This INdoor season is going somewhere!
But to the 300 meters??
Okay, let me fill you in!
My T&F Record Book (and this blog, from whence it came) basically ignored "odd" events like the 300.
Sure, some marks were impressive, but the event itself seemed to be limited to HS meets, with the USATF INdoors adding it to their schedule last year (and this year?).
But when Quanera Hayes and Candace Hill had that spectacular race last week (See earlier post!), and Grant Holloway ran that 32.80 as a Collegiate Frosh, I had to ponder adding this event to my pile of "DDD" (Top 24 Performers) lists!
And I did--but not (yet) for Collegians!
(My research was easy! I found a World List that went 50 deep, and was totally up to date!! For the US list, I extrapolated all Americans from that World list--coming up a couple short--but that's now filled in!! For my HS list, I began with Jack Shepard's HS Track book's A-T Indoor lists, which go 20 deep! Again, I've already lengthened those lists to the full 24!!)
My timing was perfect, as THIS weekend has already seen 14 marks (in my World, US, and HS categories) reaching my lists!!
Tyrese Cooper had the best 300, his 33.03 nipping Michael Cherry's HSR of 33.05.
Besides the HSR, Cooper also gets the Soph Class record, and the World Age 16 record!!
He is now 16th A-T US, tied with one other!
(In the 500, Cooper ran 1:01.88, missing the HSR by just two-tenths of a second!! So he's 2nd A-T HS, and gets the Soph Class record to boot!! Chantz Sawyers took 2nd to Cooper, his 1:02.29 making him 4th A-T HS!!)
In that same race (at the GREAT Virginia Showcase meet!), Micaiah Harris ran 33.22, making him 7th A-T HS!
Third place went to Eric Allen's 33.49, which makes him 12th A-T HS!!
On the Women's side (at the same meet), Lynna Irby beat Jayna Kirkland, 38.09 to 38.16!
For Irby, it gives her 12th A-T HS!
For Kirkland, she's now 14th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
At another meet in the same state--the Virginia Tech meet--Shakima Wimbley hot-footed a 36.72, making her 10th A-T US, and 24th A-T World!!
In a Harvard meet, Izaiah Brown sped the 300 in 33.12, making him 19th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Sydney McLaughlin improved her PR to 37.11 (She'd run 37.49 as a Soph!!) at the Armory.
She remains 2nd A-T HS (on the amateur list---Ms Hill's 36.86 of course is the fastest, but she's a Pro!!), and moves from 19th A-T US to 15th!!
Speaking of Candace, she ran a good 37.00 in her follow-up race, adding a 60 of 7.39!!
Kate Murphy did NOT race the VA Showcase 1000 against Sammy Watson, as I'd promoted in my previous post!
Maybe that's because the day before, she anchored her Lake Braddock team to an HSR of 11:34.54 in the DMR, with a blazing 4:38 1600!
For a girl whose OUTdoor 1500 of 4:07 equates to about a 4:24 Mile, maybe 4:38 isn't exactly "blazing".
But it WAS just fast enough to secure the HSR for her team!!
BTW, Watson won that 1000 in 2:48.18 over Rachel McArthur's 2:49.25!
McArthur misses my DDD list by 0.43 seconds!
(Watson's 2:45+ from 2016 is already on the list!)
And Watson ran the 500 also, her 1:11.75 making her 3rd A-T HS!!
Kaela Edwards opened her final Collegiate season in good fashion!
Her time of 2:40.79 in the 1000 broke the Collegiate Record set by Angel Piccirillo last year by just 0.03 seconds!!
It also gives her the Senior Class record!
She's now 20th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
The 600 gave us some good marks!
Marilyn Okoro of Great Britain ran 1:26.72, making her 24th A-T World!
But more important, it gave her GB's National Record!!
AND the Age 32 record!!
Rosie Chamberlain took 2nd in that race, her 1:29.57 making her 24th A-T Collegiate!
(Okoro ran as unattached in that Collegiate race, according to TFRSS!)
At the Penn State meet, Danae Rivers ran 1:29.06, giving her the Collegiate Frosh Class record!!
She's 19th A-T Collegiate!
She misses my US Top 24 list by just 0.28 seconds!
(In the Seattle meet--on its 307 meter Oversize Track), Raevyn Rogers ran 1:26.97--which obviously does NOT make any lists or break any records--due SOLELY to it's being run on an OT!! More Seattle marks are below!)
The PV had some "new" and "returning" names in the weekend's results!
First, I'm happy to report that Jenn Suhr is healthy, and jumped 15-9.25, which is the World-leading mark for this calendar year!!
At the PV Summit in Reno--which had a somewhat limited elite entry list, maybe mostly due to bad weather!--Sandi Morris cleared 15-3 to win the Women's elite division!
(The Men cleared just 18-2.50, hardly worthy of notice!)
The Arkansas meet was one we all looked forward to, as that school has become the Collegiate PV Factory!!
Lexi-----oh wait, I'll get to HER in a bit!!
No, TORI Weeks won this vaunted (or should I say VAULTED?? LOL) affair, clearing an INdoor PR of 14-6!!
This makes her 22nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
(I'll get to that "other" in a second!)
Taken OFF my DDD list was the Rio Olympics Gold winner, Ekaterina Stefanidi, whose Collegiate mark of 14-5.25 from 2011 is no more!!
As for Lexi Weeks, she was only able to clear 14-0!
In third was another Razorback, Desiree Freier, who got over 13-8.25!
Lexi missed 3 times at 14-2, while Freier missed thrice at 14-0!
That "other" I spoke of earlier was Kally Long, whose 14-6 was, I believe, her FIRST 14 foot jump!
She's a Junior at Texas!
So she is also 22nd A-T Collegiate, tied with Tori Weeks--and one other!
Annie Rhodes lost to Long by 2 inches, her 14-4 a good start to her 2017 season!
In other PV news--
(FORMER) HSR holder Chris Nilsen got over 17-11, which is an INdoor PR!!
If you recall, he jumped 17-6.50 INdoors last year, but Mondo Duplantis got the (then-) HSR of 18-0.50--since smashed!!
Nilson's mark, however, is far short of the Collegiate Frosh Class record!!
Known as a Decathlete, Stanford's Harrison Williams soared over 17-8.50 for a PR--which in the Dec is worth 1035 points!!
Alina McDonald reached 14-2 at the Virginia Tech meet!
Maybe now is a good time to report some early season marks from---RUSSIA!!
Yes, that "banned" nation still competes!!
One of the Russian marks is a 19-0.25 PV by Timur Morgunov--which LEADS the World, according to Tilastopaia, the Swedish World list-maker!
The other Russian marks go to HJ'ers!
Mariya Kuchina jumped 6-4.25, while Ivan Ukhov got over 7-6.50!
Ukhov's mark is also a World leader!!
Raven Saunders opened her Junior year of college with her 62-8 SP missing the Junior Class record by just 2 inches!!
It misses her overall CR by 5.25 inches!!
She also threw the WT--reaching a non-PR of 66-4.25!
Alyssa Wilson moved closer to Ms Saunders's HSR, becoming the 2nd HS'er to go over 56 feet, her 56-2.50 keeping her in 2nd place on the Top 24 list!
Stipe Zunic hit 67-10.25 at the VA Tech meet.
Sultana Frizell (One of my favorite NAMES in the sport, and a really interesting quirky PERSON!!) got the National Record of Canada in the Weight Throw, her 72-2.25 being the new NR!!
But Jessica Ramsey reached 76-5.75 at the Commodore Invite!
She remains 9th A-T US and 11th A-T World!
Daniel Haugh hit 73-8.25 with the WT!
Some good sprint action makes this report!
Christian Coleman sped 60 meters in 6.56, which apparently is a World leader!
Also leading the World is the returning (from injury) Duck, Hannah Cunliffe!
Her 7.19 won one of the only LEGAL races at the Seattle meet!!
Another Oregon Duckie, Sasha Wallace, became the first sub-8.00 60H gal, her 7.96 taking the other legal Seattle race!
Tara Davis became the fastest 60H girl in the HS ranks for 2017, her 8.31 moving her from 19th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 15th--no ties!
She also did her signature event TJ, but barely broke 40 feet in a rare off day (for that event!).
Noah Lyles opened his (maybe rather brief---IF he decides to turn Pro before the Tokyo OG) Collegiate career by doubling in the 60 (6.75) and 200 (21.02).
Pretty good for "rust-busters"!!
Assorted field events saw some good marks!
Jasmine Moore missed the HS Soph Class record in the TJ by just 0.75 inches with her 42-3.25 PR!
She moves from 16th A-T HS, tied with 1 other, to 14th!
A REALLY precocious youngster--from France!!--measured out to 21-6.75, or 6.57 in her native Euro metric (LOL), in the Long Jump!
Why am I reporting this?
This girl--Heather Arreton--is just FOURTEEN years old, having been born AFTER 9/11--July 27, 2002 to be exact!!
The Age 15 record?
Held by the most venerable Heike (Daute) Drechsler--whose 21-9.50 dates from 1980!!
It's apparently the World Age 14 best!!
She also ran a 50 meters in 6.50---which would miss the US HS Frosh Class record by 0.03 seconds!!
Watch for her name!!
On the other end of the Age scale falls (or RISES!!!) Ruth Beitia, whose 6-4.75 is the new INdoor Age 37 record for the HJ!!
Other good LEGAL (meaning run NOT on OT's!!) marks include--
Ajee Wilson's 500 of 1:09.63 at the Ocean Breeze!
Liguelin Santos's 1:01.76 over the same distance at the same meet!
Brandon McGorty's fastest HS 800 of 2017--his 1:50.85 moving him from 16th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 10th!
Katelyn Tuohy running a good Mile as a HS Frosh--her 4:48.29 winning an Armory race!
At a home meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a good Women's Mile took place!
Nicole Sifuentes won in 4:35.69!
And look who she beat!
Second was Amanda Eccleston's 4:39.39--which just edged Blue heroine Erin Finn's 4:39.76!
Been wondering---as I had!!--whatever happened to that twin-set Hannah and Haley Meier?
They went to Duke after graduating HS in 2013!
Then basically disappeared!
Well, they're back---though Hannah's 800 of 2:13.83 won't be scaring any Collegiate middle distancers!
Nor will Haley's 2:15.48!
I believe they're redshirting, but at least we know they're still in the game!!
I'll finish my "track" report with the usual slate of OT marks--mostly from the Seattle meet!
Once again, NONE of the following marks--though list-worthy, some of them!--are eligible for list or record purposes!!
How very SAD!!!!
Kate Grace, Olympic 800 finalist, sprinted past OUTdoor 3:57.05 1500 gal Sifan Hassan in the final 100 of the Seattle 3000, her 8:47.26 beating Hassan's 8:50.38 handily!
Brie Felnagle ran 8:53.35, with Lauren Paquette running 8:54.71, with Leah O'Connor's 8:56.14 taking 5th!
Back in 13th came 13 year old (!!) Grace Ping, her 9:43.31 being VERY fast, OT or not!!
If legal, this 8th Grader would miss the 9th Grade record by less than 2 seconds!!
Alas, NONE of the above marks are legal!!
Matthew Centrowitz won the Men's 3K by 11 seconds, timing 7:49.89!
In the Vanderbilt meet (OT), Emmanuel Korir ran the 800 in 1:46.50.
Also at Vanderbilt, Karissa Schweizer won the Mile in 4:41.86.
In section 5 of the Mile, Kayla Montgomery returned to action for Lipscomb College--in her first race back after a late-2015 relapse of her Multiple Sclerosis!!
Amazing young lady!!
While her time of 5:31.61 was by no means "special", it WAS VERY special, considering her life circumstances!!
I hope she races MANY more times for Lipscomb--and beyond!!
BTW, she was 4th in her section!
Back to Seattle, Lauren Wallace took the 1000 in 2:43.31.
Stanford's Rebecca Mehra was 2nd in 2:43.69.
Eric Jenkins doubled---40 minutes apart!!--in the 1000 (2:23.95) and Mile (3:58.68).
Colby Gilbert also got under 4:00 with his 3:58.96!
In the Women's Mile, Oiselle's Sasha Gollish won in 4:36.43.
In 3rd came Alexa Efraimson--about 1 month shy of turning 20!!--timed in 4:38.42!!
I know this report is already quite lengthy, but I would be remiss if I didn't report some results from this morning's Houston races!!
In the Half-Marathon, Jordan Hasay--YES, I said Jordan Hasay!!---is suddenly a MAJOR factor in the American Road scene!
She'd run that 52:49 for 10 Miles (See my earlier post!), but now you can add her spectacular rookie Half mark of 1:08:40!!
(Note that Molly Huddle's initial 13.1 Miler was 1:09:01!!)
But her time wasn't the only great thing about her run!
She was 5th well into the race, following some big name Africans!
In fact, after the withdrawal of Mare Dibaba, maybe Mary Wacera was THE favorite!
Wacera finished 3rd!
TWO SECONDS behind her came the flying Ms Hasay, who also beat Mamitu Daska's 1:09:01!!
Second American was Aliphine Tuliamuk, whose 1:09:58 was also of note!!
Oh, BTW, the Women's race went to Veronicah Nyaruia's 1:07:58, with Dera Yami's (??) 1:08:06 taking 2nd!
The Men's Half was won by that former Kenyan, now US Army--Len Korir, who sprinted past a startled Feyisa Lelisa, who again put up his crossed-arms Ethiopian protest symbol at the finish!
Both were timed in 1:01:14, but Korir clearly won--though some wrongly blamed Lelisa's loss on his arms cross!!
The full Marathons were won in slow times (2:12 & 2:30), but Becky Wade took 3rd in the Women's race with her 2:35:57!
And that is a WRAP, folks!!
Here's hoping next weekend's series of meets produces another LONG report!!
No apologies!!
Sunday, January 15, 2017
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Big Marks Surge Comes Week Early
Sure, December wasn't exactly a hot bed of Records & Marks, as in the past two years!
So maybe it should have been expected that the "real" season would begin in January!
Mondo Duplantis DESTROYED the HS record book with a tremendous PV of 18-5!
I might have to add the 300 meters to my collection of DDD lists!
Second in that race came Katelyn Tuohy, whose time of 9:42.63 missed the Frosh Class record by just 0.90 seconds!
She does get 23rd A-T HS, however!!
Grant Holloway had a great opening to his Collegiate career at Florida!
His 7.63 for the 60H is just 0.06 seconds from Omar McLeod's Frosh Class record!
And then he added a 300 of 32.80!!
Katie Nageotte's non-PR of 15-1 took the Akron PV Convention meet title!
(Jenn Suhr was a listed entrant, and a key speaker at the Convention, but DNS'ed!)
Shawn Barber won the Men's elite section, but with a slovenly mark of 5.30 or so!
Wilma Murto nabbed the World Age 18 record with her 15-3.50 Vault!!
While we're on distance stuff, I must report the reasons Miranda Melville was chosen as USATF's Athlete of the Week!!
For those who place Walkers and Walking alongside diseased rodents and toxic mud, let me educate you a bit!
Next to Maria Michta-Coffey, Melville is maybe America's best Walker--although a few others are worth a mention!
Anyway, Melville got a "two-for-one" in an INdoor 10000 meters race!!
She broke the American Record in the 10K by about 4 minutes (!!), timing 45:19.25!!
(This was faster than the Men's winner!!)
Enroute, she picked up a second US record, passing 5000 meters in 22:35.68!!
Now, THAT is how distance races should be run---er, WALKED!!
BTW, this race took place on New Year's Eve of last year--December 31st, 2016!!
There were other good marks!
Remember my report on Jordan Geist's 68-4 SP record from an earlier post?
Also in the A&M meet, the Men's 200 produced a pair of noteworthy marks!
So maybe it should have been expected that the "real" season would begin in January!
And with serious talk of a possible HSR in the Women's 1000 in next week's Virginia meet, and knowing that's also the week when all the "elite" Collegians would open their season--gave rise to the idea that THIS weekend would be relatively quiet!!
HA!
Folks, T&F "Christmas" came a week early in 2017!!
Some surprising records--including American, Class, Age, and HS--and many other marks came out of meets far and wide--including the new Texas A&M series!
HA!
Folks, T&F "Christmas" came a week early in 2017!!
Some surprising records--including American, Class, Age, and HS--and many other marks came out of meets far and wide--including the new Texas A&M series!
And then came a series of Cross Country races (!!) which produced interesting results!
Not to mention it being the week that brought the retirement proclamations from Ashton & Brianne Thiesen-Eaton!
(See my previous post!)
Well, though one week early, there's TONS of great stuff to report, so let's begin!
Not to mention it being the week that brought the retirement proclamations from Ashton & Brianne Thiesen-Eaton!
(See my previous post!)
Well, though one week early, there's TONS of great stuff to report, so let's begin!
Mondo Duplantis DESTROYED the HS record book with a tremendous PV of 18-5!
(It was reported metrically at first as a 5.61 Vault--which my Big Gold Book tells me is actually 18-4.75! But ALL the results talk--including from PoleVaultPower and T&FN--says it was 18-5! Not sure why the discrepancy, but I refer you to the T&FN MB for their discussion of Florida's HS Association's ruling that all field events will now be reported in metric terms, NOT feet and inches!!)
Anyway, Duplantis broke his own INdoor HSR by 4.50 inches!
Anyway, Duplantis broke his own INdoor HSR by 4.50 inches!
He got the Junior Class record--and now holds 3 INdoor Class records!!
But maybe more importantly, he also broke Adam Hague's World Age 17 record!!
He of course remains 1st on the A-T HS list!!
Oh yes, the 18-5 was actually his SECOND High School Record of the day!
He first cleared 18-2--which broke his record of 18-0.50 from last year!!
But maybe more importantly, he also broke Adam Hague's World Age 17 record!!
He of course remains 1st on the A-T HS list!!
Oh yes, the 18-5 was actually his SECOND High School Record of the day!
He first cleared 18-2--which broke his record of 18-0.50 from last year!!
I might have to add the 300 meters to my collection of DDD lists!
In a race for the ages--literally!!--Quanera Hayes and Candace Hill took care of several records for the distance!
Hayes won the "duel" easily, her time of 35.71 erasing Natasha Hastings's AR of 2016 by 0.54 seconds!!
According to sources, this makes her 3rd A-T World, in addition to the US record!
For Ms Hill, who doesn't turn 18 for another month (February 11th), she gets the World Age 17 record with her 36.86 time!
But being a Professional, she does NOT take the HSR away from Fran McCorory!!
Hayes won the "duel" easily, her time of 35.71 erasing Natasha Hastings's AR of 2016 by 0.54 seconds!!
According to sources, this makes her 3rd A-T World, in addition to the US record!
For Ms Hill, who doesn't turn 18 for another month (February 11th), she gets the World Age 17 record with her 36.86 time!
But being a Professional, she does NOT take the HSR away from Fran McCorory!!
(Sydney McLaughlin might be aiming for that!!)
Hill DOES get my self-designated HS PRO record, however!!
As well as the Senior Class record in that "division"!!
BTW, Hill's time has been reported as both 36.84 and 36.85 from various sources! But for now, I'll go with the results page number of 36.86, and will let you know if I'm wrong!
One time or another, they ALL give her the records I mentioned!!
They also ran 60's!
Hayes ran 7.34, while Hill's 7.30 breaks her own HS PRO record--her 7.32 from last year!!
It also gives her my HS PRO Senior Class record!!
The Men's HS Shot Put lists continues its siege of attacks from what might be the greatest duo (or threesome, if and when Bronson Osborn joins the party!!) in HS history!!
Already reported in my blog were Jordan Geist's sensational 68-4 with the Big Boys poundage, as well as a 71-4 opener with the "normal" 12 pounder!
Hill DOES get my self-designated HS PRO record, however!!
As well as the Senior Class record in that "division"!!
BTW, Hill's time has been reported as both 36.84 and 36.85 from various sources! But for now, I'll go with the results page number of 36.86, and will let you know if I'm wrong!
One time or another, they ALL give her the records I mentioned!!
They also ran 60's!
Hayes ran 7.34, while Hill's 7.30 breaks her own HS PRO record--her 7.32 from last year!!
It also gives her my HS PRO Senior Class record!!
The Men's HS Shot Put lists continues its siege of attacks from what might be the greatest duo (or threesome, if and when Bronson Osborn joins the party!!) in HS history!!
Already reported in my blog were Jordan Geist's sensational 68-4 with the Big Boys poundage, as well as a 71-4 opener with the "normal" 12 pounder!
Now comes Tripp Piperi's contribution!
He threw the ball out 72-2.50 at the Texas A&M HS Classic, moving him from 9th A-T HS all the way to 4th!!
Then Geist added a quarter-inch to his 2016 INdoor PR, reaching 72-9.75!
He threw the ball out 72-2.50 at the Texas A&M HS Classic, moving him from 9th A-T HS all the way to 4th!!
Then Geist added a quarter-inch to his 2016 INdoor PR, reaching 72-9.75!
He is 3rd A-T HS!!
I sure hope they wind up in the same meet soon--along with Osborn!!
Kate Murphy--who will be chasing the HSR in the 1000 next week, against Sammy Watson (See my opening paragraph above!)--opened her season with a bang!
Running solo in the Ocean Breeze meet, Murphy ran 9:14.12 over 3000 meters, making her 2nd A-T HS--behind only Mary Cain's 9:04.51 during her iconic 2013 season!!
She also gets the Senior Class record, beating the 1991 mark of Melody Fairchild!!
Reports said she passed the Mile in 4:59, thus making this a negative split run!!
(Approximate 1500 splits of 4:41 and 4:33!!)
I sure hope they wind up in the same meet soon--along with Osborn!!
Kate Murphy--who will be chasing the HSR in the 1000 next week, against Sammy Watson (See my opening paragraph above!)--opened her season with a bang!
Running solo in the Ocean Breeze meet, Murphy ran 9:14.12 over 3000 meters, making her 2nd A-T HS--behind only Mary Cain's 9:04.51 during her iconic 2013 season!!
She also gets the Senior Class record, beating the 1991 mark of Melody Fairchild!!
Reports said she passed the Mile in 4:59, thus making this a negative split run!!
(Approximate 1500 splits of 4:41 and 4:33!!)
Second in that race came Katelyn Tuohy, whose time of 9:42.63 missed the Frosh Class record by just 0.90 seconds!
She does get 23rd A-T HS, however!!
Grant Holloway had a great opening to his Collegiate career at Florida!
His 7.63 for the 60H is just 0.06 seconds from Omar McLeod's Frosh Class record!
And then he added a 300 of 32.80!!
Again, I may have to add some 300 records & lists to my Record Book!!
He beat the 33.09 of Kunle Fasasi in the Clemson meet!
Jarrett Eaton sped a 7.62 60H in a separate meet!!
He beat the 33.09 of Kunle Fasasi in the Clemson meet!
Jarrett Eaton sped a 7.62 60H in a separate meet!!
The PV offered other good marks, aside from Duplantis's!
While Mondo is the son of Greg Duplantis--a star from the 80's & 90's, Riley Richards is the son of 80's star Brandon Richards, and grandson of the legendary Bob Richards!!
While Mondo is the son of Greg Duplantis--a star from the 80's & 90's, Riley Richards is the son of 80's star Brandon Richards, and grandson of the legendary Bob Richards!!
And Riley has now brought the family's legacy forward, jumping 17-7!
