastings to make the race honest!
The Gotzis Multis (end of May) just got the World Record holder on its list of entrants.
And he's bringing his wife along, where SHE will also compete!
Ashton Eaton better be in top shape, as 2014's Top-rated Decathlete, Trey Hardee is also on the list!
I will immediately get to work on my Predictions post, which should be up in a couple of hours!
I promise!
LOL
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Pole Vault is High Flying
In my previous post from earlier today, I mentioned that Shawn Barber had jumped 19-3, and that if the meet were considered legal, that it would set several records.
Well, I've got that information, and a whole bunch more!
It seems the Pole Vault, as in 2014, is the HOT event again this year!
So much so that I believe it deserves this "extra" post!
First, the results from that spectacular meet--the Expo Explosion VI in Benton TX!
Yes, Shawn Barber's 19-3 Vault is the new Collegiate Record!
It's also the Collegiate Junior Class record.
And the Canadian National record--the first vault over 19 feet by a Canadian!
And you can add the Age 20 record to the list!
But Barber wasn't the only hot vaulter there!
Sam Kendricks finished 2nd to Barber, with a jump of 18-9.
This moves him to 8th A-T Collegiate!
Two HS'ers jumped 17-3!
Brandon Bray and Pauli Benavides are now both 13th A-T HS, and both are tied with 3 others, including each other!
On the Women's side, there was a major upset, as the CR holder, Kaitlin Petrillose, was defeated by Stephen F Austin Junior Demi Payne, who vaulted a great 14-9!
This makes her 5th A-T Collegiate, tied with 4 others!
And it places her 19th A-T US, tied with 2 others.
BTW, Petrillose vaulted 13-9!
That wraps up the Texas meet!
But there was a meet in Arkansas where 2 HS girls had excellent marks!
In fact, these 2 girls have the same last name!
Yes, they are TWINS!
Lexi Weeks and Tori Weeks both vaulted 14-0.50!
This places both as 4th A-T HS, tied with....each other!
Talk about sibling rivalry----er, unity!!
Those were the results in this one event on this one weekend in the 1st week of January!
But let's look a bit at the larger picture in this exciting event.
First, I'll do a brief review of the OUTdoor PV, the Men first.
The OUTdoor WR is 20-1.75 by Sergey Bubka in 1994.
The American Record is Brad Walker's 19-9.75 from 2008.
The Collegiate Record is Lawrence Johnson's 19-7.50 from 1996.
The HS record is Shawn Barber's 18-3.50 from 2012!
It takes a vault of 17-6 to make the HS Top 24 list!
Eight HS vaulters have cleared 18 feet OUTdoors!
It takes a vault of 18-7.25 to make my Collegiate DDD.
Six Collegiate Men have jumped 19 feet OUTdoors.
You need a jump of 19-0.25 to make the US Top 24 list.
Seven Americans have cleared at least 19-6 OUTdoors!
It takes a 19-5.50 vault to be a World DDD lister!
Only 7 have reached 19-9 OUTdoors!
Now for the OUTdoor scene on the Women's side.
The WR is Yelena Isinbayeva's 16-7.25, dating from 2009.
The US record is Jenn (Stuczynski) Suhr's 16-1.75 from 2008.
She wasn't SUHR yet then! (My FINAL Suhr joke....maybe!!)
The Collegiate Record is Tina Sutej's 15-1.50 from 2011.
And the HSR is Desiree Freier's 14-7.25 from 2014.
It takes a vault of 13-6.25 to make the OUTdoor HS DDD.
Eight girls have cleared at least 14-0 OUTdoors.
You need a jump of 14-5.25 to make the Collegiate OUTdoor list.
Only 3 women have vaulted 15-0 OUTdoors.
It takes a 14-7.50 to make the US Top 24.
(But that will change fast! 23rd place is 14-9!)
Just Suhr has vaulted 16 feet, and only 6 Americans have made at least 15-3!
It takes a 15-5 to make the World OUTdoor list.
There have been 4 sixteen footers so far!
Now let's go where the NOW action is----INdoors!
Again, the Men go first.
I know it's been repeated a gazillion times, but the WR is now Renaud Lavillenie's 20-2.50 from 2014!
The AR is Jeff Hartwig's 19-9 from 2002.
The Collegiate Record is.....Shawn Barber's 19-3.....from 2015!!
And the HSR is Devin King's 17-10.25 from 2014!
You need a 17-1 vault to make the HS Top 24 list.
There are 7 guys who have cleared at least 17-6 INdoors.
It takes at least 18-6 to make the INdoor Collegiate list.
Just 6 have cleared 19-0 or more INdoors.
It takes 18-9.50 to make the US DDD list.
Only 5 Americans have done 19-3 or higher INdoors!
It takes a vault of 19-4.25 to make the World DDD.
Two----and you know who they are!!----have jumped 20 feet INdoors!
In my previous post, I listed all the numbers from my T&F Record Book, decade by decade.
Well, let's take a deeper look at the INdoor numbers for the PV.
The World INdoor Top 24 actually has 27 athletes listed, because of ties!
Over half of them--14, to be exact--date from the 20th century!
And 5 of those are from the 1980's!
The Americans fare worse!
Of the 24 marks on the list (no extras from ties), 15 are from 1999 or earlier!
Worse yet, only ONE dates from after 2009, Brad Walker's 19-2.75 from 2012!
The Collegiate Men are only slightly better than the Americans.
Of their 24, there's 14 dating from the last century!
And 6 of those are from the Big Hair decade!!
(The 80's, for those culturally deprived! LOL)
There are 25 HS guys on my list, due to ties.
While they rate the best, there's still 5 from the last century, with Joe Dial's 17-4.50 the oldest, dating from 1981!
Last, but definitely NOT least, here's the Women's INdoor stats!
The World Record belongs to Jenn Suhr, her 16-5.50 dating from 2013.
Of course, the American Record is the same!
The Collegiate Record is Kaitlin Petrillose's 15-1 from 2014.
And the HSR is Desiree Freier's 14-6, also from 2014.
(Remember, this happened during an OUTdoor meet, in which the PV was moved INdoors because of lousy weather!)
On the HS DDD list for INdoors, it takes a vault of 13-3 to make it there.
There are now SIX girls---including the most recent jumps by the Weeks twins!---who have cleared at least 14-0 INdoors!
There are 26 Women on the Collegiate DDD, due to ties.
It takes a jump of 14-3.50 to make that list.
And of those, just one has cleared at least 15-0.
But 9--including Payne's PR--have done 14-9 or higher!
It takes 14-7.25 to make the US Top 24 list---which is actually 25 strong, as there are ties!
Only Suhr has gone 16-0 or better, but 12 have now done 15-0 or more.
(But just 5 of those have done 15-3 or higher!)
You need 15-3.50 to make the World Top 24!
Just Suhr and Isinbayeva have gone over 16-0 INdoors.
And 7 have done 15-9 or higher.
The World DDD is TOTALLY in this century!!
The oldest mark is from 2002.
Fifteen Women's marks are from THIS decade, meaning from 2010 to now!
The United States is ALSO completely in the 21st century!!
They have 3 marks dating from 2002, the oldest.
And they match the World Women, as there are also 15 dating from 2010 forward!
Of the 26 Women on the Collegiate list, the oldest is ALSO from 2002!
And a whopping 19 are from 2010 or later!
Twelve of these are from 2013, 2014, or THIS year (Payne)!
Keeping with the other 3 groups, the HS Girls Top 24 are all from the 21st century.
But only 13 date from this decade!
However, of those 13, a full 11 of them are from 2013, 2014, or 2015 (the Weeks twins!!).
Oh, BTW, the oldest here is ALSO from 2002, she being the pioneering Samantha Shepard!
In conclusion, we see that the PV---for Men and Women, both OUTdoors and INdoors--is one of, if not THE, most dynamic events in Track and Field!
Yes, there are other DDD lists that are totally from the 21st century (the Men's Marathon, for example!), but the PV surely rates VERY high on the short list of fastest-evolving events!
What took place in those 2 meets in Texas and Arkansas this weekend surely show that it's only getting better....FAST!
It's just the first week of January!
Most of the HS'ers and the Collegians won't REALLY start their INdoor season until mid-January!
And the World and US vaulters won't rev it up until toward the END of this month!!
Stay tuned for a MASS revision of ALL of my PV records and lists in the coming months!
Well, I've got that information, and a whole bunch more!
It seems the Pole Vault, as in 2014, is the HOT event again this year!
So much so that I believe it deserves this "extra" post!
First, the results from that spectacular meet--the Expo Explosion VI in Benton TX!
Yes, Shawn Barber's 19-3 Vault is the new Collegiate Record!
It's also the Collegiate Junior Class record.
And the Canadian National record--the first vault over 19 feet by a Canadian!
And you can add the Age 20 record to the list!
But Barber wasn't the only hot vaulter there!
Sam Kendricks finished 2nd to Barber, with a jump of 18-9.
This moves him to 8th A-T Collegiate!
Two HS'ers jumped 17-3!
Brandon Bray and Pauli Benavides are now both 13th A-T HS, and both are tied with 3 others, including each other!
On the Women's side, there was a major upset, as the CR holder, Kaitlin Petrillose, was defeated by Stephen F Austin Junior Demi Payne, who vaulted a great 14-9!
This makes her 5th A-T Collegiate, tied with 4 others!
And it places her 19th A-T US, tied with 2 others.
BTW, Petrillose vaulted 13-9!
That wraps up the Texas meet!
But there was a meet in Arkansas where 2 HS girls had excellent marks!
In fact, these 2 girls have the same last name!
Yes, they are TWINS!
Lexi Weeks and Tori Weeks both vaulted 14-0.50!
This places both as 4th A-T HS, tied with....each other!
Talk about sibling rivalry----er, unity!!
Those were the results in this one event on this one weekend in the 1st week of January!
But let's look a bit at the larger picture in this exciting event.
First, I'll do a brief review of the OUTdoor PV, the Men first.
The OUTdoor WR is 20-1.75 by Sergey Bubka in 1994.
The American Record is Brad Walker's 19-9.75 from 2008.
The Collegiate Record is Lawrence Johnson's 19-7.50 from 1996.
The HS record is Shawn Barber's 18-3.50 from 2012!
It takes a vault of 17-6 to make the HS Top 24 list!
Eight HS vaulters have cleared 18 feet OUTdoors!
It takes a vault of 18-7.25 to make my Collegiate DDD.
Six Collegiate Men have jumped 19 feet OUTdoors.
You need a jump of 19-0.25 to make the US Top 24 list.
Seven Americans have cleared at least 19-6 OUTdoors!
It takes a 19-5.50 vault to be a World DDD lister!
Only 7 have reached 19-9 OUTdoors!
Now for the OUTdoor scene on the Women's side.
The WR is Yelena Isinbayeva's 16-7.25, dating from 2009.
The US record is Jenn (Stuczynski) Suhr's 16-1.75 from 2008.
She wasn't SUHR yet then! (My FINAL Suhr joke....maybe!!)
The Collegiate Record is Tina Sutej's 15-1.50 from 2011.
And the HSR is Desiree Freier's 14-7.25 from 2014.
It takes a vault of 13-6.25 to make the OUTdoor HS DDD.
Eight girls have cleared at least 14-0 OUTdoors.
You need a jump of 14-5.25 to make the Collegiate OUTdoor list.
Only 3 women have vaulted 15-0 OUTdoors.
It takes a 14-7.50 to make the US Top 24.
(But that will change fast! 23rd place is 14-9!)
Just Suhr has vaulted 16 feet, and only 6 Americans have made at least 15-3!
It takes a 15-5 to make the World OUTdoor list.
There have been 4 sixteen footers so far!
Now let's go where the NOW action is----INdoors!
Again, the Men go first.
I know it's been repeated a gazillion times, but the WR is now Renaud Lavillenie's 20-2.50 from 2014!
The AR is Jeff Hartwig's 19-9 from 2002.
The Collegiate Record is.....Shawn Barber's 19-3.....from 2015!!
And the HSR is Devin King's 17-10.25 from 2014!
You need a 17-1 vault to make the HS Top 24 list.
There are 7 guys who have cleared at least 17-6 INdoors.
It takes at least 18-6 to make the INdoor Collegiate list.
Just 6 have cleared 19-0 or more INdoors.
It takes 18-9.50 to make the US DDD list.
Only 5 Americans have done 19-3 or higher INdoors!
It takes a vault of 19-4.25 to make the World DDD.
Two----and you know who they are!!----have jumped 20 feet INdoors!
In my previous post, I listed all the numbers from my T&F Record Book, decade by decade.
Well, let's take a deeper look at the INdoor numbers for the PV.
The World INdoor Top 24 actually has 27 athletes listed, because of ties!
Over half of them--14, to be exact--date from the 20th century!
And 5 of those are from the 1980's!
The Americans fare worse!
Of the 24 marks on the list (no extras from ties), 15 are from 1999 or earlier!
Worse yet, only ONE dates from after 2009, Brad Walker's 19-2.75 from 2012!
The Collegiate Men are only slightly better than the Americans.
Of their 24, there's 14 dating from the last century!
And 6 of those are from the Big Hair decade!!
(The 80's, for those culturally deprived! LOL)
There are 25 HS guys on my list, due to ties.
While they rate the best, there's still 5 from the last century, with Joe Dial's 17-4.50 the oldest, dating from 1981!
Last, but definitely NOT least, here's the Women's INdoor stats!
The World Record belongs to Jenn Suhr, her 16-5.50 dating from 2013.
Of course, the American Record is the same!
The Collegiate Record is Kaitlin Petrillose's 15-1 from 2014.
And the HSR is Desiree Freier's 14-6, also from 2014.
(Remember, this happened during an OUTdoor meet, in which the PV was moved INdoors because of lousy weather!)
On the HS DDD list for INdoors, it takes a vault of 13-3 to make it there.
