And so much more!
But let's begin with one of my favorite people--Raven Saunders--aka The HULK!
She's BACK!!
I was scanning my Twitter page (as I often do), and there appeared a tweet by Gwen Berry, saying "and we thought you were gone!"--referring of course to the woman who dropped out of Ole Miss back in January--school, team, all of it!--citing personal problems!
No hint of when she'd return, although she did say she WOULD return!!
For her 2018 (INdoors or OUTdoors!) "rust-buster", she merely sent the Shot Put flying out to a WORLD LEADING 64-2.25!!
And what a series!!
62-7.75--64-2.25--63-8.75--62-7.25--63-2.75--and then a foul observers say was past 20 meters--or in the 66 foot range!!
While short of her 2017 PR of 64-10, that consistency in her series, plus that humongous final effort (even if a foul!!), tells me she's ready to break the American Record, and to dominate the event this season!!
(She herself tweeted one of those "vote" things--asking what shoes she should choose for her first Diamond League meet!! Most said Adidas! I voted for "other", but messaged her "Anything but Nike!!". LOL)
She beat her (former) Ole Miss teammate--Janeah Stewart--by almost 8 feet!!
The Raven was listed as "unattached"!!
And what about those World Record chases in good olde London Town??
For the Men, a first mile in 4:22 (Yes, 4:22!!) set the wheels spinning!
And an initial 5000 of 13:48 didn't slow things down much!!
They were moving at 1:57+ pace!!
Returning to "normal", the Men hit 10K in 28:19 (2nd 5 in 14:31), then 43:05 at 15000 (14:46).
When they reached the Half in 1:01:00---2:02:00 pace!!--the front group included Eliud Kipchoge, Shura Kitata, Abel Kirui, and GB's HomeBoy, Mo Farah--who actually was looking quite comfy!!
But the Men began their race about 40 minutes after the Women, and the temp had risen to near-70 degrees--NOT good for WR Marathon attempts!!
After hitting 25K (about 15.6 miles) in 1:12:36 (10K since 15K was 29:31), their next 10 slowed to 29:57, and the WR try was GONE!!
And then it was down to Kitata & whom the announcer referred to as the "GOAT" (Kipchoge)--as Farah had fallen back--way back, and looking over his shoulder!!
Maybe that announcer is right, because this Master Marathoner (he of that fake 2:00:25 with all the help that God and Nike provides!!) just continued pounding out those 4:40-ish miles, and left Kitata to kneel in his very presence!!
Kipchoge's time was 2:04:17--splits of 61:00 & 63:17)!
Kitata finished in 2:04:49.
And Mo got Steve Jones's venerable British National Record (32 years old)--hitting the line in 2:06:21!!
Kirui was next in 2:07:07!
The Women were equally interesting!
In a heavily-promoted WR attempt, the duelers were going to be Mary Keitany and Tirunesh Dibaba!
Even Paula Radcliffe said her WR could fall!
(There would be male pacers throughout!!)
Hitting their 1st Mile in a much more subdued 5:08 (Radcliffe's 2:15:25 is 5:09 per mile!), they split 15:46 at 5000!
The leaderboard was projecting a sub-2:14 time!!
Their next 5's were each in 16:00--timing 47:46 at 9.3 miles!!
Tiru led---but only by a stride--and then she fell 2 or 3 strides behind Keitany!
Both were looking smooth, however!
A 2nd group (also with their personal male rabbits!)--including Vivian Cheruiyot--hit the Half in 68:56--while Mary & Tiru strode through in 67:17!!
They were on 2:14:34 pace!!!
Then the heat--and the early pace IN that heat!!--started hitting them!
Keitany would fall 5-10 meters behind her pacers--then catch up!
But the great Tiru fell further and further behind--and it was down to a one-Woman WR chase!!
That ended (IMO) when the 5000 between 20 & 25K sunk to 16:34 (instead of the previous 16:00!)!
Keitany wasn't "smooth" anymore!
And at 19 miles (or close to it), Dibaba stopped, hands on hips, tried to walk & jog, then stopped again--her race ENDED!!
Stomach problems, cramps?
I don't know!
Meanwhile, after another 5K in 16:39, she (Keitany) crawled to a 17:33 split--and was just in survival mode!
Tell that to Cheruiyot--she of the 29:32 10K track time (faster than Dibaba!!)!
She was coming on--HARD!!
(Or Keitany was DROPPING--hard!!)
When she passed the leader, Cheruiyot gave no quarter--she sprinted past!!
And the race was her's!!
Cheruiyot (splits of 68:56 & 69:35) won in 2:18:31, about a 5 minute PR!!
She gets the Age 34 Record!
And becomes 4th A-T World!!
Brigid Kosgei ended 2nd in 2:20:13, also a PR!
Tadelech Bekele was 3rd in 2:21:30.
Then, in a sad sight to behold, Gladys Cherono ALSO passed the dying Keitany--this after the 26 mile marker!!
Her time was 2:24:10 in 4th, while Keitany just shuffled to the line in 2:24:27.
After her 67:16 Half, she faded by almost TEN MINUTES--to a 77:11 second half!
In the Wheelchair races, the Commonwealth was happy to see GB's David Weir beat Marcel Pug--and Australia's Madison De Rozario (who is quite stunningly beautiful!!) beating the inimitable Tatyana McFadden--who had won Boston just 5 days earlier!!
And so much more!!
To save space, I'm moving to the "by event group" mode of reporting!!
Distances (800 to 10000)
Josh Kerr nailed the Collegiate Record in the 1500 at the Brian Clay meet!!
And what a deep field!!
His 3:35:01 removed Syd Maree's 1981 time of 3:35.30!!
It's also the Junior Class Record!
He moves from 6th A-T Collegiate to the Top!!
Second came Justyn Knight's 3:36.07.
This makes him 7th A-T Collegiate!
(TFRSS doesn't list Knight's time! Is he redshirting? He was listed in the results as being with Syracuse!!)
Ole Miss's Robert Dominic ran 3:36.33, making him 9th A-T Collegiate!
Sam Prakel followed in 3:36.84, making him 16th A-T Collegiate!
The Women had a great race also!
Shelby Houlihan ran 4:06.07 for the W, but Colleen Quigley was close--4:07.01--and Kate Grace wasn't too far back--time of 4:08.82!
The 1st Collegiate was Oregon's Jessica Hull.
Her 4:10.46 makes her 23rd A-T Collegiate!!
Her Duck-mate--Lilli Burdon--ended 6th in 4:12.52, while Courtney Frerichs ran 4:14.62 in 9th, and Allie Ostrander was 10th, time of 4:15.06!
Evan Jager held off Isaac Kimeli in the Brian Clay 5000--13:24.77 to 13:24.92!
Marielle Hall took the Women's race in 15:39.42!
Karissa Schweizer added another Mizzou school record to her collection--a 4:12.83 in the 1500!
The Cardinal Invite saw Grant Fisher's 13:36.77 beat Zach Perrin's 13:37.06, and Marie Bouchard winning over Erin Finn--15:32.95 to 15:33.15!
Fiona O'Keefe satisfied the home crowd with her 3rd place 15:38.82!
Mt SAC saw Jessica Drop of Georgia win in a school record-smashing 15:38.57!!
(No more "field events only" for them!!)
High Schoolers produced some great times--but over 3200 meters!!
The best was Katelynne Hart's 9:52.02--a solo run, as 2nd was 32 seconds back!!
She's just a Soph--and would have gotten the Soph Class record for 3000 (or 2 Miles!)--"would have" being the operative words!!
In a cold & windy race, Katelyn Tuohy ran 10:08.13.
And at Mt SAC, Claudia Lane LOST--by 10 seconds!!--to Maddy Denner's 10:08.01.
Lane's time was 10:18.68!
And 3rd place was just 0.06 seconds behind Lane!!
MT SAC also had a quick Women's 800!
Kaela Edwards (in the Joe Bosshard group!!) won in 2:01.06.
Sabrina Southerland's 2:01.44 misses the Collegiate DDD by 0.14 seconds!
Stephanie Brown was 3rd in 2:01.71.
The Men's race went to Jecoro (?) Lopez's 1:47.07.
But he beat Clay Murphy's 1:47.22!
In 3rd came the new INdoor 800 HSR holder--Josh Hoey--his time being 1:48.72!
He misses my HS list by 0.24 seconds!
Aliyah Miller, a Baylor Frosh, won in 2:03.84.
Vanessa Fraser took the Cardinal Classic 1500 in 4:10.63!
She misses the Collegiate list by 0.14 seconds!
Jamie Morrissey ran 4:11.48 in 2nd!
Sprints (& Sprint Relays)
Mt SAC had a deep Men's 400!
Michael Norman led the way, his 44.53 making him 14th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!!
Rai Benjamin was 2nd in 44.74, just 0.04 ahead of Paul Dedewo's 44.78, with Kahmari Montgomery's 44.91 taking 4th!!
The Women had a good race too--Lynna Irby's 50.95 claiming the W over Jaide Stepter's 51.24, and Kendell Ellis's 51.43!!
Wil London ran 44.73 at the Michael Johnson meet!!
(Where else??)
Twanisha Terry entered elite territory--that being Collegiates who break 11 seconds in the 100!!
Her 10.99 (1.7) gave this USC runner the Frosh Class Record!!
She now ranks 10th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!!
Ashley Henderson took Silver with 11.06, while 3rd went to Jenna Prandini's 11.09!!
(Henderson also ran the 200 in 22.66 (1.6)!!)
Cut OFF my Collegiate list was none other than Gail Devers--her 11.05 dating from 1988!!
Ronnie Baker used an 0.5 breeze to run the 100 in 9.97!
The South Carolina Open saw Ncincilili Titi sprint the 200 in 20.00 (1.9)!!
This makes him 13th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
Brianna Rollins-McNeal continued her great season--her 12.43 in the 100H using a wind of 1.5!
This gave her the Mt SAC Meet Record!!
Bridgette Owens was 2nd in 12.79, with Dior Hall doing 12.85 in 3rd!
The MJ meet had a good Men's 4X400 Relay--with Texas A&M's 3:02.07 beating Texas Tech's 3:02.82!
USC sped the 4X100 in 42.57, moving them from 9th A-T School to 5th!!
Still with me??
Thank you!!
Field Events (and the Multi's)
First, an addition to a previously reported mark!!
Lisa Gunnarsson's 15-1 PV at the Texas Relays gave her the Age 18 Record!!
Gleb Dudarev exploded out to 256-0 in the HT!!
This gives him the Soph Class Record, and the Kansas Relays Meet Record!
He moves from 19th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other, to 4th!
Gwen Berry threw the Hammer 237-9 at the War Eagle meet!
Mason Finley threw the Discus 209-7 at the Kansas Relays!
Brooke Andersen added almost 4 feet to her HT PR!
Her 236-8 moves her from 6th A-T Collegiate to 5th!
And from 12th to 10th on the A-T US list!!
Zach Ziemek's 8181 won the Brian Clay Decathlon.
Georgia Ellenwood's 5983 took the Heptathlon!
Donald Thomas took the War Eagle HJ with 7-7!
Shelby McEwen was 2nd with 7-4.50!
Moved INdoors because of bad weather, Vernon Turner won the HJ in Oklahoma with 7-5.25!
Vashti Cunningham won the Mt SAC HJ with 6-3.25.
Second was Liz Patterson's 6-2.
Tatiana Gusin took over the Collegiate lead with her HJ of 6-2 in 3rd!
Matthew Ludwig PV'ed 18-8.75!
In the Virginia Challenge meet, Virginia Junior Bridget Guy PV'ed 14-7.50!
This makes her 22nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 2 others!
Maddie Gardner, a West Virginia Junior, got over 14-5.50!
Kristin Hixson got the Mt SAC Meet Record with her clearance at 15-1!
Terrell McClain LJ'ed 26-10!!
Jarvis Gotch leapt 27-1.75 at Mt SAC!
And in the Triple Jump, Imani Oliver's mark of 45-2.25 wasn't a PR.