This makes him 6th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
Katie Nageotte's non-PR of 15-1 took the Akron PV Convention meet title!
(Jenn Suhr was a listed entrant, and a key speaker at the Convention, but DNS'ed!)
Shawn Barber won the Men's elite section, but with a slovenly mark of 5.30 or so!
Wilma Murto nabbed the World Age 18 record with her 15-3.50 Vault!!
That's NOT a PR, as her Age 17 record is 15-5.50!!
And we can't overlook the amazing run by Laura Muir!!
In what was basically a solo race--as she was the only runner to go 5000 meters out of a starting field of 3000 meter competitors (!!)--Muir smashed Liz McColgan's old UK record from 1992 by 14 seconds, running 14:49.12!!
Besides being the National Record of Great Britain (as well as being the Scottish record!), she is now 9th A-T World!!
And we can't overlook the amazing run by Laura Muir!!
In what was basically a solo race--as she was the only runner to go 5000 meters out of a starting field of 3000 meter competitors (!!)--Muir smashed Liz McColgan's old UK record from 1992 by 14 seconds, running 14:49.12!!
Besides being the National Record of Great Britain (as well as being the Scottish record!), she is now 9th A-T World!!
She missed Gabriela Szabo's Age 23 record by just 1.77 seconds!!
(See below for more on Ms Muir!)
(See below for more on Ms Muir!)
While we're on distance stuff, I must report the reasons Miranda Melville was chosen as USATF's Athlete of the Week!!
For those who place Walkers and Walking alongside diseased rodents and toxic mud, let me educate you a bit!
Next to Maria Michta-Coffey, Melville is maybe America's best Walker--although a few others are worth a mention!
Anyway, Melville got a "two-for-one" in an INdoor 10000 meters race!!
She broke the American Record in the 10K by about 4 minutes (!!), timing 45:19.25!!
(This was faster than the Men's winner!!)
Enroute, she picked up a second US record, passing 5000 meters in 22:35.68!!
Now, THAT is how distance races should be run---er, WALKED!!
BTW, this race took place on New Year's Eve of last year--December 31st, 2016!!
There were other good marks!
Remember my report on Jordan Geist's 68-4 SP record from an earlier post?
And remember I also reported he threw a 76-6 PR with the WT?
Well, Jacob Wickey bettered Geist's mark--by 4 inches!
Well, Jacob Wickey bettered Geist's mark--by 4 inches!
His 76-10 is 20th A-T HS!!
Jasmine Moore continues to rise in the world of HS Triple Jumping!
She reached 42-0 at the Texas A&M meet--another reason why these meets are a most welcome addition to the INdoor slate!!
Jasmine Moore continues to rise in the world of HS Triple Jumping!
She reached 42-0 at the Texas A&M meet--another reason why these meets are a most welcome addition to the INdoor slate!!
She ranks 16th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
She missed the Soph Class record by just 4 inches!!
Add a LJ of 18-5.75 to her day's work!
She missed the Soph Class record by just 4 inches!!
Add a LJ of 18-5.75 to her day's work!
Also in the A&M meet, the Men's 200 produced a pair of noteworthy marks!
Champion (Yep, that's his first name!!) Allison sped one lap in 21.19, making him 14th A-T HS!!
Right behind him came Shamon Ehiemua (sp?), his 21.29 making him 23rd A-T HS, tied with 2 others!
Reed Brown ran a Mile in 4:11.16.
Reed Brown ran a Mile in 4:11.16.
David Principe ran the 1000 in 2:27.86, which misses my HS DDD by just over one second!
At the Dartmouth Relays, Gianna Rao--a HS Junior--threw the Weight 58-10, making her 21st A-T HS!
Add London (Yes, another interesting 1st name!!) Culbreath to the growing list of young (VERY young!!) HS girls who are running fast distance times!!
This HS Frosh ran a good 2 Mile in 10:36.07--about 13 seconds off the Class Record, but still good!!
She added a one Mile of 5:00.18!
The HJ contributed a few marks!
At the Clemson meet, Tatiana Gusin HJ'ed 6-2.75, missing my Collegiate DDD by one-quarter inch!
Daharai Hightower jumped 7-4.25, but it wasn't reported by TFRSS.
This might be due to his being a possible redshirt!
Clayton Brown reached 7-4.50!
Tevin Hester sped a 60 in 6.62 in a heat!
He also ran the 200 in 20.96.
Kendell Williams, the Georgia Heptathlon great, ran the 60H in 8.20, after a heat of 8.22.
Tonea Marshall slowed a bit from her 2016 HSR of 8.02, but her 8.29 as an LSU Frosh was okay for her opening shot!
Sally Pearson also ran the 60H---OUTdoors!!
Her time was 8.08!
Michael Cherry won a 600 in 1:19.94 in the LSU meet.
Olivia James ran a quick 500 in 1:11.62.
She's from Jamaica, I believe!
Finally (from the T&F portion of my report!), Aliyah Johnson TJ'ed 42-7.50.
Keturah Orji did the LJ, reaching 21-4.25 to beat her Georgia teammate Kate Hall by exactly one inch!
They also ran 60's, Hall's time of 7.35 a bit faster than Orji's 7.51.
And then came (or returned??) XC!!
(Doesn't that pesky little fellow ever go away?? LOL)
In the Campaccio race in Italy, a quartet of (VERY!) fast African Women put on a course-record breaking show!!
Helen Obiri's 18:32 prevailed over Faith Kipyegon by 4 seconds!
Agnes Tirop's 18:56 took 3rd over the 19:01 of Gelete Burka!!
(Wish they'd get together on an INdoor track of 200 meters for a 5000!!)
The Men's race (10K) was won by Muktar Edris in 28:54.
This beat Imane Merga's 28:55, and Jairus Birech's 28:59!
Consesius Kipruto finished 6th in 29:20!
The Edinburgh races were good for US runners, but NOT so good for SIR Mo Farah!!
(Yep, he's SIR Mo now!! Those Brits & their Royalness shit!! LOL)
The Men's Junior race was won by Noah Affolder in 19:29.
Miguel Gonzalez's 19:34 took 2nd, but Americans Conor Lundy and Seth Hirsch took 3rd and 4th, just 2-3 seconds behind Gonzalez!
Nevada Mareno took 3rd in the Women's Junior race!
The Senior Women's race was won by Turkey's Yasmin Can, her time on the wet & muddy course being a slowish 20:36.
Fionnula McCormack was a close 2nd, just one second off the lead!
Emily Lipari, known in college at Villanova as a Miler, and even an 800 gal, took 4th, time of 21:17.
She was the leading American!
Mo lost---AGAIN!!!
And Garrett Heath beat Sir Mo---AGAIN!!
Of course, it need be said that they did NOT take the first two spots!!
Great Britain's Callum Hawkins took the lead early, and kept it ALMOST all the way to the finish line!
But America's Kenyan import Len Korir kicked past the Brit in the final run-up to the tape, winning by 1 second, 24:03 to 24:04!!
Aras Kaya took 3rd, his 24:21 beating another US Kenyan import--Sam Chelanga's 24:23.
Stan Kebenai was 5th in 24:39!
As for Garrett and Mo, they were never really in it--as they finished just 6th and 7th, respectively!!
(But maybe not RESPECTfully!! LOL)
And Laura Muir?
Just days after her speedy INdoor 5K (See above!), she anchored the British team in the Mixed 4X1000 Relay!!
Her fierce kick won over Heather Kampf's, her team timed in 11:10 over the USA's 11:17!!
Well, let's hope this "early" surge continues next week!
(Will Sarah Bowman Brown's venerable 1000 HSR of 2:43.40 finally go down---by a non-Pro HS'er?? Murphy vs Watson! Bring it on!!)
See you soon!
At the Dartmouth Relays, Gianna Rao--a HS Junior--threw the Weight 58-10, making her 21st A-T HS!
Add London (Yes, another interesting 1st name!!) Culbreath to the growing list of young (VERY young!!) HS girls who are running fast distance times!!
This HS Frosh ran a good 2 Mile in 10:36.07--about 13 seconds off the Class Record, but still good!!
She added a one Mile of 5:00.18!
The HJ contributed a few marks!
At the Clemson meet, Tatiana Gusin HJ'ed 6-2.75, missing my Collegiate DDD by one-quarter inch!
Daharai Hightower jumped 7-4.25, but it wasn't reported by TFRSS.
This might be due to his being a possible redshirt!
Clayton Brown reached 7-4.50!
Tevin Hester sped a 60 in 6.62 in a heat!
He also ran the 200 in 20.96.
Kendell Williams, the Georgia Heptathlon great, ran the 60H in 8.20, after a heat of 8.22.
Tonea Marshall slowed a bit from her 2016 HSR of 8.02, but her 8.29 as an LSU Frosh was okay for her opening shot!
Sally Pearson also ran the 60H---OUTdoors!!
Her time was 8.08!
Michael Cherry won a 600 in 1:19.94 in the LSU meet.
Olivia James ran a quick 500 in 1:11.62.
She's from Jamaica, I believe!
Finally (from the T&F portion of my report!), Aliyah Johnson TJ'ed 42-7.50.
Keturah Orji did the LJ, reaching 21-4.25 to beat her Georgia teammate Kate Hall by exactly one inch!
They also ran 60's, Hall's time of 7.35 a bit faster than Orji's 7.51.
And then came (or returned??) XC!!
(Doesn't that pesky little fellow ever go away?? LOL)
In the Campaccio race in Italy, a quartet of (VERY!) fast African Women put on a course-record breaking show!!
Helen Obiri's 18:32 prevailed over Faith Kipyegon by 4 seconds!
Agnes Tirop's 18:56 took 3rd over the 19:01 of Gelete Burka!!
(Wish they'd get together on an INdoor track of 200 meters for a 5000!!)
The Men's race (10K) was won by Muktar Edris in 28:54.
This beat Imane Merga's 28:55, and Jairus Birech's 28:59!
Consesius Kipruto finished 6th in 29:20!
The Edinburgh races were good for US runners, but NOT so good for SIR Mo Farah!!
(Yep, he's SIR Mo now!! Those Brits & their Royalness shit!! LOL)
The Men's Junior race was won by Noah Affolder in 19:29.
Miguel Gonzalez's 19:34 took 2nd, but Americans Conor Lundy and Seth Hirsch took 3rd and 4th, just 2-3 seconds behind Gonzalez!
Nevada Mareno took 3rd in the Women's Junior race!
The Senior Women's race was won by Turkey's Yasmin Can, her time on the wet & muddy course being a slowish 20:36.
Fionnula McCormack was a close 2nd, just one second off the lead!
Emily Lipari, known in college at Villanova as a Miler, and even an 800 gal, took 4th, time of 21:17.
She was the leading American!
Mo lost---AGAIN!!!
And Garrett Heath beat Sir Mo---AGAIN!!
Of course, it need be said that they did NOT take the first two spots!!
Great Britain's Callum Hawkins took the lead early, and kept it ALMOST all the way to the finish line!
But America's Kenyan import Len Korir kicked past the Brit in the final run-up to the tape, winning by 1 second, 24:03 to 24:04!!
Aras Kaya took 3rd, his 24:21 beating another US Kenyan import--Sam Chelanga's 24:23.
Stan Kebenai was 5th in 24:39!
As for Garrett and Mo, they were never really in it--as they finished just 6th and 7th, respectively!!
(But maybe not RESPECTfully!! LOL)
And Laura Muir?
Just days after her speedy INdoor 5K (See above!), she anchored the British team in the Mixed 4X1000 Relay!!
Her fierce kick won over Heather Kampf's, her team timed in 11:10 over the USA's 11:17!!
Well, let's hope this "early" surge continues next week!
(Will Sarah Bowman Brown's venerable 1000 HSR of 2:43.40 finally go down---by a non-Pro HS'er?? Murphy vs Watson! Bring it on!!)
See you soon!
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
2017 THE Retirement Year?
Goodbye, Farewell, Until We Meet Again!
In the sport of Track and Field, retirement is a constant theme, as the turnover in the elite portion of our sport is enormous--and mostly hidden and silent!
Usain Bolt notwithstanding, I can't remember the last time a retirement---or even an announcement of an upcoming retirement--made headlines in World & National media---except for Track and Field News and related magazines and websites!
But today's release of personal statements from Ashton and Brianne Thiesen-Eaton that both are---nay, HAVE retired from T&F competition came as a shock to all--and produced chatter on Social Media of a massive decibel count!
I will look at this retirement factor in greater depth in a moment--but first, here is the Records & Marks legacy they leave us with!
OUTdoors--Decathlon & Heptathlon
Ashton is the World Record holder with 9045 points!
He also is the American Record holder (9045).
He holds the Soph (8095) & Junior (8240) Collegiate Class Records.
Age Records he holds are Age 24 (9039) & Age 27 (9045).
Meet Records held are the NCAA (8457), Olympic Trials (9039), World Championships (9045), and he is co-holder of the Olympic Games record with 8893 points, along with his initial idol, Roman Sebrle!!
He ranks 3rd A-T Collegiate!
For Brianne, she holds the National Record of Canada with 6808 points!
She is the PAC-12 Meet Record holder with 6353 points!
She ranks 2nd A-T Collegiate, with 6440 points!
And she is 17th A-T World with her 6808 PR!
INdoors--Heptathlon & Pentathlon
Ashton holds the World Record with his 6645 total!
That's also the American Record!
He holds the Collegiate Record with 6499 points!
Also the Senior Class record--same points total!
Age Records held are Age 22 (6499), Age 23 (6568), Age 24 (6645), Age 26 (6632), and Age 28 (6470)!!
Meet Records held include the NCAA (6499) and World Championships (6645)!!
For his wife, Brianne is the National Record holder of Canada with her 4881 points total!
This gives her the Age 27 Record also!!
She ranks 5th A-T Collegiate, points total of 4555!
And she's 8th A-T World, with her PR!
What they did NOT accomplish as individuals, they did so as THE Power Couple of the Multi's!!
Surely, there's never been a greater partnership, in life or in sport!
We will miss you on the tracks and fields of battle!
But a voice whispers that we WILL see both of you again!
THANK YOU, Brianne Thiesen- and Ashton Eaton!!
So what does this mean for our sport?
What happens when Usain retires?
Or Mo, or the Dibabas, or anyone of a stature where just one name is necessary?
And why NOW??
Where does the striving to reach one's potential end?
Should it ever??
"Experts" said that Ashton had potential to score close to 9500 points!
Surely, BTE had more in her!
And what about Jessica Ennis-Hill and Morgan Uceny, or even the forcibly-retired Yelena Isinbayeva??
Why retire?
Distance runners many-times continue to old age, as Joan Samuelson has done--although 59 is surely NOT "old"!!!
Part of it's personal.
They want to start (or raise) a family!
They want to do "something else".
They're injury-prone, and are tired of the pain & added effort to return!!
They have some kind of eating disorder, and don't want their image projected publicly!
They have another career they want to get into!
But where does that leave them in their reach for perfection?
Could they PR again, if they continue a few more years?
Do Records & Marks even count on their priority list?
After all, Records are fallible creatures, made for breaking!
Here today, gone tomorrow!
I think one reason is the drug problem--more pervasive than ever!
They just are tired of finding out---years later--that those who finished ahead of them are now banned!
The banning of whole nations for drug reasons is unheard of!
Who is truly clean anymore?
In the Eaton's case, it's intriguing that they BOTH retired on the same day!
(Or at least announced it!!)
One person tweeted that "Roman Eaton" would win Gold in the 2044 Olympics!!
This gives added weight to the "start a family" factor!
They're both 28 years old, although Brianne was born December 18th of 1988, while Ashton will turn 29 on January 21st!!
While we honor their life (and career) choices, do NOT be shocked to see them return for Tokyo's 2020 Games!!
In several posts, I've asked the whereabouts of some (mostly female) athletes!
Wesley Frazier, Cayla Hatton, Natosha Rogers!
Some have returned, but Cayla, for one, has not!
Do we need a formal announcement of their status in the sport--to satisfy our curiosity?
The spots they leave empty are instantly filled by new (and better) athletes!
Who needs THEM??
But that's a cruel rude way of approaching the question!
After all, these are human beings we speak of, not athlete entities with just numbers to humanize them!
No, it's not the loss of the numbers they produced, but of the potential lost!!
To see a human REACH their potential (or at least strive to do so!) inspires US to reach ours!!
To see someone give up--to see them just disappear without a word--scares us!
Could the same happen to us--to our friends and life partners?
Death is inevitable--but hopefully it arrives at its natural time, NOT prematurely!
Same with retirement (or any form of departure from our sport)!!
We want it to happen when all of our potential has been met--not when we just surrender to the expected & desired quest!!
The Eatons gave us everything!
How can we complain about that?
Well, folks, this blog wouldn't be this blog if I didn't tell you of a new Class Record--or other marks of note!
Remember Brian Herron?
At the onset of the 2016 INdoor season, he broke the INdoor Frosh Class record for the 400 with 47.97!
This mark was soon tied by Tyrese Cooper, giving us (then) the greatest pair of High School Freshmen in the sprints in awhile!
In the OUTdoor season, Cooper went on to break numerous records, while Herron (I believe) was injured!
Well, Herron again has begun his INdoor season with a Class Record--this time as a Soph, and in the 200!!
His 21.22 destroyed the old record, held by none other than Noah Lyles (!!), by 0.28 seconds!!
It also TIES the Frosh Class record--held by Ty Cooper!!
So BOTH Class Records are now 21.22!!
BTW, this ranks 14th A-T HS, tied with 4 others!!
Herron also ran the 400 in 48.08!
Katie Nageotte PV'ed 14-11 at a recent Clinic competition!!
It was mistakenly listed as 15-5 at first, then corrected!
But she DID make 3 attempts at 15-5!
Her INdoor PR is 15-1.50 from 2016!
Many big names have been announced for the Millrose meet!
More on that in a later post!
Also, Susanna Kallur, Cindy Roleder, and Sally Pearson will race the 60H in the Karlsruhe meet!
Laura Muir is apparently set to race the 5000 meters INdoors for the first time--TODAY!!
Galen Rupp is going to shoot for Ryan Hall's American Record (59:43) in the Half-Marathon in the Houston race!!
Sammy Watson and Kate Murphy will shoot for the 1000 HSR at the Virginia meet upcoming!
The entire meet seems like a good one!
Full details, of course, right here!!
Also, the Camel City meet is shaping up to be another goodie!!
This INdoor season is a bit slower in getting to full speed than the past 2 or 3 years!!
Hopefully, ITS potential will soon begin to emerge!!
A brief note about a book--
I just read a novel by Paul Duffau called "Finishing Kick".
It's about an eastern Washington HS girls XC team, which is good, but not the best!
A girl named Callie is chosen as Captain of the team for her Senior year!
Can she inspire the team to beat the state's greatest--Fairchild Academy?
Will her "relationship" with boy runner Mark interfere?
And how will she handle the mercurial Mattie, coming over from another sport?
Or Callie's younger sister Jen?
Or the twin studs, Hanna and Anna?
Read this nice sweet book to find out!
I give it a B-minus, as it's written a bit too simply, and is filled with cliches!
The descriptions of the training and racing are good!
Worth a read!
Available on Amazon!
See you all soon!
In the sport of Track and Field, retirement is a constant theme, as the turnover in the elite portion of our sport is enormous--and mostly hidden and silent!
Usain Bolt notwithstanding, I can't remember the last time a retirement---or even an announcement of an upcoming retirement--made headlines in World & National media---except for Track and Field News and related magazines and websites!
But today's release of personal statements from Ashton and Brianne Thiesen-Eaton that both are---nay, HAVE retired from T&F competition came as a shock to all--and produced chatter on Social Media of a massive decibel count!
I will look at this retirement factor in greater depth in a moment--but first, here is the Records & Marks legacy they leave us with!
OUTdoors--Decathlon & Heptathlon
Ashton is the World Record holder with 9045 points!
He also is the American Record holder (9045).
He holds the Soph (8095) & Junior (8240) Collegiate Class Records.
Age Records he holds are Age 24 (9039) & Age 27 (9045).
Meet Records held are the NCAA (8457), Olympic Trials (9039), World Championships (9045), and he is co-holder of the Olympic Games record with 8893 points, along with his initial idol, Roman Sebrle!!
He ranks 3rd A-T Collegiate!
For Brianne, she holds the National Record of Canada with 6808 points!
She is the PAC-12 Meet Record holder with 6353 points!
She ranks 2nd A-T Collegiate, with 6440 points!
And she is 17th A-T World with her 6808 PR!
INdoors--Heptathlon & Pentathlon
Ashton holds the World Record with his 6645 total!
That's also the American Record!
He holds the Collegiate Record with 6499 points!
Also the Senior Class record--same points total!
Age Records held are Age 22 (6499), Age 23 (6568), Age 24 (6645), Age 26 (6632), and Age 28 (6470)!!
Meet Records held include the NCAA (6499) and World Championships (6645)!!
For his wife, Brianne is the National Record holder of Canada with her 4881 points total!
This gives her the Age 27 Record also!!
She ranks 5th A-T Collegiate, points total of 4555!
And she's 8th A-T World, with her PR!
What they did NOT accomplish as individuals, they did so as THE Power Couple of the Multi's!!
Surely, there's never been a greater partnership, in life or in sport!
We will miss you on the tracks and fields of battle!
But a voice whispers that we WILL see both of you again!
THANK YOU, Brianne Thiesen- and Ashton Eaton!!
So what does this mean for our sport?
What happens when Usain retires?
Or Mo, or the Dibabas, or anyone of a stature where just one name is necessary?
And why NOW??
Where does the striving to reach one's potential end?
Should it ever??
"Experts" said that Ashton had potential to score close to 9500 points!
Surely, BTE had more in her!
And what about Jessica Ennis-Hill and Morgan Uceny, or even the forcibly-retired Yelena Isinbayeva??
Why retire?
Distance runners many-times continue to old age, as Joan Samuelson has done--although 59 is surely NOT "old"!!!
Part of it's personal.
They want to start (or raise) a family!
They want to do "something else".
They're injury-prone, and are tired of the pain & added effort to return!!
They have some kind of eating disorder, and don't want their image projected publicly!
They have another career they want to get into!
But where does that leave them in their reach for perfection?
Could they PR again, if they continue a few more years?
Do Records & Marks even count on their priority list?
After all, Records are fallible creatures, made for breaking!
Here today, gone tomorrow!
I think one reason is the drug problem--more pervasive than ever!
They just are tired of finding out---years later--that those who finished ahead of them are now banned!
The banning of whole nations for drug reasons is unheard of!
Who is truly clean anymore?
In the Eaton's case, it's intriguing that they BOTH retired on the same day!
(Or at least announced it!!)
One person tweeted that "Roman Eaton" would win Gold in the 2044 Olympics!!
This gives added weight to the "start a family" factor!
They're both 28 years old, although Brianne was born December 18th of 1988, while Ashton will turn 29 on January 21st!!
While we honor their life (and career) choices, do NOT be shocked to see them return for Tokyo's 2020 Games!!
In several posts, I've asked the whereabouts of some (mostly female) athletes!
Wesley Frazier, Cayla Hatton, Natosha Rogers!
Some have returned, but Cayla, for one, has not!
Do we need a formal announcement of their status in the sport--to satisfy our curiosity?