There are now SIX girls---including the most recent jumps by the Weeks twins!---who have cleared at least 14-0 INdoors!
There are 26 Women on the Collegiate DDD, due to ties.
It takes a jump of 14-3.50 to make that list.
And of those, just one has cleared at least 15-0.
But 9--including Payne's PR--have done 14-9 or higher!
It takes 14-7.25 to make the US Top 24 list---which is actually 25 strong, as there are ties!
Only Suhr has gone 16-0 or better, but 12 have now done 15-0 or more.
(But just 5 of those have done 15-3 or higher!)
You need 15-3.50 to make the World Top 24!
Just Suhr and Isinbayeva have gone over 16-0 INdoors.
And 7 have done 15-9 or higher.
The World DDD is TOTALLY in this century!!
The oldest mark is from 2002.
Fifteen Women's marks are from THIS decade, meaning from 2010 to now!
The United States is ALSO completely in the 21st century!!
They have 3 marks dating from 2002, the oldest.
And they match the World Women, as there are also 15 dating from 2010 forward!
Of the 26 Women on the Collegiate list, the oldest is ALSO from 2002!
And a whopping 19 are from 2010 or later!
Twelve of these are from 2013, 2014, or THIS year (Payne)!
Keeping with the other 3 groups, the HS Girls Top 24 are all from the 21st century.
But only 13 date from this decade!
However, of those 13, a full 11 of them are from 2013, 2014, or 2015 (the Weeks twins!!).
Oh, BTW, the oldest here is ALSO from 2002, she being the pioneering Samantha Shepard!
In conclusion, we see that the PV---for Men and Women, both OUTdoors and INdoors--is one of, if not THE, most dynamic events in Track and Field!
Yes, there are other DDD lists that are totally from the 21st century (the Men's Marathon, for example!), but the PV surely rates VERY high on the short list of fastest-evolving events!
What took place in those 2 meets in Texas and Arkansas this weekend surely show that it's only getting better....FAST!
It's just the first week of January!
Most of the HS'ers and the Collegians won't REALLY start their INdoor season until mid-January!
And the World and US vaulters won't rev it up until toward the END of this month!!
Stay tuned for a MASS revision of ALL of my PV records and lists in the coming months!
Sorting through the muck
T&F is supposed to be a simple sport.
Whoever runs faster, jumps higher, or throws farther wins.
Then those damn orgs enter the picture---you know, IAAF, USATF, NCAA, NHSF (?? National High School Federation?).
Then the question becomes, When is a record a RECORD?
This is going to be a cornucopia of material for your enlightenment and entertainment.
But I'll begin with a couple of examples possibly illustrating what I said above.
Rita Jeptoo will soon find out when her ban begins, and which races will be expunged from her record.
It SEEMS fairly certain that her 2:18:57 is out of here.
If that's the case, my T&F Record Book will need to be revised.
In fact, I'm sure it will need revision, whatever her punishment is.
BUT I won't revise my Book until WADA (or whomever) gives us the particulars of her ban.
So until then, her PR remains on the books!
It seems Shawn Barber Pole Vaulted a great 19-3 today in a PV-only meet in Texas.
IF everything is legal, that would be a Collegiate Record (INdoors of course!), the Junior Class record, the Canadian National record, and the Age 20 record!
BUT was everything "legal"?
Supposedly, the meet was certified by USATF.
But PoleVaultPower questions whether it can be a CR, because the meet apparently doesn't meet NCAA specifications!
Also, I'm not sure if Barber has turned Pro, or if he's still a student at Akron!
And if he IS a student there, is he redshirting?
Until all those questions are answered, I can't revise my Record Book to show all those "Records" he apparently broke!!
Well, I have a few other things to report.
Did I mention the following in another post? (Too lazy to research it! LOL)
Speaking of orgs messing things up, I still don't know if that Falmouth Mile from August 10, 2012 was "legal"
T&FN lists Brenda Martinez's 4:26.78 and Gabe Grunewald's 4:27.94 as legit, even though there supposedly were no cones on the curves, thus replicating what happened at 2013's Re-RUN meet, where all the marks were negated because of no cones.
But I'm accepting T&FN's "ruling" on this, so their times are good!
BTW, Martinez's mark gives her 16th A-T US, while Gabe's mark leaves her 24th A-T US!
A couple of notable HS marks to report.
Virij Devkar ran 3000 in 8:29.68.
This makes him 19th A-T HS.
And Marcellus Fletcher TJ'ed 50-1.50, but that falls about 2 inches shy of my DDD list.
It is the best HS mark so far, however.
In China's Xiamen Marathon, Mare Dibaba matched her PR of 2:19:52, first run in 2012.
But until the Rita Jeptoo matter is finalized, we won't know whether Dibaba's mark improves her placement on my DDD!
The Russian Winter Meet (February 1) is looking like another great one.
Set to compete in the Men's 1500 are Silas Kiplagat, Aman Wote, and Bethwell Birgen.
Maria Kuchina will HJ.
Nijel Amos will run, but not sure if it's in the 800 or 1000.
Mike Rodgers will do the 60, and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde will run the 60H.
Every so often, I do an inventory of all the marks in my T&F Record Book.
This means I count all the marks that have a year attached to it.
This is done so I can find out how fast T&F marks are progressing, from decade to decade.
I count all my categories (Miscellaneous, Age, Meet, National records, and all my DDD lists!).
I divide the count as follows:
2000-present (I decided to NOT do the decade of 2000-2009 separately!)
1990-1999
1980-1989
to 1979 (Includes all marks up to and including 1979!)
Of course, I do separate counts for INdoors and OUTdoors, as well as for Men and Women.
The last time I'd done a count was January 1, 2012.
Thus, my latest count (done December 31st) is 3 years later!
Note that since then, I've expanded my Record Book quite a bit, all in the past year!
I've added several events to my DDD lists, and done away with the strict standards I was using for my Meet and National records, thus greatly increasing their numbers!
Following are the new numbers.
OUTdoors is first, then INdoors, then the TOTALS (for IN and OUT combined).
Miscellaneous M W DDD-HS M W
2000-present 262 287 273 342
1990-1999 110 45 76 55
1980-1989 63 87 97 69
to 1979 29 15 91 51
Age M W DDD-Coll. M W
2000-present 339 307 296 380
1990-1999 145 129 98 105
1980-1989 65 114 108 94
to 1979 9 12 57 5
Meet M W DDD-World M W
2000-present 501 639 346 336
1990-1999 172 92 185 140
1980-1989 90 97 90 144
to 1979 21 8 12 19
National M W DDD-US M W
2000-present 252 238 277 380
1990-1999 123 93 132 114
1980-1989 47 66 136 82
to 1979 11 8 43 11
TOTALS-OUTdoors M W
2000-present 2546 2909
1990-1999 1041 773
1980-1989 696 753
to 1979 273 129
Miscellaneous M W DDD-HS M W
2000-present 160 180 310 338
1990-1999 37 22 62 50
1980-1989 16 12 56 53
to 1979 2 10 34 27
Age M W DDD-Coll M W
2000-present 278 272 341 393
1990-1999 79 68 71 58
1980-1989 28 47 55 37
to 1979 3 10 16 1
Meet M W DDD-World M W
2000-present 120 129 347 335
1990-1999 24 24 122 94
1980-1989 22 17 48 81
to 1979 2 1 7 10
National M W DDD-US M W
2000-present 154 123 280 345
1990-1999 87 46 98 72
1980-1989 40 22 72 57
to 1979 5 3 22 6
TOTALS-INdoors M W
2000-present 1990 2115
1990-1999 580 434
1980-1989 337 326
to 1979 92 68
TOTALS (IN and OUT Combined) M W ALL
2000-present 4536 5024 9560
1990-1999 1621 1207 2828
1980-1989 1033 1079 2112
to 1979 365 197 562
If numbers for Men and Women don't match within a certain category, it means I have more events listed for the Men, or vice versa.
The Miscellaneous OUTdoors category includes Place Records, whereas the INdoors does not!
On the OUTdoors numbers, note how many more Meet Records were set by Women this century than by Men!
In the OUTdoors DDD lists, note that Women have greatly outperformed Men in the HS, Collegiate, and US lists, but are fairly even on the World DDD in the 2000's.
Note the big numbers for the "to 1979" department in the HS DDD's for both Men and Women!
This is partly because some events aren't held as often in this century as they were in the 70's and 80's.
Also because of the change to the 1600 and 3200, which I don't include!
Thus, many of the Mile and Two Mile marks come from that older era.
And of course, all those Eastern European Throws marks OUTdoors dominate the lists from the 70's and 80's!
On the INdoors side, look at how even ALL the marks are for Meet Record category between Men and Women!
Fairly even in the Miscellaneous category too.
Ditto with the Age marks!
The INdoors DDD numbers are MUCH more in tandem between the sexes than they were for OUTdoors!
But the Women still are pretty dominant in this century in the Collegiate and US lists
Only ONE Women's Collegiate mark dates from 1979 or earlier!
This of course is because Women's Collegiate action only really started in the very late 70's, and then it was the AIAW, not the NCAA, though the AIAW marks are included on my lists, if they qualify!
When you get to final Totals, Women outdo the Men this century both IN and OUTdoors!
You can't say the 2000's have been dry!
Not when this century totals 9560, and the 20th century totals 5502.
Sure, the numbers for the 2000's could, and should, be much higher, but the last 15 years have seen TONS of marks make my Book!!
How much will 2015 add to that 9560 total?
Next post will be my predictions of which INdoor records might fall in 2015 in the World, US, Collegiate, and HS categories.
Whoever runs faster, jumps higher, or throws farther wins.
Then those damn orgs enter the picture---you know, IAAF, USATF, NCAA, NHSF (?? National High School Federation?).
Then the question becomes, When is a record a RECORD?
This is going to be a cornucopia of material for your enlightenment and entertainment.
But I'll begin with a couple of examples possibly illustrating what I said above.
Rita Jeptoo will soon find out when her ban begins, and which races will be expunged from her record.
It SEEMS fairly certain that her 2:18:57 is out of here.
If that's the case, my T&F Record Book will need to be revised.
In fact, I'm sure it will need revision, whatever her punishment is.
BUT I won't revise my Book until WADA (or whomever) gives us the particulars of her ban.
So until then, her PR remains on the books!
It seems Shawn Barber Pole Vaulted a great 19-3 today in a PV-only meet in Texas.
IF everything is legal, that would be a Collegiate Record (INdoors of course!), the Junior Class record, the Canadian National record, and the Age 20 record!
BUT was everything "legal"?
Supposedly, the meet was certified by USATF.
But PoleVaultPower questions whether it can be a CR, because the meet apparently doesn't meet NCAA specifications!
Also, I'm not sure if Barber has turned Pro, or if he's still a student at Akron!
And if he IS a student there, is he redshirting?
Until all those questions are answered, I can't revise my Record Book to show all those "Records" he apparently broke!!
Well, I have a few other things to report.
Did I mention the following in another post? (Too lazy to research it! LOL)
Speaking of orgs messing things up, I still don't know if that Falmouth Mile from August 10, 2012 was "legal"
T&FN lists Brenda Martinez's 4:26.78 and Gabe Grunewald's 4:27.94 as legit, even though there supposedly were no cones on the curves, thus replicating what happened at 2013's Re-RUN meet, where all the marks were negated because of no cones.
But I'm accepting T&FN's "ruling" on this, so their times are good!
BTW, Martinez's mark gives her 16th A-T US, while Gabe's mark leaves her 24th A-T US!
A couple of notable HS marks to report.
Virij Devkar ran 3000 in 8:29.68.
This makes him 19th A-T HS.
And Marcellus Fletcher TJ'ed 50-1.50, but that falls about 2 inches shy of my DDD list.
It is the best HS mark so far, however.
In China's Xiamen Marathon, Mare Dibaba matched her PR of 2:19:52, first run in 2012.
But until the Rita Jeptoo matter is finalized, we won't know whether Dibaba's mark improves her placement on my DDD!
The Russian Winter Meet (February 1) is looking like another great one.
Set to compete in the Men's 1500 are Silas Kiplagat, Aman Wote, and Bethwell Birgen.
Maria Kuchina will HJ.
Nijel Amos will run, but not sure if it's in the 800 or 1000.
Mike Rodgers will do the 60, and Pascal Martinot-Lagarde will run the 60H.
Every so often, I do an inventory of all the marks in my T&F Record Book.
This means I count all the marks that have a year attached to it.
This is done so I can find out how fast T&F marks are progressing, from decade to decade.
I count all my categories (Miscellaneous, Age, Meet, National records, and all my DDD lists!).
I divide the count as follows:
2000-present (I decided to NOT do the decade of 2000-2009 separately!)
1990-1999
1980-1989
to 1979 (Includes all marks up to and including 1979!)
Of course, I do separate counts for INdoors and OUTdoors, as well as for Men and Women.
The last time I'd done a count was January 1, 2012.
Thus, my latest count (done December 31st) is 3 years later!
Note that since then, I've expanded my Record Book quite a bit, all in the past year!
I've added several events to my DDD lists, and done away with the strict standards I was using for my Meet and National records, thus greatly increasing their numbers!
Following are the new numbers.
OUTdoors is first, then INdoors, then the TOTALS (for IN and OUT combined).