Neither were Keturah Orji's and Tori Franklin's at Mt SAC!!
But Orji's 47-0.25 nailed the Senior Class Record for this A-T Great--giving her ALL FOUR of the Collegiate Class Records (for OUTdoors)!!!
She also got the Mt SAC Meet Record!
Franklin's 45-8.50 was a solid runner-up!
Then came an unknown (to me!) Oregon Junior--Chaquinn Cook--with 45-7!!
This makes her 15th A-T Collegiate!
And makes her 24th A-T US, tied with 1 other!
And that, as they say, is THAT!!
Thanks again for your endurance!!
Next up will be an "extra" post--all about the Two Mile--and the upcoming Women's race at the Drake Relays, and the Men's race at the Pre Classic!!
Then--more results--from Drake and Penn--and wherever else!!
See you soon!
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Monday, April 16, 2018
Quite a Busy Week!
You've already read---You have, haven't you??--my detailed Commonwealth Games and Boston Marathon reports!
Well, while great events by themselves, they weren't the only game in town!!
So here's all the other stuff of note from this past few days!!
Since I just posted my Boston report, let's begin with all the other Road races--Run & Walk variety!!
Erick Kiptanui moved onto the top shelf of Half-Marathoners!
Winning the Berlin Half by a huge margin, his 58:42 makes him 5th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
He did his opening 5000 in 13:32--WR pace!--but slowed a bit after that!
The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler went to Jimal Yimer's 46:17, and Buze Diriba's 53:45!
Chris Derrick was 1st American in the Men's race (5th place), time of 46:52.
Matthew Centrowitz ran this also--but ended just 10th, time of 50:38!
He might have just been tempo-ing!
Emma Bates was 1st US Woman, also 5th place, time of 54:44!
The Rotterdam Marathon was won by Kenneth Kipkemoi and Visiline Jepkesho, respective times of 2:05:44 and 2:23:47.
The US World Walk Trials were taken by Nick Christie's 1:27:21, and Maria Michta-Coffey's 1:32:09!
A newcomer to the Women's Walk scene was 3rd placer Robyn Stevens, whose 1:34:26 makes her 8th A-T US!!
Is Jenn Suhr REALLY "semi-retired"??
Because she sure PERFORMS like someone peaking for the Olympics or a World Championship!!
Her latest crowd-rouser was a quarter-inch OUTdoor PR---after TEN YEARS!!
Opening at 15-1.50--about 2 feet after all others XXX'd out--she cleared that height, then 15-5.50, and finally--16-2--all on first attempts!!
(She missed thrice at 16-5.25!!)
This breaks her own Age 36 Record, and of course makes her the oldest 16 footer!!
She remains 2nd A-T US, and 3rd A-T World!
Staying with the PV, Renaud Lavillenie cleared 19-6.25--the World leader!--also at the Texas meet!
His heights were 18-4.50, 18-10.25, and 19-2.25--all on 1st try--then needing 3 for the 19-6.25!
He missed 3 at 19-8.50!
KC Lightfoot added his name to the growing list of OUTdoor HS 18 footers!!
Getting over 18-0, that moved him from 17th A-T HS, tied with 3 others, to 11th, tied with 1 other!
But then he went over 18-3!!
This moved him from 11th, tied with 1 other, to 4th, tied with 1 other!!
Morgann LeLeux cleared 15-1, not a PR!
Devin King got over 18-8.25!
Sydney McLaughlin continues to amaze---or maybe that's the wrong word!
Maybe "fulfilling PART of her VAST potential" might be closer to the vein!!
Her latest was in the Century--an event she rarely runs--at least sans hurdles!
While a bit windy (3.5)--and losing to Javianne Oliver's 11.04--Syd's 11.07 impressed even the McL-jaded!!
She also ran lead-off in Kentucky's 4X200 Relay--timed in 1:30.76!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran 2nd leg!
This Tennessee meet produced another good windy mark--a 12.40 in the 100H by Kendra Harrison!
Kori Carter was a far back 2nd in 12.82!
Wind was 3.1.
But the REAL hurdles prize goes to Grant Holloway, whose 13.16 at the Tom Jones meet was LEGAL (1.9)!!
This makes him 2nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
He misses the US list by 0.03 seconds!!
In second came Reuben Walters's 13.31.
Reuben, an Alabama Senior, is now 15th A-T Collegiate!
That Tom Jones meet (NOT named after the singer!! LOL) was a speedy one--even though a few of the marks got the "W" (for windy) affixed!
For example, Noah Lyles sped a 9.86 100, leading Isaiah Young to a 9.92--with a wind of 4.1.
Andre Ewers ran a 200 in 20.05, but had a breeze of 3.1 with him!
Wind-legal times were run there also!
LaShawn Merritt's 20.48 in the 200 had an 0.3 wind.
Tori Bowie's 11.04 had a tiny 0.2.
Tamara Clark--an Alabama Frosh--ran AGAINST a wind of 0.7 in her 200--time of 22.57!
The 400's were fast too!
Shakima Wimbley's 50.18 took care of Jessica Beard's 50.75!
Josephus Lyles won over Christian Taylor--45.28 to 45.44.
That attempt at an American Record in the 4X100 Relay by a Men's team of Christian Coleman, Justin Gatlin, Ronnie Baker, and Mike Rodgers had a questionable hand-off from Coleman to Gatlin--but their 38.08 fell way short anyway!
Not bad, though, for early April!
In other events--
Cole Sprout--a HS Soph!--ran 3000 meters at over 5000 feet of Colorado altitude!!--in 8:13.85!
This erases Drew Hunter as the Soph Class Record holder!!
He misses the HS DDD by 0.58 seconds!!
Jazmine Fray ran the fastest Collegiate 800 of the season--2:01.18!
This makes her 22nd A-T Collegiate!
A Miami Frosh--Kayla Johnson--ran 2:03.04 over the same distance!
In a meet at Temple University, Ajee Wilson rust-busted a 1500 in 4:12.52, edging Charlene Lipsey's 4:12.69!
LSU ran another fast 4X100 Relay--this one in 42.53!
Kortnei Johnson's 200 of 22.61 had a wind of 0.9!
Masai Russell ran the fastest 300H of this HS season--time of 40.70!
Another HS leader went to the 4:11.04 Mile of Johan Correa!!
The fine city of Santa Barbara (CA) saw its first-ever sub-4 Miles!!
The Hoka One One group saw Kyle Merber's 3:57.74 set the standard, with 3 others following under the barrier!
Ce'Aira Brown's 4:36.94 led the Women!
Field events cover the rest--
Dana Baker's JT of 171-5 moves her from 13th A-T HS to 11th!
Anders Ericksson--a Florida Junior--had a HT of 241-5, falling just 4 inches short of making my Collegiate DDD!
Ehsan Hadadi's DT went 225-10--the World leader!
Darrell Hill's SP mark of 67-8 beat Jordan Geist's 65-9!
A good SP saw Fannie Roos--a 23 year old from Sweden--reach 61-3.50!
She broke her own National Record!
This defeated Maggie Ewen's 60-4, and Lena Giger's 59-4.25!
Giger is now 23rd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
Ewen also threw the Discus 199-3, and the Hammer 226-5!
In another meet, Ewen PR'ed in the DT--to 204-11, but lost to Valerie Allman's 206-1--not a PR!
Nonetheless, Allman's 206-1 moves her from 15th A-T Collegiate to 10th!
Her 212-3 PR came in a meet AFTER 2017's NCAA Championships!!
Ewen's mark moves her from 16th A-T Collegiate to 12th!
It also makes her 21st A-T US!!
Tyler Cronk HJ'ed 7-3 for a tie of the yearly HS lead!
Tyson Jones's SP of 70-6 misses my HS list by ONE inch!!
Finally, Tyrese Cooper has returned from his INdoor injury!!
He had a 100 of 10.39 (wind unknown), a 200 of 21.45 (-0.8!), and a 400 of 47.38.
He finished 2nd in the latter race!
And that is THAT!!
Next up are the Mt SAC Relays!!
And that's just the cherry on top!!
See you soon!!
Well, while great events by themselves, they weren't the only game in town!!
So here's all the other stuff of note from this past few days!!
Since I just posted my Boston report, let's begin with all the other Road races--Run & Walk variety!!
Erick Kiptanui moved onto the top shelf of Half-Marathoners!
Winning the Berlin Half by a huge margin, his 58:42 makes him 5th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
He did his opening 5000 in 13:32--WR pace!--but slowed a bit after that!
The Cherry Blossom 10 Miler went to Jimal Yimer's 46:17, and Buze Diriba's 53:45!
Chris Derrick was 1st American in the Men's race (5th place), time of 46:52.
Matthew Centrowitz ran this also--but ended just 10th, time of 50:38!
He might have just been tempo-ing!
Emma Bates was 1st US Woman, also 5th place, time of 54:44!
The Rotterdam Marathon was won by Kenneth Kipkemoi and Visiline Jepkesho, respective times of 2:05:44 and 2:23:47.
The US World Walk Trials were taken by Nick Christie's 1:27:21, and Maria Michta-Coffey's 1:32:09!
A newcomer to the Women's Walk scene was 3rd placer Robyn Stevens, whose 1:34:26 makes her 8th A-T US!!
Is Jenn Suhr REALLY "semi-retired"??
Because she sure PERFORMS like someone peaking for the Olympics or a World Championship!!
Her latest crowd-rouser was a quarter-inch OUTdoor PR---after TEN YEARS!!
Opening at 15-1.50--about 2 feet after all others XXX'd out--she cleared that height, then 15-5.50, and finally--16-2--all on first attempts!!
(She missed thrice at 16-5.25!!)
This breaks her own Age 36 Record, and of course makes her the oldest 16 footer!!
She remains 2nd A-T US, and 3rd A-T World!
Staying with the PV, Renaud Lavillenie cleared 19-6.25--the World leader!--also at the Texas meet!
His heights were 18-4.50, 18-10.25, and 19-2.25--all on 1st try--then needing 3 for the 19-6.25!
He missed 3 at 19-8.50!
KC Lightfoot added his name to the growing list of OUTdoor HS 18 footers!!
Getting over 18-0, that moved him from 17th A-T HS, tied with 3 others, to 11th, tied with 1 other!
But then he went over 18-3!!
This moved him from 11th, tied with 1 other, to 4th, tied with 1 other!!
Morgann LeLeux cleared 15-1, not a PR!
Devin King got over 18-8.25!
Sydney McLaughlin continues to amaze---or maybe that's the wrong word!
Maybe "fulfilling PART of her VAST potential" might be closer to the vein!!
Her latest was in the Century--an event she rarely runs--at least sans hurdles!
While a bit windy (3.5)--and losing to Javianne Oliver's 11.04--Syd's 11.07 impressed even the McL-jaded!!
She also ran lead-off in Kentucky's 4X200 Relay--timed in 1:30.76!
Jasmine Camacho-Quinn ran 2nd leg!
This Tennessee meet produced another good windy mark--a 12.40 in the 100H by Kendra Harrison!
Kori Carter was a far back 2nd in 12.82!
Wind was 3.1.
But the REAL hurdles prize goes to Grant Holloway, whose 13.16 at the Tom Jones meet was LEGAL (1.9)!!
This makes him 2nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
He misses the US list by 0.03 seconds!!
In second came Reuben Walters's 13.31.
Reuben, an Alabama Senior, is now 15th A-T Collegiate!
That Tom Jones meet (NOT named after the singer!! LOL) was a speedy one--even though a few of the marks got the "W" (for windy) affixed!
For example, Noah Lyles sped a 9.86 100, leading Isaiah Young to a 9.92--with a wind of 4.1.
Andre Ewers ran a 200 in 20.05, but had a breeze of 3.1 with him!
Wind-legal times were run there also!
LaShawn Merritt's 20.48 in the 200 had an 0.3 wind.
Tori Bowie's 11.04 had a tiny 0.2.