The spots they leave empty are instantly filled by new (and better) athletes!
Who needs THEM??
But that's a cruel rude way of approaching the question!
After all, these are human beings we speak of, not athlete entities with just numbers to humanize them!
No, it's not the loss of the numbers they produced, but of the potential lost!!
To see a human REACH their potential (or at least strive to do so!) inspires US to reach ours!!
To see someone give up--to see them just disappear without a word--scares us!
Could the same happen to us--to our friends and life partners?
Death is inevitable--but hopefully it arrives at its natural time, NOT prematurely!
Same with retirement (or any form of departure from our sport)!!
We want it to happen when all of our potential has been met--not when we just surrender to the expected & desired quest!!
The Eatons gave us everything!
How can we complain about that?
Well, folks, this blog wouldn't be this blog if I didn't tell you of a new Class Record--or other marks of note!
Remember Brian Herron?
At the onset of the 2016 INdoor season, he broke the INdoor Frosh Class record for the 400 with 47.97!
This mark was soon tied by Tyrese Cooper, giving us (then) the greatest pair of High School Freshmen in the sprints in awhile!
In the OUTdoor season, Cooper went on to break numerous records, while Herron (I believe) was injured!
Well, Herron again has begun his INdoor season with a Class Record--this time as a Soph, and in the 200!!
His 21.22 destroyed the old record, held by none other than Noah Lyles (!!), by 0.28 seconds!!
It also TIES the Frosh Class record--held by Ty Cooper!!
So BOTH Class Records are now 21.22!!
BTW, this ranks 14th A-T HS, tied with 4 others!!
Herron also ran the 400 in 48.08!
Katie Nageotte PV'ed 14-11 at a recent Clinic competition!!
It was mistakenly listed as 15-5 at first, then corrected!
But she DID make 3 attempts at 15-5!
Her INdoor PR is 15-1.50 from 2016!
Many big names have been announced for the Millrose meet!
More on that in a later post!
Also, Susanna Kallur, Cindy Roleder, and Sally Pearson will race the 60H in the Karlsruhe meet!
Laura Muir is apparently set to race the 5000 meters INdoors for the first time--TODAY!!
Galen Rupp is going to shoot for Ryan Hall's American Record (59:43) in the Half-Marathon in the Houston race!!
Sammy Watson and Kate Murphy will shoot for the 1000 HSR at the Virginia meet upcoming!
The entire meet seems like a good one!
Full details, of course, right here!!
Also, the Camel City meet is shaping up to be another goodie!!
This INdoor season is a bit slower in getting to full speed than the past 2 or 3 years!!
Hopefully, ITS potential will soon begin to emerge!!
A brief note about a book--
I just read a novel by Paul Duffau called "Finishing Kick".
It's about an eastern Washington HS girls XC team, which is good, but not the best!
A girl named Callie is chosen as Captain of the team for her Senior year!
Can she inspire the team to beat the state's greatest--Fairchild Academy?
Will her "relationship" with boy runner Mark interfere?
And how will she handle the mercurial Mattie, coming over from another sport?
Or Callie's younger sister Jen?
Or the twin studs, Hanna and Anna?
Read this nice sweet book to find out!
I give it a B-minus, as it's written a bit too simply, and is filled with cliches!
The descriptions of the training and racing are good!
Worth a read!
Available on Amazon!
See you all soon!
Saturday, December 31, 2016
2016 World & US Athletes of the Year--OUTdoors
As I type, it's 4 hours until 2017 exits the womb of time--for better or worse!
Just enough time for this blog to name its AOY's for the US and the World for the year still (barely) breathing!!
Track and Field News announced theirs recently too!
And I can safely say we (again!) disagree on certain matters!
Read on to see where--and why!
But as ever, results come first!!
The Boston University Mini-Meet #2 produced a good one!
DJ (David) Principe won the first section of the Mile in 4:04.47.
One of the better XC runners this past fall, Principe now ranks 6th A-T HS!!
(He says he'll race next at the Dartmouth Relays next week!!)
In a mixed 3000, Cory McGee ran a solid 8:57.87, with Liz Costello following in 9:00.44.
Good times for December on a 200 meter track!!
And now for Aaron K's Track and Field Record Book's picks for Athletes, Performances, and Personalities of the Year--the year being OUTdoors 2016!
For my Collegiate & HS posts, refer to the archive for September!
As usual, the Men go first, followed by the Women!
WORLD Athlete of the Year--MEN
WAYDE VAN NIEKERK
When the criteria is weighted heavily towards MAJOR records being broken, and the Men produced a measly single WR this year, this award becomes the easiest of choices!
But WVN ran fast over 3 distances, as he dipped under 10 in the 100, and 20 in the 200.
His runaway victory in Rio, however, was the key to his winning here!
43.03--and looking smooth & pretty all the way--as if a sub-43 is his for the taking!
Honorable Mentions go to Ryan Crouser, Eliud Kipchoge & Ken Bekele, Ashton Eaton, Usain Bolt, Kerron Clement, Thomas Rohler, and Renaud Lavillenie.
US Athlete of the Year--MEN
RYAN CROUSER
In a year where the US Men struck out in the National Records department, Crouser's incredible emergence from the Collegiate to the Professional ranks--in the biggest meet of the year--self-typed his name in as AOY for the United States in 2016.
And that series!
He PR'ed 3 times--and it wasn't by fractions of inches!!
While he towered over his competitors (in every sense!!), there were other Americans whose stars shone bright.
Honorable Mentions go to Evan Jager, Justin Gatlin, LaShawn Merritt, Kerron Clement, Ashton Eaton, Sam Kendricks, Clay Murphy, Galen Rupp, Matthew Centrowitz, Jeff Henderson, Erik Kynard, Christian Taylor, and Rudy Winkler.
Special shout-out to the retired (from track racing) Bernard Lagat!!
WORLD Performance of the Year--MEN
That 43.03!
Or those FOUR 10.75's over 100 meters--back-to-back!
Or the beating of a WR held by Michael Johnson!
WVN, Congratulations!
HM's go to Crouser's 73-10.75 SP, to Mr's Kipchoge, Bekele, and to Wilson Kipsang, to Thomas Rohler, Pawel Fajdek, and to Ashton Eaton!
So why wasn't Matthew Centrowitz given even an HM??
This blog honors Records & Marks!
Winning--even Gold in the Olympics--just doesn't matter here that much--if at all!!
And winning in a time that Sophs in High School can run matters even less!!
Another huge congrats to Mr Lagat for adding the 10000 to his list of Age 40+ records he claims!
Shattering the old mark by over 40 seconds is worth an HM, don't you think?
US Performance of the Year--MEN
Mr Crouser's winning Put in Rio gets this prize!
But this was closer than the margin of victory Crouser enjoyed in Rio!
Merritt's 19.74 at the Trials was pretty spectacular for a guy who was running his "other" event!!
So were Rupp's pair of 26.2's.
Kendricks's Vaults were always impressive!
As noted, Eaton produced a clutch performance--even if not record-breaking!
Kerron Clement making sub-48's in the 400H commonplace again!
I just wish Mr Jager had run a 3000SC time beginning with a 7!
Again, Lagat's 27:49 was DEEEE-licious!!
WORLD Personality of the Year--MEN
He is simply larger than life!
And being THAT, he is too larger than the sport of Track and Field!
I speak of the man whose signature pose is as famous as Napoleon's!
I speak of the man--without whom the stands in Rio would have been even emptier!
I speak of a man with a book, a movie, a dance routine, an ACT that might never be surpassed!
Usain Bolt is beginning his final year of competition--he says--sort of!
THANK YOU, Usain!!
US Personality of the Year!
What nicer guy in T&F is there than Bernard Lagat?
A bald head, a shining smile, a mansion-full of Age Records, a beautiful family--all the while exuding that imperfect combination of confidence and gracefulness!
Like Usain, he is retiring--sort of, kind of!
And like Mr Bolt, he will be missed!
Thank YOU, Bernard!
And now for the Women!!
WORLD Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
ALMAZ AYANA
This, folks, was a real toughie!!
T&FN decided on Anita Wlodarczyk!
As did other entities!
Not me!!
In a year where the Women walloped FOUR World Records out of various stadia--and where EACH of them held several tons of significance--how do you decide!
Let's do it by process of elimination!
Kendra Harrison nipped the 1988 WR of 12.21 by Yordanka Donkova by 0.01 seconds!
It did NOT matter to me that she failed to make TeamUSA for the OG!
But her back-up times of 12.42 made the 12.20 seem like a one-off!
(Prove us wrong, Kendra!!)
ADDED on January 2nd---
Prove ME wrong!
I reviewed Ms Harrison's season record, and her 2nd best time was 12.24---not 12.42 as stated above!
She also had 2-3 other times at 12.42 or faster!
HOWEVER, that still doesn't make her my AOY!!
For all the OTHER reasons stated above!!
Sorry for MY error!!
Ruth Jebet's total destruction of the 3000SC WR wasn't a shocker!
First, Jebet had run fast in earlier races!
Second, the old WR was---IMHO--pretty soft!
But kudos to this youngster for taking the bull by the horns!
That leaves Wlodarczyk!
Oh boy!
She broke her own WR in the Olympic final!
Then she shattered THAT one in a Memorial meet to an old friend--by over two feet!!
I said "her own" WR!
Almaz Ayana obliterated someone ELSE's seemingly untouchable WR--that of the controversial Chinese, Wang Junxia!
A record unrecognized by T&FN, a record buried in a cave of doubt and deception--and maybe crime!!
But also a record "experts" said might NEVER be broken--let alone CRUSHED by 14 seconds!!
Well, folks, I've never been one of those so called "experts"!
I ALWAYS felt that record of Junxia's WAS breakable--by even MORE than was accomplished by Ayana!
For that lone performance--in a negative split race--which left everyone stunned and awed as it unfolded--I award Almaz Ayana my AOY for 2016--no contest!!
Honorable Mentions to the above-named WR breakers, as well as Elaine Thompson, Shaunae Miller, Brittney Reese, Caterine Ibarguen, Ekaterina Stefanidi & Sandi Morris, Michelle Carter, Nafissatou Thiam, and Sandra Perkovic!
Special shout-outs to Yelena Isinbayeva and Melissa Bishop--two Women who lost NOT on the fields (or tracks) of fair battle, but in the rich offices of those who decide the fates of others from behind cowardly walls of ugliness!!
In MY eyes, both of you are GOLDEN!!
US Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
Here's another one that made me sit & ponder long hours!
Does Ms Harrison deserve the title, for being the sole American to break a WR this year?
For the same reasons stated above, she does NOT!
ADDED January 2nd--
See my added material about Kendra Harrison under my AOY comments!
The same applies here!
Her back-up times were better than I remembered, but Huddle still wins this award!
But if a WR doesn't win someone the AOY, what does?
With several strong contenders, I finally gave it to--
MOLLY HUDDLE
Not so much for her breaking Shalane Flanagan's AR in the 10000--in the greatest Women's 10K EVER!
But for the WAY she did it!
The (now old) American Record holder in the 5000--at 14:42.64--Huddle passed the 5K point in that 10K just 13 seconds slower than her PR!!
And then she ran a good 15:18 to create a new measure of US greatness--her 30:13.17 final time!
She added a debut Marathon time in the 2:28's--on NYC's difficult course, taking 3rd there!
Strong HM's go to Ms Harrison, Emma Coburn, Delilah Muhammed, Chaunte Lowe, Ms Carter, Allyson Felix, Shannon Rowbury, Keturah Orji, and to Gwen Berry, another who had something great STOLEN from her by rich dudes in dull offices!!
(But not by ME!!)
A Special Award for Many Years of Thrills and Magic Hours of Joy to--Sanya Richards-Ross--who has ALSO retired!!
Thank YOU, Ms SRR!!
WORLD Performance of the Year--WOMEN
Akmaz Ayana's magnificent 29:17.45 over 10000 meters of historic track in Rio!
HM's to the 3 other WR's!!
US Performance of the Year--WOMEN
This goes to Huddle's 10K!
But this--in any other year--could have gone to Rowbury's 14:38 over 5000 meters, to Harrison's 12.20, to Coburn's newest AR's, to any of those 10.7 gals--English Gardner, Tori Bowie, and Tianna Bartoletta--to Ms Orji, to Raven Saunders, to Maggie Malone, or to Barbara Nwaba & Kendell Williams!
It was one heck of a year for American Women!!
WORLD Personality of the Year
This award has a TIE!!
Just no way I can separate those lovely new BFF's--Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and Abbey D'Agostino of the United States!
They'd never met before, I'm told!
So what a First Encounter they had!!
Oh my!!
For taking a tragic moment in time, and molding it into something the entire world thinks is beautiful--and to do so before the eyes of BILLIONS--is why these two wonderful HUMANS so richly deserve this award!!
US Personality of the Year--WOMEN
Again, this must be a TIE---except it can't be!!
Why?
Because one of the two isn't American!!
But, Nikki, we wish you were!!
You are an honor and a champion to your fellow Kiwi's--and to Americans worldwide!!
So I hand this award to Abbey D--whose hands & spirit touch Nikki's every step she takes!
Thank you, both!!
It is now less than two hours until Bellingham WA welcomes the New Year!
Readers of this blog have numerous Previews to help guide you through the next 10 weeks of INdoor T&F action!!
It's already begun--this INdoor season!
In fact, speaking of New Zealand (& its neighbor, Australia), it's now January 1, 2017 there!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!!
Just enough time for this blog to name its AOY's for the US and the World for the year still (barely) breathing!!
Track and Field News announced theirs recently too!
And I can safely say we (again!) disagree on certain matters!
Read on to see where--and why!
But as ever, results come first!!
The Boston University Mini-Meet #2 produced a good one!
DJ (David) Principe won the first section of the Mile in 4:04.47.
One of the better XC runners this past fall, Principe now ranks 6th A-T HS!!
(He says he'll race next at the Dartmouth Relays next week!!)
In a mixed 3000, Cory McGee ran a solid 8:57.87, with Liz Costello following in 9:00.44.
Good times for December on a 200 meter track!!
And now for Aaron K's Track and Field Record Book's picks for Athletes, Performances, and Personalities of the Year--the year being OUTdoors 2016!
For my Collegiate & HS posts, refer to the archive for September!
As usual, the Men go first, followed by the Women!
WORLD Athlete of the Year--MEN
WAYDE VAN NIEKERK
When the criteria is weighted heavily towards MAJOR records being broken, and the Men produced a measly single WR this year, this award becomes the easiest of choices!
But WVN ran fast over 3 distances, as he dipped under 10 in the 100, and 20 in the 200.
His runaway victory in Rio, however, was the key to his winning here!
43.03--and looking smooth & pretty all the way--as if a sub-43 is his for the taking!
Honorable Mentions go to Ryan Crouser, Eliud Kipchoge & Ken Bekele, Ashton Eaton, Usain Bolt, Kerron Clement, Thomas Rohler, and Renaud Lavillenie.
US Athlete of the Year--MEN
RYAN CROUSER
In a year where the US Men struck out in the National Records department, Crouser's incredible emergence from the Collegiate to the Professional ranks--in the biggest meet of the year--self-typed his name in as AOY for the United States in 2016.
And that series!
He PR'ed 3 times--and it wasn't by fractions of inches!!
While he towered over his competitors (in every sense!!), there were other Americans whose stars shone bright.
Honorable Mentions go to Evan Jager, Justin Gatlin, LaShawn Merritt, Kerron Clement, Ashton Eaton, Sam Kendricks, Clay Murphy, Galen Rupp, Matthew Centrowitz, Jeff Henderson, Erik Kynard, Christian Taylor, and Rudy Winkler.
Special shout-out to the retired (from track racing) Bernard Lagat!!
WORLD Performance of the Year--MEN
That 43.03!
Or those FOUR 10.75's over 100 meters--back-to-back!
Or the beating of a WR held by Michael Johnson!
WVN, Congratulations!
HM's go to Crouser's 73-10.75 SP, to Mr's Kipchoge, Bekele, and to Wilson Kipsang, to Thomas Rohler, Pawel Fajdek, and to Ashton Eaton!
So why wasn't Matthew Centrowitz given even an HM??
This blog honors Records & Marks!
Winning--even Gold in the Olympics--just doesn't matter here that much--if at all!!
And winning in a time that Sophs in High School can run matters even less!!
Another huge congrats to Mr Lagat for adding the 10000 to his list of Age 40+ records he claims!
Shattering the old mark by over 40 seconds is worth an HM, don't you think?
US Performance of the Year--MEN
Mr Crouser's winning Put in Rio gets this prize!
But this was closer than the margin of victory Crouser enjoyed in Rio!
Merritt's 19.74 at the Trials was pretty spectacular for a guy who was running his "other" event!!
So were Rupp's pair of 26.2's.
Kendricks's Vaults were always impressive!
As noted, Eaton produced a clutch performance--even if not record-breaking!
Kerron Clement making sub-48's in the 400H commonplace again!
I just wish Mr Jager had run a 3000SC time beginning with a 7!
Again, Lagat's 27:49 was DEEEE-licious!!
WORLD Personality of the Year--MEN
He is simply larger than life!
And being THAT, he is too larger than the sport of Track and Field!
I speak of the man whose signature pose is as famous as Napoleon's!
I speak of the man--without whom the stands in Rio would have been even emptier!
I speak of a man with a book, a movie, a dance routine, an ACT that might never be surpassed!
Usain Bolt is beginning his final year of competition--he says--sort of!
THANK YOU, Usain!!
US Personality of the Year!
What nicer guy in T&F is there than Bernard Lagat?
A bald head, a shining smile, a mansion-full of Age Records, a beautiful family--all the while exuding that imperfect combination of confidence and gracefulness!
Like Usain, he is retiring--sort of, kind of!
And like Mr Bolt, he will be missed!
Thank YOU, Bernard!
And now for the Women!!
WORLD Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
ALMAZ AYANA
This, folks, was a real toughie!!
T&FN decided on Anita Wlodarczyk!
As did other entities!
Not me!!
In a year where the Women walloped FOUR World Records out of various stadia--and where EACH of them held several tons of significance--how do you decide!
Let's do it by process of elimination!
Kendra Harrison nipped the 1988 WR of 12.21 by Yordanka Donkova by 0.01 seconds!
It did NOT matter to me that she failed to make TeamUSA for the OG!
But her back-up times of 12.42 made the 12.20 seem like a one-off!
(Prove us wrong, Kendra!!)
ADDED on January 2nd---
Prove ME wrong!
I reviewed Ms Harrison's season record, and her 2nd best time was 12.24---not 12.42 as stated above!
She also had 2-3 other times at 12.42 or faster!
HOWEVER, that still doesn't make her my AOY!!
For all the OTHER reasons stated above!!
Sorry for MY error!!
Ruth Jebet's total destruction of the 3000SC WR wasn't a shocker!
First, Jebet had run fast in earlier races!
Second, the old WR was---IMHO--pretty soft!
But kudos to this youngster for taking the bull by the horns!
That leaves Wlodarczyk!
Oh boy!
She broke her own WR in the Olympic final!
Then she shattered THAT one in a Memorial meet to an old friend--by over two feet!!
I said "her own" WR!
Almaz Ayana obliterated someone ELSE's seemingly untouchable WR--that of the controversial Chinese, Wang Junxia!
A record unrecognized by T&FN, a record buried in a cave of doubt and deception--and maybe crime!!
But also a record "experts" said might NEVER be broken--let alone CRUSHED by 14 seconds!!
Well, folks, I've never been one of those so called "experts"!
I ALWAYS felt that record of Junxia's WAS breakable--by even MORE than was accomplished by Ayana!
For that lone performance--in a negative split race--which left everyone stunned and awed as it unfolded--I award Almaz Ayana my AOY for 2016--no contest!!
Honorable Mentions to the above-named WR breakers, as well as Elaine Thompson, Shaunae Miller, Brittney Reese, Caterine Ibarguen, Ekaterina Stefanidi & Sandi Morris, Michelle Carter, Nafissatou Thiam, and Sandra Perkovic!
Special shout-outs to Yelena Isinbayeva and Melissa Bishop--two Women who lost NOT on the fields (or tracks) of fair battle, but in the rich offices of those who decide the fates of others from behind cowardly walls of ugliness!!
In MY eyes, both of you are GOLDEN!!
US Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
Here's another one that made me sit & ponder long hours!
Does Ms Harrison deserve the title, for being the sole American to break a WR this year?
For the same reasons stated above, she does NOT!
ADDED January 2nd--
See my added material about Kendra Harrison under my AOY comments!
The same applies here!
Her back-up times were better than I remembered, but Huddle still wins this award!
But if a WR doesn't win someone the AOY, what does?
With several strong contenders, I finally gave it to--
MOLLY HUDDLE
Not so much for her breaking Shalane Flanagan's AR in the 10000--in the greatest Women's 10K EVER!
But for the WAY she did it!
The (now old) American Record holder in the 5000--at 14:42.64--Huddle passed the 5K point in that 10K just 13 seconds slower than her PR!!
And then she ran a good 15:18 to create a new measure of US greatness--her 30:13.17 final time!
She added a debut Marathon time in the 2:28's--on NYC's difficult course, taking 3rd there!
Strong HM's go to Ms Harrison, Emma Coburn, Delilah Muhammed, Chaunte Lowe, Ms Carter, Allyson Felix, Shannon Rowbury, Keturah Orji, and to Gwen Berry, another who had something great STOLEN from her by rich dudes in dull offices!!
(But not by ME!!)
A Special Award for Many Years of Thrills and Magic Hours of Joy to--Sanya Richards-Ross--who has ALSO retired!!
Thank YOU, Ms SRR!!
WORLD Performance of the Year--WOMEN
Akmaz Ayana's magnificent 29:17.45 over 10000 meters of historic track in Rio!
HM's to the 3 other WR's!!
US Performance of the Year--WOMEN
This goes to Huddle's 10K!
But this--in any other year--could have gone to Rowbury's 14:38 over 5000 meters, to Harrison's 12.20, to Coburn's newest AR's, to any of those 10.7 gals--English Gardner, Tori Bowie, and Tianna Bartoletta--to Ms Orji, to Raven Saunders, to Maggie Malone, or to Barbara Nwaba & Kendell Williams!
It was one heck of a year for American Women!!
WORLD Personality of the Year
This award has a TIE!!
Just no way I can separate those lovely new BFF's--Nikki Hamblin of New Zealand and Abbey D'Agostino of the United States!
They'd never met before, I'm told!
So what a First Encounter they had!!
Oh my!!
For taking a tragic moment in time, and molding it into something the entire world thinks is beautiful--and to do so before the eyes of BILLIONS--is why these two wonderful HUMANS so richly deserve this award!!
US Personality of the Year--WOMEN
Again, this must be a TIE---except it can't be!!
Why?
Because one of the two isn't American!!
But, Nikki, we wish you were!!
You are an honor and a champion to your fellow Kiwi's--and to Americans worldwide!!
So I hand this award to Abbey D--whose hands & spirit touch Nikki's every step she takes!
Thank you, both!!
It is now less than two hours until Bellingham WA welcomes the New Year!
Readers of this blog have numerous Previews to help guide you through the next 10 weeks of INdoor T&F action!!
It's already begun--this INdoor season!
In fact, speaking of New Zealand (& its neighbor, Australia), it's now January 1, 2017 there!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, everyone!!