Miscellaneous M W DDD-HS M W
2000-present 262 287 273 342
1990-1999 110 45 76 55
1980-1989 63 87 97 69
to 1979 29 15 91 51
Age M W DDD-Coll. M W
2000-present 339 307 296 380
1990-1999 145 129 98 105
1980-1989 65 114 108 94
to 1979 9 12 57 5
Meet M W DDD-World M W
2000-present 501 639 346 336
1990-1999 172 92 185 140
1980-1989 90 97 90 144
to 1979 21 8 12 19
National M W DDD-US M W
2000-present 252 238 277 380
1990-1999 123 93 132 114
1980-1989 47 66 136 82
to 1979 11 8 43 11
TOTALS-OUTdoors M W
2000-present 2546 2909
1990-1999 1041 773
1980-1989 696 753
to 1979 273 129
Miscellaneous M W DDD-HS M W
2000-present 160 180 310 338
1990-1999 37 22 62 50
1980-1989 16 12 56 53
to 1979 2 10 34 27
Age M W DDD-Coll M W
2000-present 278 272 341 393
1990-1999 79 68 71 58
1980-1989 28 47 55 37
to 1979 3 10 16 1
Meet M W DDD-World M W
2000-present 120 129 347 335
1990-1999 24 24 122 94
1980-1989 22 17 48 81
to 1979 2 1 7 10
National M W DDD-US M W
2000-present 154 123 280 345
1990-1999 87 46 98 72
1980-1989 40 22 72 57
to 1979 5 3 22 6
TOTALS-INdoors M W
2000-present 1990 2115
1990-1999 580 434
1980-1989 337 326
to 1979 92 68
TOTALS (IN and OUT Combined) M W ALL
2000-present 4536 5024 9560
1990-1999 1621 1207 2828
1980-1989 1033 1079 2112
to 1979 365 197 562
If numbers for Men and Women don't match within a certain category, it means I have more events listed for the Men, or vice versa.
The Miscellaneous OUTdoors category includes Place Records, whereas the INdoors does not!
On the OUTdoors numbers, note how many more Meet Records were set by Women this century than by Men!
In the OUTdoors DDD lists, note that Women have greatly outperformed Men in the HS, Collegiate, and US lists, but are fairly even on the World DDD in the 2000's.
Note the big numbers for the "to 1979" department in the HS DDD's for both Men and Women!
This is partly because some events aren't held as often in this century as they were in the 70's and 80's.
Also because of the change to the 1600 and 3200, which I don't include!
Thus, many of the Mile and Two Mile marks come from that older era.
And of course, all those Eastern European Throws marks OUTdoors dominate the lists from the 70's and 80's!
On the INdoors side, look at how even ALL the marks are for Meet Record category between Men and Women!
Fairly even in the Miscellaneous category too.
Ditto with the Age marks!
The INdoors DDD numbers are MUCH more in tandem between the sexes than they were for OUTdoors!
But the Women still are pretty dominant in this century in the Collegiate and US lists
Only ONE Women's Collegiate mark dates from 1979 or earlier!
This of course is because Women's Collegiate action only really started in the very late 70's, and then it was the AIAW, not the NCAA, though the AIAW marks are included on my lists, if they qualify!
When you get to final Totals, Women outdo the Men this century both IN and OUTdoors!
You can't say the 2000's have been dry!
Not when this century totals 9560, and the 20th century totals 5502.
Sure, the numbers for the 2000's could, and should, be much higher, but the last 15 years have seen TONS of marks make my Book!!
How much will 2015 add to that 9560 total?
Next post will be my predictions of which INdoor records might fall in 2015 in the World, US, Collegiate, and HS categories.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
World & US Athletes of the Year--OUTdoors
A while back, I posted my picks for the HS and Collegiate AOY's for the 2014 OUTdoor season.
(My INdoor AOY's were done on March 19th, shortly after the end of that season.)
This post will be for the World and US AOY's for OUTdoors!
Before I get to that, I want to comment on the just-released T&FN choices for AOY.
They chose Renaud Lavillenie and Anita Wlodarcyzk for the World, and Justin Gatlin and Jenny Simpson for the US.
They also posted the entire Top 10 lists.
And boy, do I have some differences of opinion with the "Bible of the Sport"!!
(Let me count the ways! LOL)
1. They insist that there is really NO differentiation between INdoors and OUTdoors. While they SAY they give less weight to INdoor accomplishments, their 2014 picks say otherwise.
2. For example, Genzebe Dibaba's 3 INdoor WR's supposedly gave her enough to rate her 6th! Lavillenie's INdoor cracking of Sergey Bubka's WR got him first! Yet both of them had far less "Olympian" OUTdoor years.
3. I may be wrong, but I thought T&FN followed the World rankings on their US rankings lists. If that's so, then why was Simpson ranked lower than Dawn Harper-Nelson? Simpson got something like 14th or 15th, while DHN was 10th!
4. Dennis Kimetto broke not only the WR in the Marathon, but he broke a significant barrier as well! And yet Eliud Kipchoge made the Top 10, while Kimetto was just 3rd in the EVENT rankings!!
I have several other differences of opinion with T&FN's rankings, but I want this post to be about MY rankings!
But I think the above only stiffens my resolve to keep SEPARATE the two very distinct seasons of T&F.
For one thing, keeping them separate gives us the chance to see TWO Collegiate and HS Champs, TWO United States Champs.
It also allows us to choose TWO AOY's, TWO Performances, TWO of everything!!
(End of rant! LOL)
Here, then are Aaron K's Track and Field Record Book picks for World and US Athletes of the Year for the 2014 OUTdoor season!
World-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
No WR's or AR's, but he got Age 32 records for the 100 and 200, had the fastest times in 2014, and might have been even better, except a few places didn't invite him to compete for totally biased reasons, which I considered totally unfair!!
Yes, he has 2 drug busts to his name, but he's paid the price, according to the rules!
If you play a game with rules, you OBEY the rules, or don't play!
For that reason, and because no others performed as consistently well as Gatlin, in TWO events no less, I had to choose Gatlin as my Men's AOY!
(Keeping to my "separate seasons" rule, there was NO chance that Lavillenie's OUTdoor season would rate ahead of Gatlin. In fact, he would barely make my Top 5!)
Given a bunch of points were Dennis Kimetto, Lashawn Merritt, Ayanleh Souleiman, Mutaz Barshim, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, and Bogdan Bondarenko.
US-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
As I've done in the past, when an American is AOY for the World, he or she also is Number One for the US!
Others who rated high were Galen Rupp, Merritt, Evan Jager, Christian Taylor, and Will Leer.
World Best Performance-Men
DENNIS KIMETTO's 2:02:57 Marathon
Sure, marathon records are a dime a dozen in recent years, but breaking a minute barrier isn't!.
For dipping under 2:03, Kimetto wins POY!
Points also to Rupp's 26:44, Gatlin's 19.68, Barshim's 7-11.50 and Bondarenko's 7-11.25.
US Best Performance-Men
GALEN RUPP's AR 26:44.36.
Other good ones were Jager's AR 8:04.71, Gatlin's marks of 9.77 and 19.68, Meb Keflighizi's 2:08:37, and Will Claye's 58-3.
Meb's mark was included more for his time (a PR at age 38) than for his winning Boston!
(I'm creating a new award for this blog. It's my "Personality of the Year". What does it entail? I can say what it does NOT entail! It does NOT concern records and marks, nor places in meets or on lists. But it DOES include one's.....PERSONALITY! This signifies what he or she has done to make people REACT, in positive or negative ways, to what they've done throughout the year. Did it make you angry? Did you cry, or laugh out loud?)
World Personality of the Year-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
Perhaps this rates---in some people's minds!---with Time magazine making the Ayatollah Khomeini their Man of the Year several decades ago! LOL
Gatlin was persona non grata at some DL's, and in the smoke-filled rooms where AOY's were chosen.
He was viciously attacked on Twitter, and I assume, other social media.
His name was.....(censored)!
But gosh, he seems like such a nice sweet guy!
Whatever the case, he got more "ink" for being T&F's "Bad Boy" than for his accomplishment's on the track!
Honorable Mention goes to Mahiedine Mekhissi Benabbad, T&F's notorious "Topless Hunk"!
Also given points was Nick Symmonds, but only in retrospect, as he described his bed-hopping days in his new memoir "Life Outside the Oval Office", making what President Clinton did seem like kindergarten stuff!!
US Personality of the Year-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
(See above!)
Honorable Mention to Nick Symmonds.
(Also see above!)
Now for the Women!
World-Women
ANITA WLODARCZYK
Yes, I agree with Track and Field News on this one!
She was the only woman to break a WR. (Again, this is for the OUTdoor season ONLY, with ZERO consideration to anything they might have done INdoors!! ZERO!!!)
The rest of the candidates had mixed seasons!
In several events, it was hard to pick just the EVENT winner, let alone the OVERALL Athlete of the Year list possibilities!
Going back to what I said in the beginning, was Genzebe Dibaba the best Women's distance runner this year, or was it Mercy Cherono? Was Jenny Simpson's consistency enough to offset other's faster times?
In the strongest Women's events, the favorites lost some, or underperformed!
So Sandra Perkovic and Valerie Adams, to name two, suffered.
But a WR is a WR, so Ms Wlodarczyk wins the Big Prize!
US-Women
JENNY SIMPSON
Yes, I again agree with T&FN!
(And if she had broken Mary Slaney's AR, she MIGHT have gotten World AOY too!!)
Simpson ruled over the 1500/Mile like few others before her....except maybe Slaney in her best years!
But she had some pretty hefty company, and not just in her event(s).
Molly Huddle broke her own AR in the 5000.
Shannon Rowbury broke through THREE significant barriers--4:00 in the 1500, 8:30 in the 3000, and 15:00 (and 14:50!) in the 5000.
Shalane Flanagan ran two of the fastest-ever Marathons, in two entirely different parts of the world!
Maria Michta, though toiling in perhaps the LEAST popular T&F events--the Walks--nonetheless broke the AR TWICE over 20000 meters!
Gia Lewis-Smallwood, though, was given the most "second place" points!
She beat the "unbeatable" Sandra Perkovic---TWICE, and CRUSHED the AR in the DT by over 4 feet!
She was SO close to Simpson that, tomorrow, I'll probably regret giving the award to Jenny!
World Best Performance-Women
Caterine Ibarguen's 50-3 Triple Jump!
This one got some significant competition!
Helen Obiri's 8:20.68 was the fastest NON-Chinese 3000 OUTdoors ever!!
The main reason that mark wasn't given top prize was because there were several other VERY fast 3000's from women this year!
Ibarguen had little to fear in her event!
Perkovic had the longest DT since the 90's, but it rates much lower on my World DDD than the others.
US Best Performance-Women
GIA LEWIS-SMALLWOOD's 226-11 Discus Throw!
She shattered the old AR by over 4 FEET!!
And she beat the Queen of the Disco----er, Discus!---twice!
At 35 years of age! (Perkovic's still in knee pants at age 24!! LOL)
Other marks given MUCH consideration were:
Simpson's 3:57.22
Huddle's 14:42.64
Simpson's and Rowbury's sub-8:30 3K's.
Huddle's 10000 at Payton Jordan.
Flanagan's Marathons. (BOTH of them!)
And last, but definitely NOT least--Emma Coburn's entire series of 3000SC's, especially her AR of 9:11.42.
World Personality of the Year-Women
ALYSIA MONTANO
This maybe should go under another title--such as US Eye-Popper of the Year--but her appearance at, and RACING in, the USATF Championship 800 while 34 weeks pregnant--certainly made the news outlets of the world stop talking politics, war and peace, or Kim Kardashian's latest nude selfie--and give this lady the attention she deserved!
What a beautiful moment!
Tears of joy and laughter abounded.
While there was SOME controversy--Was it safe for her baby?--it was so positive a statement of the strength, health, and POWER of WOMAN--that whatever negativity was produced was ignored, and soon forgotten!
And her beautiful child was born just a few short weeks later, and she is now preparing for a FULL "comeback" in 2015!
A negative candidate--similar to Gatlin for the Men--was Rita Jeptoo.
She was such an incredible runner---cutting a 4:47 mile in the final stages of a VERY fast Marathon--but then she had to go get caught as a druggie!
For SOURING the sport, Jeptoo must be on this short list!
US Personality of the Year-Women
ALYSIA MONTANO
(See above for explanation about World winners who are Americans!)
But while Mommy Montano won the biggie, there were a couple of others who deserve SOME mention!
I nominate Kayla Montgomery, the 18 year old Multiple Sclerosis "victim" who starred in the T&F Video of the Year. (See my Best and Worst post!)
Seek out that video (ESPN's Catching Kayla), and I guarantee your eyes will dampen!!
I give many points to Phoebe Wright.
Her running isn't what it was---She's a 1:58.22 800 gal!---but her Tweets and her Blog posts are classic!
She's by far the funniest, most insightful, and yes, CUTEST (IMHO!! LOL) middle distance blogger-tweeter around!!
Please follow her on Twitter and Google her Blog.
You will NOT be disappointed!!
Well, that does it for 2014!
I do have a little bit to report, but I'll save it for my next post---and first in the New Year---coming probably on January 2nd!
That will have my review of which records might be broken during the 2015 INdoor season in all 4 categories--World, US, Collegiate, and HS!
(And it will probably take 2 separate posts!!)
Have a Happy (and safe!) New Year!!
See you in 2015!!
(My INdoor AOY's were done on March 19th, shortly after the end of that season.)
This post will be for the World and US AOY's for OUTdoors!
Before I get to that, I want to comment on the just-released T&FN choices for AOY.
They chose Renaud Lavillenie and Anita Wlodarcyzk for the World, and Justin Gatlin and Jenny Simpson for the US.
They also posted the entire Top 10 lists.
And boy, do I have some differences of opinion with the "Bible of the Sport"!!
(Let me count the ways! LOL)
1. They insist that there is really NO differentiation between INdoors and OUTdoors. While they SAY they give less weight to INdoor accomplishments, their 2014 picks say otherwise.
2. For example, Genzebe Dibaba's 3 INdoor WR's supposedly gave her enough to rate her 6th! Lavillenie's INdoor cracking of Sergey Bubka's WR got him first! Yet both of them had far less "Olympian" OUTdoor years.
3. I may be wrong, but I thought T&FN followed the World rankings on their US rankings lists. If that's so, then why was Simpson ranked lower than Dawn Harper-Nelson? Simpson got something like 14th or 15th, while DHN was 10th!