Tamara Clark--an Alabama Frosh--ran AGAINST a wind of 0.7 in her 200--time of 22.57!
The 400's were fast too!
Shakima Wimbley's 50.18 took care of Jessica Beard's 50.75!
Josephus Lyles won over Christian Taylor--45.28 to 45.44.
That attempt at an American Record in the 4X100 Relay by a Men's team of Christian Coleman, Justin Gatlin, Ronnie Baker, and Mike Rodgers had a questionable hand-off from Coleman to Gatlin--but their 38.08 fell way short anyway!
Not bad, though, for early April!
In other events--
Cole Sprout--a HS Soph!--ran 3000 meters at over 5000 feet of Colorado altitude!!--in 8:13.85!
This erases Drew Hunter as the Soph Class Record holder!!
He misses the HS DDD by 0.58 seconds!!
Jazmine Fray ran the fastest Collegiate 800 of the season--2:01.18!
This makes her 22nd A-T Collegiate!
A Miami Frosh--Kayla Johnson--ran 2:03.04 over the same distance!
In a meet at Temple University, Ajee Wilson rust-busted a 1500 in 4:12.52, edging Charlene Lipsey's 4:12.69!
LSU ran another fast 4X100 Relay--this one in 42.53!
Kortnei Johnson's 200 of 22.61 had a wind of 0.9!
Masai Russell ran the fastest 300H of this HS season--time of 40.70!
Another HS leader went to the 4:11.04 Mile of Johan Correa!!
The fine city of Santa Barbara (CA) saw its first-ever sub-4 Miles!!
The Hoka One One group saw Kyle Merber's 3:57.74 set the standard, with 3 others following under the barrier!
Ce'Aira Brown's 4:36.94 led the Women!
Field events cover the rest--
Dana Baker's JT of 171-5 moves her from 13th A-T HS to 11th!
Anders Ericksson--a Florida Junior--had a HT of 241-5, falling just 4 inches short of making my Collegiate DDD!
Ehsan Hadadi's DT went 225-10--the World leader!
Darrell Hill's SP mark of 67-8 beat Jordan Geist's 65-9!
A good SP saw Fannie Roos--a 23 year old from Sweden--reach 61-3.50!
She broke her own National Record!
This defeated Maggie Ewen's 60-4, and Lena Giger's 59-4.25!
Giger is now 23rd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
Ewen also threw the Discus 199-3, and the Hammer 226-5!
In another meet, Ewen PR'ed in the DT--to 204-11, but lost to Valerie Allman's 206-1--not a PR!
Nonetheless, Allman's 206-1 moves her from 15th A-T Collegiate to 10th!
Her 212-3 PR came in a meet AFTER 2017's NCAA Championships!!
Ewen's mark moves her from 16th A-T Collegiate to 12th!
It also makes her 21st A-T US!!
Tyler Cronk HJ'ed 7-3 for a tie of the yearly HS lead!
Tyson Jones's SP of 70-6 misses my HS list by ONE inch!!
Finally, Tyrese Cooper has returned from his INdoor injury!!
He had a 100 of 10.39 (wind unknown), a 200 of 21.45 (-0.8!), and a 400 of 47.38.
He finished 2nd in the latter race!
And that is THAT!!
Next up are the Mt SAC Relays!!
And that's just the cherry on top!!
See you soon!!
Boston Strange
The 122nd Boston Marathon was WET, WINDY, and WACKY!
I mean, how often in a major race like Boston does a lifetime follower of the sport (MOI!) need to google 4 of the first 7 finishers just to find out WHO they are?!
Mosttimes, I've at least HEARD of a runner--have seen their name in results--even if not in the "elite" category!!
But today?
In Boston?
How about Rachel Hyland, who ended just off the podium, in 4th??
Before getting to my actual race report, let's look at the Men a bit!
I mean, SIX of the first 10 were Americans--and NONE of them was Galen Rupp!!
Daniel Vassalo (??) in 10th--Elkanah Kibet 8th, Scott Smith 6th!
Then you had Andy Bumbalough in 5th, Tyler Pennel in 4th, and Shadrack Biwott in 3rd!!
I mean, how often in a major race like Boston does a lifetime follower of the sport (MOI!) need to google 4 of the first 7 finishers just to find out WHO they are?!
Mosttimes, I've at least HEARD of a runner--have seen their name in results--even if not in the "elite" category!!
But today?
In Boston?
Seventh placer Kimi Reed!
Turns out she's run the Marathon in 2:38:19--decent but not quite a time this blog is interested in!
She's 30 years old.
Her time was 2:46:47.
She finished 27 seconds AHEAD of Edna Kiplagat, simply one of the WORLD's All-Time best!!
Skip to 5th placer Nicole DiMercurio!
Name rang no bells--not even a light tap on the door of my brain!!
Yet she ran track at Georgia, graduating in 2014!
Her time was 2:45:52, and she ended 39 seconds ahead of pre-race favorite Shalane Flanagan!!
Turns out she's run the Marathon in 2:38:19--decent but not quite a time this blog is interested in!
She's 30 years old.
Her time was 2:46:47.
She finished 27 seconds AHEAD of Edna Kiplagat, simply one of the WORLD's All-Time best!!
Skip to 5th placer Nicole DiMercurio!
Name rang no bells--not even a light tap on the door of my brain!!
Yet she ran track at Georgia, graduating in 2014!
Her time was 2:45:52, and she ended 39 seconds ahead of pre-race favorite Shalane Flanagan!!
How about Rachel Hyland, who ended just off the podium, in 4th??
She's 31, and has a Marathon PR of 2:41:26!
Her time was 2:44:29.
While not a stranger, most didn't expect 41 year old Canadian Krista Duchene--a few years past her 2:28 & change prime--to take the Bronze--time of 2:44:20!
But when a Woman named Sarah Sellers takes SECOND--well, you KNOW that THIS Boston is stranger than most!!
She's married now, but her name at Weber State was Sarah Callister--still unknown to me, despite her having a 32:50 PR for a track 10000!!
She's a full time nurse, and is about 27!
Her time was 2:44:29.
While not a stranger, most didn't expect 41 year old Canadian Krista Duchene--a few years past her 2:28 & change prime--to take the Bronze--time of 2:44:20!
But when a Woman named Sarah Sellers takes SECOND--well, you KNOW that THIS Boston is stranger than most!!
She's married now, but her name at Weber State was Sarah Callister--still unknown to me, despite her having a 32:50 PR for a track 10000!!
She's a full time nurse, and is about 27!
Before getting to my actual race report, let's look at the Men a bit!
I mean, SIX of the first 10 were Americans--and NONE of them was Galen Rupp!!
Daniel Vassalo (??) in 10th--Elkanah Kibet 8th, Scott Smith 6th!
Then you had Andy Bumbalough in 5th, Tyler Pennel in 4th, and Shadrack Biwott in 3rd!!
At least I KNOW those last 3 guys---and Kibet!!
And the WINNERS!!
Look, here's a bit of how it went down.
Japanese career-Marathoner (He's done over 80 of them--about 10 per year!!) Yuki Kawauchi WON the Men's race in 2:15:58.
But his first mile was a 4:37!
Sure, it was downhill, but in this worst-ever weather, you just don't open your race at VERY close to 2:01 flat pace!!
The pace fell back to "normal"--4:50's to 5:10's--but even that kind of speed was unexpected in this kind of weather--with 20-30 MPH winds AGAINST you, and raining!!
After a bit of group running, Geoff Kirui took over, opening a sizable gap past the half, and toward the 25K mark!
Then Kawauchi--with an exaggerated arm-swing not often seen after High School among elites--took over, opening an ever-widening gap!
He wasn't really moving that fast--after all, they'd passed the Half in 1:05:59--so his second half was close to 70 minutes!!
But no one gave serious chase!
And where was Rupp, promoted by "everyone" as the "winner" for weeks before race day??
Dressed like a bandit (The Let's Run crowd sort of said as much--as he wore layers--and had his face mostly covered--like a Midnight Burglar!!), he fell back early, and never rallied!
Look, here's a bit of how it went down.
Japanese career-Marathoner (He's done over 80 of them--about 10 per year!!) Yuki Kawauchi WON the Men's race in 2:15:58.
But his first mile was a 4:37!
Sure, it was downhill, but in this worst-ever weather, you just don't open your race at VERY close to 2:01 flat pace!!
The pace fell back to "normal"--4:50's to 5:10's--but even that kind of speed was unexpected in this kind of weather--with 20-30 MPH winds AGAINST you, and raining!!
After a bit of group running, Geoff Kirui took over, opening a sizable gap past the half, and toward the 25K mark!
Then Kawauchi--with an exaggerated arm-swing not often seen after High School among elites--took over, opening an ever-widening gap!
He wasn't really moving that fast--after all, they'd passed the Half in 1:05:59--so his second half was close to 70 minutes!!
But no one gave serious chase!
And where was Rupp, promoted by "everyone" as the "winner" for weeks before race day??
Dressed like a bandit (The Let's Run crowd sort of said as much--as he wore layers--and had his face mostly covered--like a Midnight Burglar!!), he fell back early, and never rallied!
He DNF'ed around Mile 18!!
And, as is normal with the NOP Gang, he refused to talk to the media afterward!!
Kawauchi's initial reaction??
Remember Karsten Warholm's open-mouthed "The Scream" after taking the 400H in the 2017 WC??
Take Two--and add the idea that he didn't even know he'd won until people said he did!!
Geoff Kirui was 2nd--2:25 behind, and 12 seconds ahead of Biwott!
Pennel ended in 2:18:57, while Bumbalough timed 2:19:52!
The Women's race was a bit more predictable--in the early going!
A large group--10 or 12--held together through SLOW opening miles!!
(No 4:37's here!!)
This group included the main Americans--Shalane Flanagan, Molly Huddle, and Des Linden!
Jordan Hasay had withdrawn a day before, citing a plantar fascia tightness!
And, as is normal with the NOP Gang, he refused to talk to the media afterward!!
Kawauchi's initial reaction??
Remember Karsten Warholm's open-mouthed "The Scream" after taking the 400H in the 2017 WC??
Take Two--and add the idea that he didn't even know he'd won until people said he did!!
Geoff Kirui was 2nd--2:25 behind, and 12 seconds ahead of Biwott!
Pennel ended in 2:18:57, while Bumbalough timed 2:19:52!
The Women's race was a bit more predictable--in the early going!
A large group--10 or 12--held together through SLOW opening miles!!
(No 4:37's here!!)
This group included the main Americans--Shalane Flanagan, Molly Huddle, and Des Linden!
Jordan Hasay had withdrawn a day before, citing a plantar fascia tightness!
After a few miles, Mamitu Daska took the reins, opening a 30 meter gap!
Around Mile 11, Flanagan, running alongside Linden back of the leaders, suddenly veered right, heading directly into one of a line of Port-a-Potty's on a side street!
She wasn't there long--some said just 10 seconds!!--and when she hooked back onto the course, there was Linden--waiting for her!!
(In an interview afterward, Linden said she wasn't feeling good at that point, and was considering a DNF, so felt helping Shalane was more important than maintaining contact with the Africans and other leaders!!)
Around Mile 11, Flanagan, running alongside Linden back of the leaders, suddenly veered right, heading directly into one of a line of Port-a-Potty's on a side street!
She wasn't there long--some said just 10 seconds!!--and when she hooked back onto the course, there was Linden--waiting for her!!
(In an interview afterward, Linden said she wasn't feeling good at that point, and was considering a DNF, so felt helping Shalane was more important than maintaining contact with the Africans and other leaders!!)
Shades of Shalane and Amy Cragg in the OT's in '16--or Nikki Hamblin and Abbey D'Agostino in the Rio 5000 heats!!
The Half was passed in 1:19:48!
While the "expert" announcers were saying they were heading to a 2:34 finish, the weather, and the fact the Newton Hills were still ahead of them--that split told me a sub-2:40 was probable, but not certain!!
With Daska now at least 100 meters in front, Gladys Chesire tried to close the gap, with Linden close!