Thursday, December 29, 2016
2016 OUTdoors--In Review
Like time itself, this blog keeps evolving.
Which is another way of saying that you will NOT be getting a "Best & Worst" post this year!
At least not by that name!
Listen.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing those "B&W"s---and, you know, never say never!
But 2016 having been the "Olympic Year"--and having so much happen of an historic and sport-changing nature--I've decided to morph the "B&W" into a collection of historic facts, records, and marks, as well as opinions, ideas, trivia, and, well, bluster & blather!!
Heck, you might not even notice the difference.
The following will cover mainly the World & United States contributions, though I'll toss in some reminders of what happened with the younger sets---the HS'ers & Collegians.
It will be for OUTdoors ONLY!!
(See my March posts for my 2016 INdoor wrap-ups!)
This will NOT include my Athletes of the Year, as those will come--as promised--on the last day of the year!
But this blog being what it is---all about those Records & Marks--I begin with a simply astonishing HSR that, literally, was a SHOT (Put) heard round the world!!
Jordan Geist--in an all-throwers meet--entered the ring on what appeared to be a gymnasium set up for basketball games--holding a ball next to his neck that weighed SIXTEEN pounds--not the normal 12 you see most HS boys perform with!
In a pulsating exhibition of raw shapeless power, Geist opened with a Put of 62-3.
That placed him 2nd A-T HS on the rarely-held 16 lb list, behind only Ryan Crouser's HSR of 63-11.
His 2nd throw measured a mere one-half inch shy of that record, at 63-10.5!!
Then Mr Geist smashed it--hitting the floor at the new HSR of 64-4.50!!
But wait!--this kid wasn't done!!
His 4th throw went 1.50 inches farther--to 64-6--his SECOND High School Record of the day!!
And then?
Throw away all that went before--by Geist, Crouser, and even the legendary Michael Carter!!
Doing a neat acrobatic tightwire walk next to the ring's front wall--coming THIS close to a foul!!--Geist OBLITERATED all previous INdoor HS 16 pound SP standards!!
His 5th throw measured 68-4!
That's a full 4 feet 5 inches past Crouser's mark, and even 7 inches past Carter's OUTdoor HSR---although this blog (and my Record Book) does NOT compare INdoor to OUTdoor marks in any way!!
Thus, Geist's mark is the INdoor HSR, while Carter's 67-9 remains the OUTdoor HSR!!
(At least until Geist moves OUTdoors??)
He also got Crouser's Senior Class record!!
And he now owns the World Age 18 record, as his birthdate is July 21, 1998.
If a Collegian, he'd rank 19th A-T!
And he'd shatter the Collegiate Frosh Class record by over 2 feet!!
Oh, BTW, he also PR'ed in the WT with a good 76-6.
That makes him 20th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
This WT was the HS implement!
OK, on to my 2016 OUTdoor Review!
The Rio Olympics.
Were they all that great--and important?
Well, there are varying ways to look at them!
Simply put, without the Russians, a huge pit of scar tissue was left for all to see!
As I said numerous times, Ban the Criminals, but Let the INNOCENT compete!
Without THEM, this OG just wasn't what it should, and could, have been!
And the biggest name MIA was Yelena Isinbayeva, the OUTdoor WR holder in the PV!
Love her or hate her, you had to agree that, without her, the event would NOT be the same--not fully legit!!
Despite Isi's absence, it was still a GREAT competition--and all 3 medalists truly deserved their places!
But, really folks, what IF???
(As of year's end, the Russians remain a banned nation, while Isi is now deeply involved in the future of Russian Athletics!!)
Yet this same OG gave us the "D'Agostino/Hamblin" incident!
During their heat of the 5000, with about 2K to go, Abbey D'Agostino was tagging just behind Nikki Hamblin at the back end of the queue, out of the final, but still Olympians!
Hamblin tripped and fell, and Abbey went down too.
She got up, saw she had no chance in the race, and tugged on Hamblin's arm to rise up and run.
They trotted forward--humbled & torn--and then Abbey's seriously injured knee gave way, and she crashed to the track again--in dire pain!
So this time it was Nikki taking Abbey's arm and saying--"Get up, Mate!".
She did--slowly.
In a mincing jogger's shuffle, she finished the last 4 laps to massive applause and respect!
And the rest is HERstory!
Ms's D'Agostino & Hamblin are now BFF's--and an undeniable symbol of what the Olympic Games MEAN!!
Honorary Mention goes to Will Claye, who after his TJ competition ended, ran to his girlfriend Queen Harrison in the stands, and proposed marriage!
She accepted--before the eyes of millions!!
One can't speak of the Olympics without mentioning some of the shocks that emerged from America's Olympic Trials!
That Women's 800 final!
The tight finishes in the Women's 200 and 1500 finals!
And all the crashes & dives that made those events seem almost like a different sport!!
Goodbye to Alysia Montano, Brenda Martinez, and Molly Ludlow in the 800.
(Though Martinez returned to honor in that 1500!)
Amanda Eccleston's flying red hair following her to the track as her lean became a belly flop--just missing catching Martinez's spirited charge!!
And Jenna Prandini also "stumbling" as she came to the line--to the outside of Allyson Felix--then flying--hands and arms and body--somehow being judged as beating Felix--who also had another event to salvage her Olympic dream!
Let's move away from Rio for a bit!
What happened elsewhere?
Well, for one, a HUGE gap in the schedule was presented when a World Relays meet was NOT put on the schedule for 2016!
WHY??
There's nothing I can see that would have taken anything away from Rio!
The HUGE success of the 1st two versions clearly call for at least one ANNUAL meet a year!!
As of now, it seems to be getting the every-second-year approach of the cowardly and the brainless!!
They do return in 2017!
The Olympics (and other meets) saw many athletes competing for unfamiliar nations!
Look at the rosters of Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar, and even Greece, Spain, and several other nations!
American Alexi Pappas ran the 10000 for Greece.
David Torrence ran for Peru.
Africans--especially Kenyans and Ethiopians--were seen wearing many colors--and (NOT!) speaking many foreign tongues!
All while holding tenuous, if ANY, true residency in their adoptive country!!
Fair?
Yes and no.
Some DO have blood in their system that ties them to a nation other than their birth!
And in an Olympic year, they'll USE these thin bonds to become "Olympians"--which their HOME nation denies them--through lack of ability or through politics!!
Something must change, and if Seb Coe has his way, something will!!
Margaret Wambui, Francine Niyonsaba, Caster Semenya.
Are they WOMEN--or not?
Yes--for the most part!
And therein lies the teeth of one of the most controversial issues of our time--What constitutes a WOMAN--that makes her different from a MAN??
Other than the obvious--there are internal factors that determine the LEGALITY of the DNA, hormones, and other scientific bases that, together, determine---for the issue of Track & Field competition!!--whether these selfsame "persons" should be allowed to compete against women whose internal make-up falls under legally "normal" constraints!
As of the Rio Olympics, the IAAF and IOC and other governing bodies said YES, the above-3-named persons CAN compete in Women's events--in their case, the 800 meters!
BUT I SAID "NO"!!
Thus, if you refer back to my coverage of their races, you will see how I treated their marks and places!
To me, they were invisible---and remain so!!
I only hope the rest of the sport comes to agree with me!!
Teenagers were everywhere in the sport this year!
Eliza McCartney nabbed the PV's Bronze medal at 19.
Vashti Cunningham, at 18, was a HJ contender!
So was Sydney McLaughlin in the 400H, but at Age 17!
Konrad Bukowiecki filled the SP ring as a teen!
A few made some very loud noises at the US Olympic Trials--in some cases, JUST missing making the team!!
But others also made headlines as future Olympians, probably!
Noah Lyles, Donavan Brazier, Tia Jones, Tyrese Cooper!
Worldwide, we heard from Lisa Gunnarsson, Wilma Murto, Adam Hague, and Mondo Duplantis in the PV.
And coming up FAST (literally!) behind them was (then-) 12 year old Grace Ping, who shows MUCH promise!!
And what about that German lass Konstanze Klosterhalfen??
Speaking of young ones, the 2017 INdoor (and OUTdoor) season now has just ONE lonely member of the HS PRO Club--she being Candace Hill!!
For all intents, the 2016 OUTdoor season was essentially missing the following athletes--
Mary Cain, Sarah Baxter, Wesley & Ryen Frazier, Brigetta Barrett, and Demi Payne---not to mention all clean Russians except for Darya Klishina!!
Cain left NOP and Alberto Salazar, and returning from a slight knee ache, looks to return in 2017.
Baxter and the Fraziers competed sporadically in 2016---and even more sporadically--successfully!!
Barrett apparently is a RETIRED High Jumper--at Age 26!!
Ms Payne's status is unknown as of "press time"--but I'm guessing she'll return to PV'ing sometime in 2017!!
The US Marathon Army recruited two runners--one man, one woman--in 2016 that made a HUGE impact on the sport in our country--and the World---in their FIRST Marathons!!
Galen Rupp made TeamUSA in the LA race, winning it easily in 2:11 and change!
Molly Huddle waited until November's NYC race--where she took 3rd in a nifty 2:28 and a penny or so!
Both will still run Track in 2017--the 10000--but will then finish their careers as--Marathoners!!
And, I'm guessing, in MUCH faster times!!
On that note, let's switch gears here--and return to the old "meat & potatoes" of this blog--Records & Marks!!
All toward seeing how well--or ill--2016 measured--as a year!!
(Lots more to go, so hope you're with me!!)
In the 2016 OUTdoor season, we saw---
FIVE World Records (Almaz Ayana's 29:17.45 10K, Kendra Harrison's 12.20 100H, Anita Wlodarczyk's 272-3 HT, Ruth Jebet's 8:52.78 3000SC, and Wayde Van Niekerk's 43.03 in the 400!)
EIGHT United States Records--ALL by Women!!! (Molly Huddle in the 10000, Shannon Rowbury in the 5000, Harrison's 100H mark, Keturah Orji's 48-3.25 TJ, Emma Coburn's latest Steeplechase mark, Michelle Carter's massive 67-8.25 SP, Sandi Morris's 16-4.75 PV, and, YES, Gwen Berry's HT of 250-4--embarrassingly NOT ratified by USATF!!)
And, just as reminders, there were SEVEN Collegiate Records and EIGHT High School Records, as well as TWO HS PRO Records broken in 2016's OUTdoor season!!
(There were actually MORE records broken, as some athletes broke their records more than once!!)
What about Place Records?
(Not forgetting that I EXPANDED my Place Record listings this year--thus, more Records were available for breaking!!)
SIX Place Records were broken in the Men's 4X100 Relay, leading the charge!
FIVE went down in the Men's 400!
And THREE fell in the Men's 1000.
(I'm only reporting those events with 3 or more!)
For the Women--
SEVEN crashed to the track in that iconic & historic 10000 in Rio!!
SIX fell in the Heptathlon!
FIVE went down in both the 4X100 Relay and 3000SC!
And THREE each were broken in the 100, 5000, PV, and JT!
What were the busiest Meet Record-breaking meets??
For the Men, the Olympics and the World Junior Champs led the way, with FIVE each!
The Florida Relays and the Birmingham DL saw FOUR MR's fall.
The US Olympic Trials, the NBN, and the SEC's saw THREE of these babies fall!!
The Women were MUCH more productive in this corner---as they were in most EVERY nook & cranny!!
Oh, BTW, I'm NOT including "new" meets--namely the Rabat DL, the American Track League affairs, and the shiny new TrackTown Summer Series!
For the Record, however, all 10 Men's TTSS events became MR's, and 6 MR's fell in Rabat, while the ATL's got 5.
In these same meets, the Women had 9 TTSS MR's, 8 from the ATL's, and 6 from Rabat!
In "regular" meets, the Women were quite productive!
The NBN meet led the way with SEVEN MR's!
SIX each went down in the USATF Jrs, Olympic Trials, and the Big 10 Conference meet!
FIVE were broken in the NCAA's and the WJC!
FOUR each fell in the Shanghai & London DL's, as well as the PAC-12, SEC, and ACC meets!
THREE were broken in the Van Damme, Pre, and Doha DL's, as well as the Portland Track Festival and the---Olympic Games!!
National Records??
Which nations saw the deepest revisions in their National Record Books??
Most shockingly, the United States Men STRUCK OUT in this department---while American Women saw EIGHT National standards come crashing down!!
Elsewhere, FOUR Men's NR's fell in Canada and Turkey!
THREE apiece were broken in Algeria, Spain, Bahrain, South Africa, and India!
The Women were led by the British, with GB getting FOUR NR's.
THREE each went to Canada, Kenya, Sweden, Switzerland, the Bahamas, and Australia!!
Finally (WHEW!!), let's see which EVENTS have the most Marks made in 2016 on my OUTdoor DDD lists!!
These figures basically determine my "Event of the Year" for each gender!!
Below are figures for the World and US ONLY!!
World--Men
Marathon (7)
1000 (5)
4X100 Relay (4)
200 (3)
World--Women
PV (8)
10000 & JT (6)
100 & 3000SC (5)
5000 & 4X100 Relay (4)
LJ (3)
So, once again, it was the "Year of the PV" OUTdoors in 2016 for the Women!
And it was the "Year of the Marathon" for the Men!!
US--Men
3000SC & LJ & JT (3)
A 3-way tie for Best Event & "Year of..."!!
US--Women
Much MUCH more productive here!!
3000SC (8)
PV & SP (7)
Mile, 400H, TJ, JT, HT--each with (4)
100, 400, 5000, 10000, LJ, DT, and Heptathlon--all with (3)
For the ladies, the "Year of the Steeplechase"!!
And I will---FINALLY!!--finish with a retrospective on---My Blog!!
Now 3 years and 3 weeks into its existence, this is post Number 334!!
Of those--including this one--122 are from 2016---a record number!!
As noted above, I expanded my Place Records listings!
Also as noted (in an earlier post), I began a United States Only Best Combined Events list--for the same categories as in my original listings covering the entire World!!
Those are pretty much done---waiting for massive revision!!
Lastly, here are the Highlights from my 122 posts from this year!
Personally, I enjoyed doing my "New Year's Wish List"
In the "Two HS Class Records (& a Book Review)", I detailed the great "World's Greatest in Athletics" book.
"Thoughts & Questions" was okay.
I did a detailed Preview of the OT Marathon, as well as a detailed report of the races!
The Millrose meet needed two posts--one exclusively for the distance events!!
"Explaining This Blog" was perhaps necessary!
The month of March saw 19 posts, with 13 of them being Previews, Predictions & Wrap-Ups of the Big INdoor meets!!
April 3rd's edition was titled--for obvious reasons!--For Blog Post 250"!
(Those took 847 days!)
I liked the title (& the message!) of "Absolute Lists Absolutely Not!".
In May, I did a 2-parter on "Those DDD's"!
In June, I concentrated 2 more on "The AGE of Records"!
The OT's got 3 Preview posts, 5 Results posts, and one B&W!
The World Juniors got three.
The Olympics??
WOW!!
I began on August 1st with "The Games of Rio".
Then came a full schedule.
I did four Preview posts, event-by-event, each gender!
Followed by TEN detailed posts of RESULTS!!
Rio's Best & Worst ended this run as OG Post Number SEVENTEEN!!!
Then came my HS & Collegiate Wrap-Ups!
"LIFE (& other news)" remains one of my best---and saddest!!
I've done EIGHT Previews of the 2017 INdoor Season!!
And of course I'll end with my World & US AOY posts--in about 48 hours!!
Thank you for staying with me!
Hope it was fun--or at least stimulating!!
See you soon!
Which is another way of saying that you will NOT be getting a "Best & Worst" post this year!
At least not by that name!
Listen.
I thoroughly enjoyed doing those "B&W"s---and, you know, never say never!
But 2016 having been the "Olympic Year"--and having so much happen of an historic and sport-changing nature--I've decided to morph the "B&W" into a collection of historic facts, records, and marks, as well as opinions, ideas, trivia, and, well, bluster & blather!!
Heck, you might not even notice the difference.
The following will cover mainly the World & United States contributions, though I'll toss in some reminders of what happened with the younger sets---the HS'ers & Collegians.
It will be for OUTdoors ONLY!!
(See my March posts for my 2016 INdoor wrap-ups!)
This will NOT include my Athletes of the Year, as those will come--as promised--on the last day of the year!
But this blog being what it is---all about those Records & Marks--I begin with a simply astonishing HSR that, literally, was a SHOT (Put) heard round the world!!
Jordan Geist--in an all-throwers meet--entered the ring on what appeared to be a gymnasium set up for basketball games--holding a ball next to his neck that weighed SIXTEEN pounds--not the normal 12 you see most HS boys perform with!
In a pulsating exhibition of raw shapeless power, Geist opened with a Put of 62-3.
That placed him 2nd A-T HS on the rarely-held 16 lb list, behind only Ryan Crouser's HSR of 63-11.
His 2nd throw measured a mere one-half inch shy of that record, at 63-10.5!!
Then Mr Geist smashed it--hitting the floor at the new HSR of 64-4.50!!
But wait!--this kid wasn't done!!
His 4th throw went 1.50 inches farther--to 64-6--his SECOND High School Record of the day!!
And then?
Throw away all that went before--by Geist, Crouser, and even the legendary Michael Carter!!
Doing a neat acrobatic tightwire walk next to the ring's front wall--coming THIS close to a foul!!--Geist OBLITERATED all previous INdoor HS 16 pound SP standards!!
His 5th throw measured 68-4!
That's a full 4 feet 5 inches past Crouser's mark, and even 7 inches past Carter's OUTdoor HSR---although this blog (and my Record Book) does NOT compare INdoor to OUTdoor marks in any way!!
Thus, Geist's mark is the INdoor HSR, while Carter's 67-9 remains the OUTdoor HSR!!
(At least until Geist moves OUTdoors??)
He also got Crouser's Senior Class record!!
And he now owns the World Age 18 record, as his birthdate is July 21, 1998.
If a Collegian, he'd rank 19th A-T!
And he'd shatter the Collegiate Frosh Class record by over 2 feet!!
Oh, BTW, he also PR'ed in the WT with a good 76-6.
That makes him 20th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!
This WT was the HS implement!
OK, on to my 2016 OUTdoor Review!
The Rio Olympics.
Were they all that great--and important?
Well, there are varying ways to look at them!
Simply put, without the Russians, a huge pit of scar tissue was left for all to see!
As I said numerous times, Ban the Criminals, but Let the INNOCENT compete!
Without THEM, this OG just wasn't what it should, and could, have been!
And the biggest name MIA was Yelena Isinbayeva, the OUTdoor WR holder in the PV!
Love her or hate her, you had to agree that, without her, the event would NOT be the same--not fully legit!!
Despite Isi's absence, it was still a GREAT competition--and all 3 medalists truly deserved their places!
But, really folks, what IF???
(As of year's end, the Russians remain a banned nation, while Isi is now deeply involved in the future of Russian Athletics!!)
Yet this same OG gave us the "D'Agostino/Hamblin" incident!
During their heat of the 5000, with about 2K to go, Abbey D'Agostino was tagging just behind Nikki Hamblin at the back end of the queue, out of the final, but still Olympians!
Hamblin tripped and fell, and Abbey went down too.
She got up, saw she had no chance in the race, and tugged on Hamblin's arm to rise up and run.
They trotted forward--humbled & torn--and then Abbey's seriously injured knee gave way, and she crashed to the track again--in dire pain!
So this time it was Nikki taking Abbey's arm and saying--"Get up, Mate!".
She did--slowly.
In a mincing jogger's shuffle, she finished the last 4 laps to massive applause and respect!
And the rest is HERstory!
Ms's D'Agostino & Hamblin are now BFF's--and an undeniable symbol of what the Olympic Games MEAN!!
Honorary Mention goes to Will Claye, who after his TJ competition ended, ran to his girlfriend Queen Harrison in the stands, and proposed marriage!
She accepted--before the eyes of millions!!
One can't speak of the Olympics without mentioning some of the shocks that emerged from America's Olympic Trials!
That Women's 800 final!
The tight finishes in the Women's 200 and 1500 finals!
And all the crashes & dives that made those events seem almost like a different sport!!
Goodbye to Alysia Montano, Brenda Martinez, and Molly Ludlow in the 800.
(Though Martinez returned to honor in that 1500!)
Amanda Eccleston's flying red hair following her to the track as her lean became a belly flop--just missing catching Martinez's spirited charge!!
And Jenna Prandini also "stumbling" as she came to the line--to the outside of Allyson Felix--then flying--hands and arms and body--somehow being judged as beating Felix--who also had another event to salvage her Olympic dream!
Let's move away from Rio for a bit!
What happened elsewhere?
Well, for one, a HUGE gap in the schedule was presented when a World Relays meet was NOT put on the schedule for 2016!
WHY??
There's nothing I can see that would have taken anything away from Rio!
The HUGE success of the 1st two versions clearly call for at least one ANNUAL meet a year!!
As of now, it seems to be getting the every-second-year approach of the cowardly and the brainless!!
They do return in 2017!
The Olympics (and other meets) saw many athletes competing for unfamiliar nations!
Look at the rosters of Turkey, Bahrain, Qatar, and even Greece, Spain, and several other nations!
American Alexi Pappas ran the 10000 for Greece.
David Torrence ran for Peru.
Africans--especially Kenyans and Ethiopians--were seen wearing many colors--and (NOT!) speaking many foreign tongues!
All while holding tenuous, if ANY, true residency in their adoptive country!!
Fair?
Yes and no.
Some DO have blood in their system that ties them to a nation other than their birth!
And in an Olympic year, they'll USE these thin bonds to become "Olympians"--which their HOME nation denies them--through lack of ability or through politics!!
Something must change, and if Seb Coe has his way, something will!!
Margaret Wambui, Francine Niyonsaba, Caster Semenya.
Are they WOMEN--or not?
Yes--for the most part!
And therein lies the teeth of one of the most controversial issues of our time--What constitutes a WOMAN--that makes her different from a MAN??
Other than the obvious--there are internal factors that determine the LEGALITY of the DNA, hormones, and other scientific bases that, together, determine---for the issue of Track & Field competition!!--whether these selfsame "persons" should be allowed to compete against women whose internal make-up falls under legally "normal" constraints!
As of the Rio Olympics, the IAAF and IOC and other governing bodies said YES, the above-3-named persons CAN compete in Women's events--in their case, the 800 meters!
BUT I SAID "NO"!!
Thus, if you refer back to my coverage of their races, you will see how I treated their marks and places!
To me, they were invisible---and remain so!!
I only hope the rest of the sport comes to agree with me!!
Teenagers were everywhere in the sport this year!
Eliza McCartney nabbed the PV's Bronze medal at 19.
Vashti Cunningham, at 18, was a HJ contender!
So was Sydney McLaughlin in the 400H, but at Age 17!
Konrad Bukowiecki filled the SP ring as a teen!
A few made some very loud noises at the US Olympic Trials--in some cases, JUST missing making the team!!
But others also made headlines as future Olympians, probably!
Noah Lyles, Donavan Brazier, Tia Jones, Tyrese Cooper!
Worldwide, we heard from Lisa Gunnarsson, Wilma Murto, Adam Hague, and Mondo Duplantis in the PV.
And coming up FAST (literally!) behind them was (then-) 12 year old Grace Ping, who shows MUCH promise!!
And what about that German lass Konstanze Klosterhalfen??