4. Dennis Kimetto broke not only the WR in the Marathon, but he broke a significant barrier as well! And yet Eliud Kipchoge made the Top 10, while Kimetto was just 3rd in the EVENT rankings!!
I have several other differences of opinion with T&FN's rankings, but I want this post to be about MY rankings!
But I think the above only stiffens my resolve to keep SEPARATE the two very distinct seasons of T&F.
For one thing, keeping them separate gives us the chance to see TWO Collegiate and HS Champs, TWO United States Champs.
It also allows us to choose TWO AOY's, TWO Performances, TWO of everything!!
(End of rant! LOL)
Here, then are Aaron K's Track and Field Record Book picks for World and US Athletes of the Year for the 2014 OUTdoor season!
World-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
No WR's or AR's, but he got Age 32 records for the 100 and 200, had the fastest times in 2014, and might have been even better, except a few places didn't invite him to compete for totally biased reasons, which I considered totally unfair!!
Yes, he has 2 drug busts to his name, but he's paid the price, according to the rules!
If you play a game with rules, you OBEY the rules, or don't play!
For that reason, and because no others performed as consistently well as Gatlin, in TWO events no less, I had to choose Gatlin as my Men's AOY!
(Keeping to my "separate seasons" rule, there was NO chance that Lavillenie's OUTdoor season would rate ahead of Gatlin. In fact, he would barely make my Top 5!)
Given a bunch of points were Dennis Kimetto, Lashawn Merritt, Ayanleh Souleiman, Mutaz Barshim, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, and Bogdan Bondarenko.
US-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
As I've done in the past, when an American is AOY for the World, he or she also is Number One for the US!
Others who rated high were Galen Rupp, Merritt, Evan Jager, Christian Taylor, and Will Leer.
World Best Performance-Men
DENNIS KIMETTO's 2:02:57 Marathon
Sure, marathon records are a dime a dozen in recent years, but breaking a minute barrier isn't!.
For dipping under 2:03, Kimetto wins POY!
Points also to Rupp's 26:44, Gatlin's 19.68, Barshim's 7-11.50 and Bondarenko's 7-11.25.
US Best Performance-Men
GALEN RUPP's AR 26:44.36.
Other good ones were Jager's AR 8:04.71, Gatlin's marks of 9.77 and 19.68, Meb Keflighizi's 2:08:37, and Will Claye's 58-3.
Meb's mark was included more for his time (a PR at age 38) than for his winning Boston!
(I'm creating a new award for this blog. It's my "Personality of the Year". What does it entail? I can say what it does NOT entail! It does NOT concern records and marks, nor places in meets or on lists. But it DOES include one's.....PERSONALITY! This signifies what he or she has done to make people REACT, in positive or negative ways, to what they've done throughout the year. Did it make you angry? Did you cry, or laugh out loud?)
World Personality of the Year-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
Perhaps this rates---in some people's minds!---with Time magazine making the Ayatollah Khomeini their Man of the Year several decades ago! LOL
Gatlin was persona non grata at some DL's, and in the smoke-filled rooms where AOY's were chosen.
He was viciously attacked on Twitter, and I assume, other social media.
His name was.....(censored)!
But gosh, he seems like such a nice sweet guy!
Whatever the case, he got more "ink" for being T&F's "Bad Boy" than for his accomplishment's on the track!
Honorable Mention goes to Mahiedine Mekhissi Benabbad, T&F's notorious "Topless Hunk"!
Also given points was Nick Symmonds, but only in retrospect, as he described his bed-hopping days in his new memoir "Life Outside the Oval Office", making what President Clinton did seem like kindergarten stuff!!
US Personality of the Year-Men
JUSTIN GATLIN
(See above!)
Honorable Mention to Nick Symmonds.
(Also see above!)
Now for the Women!
World-Women
ANITA WLODARCZYK
Yes, I agree with Track and Field News on this one!
She was the only woman to break a WR. (Again, this is for the OUTdoor season ONLY, with ZERO consideration to anything they might have done INdoors!! ZERO!!!)
The rest of the candidates had mixed seasons!
In several events, it was hard to pick just the EVENT winner, let alone the OVERALL Athlete of the Year list possibilities!
Going back to what I said in the beginning, was Genzebe Dibaba the best Women's distance runner this year, or was it Mercy Cherono? Was Jenny Simpson's consistency enough to offset other's faster times?
In the strongest Women's events, the favorites lost some, or underperformed!
So Sandra Perkovic and Valerie Adams, to name two, suffered.
But a WR is a WR, so Ms Wlodarczyk wins the Big Prize!
US-Women
JENNY SIMPSON
Yes, I again agree with T&FN!
(And if she had broken Mary Slaney's AR, she MIGHT have gotten World AOY too!!)
Simpson ruled over the 1500/Mile like few others before her....except maybe Slaney in her best years!
But she had some pretty hefty company, and not just in her event(s).
Molly Huddle broke her own AR in the 5000.
Shannon Rowbury broke through THREE significant barriers--4:00 in the 1500, 8:30 in the 3000, and 15:00 (and 14:50!) in the 5000.
Shalane Flanagan ran two of the fastest-ever Marathons, in two entirely different parts of the world!
Maria Michta, though toiling in perhaps the LEAST popular T&F events--the Walks--nonetheless broke the AR TWICE over 20000 meters!
Gia Lewis-Smallwood, though, was given the most "second place" points!
She beat the "unbeatable" Sandra Perkovic---TWICE, and CRUSHED the AR in the DT by over 4 feet!
She was SO close to Simpson that, tomorrow, I'll probably regret giving the award to Jenny!
World Best Performance-Women
Caterine Ibarguen's 50-3 Triple Jump!
This one got some significant competition!
Helen Obiri's 8:20.68 was the fastest NON-Chinese 3000 OUTdoors ever!!
The main reason that mark wasn't given top prize was because there were several other VERY fast 3000's from women this year!
Ibarguen had little to fear in her event!
Perkovic had the longest DT since the 90's, but it rates much lower on my World DDD than the others.
US Best Performance-Women
GIA LEWIS-SMALLWOOD's 226-11 Discus Throw!
She shattered the old AR by over 4 FEET!!
And she beat the Queen of the Disco----er, Discus!---twice!
At 35 years of age! (Perkovic's still in knee pants at age 24!! LOL)
Other marks given MUCH consideration were:
Simpson's 3:57.22
Huddle's 14:42.64
Simpson's and Rowbury's sub-8:30 3K's.
Huddle's 10000 at Payton Jordan.
Flanagan's Marathons. (BOTH of them!)
And last, but definitely NOT least--Emma Coburn's entire series of 3000SC's, especially her AR of 9:11.42.
World Personality of the Year-Women
ALYSIA MONTANO
This maybe should go under another title--such as US Eye-Popper of the Year--but her appearance at, and RACING in, the USATF Championship 800 while 34 weeks pregnant--certainly made the news outlets of the world stop talking politics, war and peace, or Kim Kardashian's latest nude selfie--and give this lady the attention she deserved!
What a beautiful moment!
Tears of joy and laughter abounded.
While there was SOME controversy--Was it safe for her baby?--it was so positive a statement of the strength, health, and POWER of WOMAN--that whatever negativity was produced was ignored, and soon forgotten!
And her beautiful child was born just a few short weeks later, and she is now preparing for a FULL "comeback" in 2015!
A negative candidate--similar to Gatlin for the Men--was Rita Jeptoo.
She was such an incredible runner---cutting a 4:47 mile in the final stages of a VERY fast Marathon--but then she had to go get caught as a druggie!
For SOURING the sport, Jeptoo must be on this short list!
US Personality of the Year-Women
ALYSIA MONTANO
(See above for explanation about World winners who are Americans!)
But while Mommy Montano won the biggie, there were a couple of others who deserve SOME mention!
I nominate Kayla Montgomery, the 18 year old Multiple Sclerosis "victim" who starred in the T&F Video of the Year. (See my Best and Worst post!)
Seek out that video (ESPN's Catching Kayla), and I guarantee your eyes will dampen!!
I give many points to Phoebe Wright.
Her running isn't what it was---She's a 1:58.22 800 gal!---but her Tweets and her Blog posts are classic!
She's by far the funniest, most insightful, and yes, CUTEST (IMHO!! LOL) middle distance blogger-tweeter around!!
Please follow her on Twitter and Google her Blog.
You will NOT be disappointed!!
Well, that does it for 2014!
I do have a little bit to report, but I'll save it for my next post---and first in the New Year---coming probably on January 2nd!
That will have my review of which records might be broken during the 2015 INdoor season in all 4 categories--World, US, Collegiate, and HS!
(And it will probably take 2 separate posts!!)
Have a Happy (and safe!) New Year!!
See you in 2015!!
Sunday, December 28, 2014
Best and Worst of Track and Field 2014
Well, they said this was an "off year" in T&F.
Really?
Well, as you'll read here, there WERE some "off" happenings, but there were at least as many "on" moments as well!
Let's start with the Best Season.
Yes, I said "season"!
As you all know, I totally separate the INdoor season from the OUTdoor season.
(Although this Best and Worst will cover BOTH seasons!)
It was INdoors!
You had Renaud Lavillenie removing Sergey Bubka from the record books.
You had Genzebe Dibaba crushing 3 WR's!
You had Galen Rupp getting 2 American Records.
Mary Cain, still then 17, won races and ran fast times against quality fields.
This doesn't mean OUTdoors was the "Worst" season.
It just means that INdoors was better!
What were the Best Events this year?
In no particular order, they were the Men's and Women's Pole Vault, the Men's High Jump, the Women's 1500 and 1 Mile, the Women's 3000 and 2 Mile, and the Women's Discus Throw.
PV records were broken in several categories--the Men's WR, the Women's INdoor Collegiate, the Men's and Women's INdoor HS, and the Women's OUTdoor HS.
While the Men's HJ WR survived several great battles, just the fact that the best 3-6 jumpers met OFTEN, and were almost always at the top of their game gave much entertainment to fans everywhere.
The Women's 1500 and 1 Mile produced several exciting races, and some shocking upsets!
(Well, maybe Jenny Simpson's great year wasn't "shocking"! LOL)
With Genzebe Dibaba's 3:55.17 solo effort, and Cain's wins and times INdoors added to the mix, it made for a long thrilling year for Middle Distance buffs.
Same can be said for the Women's 3000 and 2 Mile.
You had a good INdoor battle between Sally Kipyego and Simpson, WR's at both distances (in separate races!) INdoors by Dibaba.
Then you had 2 or 3 GREAT 2 Mile races, in the US and Europe, with VERY deep fields!
Finally, you saw TWO losses by the "unbeatable" Sandra Perkovic to Gia Lewis-Smallwood, who, at 35, had her best year, shattering the AR!
So what were the WORST events?
I pick the Men's 5000, as no one ran really fast OUTdoors, and most races were WALK, then sprint the last 300. BORING!!
Add the Men's 400H. No fast races, and no real standout.
Although it WAS interesting watching the progress of 400H rookie Ashton Eaton!
This last event might seem to not fit here.
I choose the Women's Shot Put!
Yes, Valerie Adams dominated, adding to a legendary winning streak.
But that's why I chose it!
She had NO competition!
They were pretty much just a series of exhibitions, and the marks weren't that impressive, even for Adams!
Best Shockers?
How about Emma Coburn beating most of the Africans, and sometimes ALL of them, and getting the AR to boot?
There was also the aforementioned wins by GLS over Perkovic.
And while you maybe expected it to happen---eventually!---finding out Lavillenie broke Bubka's WR was a mind-bending moment!
The WORST shockers?
How about ANY drug bust?!
So, what was the WORST transition from INdoors to OUTdoors?
I'll pick Dibaba!
After THREE WR's INdoors, she did almost nothing OUTdoors!
She ran okay, but after what she did INdoors, expectations were super high for her continuing her record rampage OUTdoors!
BIG disappointment!
Other poor transitions were by Lavillenie and Mary Cain!
Renaud performed well, but where were those OUTdoor 20 footers?
Cain had an okay excuse (finishing her life as a High Schooler, starting college), but really, couldn't she have kept her word, and raced in Stockholm and Zurich?
Best Book Title?
Easily, Nick Symmonds's "Life Outside the Oval Office".
Best T&F Movie not released yet?
There are 2--though 1 is coming VERY shortly!
There's Alexi Pappas STARRING in her own movie, Tracktown!
She plays a---runner! (Well, duh!!)
Then there's Kevin Costner's McFarland USA, in which he coaches a XC team of misfits!
Both are MUCH anticipated!!
Best new blogger?
Have you read the five (so far!) posts on Morolake Akinosun's new blog?
Please do!
She's a fascinating person, and a wonderful writer!!
Did you read my last post, called Morality of T&F Message Boards?
I wrote about the T&FN MB and the Forum on Let's Run.
Well, here's both the Best AND Worst feature of the latter's MB.
Freedom of Speech!!
(And I ain't joking!!)
About T&FN's website, here's my picks for Best and Worst features of the site.
The Best is having access to the Archives of the eTN (Track Newsletter).
Of course, you have to pay for it, but I can tell you, if you're into marks, you can't find better research material! (More on that a bit later! LOL)
The TN's go from January 2002 to the latest issue!
I also like their front page news articles.
You discover lots of great info there....sometimes before you see it on Twitter! LOL
Lastly, I'd choose their INdoor lists!
NOT their "absolute" lists, which contain BOTH INdoor and OUTdoor marks, leading to CONFUSION!!!
T&FN's Worst features on their website?
The above-noted combining of the INdoor and OUTdoor lists is Numero Uno!!
Their MB, as I said in my previous post, IS better than Let's Run's, BUT....it's not perfect!!
Lastly, the site has technical problems way too often!
(Other NON-T&F-related sites don't have nearly as many tech problems!)
I know injury played a factor, but the Worst 1st Year of college was Sarah Baxter's!
She came to the University of Oregon, supposed to be a MAJOR player in her Freshman year.