Flanagan had fallen back--or STAYED back!!--while Huddle just disappeared!!
(She ended in 13th place, and said she was headed for an emergency root canal soon!! OUCH!!)
The cameras focused on Daska, and you could see her losing her fighting spirit!
Slowing, Chesire and Linden started closing the space between them--now down to a doable 30 meters!
While the "expert" announcers were saying they were heading to a 2:34 finish, the weather, and the fact the Newton Hills were still ahead of them--that split told me a sub-2:40 was probable, but not certain!!
With Daska now at least 100 meters in front, Gladys Chesire tried to close the gap, with Linden close!
Flanagan had fallen back--or STAYED back!!--while Huddle just disappeared!!
(She ended in 13th place, and said she was headed for an emergency root canal soon!! OUCH!!)
The cameras focused on Daska, and you could see her losing her fighting spirit!
Slowing, Chesire and Linden started closing the space between them--now down to a doable 30 meters!
When they passed her, Desiree took over!
And in the next minute, she'd opened that same 30 meter gap--with Daska fading fast!
(Not sure if she DNF'ed, but she didn't finish in the Top Ten!!)
Around 23 miles, it became Shalane Flanagan in NYC in 2017 deja vu time!!
Clear of Chesire--and everyone else--Des headed toward Boylston Street all alone--the crowds growing larger and noisier!!
While not matching Flanagan's closing low-5's over those Central Park miles, Linden finished in miles timed around 6:20--more than enough for a 4:11 winning margin over--Sarah Sellers!!
As with Shalane in NYC, and Meb in Boston a few years ago--I was in tears watching Linden race toward the tape--No "F--K Yeah's"--but raised arms and a beatific beautiful smile--and the waiting arms of her happy and proud husband!!
The First American Woman winner since 1985--the first Japanese Male winner in quite a while--and a super popular one at that!!
No Record Book times, but a race so dramatic and thrilling--and STRANGE!!
Add the happy note that Tatyana McFadden won the Wheelchair division again--one year after major surgery for blood clots!!
(Not sure if she DNF'ed, but she didn't finish in the Top Ten!!)
Around 23 miles, it became Shalane Flanagan in NYC in 2017 deja vu time!!
Clear of Chesire--and everyone else--Des headed toward Boylston Street all alone--the crowds growing larger and noisier!!
While not matching Flanagan's closing low-5's over those Central Park miles, Linden finished in miles timed around 6:20--more than enough for a 4:11 winning margin over--Sarah Sellers!!
As with Shalane in NYC, and Meb in Boston a few years ago--I was in tears watching Linden race toward the tape--No "F--K Yeah's"--but raised arms and a beatific beautiful smile--and the waiting arms of her happy and proud husband!!
The First American Woman winner since 1985--the first Japanese Male winner in quite a while--and a super popular one at that!!
No Record Book times, but a race so dramatic and thrilling--and STRANGE!!
Add the happy note that Tatyana McFadden won the Wheelchair division again--one year after major surgery for blood clots!!
See you soon with T&F results from the weekend!!
Saturday, April 14, 2018
13 (or 11?) MR's mark mixed Commonwealth Games
Callum Hawkins collapsed---twice--while leading the final event of the Commonwealth Games--the Men's Marathon!
It was the heat--and the refusal of medicos to go to him!--that made this event so dramatic!
(He's okay, last I heard, in a hospital recovering!)
This sharp turn downward didn't quite reflect a Games that produced a goodly amount of Meet Records--whether that count includes the pair produced by the questionably-gendered Caster Semenya---or not!
Whether 13---or 11---this Commonwealth Games was a success--even though scheduled for a time when athletes were ending their Down Under season--or gearing up for the Diamond League meets a month or more hence!!
And those upsets!!
Valerie---excuse me!!--DAME Valerie Adams--lost!
As did Eliza McCartney!
But it really began with Tom Walsh!!
As reported in a previous post, three MR's fell in the first day or two of competition!
To repeat---
Walsh threw the Shot Put a humongous 73-8---in QUALIFYING!!--to shatter the MR by a few FEET!!
Dane Bird-Smith beat Tom Bosworth in the 20000 Meter Walk---1:19:34 to 1:19:38, getting another Meet Record!
And Nick Miller's HT of 263-4 got that MR!!
(Details in the earlier post!)
It was truly anticlimactic that Walsh's winning SP was "just" 70-3!!
Another Thrower to shine---as she has been all year!--was Kathryn Mitchell!
The Aussie JT'er added another 14 inches to her National Record to win at 226-1.
It's also the CG Meet Record!
And she broke her own Age 35 Record also!
But she remains 7th A-T World!!
As I've done in other major Championship meet reports, let's go ahead chronologically!!
The Women's 10K went to Stella Chesang's 31:45.30.
A strategic race, even though she was just 18 seconds removed from the MR!
The sprints were slow--ish, despite Usain Bolt's storied presence to watch his fellow Jamaicans collect Gold's that never came!!
(He even reflected--"Maybe I retired too soon!!")
Michelle Lee-Ahye took the Women's 100 in 11.14 (1.0), while Akani Simbine's 10.03 (0.8) took care of Bolt's friend Yohan Blake, whose 10.17 took Bronze!!
Henry Frayne (Huh? Who??) set a Meet Record in the LJ Qualifying--27-4.50!
But while he continued his fine jumping in the Final, his 27-4 wasn't enough to hold off the flyer of Luvo Manyonga!
His 27-7.25 winner got him the MR!!
(First time a MR was broken in both Qualifying and Final in a Championship meet??)
It was a Jamaican 1-2 in the Women's Triple Jump!!
Kimberly Williams flipped a 48-0.50 to defeat Shaneika Ricketts's 47-7.75!!
Running against a breeze of 0.3, Ronald Levy won the 110H in 13.19, with Hansle Parchment 2nd in 13.22!
The Men's 5K was a MoBot special--without MoBot!
Won in 13:50.83 by Joshua Cheptegei, 2nd DID go to a "Mo"--Mo Ahmed of Canada!!
The Women's 20K Walk was won by an Aussie--Jemima Montag--but in a slow 1:32:50!
The Men's 800 heats saw hot Nijel Amos remain heated---his 1:45.12 speedy for a Q time!!
The Final was taken in 1:45.11---but not by Amos--who ended LAST!!
Wycliffe Kinjamal (!!) beat the 1:45.16 of Kyle Langford!!
As for Amos, he was leading through 600, but faded bad on the ending straight!
His time was 1:48.45!
Another event with a fast Heat time was the Women's 400H---which saw Janieve Russell take the year's lead with her 54.01.
She won the final, but needed just 54.33 to defeat Elidh Doyle's 54.80!!
The Multi's went to the favored--Lindon Victor and Katarina Johnson-Thompson--but with UNDERwhelming results!!
Victor's 8303 survived his battle with Damian Warner, whose No Height in the PV ended his chances!!
As for KJT, she was criticized afterward for sloughing it with her score of 6255!
The critics felt she didn't "perform" up to her standards!
But can't say the same for Silver winner Nina Schultz!!
She PR'ed with 6133, moving her from 24th A-T Collegiate to 13th!!
She's 19 years old!
A year younger is Australia's Celeste Mucci!
Her score of 5915 took 4th!
Julia Ratcliffe took the HT with a non-PR 229-5!
Isaac Makwala's 44.35 nailed the Men's 400, with Baboloki Thebe's 45.09 far back!
Then came the first of South Africa's unnamable's 2 "Gold's"!!
Not in THIS blogger's humble opinion!!
This person does NOT belong in All-Women's events---IAAF rulings or not!!
CS ran 4:00.71---which in "ordinary" circumstances would be the new MR!!
But I see Beatrice Chepkoech's 4:03.09--in "2nd"---as being the REAL MR!
Melissa Courtney took the "Silver" with her 4:03.44!!
Emma Coburn's training partner won the Women's 3000SC!!
Aisha Praught-Leer--American turned Jamaican!!--almost got the MR---but her 9:21.00 non-PR was enough to beat the young stud, Celiphine Chespol, who ended in 9:22.61!!
Perhaps an upset equal to what Coburn did in London last year!!
The shockers continued in the Men's HJ--where Donald Thomas was the perceived favorite!
He ended just 4th--behind Aussie Brandon Starc---another I'd never ever heard of!!
Starc's winner measured 7-7.25!
Shara Proctor was another "upset"---especially after she led the Long Jump Q's with 22-7.25!
But she ended 3rd--behind Gold winner Christabel Nettey's 22-5.25!
Elaine Thompson came into this meet a mystery!
Was she in shape--or wasn't she??
The Heats gave some hint--as her 22.95 was well behind Shaunae Miller-Uibo's 22.48, despite an anti-wind of 0.3!
In fact, Sharicka Jackson's 22.28 led those prelims!!
But the Final saw ET improve to a solid 22.30!!
Untold story--it gave her only fourth!!
In first came SMU's 22.09!!
The wind of 0.9 took her to the CG Meet Record!
And what an iconic MR it was!!
No other than Merlene Ottey's 22.19--dating from 36 years ago--in 1982!!
Jackson took Silver with 22.18, while Dina Asher-Smith's 22.29 kept ET off the podium!!
The Men's 200 Heats found Aaron Brown's 20.18 well ahead of 19.69 man Clarence Munyai, who ran 20.36.!
Was he just jogging it--waiting to destroy the field in the Final??
NO!!
Like ET, he ended 4th--in 20.58!!
Jereem Richards used an 0.9 wind to win in 20.12!!
Vet Amantle Montsho's 50.15 came within 0.05 seconds of the MR, but was more than enough to take the Gold!
Anastasia LeRoy's 50.57 was 2nd, while another vet--Stephanie McPherson--was 3rd in 50.93!
Some early Q & Heat action gave interesting results!
Fedric Dacres led the DT Qualifying with his DT of 217-2!
Danielle Williams's 12.69 was the fastest 100H time, ahead of Tobi Amusan's 12.73.
Michelle Jenneke's 12.99 squeaked her in to the Final!!
Val Adams's 60-9.25 led the Shot Put Q's--a season's best!
And South Africa's CS ran 1:59.26 in the WOMEN's 800 Heats!
Dacres improved to 223-9 in the Final--for another Commonwealth Games Meet Record!!
TWO of those "questionables"---the 2nd being MW---ended "in front" of the REAL winner--Natoya Goule--who produced her 1st sub-1:59 time--1:58.82!
You can add CS's 1:56.68 as the MR---or not!!
Amusan took the 100H in 12.68!
Williams was 2nd in 12.78--while the Dancing Jenneke ran 13.07 in 4th!!
It was the Shot Put which saw the Dame defeated!!
While the new Mom Adams produced her best post-birth mark of 61-1.25, it wasn't enough to stop Jamaica's Danniel Thomas-Dodd's 63-6.25 from winning---or breaking her own National Record!!
A real surprise came in the Men's 10000!!
Not so much in who won--Joshua Cheptegai--but that his time of 27:19.62 took down the Meet Record!!
Something not often seen in these type of meets!!
He needed all of it to stop Mo Ahmed's 27:20.56!
In 5th came Jake Robertson, whose 27:30.90 changed the NZ National Record from one twin brother to the other!!
In another distance event--the Men's 3000SC--the MR fell!!
Consesius Kipruto's 8:10.08 nipped the old mark--and 2nd placer Abe Kibiwott's 8:10.62!
Kyron McMaster ran 48.25 to win the 400H!
Dani Stevens threw the Discus 223-11 for another Commonwealth Games Meet Record!!
The last days---supposed to end these meets with a BANG---instead dribbled past observers as quietly as a mouse!!
Lavern Spencer's winning HJ was 6-4.75!
Ho hum.
Troy Doris's TJ was even worse--55-4.75!!
Neeraj Chopra's JT winner was 283-8--not bad!
It came within 4 feet of the Age 20 Record!!
But Silver winner was Anderson Peters--whose 269-8 PR saw him remain 8th A-T Collegiate!!
Both Pole Vault's saw shock winners!!