Speaking of young ones, the 2017 INdoor (and OUTdoor) season now has just ONE lonely member of the HS PRO Club--she being Candace Hill!!
For all intents, the 2016 OUTdoor season was essentially missing the following athletes--
Mary Cain, Sarah Baxter, Wesley & Ryen Frazier, Brigetta Barrett, and Demi Payne---not to mention all clean Russians except for Darya Klishina!!
Cain left NOP and Alberto Salazar, and returning from a slight knee ache, looks to return in 2017.
Baxter and the Fraziers competed sporadically in 2016---and even more sporadically--successfully!!
Barrett apparently is a RETIRED High Jumper--at Age 26!!
Ms Payne's status is unknown as of "press time"--but I'm guessing she'll return to PV'ing sometime in 2017!!
The US Marathon Army recruited two runners--one man, one woman--in 2016 that made a HUGE impact on the sport in our country--and the World---in their FIRST Marathons!!
Galen Rupp made TeamUSA in the LA race, winning it easily in 2:11 and change!
Molly Huddle waited until November's NYC race--where she took 3rd in a nifty 2:28 and a penny or so!
Both will still run Track in 2017--the 10000--but will then finish their careers as--Marathoners!!
And, I'm guessing, in MUCH faster times!!
On that note, let's switch gears here--and return to the old "meat & potatoes" of this blog--Records & Marks!!
All toward seeing how well--or ill--2016 measured--as a year!!
(Lots more to go, so hope you're with me!!)
In the 2016 OUTdoor season, we saw---
FIVE World Records (Almaz Ayana's 29:17.45 10K, Kendra Harrison's 12.20 100H, Anita Wlodarczyk's 272-3 HT, Ruth Jebet's 8:52.78 3000SC, and Wayde Van Niekerk's 43.03 in the 400!)
EIGHT United States Records--ALL by Women!!! (Molly Huddle in the 10000, Shannon Rowbury in the 5000, Harrison's 100H mark, Keturah Orji's 48-3.25 TJ, Emma Coburn's latest Steeplechase mark, Michelle Carter's massive 67-8.25 SP, Sandi Morris's 16-4.75 PV, and, YES, Gwen Berry's HT of 250-4--embarrassingly NOT ratified by USATF!!)
And, just as reminders, there were SEVEN Collegiate Records and EIGHT High School Records, as well as TWO HS PRO Records broken in 2016's OUTdoor season!!
(There were actually MORE records broken, as some athletes broke their records more than once!!)
What about Place Records?
(Not forgetting that I EXPANDED my Place Record listings this year--thus, more Records were available for breaking!!)
SIX Place Records were broken in the Men's 4X100 Relay, leading the charge!
FIVE went down in the Men's 400!
And THREE fell in the Men's 1000.
(I'm only reporting those events with 3 or more!)
For the Women--
SEVEN crashed to the track in that iconic & historic 10000 in Rio!!
SIX fell in the Heptathlon!
FIVE went down in both the 4X100 Relay and 3000SC!
And THREE each were broken in the 100, 5000, PV, and JT!
What were the busiest Meet Record-breaking meets??
For the Men, the Olympics and the World Junior Champs led the way, with FIVE each!
The Florida Relays and the Birmingham DL saw FOUR MR's fall.
The US Olympic Trials, the NBN, and the SEC's saw THREE of these babies fall!!
The Women were MUCH more productive in this corner---as they were in most EVERY nook & cranny!!
Oh, BTW, I'm NOT including "new" meets--namely the Rabat DL, the American Track League affairs, and the shiny new TrackTown Summer Series!
For the Record, however, all 10 Men's TTSS events became MR's, and 6 MR's fell in Rabat, while the ATL's got 5.
In these same meets, the Women had 9 TTSS MR's, 8 from the ATL's, and 6 from Rabat!
In "regular" meets, the Women were quite productive!
The NBN meet led the way with SEVEN MR's!
SIX each went down in the USATF Jrs, Olympic Trials, and the Big 10 Conference meet!
FIVE were broken in the NCAA's and the WJC!
FOUR each fell in the Shanghai & London DL's, as well as the PAC-12, SEC, and ACC meets!
THREE were broken in the Van Damme, Pre, and Doha DL's, as well as the Portland Track Festival and the---Olympic Games!!
National Records??
Which nations saw the deepest revisions in their National Record Books??
Most shockingly, the United States Men STRUCK OUT in this department---while American Women saw EIGHT National standards come crashing down!!
Elsewhere, FOUR Men's NR's fell in Canada and Turkey!
THREE apiece were broken in Algeria, Spain, Bahrain, South Africa, and India!
The Women were led by the British, with GB getting FOUR NR's.
THREE each went to Canada, Kenya, Sweden, Switzerland, the Bahamas, and Australia!!
Finally (WHEW!!), let's see which EVENTS have the most Marks made in 2016 on my OUTdoor DDD lists!!
These figures basically determine my "Event of the Year" for each gender!!
Below are figures for the World and US ONLY!!
World--Men
Marathon (7)
1000 (5)
4X100 Relay (4)
200 (3)
World--Women
PV (8)
10000 & JT (6)
100 & 3000SC (5)
5000 & 4X100 Relay (4)
LJ (3)
So, once again, it was the "Year of the PV" OUTdoors in 2016 for the Women!
And it was the "Year of the Marathon" for the Men!!
US--Men
3000SC & LJ & JT (3)
A 3-way tie for Best Event & "Year of..."!!
US--Women
Much MUCH more productive here!!
3000SC (8)
PV & SP (7)
Mile, 400H, TJ, JT, HT--each with (4)
100, 400, 5000, 10000, LJ, DT, and Heptathlon--all with (3)
For the ladies, the "Year of the Steeplechase"!!
And I will---FINALLY!!--finish with a retrospective on---My Blog!!
Now 3 years and 3 weeks into its existence, this is post Number 334!!
Of those--including this one--122 are from 2016---a record number!!
As noted above, I expanded my Place Records listings!
Also as noted (in an earlier post), I began a United States Only Best Combined Events list--for the same categories as in my original listings covering the entire World!!
Those are pretty much done---waiting for massive revision!!
Lastly, here are the Highlights from my 122 posts from this year!
Personally, I enjoyed doing my "New Year's Wish List"
In the "Two HS Class Records (& a Book Review)", I detailed the great "World's Greatest in Athletics" book.
"Thoughts & Questions" was okay.
I did a detailed Preview of the OT Marathon, as well as a detailed report of the races!
The Millrose meet needed two posts--one exclusively for the distance events!!
"Explaining This Blog" was perhaps necessary!
The month of March saw 19 posts, with 13 of them being Previews, Predictions & Wrap-Ups of the Big INdoor meets!!
April 3rd's edition was titled--for obvious reasons!--For Blog Post 250"!
(Those took 847 days!)
I liked the title (& the message!) of "Absolute Lists Absolutely Not!".
In May, I did a 2-parter on "Those DDD's"!
In June, I concentrated 2 more on "The AGE of Records"!
The OT's got 3 Preview posts, 5 Results posts, and one B&W!
The World Juniors got three.
The Olympics??
WOW!!
I began on August 1st with "The Games of Rio".
Then came a full schedule.
I did four Preview posts, event-by-event, each gender!
Followed by TEN detailed posts of RESULTS!!
Rio's Best & Worst ended this run as OG Post Number SEVENTEEN!!!
Then came my HS & Collegiate Wrap-Ups!
"LIFE (& other news)" remains one of my best---and saddest!!
I've done EIGHT Previews of the 2017 INdoor Season!!
And of course I'll end with my World & US AOY posts--in about 48 hours!!
Thank you for staying with me!
Hope it was fun--or at least stimulating!!
See you soon!
Sunday, December 18, 2016
2017 INdoor Records Predictions--WOMEN
Without the latest results included in the Men's Predictions, the Women's should be a bit shorter.
EXCEPT that the Women are likely to break more major records than the Men, so my commentary might be longer!
So let's get right to it---with (again) the only "rule" being I accept NO Oversize Track marks!!
WORLD
There are Women running now faster than Irina Privalova was!
Yet her 6.92 WR in the 60 remains inviolable!
IF people like Tori Bowie and Elaine Thompson ran a few of these, they COULD approach the record!
Give it 20-80 odds!
The 200 (21.87) has faster Women now, but this record too is safe.
Give it 30-70 odds.
Like the Men's 400, the Women's WR of 49.59 has been bettered--OUTdoors by a few.
But 50 seconds remains one of the toughest barriers for Under-Roof speedsters!
20-80!
Alysia Montano came within 0.15 of the 600 WR a few years back!
It's a vulnerable record--IF someone goes for it!
50-50 odds--at best!
The 800!
I should remind you that I do NOT accept times run by Caster Semenya, Margaret Wambui, or Francine Niyonsaba!!
Thus, the WR of 1:55.82 gets 20-80 odds!
Laura Muir (See an earlier post!) has stated she'll be gunning for the 1000 British record---and the WR---if she's on in the Birmingham meet!!
And she CAN break that record---as can 1 or 2 others!
If she gets good competition in Birmingham, watch out!
70-30 odds!
Then we have the FIVE World Records of Genzebe Dibaba---who has yet to announce any WR attempts she's planning!
But now--with Muir and others--capable of running Dibaba-type times--we MIGHT see G-D's list shortened a bit!
Best bets are the 2 Mile (9:00.48)--unless the event itself isn't held!!--and the 5000--if either Dibaba or Almaz Ayana take a shot!
Least likely is the 3000 (8:16.60), and the shorties--the 1500 and Mile (3:55.17 and 4:13.31).
Those get maybe 30-70 odds.
(Gabriela Szabo's 2K mark of 5:30.52 gets 60-40 odds--IF a major race at the distance comes up!)
Susanna Kallur holds the 60H record with her 7.68!
There are TONS of Women who have run faster than Kallur OUTdoors!
Why can't they run faster INdoors too?
Give this one 90-10 odds!
It's WAY overdue for a major slashing!!
Like with the Men, the HJ ain't doing so well with the Women either!
That 6-9.75 WR is too high!
5-95 odds!
Brittney Reese threatens the 24 foot mark with every LJ she takes!
But despite knocking on the door, the key code remains a secret!
30-70 odds!
The 50-4.75 TJ record is great, but doable.
Just not this year!
10-90 odds!
Ahhhh, the PV!!
With Yelena Isinbayeva turning to politics (By FORCE!! INNOCENT Russians should be allowed to compete!!), it's left to Jenn Suhr and Sandi Morris to attack this WR of 16-6--held by Suhr!
I'll take a chance, and give this one 80-20 odds of going down!!
Forget the SP mark of 73-10---until maybe 2117!!
The WT mark is also a toughie, but much more THIS century---and maybe this YEAR!!
Give it 60-40 odds!
(I wish Anita Wlodarczyk would try this!!)
The 5000 points barrier in the Pentathlon has a slightly open door.
Will KJT take it on?
If so, give it (Her!!) 80-20 odds!
Without her, reverse those numbers!
As with the Men, the Relays are impossible to predict!
UNITED STATES
The 6.95 WR in the 60 is doable, but unlikely!
Give it 30-70 odds!
The 22.18 over a single INdoor lap is easier, so give it 60-40 odds!
And it gets even better with the 400 time of 50.46!
Give that one 70-30 odds!
See my World remarks about Montano's 600!
We have several fast 400 gals, and several more with 800 strength!
If a good race (at USATF??) is organized, give this 60-40 odds!
Ditto with the 800 AR of 1:58.71.
A few years back, I'd have called you insane if you'd suggested this record was likely to go down!
But now the US is World Class in the distances--from 800 on up!
Go for it, Ladies!
70-30 odds!
And that 1000 of 2:34.19?
Should have gone down when Mary Cain ran that 2:35.80!
(If the pacing had been better...!)
Too many candidates to list them, but suffice to say, this gets 80-20 odds!!
Given the perfect race with the best runners, ALL of the distance AR's are fair targets!
Best bets are the 2 Mile (9:18.35) and the 5000 (14:47.62).
Those get 70-30 odds!
The 3:59.98 and 4:20.5 for the 1500 and Mile get 60-40 odds!
The most difficult---but still possible!--is the 3000 of 8:33.25!
But remember, both Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury have run sub-8:30's OUTdoors!!
Give that one 40-60 odds!
See my World remarks about the 60H.
Same applies here---ESPECIALLY here!!
Can still-a-teen Vashti Cunningham take the HJ record down!
She's 1.25 inches shy, but a year older!!
Give it (Her!) 70-30 odds!
But watch also for Chaunte Lowe!
Ms Reese gets 80-20 odds here.
Without her, the LJ odds are reduced to 30-70!
Keturah Orji TJ'ed over a foot and a half longer than Sheila Hudson's AR!!
If she doesn't OBLITERATE this US standard, call me a monkey's uncle!!
See my World remarks for my PV predictions!
(Since both of the top candidates are Americans!!)
Michelle Carter CAN take down her own AR in the SP.
But watch for major improvements coming from Raven Saunders!
Give Carter 70-30 odds, with Saunders getting 20-80 odds!
The WT is vulnerable, but unlikely!
Ditto for the Pentathlon mark of 4805 points!
Can Kendell Williams top that?
60-40 odds!
I've heard rumors that a US team is being put together for a big race in the DMR!
If that comes to reality, odds are 100-0 for a HUGE chunk of time being lopped off the 10:42.57 standard!!
COLLEGIATE
Of the three sprints, the 200 CR of 22.40 is the most likely to fall!
80-20 odds there!
Reduce those odds to 60-40 for the 60 (7.08) and 400 (50.46)!
The 600 standard (1:27.78) is a relatively easy mark!
(A 57, then add a 200 in 30.7!!)
If raced on a LEGAL track, give it 70-30 odds!
The 800 gets the same odds.
As for the 1000 mark of 2:40.82, keep in mind Jazmine Fray's opening shot of 2:43.15 detailed in an earlier post!
This CR should be well under 2:40!
Give it 80-20 odds!
EVERY distance CR has a barn door as its target--painted bright red!!
With HS'ers having run faster than the 1500 mark of 4:09.77 (at least OUTdoors!!), I give this one 80-20 odds!
The Mile mark of 4:25.91 is a bit tougher, but not for the current crew!
Give that 70-30 odds!
Then there's the 3000 (8:42.03) and 5000 (15:12.22)!
The Women who can take those down are there--but OT's and race strategy are two reasons I'm giving them "just" 40-60 odds!
The 7.78 CR in the 60H is tough--by Brianna Rollins, no less!!--but vulnerable!
Give it 70-30 odds!
The HJ--here as elsewhere--is fairly weak!
So no go for the CR!
The LJ mark of 22-8 gets 40-60 odds!
See my US remarks about the TJ!!
Will Lexi Weeks add a couple of inches to her OUTdoor PR of 15-5?
Are any other Collegians ready to make 15 feet a habit?
YES!
Give this 70-30 odds!
Watch for Raven Saunders to raise her own CR in the Shot Put!
Main question is---By how many FEET??
90-10 odds!
See my World and US remarks about the WT!
And see my comments on Kendell Williams about the Pentathlon CR!
Would love to see a Stanford vs Oregon race over the DMR distance--but NOT in Seattle!
If they're on, the CR of 10:50.98 gets 70-30 odds!!
HIGH SCHOOL
Candace Hill is still in HS, but she's a Pro now!
But Lauren Rain Williams isn't!
Odds for the 60 (7.19) are 50-50.
Odds for the 200 (22.97) get a whole lot better---70-30!!
As for Sydney McLaughlin taking out her own 400 HSR of 51.84, keep in mind her opening INdoor event was the LJ!!
But if she runs it, it goes DOWN!!
Give it 100-0 odds with Syd in the race!!
The 600 record of 1:28.87 dates from 2015!
With Sammy Watson in the mix, give this one 80-20 odds!
She even has a shot at Mary Decker (Slaney's) venerable 800 record of 2:01.8!
AND the 1000 mark of 2:43.40!
(Mary Cain's fast 1000's were run as a Professional!!)
The 1K HSR gets 90-10 odds--especially with Watson and/or Kate Murphy in the race!!
Murphy has the street cred to attack ALL the HSR's from the 1500 to the 5000 with alacrity!!
Yes, even the 4 of them held by the inimitable Ms Cain from 2013!!
IF Murphy (and a few others of note) truly go after them, EVERY one of them can go!
Best bets are---ALL of them!!
Give all of them 80-20 odds with a committed attack by Murph the Surf!!
(To get them all, she'd have to race against Pro's & Collegians at Millrose or Boston--besides at NBIN!!)
With Tia Jones back as a Soph, and several others following through on a spectacular Hurdles year in 2016, look for the 8 second barrier to be broken in 2017!!
Give the 8.02 HSR 80-20 odds!
No good HJ'ers in sight!
ZERO odds for Vashti Cunningham's great HSR!
With Ms McLaughlin (See my Men's post from earlier today!) already having LJ'ed 20-7.25, look for her to challenge the HSR of 21-7.50--unless someone else gets there first!
60-40 odds!
Tara Davis would have to add over 18 inches to get the TJ record!
But watch for Jasmine Moore and Titiana Marsh also!
Odds there are 40-60!
Rachel Baxter--14-3 last year--can get Tori Weeks's HSR--just 1 inch higher!
Give this 70-30 odds!
See my report on Alyssa Wilson's opener in the SP!!
Raven Saunders HSR is-a-goner!!
90-10 odds--barring injury, etc!
The WT mark is safe!
As is the Pentathlon mark!
The latter gets 20-80 odds!
As with all the other sections, ALL of the Relay HSR's are fair to extremely easy targets!
Question remains---are there teams with more than 1 superstar??
The only HS PRO still in the game is Candace Hill!
If she runs INdoors, her 7.32 mark over 60 meters is most vulnerable!!
If nothing much happens between now and December 25th, then I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!
EXCEPT that the Women are likely to break more major records than the Men, so my commentary might be longer!
So let's get right to it---with (again) the only "rule" being I accept NO Oversize Track marks!!
WORLD
There are Women running now faster than Irina Privalova was!
Yet her 6.92 WR in the 60 remains inviolable!
IF people like Tori Bowie and Elaine Thompson ran a few of these, they COULD approach the record!
Give it 20-80 odds!
The 200 (21.87) has faster Women now, but this record too is safe.
Give it 30-70 odds.
Like the Men's 400, the Women's WR of 49.59 has been bettered--OUTdoors by a few.
But 50 seconds remains one of the toughest barriers for Under-Roof speedsters!
20-80!
Alysia Montano came within 0.15 of the 600 WR a few years back!
It's a vulnerable record--IF someone goes for it!
50-50 odds--at best!
The 800!
I should remind you that I do NOT accept times run by Caster Semenya, Margaret Wambui, or Francine Niyonsaba!!
Thus, the WR of 1:55.82 gets 20-80 odds!
Laura Muir (See an earlier post!) has stated she'll be gunning for the 1000 British record---and the WR---if she's on in the Birmingham meet!!
And she CAN break that record---as can 1 or 2 others!
If she gets good competition in Birmingham, watch out!
70-30 odds!
Then we have the FIVE World Records of Genzebe Dibaba---who has yet to announce any WR attempts she's planning!
But now--with Muir and others--capable of running Dibaba-type times--we MIGHT see G-D's list shortened a bit!
Best bets are the 2 Mile (9:00.48)--unless the event itself isn't held!!--and the 5000--if either Dibaba or Almaz Ayana take a shot!
Least likely is the 3000 (8:16.60), and the shorties--the 1500 and Mile (3:55.17 and 4:13.31).
Those get maybe 30-70 odds.
(Gabriela Szabo's 2K mark of 5:30.52 gets 60-40 odds--IF a major race at the distance comes up!)
Susanna Kallur holds the 60H record with her 7.68!
There are TONS of Women who have run faster than Kallur OUTdoors!
Why can't they run faster INdoors too?
Give this one 90-10 odds!
It's WAY overdue for a major slashing!!
Like with the Men, the HJ ain't doing so well with the Women either!
That 6-9.75 WR is too high!
5-95 odds!
Brittney Reese threatens the 24 foot mark with every LJ she takes!
But despite knocking on the door, the key code remains a secret!
30-70 odds!
The 50-4.75 TJ record is great, but doable.
Just not this year!
10-90 odds!
Ahhhh, the PV!!
With Yelena Isinbayeva turning to politics (By FORCE!! INNOCENT Russians should be allowed to compete!!), it's left to Jenn Suhr and Sandi Morris to attack this WR of 16-6--held by Suhr!
I'll take a chance, and give this one 80-20 odds of going down!!
Forget the SP mark of 73-10---until maybe 2117!!
The WT mark is also a toughie, but much more THIS century---and maybe this YEAR!!
Give it 60-40 odds!
(I wish Anita Wlodarczyk would try this!!)
The 5000 points barrier in the Pentathlon has a slightly open door.
Will KJT take it on?
If so, give it (Her!!) 80-20 odds!
Without her, reverse those numbers!
As with the Men, the Relays are impossible to predict!
UNITED STATES
The 6.95 WR in the 60 is doable, but unlikely!
Give it 30-70 odds!
The 22.18 over a single INdoor lap is easier, so give it 60-40 odds!
And it gets even better with the 400 time of 50.46!
Give that one 70-30 odds!
See my World remarks about Montano's 600!
We have several fast 400 gals, and several more with 800 strength!
If a good race (at USATF??) is organized, give this 60-40 odds!
Ditto with the 800 AR of 1:58.71.
A few years back, I'd have called you insane if you'd suggested this record was likely to go down!
But now the US is World Class in the distances--from 800 on up!
Go for it, Ladies!
70-30 odds!
And that 1000 of 2:34.19?
Should have gone down when Mary Cain ran that 2:35.80!
(If the pacing had been better...!)
Too many candidates to list them, but suffice to say, this gets 80-20 odds!!
Given the perfect race with the best runners, ALL of the distance AR's are fair targets!
Best bets are the 2 Mile (9:18.35) and the 5000 (14:47.62).
Those get 70-30 odds!
The 3:59.98 and 4:20.5 for the 1500 and Mile get 60-40 odds!
The most difficult---but still possible!--is the 3000 of 8:33.25!
But remember, both Jenny Simpson and Shannon Rowbury have run sub-8:30's OUTdoors!!
Give that one 40-60 odds!
See my World remarks about the 60H.
Same applies here---ESPECIALLY here!!
Can still-a-teen Vashti Cunningham take the HJ record down!
She's 1.25 inches shy, but a year older!!
Give it (Her!) 70-30 odds!
But watch also for Chaunte Lowe!
Ms Reese gets 80-20 odds here.
Without her, the LJ odds are reduced to 30-70!
Keturah Orji TJ'ed over a foot and a half longer than Sheila Hudson's AR!!
If she doesn't OBLITERATE this US standard, call me a monkey's uncle!!
See my World remarks for my PV predictions!
(Since both of the top candidates are Americans!!)
Michelle Carter CAN take down her own AR in the SP.
But watch for major improvements coming from Raven Saunders!
Give Carter 70-30 odds, with Saunders getting 20-80 odds!
The WT is vulnerable, but unlikely!
Ditto for the Pentathlon mark of 4805 points!
Can Kendell Williams top that?
60-40 odds!
I've heard rumors that a US team is being put together for a big race in the DMR!
If that comes to reality, odds are 100-0 for a HUGE chunk of time being lopped off the 10:42.57 standard!!