Especially in Cross Country, where she was a HS LEGEND for her 4 years at Simi Valley HS (CA), going undefeated....until that iconic race at NXN against Alexa Efraimson and Elise Cranny.
But for some reason, she never ran XC at UO this fall!
(Hope she comes back for track!)
Speaking of Cranny, I pick her's as the BEST first year as a college athlete!
She was first Frosh at NCAA's, and she won or placed high in all of her races over longer distances than her normal Mile!
What was the Best Meet of 2014?
World Relays, hands down!
A new concept, great atmosphere, and some World Records (and National Records!).
And being a distance fan mostly, I also choose the Payton Jordan meet, where you had EIGHT hours of non-stop quality races between 800 and 10000 meters!
The Worst Meets?
There were 2 DL's--Rome and Stockholm--whose "diamonds" didn't shine this year!
Also, the World Indoor Championships were less than they should have been, given that it's a WC!!
Best Crash to the Track?
That award goes to......Shannon Rowbury!
Okay, so Jenny Simpson ALSO crashed to the track, but watch that video again!
I CRINGE every time I see it.
I'm just happy Shannon survived!!
Speaking of videos, my pick for the Best T&F Video goes to ESPN's "Catching Kayla".
Please watch that!
Even Shalane Flanagan was moved to tears by it, and said she was greatly inspired by it!
(I'll be reporting any marks I find from Kayla's Frosh year at Tennessee's Lipscomb College!)
Still on videos---of a sort--- let's pick the Best and Worst that Flotrack had to offer us in 2014.
The Best was the livestream of those 8 hours of Payton Jordan!
It worked perfectly, the announcing was decent, and it cost me just $19.99, the price of a month of Flotrack.
(How much would you have paid if you WENT to the meet?)
The Worst was their Beer Mile!
Come on, guys and gals, do you really think people want to watch some noted athletes vomiting after their "race"??
I didn't watch it, but I caught a couple of brief recaps of it to convince me it was THE worst, on MANY levels!
While we're at it, let's call that Beer Mile T&F's Most Embarrassing Moment of 2014!
(Especially knowing that lots of otherwise "sane" people actually LOVED it!! Jeez!!)
Best Scandal in our favorite sport?
Pick from among the Rita Jeptoo drug bust, the USATF INdoor Championships fiasco (and its lengthy aftermath!), and IAAF's choosing Doha as the site of the 2019 WC's over....Eugene!!
The Best Bomb thrown at USATF??
Lauren Fleshman's, of course!
Please Google her BEAST of an article!
It'll fire you up all over again!!
Thank you, Lauren, for Speaking Truth to Power!!
2014's Most JOYFUL moment?
I pick Alysia Montano "racing" the 800 at USATF while 34 weeks pregnant!!
She ran 2:32.13 for the 800, which is FASTER than the pace run by Paula Radcliffe in her 2:15:25 WR Marathon!!
And yes, she wore a flower in her hair!
(And just weeks later, had a beautiful baby born!)
Getting to the end, so let';s finish with a bit of "humor"!
The Best NON-Running news?
Mary Cain has a boyfriend!!
The Worst NON-Running news?
Lolo Jones is still a virgin!!
And last but certainly not least?
The Best Blog about T&F Records and Marks?
Well, duhhhhhhh!!! LOL
Really?
Well, as you'll read here, there WERE some "off" happenings, but there were at least as many "on" moments as well!
Let's start with the Best Season.
Yes, I said "season"!
As you all know, I totally separate the INdoor season from the OUTdoor season.
(Although this Best and Worst will cover BOTH seasons!)
It was INdoors!
You had Renaud Lavillenie removing Sergey Bubka from the record books.
You had Genzebe Dibaba crushing 3 WR's!
You had Galen Rupp getting 2 American Records.
Mary Cain, still then 17, won races and ran fast times against quality fields.
This doesn't mean OUTdoors was the "Worst" season.
It just means that INdoors was better!
What were the Best Events this year?
In no particular order, they were the Men's and Women's Pole Vault, the Men's High Jump, the Women's 1500 and 1 Mile, the Women's 3000 and 2 Mile, and the Women's Discus Throw.
PV records were broken in several categories--the Men's WR, the Women's INdoor Collegiate, the Men's and Women's INdoor HS, and the Women's OUTdoor HS.
While the Men's HJ WR survived several great battles, just the fact that the best 3-6 jumpers met OFTEN, and were almost always at the top of their game gave much entertainment to fans everywhere.
The Women's 1500 and 1 Mile produced several exciting races, and some shocking upsets!
(Well, maybe Jenny Simpson's great year wasn't "shocking"! LOL)
With Genzebe Dibaba's 3:55.17 solo effort, and Cain's wins and times INdoors added to the mix, it made for a long thrilling year for Middle Distance buffs.
Same can be said for the Women's 3000 and 2 Mile.
You had a good INdoor battle between Sally Kipyego and Simpson, WR's at both distances (in separate races!) INdoors by Dibaba.
Then you had 2 or 3 GREAT 2 Mile races, in the US and Europe, with VERY deep fields!
Finally, you saw TWO losses by the "unbeatable" Sandra Perkovic to Gia Lewis-Smallwood, who, at 35, had her best year, shattering the AR!
So what were the WORST events?
I pick the Men's 5000, as no one ran really fast OUTdoors, and most races were WALK, then sprint the last 300. BORING!!
Add the Men's 400H. No fast races, and no real standout.
Although it WAS interesting watching the progress of 400H rookie Ashton Eaton!
This last event might seem to not fit here.
I choose the Women's Shot Put!
Yes, Valerie Adams dominated, adding to a legendary winning streak.
But that's why I chose it!
She had NO competition!
They were pretty much just a series of exhibitions, and the marks weren't that impressive, even for Adams!
Best Shockers?
How about Emma Coburn beating most of the Africans, and sometimes ALL of them, and getting the AR to boot?
There was also the aforementioned wins by GLS over Perkovic.
And while you maybe expected it to happen---eventually!---finding out Lavillenie broke Bubka's WR was a mind-bending moment!
The WORST shockers?
How about ANY drug bust?!
So, what was the WORST transition from INdoors to OUTdoors?
I'll pick Dibaba!
After THREE WR's INdoors, she did almost nothing OUTdoors!
She ran okay, but after what she did INdoors, expectations were super high for her continuing her record rampage OUTdoors!
BIG disappointment!
Other poor transitions were by Lavillenie and Mary Cain!
Renaud performed well, but where were those OUTdoor 20 footers?
Cain had an okay excuse (finishing her life as a High Schooler, starting college), but really, couldn't she have kept her word, and raced in Stockholm and Zurich?
Best Book Title?
Easily, Nick Symmonds's "Life Outside the Oval Office".
Best T&F Movie not released yet?
There are 2--though 1 is coming VERY shortly!
There's Alexi Pappas STARRING in her own movie, Tracktown!
She plays a---runner! (Well, duh!!)
Then there's Kevin Costner's McFarland USA, in which he coaches a XC team of misfits!
Both are MUCH anticipated!!
Best new blogger?
Have you read the five (so far!) posts on Morolake Akinosun's new blog?
Please do!
She's a fascinating person, and a wonderful writer!!
Did you read my last post, called Morality of T&F Message Boards?
I wrote about the T&FN MB and the Forum on Let's Run.
Well, here's both the Best AND Worst feature of the latter's MB.
Freedom of Speech!!
(And I ain't joking!!)
About T&FN's website, here's my picks for Best and Worst features of the site.
The Best is having access to the Archives of the eTN (Track Newsletter).
Of course, you have to pay for it, but I can tell you, if you're into marks, you can't find better research material! (More on that a bit later! LOL)
The TN's go from January 2002 to the latest issue!
I also like their front page news articles.
You discover lots of great info there....sometimes before you see it on Twitter! LOL
Lastly, I'd choose their INdoor lists!
NOT their "absolute" lists, which contain BOTH INdoor and OUTdoor marks, leading to CONFUSION!!!
T&FN's Worst features on their website?
The above-noted combining of the INdoor and OUTdoor lists is Numero Uno!!
Their MB, as I said in my previous post, IS better than Let's Run's, BUT....it's not perfect!!
Lastly, the site has technical problems way too often!
(Other NON-T&F-related sites don't have nearly as many tech problems!)
I know injury played a factor, but the Worst 1st Year of college was Sarah Baxter's!
She came to the University of Oregon, supposed to be a MAJOR player in her Freshman year.
Especially in Cross Country, where she was a HS LEGEND for her 4 years at Simi Valley HS (CA), going undefeated....until that iconic race at NXN against Alexa Efraimson and Elise Cranny.
But for some reason, she never ran XC at UO this fall!
(Hope she comes back for track!)
Speaking of Cranny, I pick her's as the BEST first year as a college athlete!
She was first Frosh at NCAA's, and she won or placed high in all of her races over longer distances than her normal Mile!
What was the Best Meet of 2014?
World Relays, hands down!
A new concept, great atmosphere, and some World Records (and National Records!).
And being a distance fan mostly, I also choose the Payton Jordan meet, where you had EIGHT hours of non-stop quality races between 800 and 10000 meters!
The Worst Meets?
There were 2 DL's--Rome and Stockholm--whose "diamonds" didn't shine this year!
Also, the World Indoor Championships were less than they should have been, given that it's a WC!!
Best Crash to the Track?
That award goes to......Shannon Rowbury!
Okay, so Jenny Simpson ALSO crashed to the track, but watch that video again!
I CRINGE every time I see it.
I'm just happy Shannon survived!!
Speaking of videos, my pick for the Best T&F Video goes to ESPN's "Catching Kayla".
Please watch that!
Even Shalane Flanagan was moved to tears by it, and said she was greatly inspired by it!
(I'll be reporting any marks I find from Kayla's Frosh year at Tennessee's Lipscomb College!)
Still on videos---of a sort--- let's pick the Best and Worst that Flotrack had to offer us in 2014.
The Best was the livestream of those 8 hours of Payton Jordan!
It worked perfectly, the announcing was decent, and it cost me just $19.99, the price of a month of Flotrack.
(How much would you have paid if you WENT to the meet?)
The Worst was their Beer Mile!
Come on, guys and gals, do you really think people want to watch some noted athletes vomiting after their "race"??
I didn't watch it, but I caught a couple of brief recaps of it to convince me it was THE worst, on MANY levels!
While we're at it, let's call that Beer Mile T&F's Most Embarrassing Moment of 2014!
(Especially knowing that lots of otherwise "sane" people actually LOVED it!! Jeez!!)
Best Scandal in our favorite sport?
Pick from among the Rita Jeptoo drug bust, the USATF INdoor Championships fiasco (and its lengthy aftermath!), and IAAF's choosing Doha as the site of the 2019 WC's over....Eugene!!
The Best Bomb thrown at USATF??
Lauren Fleshman's, of course!
Please Google her BEAST of an article!
It'll fire you up all over again!!
Thank you, Lauren, for Speaking Truth to Power!!
2014's Most JOYFUL moment?
I pick Alysia Montano "racing" the 800 at USATF while 34 weeks pregnant!!
She ran 2:32.13 for the 800, which is FASTER than the pace run by Paula Radcliffe in her 2:15:25 WR Marathon!!
And yes, she wore a flower in her hair!
(And just weeks later, had a beautiful baby born!)
Getting to the end, so let';s finish with a bit of "humor"!
The Best NON-Running news?
Mary Cain has a boyfriend!!
The Worst NON-Running news?
Lolo Jones is still a virgin!!
And last but certainly not least?
The Best Blog about T&F Records and Marks?
Well, duhhhhhhh!!! LOL
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Morality of T&F Message Boards
Merry Christmas to everyone who sees this!
This being a holiday where morality is key to its meaning and understanding, I feel it's an appropriate day to speak of the morality of Track and Field Message Boards.
As there are just 2 I've participated in--or even am aware of!--I'll limit my comments to those two.
They are the Track and Field News MB and the Let's Run Forum.
I've mostly written on T&FN's MB, but while posting very little on LR's Forum, I've read extensively their commentary.
So what do I think of them?
I'll get to that in a minute.
First, let me ask (and answer!) the question: Should MB's have rules? Rules which set--and strictly adhere to!--a stated moral code?
Besides T&F-related MB's, I've contributed to a few political sites.
I'm a strong and proud supporter of Sarah Palin, and have written a lot of stuff on 2 or 3 SP sites, especially C4P (Conservatives for Palin).
One thing I learned on C4P is that they won't tolerate "trolls"--those who come to a site merely to insult, criticize, and attack.
I think that's a good policy, because you want a place where you feel comfortable posting comments that would get attacked on sites where they hold beliefs diametrically opposite yours.
It's nice to be among friends and "fellow travelers".
T&F (and Running) MB's seem to be simple and straightforward.
They are there to discuss subjects related to a sport where participants range from youth to masters, from HS to Professionals, from all-comers meets to the Olympic Games.
The subject of a particular thread could be about a meet, an event, an athlete, or just general stuff, but still connected somehow to the sport. (Drugs, the ruling organizations, awards won, predictions, movies and books about T&F, etc.)
But underlying the INclusion of subject matter is what should be EXcluded!
And that's where rules come in.
T&FN, for example, insists that racist and sexist remarks, as well as personal attacks on other posters, are verboten.
Also that speculation on athletes who are SUSPECTED of drug use is a no-no.
Until the FACTS are in, innuendo and accusations are forbidden!
Many people have been banned from the T&FN MB, usually just temporarily, for going against these rules.
I'll tell you a personal story.
When Mary Cain exploded on the scene during the INdoor season of 2013, I wrote a LOT about her.
(I only started writing on their MB in May of 2012!)
While I mentioned her charming personality, my comments were 99.9% about her athletic feats, and future potential.
I admit I went overboard with my enthusiasm for her!
(Although breaking 6 INdoor HSR's and 4 OUTdoor HSR's in less than 6 months warranted such commentary.)