Shawn Barber--coming back to his mid-19's form--actually LOST!
But to WHOM he lost is the bigger news!!
Kurtis Marschall--he of the triumvirate of youngsters attacking the veteran Pro's (Mondo Duplantis, Emmanouil Karalis, and Marschall)--reached 18-8.25 to defeat Barber's pedestrian 18-6.25!
Then it was Eliza McCartney's turn to taste the bitterness of defeat!!
But maybe this one wasn't so much a shocker!
Alysha Newman--Canada's starkly beautiful NR holder--was on her game--and needed all of it!
Her OUTdoor PR-matching 15-7 was enough to stop McCartney's 15-5!
Newman's mark added to the list of Meet Record breakers!!
The Sprint Relays were--um, sprint-like--but non-Record worthy---despite "England's" 42.46 being listed as the Meet Record!!
Well, maybe they discounted Great Britain's 41.77 from a previous CG!
NOTE---I just bought & received my copy of the 2018 edition of the National Athletics Records book (Cost--$38.14 in USD--$ 30 in Euros!).
I might go deeper into a review in a later post, but for now, let's stick to the "England" matter!
Wilfried Kramer's fine book has NR's for Great Britain--as well as England!
And in the Women's 4X100, BOTH NR's are listed as 41.77!!
So the CG Results page was WRONG!!
Anyway, GB's 42.46 defeated Jamaica's 42.52!!
In the Men's race, GB also won--in 38.13!
South Africa was 2nd in a National Record time of 38.24!
They move from 21st A-T Nation to 18th!!
Jamaica was 3rd in 38.35!!
(Will these defeats REALLY pull DA MAN out of retirement??)
On the penultimate day, the pair of Individual races saw good---but still somewhat tactical---times winning!
Helen Obiri cruised to a 5000 W in 15:13.11.
Margaret Kipkemboi's 15:13.28 took Silver.
Elijah Manangoi's 3:34.78 was better---but still quite a bit off the venerable Filbert Bayi's outstanding MR of 3:32.16---dating from 1974---44 years ago!!
Will that mark EVER be broken??
Tim Cheruiyot's 3:35.17 was 2nd in the "Metric Mile"!!
(NOTE--Seb Coe has suggested he's in favor of "Bringing Back the Mile" in the CG's!!)
The 4X400's were okay--and just that!
Jamaica's Women won in 3:24.00 over Nigeria's 3:25.29!
In 3rd came Botswana's 3:26.86--an NR by 0.03 seconds!!
It makes them 24th A-T Nation!!
Speaking of Botswana, they won the Men's race--in 3:01.78.
The Bahamas ended 2nd in 3:01.92, barely edging Jamaica's 3:01.97!
(One event where even an UN-retiring Usain Bolt would NOT help!! LOL)
Those Marathons?
Helelia Johannes of Namibia won the Women's race in 2:32:40.
Lisa Weightman was 2nd in 2:33:23!
As for the Men, after Hawkins's double-collapse, and eventual removal--it was left to Michael Shelley to cross the line first--in 2:16:46!
So---13 MR's??
Or eleven??
Your choice!
See you soon with my normal weekend results report!!
(And my Boston Marathon report--in detail!!)
It was the heat--and the refusal of medicos to go to him!--that made this event so dramatic!
(He's okay, last I heard, in a hospital recovering!)
This sharp turn downward didn't quite reflect a Games that produced a goodly amount of Meet Records--whether that count includes the pair produced by the questionably-gendered Caster Semenya---or not!
Whether 13---or 11---this Commonwealth Games was a success--even though scheduled for a time when athletes were ending their Down Under season--or gearing up for the Diamond League meets a month or more hence!!
And those upsets!!
Valerie---excuse me!!--DAME Valerie Adams--lost!
As did Eliza McCartney!
But it really began with Tom Walsh!!
As reported in a previous post, three MR's fell in the first day or two of competition!
To repeat---
Walsh threw the Shot Put a humongous 73-8---in QUALIFYING!!--to shatter the MR by a few FEET!!
Dane Bird-Smith beat Tom Bosworth in the 20000 Meter Walk---1:19:34 to 1:19:38, getting another Meet Record!
And Nick Miller's HT of 263-4 got that MR!!
(Details in the earlier post!)
It was truly anticlimactic that Walsh's winning SP was "just" 70-3!!
Another Thrower to shine---as she has been all year!--was Kathryn Mitchell!
The Aussie JT'er added another 14 inches to her National Record to win at 226-1.
It's also the CG Meet Record!
And she broke her own Age 35 Record also!
But she remains 7th A-T World!!
As I've done in other major Championship meet reports, let's go ahead chronologically!!
The Women's 10K went to Stella Chesang's 31:45.30.
A strategic race, even though she was just 18 seconds removed from the MR!
The sprints were slow--ish, despite Usain Bolt's storied presence to watch his fellow Jamaicans collect Gold's that never came!!
(He even reflected--"Maybe I retired too soon!!")
Michelle Lee-Ahye took the Women's 100 in 11.14 (1.0), while Akani Simbine's 10.03 (0.8) took care of Bolt's friend Yohan Blake, whose 10.17 took Bronze!!
Henry Frayne (Huh? Who??) set a Meet Record in the LJ Qualifying--27-4.50!
But while he continued his fine jumping in the Final, his 27-4 wasn't enough to hold off the flyer of Luvo Manyonga!
His 27-7.25 winner got him the MR!!
(First time a MR was broken in both Qualifying and Final in a Championship meet??)
It was a Jamaican 1-2 in the Women's Triple Jump!!
Kimberly Williams flipped a 48-0.50 to defeat Shaneika Ricketts's 47-7.75!!
Running against a breeze of 0.3, Ronald Levy won the 110H in 13.19, with Hansle Parchment 2nd in 13.22!
The Men's 5K was a MoBot special--without MoBot!
Won in 13:50.83 by Joshua Cheptegei, 2nd DID go to a "Mo"--Mo Ahmed of Canada!!
The Women's 20K Walk was won by an Aussie--Jemima Montag--but in a slow 1:32:50!
The Men's 800 heats saw hot Nijel Amos remain heated---his 1:45.12 speedy for a Q time!!
The Final was taken in 1:45.11---but not by Amos--who ended LAST!!
Wycliffe Kinjamal (!!) beat the 1:45.16 of Kyle Langford!!
As for Amos, he was leading through 600, but faded bad on the ending straight!
His time was 1:48.45!
Another event with a fast Heat time was the Women's 400H---which saw Janieve Russell take the year's lead with her 54.01.
She won the final, but needed just 54.33 to defeat Elidh Doyle's 54.80!!
The Multi's went to the favored--Lindon Victor and Katarina Johnson-Thompson--but with UNDERwhelming results!!
Victor's 8303 survived his battle with Damian Warner, whose No Height in the PV ended his chances!!
As for KJT, she was criticized afterward for sloughing it with her score of 6255!
The critics felt she didn't "perform" up to her standards!
But can't say the same for Silver winner Nina Schultz!!
She PR'ed with 6133, moving her from 24th A-T Collegiate to 13th!!
She's 19 years old!
A year younger is Australia's Celeste Mucci!
Her score of 5915 took 4th!
Julia Ratcliffe took the HT with a non-PR 229-5!
Isaac Makwala's 44.35 nailed the Men's 400, with Baboloki Thebe's 45.09 far back!
Then came the first of South Africa's unnamable's 2 "Gold's"!!
Not in THIS blogger's humble opinion!!
This person does NOT belong in All-Women's events---IAAF rulings or not!!
CS ran 4:00.71---which in "ordinary" circumstances would be the new MR!!
But I see Beatrice Chepkoech's 4:03.09--in "2nd"---as being the REAL MR!
Melissa Courtney took the "Silver" with her 4:03.44!!
Emma Coburn's training partner won the Women's 3000SC!!
Aisha Praught-Leer--American turned Jamaican!!--almost got the MR---but her 9:21.00 non-PR was enough to beat the young stud, Celiphine Chespol, who ended in 9:22.61!!
Perhaps an upset equal to what Coburn did in London last year!!
The shockers continued in the Men's HJ--where Donald Thomas was the perceived favorite!
He ended just 4th--behind Aussie Brandon Starc---another I'd never ever heard of!!
Starc's winner measured 7-7.25!
Shara Proctor was another "upset"---especially after she led the Long Jump Q's with 22-7.25!
But she ended 3rd--behind Gold winner Christabel Nettey's 22-5.25!
Elaine Thompson came into this meet a mystery!
Was she in shape--or wasn't she??
The Heats gave some hint--as her 22.95 was well behind Shaunae Miller-Uibo's 22.48, despite an anti-wind of 0.3!
In fact, Sharicka Jackson's 22.28 led those prelims!!
But the Final saw ET improve to a solid 22.30!!
Untold story--it gave her only fourth!!
In first came SMU's 22.09!!
The wind of 0.9 took her to the CG Meet Record!
And what an iconic MR it was!!
No other than Merlene Ottey's 22.19--dating from 36 years ago--in 1982!!
Jackson took Silver with 22.18, while Dina Asher-Smith's 22.29 kept ET off the podium!!
The Men's 200 Heats found Aaron Brown's 20.18 well ahead of 19.69 man Clarence Munyai, who ran 20.36.!
Was he just jogging it--waiting to destroy the field in the Final??
NO!!
Like ET, he ended 4th--in 20.58!!
Jereem Richards used an 0.9 wind to win in 20.12!!
Vet Amantle Montsho's 50.15 came within 0.05 seconds of the MR, but was more than enough to take the Gold!
Anastasia LeRoy's 50.57 was 2nd, while another vet--Stephanie McPherson--was 3rd in 50.93!
Some early Q & Heat action gave interesting results!
Fedric Dacres led the DT Qualifying with his DT of 217-2!
Danielle Williams's 12.69 was the fastest 100H time, ahead of Tobi Amusan's 12.73.
Michelle Jenneke's 12.99 squeaked her in to the Final!!
Val Adams's 60-9.25 led the Shot Put Q's--a season's best!
And South Africa's CS ran 1:59.26 in the WOMEN's 800 Heats!
Dacres improved to 223-9 in the Final--for another Commonwealth Games Meet Record!!
TWO of those "questionables"---the 2nd being MW---ended "in front" of the REAL winner--Natoya Goule--who produced her 1st sub-1:59 time--1:58.82!
You can add CS's 1:56.68 as the MR---or not!!
Amusan took the 100H in 12.68!
Williams was 2nd in 12.78--while the Dancing Jenneke ran 13.07 in 4th!!
It was the Shot Put which saw the Dame defeated!!
While the new Mom Adams produced her best post-birth mark of 61-1.25, it wasn't enough to stop Jamaica's Danniel Thomas-Dodd's 63-6.25 from winning---or breaking her own National Record!!
A real surprise came in the Men's 10000!!
Not so much in who won--Joshua Cheptegai--but that his time of 27:19.62 took down the Meet Record!!
Something not often seen in these type of meets!!
He needed all of it to stop Mo Ahmed's 27:20.56!
In 5th came Jake Robertson, whose 27:30.90 changed the NZ National Record from one twin brother to the other!!
In another distance event--the Men's 3000SC--the MR fell!!
Consesius Kipruto's 8:10.08 nipped the old mark--and 2nd placer Abe Kibiwott's 8:10.62!
Kyron McMaster ran 48.25 to win the 400H!
Dani Stevens threw the Discus 223-11 for another Commonwealth Games Meet Record!!
The last days---supposed to end these meets with a BANG---instead dribbled past observers as quietly as a mouse!!
Lavern Spencer's winning HJ was 6-4.75!
Ho hum.
Troy Doris's TJ was even worse--55-4.75!!
Neeraj Chopra's JT winner was 283-8--not bad!
It came within 4 feet of the Age 20 Record!!
But Silver winner was Anderson Peters--whose 269-8 PR saw him remain 8th A-T Collegiate!!
Both Pole Vault's saw shock winners!!