COLLEGIATE
Of the three sprints, the 200 CR of 22.40 is the most likely to fall!
80-20 odds there!
Reduce those odds to 60-40 for the 60 (7.08) and 400 (50.46)!
The 600 standard (1:27.78) is a relatively easy mark!
(A 57, then add a 200 in 30.7!!)
If raced on a LEGAL track, give it 70-30 odds!
The 800 gets the same odds.
As for the 1000 mark of 2:40.82, keep in mind Jazmine Fray's opening shot of 2:43.15 detailed in an earlier post!
This CR should be well under 2:40!
Give it 80-20 odds!
EVERY distance CR has a barn door as its target--painted bright red!!
With HS'ers having run faster than the 1500 mark of 4:09.77 (at least OUTdoors!!), I give this one 80-20 odds!
The Mile mark of 4:25.91 is a bit tougher, but not for the current crew!
Give that 70-30 odds!
Then there's the 3000 (8:42.03) and 5000 (15:12.22)!
The Women who can take those down are there--but OT's and race strategy are two reasons I'm giving them "just" 40-60 odds!
The 7.78 CR in the 60H is tough--by Brianna Rollins, no less!!--but vulnerable!
Give it 70-30 odds!
The HJ--here as elsewhere--is fairly weak!
So no go for the CR!
The LJ mark of 22-8 gets 40-60 odds!
See my US remarks about the TJ!!
Will Lexi Weeks add a couple of inches to her OUTdoor PR of 15-5?
Are any other Collegians ready to make 15 feet a habit?
YES!
Give this 70-30 odds!
Watch for Raven Saunders to raise her own CR in the Shot Put!
Main question is---By how many FEET??
90-10 odds!
See my World and US remarks about the WT!
And see my comments on Kendell Williams about the Pentathlon CR!
Would love to see a Stanford vs Oregon race over the DMR distance--but NOT in Seattle!
If they're on, the CR of 10:50.98 gets 70-30 odds!!
HIGH SCHOOL
Candace Hill is still in HS, but she's a Pro now!
But Lauren Rain Williams isn't!
Odds for the 60 (7.19) are 50-50.
Odds for the 200 (22.97) get a whole lot better---70-30!!
As for Sydney McLaughlin taking out her own 400 HSR of 51.84, keep in mind her opening INdoor event was the LJ!!
But if she runs it, it goes DOWN!!
Give it 100-0 odds with Syd in the race!!
The 600 record of 1:28.87 dates from 2015!
With Sammy Watson in the mix, give this one 80-20 odds!
She even has a shot at Mary Decker (Slaney's) venerable 800 record of 2:01.8!
AND the 1000 mark of 2:43.40!
(Mary Cain's fast 1000's were run as a Professional!!)
The 1K HSR gets 90-10 odds--especially with Watson and/or Kate Murphy in the race!!
Murphy has the street cred to attack ALL the HSR's from the 1500 to the 5000 with alacrity!!
Yes, even the 4 of them held by the inimitable Ms Cain from 2013!!
IF Murphy (and a few others of note) truly go after them, EVERY one of them can go!
Best bets are---ALL of them!!
Give all of them 80-20 odds with a committed attack by Murph the Surf!!
(To get them all, she'd have to race against Pro's & Collegians at Millrose or Boston--besides at NBIN!!)
With Tia Jones back as a Soph, and several others following through on a spectacular Hurdles year in 2016, look for the 8 second barrier to be broken in 2017!!
Give the 8.02 HSR 80-20 odds!
No good HJ'ers in sight!
ZERO odds for Vashti Cunningham's great HSR!
With Ms McLaughlin (See my Men's post from earlier today!) already having LJ'ed 20-7.25, look for her to challenge the HSR of 21-7.50--unless someone else gets there first!
60-40 odds!
Tara Davis would have to add over 18 inches to get the TJ record!
But watch for Jasmine Moore and Titiana Marsh also!
Odds there are 40-60!
Rachel Baxter--14-3 last year--can get Tori Weeks's HSR--just 1 inch higher!
Give this 70-30 odds!
See my report on Alyssa Wilson's opener in the SP!!
Raven Saunders HSR is-a-goner!!
90-10 odds--barring injury, etc!
The WT mark is safe!
As is the Pentathlon mark!
The latter gets 20-80 odds!
As with all the other sections, ALL of the Relay HSR's are fair to extremely easy targets!
Question remains---are there teams with more than 1 superstar??
The only HS PRO still in the game is Candace Hill!
If she runs INdoors, her 7.32 mark over 60 meters is most vulnerable!!
If nothing much happens between now and December 25th, then I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!!
2017 INdoor Records Predictions--MEN
Well, here we are again, at the beginning of another exciting INdoor season!
If you read my earlier posts (and read the results I have for you below!), you know there's already been some good marks--but no major INdoor records!
Will there be?
Before I get started, here's the latest marks of note--
Chantz Sawyers (Interesting 1st name!!) ran 500 meters in 1:02.53.
While the 500 is an event I don't have a list for, luckily I just received Jack Shepard's 2017 edition of HS Track---which DOES have an A-T list for this event!!
Sawyers's time ranks 3rd A-T HS!!
Pretty amazing, especially considering it's not even Christmas yet!!
Alyssa Wilson looks to be on the perfect track (so to speak!!) to take down Raven Saunders's HSR in the SP!!
She opened her season at the Bishop Loughlin Games with a super PR of 55-9.50--a 10.50 inches improvement on her PR!
While she remains 2nd A-T HS, she is that much closer to the phenomenal Ms Saunders!!
Wilson also PR'ed in the WT--tossing it out 57-5.75--missing the HS DDD by 5.75 inches!!
Then there's Super Hurdler Sydney McLaughlin!
This World Class Hurdler became 10th A-T HS, tied with 1 other--on the INdoor LONG JUMP list!!
Her 20-7.25 bodes well for a great final HS season!!
RECORDS!!
Which, if any, will fall this INdoor season in my 4 core groups--World, US, Collegiate, and HS?
And which have NO chance of going down?
The odds?
Well, let's see!
The only real "rule" I have says NO Oversize Track marks!
As always, the Men go first, as this will be a two-post baby--the Women to follow a few hours later!
WORLD
The 60 and 200 (6.39 & 19.92) have ZERO chance of going down!
The 60's too tough, while it's rare to see a World Class 200 nowadays!
As for that 400 of 44.57, it SHOULD fall, but probably won't, as the best guys (like Wayde Van Niekerk!!) don't normally race INdoors!
But the odds are a bit better than the shorter sprints--maybe 40-60?
That 500 of 59.83 could fall, but again, it would take a fast 400 guy to get it!
(Not to mention having a meet HOLD that event!!)
The 600--a popular event INdoors--has 30-70 odds.
The 800 can fall, but without the very best in there, the odds are less than 50-50!
The 1000 went down in 2016!
Can it go again?
Sure, IF.....!!
So give it 70-30 odds!
The Men's Distances are all pretty safe!
While the 1500 & Mile are slow, compared to their OUTdoor equivalents, I see neither going down!
Even if Matthew Centrowitz decides to RUN the entire distance--not just the final 400!
I'll give both 60-40 odds!
The 2000 WR of 4:49.99 is safe---mainly for lack of opportunity!
The 3000 (7:24.90) gets 30-70 odds, while the Two Mile (8:03.40) has 50-50 odds, IF any major deuces are run!
That 5000 (12:49.60)?
Forget it!
The 60H of 7.30 is other-worldly!!
If anybody broke 7.40, it would have a good chance for Performance of the Year!!
So ZERO odds!
The HJ is in a slump, so that WR is safe another year!
As is the LJ of 28-10.25!
But if Christian Taylor (And??) compete INdoors, the TJ World Record WILL fall!!
With the best competing, I give it 80-20 odds!
Renaud Lavillenie is almost certain to take some attempts at his own WR!
But I just don't see him getting it!
So give it (Him??) 40-60 odds!
There's Thiago Braz & Sam Kendricks, but both are too far from the record--now!
Ryan Crouser could nail the SP record!
IF he's on, give him 70-30 odds.
Without him in the mix, give the record 20-80 odds!
As for the Weight Throw, Lance Deal's WR of 84-10.25 is just too good.
But it still gets 30-70 odds!
Will Ashton Eaton do a Heptathlon??
Without an INdoor WC, I just don't see his WR of 6645 points falling this year!
Give it 20-80 odds!
The Relays?
As always, these are hard to predict!
It takes the right teams--all going for a record!
Best bet seems to be the 4X800!
UNITED STATES
The 60 is safe! (See the World section!)
The 200 is less so, but it would take some top Ameicans getting the opportunity!
So maybe 40-60 odds for 200!
See the World section for my take on the 400!
The 600 US record of 1:15.33 is vulnerable, with 60-40 odds!
As is the 1:45.00 in the 800!
Give that one 70-30 odds!
The 1000 gets even better odds, at 80-20!
With Centro threatening (promising??) to race the entire distance, both the 1500 (3:33.34) and Mile (3:49.89) have 80-20 odds of going down.
If Centro is injured (Or???), forget it!
Galen Rupp's AR's in the 3000 (7:30.16), 2 Mile (8:07.41), and 5000 (13:01.26) COULD all go down---IF the best run them with the ONLY "strategy" being to GET the American Record!!
Good luck!
I'll give the Deuce the best odds, at 70-30, with the others getting 30-70!
While the 60H AR is "just" 7.36, it's still too tough!
Give it ZERO odds!
Can Erik Kynard take the HJ record down--without the bar falling too?
(Obviously, if one falls, the other doesn't!! LOL)
Give it 40-60 odds!
The LJ is safe---VERY safe!
But that TJ record should go---so give it 90-10 odds!
Kendricks CAN at least match the AR in the PV---19-9---but probably won't!
So give it 20-80 odds!
As with the World Record, give the SP the same odds, with the same caveats!
Ditto the WT mark!
AND the Heptathlon!!
Watch for the DMR and the 4X800 AR's to have the best chances!
COLLEGIATE
The 60 is pretty fast (6.45), so give it 20-80 odds, with the 200 (Even though Noah Lyles is racing as a Pro!!) getting 30-70 odds!
That 400 (The WR!!) is absolutely safe!!
With some fast 800 guys, look for the 600 (1:15.79), 800 (1:44.84), and 1000 (2:18.26) as having good chances of falling!
Can all three go down?
Sure, but give the 1000 the best odds--at 70-30--with the 800 getting 60-40 odds, and the 600 maybe 70-30 also!
Will Ed Cheserek want to go after RECORDS in his final Collegiate year--or continue his MoBot madness?
(With Patrick Tiernan out of College, leave it to Justyn Knight to challenge The King!)
The 1500 (3:37.25) and Mile (3:52.88) can both go, but will need to see the best running their fastest on LEGAL tracks---i.e 200 meters in circumference!
Not always a given in Collegiate Track!!
Give both 60-40 odds!
As for the 3000 (7:38.59), Ches ran within 2 seconds of that last year!
Give it 70-30 odds!
But the 5000 CR of 13:08.28 is just too far from anyone's barnside to give it better than---ZERO odds!!
Is anyone around who can take down the 7.45 CR in the 60H?
Sure, but they won't!
Give it 20-80 odds!
Forget the HJ, LJ, and TJ records!
All get close to zero odds---at best 5-95 for each!!
The PV mark is safe!
As is the SP mark!
The WT sometimes produces "unknowns" who rise rapidly to challenge records!
This year?
Give the WT CR 20-80 odds!
While there're some good Multis guys around, give the Heptathlon CR of 6499 at least another year on the throne!
Relays take a full TEAM, not just 1 or 2 super individuals.
However, all 3 CR's could go here--the 4X400 of 3:02.86, the 4X800 of 7:17.45, and the DMR of 9:25.97!
But NOT at Seattle or Notre Dame--if you get my drift!!
HIGH SCHOOL
What will Tyrese Cooper run this year?
He has the ABILITY to chase the 60, 200, and 400 HSR's!
Especially the two latter!
Give the 200 AND 400 80-20 odds, with the 60 being much closer to the DMZ of T&F Records--maybe 20-80 odds!
Can Chantz Sawyers (See above!) move up another 100 meters, and take down the 600 HSR of 1:17.58?
Give it 60-40 odds!
The 800 has lots of good returnees, so give it (1:49.21) and the 1000 (2:22.28) 60-40 odds of falling!
With no sub-4 guys left in the HS ranks, Drew Hunter's HSR's in the 1500 and Mile are safe---with each getting 10-90 odds!
Ditto Hunter's 3000 mark of 7:59.33.
But give that one 30-70 odds!
And Cheserek's 2 Mile of 8:39.15, or his 5000 HSR of 13:57.04?
Both could go, but guys like Reed Brown and Casey Clinger would have to PR mightily to get close!
Give those 30-70's also!
Trey Cunninghasm opened in the 60H with a 7.63!
(See a previous post!!)
Give him, and the HSR of 7.53 70-30 odds!
The HJ this year has a good chance of going down--getting 70-30 odds!
I think the LJ and TJ are safe, but give them each 40-60 odds!
Mondo Duplantis hasn't opened up his INdoor season yet!
Assuming he competes, the HSR WILL fall!!
Give it 90-10 odds---IF Duplantis competes!
Otherwise, it has ZERO chances!!
THREE great SP'ers (Jordan Geist, Adrian Piperi, and Bronson Osborn) are all back this year!
But can any of them take down Ryan Crouser's HSR of 77-2.50??
YES!!
I give Geist the best shot (Sic!!), but watch them all!
Odds are 70-30!
But forget the WT record!!
No relays predictions--Sorry!!
Just too many unknowns!
Except one!
The HS Relay records are ALL vulnerable!!
Exciting to contemplate!
The Women's Predictions will follow in a few hours!
If you read my earlier posts (and read the results I have for you below!), you know there's already been some good marks--but no major INdoor records!
Will there be?
Before I get started, here's the latest marks of note--
Chantz Sawyers (Interesting 1st name!!) ran 500 meters in 1:02.53.
While the 500 is an event I don't have a list for, luckily I just received Jack Shepard's 2017 edition of HS Track---which DOES have an A-T list for this event!!
Sawyers's time ranks 3rd A-T HS!!
Pretty amazing, especially considering it's not even Christmas yet!!
Alyssa Wilson looks to be on the perfect track (so to speak!!) to take down Raven Saunders's HSR in the SP!!
She opened her season at the Bishop Loughlin Games with a super PR of 55-9.50--a 10.50 inches improvement on her PR!
While she remains 2nd A-T HS, she is that much closer to the phenomenal Ms Saunders!!
Wilson also PR'ed in the WT--tossing it out 57-5.75--missing the HS DDD by 5.75 inches!!
Then there's Super Hurdler Sydney McLaughlin!
This World Class Hurdler became 10th A-T HS, tied with 1 other--on the INdoor LONG JUMP list!!
Her 20-7.25 bodes well for a great final HS season!!
RECORDS!!
Which, if any, will fall this INdoor season in my 4 core groups--World, US, Collegiate, and HS?
And which have NO chance of going down?
The odds?
Well, let's see!
The only real "rule" I have says NO Oversize Track marks!
As always, the Men go first, as this will be a two-post baby--the Women to follow a few hours later!
WORLD
The 60 and 200 (6.39 & 19.92) have ZERO chance of going down!
The 60's too tough, while it's rare to see a World Class 200 nowadays!
As for that 400 of 44.57, it SHOULD fall, but probably won't, as the best guys (like Wayde Van Niekerk!!) don't normally race INdoors!
But the odds are a bit better than the shorter sprints--maybe 40-60?
That 500 of 59.83 could fall, but again, it would take a fast 400 guy to get it!
(Not to mention having a meet HOLD that event!!)
The 600--a popular event INdoors--has 30-70 odds.
The 800 can fall, but without the very best in there, the odds are less than 50-50!
The 1000 went down in 2016!
Can it go again?
Sure, IF.....!!
So give it 70-30 odds!
The Men's Distances are all pretty safe!
While the 1500 & Mile are slow, compared to their OUTdoor equivalents, I see neither going down!
Even if Matthew Centrowitz decides to RUN the entire distance--not just the final 400!
I'll give both 60-40 odds!
The 2000 WR of 4:49.99 is safe---mainly for lack of opportunity!
The 3000 (7:24.90) gets 30-70 odds, while the Two Mile (8:03.40) has 50-50 odds, IF any major deuces are run!
That 5000 (12:49.60)?
Forget it!
The 60H of 7.30 is other-worldly!!
If anybody broke 7.40, it would have a good chance for Performance of the Year!!
So ZERO odds!
The HJ is in a slump, so that WR is safe another year!
As is the LJ of 28-10.25!
But if Christian Taylor (And??) compete INdoors, the TJ World Record WILL fall!!
With the best competing, I give it 80-20 odds!
Renaud Lavillenie is almost certain to take some attempts at his own WR!
But I just don't see him getting it!
So give it (Him??) 40-60 odds!
There's Thiago Braz & Sam Kendricks, but both are too far from the record--now!
Ryan Crouser could nail the SP record!
IF he's on, give him 70-30 odds.
Without him in the mix, give the record 20-80 odds!
As for the Weight Throw, Lance Deal's WR of 84-10.25 is just too good.
But it still gets 30-70 odds!
Will Ashton Eaton do a Heptathlon??
Without an INdoor WC, I just don't see his WR of 6645 points falling this year!
Give it 20-80 odds!
The Relays?
As always, these are hard to predict!
It takes the right teams--all going for a record!
Best bet seems to be the 4X800!
UNITED STATES
The 60 is safe! (See the World section!)
The 200 is less so, but it would take some top Ameicans getting the opportunity!
So maybe 40-60 odds for 200!
See the World section for my take on the 400!
The 600 US record of 1:15.33 is vulnerable, with 60-40 odds!
As is the 1:45.00 in the 800!
Give that one 70-30 odds!
The 1000 gets even better odds, at 80-20!
With Centro threatening (promising??) to race the entire distance, both the 1500 (3:33.34) and Mile (3:49.89) have 80-20 odds of going down.
If Centro is injured (Or???), forget it!
Galen Rupp's AR's in the 3000 (7:30.16), 2 Mile (8:07.41), and 5000 (13:01.26) COULD all go down---IF the best run them with the ONLY "strategy" being to GET the American Record!!
Good luck!
I'll give the Deuce the best odds, at 70-30, with the others getting 30-70!
While the 60H AR is "just" 7.36, it's still too tough!
Give it ZERO odds!
Can Erik Kynard take the HJ record down--without the bar falling too?
(Obviously, if one falls, the other doesn't!! LOL)
Give it 40-60 odds!
The LJ is safe---VERY safe!
But that TJ record should go---so give it 90-10 odds!
Kendricks CAN at least match the AR in the PV---19-9---but probably won't!
So give it 20-80 odds!
As with the World Record, give the SP the same odds, with the same caveats!
Ditto the WT mark!
AND the Heptathlon!!
Watch for the DMR and the 4X800 AR's to have the best chances!
COLLEGIATE
The 60 is pretty fast (6.45), so give it 20-80 odds, with the 200 (Even though Noah Lyles is racing as a Pro!!) getting 30-70 odds!
That 400 (The WR!!) is absolutely safe!!
With some fast 800 guys, look for the 600 (1:15.79), 800 (1:44.84), and 1000 (2:18.26) as having good chances of falling!
Can all three go down?
Sure, but give the 1000 the best odds--at 70-30--with the 800 getting 60-40 odds, and the 600 maybe 70-30 also!
Will Ed Cheserek want to go after RECORDS in his final Collegiate year--or continue his MoBot madness?
(With Patrick Tiernan out of College, leave it to Justyn Knight to challenge The King!)
The 1500 (3:37.25) and Mile (3:52.88) can both go, but will need to see the best running their fastest on LEGAL tracks---i.e 200 meters in circumference!
Not always a given in Collegiate Track!!
Give both 60-40 odds!
As for the 3000 (7:38.59), Ches ran within 2 seconds of that last year!
Give it 70-30 odds!
But the 5000 CR of 13:08.28 is just too far from anyone's barnside to give it better than---ZERO odds!!
Is anyone around who can take down the 7.45 CR in the 60H?
Sure, but they won't!
Give it 20-80 odds!
Forget the HJ, LJ, and TJ records!
All get close to zero odds---at best 5-95 for each!!
The PV mark is safe!
As is the SP mark!
The WT sometimes produces "unknowns" who rise rapidly to challenge records!
This year?
Give the WT CR 20-80 odds!
While there're some good Multis guys around, give the Heptathlon CR of 6499 at least another year on the throne!
Relays take a full TEAM, not just 1 or 2 super individuals.
However, all 3 CR's could go here--the 4X400 of 3:02.86, the 4X800 of 7:17.45, and the DMR of 9:25.97!
But NOT at Seattle or Notre Dame--if you get my drift!!
HIGH SCHOOL
What will Tyrese Cooper run this year?
He has the ABILITY to chase the 60, 200, and 400 HSR's!
Especially the two latter!
Give the 200 AND 400 80-20 odds, with the 60 being much closer to the DMZ of T&F Records--maybe 20-80 odds!
Can Chantz Sawyers (See above!) move up another 100 meters, and take down the 600 HSR of 1:17.58?
Give it 60-40 odds!
The 800 has lots of good returnees, so give it (1:49.21) and the 1000 (2:22.28) 60-40 odds of falling!
With no sub-4 guys left in the HS ranks, Drew Hunter's HSR's in the 1500 and Mile are safe---with each getting 10-90 odds!
Ditto Hunter's 3000 mark of 7:59.33.
But give that one 30-70 odds!
And Cheserek's 2 Mile of 8:39.15, or his 5000 HSR of 13:57.04?
Both could go, but guys like Reed Brown and Casey Clinger would have to PR mightily to get close!
Give those 30-70's also!
Trey Cunninghasm opened in the 60H with a 7.63!
(See a previous post!!)
Give him, and the HSR of 7.53 70-30 odds!
The HJ this year has a good chance of going down--getting 70-30 odds!
I think the LJ and TJ are safe, but give them each 40-60 odds!
Mondo Duplantis hasn't opened up his INdoor season yet!
Assuming he competes, the HSR WILL fall!!
Give it 90-10 odds---IF Duplantis competes!
Otherwise, it has ZERO chances!!
THREE great SP'ers (Jordan Geist, Adrian Piperi, and Bronson Osborn) are all back this year!
But can any of them take down Ryan Crouser's HSR of 77-2.50??
YES!!
I give Geist the best shot (Sic!!), but watch them all!
Odds are 70-30!
But forget the WT record!!
No relays predictions--Sorry!!
Just too many unknowns!
Except one!
The HS Relay records are ALL vulnerable!!
Exciting to contemplate!
The Women's Predictions will follow in a few hours!
Sunday, December 11, 2016
New Stars emerge at Footlocker & INdoors
And I thought Cross Country was done & fried!
Well, except for Footlocker's Races of Studs!
HA!!
Hang tight, my sturdy readers, I have news for you!!
Yes, those final HS XC races of 2016 were truly "races of studs".
While missing most of those who ran the previous week at NXN, both races gave us new names to be shocked & awed by!
Claudia Lane.
She'd begun her running career just over a year ago!
Her track PR's this past spring were a dull 5:09 and 11:00.
And she was being matched against a girl--Nevada Mareno---who'd run 4:43 & 10:00.