But after awhile, one poster called my fandom of her "creepy", and accused me of being a "stalker". He (I'm sure it was a he!) even said that Mary's father should be "concerned".
I fought back, but the attacks continued.
Then I wrote something that got me banned.
Cain joined Twitter late in 2013.
It took a few days, however, for her to produce her first tweet.
When she did, I announced it on T&FN's MB, saying she had "lost her Twitter virginity".
It was a JOKE!!
But Garry Hill banned me, and wrote (in a Personal Message) that my comment was "sick" and "insane"!
She was 17 at the time.
I was angry, but I also laughed--or LMAO, as Twitter Language puts it!
I mean, what century does Garry live in?
Did he believe I was somehow sneakily referring to her ACTUAL virginity?
Does he think that 17 year old's aren't sexually sophisticated, or at least knowledgeable, if not actively involved?
But I digress.
This "extra" post was inspired not by that incident, but by what happened yesterday on Let's Run's MB.
Remember an early post here asking the whereabouts of Wesley Frazier, Natosha Rogers, and Cayla Hatton?
Well, still curious about those 3, I began a thread on LR asking about them, and 3 or 4 other young women.
I wrote a very brief description of their 2012 or 2013 accomplishments, then wondered where they were, or why they had UNDERperformed in 2014.
(Cain was NOT among the group I was asking about!)
I received 2 comments.
The first was okay, as it stuck to the subject.
The second called my interest in these ladies "creepy" and like a "stalker".
(Sounds familiar, yes?!)
To top off the insults, this person named himself (I assume it's a he!) "Erin Krohn".
My real name is Aaron Krohn (Aaron K's T&F Record Book).
"Erin" is a female name, as in Erin Brockovich or....Erin Finn.
I complained to Let's Run, but only about that particular comment!
Then, a bit later, I went to see if it (the comment) had been removed.
Yes, it had.
But so had my entire thread!!
Now let me give 2 examples of LR's hypocritical stance.
When Mary (Cain) was mostly inactive this past spring and summer, and when 1 or 2 other NOP athletes were injured or running poorly, speculation began on LR.
About Cain, more than 1 poster said that Coach Salazar was probably feeding them drugs (PED's), or that Mary might be pregnant (!!!), and from there, it got even MORE demented....or, if you will, CREEPY!!
When Alexa Efraimson had problems at the end of a couple of races (She fell, from exhaustion, in the final 100 meters or so of two 5K's!), the comments said she suffered from every disease, whether physical or mental, known to humankind!
(And yes, I was guilty of this too. I suggested it might be the onset of Multiple Sclerosis! This was just after I'd seen the video called "Catching Kayla", about Kayla Montgomery, who became known while in HS as a top-name runner suffering from MS.)
But very few, if any, attacked these people who were using the misfortune of a 17 year old HS girl to fulfill their armchair doctor fantasies!
They allowed the speculation about Alexa to run rampant!
As they did the "drugs" and "pregnancy" crap about Mary Cain (and others in NOP).
And yet, my simple questioning of the whereabouts or current health and competition status of some young (all at least 18!) girls provoked slanderous commentary calling me "creepy" and a "stalker".
These, and MANY other examples, call loudly for the setting of parameters within which commentators can feel safe and free to speak their mind.
1. On MB's on sites totally devoted to T&F and/or Running, all threads (and comments therein) should be ABOUT the sport, its athletes, and other related subjects.
2. As they do on T&FN MB, I agree that racist and sexist remarks should be forbidden.
3. But DEFINE those terms! Can we talk about Maggie Vessey's "sexy" racing gear, about Lolo Jones being a self-confessed virgin, about Suzy Favor Hamilton's year as a Call Girl, or even about Mary Cain having a boyfriend?
4. Justin Gatlin has been roundly attacked this year, especially as to whether he should be considered for Athlete of the Year, because he'd been banned for drugs TWICE! His defenders say he's served his time, and unless he tests positive for drugs AGAIN, should be allowed the status of "athlete redeemed".
5. This almost total criticism of Gatlin is contradicted when set against the commentary about recently banned Inika McPherson. Most comments about her (mine included!) say she doesn't deserve a 21 month ban---or even ANY ban!---and should lose only the mark (6-6.75, her PR) from the meet where she tested positive!
6. So MB's should have a rule about "consistency", meaning consistency of the comments. If you attack 1 drug cheat, attack them all! If talk about the NON-athletic life of an athlete is a no-no, make it so for EVERY athlete, regardless of gender or age! (What is allowable when athletics and one's private life come together, as when 34-weeks-pregnant Alysia Montano "competed" in this year's USATF OUTdoor meet? The video and photos of her became instantly viral!)
7. Whether or not they might hold some validity, I firmly believe that PERSONAL ATTACKS should NOT be allowed. That "Sticks and stones...." phrase may be a cliche, and true, but being called names, or accused of "crimes" never even thought about.....HURTS! Many people are asking, in a more general sense than just about our sport, where civility and humaneness has disappeared to in this so called "beacon of democracy". If you read the comments on LR's MB (and to a lesser extent, on T&FN's MB), you might be asking the same question.
I started this blog to give honor and respect to the records and marks of T&F athletes.
I believe I have done so.
And will continue to do so, as long as I'm still breathing!
But sometimes something arises which calls for an immediate response.
If we let things go too long, a cancer will grow within that will disease, and ultimately kill, the body of that which we speak.
We NEED Message Boards.
We WANT them!
But please, let's attach some standards of morality to them.
And adhere to those standards.
My next post will be the "Best and Worst of 2014".
See you then.
This being a holiday where morality is key to its meaning and understanding, I feel it's an appropriate day to speak of the morality of Track and Field Message Boards.
As there are just 2 I've participated in--or even am aware of!--I'll limit my comments to those two.
They are the Track and Field News MB and the Let's Run Forum.
I've mostly written on T&FN's MB, but while posting very little on LR's Forum, I've read extensively their commentary.
So what do I think of them?
I'll get to that in a minute.
First, let me ask (and answer!) the question: Should MB's have rules? Rules which set--and strictly adhere to!--a stated moral code?
Besides T&F-related MB's, I've contributed to a few political sites.
I'm a strong and proud supporter of Sarah Palin, and have written a lot of stuff on 2 or 3 SP sites, especially C4P (Conservatives for Palin).
One thing I learned on C4P is that they won't tolerate "trolls"--those who come to a site merely to insult, criticize, and attack.
I think that's a good policy, because you want a place where you feel comfortable posting comments that would get attacked on sites where they hold beliefs diametrically opposite yours.
It's nice to be among friends and "fellow travelers".
T&F (and Running) MB's seem to be simple and straightforward.
They are there to discuss subjects related to a sport where participants range from youth to masters, from HS to Professionals, from all-comers meets to the Olympic Games.
The subject of a particular thread could be about a meet, an event, an athlete, or just general stuff, but still connected somehow to the sport. (Drugs, the ruling organizations, awards won, predictions, movies and books about T&F, etc.)
But underlying the INclusion of subject matter is what should be EXcluded!
And that's where rules come in.
T&FN, for example, insists that racist and sexist remarks, as well as personal attacks on other posters, are verboten.
Also that speculation on athletes who are SUSPECTED of drug use is a no-no.
Until the FACTS are in, innuendo and accusations are forbidden!
Many people have been banned from the T&FN MB, usually just temporarily, for going against these rules.
I'll tell you a personal story.
When Mary Cain exploded on the scene during the INdoor season of 2013, I wrote a LOT about her.
(I only started writing on their MB in May of 2012!)
While I mentioned her charming personality, my comments were 99.9% about her athletic feats, and future potential.
I admit I went overboard with my enthusiasm for her!
(Although breaking 6 INdoor HSR's and 4 OUTdoor HSR's in less than 6 months warranted such commentary.)
But after awhile, one poster called my fandom of her "creepy", and accused me of being a "stalker". He (I'm sure it was a he!) even said that Mary's father should be "concerned".
I fought back, but the attacks continued.
Then I wrote something that got me banned.
Cain joined Twitter late in 2013.
It took a few days, however, for her to produce her first tweet.
When she did, I announced it on T&FN's MB, saying she had "lost her Twitter virginity".
It was a JOKE!!
But Garry Hill banned me, and wrote (in a Personal Message) that my comment was "sick" and "insane"!
She was 17 at the time.
I was angry, but I also laughed--or LMAO, as Twitter Language puts it!
I mean, what century does Garry live in?
Did he believe I was somehow sneakily referring to her ACTUAL virginity?
Does he think that 17 year old's aren't sexually sophisticated, or at least knowledgeable, if not actively involved?
But I digress.
This "extra" post was inspired not by that incident, but by what happened yesterday on Let's Run's MB.
Remember an early post here asking the whereabouts of Wesley Frazier, Natosha Rogers, and Cayla Hatton?
Well, still curious about those 3, I began a thread on LR asking about them, and 3 or 4 other young women.
I wrote a very brief description of their 2012 or 2013 accomplishments, then wondered where they were, or why they had UNDERperformed in 2014.
(Cain was NOT among the group I was asking about!)
I received 2 comments.
The first was okay, as it stuck to the subject.
The second called my interest in these ladies "creepy" and like a "stalker".
(Sounds familiar, yes?!)
To top off the insults, this person named himself (I assume it's a he!) "Erin Krohn".
My real name is Aaron Krohn (Aaron K's T&F Record Book).
"Erin" is a female name, as in Erin Brockovich or....Erin Finn.
I complained to Let's Run, but only about that particular comment!
Then, a bit later, I went to see if it (the comment) had been removed.
Yes, it had.
But so had my entire thread!!
Now let me give 2 examples of LR's hypocritical stance.
When Mary (Cain) was mostly inactive this past spring and summer, and when 1 or 2 other NOP athletes were injured or running poorly, speculation began on LR.
About Cain, more than 1 poster said that Coach Salazar was probably feeding them drugs (PED's), or that Mary might be pregnant (!!!), and from there, it got even MORE demented....or, if you will, CREEPY!!
When Alexa Efraimson had problems at the end of a couple of races (She fell, from exhaustion, in the final 100 meters or so of two 5K's!), the comments said she suffered from every disease, whether physical or mental, known to humankind!
(And yes, I was guilty of this too. I suggested it might be the onset of Multiple Sclerosis! This was just after I'd seen the video called "Catching Kayla", about Kayla Montgomery, who became known while in HS as a top-name runner suffering from MS.)
But very few, if any, attacked these people who were using the misfortune of a 17 year old HS girl to fulfill their armchair doctor fantasies!
They allowed the speculation about Alexa to run rampant!
As they did the "drugs" and "pregnancy" crap about Mary Cain (and others in NOP).
And yet, my simple questioning of the whereabouts or current health and competition status of some young (all at least 18!) girls provoked slanderous commentary calling me "creepy" and a "stalker".
These, and MANY other examples, call loudly for the setting of parameters within which commentators can feel safe and free to speak their mind.
1. On MB's on sites totally devoted to T&F and/or Running, all threads (and comments therein) should be ABOUT the sport, its athletes, and other related subjects.
2. As they do on T&FN MB, I agree that racist and sexist remarks should be forbidden.
3. But DEFINE those terms! Can we talk about Maggie Vessey's "sexy" racing gear, about Lolo Jones being a self-confessed virgin, about Suzy Favor Hamilton's year as a Call Girl, or even about Mary Cain having a boyfriend?
4. Justin Gatlin has been roundly attacked this year, especially as to whether he should be considered for Athlete of the Year, because he'd been banned for drugs TWICE! His defenders say he's served his time, and unless he tests positive for drugs AGAIN, should be allowed the status of "athlete redeemed".
5. This almost total criticism of Gatlin is contradicted when set against the commentary about recently banned Inika McPherson. Most comments about her (mine included!) say she doesn't deserve a 21 month ban---or even ANY ban!---and should lose only the mark (6-6.75, her PR) from the meet where she tested positive!
6. So MB's should have a rule about "consistency", meaning consistency of the comments. If you attack 1 drug cheat, attack them all! If talk about the NON-athletic life of an athlete is a no-no, make it so for EVERY athlete, regardless of gender or age! (What is allowable when athletics and one's private life come together, as when 34-weeks-pregnant Alysia Montano "competed" in this year's USATF OUTdoor meet? The video and photos of her became instantly viral!)
7. Whether or not they might hold some validity, I firmly believe that PERSONAL ATTACKS should NOT be allowed. That "Sticks and stones...." phrase may be a cliche, and true, but being called names, or accused of "crimes" never even thought about.....HURTS! Many people are asking, in a more general sense than just about our sport, where civility and humaneness has disappeared to in this so called "beacon of democracy". If you read the comments on LR's MB (and to a lesser extent, on T&FN's MB), you might be asking the same question.
I started this blog to give honor and respect to the records and marks of T&F athletes.
I believe I have done so.
And will continue to do so, as long as I'm still breathing!
But sometimes something arises which calls for an immediate response.
If we let things go too long, a cancer will grow within that will disease, and ultimately kill, the body of that which we speak.
We NEED Message Boards.
We WANT them!
But please, let's attach some standards of morality to them.
And adhere to those standards.
My next post will be the "Best and Worst of 2014".
See you then.
Monday, December 22, 2014
2015 INdoors sees premature birth
In December 2013, the 2014 INdoor season began with a small flourish.
We saw Abbey D'Agostino and 3 others run 5000's in the 15:40 to 15:42 range, with Abbey's time being a Best-Ever-in-December record.
Then, a few days later, we were shocked when a 42 foot SPer suddenly became a 52-3, then 53-8 Superstar!
(Raven Saunders would, of course, go on to shatter Michelle Carter's INdoor and OUTdoor HS records---by about 2 feet each!!)
But this December (and even as early as November 22nd!), the "2015" INdoor season has been even better--a quite healthy premature birth!
Here's what I've already reported.
Ryen Frazier runs the Mile in 4:44.20, giving her 12th A-T HS.
Richard Rose ran his 600 opener in 1:20.98.