Shawn Barber--coming back to his mid-19's form--actually LOST!
But to WHOM he lost is the bigger news!!
Kurtis Marschall--he of the triumvirate of youngsters attacking the veteran Pro's (Mondo Duplantis, Emmanouil Karalis, and Marschall)--reached 18-8.25 to defeat Barber's pedestrian 18-6.25!
Then it was Eliza McCartney's turn to taste the bitterness of defeat!!
But maybe this one wasn't so much a shocker!
Alysha Newman--Canada's starkly beautiful NR holder--was on her game--and needed all of it!
Her OUTdoor PR-matching 15-7 was enough to stop McCartney's 15-5!
Newman's mark added to the list of Meet Record breakers!!
The Sprint Relays were--um, sprint-like--but non-Record worthy---despite "England's" 42.46 being listed as the Meet Record!!
Well, maybe they discounted Great Britain's 41.77 from a previous CG!
NOTE---I just bought & received my copy of the 2018 edition of the National Athletics Records book (Cost--$38.14 in USD--$ 30 in Euros!).
I might go deeper into a review in a later post, but for now, let's stick to the "England" matter!
Wilfried Kramer's fine book has NR's for Great Britain--as well as England!
And in the Women's 4X100, BOTH NR's are listed as 41.77!!
So the CG Results page was WRONG!!
Anyway, GB's 42.46 defeated Jamaica's 42.52!!
In the Men's race, GB also won--in 38.13!
South Africa was 2nd in a National Record time of 38.24!
They move from 21st A-T Nation to 18th!!
Jamaica was 3rd in 38.35!!
(Will these defeats REALLY pull DA MAN out of retirement??)
On the penultimate day, the pair of Individual races saw good---but still somewhat tactical---times winning!
Helen Obiri cruised to a 5000 W in 15:13.11.
Margaret Kipkemboi's 15:13.28 took Silver.
Elijah Manangoi's 3:34.78 was better---but still quite a bit off the venerable Filbert Bayi's outstanding MR of 3:32.16---dating from 1974---44 years ago!!
Will that mark EVER be broken??
Tim Cheruiyot's 3:35.17 was 2nd in the "Metric Mile"!!
(NOTE--Seb Coe has suggested he's in favor of "Bringing Back the Mile" in the CG's!!)
The 4X400's were okay--and just that!
Jamaica's Women won in 3:24.00 over Nigeria's 3:25.29!
In 3rd came Botswana's 3:26.86--an NR by 0.03 seconds!!
It makes them 24th A-T Nation!!
Speaking of Botswana, they won the Men's race--in 3:01.78.
The Bahamas ended 2nd in 3:01.92, barely edging Jamaica's 3:01.97!
(One event where even an UN-retiring Usain Bolt would NOT help!! LOL)
Those Marathons?
Helelia Johannes of Namibia won the Women's race in 2:32:40.
Lisa Weightman was 2nd in 2:33:23!
As for the Men, after Hawkins's double-collapse, and eventual removal--it was left to Michael Shelley to cross the line first--in 2:16:46!
So---13 MR's??
Or eleven??
Your choice!
See you soon with my normal weekend results report!!
(And my Boston Marathon report--in detail!!)
Sunday, April 8, 2018
"Summer" Marks Spring Forth
You expect a mark like Steven Gardiner's 19.75 in the 200 to come in one of the DL meets--sometime during the summer!
Yet here we are--barely into April--and we see his 19.75 is real--even if it happened in a Florida meet!!
A tepid breeze of 0.3 brought him to the line in a new Bahamas National Record.
And he becomes 14th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Or how about the spectacular DAY that Maggie Ewen produced in the Sun Angel Classic!!
Her first event was the Hammer Throw!
How many athletes can we say broke--nay, smashed!--the Collegiate Record--yet did NOT get a PR??
Her 244-6 missed her PR by one inch!
However, that 244-7 PR was thrown AFTER the NCAA Championship meet, so wasn't eligible for "official" lists or records!
Her 244-6 IS!!
This gave her the CR, the Senior Class Record, and the Sun Angel Meet Record!
(Her 2nd best mark of the series also broke the old record--242-5!)
Brooke Anderson was a good 2nd with her 229-7!
She followed that with a Discus Throw of 201-0!!
She moves from 22nd A-T Collegiate to 16th!
But she misses the US list by 4 inches!!
Then came her Shot Put!
With Raven Saunders AWOL, Ewen became the Collegiate scene's "latest & greatest" with the round ball during the INdoor season!
And suddenly she's 2nd A-T Collegiate OUTdoors also!!
Her 63-0.75 gave her the Senior Class Record, something she might have been fighting Saunders for if the situation were different!
And it makes her 10th A-T US!!
All in a DAY's work!!
LOL
For High Schoolers, the Arcadia Invite is a BIG Deal!!
For Sondre Guttormsen, it made him the best NON-Mondo young PV'er of 2018!
His 18-2.50 clearance moves him from 12th A-T HS to 5th!
And it destroyed the Arcadia Meet Record!
(His 3 tries at 18-5.25 were good!!)
Katelynn Hart--just a Soph!--took over the 3200 early!
Hitting the half in 5:00, she tried to keep pace--but all alone, finished in 10:02.57!
I don't keep records or lists for 3200's (or 1600's), so I'm not sure exactly where this places her!
But I do know it's a GREAT time for a Soph--even when the 10th Grade world has a Katelyn Tuohy in it!!
Another solid Arcadia performance came from Sterling Lester in the Heptathlon!
Her 5288 score makes her 15th A-T HS!
She's just a Junior!
While not in Arcadia, Marlee Starliper ran a good time in the 5000!
Running against Collegiates, she ended 2nd in 16:39.68.
She missed the HS list by 8 seconds!
The Sun Angel meet gave us other solid marks!
Michael Norman closed down early in his 200 of 20.06!!
Still, it was a Sun Angel Meet Record, and made him 22nd A-T Collegiate!
But get this!!--he ran it AGAINST a wind of 1.4!!
(Steven Gardiner--Watch out!!)
A fast 400 found Quincy Hall and Paul Dedewo separated by just 0.02 seconds at the line!
Hall--a Junior College Soph--ran 44.60 to Dedewo's 44.62!
Rachel Schneider's 2:01.98 beat Emily Richards's 2:02.04 in a good 800!
The Spec Towns meet had some good marks!
Keturah Orji's 22-0.25 LJ beat Tara Davis's 21-9!
Lynna Irby ran a solid 200--22.64!
(Davis won the 100H, but in a slowish time!)
Mister SMU---aka Maicel Uibo--got a new PR in the Decathlon!
His 8407 points beat a good effort from Tim Duckworth, whose 8145 makes him 22nd A-T Collegiate!!
Louise Grauvogel's 5887 took the Heptathlon!
Other good marks--
Devynne Charlton rode a 1.6 wind to a 100H time of 12.70!
This moves her from 23rd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other, to 16th, tied with 3 others!
LSU ran the fastest 4X100 Relay of the year--42.50!
Gleb Dudarev's HT of 243-11 moves him from 20th A-T Collegiate to 19th, tied with 1 other!
Pawel Fajdek opened 2018 with a HT of 260-7!
Gabby Thomas proved her INdoor times were no fluke--her 22.32 in the 200 making her 13th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
Sammy Watson had a decent 800--time of 2:03.94!
Mackenzie Little had a Javelin throw of 192-4!
This makes her 13th A-T Collegiate!
She was born in the United States, but has dual citizenship with Australia!!
So I'm not sure whether she's eligible for US lists!
Morgann LeLeux PV'ed 14-11.
The Commonwealth Games (T&F portion!!) began yesterday, and will continue through the 14th!
So I'm hesitant to report some truly great early results--all of which resulted in CG Meet Records!!
But I don't want to make you wait another week for these, sooooo.....!!
The Men's 20000 Walk was a CLOSE race!!
But Dane Bird-Smith sprinted to the line 4 seconds ahead of Tim Bosworth--1:19:34 to 1:19:38!
Both broke the old MR!
Nick Miller keeps on Hammering (Sic!) away at his own National Record of Great Britain!
Well, he must be using a SLEDGE hammer!!
His latest NR was his 263-4 winning mark at the CG!!
It's also the Commonwealth Games Meet Record!!
Then--in QUALIFYING!!!--Tom Walsh demolished the CG Meet Record in the SP--hitting 73-8!!
(Gosh, I hate to make you wait a week to see what he throws in the Final!! LOL)
A couple of Road marks are worth mentioning!
The Prague Half saw Joan Melly win in 65:04!!
Hitting her first splits in 14:51 and 30:14, she cruised on from there!
It moves her from 8th A-T World to 4th!
And gives her the Age 27 Record!!
Bernard Kimeli's 59:47 took the Men's race!!
The Paris Marathon saw Betsy Saina finally finish a 26.2--and WIN!!
Her 2:22:55 was a solid send-off!!
Paul Lonyangata's 2:06:25 took the Men's race!!
I'm really excited that the Drake Relays is holding a Women's Two Mile race this year!!
With Jenny Simpson, Brenda Martinez, and Alexa Efraimson already announced, I'm hoping the rest of the field will be of equal high quality!!
The Women's OUTdoor 2 Mile list NEEDS some deep revising!!
EIGHT of the 24 marks were run when they were still High Schoolers!!
No other US list--Men or Women, INdoors or OUT--is like that!!
So I'm hoping that Drake will add maybe a dozen more Women--all of whom are capable of removing ALL those "children" from the list!!
(If Katelyn Tuohy were to be added, and she ran, say, 9:30, that would be fine!! I'm talking about those 9:51 to 10:01 times that just don't belong on an ALL-TIME United States list---whether run by HS'ers or elites in their 20's or 30's!!)
Anyway, suffice to say, and based on the final "heat sheet" for this event, I MIGHT do a Special Preview for this one race!!
But that's in late April!
See you much sooner with more Results---and my complete Commonwealth Games report!!
Yet here we are--barely into April--and we see his 19.75 is real--even if it happened in a Florida meet!!
A tepid breeze of 0.3 brought him to the line in a new Bahamas National Record.
And he becomes 14th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
Or how about the spectacular DAY that Maggie Ewen produced in the Sun Angel Classic!!
Her first event was the Hammer Throw!
How many athletes can we say broke--nay, smashed!--the Collegiate Record--yet did NOT get a PR??
Her 244-6 missed her PR by one inch!
However, that 244-7 PR was thrown AFTER the NCAA Championship meet, so wasn't eligible for "official" lists or records!
Her 244-6 IS!!
This gave her the CR, the Senior Class Record, and the Sun Angel Meet Record!
(Her 2nd best mark of the series also broke the old record--242-5!)
Brooke Anderson was a good 2nd with her 229-7!
She followed that with a Discus Throw of 201-0!!
She moves from 22nd A-T Collegiate to 16th!
But she misses the US list by 4 inches!!
Then came her Shot Put!
With Raven Saunders AWOL, Ewen became the Collegiate scene's "latest & greatest" with the round ball during the INdoor season!
And suddenly she's 2nd A-T Collegiate OUTdoors also!!
Her 63-0.75 gave her the Senior Class Record, something she might have been fighting Saunders for if the situation were different!
And it makes her 10th A-T US!!
All in a DAY's work!!
LOL
For High Schoolers, the Arcadia Invite is a BIG Deal!!
For Sondre Guttormsen, it made him the best NON-Mondo young PV'er of 2018!
His 18-2.50 clearance moves him from 12th A-T HS to 5th!
And it destroyed the Arcadia Meet Record!
(His 3 tries at 18-5.25 were good!!)
Katelynn Hart--just a Soph!--took over the 3200 early!
Hitting the half in 5:00, she tried to keep pace--but all alone, finished in 10:02.57!
I don't keep records or lists for 3200's (or 1600's), so I'm not sure exactly where this places her!
But I do know it's a GREAT time for a Soph--even when the 10th Grade world has a Katelyn Tuohy in it!!
Another solid Arcadia performance came from Sterling Lester in the Heptathlon!