A slight difference in talent, yes?
NO!
Taking the lead after 600 meters, Lane opened a lead she never relinquished!
Mareno calmly worked her way up to Lane's shoulder, and was rarely more than 10 meters behind--always a threat!
Surely her kick would suffice against the newcomer!
Again, NO!
When it came to a kick, it was Lane who produced, not Mareno!
She won by 25 meters, 17:05 to 17:09!
Rebecca Story, who ran good all season, was 3rd, but WAY back, timed in 17:36!!
Julia Heymach, another fast Miler, was 16th, time of 17:59!
The guys race played out a bit differently!
With no clear favorites, but with an interesting pairing of brothers Noah & Sam Affolder, as well as Luis Grivalja & Seth Hirsch being recognizable names, this was a race to watch!
(BTW, the FREE livestream was excellent in every way!! You can watch both races through FloTrack or Runner Space!)
Hirsch led a lot of the race, but was never really in control!
A couple of times, Reed Brown would sprint ahead, only to be reeled in within 50 meters!
Still a "race" entering the final 200, it was Brown's kick that did the trick, as his 15:02 was 20 meters in front of surprising Finn Gessner's 15:05.
Hirsch was 3rd in the same time!
The older Affolder--Noah--was 6th in 15:11, while Sam Worley was 9th, with Grivalja in 13th, time of 15:24.
Sam Affolder--the Frosh Class record holder in the 3000SC--now a Soph, finished last, or 40th, time of 16:13!!
Then there was the USATF XC Club Championships, held in Florida, home of the Noles, one of whom was Olympic Steepler Colleen Quigley!
And she just happened to WIN the race going away!
Her 19:31 prevailed over Sarah Pagano's 19:36, and Sammy Silva's same time 3rd!
Allie Buchalski and Emily Lipari were next in line, both timed in 19:37!
Tara Welling's 19:43 was 6th, with Emma Bates's 19:59 taking 9th!
Molly Seidel--running unattached--was 14th in 20:13, with ageless Jen Rhines a "masterful" (sic!) 21st, time of 20:30!!
For the Men, it was all Sam Chelanga, winning his first USATF Championship, timed in 28:55!!
Stan Kebenei's 29:04 was well back in 2nd, with Morgan Pearson just one second behind!
Hillary Bor took 4th in 29:13, with Thomas Curtin next in 29:17!
Trevor Dunbar's 29:29 took 9th.
Parker Stinson finished in 25th in 30:09.
And guess who ended in 229th place?
None other than the almost unrecognizable muscular Alan Webb!!
His time was 34:45!!
Before moving INdoors, let's see who prevailed at the European XC Champs!
The Under 20 sets were taken by Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, two fairly "known" names in teen running circles!
The Under 23's went to Isaac Kimeli and Sofia Ennaoui.
In the Women's race, Alice Wright was 3rd, with Jessica Judd in 12th--but back in the game!
The Senior races went to "Turks" Yasmine Can and Aras Kaya!
(There was some pointed commentary on Twitter about the current nature of these "European" fields!! Yet the same might be said about "United States" fields, with several frontrunners coming from FAR, not near--so to speak!! Perhaps I'll have more to say on this topic in a future post!!)
OK, to the world of INdoor Track and Field!!
It's just the 2nd week of December, with about three full months to go, but we already have some list-making marks to report!
(See my earlier posts for other good marks, plus all my INdoor season Previews!!)
Jazmine Fray--NOT a name that rolls off your tongue when thinking of HOT runners to watch--"HOT" in the sense of talent & potential!! LOL
Coming in with a 2:50 time as a Frosh last year in the 1000, she blew that PR to bits with her solo 2:43.15 at the Texas A&M Reveille Invitational, the first of several meets to be held this season at A&M!! See my INdoor schedule post!!
Winning by about 14 seconds (!!), Fray is now 16th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other.
But more importantly, she now holds the Soph Class Record!!
Brian Barraza ran a historic race too!
His 3:58.66 Mile runaway (He won by about 17 seconds!!) is the FIRST sub-4 Mile run in the month of December INdoors--ever!!
Other good marks coming from this meet include--
Fred Kerley's 200 of 20.85
Grace Barnett's Mile of 4:35.66
And Pro Amanda Bingson's non-PR Weight Throw of 72-6.25!!
Another good meet was the Hoosier Open!
Marc Scott ran the quickest Men's 5000 of the new season, his 13:38.87 missing my Collegiate DDD by 1.84 seconds!!
Ed Kibichiy took 2nd in 13:42.24!
Christian Coleman sped 300 meters in 33.28, beating the 33.64 of Nate Strother!
Jawanna Oliver sped a 7.23 over 60 meters!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn doubled in the 200 (23.55) and 60H (a PR of 8.10)!
(I'm guessing JCQ can go MUCH faster in her specialty!!)
Regina George won a tough 500, her 1:11.49 winniing over Symone Black's 1:11.68.
Katherine Recevier (sp.??) ran 5000 in 15:50.30.
But it was Sha'keela Saunders who really made her mark--so to speak!
Her 22-1 LJ ranks 10th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
But it also is 14th A-T US!!
I have a few more marks--one a week or more old!--to report!
The "oldie" is Luca Weiland's Heptathlon score of 6089, a 19 point gain on his PR!
But he remains 9th A-T Collegiate!!
Trey Cunningham began his Senior HS season with a list-making time!
He blasted a 7.63 over the 60H.
This moves him from 12th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 8th!
He also ran a 60 without hurdles, time of 6.90!
Jessica Lawson followed a strong performance at NXN, running 1500 meters in 4:26.44, making her 21st A-T HS!!
Knocked OFF my list was the iconic Joetta Clark, her 4:27.2 dating back to 1979!!
On an Oversize Track (Kent State), Brycen Spratling ran the 500 in 1:01.30!
Moving OUTdoors for a moment, NCAA Cross winner Patrick Tiernan won the Zatopek 10000 in Australia with 27:59.74!
This was his first-ever track 10K!!
BTW, this was run as an "open" runner, as he's finished his Collegiate career!!
Okay, folks, I've got some amendments to my Class Records report I did recently--for High Schoolers!
Let me explain!
These marks aren't new!
But I received my 2017 edition of Jack Shepard's HS Track book yesterday.
Browsing through it--specifically the Class Records sections--both INdoors and OUTdoors--I found a few "new" marks I'd somehow missed!
Maybe they were never reported--by eTN or MileSplit--or maybe they were, and I missed seeing them!
Whatever the case, they deserve to be reported now.
OUTdoors first!
Joe Rosa's 8:08.86 from 2010 over 3000 meters is the Junior Class Record.
BTW, this replaces a mark by Galen Rupp I'd had in my own T&F Record Book!
Damion Thomas's 14.05 from 2014 is the Frosh Class Record for the 39 inch 110H!!
Sophia Rivera's 180-4 Javelin Throw is the "new" Senior Class Record, dating from 2016!
Tyra Gittens replaces one of Kendell Williams's MANY Class Records, taking over the Frosh Class slot with her Heptathlon score of 4934, which dates from 2014!!
And Bobby Colantonio gets a PAIR of Class Records!!
For the Frosh Class Record, I had the correct mark--168-2 in the HT from 2013--but the wrong athlete!!
It's Colantonio who holds that CR!
He also has the Soph Class Record, which is his 192-9 from 2014!
INdoors, there's just two corrections--or updates, if you please!!
Sam Toolin's 1500 time of 4:01.09 from 2016 is the "new" Frosh Class Record!
And Kelsey Chmiel's 9:41.73 over 3000 meters takes home the Women's Frosh Class Record--this dating from 2016!
Not 100% sure, but I think the next couple of weeks might be fairly quiet, marks-wise, as the Christmas and New Year's break is nigh!
But I WILL have my INdoor predictions for my 4 core groups--WR's, US records, CR's, and HSR's!!
And any marks that DO happen during this "rest" period!
Then there's my AOY posts for OUTdoor World and US coming on New Year's Eve!!
See you all soon!!
Well, except for Footlocker's Races of Studs!
HA!!
Hang tight, my sturdy readers, I have news for you!!
Yes, those final HS XC races of 2016 were truly "races of studs".
While missing most of those who ran the previous week at NXN, both races gave us new names to be shocked & awed by!
Claudia Lane.
She'd begun her running career just over a year ago!
Her track PR's this past spring were a dull 5:09 and 11:00.
And she was being matched against a girl--Nevada Mareno---who'd run 4:43 & 10:00.
A slight difference in talent, yes?
NO!
Taking the lead after 600 meters, Lane opened a lead she never relinquished!
Mareno calmly worked her way up to Lane's shoulder, and was rarely more than 10 meters behind--always a threat!
Surely her kick would suffice against the newcomer!
Again, NO!
When it came to a kick, it was Lane who produced, not Mareno!
She won by 25 meters, 17:05 to 17:09!
Rebecca Story, who ran good all season, was 3rd, but WAY back, timed in 17:36!!
Julia Heymach, another fast Miler, was 16th, time of 17:59!
The guys race played out a bit differently!
With no clear favorites, but with an interesting pairing of brothers Noah & Sam Affolder, as well as Luis Grivalja & Seth Hirsch being recognizable names, this was a race to watch!
(BTW, the FREE livestream was excellent in every way!! You can watch both races through FloTrack or Runner Space!)
Hirsch led a lot of the race, but was never really in control!
A couple of times, Reed Brown would sprint ahead, only to be reeled in within 50 meters!
Still a "race" entering the final 200, it was Brown's kick that did the trick, as his 15:02 was 20 meters in front of surprising Finn Gessner's 15:05.
Hirsch was 3rd in the same time!
The older Affolder--Noah--was 6th in 15:11, while Sam Worley was 9th, with Grivalja in 13th, time of 15:24.
Sam Affolder--the Frosh Class record holder in the 3000SC--now a Soph, finished last, or 40th, time of 16:13!!
Then there was the USATF XC Club Championships, held in Florida, home of the Noles, one of whom was Olympic Steepler Colleen Quigley!
And she just happened to WIN the race going away!
Her 19:31 prevailed over Sarah Pagano's 19:36, and Sammy Silva's same time 3rd!
Allie Buchalski and Emily Lipari were next in line, both timed in 19:37!
Tara Welling's 19:43 was 6th, with Emma Bates's 19:59 taking 9th!
Molly Seidel--running unattached--was 14th in 20:13, with ageless Jen Rhines a "masterful" (sic!) 21st, time of 20:30!!
For the Men, it was all Sam Chelanga, winning his first USATF Championship, timed in 28:55!!
Stan Kebenei's 29:04 was well back in 2nd, with Morgan Pearson just one second behind!
Hillary Bor took 4th in 29:13, with Thomas Curtin next in 29:17!
Trevor Dunbar's 29:29 took 9th.
Parker Stinson finished in 25th in 30:09.
And guess who ended in 229th place?
None other than the almost unrecognizable muscular Alan Webb!!
His time was 34:45!!
Before moving INdoors, let's see who prevailed at the European XC Champs!
The Under 20 sets were taken by Konstanze Klosterhalfen and Jakob Ingebrigtsen, two fairly "known" names in teen running circles!
The Under 23's went to Isaac Kimeli and Sofia Ennaoui.
In the Women's race, Alice Wright was 3rd, with Jessica Judd in 12th--but back in the game!
The Senior races went to "Turks" Yasmine Can and Aras Kaya!
(There was some pointed commentary on Twitter about the current nature of these "European" fields!! Yet the same might be said about "United States" fields, with several frontrunners coming from FAR, not near--so to speak!! Perhaps I'll have more to say on this topic in a future post!!)
OK, to the world of INdoor Track and Field!!
It's just the 2nd week of December, with about three full months to go, but we already have some list-making marks to report!
(See my earlier posts for other good marks, plus all my INdoor season Previews!!)
Jazmine Fray--NOT a name that rolls off your tongue when thinking of HOT runners to watch--"HOT" in the sense of talent & potential!! LOL
Coming in with a 2:50 time as a Frosh last year in the 1000, she blew that PR to bits with her solo 2:43.15 at the Texas A&M Reveille Invitational, the first of several meets to be held this season at A&M!! See my INdoor schedule post!!
Winning by about 14 seconds (!!), Fray is now 16th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other.
But more importantly, she now holds the Soph Class Record!!
Brian Barraza ran a historic race too!
His 3:58.66 Mile runaway (He won by about 17 seconds!!) is the FIRST sub-4 Mile run in the month of December INdoors--ever!!
Other good marks coming from this meet include--
Fred Kerley's 200 of 20.85
Grace Barnett's Mile of 4:35.66
And Pro Amanda Bingson's non-PR Weight Throw of 72-6.25!!
Another good meet was the Hoosier Open!
Marc Scott ran the quickest Men's 5000 of the new season, his 13:38.87 missing my Collegiate DDD by 1.84 seconds!!
Ed Kibichiy took 2nd in 13:42.24!
Christian Coleman sped 300 meters in 33.28, beating the 33.64 of Nate Strother!
Jawanna Oliver sped a 7.23 over 60 meters!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn doubled in the 200 (23.55) and 60H (a PR of 8.10)!
(I'm guessing JCQ can go MUCH faster in her specialty!!)
Regina George won a tough 500, her 1:11.49 winniing over Symone Black's 1:11.68.
Katherine Recevier (sp.??) ran 5000 in 15:50.30.
But it was Sha'keela Saunders who really made her mark--so to speak!
Her 22-1 LJ ranks 10th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
But it also is 14th A-T US!!
I have a few more marks--one a week or more old!--to report!
The "oldie" is Luca Weiland's Heptathlon score of 6089, a 19 point gain on his PR!
But he remains 9th A-T Collegiate!!
Trey Cunningham began his Senior HS season with a list-making time!
He blasted a 7.63 over the 60H.
This moves him from 12th A-T HS, tied with 2 others, to 8th!
He also ran a 60 without hurdles, time of 6.90!
Jessica Lawson followed a strong performance at NXN, running 1500 meters in 4:26.44, making her 21st A-T HS!!
Knocked OFF my list was the iconic Joetta Clark, her 4:27.2 dating back to 1979!!
On an Oversize Track (Kent State), Brycen Spratling ran the 500 in 1:01.30!
Moving OUTdoors for a moment, NCAA Cross winner Patrick Tiernan won the Zatopek 10000 in Australia with 27:59.74!
This was his first-ever track 10K!!
BTW, this was run as an "open" runner, as he's finished his Collegiate career!!
Okay, folks, I've got some amendments to my Class Records report I did recently--for High Schoolers!
Let me explain!
These marks aren't new!
But I received my 2017 edition of Jack Shepard's HS Track book yesterday.
Browsing through it--specifically the Class Records sections--both INdoors and OUTdoors--I found a few "new" marks I'd somehow missed!
Maybe they were never reported--by eTN or MileSplit--or maybe they were, and I missed seeing them!
Whatever the case, they deserve to be reported now.
OUTdoors first!
Joe Rosa's 8:08.86 from 2010 over 3000 meters is the Junior Class Record.
BTW, this replaces a mark by Galen Rupp I'd had in my own T&F Record Book!
Damion Thomas's 14.05 from 2014 is the Frosh Class Record for the 39 inch 110H!!
Sophia Rivera's 180-4 Javelin Throw is the "new" Senior Class Record, dating from 2016!
Tyra Gittens replaces one of Kendell Williams's MANY Class Records, taking over the Frosh Class slot with her Heptathlon score of 4934, which dates from 2014!!
And Bobby Colantonio gets a PAIR of Class Records!!
For the Frosh Class Record, I had the correct mark--168-2 in the HT from 2013--but the wrong athlete!!
It's Colantonio who holds that CR!
He also has the Soph Class Record, which is his 192-9 from 2014!
INdoors, there's just two corrections--or updates, if you please!!
Sam Toolin's 1500 time of 4:01.09 from 2016 is the "new" Frosh Class Record!
And Kelsey Chmiel's 9:41.73 over 3000 meters takes home the Women's Frosh Class Record--this dating from 2016!
Not 100% sure, but I think the next couple of weeks might be fairly quiet, marks-wise, as the Christmas and New Year's break is nigh!
But I WILL have my INdoor predictions for my 4 core groups--WR's, US records, CR's, and HSR's!!
And any marks that DO happen during this "rest" period!
Then there's my AOY posts for OUTdoor World and US coming on New Year's Eve!!
See you all soon!!
Sunday, December 4, 2016
NXN---and INdoors is NOW!
The transition from Cross Country to INdoor Track and Field is almost complete!
Footlocker is next week, and the USATF and World XC races are coming later.
But for the most part, XC is done, and INdoor T&F is here!
And Karissa Schweizer--winner of the NCAA Cross race--has straddled the two realms in list-making fashion!!
In the Boston University Season Opener, the Missouri Junior ran 5000 meters in 15:37.40, putting her name on TWO All-Time lists!!
While 5 others dipped under 16 minutes, this was Schweizer's race!
Her time makes her 14th A-T Collegiate (in her first INdoor 5000 ever!!).
It also gets her on the A-T US list--in 22nd place!!
Not bad for this shock winner of the NCAA Cross!!
What's next for her?
Sarah Collins was one of those getting under 16:00, but she finished just 4th with her 15:54.66.
Ryen Frazier ran, but was only 10th, her time being 16:27.74--about 15 seconds slower than she ran in HS in 2015!!
At the Jack Pyrah Invite, Ajee Wilson won the 1000 in 2:42.71, with Charlene Lipsey finishing just 0.05 seconds back!!
On a 300 meter Oversize Track (Grand Valley State, in Michigan), Nicole Sifuentes beat Shannon Osika by over 7 seconds, timed in 9:01.25 over 3000 meters!
Surprisingly, there were no early Weight Throw marks good enough to report!
Then again, today is December 4th--not December 24th, or January!!
Moving OUTdoors for a moment, New Zealand's 16 year old wonderkind PV'er--Olivia McTaggart--did it again!
Having broken fellow NZ'er Eliza McCartney's NZ Age 16 record once already, she added to her record, reaching 14-1.25!!
Let's stay OUTdoors, shall we?
In the Footlocker West Regional, Claudia Lane's 17:20 was completely dominant, as she won by 35 seconds!!
Talon Hull won the Men's race in 15:28, but his nearest competitor was just 3 seconds behiind!
Luis Grivalja--one of the favorites--finished 4th in 15:42!
A battle of titans took place in the Fukuoka Marathon!
Yemane Tsegay outran Patrick Makau, 2:08:48 to 2:08.57.
Reed Coolsaet set out to (again!!) challenge the Canadian National Record, but fell short, ending in 7th with his 2:10:55!
In the California International Marathon in Sacramento this morning, Stephanie Bruce came back after the (separate!) births of TWO babies to finish 2nd in 2:32:36!!
Think about that, folks!
When the going gets tough, think about Stephanie Bruce giving birth (after carrying each of them for 9 months!!) TWICE in TWO years--before making excuses for yourself!
Such a BEAST!!
Dan Tapia was the top American Male finisher, timed in a good 2:12:28!
NXN--or Nike Cross Nationals!!
WOW!!
For the 2nd year in a row, Casey Clinger took the Men's race, gradually breaking away after about half the race, expanding his lead to 7 seconds over Sam Worley at the tape!
Clinger's time was 15:28.4 on the somewhat muddy and beat-up (by the earlier Women's race!) course in Oregon!
Brodey Hasty, bushy ponytail flying, took 3rd in 15:37.1, just ahead of Seth Hirsch!
Ty Brownlow ended in 14th, 27 seconds behind Clinger.
DJ Principe apparently was ill (a cold??), so finished in 21st in 16:01.
Michael Vernau was 23rd, while Casey's younger brother, Carson Clinger, ended in 99th, time of 16:55.
Bozeman (Montana) was the surprise team winner, scoring 105 points to beat American Fork's 141 and Brentwood's 163!
The Women's race was all Brie Oakley--ranked Number One by Mile Split in their pre-meet poll!
This woman is amazing!
She was a star soccer player for years, only turning to running as a sport in late 2014!
Making swift (sic!) advances in both XC and track in 2015 and this year, she EXPLODED on the NATIONAL scene only this year!
Taking the lead at the 1000 meter point, she increased her lead to 50, then 80, then 100, and finally about 160 or more meters at the tape, winning by a massive 28 seconds over some stiff competition!!
In fact, the one who many "experts" saw as the favorite (including yours truly!!)--Kate Murphy--had some sort of problem, and ended in 33rd, a full minute & 17 seconds behind Oakley!
Obviously, no contest!!
Ember Stratton, another relative newcomer--and unknown to me!--finished 2nd. one second ahead of 3rd placer Lauren Gregory!
Kelsey Chmiel was 5th, 31 seconds back, while 13 year old 8th Grader Grace Ping was a fantastic 6th--in a field of High Schoolers from 1 to 5 years older!!
Her time was 17:48.
Katelyn Tuohy was 13th in 17:58, while Lexy Halladay--another youngster--was 16th in 18:00!
As noted, Kate Murphy inexplicably finished 33rd, while another "favorite"--Annie Hill, was 41st.
Olivia O'Keefe, Fiona's younger sister, was 59th!
For the 10th (!!) time, and 3rd consecutively, Fayetteville-Manlius took the team title with a minute 41 points.
Davis's 181 points took 2nd over the 185 of California rivals Great Oak, aka Temecula TC!
The rest of what I have falls under "off-track news & gossip" categories!
But it's some pretty interesting stuff!!
The IAAF chose their AOY's--and once again stirred the crockpot of controversy!
Giving their awards to Almaz Ayana (over Anita Wlodarczyk and Elaine Thompson) didn't sit well to the world's Twitter-folk!
And even worse was the selection of Usain Bolt over Wayde Van Niekirk!!
Clearly a gross error in judgment!!
At the USATF Annual meeting--after Jackie Joyner-Kersee withdrew from the race at the last minute!!--Vin Lananna was overwhelmingly voted the new President of our National ruling body!
Good luck and have fun!
(HA!!)
Okay, folks, stand by for some obnoxious Bragadoccio--and several "I told you so's!".
The good folks at USATF decided to return to the rule that SEPARATES INdoor records from OUTdoor records--something I've ALWAYS done!!
This means that when they refer to, say, Renaud Lavillenie's 20-2.50 WR, they will call it the INdoor WR--leaving Sergey Bubka's 20-1.75 as the OUTdoor WR--no "absolutes" or "comprehensives" about it!!
Yep, I TOLD YOU SO (10000 times over!)!!!!
In a coaching change to move those Colorado Rockies, Emma Coburn has left behind her only coaches since HS--Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs--to be coached by her long-time boyfriend and new fiancee--Joe Bosshard!!
This apparently was a totally amicable move by all parties!
Let's hope her great times in the Steeplechase and some flat events only improve!!
Jasmine Todd, who left her Oregon Ducks squad this past year, has turned Pro!!
She had a year of remaining Collegiate eligibility--now left behind!
In an earlier post, I said that Mary Cain DNF'ed at the 4.748 mile Manchester road race at about the 2.5 mile mark!
Now we know why!
She had some sort of knee ache, so chose to end her race as a precautionary measure!
Smart decision, Mary!
The "injury" is NOT serious, so maybe we can still look forward to her running INdoor track this season!!
In fact, there's talk about her possibly racing the USATF XC 6000 meter course!