Sarah Disanza smashed Abbey D's A-T December best by over 20 seconds, with Emily Sisson running 19 seconds faster than she had a year ago, and Liv Westphal also going under (by 9 seconds) Abbey's 2013 time.
Add Rachel Johnson's 15:40 solo act in Texas, and Brian Shrader's 13:40.
Raven Saunders began her collegiate career with a 56-3.75, which while not her PR, is still about 28 inches farther than she did a year ago!
The Men's and Women's WT opened with a few 70 to 75 foot marks, though none made my lists.
Erica Twiss opened with a good Heptathlon score of 4136.
And a 9th Grader, Tatiana Marsh, opened inside a foot of the Frosh Class TJ record!
Well, the onslaught of "premature" good marks continues unabated!
Mackenzie Shell PV'ed 13-3, which makes her 20th A-T HS, tied with 3 others.
Rai Benjamin and Sydney McLaughlin opened their seasons with good 300's.
Benjamin ran 33.81, which, if I had an A-T list for 300's, would rank about 21st!
McLaughlin ran 38.52, a slight PR for her, and which would rank about 24th or 25th A-T!
She added a good 55H time as well!
Jared Lovelace improved his 2014 INdoor best by almost 2 feet (!), TJ'ing 50-0.50.
My Top 24 list ends with a 50-3.25, so I expect this mark to be somewhere around 30th A-T HS, more or less.
Nicole Greene PR'ed in the HJ, her opener of 5-10 coming just 1 inch short of my Top 24 HS list!
She seems to have other jumping talents as well.
Her first-EVER TJ competition produced a mark of 38 feet!
She also LJ'ed!
Two new marks DID make my list!
Well, they "merely" improved on marks they already had on my DDD's.
Richard Rose, now a Senior, improved on his 600 opener (See above.) with a great time of 1:18.40, which is also his PR!
But he remains in 4th on the A-T HS list.
Adam Kelly also PR'ed, his WT mark putting him in the 80 foot Club.
His 80-1.50 moves him up 1 spot on the A-T HS list, from 11th to 10th.
And that's not all!
Just in from Great Britain comes word that Adam Hogue got the A-T Age 17 PV record, doing 17-11 (5.46 metric).
This broke Devin King's 17-10.25 from 2014!
(ERROR!! Just did some checking, and discovered Devin King's birthdate is March 13, 1996. The 17-10.25 Vault happened at the NBIN meet, which was held from March 14th to 16th, 2014. Thus, King had just turned 18 prior to his "record"! BUT....Hogue's mark IS the Age 17 INdoor record!)
Finally, with the great assistance of Jack Shepard's 2015 HS Track book, I've discovered a new Frosh Class record from 2014.
Makayla Linebarger claims the INdoor Frosh Class PV record with her 12-9.50!
There's a few more major announcements that came in recently.
The Boston INdoor meet is looking even better.
Previously, Jenny Simpson had been announced for the Two Mile race.
Now, we have Brenda Martinez anchoring the Women's New Balance DMR team!
They're said to be going for the WR of 10:50.98!
I don't know the rest of the team's make-up, but I expect that mark to be reduced by SEVERAL seconds!!
I tweeted Brenda, telling her that a team running 3:15, 54, 2:02, and (BM's) 4:19 would give them the record by TWENTY seconds!
(Remember, Brenda ran 4:19.6 in the 5th Avenue Mile!)
Also announced for Boston is Jenn Suhr in the PV.
However, she'll have a serious Meet Record to shoot for--her own 16-0 from 2012!
Add Matt Centrowitz and Mary Cain running 1000's!
Centro will have Dave Krummenacker's Meet Record of 2:17.86 to shoot for.
Or David Torrence's AR of 2:16.76, or his own PR of 2:19.56 (from 2013).
He'd need 2:17.67 to make the World DDD.
Cain can take another shot at Jen Toomey's AR of 2:34.19.
Mary's 2:35.80 from 10 months ago ranks her 24th on the World list.
Toomey's mark is 7th!
Lastly, Great Britain's 800 star, Andrew Osagie, with an OUTdoor PR of 1:43.77, has stated he wants THREE British INdoor records!
They are Dai Greene's 600 mark of 1:16.22, Matthew Yates's 1000 NR of 2:17.86, and Seb Coe's venerable 1:44.91 National Record in the 800, which dates from 1983!
Coming in the remainder of 2014 will be....
my "Best and Worst" of 2014, which will cover both INdoor and OUTdoor!
my selections of the US and World Athletes of the Year, plus Honorable Mentions!
one more "results" blog, covering whatever ensues next weekend!
(And yes, there ARE meets scheduled!!)
And then......the 2015 season will have matured!
We saw Abbey D'Agostino and 3 others run 5000's in the 15:40 to 15:42 range, with Abbey's time being a Best-Ever-in-December record.
Then, a few days later, we were shocked when a 42 foot SPer suddenly became a 52-3, then 53-8 Superstar!
(Raven Saunders would, of course, go on to shatter Michelle Carter's INdoor and OUTdoor HS records---by about 2 feet each!!)
But this December (and even as early as November 22nd!), the "2015" INdoor season has been even better--a quite healthy premature birth!
Here's what I've already reported.
Ryen Frazier runs the Mile in 4:44.20, giving her 12th A-T HS.
Richard Rose ran his 600 opener in 1:20.98.
Sarah Disanza smashed Abbey D's A-T December best by over 20 seconds, with Emily Sisson running 19 seconds faster than she had a year ago, and Liv Westphal also going under (by 9 seconds) Abbey's 2013 time.
Add Rachel Johnson's 15:40 solo act in Texas, and Brian Shrader's 13:40.
Raven Saunders began her collegiate career with a 56-3.75, which while not her PR, is still about 28 inches farther than she did a year ago!
The Men's and Women's WT opened with a few 70 to 75 foot marks, though none made my lists.
Erica Twiss opened with a good Heptathlon score of 4136.
And a 9th Grader, Tatiana Marsh, opened inside a foot of the Frosh Class TJ record!
Well, the onslaught of "premature" good marks continues unabated!
Mackenzie Shell PV'ed 13-3, which makes her 20th A-T HS, tied with 3 others.
Rai Benjamin and Sydney McLaughlin opened their seasons with good 300's.
Benjamin ran 33.81, which, if I had an A-T list for 300's, would rank about 21st!
McLaughlin ran 38.52, a slight PR for her, and which would rank about 24th or 25th A-T!
She added a good 55H time as well!
Jared Lovelace improved his 2014 INdoor best by almost 2 feet (!), TJ'ing 50-0.50.
My Top 24 list ends with a 50-3.25, so I expect this mark to be somewhere around 30th A-T HS, more or less.
Nicole Greene PR'ed in the HJ, her opener of 5-10 coming just 1 inch short of my Top 24 HS list!
She seems to have other jumping talents as well.
Her first-EVER TJ competition produced a mark of 38 feet!
She also LJ'ed!
Two new marks DID make my list!
Well, they "merely" improved on marks they already had on my DDD's.
Richard Rose, now a Senior, improved on his 600 opener (See above.) with a great time of 1:18.40, which is also his PR!
But he remains in 4th on the A-T HS list.
Adam Kelly also PR'ed, his WT mark putting him in the 80 foot Club.
His 80-1.50 moves him up 1 spot on the A-T HS list, from 11th to 10th.
And that's not all!
Just in from Great Britain comes word that Adam Hogue got the A-T Age 17 PV record, doing 17-11 (5.46 metric).
This broke Devin King's 17-10.25 from 2014!
(ERROR!! Just did some checking, and discovered Devin King's birthdate is March 13, 1996. The 17-10.25 Vault happened at the NBIN meet, which was held from March 14th to 16th, 2014. Thus, King had just turned 18 prior to his "record"! BUT....Hogue's mark IS the Age 17 INdoor record!)
Finally, with the great assistance of Jack Shepard's 2015 HS Track book, I've discovered a new Frosh Class record from 2014.
Makayla Linebarger claims the INdoor Frosh Class PV record with her 12-9.50!
There's a few more major announcements that came in recently.
The Boston INdoor meet is looking even better.
Previously, Jenny Simpson had been announced for the Two Mile race.
Now, we have Brenda Martinez anchoring the Women's New Balance DMR team!
They're said to be going for the WR of 10:50.98!
I don't know the rest of the team's make-up, but I expect that mark to be reduced by SEVERAL seconds!!
I tweeted Brenda, telling her that a team running 3:15, 54, 2:02, and (BM's) 4:19 would give them the record by TWENTY seconds!
(Remember, Brenda ran 4:19.6 in the 5th Avenue Mile!)
Also announced for Boston is Jenn Suhr in the PV.
However, she'll have a serious Meet Record to shoot for--her own 16-0 from 2012!
Add Matt Centrowitz and Mary Cain running 1000's!
Centro will have Dave Krummenacker's Meet Record of 2:17.86 to shoot for.
Or David Torrence's AR of 2:16.76, or his own PR of 2:19.56 (from 2013).
He'd need 2:17.67 to make the World DDD.
Cain can take another shot at Jen Toomey's AR of 2:34.19.
Mary's 2:35.80 from 10 months ago ranks her 24th on the World list.
Toomey's mark is 7th!
Lastly, Great Britain's 800 star, Andrew Osagie, with an OUTdoor PR of 1:43.77, has stated he wants THREE British INdoor records!
They are Dai Greene's 600 mark of 1:16.22, Matthew Yates's 1000 NR of 2:17.86, and Seb Coe's venerable 1:44.91 National Record in the 800, which dates from 1983!
Coming in the remainder of 2014 will be....
my "Best and Worst" of 2014, which will cover both INdoor and OUTdoor!
my selections of the US and World Athletes of the Year, plus Honorable Mentions!
one more "results" blog, covering whatever ensues next weekend!
(And yes, there ARE meets scheduled!!)
And then......the 2015 season will have matured!
Saturday, December 20, 2014
Does Bronxville HS miss Mary Cain?
The answer to the title question is "Of course they do!".
Mary, though only running for her team for her first 2 years there (2011 and 2012), put Bronxville indelibly and eternally on the map of schools whose star athlete is forever connected to their school's name and history.
(Think Wichita KS's East High and Jim Ryun, or Coos Bay OR's Marshfield High with Steve Prefontaine!)
But as this new INdoor season heats up--and if you've read my recent posts, you know it's starting pretty darn quick!--I was doing my normal research for my next post, looking for good marks to report, when I came to Mile Split's coverage of yesterday's Jim Mitchell Invitational at The Armory.
And there I saw some results for the Bronxville HS Girls runners that inspired me to do this "extra" post.
Here's what 5 Bronxville girls ran last night, in races from 300 to 1000 meters long.
Caroline DePaul ran 300 in 42.95.
Caroline Kirby ran 600 in 1:38.59.
Laura Holland was right behind her with her 1:38.80.
Kaitlyn Ryan, a soph, improved her PR by 5 seconds, running the 1000 in 2:55.77.
And Delia Hayes did the 1000 in 3:05.28.
None of the times come even close to making my A-T list, although Ryan's time is pretty impressive for late December, and for her being just a 10th grader.
So what does this mean for Bronxville's chances as a Relay unit?
Well, I also checked my brand new (received a few days ago) 2015 edition of Jack Shepard's HS Track, an Annual I rely on quite heavily to research and verify marks for my own T&F Record Book, pertaining to my HS sections.
And while the Bronxville girls are NOT listed on any All-Time Relay lists in the book, they ARE listed twice in the lists for 2014 INdoors.
They ran the 4X800 last year in 9:16.62, and the DMR in 12:14.71.
The former was 13th on the 2014 list, the latter being 20th on that list.
Here's my "prediction" for what this year's team--or at least the 5 girls listed above--might do in these 2 Relays.
DePaul's 42.95 for 300 indicates a time of under 60 for 400.
Kirby's and Holland's 600's show them to be potential 800 girls of about 2:16-2:18 quality.
Hayes shows she might run the 1600 in the range of 5:10 to 5:15.
And Ryan, who might be Bronxville's "new star", shows some possibilities for a 1600 in the range of 4:55 to 5:00.
4X800--Kirby and Holland run 2:16's, DePaul (or Hayes) adds a 2:20, then Ryan anchors with a 2:10.
Final time of 9:02, or 14 seconds better than last year, and 19th A-T HS!!
DMR--Hayes or Holland runs the 1200 in 3:36, then DePaul runs a 400 in 59, followed by Kirby's 2:16, then anchored by Ryan's 4:55.
Final time of 11:46, or 19th A-T.
Okay, so not as great as what they could have done with Cain on the team.
But Mary's gone.
What's left are 5 girls who have started their 2015 INdoor season with PR's and other good times.
Expect them all to run faster as the season progresses.
And thus, for their predicted 4X800 and DMR times to also be reduced!
A lot can happen to change all that, of course.
And while I'm NOT saying that Bronxville's 2015 Girls team will soon (or EVER!) forget Mary Cain, they seem to be saying to the world of HS T&F--Hey, we love and respect what Mary did for our school, and for our sport in general, but we're pretty darn good too, so WATCH OUT, HERE WE COME!!
Mary, though only running for her team for her first 2 years there (2011 and 2012), put Bronxville indelibly and eternally on the map of schools whose star athlete is forever connected to their school's name and history.
(Think Wichita KS's East High and Jim Ryun, or Coos Bay OR's Marshfield High with Steve Prefontaine!)
But as this new INdoor season heats up--and if you've read my recent posts, you know it's starting pretty darn quick!--I was doing my normal research for my next post, looking for good marks to report, when I came to Mile Split's coverage of yesterday's Jim Mitchell Invitational at The Armory.
And there I saw some results for the Bronxville HS Girls runners that inspired me to do this "extra" post.
Here's what 5 Bronxville girls ran last night, in races from 300 to 1000 meters long.
Caroline DePaul ran 300 in 42.95.
Caroline Kirby ran 600 in 1:38.59.