Her 5288 score makes her 15th A-T HS!
She's just a Junior!
While not in Arcadia, Marlee Starliper ran a good time in the 5000!
Running against Collegiates, she ended 2nd in 16:39.68.
She missed the HS list by 8 seconds!
The Sun Angel meet gave us other solid marks!
Michael Norman closed down early in his 200 of 20.06!!
Still, it was a Sun Angel Meet Record, and made him 22nd A-T Collegiate!
But get this!!--he ran it AGAINST a wind of 1.4!!
(Steven Gardiner--Watch out!!)
A fast 400 found Quincy Hall and Paul Dedewo separated by just 0.02 seconds at the line!
Hall--a Junior College Soph--ran 44.60 to Dedewo's 44.62!
Rachel Schneider's 2:01.98 beat Emily Richards's 2:02.04 in a good 800!
The Spec Towns meet had some good marks!
Keturah Orji's 22-0.25 LJ beat Tara Davis's 21-9!
Lynna Irby ran a solid 200--22.64!
(Davis won the 100H, but in a slowish time!)
Mister SMU---aka Maicel Uibo--got a new PR in the Decathlon!
His 8407 points beat a good effort from Tim Duckworth, whose 8145 makes him 22nd A-T Collegiate!!
Louise Grauvogel's 5887 took the Heptathlon!
Other good marks--
Devynne Charlton rode a 1.6 wind to a 100H time of 12.70!
This moves her from 23rd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other, to 16th, tied with 3 others!
LSU ran the fastest 4X100 Relay of the year--42.50!
Gleb Dudarev's HT of 243-11 moves him from 20th A-T Collegiate to 19th, tied with 1 other!
Pawel Fajdek opened 2018 with a HT of 260-7!
Gabby Thomas proved her INdoor times were no fluke--her 22.32 in the 200 making her 13th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
Sammy Watson had a decent 800--time of 2:03.94!
Mackenzie Little had a Javelin throw of 192-4!
This makes her 13th A-T Collegiate!
She was born in the United States, but has dual citizenship with Australia!!
So I'm not sure whether she's eligible for US lists!
Morgann LeLeux PV'ed 14-11.
The Commonwealth Games (T&F portion!!) began yesterday, and will continue through the 14th!
So I'm hesitant to report some truly great early results--all of which resulted in CG Meet Records!!
But I don't want to make you wait another week for these, sooooo.....!!
The Men's 20000 Walk was a CLOSE race!!
But Dane Bird-Smith sprinted to the line 4 seconds ahead of Tim Bosworth--1:19:34 to 1:19:38!
Both broke the old MR!
Nick Miller keeps on Hammering (Sic!) away at his own National Record of Great Britain!
Well, he must be using a SLEDGE hammer!!
His latest NR was his 263-4 winning mark at the CG!!
It's also the Commonwealth Games Meet Record!!
Then--in QUALIFYING!!!--Tom Walsh demolished the CG Meet Record in the SP--hitting 73-8!!
(Gosh, I hate to make you wait a week to see what he throws in the Final!! LOL)
A couple of Road marks are worth mentioning!
The Prague Half saw Joan Melly win in 65:04!!
Hitting her first splits in 14:51 and 30:14, she cruised on from there!
It moves her from 8th A-T World to 4th!
And gives her the Age 27 Record!!
Bernard Kimeli's 59:47 took the Men's race!!
The Paris Marathon saw Betsy Saina finally finish a 26.2--and WIN!!
Her 2:22:55 was a solid send-off!!
Paul Lonyangata's 2:06:25 took the Men's race!!
I'm really excited that the Drake Relays is holding a Women's Two Mile race this year!!
With Jenny Simpson, Brenda Martinez, and Alexa Efraimson already announced, I'm hoping the rest of the field will be of equal high quality!!
The Women's OUTdoor 2 Mile list NEEDS some deep revising!!
EIGHT of the 24 marks were run when they were still High Schoolers!!
No other US list--Men or Women, INdoors or OUT--is like that!!
So I'm hoping that Drake will add maybe a dozen more Women--all of whom are capable of removing ALL those "children" from the list!!
(If Katelyn Tuohy were to be added, and she ran, say, 9:30, that would be fine!! I'm talking about those 9:51 to 10:01 times that just don't belong on an ALL-TIME United States list---whether run by HS'ers or elites in their 20's or 30's!!)
Anyway, suffice to say, and based on the final "heat sheet" for this event, I MIGHT do a Special Preview for this one race!!
But that's in late April!
See you much sooner with more Results---and my complete Commonwealth Games report!!
Sunday, April 1, 2018
Star Power at TX, FL & Stanford
Don't read the title wrong!
There was much more going down this weekend than the "Star Power" of Mondo Duplantis at the Texas Relays, Sydney McLaughlin at the Florida Relays, or Gwen Jorgensen & Karissa Schweizer in the Stanford Invitational 10000!!
But you still had to shade your eyes when seeing what these MEGA stars did!!
It was simply amazing!!
The Men's "elite" PV at the Texas meet was long-awaited---
Through the days-long agony of the battle to allow Duplantis to even compete there without fear of losing the remainder of his HS eligibility in Louisiana!!
Then through an unexplained delay of almost an hour from the originally scheduled start-time!
But when the dust had settled--and after the wannabes had XXX'd out of the comp--there stood Shawn Barber, Renaud Lavillenie, and Mondo, all seeking a 19-5 clearance!
Barber & Mondo opened at 17-11.25.
Renaud & Shawn made 18-5.25, while Mondo passed!
Then all 3 made 18-9.25!
(Remember, we're speaking of the INdoor WR holder, the rejuvenated Canadian, and the High Schooler!)
At 19-1, Lavillenie made it on 1st try, Duplantis passed, while Barber failed his initial try, then passed!
The Frenchman and the Canadian made 19-5 on first attempt, while Duplantis needed all 3 to make it!!
So Lavillenie got the Texas Relays Meet Record!
Barber got a nice comebacking mark to boost his confidence!
But it was Mondo who took home the bacon & the flashy swag!!
He gets the HSR, the Senior Class Record, the Age 18 Record, and the National Record of Sweden!!
The only thing he missed was making my World DDD---by 1.25 inches!!
(BTW, all 3 got XXX at 19-9!!)
While we're on the PV, let's clear the decks!
In the Women's elite portion of the TX meet, Jenn Suhr recertified why she's the Queen of US Vaulting--no matter who else might beat her!!
Madison Heath became 24th A-T Collegiate, tied with 5 others, when she PR'ed at 14-7.25!
Annie Rhodes-Johnigan, Tori Hoggard, and Morgann LeLeux all made 14-9, but no more!
Lexi Jacobus was all alone in 3rd when she made 14-11.
But Virginia Tech's Frosh from Sweden--Lisa Gunnarsson--may finally be reaching the vast potential she first showed as a prodigal 15 year old!
Her make at 15-1 makes her 7th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!!
Then there was Jenn!
Her 15-10 clearance broke her own Texas Relays Meet Record and Age 36 Record!!
She took 3 shots at 16-5.25!!
The College Boys were not to be denied!
At least not Devin King and Chris Nilsen, who each topped 19-0.25!
King moves from 12th A-T Collegiate to 7th, tied with 3 others!
Nilsen moves from 19th A-T Collegiate, tied with 7 others, to 7th, tied with 3 others!
Both become 24th A-T US, tied with 9 others, including each other!
Oh, Sydney, Sydney---and I speak not of the site of the 2000 Olympics!!
What CAN'T this girl do??
She began her Florida Relays extravaganza with a 200 PR of 22.39!!
Helped by a 1.5 wind, she's now 22nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
This, in an event she rarely runs, and where her previous OUTdoor PR was a HS time of 22.96!
Not only that, but the 100H WR holder--Kendra Harrison--finished a far back 2nd in 22.81!
24 hours later, she's on the track again---and the track is WET---and she steams through to an incredible 50.07 full lap!!
From lane 6 (??), she was ahead of everyone by 275 meters!!
The announcer said she'd passed 300 in 36-something---shades of her INdoor time over 300 meters of 36.12 from December!!
While tightening up some over the last 50 or so---with Sharrika Barnett moving up---she ended with the Frosh Class Record and the Florida Relays Meet Record!
She's now 2nd A-T Collegiate!
She misses the US list by 0.01 seconds!!
On my Combined Events list for the US 400-400H, her time of 1:43.89 (50.07 & 53.82) moves her from 7th A-T to 5th!
Barnett ended with a good PR of 50.93!!
Then came the meet-ending 4X400's!
In the Women's race, Kentucky won with a new School Record of 3:26.92.
(They move from 16th A-T School to 9th!!)
As for McL, her 3rd leg timed out at 49.45!!
22.39, 50.07, and 49.45 Relay!!
Not bad for an 18 year old juggling Frosh!!
BTW, Purdue finished 2nd in the Relay with 3:28.52.
They become 17th A-T School!!
Stanford---no matter the name of the specific meet (Stanford or Cardinal Invite, or the Payton Jordan)--is known best for their distance races!
And they once again produced!
The featured race was the Women's 10K--because Tri-athlete-turned Marathoner Gwen Jorgensen & Collegiate stud-horse Karissa Schweizer were going head to head!!
Jorgensen was a new mother, and her only previous track 10K was well into the 33's, and years ago!
Schweizer had never run one!
While hoping for a Collegiate Record, it really all depended on what Jorgensen chose to do!
I figured Schweizer would follow Gwen's lead--literally!!
Yet it was the Mizzou girl who took the reins when the pace wasn't to her liking!
Trading the lead, they cruised through a long series of 77's--off by 2-3 seconds per lap from CR pace--hitting 5000 in 16:04!
Joining them up front was 34 year old journeywoman Carrie Dimoff!
When crunch time came, Jorgensen took off, opened a 5 meter gap, which she held to the line, time of 31:55.68!!
Dimoff shocked some by ending 2nd in 31:57.85!!
Schweizer held most of her ground, timed in 32:00.55!!
This makes her 8th A-T Collegiate!
Others ran well too!
Alice Wright's 32:15.73 in 4th was a PR by about 14 seconds, moving her from 24th A-T Collegiate to 17th!
Sharon Lokedi was 5th in 32:21.19.
This makes her 21st A-T Collegiate!
Paige Stoner's 32:23.38 in 6th makes her 24th A-T Collegiate!!
Knocked OFF my Collegiate list was Sylvia Mosqueda's 32:28.57 from 1988--which was the Collegiate Record at that time!!
I saw that race in person at Hayward Field!!
I COULD make this a TWO-post affair--but I won't!
I just don't want to get into that habit!
So the rest of this report will be the usual "by-event-group" listing!
Field Events
The most astounding leap forward--pun intended!!--came from Oiselle's Tori Franklin in the Triple Jump!!
Owning a 46-5.25 OUTdoor PR from 2017, her first legal effort measured 45-11.50.
Then she bounded out to 47-1.50!!
This moved her from 17th A-T US to 5th!
Her 3rd legal try measured 47-6.25!!
This moved her from 5th to 2nd--behind only AR holder Keturah Orji!!
It's also the Texas Relays Meet Record!!
Nick Miller improved his National Record of Great Britain with a HT of 256-10 at Stanford!
Reggie Jagers got a big PR in the Discus Throw with his 214-9 at Texas.
Two HS girls--Nastassja Campbell and Mackenzie Hayward (only a Junior)--cleared 14-0 in the PV!
Both became 7th A-T HS, tied with 5 others!
We suddenly have a new HS star in the Javelin Throw!
Tzuriel Pedigo began his series with a PR of 230-1.
This made him 13th A-T HS!
He improved in Round 6 to 234-11--moving him from 13th to 7th!!
Sondre Guttormsen PV'ed 17-11 for an OUTdoor PR, and 12th A-T HS!!
Jasmine Moore TJ'ed 44-1, moving her from 8th A-T HS to 6th!
Serena Brown's DT of 198-1 at Texas misses the Collegiate list by 1 inch!!