Finally, in the first announcement of a World Record attempt, Laura Muir said she'd like to chase Kelly Holmes's British NR in the 1000 at the February 18th Birmingham meet!
If she feels good, she'll also go for the WORLD Record!!
She definitely has the wheels!!
More than likely, I'll be back with more results after the Footlocker race--and hopefully more INdoor T&F stuff!!
Also, as noted in my previous post, I'll do my predictions for which World, US, Collegiate, and HS records might fall this season!!
One more item!
The 2017 edition of HS Track is available!!
(I sent for my copy a couple of days ago!)
This MUST OWN little book--edited by Jack Shepard--costs just $12.00--with postage included in the price!
A better deal you'll never find!!
Here's Jack's address--He accepts checks or money orders!
Jack Shepard
14551 Southfield Drive
Westminster, California
92683
For complete HS coverage--both for 2016 and All-Time--this is your main source!!
(I use Jack's book often!!)
Footlocker is next week, and the USATF and World XC races are coming later.
But for the most part, XC is done, and INdoor T&F is here!
And Karissa Schweizer--winner of the NCAA Cross race--has straddled the two realms in list-making fashion!!
In the Boston University Season Opener, the Missouri Junior ran 5000 meters in 15:37.40, putting her name on TWO All-Time lists!!
While 5 others dipped under 16 minutes, this was Schweizer's race!
Her time makes her 14th A-T Collegiate (in her first INdoor 5000 ever!!).
It also gets her on the A-T US list--in 22nd place!!
Not bad for this shock winner of the NCAA Cross!!
What's next for her?
Sarah Collins was one of those getting under 16:00, but she finished just 4th with her 15:54.66.
Ryen Frazier ran, but was only 10th, her time being 16:27.74--about 15 seconds slower than she ran in HS in 2015!!
At the Jack Pyrah Invite, Ajee Wilson won the 1000 in 2:42.71, with Charlene Lipsey finishing just 0.05 seconds back!!
On a 300 meter Oversize Track (Grand Valley State, in Michigan), Nicole Sifuentes beat Shannon Osika by over 7 seconds, timed in 9:01.25 over 3000 meters!
Surprisingly, there were no early Weight Throw marks good enough to report!
Then again, today is December 4th--not December 24th, or January!!
Moving OUTdoors for a moment, New Zealand's 16 year old wonderkind PV'er--Olivia McTaggart--did it again!
Having broken fellow NZ'er Eliza McCartney's NZ Age 16 record once already, she added to her record, reaching 14-1.25!!
Let's stay OUTdoors, shall we?
In the Footlocker West Regional, Claudia Lane's 17:20 was completely dominant, as she won by 35 seconds!!
Talon Hull won the Men's race in 15:28, but his nearest competitor was just 3 seconds behiind!
Luis Grivalja--one of the favorites--finished 4th in 15:42!
A battle of titans took place in the Fukuoka Marathon!
Yemane Tsegay outran Patrick Makau, 2:08:48 to 2:08.57.
Reed Coolsaet set out to (again!!) challenge the Canadian National Record, but fell short, ending in 7th with his 2:10:55!
In the California International Marathon in Sacramento this morning, Stephanie Bruce came back after the (separate!) births of TWO babies to finish 2nd in 2:32:36!!
Think about that, folks!
When the going gets tough, think about Stephanie Bruce giving birth (after carrying each of them for 9 months!!) TWICE in TWO years--before making excuses for yourself!
Such a BEAST!!
Dan Tapia was the top American Male finisher, timed in a good 2:12:28!
NXN--or Nike Cross Nationals!!
WOW!!
For the 2nd year in a row, Casey Clinger took the Men's race, gradually breaking away after about half the race, expanding his lead to 7 seconds over Sam Worley at the tape!
Clinger's time was 15:28.4 on the somewhat muddy and beat-up (by the earlier Women's race!) course in Oregon!
Brodey Hasty, bushy ponytail flying, took 3rd in 15:37.1, just ahead of Seth Hirsch!
Ty Brownlow ended in 14th, 27 seconds behind Clinger.
DJ Principe apparently was ill (a cold??), so finished in 21st in 16:01.
Michael Vernau was 23rd, while Casey's younger brother, Carson Clinger, ended in 99th, time of 16:55.
Bozeman (Montana) was the surprise team winner, scoring 105 points to beat American Fork's 141 and Brentwood's 163!
The Women's race was all Brie Oakley--ranked Number One by Mile Split in their pre-meet poll!
This woman is amazing!
She was a star soccer player for years, only turning to running as a sport in late 2014!
Making swift (sic!) advances in both XC and track in 2015 and this year, she EXPLODED on the NATIONAL scene only this year!
Taking the lead at the 1000 meter point, she increased her lead to 50, then 80, then 100, and finally about 160 or more meters at the tape, winning by a massive 28 seconds over some stiff competition!!
In fact, the one who many "experts" saw as the favorite (including yours truly!!)--Kate Murphy--had some sort of problem, and ended in 33rd, a full minute & 17 seconds behind Oakley!
Obviously, no contest!!
Ember Stratton, another relative newcomer--and unknown to me!--finished 2nd. one second ahead of 3rd placer Lauren Gregory!
Kelsey Chmiel was 5th, 31 seconds back, while 13 year old 8th Grader Grace Ping was a fantastic 6th--in a field of High Schoolers from 1 to 5 years older!!
Her time was 17:48.
Katelyn Tuohy was 13th in 17:58, while Lexy Halladay--another youngster--was 16th in 18:00!
As noted, Kate Murphy inexplicably finished 33rd, while another "favorite"--Annie Hill, was 41st.
Olivia O'Keefe, Fiona's younger sister, was 59th!
For the 10th (!!) time, and 3rd consecutively, Fayetteville-Manlius took the team title with a minute 41 points.
Davis's 181 points took 2nd over the 185 of California rivals Great Oak, aka Temecula TC!
The rest of what I have falls under "off-track news & gossip" categories!
But it's some pretty interesting stuff!!
The IAAF chose their AOY's--and once again stirred the crockpot of controversy!
Giving their awards to Almaz Ayana (over Anita Wlodarczyk and Elaine Thompson) didn't sit well to the world's Twitter-folk!
And even worse was the selection of Usain Bolt over Wayde Van Niekirk!!
Clearly a gross error in judgment!!
At the USATF Annual meeting--after Jackie Joyner-Kersee withdrew from the race at the last minute!!--Vin Lananna was overwhelmingly voted the new President of our National ruling body!
Good luck and have fun!
(HA!!)
Okay, folks, stand by for some obnoxious Bragadoccio--and several "I told you so's!".
The good folks at USATF decided to return to the rule that SEPARATES INdoor records from OUTdoor records--something I've ALWAYS done!!
This means that when they refer to, say, Renaud Lavillenie's 20-2.50 WR, they will call it the INdoor WR--leaving Sergey Bubka's 20-1.75 as the OUTdoor WR--no "absolutes" or "comprehensives" about it!!
Yep, I TOLD YOU SO (10000 times over!)!!!!
In a coaching change to move those Colorado Rockies, Emma Coburn has left behind her only coaches since HS--Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs--to be coached by her long-time boyfriend and new fiancee--Joe Bosshard!!
This apparently was a totally amicable move by all parties!
Let's hope her great times in the Steeplechase and some flat events only improve!!
Jasmine Todd, who left her Oregon Ducks squad this past year, has turned Pro!!
She had a year of remaining Collegiate eligibility--now left behind!
In an earlier post, I said that Mary Cain DNF'ed at the 4.748 mile Manchester road race at about the 2.5 mile mark!
Now we know why!
She had some sort of knee ache, so chose to end her race as a precautionary measure!
Smart decision, Mary!
The "injury" is NOT serious, so maybe we can still look forward to her running INdoor track this season!!
In fact, there's talk about her possibly racing the USATF XC 6000 meter course!
Finally, in the first announcement of a World Record attempt, Laura Muir said she'd like to chase Kelly Holmes's British NR in the 1000 at the February 18th Birmingham meet!
If she feels good, she'll also go for the WORLD Record!!
She definitely has the wheels!!
More than likely, I'll be back with more results after the Footlocker race--and hopefully more INdoor T&F stuff!!
Also, as noted in my previous post, I'll do my predictions for which World, US, Collegiate, and HS records might fall this season!!
One more item!
The 2017 edition of HS Track is available!!
(I sent for my copy a couple of days ago!)
This MUST OWN little book--edited by Jack Shepard--costs just $12.00--with postage included in the price!
A better deal you'll never find!!
Here's Jack's address--He accepts checks or money orders!
Jack Shepard
14551 Southfield Drive
Westminster, California
92683
For complete HS coverage--both for 2016 and All-Time--this is your main source!!
(I use Jack's book often!!)
Marks needed for Top 24's--INdoors
The 2016-2017 INdoor season got its first significant mark this weekend.
That mark will be reported in the post to follow!
And it is NOT included in the lists below, even though it changed the minimum needed to make that Top 24 list!
My Top 24 lists are also called my DDD's, or Double Dandy Dozen lists!
It's great to rank high on those lists, but it's also great to just MAKE a list, whether for the World, United States, Collegiates, or High School.
The relatively large changes in the 600 and 1000 lists are probably due in large part (but not only!) to my adding those lists in 2014--meaning those older lists were still a work-in-progress at that time!!
For the Multi's, the HS'ers do the Pentathlon.
That mark will be reported in the post to follow!
And it is NOT included in the lists below, even though it changed the minimum needed to make that Top 24 list!
(Actually, TWO Top 24 lists--but details on that in my next post!)
My Top 24 lists are also called my DDD's, or Double Dandy Dozen lists!
It's great to rank high on those lists, but it's also great to just MAKE a list, whether for the World, United States, Collegiates, or High School.
So, for the 3rd time since my blog began, I am presenting my Minimums Needed to make those 4 lists.
To give you some idea of the flow and rhythm of change in our sport, I'm also giving you the 24th best marks from 2014, to see what changes, if any, resulted from the past two years!
The older marks are in parentheses.
If no change occurred, the word "same" is given.
This is for INdoors only.
The older marks are in parentheses.
If no change occurred, the word "same" is given.
This is for INdoors only.
World, US, Collegiate, HS--MEN
60 6.47 (6.48) 6.50 (6.51) 6.54 (same) 6.70 (6.71)
60 6.47 (6.48) 6.50 (6.51) 6.54 (same) 6.70 (6.71)
200 20.40 (same) 20.42 (20.43) 20.46 (20.50) 21.31 (21.37)
400 45.35 (45.39) 45.53 (45.54) 45.62 (45.66) 47.42 (47.45)
600 1:16.12 (1:16.19) 1:17.13 (1:17.38) 1:17.65 (1:18.20) 1:19.92 (1:20.22)
800 1:45.44 (same) 1:46.96 (1:47.11) 1:46.96 (1:47.14) 1:51.63 (1:51.79)
1000 2:17.36 (2:17.67) 2:19.78 (2:19.9) 2:21.60 (2:22.51) 2:26.44 (2:28.11)
1500 3:34.85 (3:34.89) 3:39.60 (3:39.8) 3:41.76 (3:44.45) 3:53.67 (3:55.22)
Mile 3:52.91 (3:53.02) 3:55.25 (3:55.84) 3:56.64 (3:56.77) 4:08.48 (4:08.77)
2000 4:58.76 (same) 5:05.77 (just 10 on list!) (No list!) (No list!)
600 1:16.12 (1:16.19) 1:17.13 (1:17.38) 1:17.65 (1:18.20) 1:19.92 (1:20.22)
800 1:45.44 (same) 1:46.96 (1:47.11) 1:46.96 (1:47.14) 1:51.63 (1:51.79)
1000 2:17.36 (2:17.67) 2:19.78 (2:19.9) 2:21.60 (2:22.51) 2:26.44 (2:28.11)
1500 3:34.85 (3:34.89) 3:39.60 (3:39.8) 3:41.76 (3:44.45) 3:53.67 (3:55.22)
Mile 3:52.91 (3:53.02) 3:55.25 (3:55.84) 3:56.64 (3:56.77) 4:08.48 (4:08.77)
2000 4:58.76 (same) 5:05.77 (just 10 on list!) (No list!) (No list!)
3000 7:34.38 7:34.47) 7:44.73 (7:46.08) 7:49..80 (7:50.44) 8:29.43 (8:32.3)
2 Mile 8:15.02 (same) 8:28.17 (8:28.8) (No list!) 8:57.03 (9:01.92)
5000 13:11.78 (same) 13:36.87 (13:37.09) 13:37.03 (same) 14:50.59 (14:53.21)
2 Mile 8:15.02 (same) 8:28.17 (8:28.8) (No list!) 8:57.03 (9:01.92)
5000 13:11.78 (same) 13:36.87 (13:37.09) 13:37.03 (same) 14:50.59 (14:53.21)
60H 7.44 (same) 7.51 (same) 7.60 (7.61) 7.75 (7.77)
HJ 7-8.75 (same) 7-7.25 (same) 7-6.50 (same) 7-2 (same)
LJ 27-3.75 (27-3.25) 26-11.75 (same) 26-8.50 (same) 24-10.50 (24-9.25)
TJ 57-3.75 (same) 55-9 (same) 55-4 (55-1.50) 50-6.75 (50-3.25)
HJ 7-8.75 (same) 7-7.25 (same) 7-6.50 (same) 7-2 (same)
LJ 27-3.75 (27-3.25) 26-11.75 (same) 26-8.50 (same) 24-10.50 (24-9.25)
TJ 57-3.75 (same) 55-9 (same) 55-4 (55-1.50) 50-6.75 (50-3.25)
PV 19-4.25 (same) 19-0.25 (18-9.50) 18-6 (same) 17-1.75 (17-0.75)
SP 70-9.25 (70-8) 69-8.50 (69-8) 67-9.75 (67-4.25) 67-1.50 (66-10.25)
WT 77-2.75 (76-3.50) 75-7.25 (75-4.75) 74-8.25 (74-7) 75-11 (75-0.50)
Multi 6249 (6229) 5873 (5826) 5902 (5868) 3644 (3586)
4X400 3:13.21 (just 23 on list) (No list!) 3:06.34 (3:06.84) (No list!)
DMR (No list for World, US, or HS!) 9:32.27 (9:33.01)
As you can see, several lists saw ZERO change, with the HJ being the only event where NONE of the 4 groups saw any changes!!
For the Men's HS throws, HS-weighted implements are used!
NO marks from Oversize Tracks are included!
A few lists have less than 24 marks, and are noted!
SP 70-9.25 (70-8) 69-8.50 (69-8) 67-9.75 (67-4.25) 67-1.50 (66-10.25)
WT 77-2.75 (76-3.50) 75-7.25 (75-4.75) 74-8.25 (74-7) 75-11 (75-0.50)
Multi 6249 (6229) 5873 (5826) 5902 (5868) 3644 (3586)
4X400 3:13.21 (just 23 on list) (No list!) 3:06.34 (3:06.84) (No list!)
DMR (No list for World, US, or HS!) 9:32.27 (9:33.01)
As you can see, several lists saw ZERO change, with the HJ being the only event where NONE of the 4 groups saw any changes!!
For the Men's HS throws, HS-weighted implements are used!
NO marks from Oversize Tracks are included!
A few lists have less than 24 marks, and are noted!
The relatively large changes in the 600 and 1000 lists are probably due in large part (but not only!) to my adding those lists in 2014--meaning those older lists were still a work-in-progress at that time!!
For the Multi's, the HS'ers do the Pentathlon.
All others do the Heptathlon!
While most of the events saw little (or no) change in the past 2 years, here's hoping the Men will see faster progress THIS season!!
While most of the events saw little (or no) change in the past 2 years, here's hoping the Men will see faster progress THIS season!!
Now for the Women!!
All of the same guidelines apply here, except that the Women throw the SAME-weights for their throws in all 4 groups!!
All of the same guidelines apply here, except that the Women throw the SAME-weights for their throws in all 4 groups!!
Also, they do the Pentathlon in all 4 groups!!
World, US, Collegiate, HS--WOMEN
60 7.04 (same) 7.12 (7.13) 7.17 (7.18) 7.33 (7.34)
200 22.58 (22.59) 22.85 (22.87) 22.83 (22.84) 23.77 (23.80)
400 50.69 (50.71) 51.78 (51.83) 51.79 (51.92) 54.14 (54.16)
600 1:26.73 (1:27.14) 1:28.78 (1:29.34) 1:29.62 (1:30.36) 1:31.38 (1:32.00)
World, US, Collegiate, HS--WOMEN
60 7.04 (same) 7.12 (7.13) 7.17 (7.18) 7.33 (7.34)
200 22.58 (22.59) 22.85 (22.87) 22.83 (22.84) 23.77 (23.80)
400 50.69 (50.71) 51.78 (51.83) 51.79 (51.92) 54.14 (54.16)
600 1:26.73 (1:27.14) 1:28.78 (1:29.34) 1:29.62 (1:30.36) 1:31.38 (1:32.00)
800 1:58.9 (same) 2:01.79 (2:01.87) 2:03.37 (2:03.47) 2:07.60 (2:07.81)
1000 2:35.80 (same) 2:41.08 (2:42.61) 2:44.20 (2:45.86) 2:48.82 (2:50.69)
1500 4:03.23 (4:03.53) 4:09.82 (4:10.72) 4:17.53 (4:18.2) 4:27.2 (4:28.3)
Mile 4:25.54 (4:26.50) 4:28.50 (4:30.39) 4:33.04 (4:33.76) 4:45.29 (4:46.01)
2000 5:43.53 (5:43.99) 5:56.78 (just 16 marks on list!) (No list!) (No list!)
3000 8:38.14 (same) 8:53.87 (8:54.55) 9:01.26 (9:03.47) 9:43.74 (9:44.60)
2 Mile 9:35.66 (9:36.00) 9:45.99 (9:50.07) (No list!) 10:19.30 (10:21.85)
5000 15:06.52 (15:13.86) 15:37.97 (15:43.04) 15:41.00 (15:43.69) 16:52.48 (17:00.54)
60H 7.82 (same) 7.89 (7.93) 8.00 (same) 8.35 (8.39)
HJ 6-7 (6-6.75) 6-3.25 (same) 6-3 (6-2.75) 5-11 (same)
LJ 22-10.75 (22-10.50) 21-10 (21-8.75) 21-8.25 (21-8) 20-2.50 (20-1)
TJ 48-2.50 (48-2) 44-8.50 (44-6.75) 44-8.25 (same) 41-6.25 (41.4.50)
PV 15-5.50 (15-3.50) 14-9.50 (14-7.25) 14-5.25 (14-3.50) 13-4.50 (13-2.25)
SP 67-6.25 (same) 59-6.75 (59-1.25) 58-1.75 (57-8.25) 50-2 (49-4.50)
WT 73-6 (73-2.50) 73-0.50 (71-10.25) 72-11.75 (71-8.75) 57-11 (56-10.75)
Multi 4775 (4768) 4299 (4253) 4327 (4253) 3594 (3578)
4X400 3:36.17 (same) (just 16 on list!) (No list!) 3:34.00 (3:35.19) (No list!)
DMR (No list for World, US, or HS!) 11:05.69 (11:06.77)
Despite having the past 2 years being dubbed "Year of the Vault", the advances made were not as large in scope as the hyperbole!!
But they WERE the largest advances made in the field events!!
For both Men and Women, NO 1600 or 3200 marks, or converted marks, were used!
The fairly big changes in the 5000's for the Women were due to more 5K's being run than 3000's!!
Also, of course, due to the "Renaissance" in Women's middle and long distance running in recent years!
Of course, several factors LIMIT the possibility of big changes being made!
They include--
lack of opportunity!
the best athletes NOT doing an event!
tactical races in distance events!
some of the better marks being run on OT's!!
Well, the above charts tell you what's needed to make these lists!
You (the athletes!!) MAKING these lists is up to YOU!!
Go for it!!
My next post---to follow in a few hours---will be a RESULTS post!
This will include the first changes to the above 24th place marks needed!
Yes, as I already noted, some changes have already happened---this early in the season!!
1500 4:03.23 (4:03.53) 4:09.82 (4:10.72) 4:17.53 (4:18.2) 4:27.2 (4:28.3)
Mile 4:25.54 (4:26.50) 4:28.50 (4:30.39) 4:33.04 (4:33.76) 4:45.29 (4:46.01)
2000 5:43.53 (5:43.99) 5:56.78 (just 16 marks on list!) (No list!) (No list!)
3000 8:38.14 (same) 8:53.87 (8:54.55) 9:01.26 (9:03.47) 9:43.74 (9:44.60)
2 Mile 9:35.66 (9:36.00) 9:45.99 (9:50.07) (No list!) 10:19.30 (10:21.85)
5000 15:06.52 (15:13.86) 15:37.97 (15:43.04) 15:41.00 (15:43.69) 16:52.48 (17:00.54)
60H 7.82 (same) 7.89 (7.93) 8.00 (same) 8.35 (8.39)
HJ 6-7 (6-6.75) 6-3.25 (same) 6-3 (6-2.75) 5-11 (same)
LJ 22-10.75 (22-10.50) 21-10 (21-8.75) 21-8.25 (21-8) 20-2.50 (20-1)
TJ 48-2.50 (48-2) 44-8.50 (44-6.75) 44-8.25 (same) 41-6.25 (41.4.50)
PV 15-5.50 (15-3.50) 14-9.50 (14-7.25) 14-5.25 (14-3.50) 13-4.50 (13-2.25)
SP 67-6.25 (same) 59-6.75 (59-1.25) 58-1.75 (57-8.25) 50-2 (49-4.50)
WT 73-6 (73-2.50) 73-0.50 (71-10.25) 72-11.75 (71-8.75) 57-11 (56-10.75)
Multi 4775 (4768) 4299 (4253) 4327 (4253) 3594 (3578)
4X400 3:36.17 (same) (just 16 on list!) (No list!) 3:34.00 (3:35.19) (No list!)
DMR (No list for World, US, or HS!) 11:05.69 (11:06.77)
Despite having the past 2 years being dubbed "Year of the Vault", the advances made were not as large in scope as the hyperbole!!
But they WERE the largest advances made in the field events!!
For both Men and Women, NO 1600 or 3200 marks, or converted marks, were used!
The fairly big changes in the 5000's for the Women were due to more 5K's being run than 3000's!!
Also, of course, due to the "Renaissance" in Women's middle and long distance running in recent years!
Of course, several factors LIMIT the possibility of big changes being made!
They include--
lack of opportunity!
the best athletes NOT doing an event!
tactical races in distance events!
some of the better marks being run on OT's!!
Well, the above charts tell you what's needed to make these lists!
You (the athletes!!) MAKING these lists is up to YOU!!
Go for it!!
My next post---to follow in a few hours---will be a RESULTS post!
This will include the first changes to the above 24th place marks needed!
Yes, as I already noted, some changes have already happened---this early in the season!!
After that--probably in a few days!!--I'll do my WR, AR, CR, and HSR predictions for the new season!!
My OUTdoor Athlete of the Year posts--as always--will come on December 31st!!
Of course, those posts will be for World and US AOY's only, as I already did my AOY's for the Collegiates and High Schoolers!
Be back soon!!
My OUTdoor Athlete of the Year posts--as always--will come on December 31st!!
Of course, those posts will be for World and US AOY's only, as I already did my AOY's for the Collegiates and High Schoolers!
Be back soon!!
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