Laura Holland was right behind her with her 1:38.80.
Kaitlyn Ryan, a soph, improved her PR by 5 seconds, running the 1000 in 2:55.77.
And Delia Hayes did the 1000 in 3:05.28.
None of the times come even close to making my A-T list, although Ryan's time is pretty impressive for late December, and for her being just a 10th grader.
So what does this mean for Bronxville's chances as a Relay unit?
Well, I also checked my brand new (received a few days ago) 2015 edition of Jack Shepard's HS Track, an Annual I rely on quite heavily to research and verify marks for my own T&F Record Book, pertaining to my HS sections.
And while the Bronxville girls are NOT listed on any All-Time Relay lists in the book, they ARE listed twice in the lists for 2014 INdoors.
They ran the 4X800 last year in 9:16.62, and the DMR in 12:14.71.
The former was 13th on the 2014 list, the latter being 20th on that list.
Here's my "prediction" for what this year's team--or at least the 5 girls listed above--might do in these 2 Relays.
DePaul's 42.95 for 300 indicates a time of under 60 for 400.
Kirby's and Holland's 600's show them to be potential 800 girls of about 2:16-2:18 quality.
Hayes shows she might run the 1600 in the range of 5:10 to 5:15.
And Ryan, who might be Bronxville's "new star", shows some possibilities for a 1600 in the range of 4:55 to 5:00.
4X800--Kirby and Holland run 2:16's, DePaul (or Hayes) adds a 2:20, then Ryan anchors with a 2:10.
Final time of 9:02, or 14 seconds better than last year, and 19th A-T HS!!
DMR--Hayes or Holland runs the 1200 in 3:36, then DePaul runs a 400 in 59, followed by Kirby's 2:16, then anchored by Ryan's 4:55.
Final time of 11:46, or 19th A-T.
Okay, so not as great as what they could have done with Cain on the team.
But Mary's gone.
What's left are 5 girls who have started their 2015 INdoor season with PR's and other good times.
Expect them all to run faster as the season progresses.
And thus, for their predicted 4X800 and DMR times to also be reduced!
A lot can happen to change all that, of course.
And while I'm NOT saying that Bronxville's 2015 Girls team will soon (or EVER!) forget Mary Cain, they seem to be saying to the world of HS T&F--Hey, we love and respect what Mary did for our school, and for our sport in general, but we're pretty darn good too, so WATCH OUT, HERE WE COME!!
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Footlocker, More Marks, and Those Damn Orgs
It's only fair that I report on the Footlocker XC meet held yesterday.
After all, I did the same with the NXN.
The expected winners came through..
Grant Fisher and Anna Rohrer both easily won.
Fisher had probably the greater challenge, with such guys as Alex Ostberg, John Dressel, Elijah Armstrong, and Austin Tamagno tagging along.
Although NXN winner Tanner Anderson wasn't in the race.
But when a 4:02 miler decides to kick, there's not much others can do, and that was the case here over the final 800.
The girls ran it a bit differently.
After Makenna Morley took it out fast, Rohrer than powered to the front, and held her lead all the way.
She had some good foes, but missing was the NXN winner, Allie Ostrander.
One difference between the boys and girls--the boys 40 runners were all 11th and 12th graders.
The girls had 4 sophs and 3 freshmen.
And 3 of the sophs and 1 frosh finished in the top 11 (of the 40 runners).
Bottom line is that the distance running Renaissance of the past few years is continuing, despite the absence of Mary Cain, Sarah Baxter, Elise Cranny, and Alexa Efraimson!
And this year, it looks like the BOYS might have a hot season ahead of them too!
Speaking of that 2014-2015 INdoor season, I have more good marks to report.
Following in the wake of that fabulous Women's 5000 in Boston, two more 5K's can be added to the list.
Rachel Johnson, who SEEMS to make the 3000SC her specialty, showed she has wheels in flat races too.
The Baylor Senior ran a solo (2nd was 30 seconds back!) 5000 in 15:40.45 in College Station TX.
This makes her 17th A-T Collegiate.
And it makes her 20th A-T US!
Remember who the shock winner of the USATF 12K race was for the guys?
Brian Shrader?
Well, he can run on INdoor tracks pretty good also!
He opened his season with a good 13:40.94.
It missed the Top 24 Collegiate list by just 3.91 seconds!
The Weight Throw is starting off solidly.
The guy with the unspellable name--Chuk Enekwechi--threw the Weight 75-6.
It would make my list, but he has a better mark from last season!
Two or 3 other guys have marks of 70-0 or more.
As well as one woman!
But none of those make the list.
However, speaking of the WT, I have some new info on a top mark from last year----or rather, earlier this year!
Remember when this blog reported the WT by Michael Lihrman of 79-7.50 last February?
And I said I didn't know his birthdate, but that I was SURE his mark would be a new Age 21 or Age 22 record?
Well, I found out his B-date!
He was 22 then, and so his mark is the Age 22 record!
Better late than never, eh?
Two other good marks came in this weekend.
While neither makes my lists, they're good marks for this early in the season!
Erica Twiss did a Pentathlon, scoring 4136 points, just 117 short of my Top 24 Collegians.
And a 9th Grade girl named Tatiana Marsh TJ'ed 39-3.
Is that good?
Yes!
The 9th Grade Class record is 40-2.50.
Finally, Laura Thweatt and Ryan Hill took the individual honors at the USATF Club XC Championships!
Second in the Women's race was NOP girl Tara Erdmann.
She seems to be back from a relative off year in 2014.
And in 19th place was the first 40-and-over woman, Jen Rhines.
Second to Hill was Jake Riley, followed by another "comebacker", German Fernandez!
Now about "Those Damn Orgs"!
You know them by their acronyms, IAAF and USATF.
Here's why I call them "DAMN" orgs!
IAAF
You've no doubt heard that the 2019 WC will be held NOT in Tracktown USA, but in Doha, Qatar.
Despite......
1. Doha planning a late September-early October meet!
2. the potential HEAT, even with most of it being held in the "cooler" hours,
3. the fact that Eugene's ENTHUSIASM and T&F KNOWLEDGE far outshine that of Doha's!
4. the UGLY burkas women there have to wear, and the general attitude towards women that's the RULE in Qatar!
Check the T&FN Message Board thread that EXPLODED with NEGATIVE comments even BEFORE the vote was announced!
Our only hope is that there will be a reversal of that vote sometime in the next 5 years!
(There's tons of other "IAAF SUCKS" stuff I could enumerate here, but I'll leave them be for now!)
USATF
For me, it began at the 2013 USATF INdoor meet.
Just think of the names of Gabe Grunewald and Andy Bumbalough, and you'll be needing a few dozen Tylenol pretty damn quick!
Or more to the point, think of Alberto Salazar!!
Well, the winter (even though it's still FALL!!) meeting of USATF finally "resolved" the issue of Bumbalough.
(Jordan Hasay, bless her heart, took care of the Grunewald "problem" by sweetly withdrawing from the WIC, thus allowing Grunewald to take her RIGHTFUL place (in Sopot) as the winner of that USATF 3000!!)
USATF reinstated Andy.....more than 9 months too late!!
(A baby could have been conceived.....and born!!.....in that time, with room to spare!!)
Okay, half a point for at least doing that much!
But what about the Bob Hersh-Stephanie Hightower affair?
Here it is in a nutshell.
(And I don't even follow all this Inside Politics shit surrounding these Orgs!)
They were voting about who would represent USATF when dealing with IAAF issues.....I think!
For several years, Board of Directors member Hersh had been that person.
But Ms Hightower, a former stud hurdler and currently Prez of something or other at USATF--I think!!--wanted Hersh's position!
OK, so far so good!
So a vote was taken with the GENERAL MEMBERSHIP voting!
After all, that's how it's done in a DEMOCRACY!!
Right?
The vote went overwhelmingly in Bob's favor, 392 to 70!
Then they tossed it back to the 12 or 13 CEO types---or whatever!!---and THEY decided on Hightower by an 11 to 1 vote!
An almost complete reversal!
So Hersh is out, and Hightower's in!
Is this democracy?
Or is this WATERGATE 2??
BTW, make sure you read the article written by Lauren Fleshman on this!
It's HOT!!!
And 100% right ON!!
Be back with more exciting stuff soon!!
After all, I did the same with the NXN.
The expected winners came through..
Grant Fisher and Anna Rohrer both easily won.
Fisher had probably the greater challenge, with such guys as Alex Ostberg, John Dressel, Elijah Armstrong, and Austin Tamagno tagging along.
Although NXN winner Tanner Anderson wasn't in the race.
But when a 4:02 miler decides to kick, there's not much others can do, and that was the case here over the final 800.
The girls ran it a bit differently.
After Makenna Morley took it out fast, Rohrer than powered to the front, and held her lead all the way.
She had some good foes, but missing was the NXN winner, Allie Ostrander.
One difference between the boys and girls--the boys 40 runners were all 11th and 12th graders.
The girls had 4 sophs and 3 freshmen.
And 3 of the sophs and 1 frosh finished in the top 11 (of the 40 runners).
Bottom line is that the distance running Renaissance of the past few years is continuing, despite the absence of Mary Cain, Sarah Baxter, Elise Cranny, and Alexa Efraimson!
And this year, it looks like the BOYS might have a hot season ahead of them too!
Speaking of that 2014-2015 INdoor season, I have more good marks to report.
Following in the wake of that fabulous Women's 5000 in Boston, two more 5K's can be added to the list.
Rachel Johnson, who SEEMS to make the 3000SC her specialty, showed she has wheels in flat races too.
The Baylor Senior ran a solo (2nd was 30 seconds back!) 5000 in 15:40.45 in College Station TX.
This makes her 17th A-T Collegiate.
And it makes her 20th A-T US!
Remember who the shock winner of the USATF 12K race was for the guys?
Brian Shrader?
Well, he can run on INdoor tracks pretty good also!
He opened his season with a good 13:40.94.
It missed the Top 24 Collegiate list by just 3.91 seconds!
The Weight Throw is starting off solidly.
The guy with the unspellable name--Chuk Enekwechi--threw the Weight 75-6.
It would make my list, but he has a better mark from last season!
Two or 3 other guys have marks of 70-0 or more.
As well as one woman!
But none of those make the list.
However, speaking of the WT, I have some new info on a top mark from last year----or rather, earlier this year!
Remember when this blog reported the WT by Michael Lihrman of 79-7.50 last February?
And I said I didn't know his birthdate, but that I was SURE his mark would be a new Age 21 or Age 22 record?
Well, I found out his B-date!
He was 22 then, and so his mark is the Age 22 record!
Better late than never, eh?
Two other good marks came in this weekend.
While neither makes my lists, they're good marks for this early in the season!
Erica Twiss did a Pentathlon, scoring 4136 points, just 117 short of my Top 24 Collegians.
And a 9th Grade girl named Tatiana Marsh TJ'ed 39-3.
Is that good?
Yes!
The 9th Grade Class record is 40-2.50.
Finally, Laura Thweatt and Ryan Hill took the individual honors at the USATF Club XC Championships!
Second in the Women's race was NOP girl Tara Erdmann.
She seems to be back from a relative off year in 2014.
And in 19th place was the first 40-and-over woman, Jen Rhines.
Second to Hill was Jake Riley, followed by another "comebacker", German Fernandez!
Now about "Those Damn Orgs"!
You know them by their acronyms, IAAF and USATF.
Here's why I call them "DAMN" orgs!
IAAF
You've no doubt heard that the 2019 WC will be held NOT in Tracktown USA, but in Doha, Qatar.
Despite......
1. Doha planning a late September-early October meet!
2. the potential HEAT, even with most of it being held in the "cooler" hours,
3. the fact that Eugene's ENTHUSIASM and T&F KNOWLEDGE far outshine that of Doha's!
4. the UGLY burkas women there have to wear, and the general attitude towards women that's the RULE in Qatar!
Check the T&FN Message Board thread that EXPLODED with NEGATIVE comments even BEFORE the vote was announced!
Our only hope is that there will be a reversal of that vote sometime in the next 5 years!
(There's tons of other "IAAF SUCKS" stuff I could enumerate here, but I'll leave them be for now!)
USATF
For me, it began at the 2013 USATF INdoor meet.
Just think of the names of Gabe Grunewald and Andy Bumbalough, and you'll be needing a few dozen Tylenol pretty damn quick!
Or more to the point, think of Alberto Salazar!!
Well, the winter (even though it's still FALL!!) meeting of USATF finally "resolved" the issue of Bumbalough.
(Jordan Hasay, bless her heart, took care of the Grunewald "problem" by sweetly withdrawing from the WIC, thus allowing Grunewald to take her RIGHTFUL place (in Sopot) as the winner of that USATF 3000!!)
USATF reinstated Andy.....more than 9 months too late!!
(A baby could have been conceived.....and born!!.....in that time, with room to spare!!)
Okay, half a point for at least doing that much!
But what about the Bob Hersh-Stephanie Hightower affair?
Here it is in a nutshell.
(And I don't even follow all this Inside Politics shit surrounding these Orgs!)
They were voting about who would represent USATF when dealing with IAAF issues.....I think!
For several years, Board of Directors member Hersh had been that person.
But Ms Hightower, a former stud hurdler and currently Prez of something or other at USATF--I think!!--wanted Hersh's position!
OK, so far so good!
So a vote was taken with the GENERAL MEMBERSHIP voting!
After all, that's how it's done in a DEMOCRACY!!
Right?
The vote went overwhelmingly in Bob's favor, 392 to 70!
Then they tossed it back to the 12 or 13 CEO types---or whatever!!---and THEY decided on Hightower by an 11 to 1 vote!
An almost complete reversal!
So Hersh is out, and Hightower's in!
Is this democracy?
Or is this WATERGATE 2??
BTW, make sure you read the article written by Lauren Fleshman on this!
It's HOT!!!
And 100% right ON!!
Be back with more exciting stuff soon!!
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