Jeron Robinson HJ'ed 7-7 at Texas, missing the US list by 0.75 inches!!
Tray Oates PV'ed 18-6.75 at Florida!
A Florida State Senior--Austin Droogsma--SP'ed 66-8 at Florida.
Stanford's Lena Giger improved her SP mark to 57-9.50, while Valerie Allman had a DT of 199-0!!
Texas opened their meet with good Multi's marks of 5946 for Taliyah Brooks, and 8046 for Hunter Veith!
Anderson Peters threw the Javelin a non-PR distance of 267-7!
And Denzel Comenentia sent his HT out 250-3!!
This gave him the National Record of the Netherlands!
And makes him 9th A-T Collegiate!
Distances (Including Distance-oriented Relays)
Stanford set Allie Ostrander loose in the 3000SC!
Her unexpected PR of 9:38.57 moves her from 13th A-T Collegiate to 8th!
It also gets her the Stanford Invite Meet Record, and makes her 22nd A-T US!!
Marie Bouchard of San Francisco ran 9:47.03 in 2nd, missing the Collegiate list by 0.73 seconds!!
Texas saw a good DMR, with the Clemson Women edging those from Texas A&M--11:08.71 to 11:09.43!
Clemson's time makes them 24th A-T School!!
Drew Hunter made his return from injury a good one.
He ended 2nd (to Peter Callahan's 3:38.41) in the Stanford 1500--time of 3:39.49.
He also ran the 800 in 1:49 and change, ending well behind Nigel Amos's 1:44.65!!
Amos will be in the Commonwealth Games next week!!
Texas A&M's Women joined together in the 4 X 800 Relay, their 8:29.25 netting them their School Record and the Texas Relays Meet Record!
Clemson finished 2nd in a good 8:30.58!
Claudia Saunders won the 800 at the Raleigh Relays in 2:02.86!
The Hoka NJ/NY TC got wins for both genders in Florida's 4 X 800's!
The Women ran 8:24.79 for the Florida Relays Meet Record!
The Men won in 7:18.29!
Stanford's Men's 10000 went to Vincent Kiprop--time of 28:19.07!
Lopez Lomong ended 2nd in 28:21.37!
Oregon's Lilli Burdon defeated Indiana's Katherine Receveur in the 5000--15:42.65 to 15:43.26!
And the Sprints--Relays and Open races!
Steven Gardiner ran the 200 in 20.20 in Florida, wind of 2.0.
Christian Taylor opened his 2018 with a 400 of 45.48--not a PR!
Tamari Davis ran a good 11.29 in her heat, while taking the final in 11.34!
Wind was 0.5 for the heat, but she misses my HS DDD by 0.03 seconds!!
Anthony Schwartz zipped his 100 heat in 10.18--max 2.0 wind--then took the final in 10.16, with a 1.7 breeze.
Jazmine Camacho-Quinn ran AGAINST a wind of 0.8, but timed her 100H in 12.77 anyway!!
Grant Holloway's 13.45 in the 110H used a wind of 0.7!
Newly-married--and returning from a 2017 ban!!--Brianna Rollins McNeal sped the 100H in 12.62, aided by the max 2.0!
But her first race was actually her heat of 12.70, where her wind was just 1.3!
She also won the 200 in 23.12--wind of 0.9!
Another beginning anew--as a Professional!!--was Hannah Cunliffe!
In her initial Pro races, she ran on 2 Relays--USA Red's winning 1:34.62 in the 4 X 200 (led off!), and their 43.88 in the 4 X 100!!
Elijah Hall proved his INdoor antics were for real!
He anchored Houston's 4 X 200 Relay of 1:21.20!
But he REALLY tore things up with his 200 winner of 20.11!
He misses the Collegiate DDD by 0.04 seconds!
And he beat Dedric Duke's 20.27!
Wind was 1.6.
LSU's Women ran their 4 X 100 in 42.66!
The USA Red 4 X 400 team was solid--members being Quanera Hayes, Shamier Little, Ashley Spencer, and Courtney Okolo!!
Their time was 3:26.16, beating USA Blue's 3:27.32!
Despite having Justin Gatlin lead off their 4 X 100, the USA Red team lost to the Dominican Republic--38.89 to 38.96.
Also running 38.96 were 3rd placer's USA Blue!
Pure Athletics ran 1:28.77 in the 4 X 200, tying the Florida Relays Meet Record!
Their Men's team also won--time of 1:20.79!
USA Red took the Florida 4 X 400 in 3:27.07!
The final Florida race was the Men's 4 X 400!
And Florida won with a good 3:01.00!!
The Texas Relays always produces a long list of wind-aided times---some HEAVILY windy!!
They did it again!!
Aleia Hobbs's 10.93 100 had a small aid of 2.2!
But her final had a larger 3.7--and her time of 10.86 showed it!!
Tara Davis won her 100H race in 13.04, but she had a wind of 3.2 to help her!
Damion Thomas's 13.43 over 110H had a 3.6!
But Rochelle Burton had the fastest 100H---her 12.64 aided by a 3.3 blast!
Tonea Marshall was 2nd in that race with a good 12.73!!
Gabby Thomas's 22.13 over 200 meters had a humongous 4.6 to push her along!
Then there was Blessing Okagbare's 10.72 Century--with a mere 2.7 behind her!!
One news item of note--Jenny Simpson is entered in the Doha 3000--against Helen Obiri!!
Speculation is already rampant on whether Mary Slaney's AR of 8:25.83 will survive!!
I'm saying it will NOT!!
Thanks for hanging in there!!
See you soon with more great Records & Marks!!
There was much more going down this weekend than the "Star Power" of Mondo Duplantis at the Texas Relays, Sydney McLaughlin at the Florida Relays, or Gwen Jorgensen & Karissa Schweizer in the Stanford Invitational 10000!!
But you still had to shade your eyes when seeing what these MEGA stars did!!
It was simply amazing!!
The Men's "elite" PV at the Texas meet was long-awaited---
Through the days-long agony of the battle to allow Duplantis to even compete there without fear of losing the remainder of his HS eligibility in Louisiana!!
Then through an unexplained delay of almost an hour from the originally scheduled start-time!
But when the dust had settled--and after the wannabes had XXX'd out of the comp--there stood Shawn Barber, Renaud Lavillenie, and Mondo, all seeking a 19-5 clearance!
Barber & Mondo opened at 17-11.25.
Renaud & Shawn made 18-5.25, while Mondo passed!
Then all 3 made 18-9.25!
(Remember, we're speaking of the INdoor WR holder, the rejuvenated Canadian, and the High Schooler!)
At 19-1, Lavillenie made it on 1st try, Duplantis passed, while Barber failed his initial try, then passed!
The Frenchman and the Canadian made 19-5 on first attempt, while Duplantis needed all 3 to make it!!
So Lavillenie got the Texas Relays Meet Record!
Barber got a nice comebacking mark to boost his confidence!
But it was Mondo who took home the bacon & the flashy swag!!
He gets the HSR, the Senior Class Record, the Age 18 Record, and the National Record of Sweden!!
The only thing he missed was making my World DDD---by 1.25 inches!!
(BTW, all 3 got XXX at 19-9!!)
While we're on the PV, let's clear the decks!
In the Women's elite portion of the TX meet, Jenn Suhr recertified why she's the Queen of US Vaulting--no matter who else might beat her!!
Madison Heath became 24th A-T Collegiate, tied with 5 others, when she PR'ed at 14-7.25!
Annie Rhodes-Johnigan, Tori Hoggard, and Morgann LeLeux all made 14-9, but no more!
Lexi Jacobus was all alone in 3rd when she made 14-11.
But Virginia Tech's Frosh from Sweden--Lisa Gunnarsson--may finally be reaching the vast potential she first showed as a prodigal 15 year old!
Her make at 15-1 makes her 7th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!!
Then there was Jenn!
Her 15-10 clearance broke her own Texas Relays Meet Record and Age 36 Record!!
She took 3 shots at 16-5.25!!
The College Boys were not to be denied!
At least not Devin King and Chris Nilsen, who each topped 19-0.25!
King moves from 12th A-T Collegiate to 7th, tied with 3 others!
Nilsen moves from 19th A-T Collegiate, tied with 7 others, to 7th, tied with 3 others!
Both become 24th A-T US, tied with 9 others, including each other!
Oh, Sydney, Sydney---and I speak not of the site of the 2000 Olympics!!
What CAN'T this girl do??
She began her Florida Relays extravaganza with a 200 PR of 22.39!!
Helped by a 1.5 wind, she's now 22nd A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
This, in an event she rarely runs, and where her previous OUTdoor PR was a HS time of 22.96!
Not only that, but the 100H WR holder--Kendra Harrison--finished a far back 2nd in 22.81!
24 hours later, she's on the track again---and the track is WET---and she steams through to an incredible 50.07 full lap!!
From lane 6 (??), she was ahead of everyone by 275 meters!!
The announcer said she'd passed 300 in 36-something---shades of her INdoor time over 300 meters of 36.12 from December!!
While tightening up some over the last 50 or so---with Sharrika Barnett moving up---she ended with the Frosh Class Record and the Florida Relays Meet Record!
She's now 2nd A-T Collegiate!
She misses the US list by 0.01 seconds!!
On my Combined Events list for the US 400-400H, her time of 1:43.89 (50.07 & 53.82) moves her from 7th A-T to 5th!
Barnett ended with a good PR of 50.93!!
Then came the meet-ending 4X400's!
In the Women's race, Kentucky won with a new School Record of 3:26.92.
(They move from 16th A-T School to 9th!!)
As for McL, her 3rd leg timed out at 49.45!!
22.39, 50.07, and 49.45 Relay!!
Not bad for an 18 year old juggling Frosh!!
BTW, Purdue finished 2nd in the Relay with 3:28.52.
They become 17th A-T School!!
Stanford---no matter the name of the specific meet (Stanford or Cardinal Invite, or the Payton Jordan)--is known best for their distance races!
And they once again produced!
The featured race was the Women's 10K--because Tri-athlete-turned Marathoner Gwen Jorgensen & Collegiate stud-horse Karissa Schweizer were going head to head!!
Jorgensen was a new mother, and her only previous track 10K was well into the 33's, and years ago!
Schweizer had never run one!
While hoping for a Collegiate Record, it really all depended on what Jorgensen chose to do!
I figured Schweizer would follow Gwen's lead--literally!!
Yet it was the Mizzou girl who took the reins when the pace wasn't to her liking!
Trading the lead, they cruised through a long series of 77's--off by 2-3 seconds per lap from CR pace--hitting 5000 in 16:04!
Joining them up front was 34 year old journeywoman Carrie Dimoff!
When crunch time came, Jorgensen took off, opened a 5 meter gap, which she held to the line, time of 31:55.68!!
Dimoff shocked some by ending 2nd in 31:57.85!!
Schweizer held most of her ground, timed in 32:00.55!!
This makes her 8th A-T Collegiate!
Others ran well too!
Alice Wright's 32:15.73 in 4th was a PR by about 14 seconds, moving her from 24th A-T Collegiate to 17th!
Sharon Lokedi was 5th in 32:21.19.
This makes her 21st A-T Collegiate!
Paige Stoner's 32:23.38 in 6th makes her 24th A-T Collegiate!!
Knocked OFF my Collegiate list was Sylvia Mosqueda's 32:28.57 from 1988--which was the Collegiate Record at that time!!
I saw that race in person at Hayward Field!!
I COULD make this a TWO-post affair--but I won't!
I just don't want to get into that habit!
So the rest of this report will be the usual "by-event-group" listing!
Field Events
The most astounding leap forward--pun intended!!--came from Oiselle's Tori Franklin in the Triple Jump!!
Owning a 46-5.25 OUTdoor PR from 2017, her first legal effort measured 45-11.50.
Then she bounded out to 47-1.50!!
This moved her from 17th A-T US to 5th!
Her 3rd legal try measured 47-6.25!!
This moved her from 5th to 2nd--behind only AR holder Keturah Orji!!
It's also the Texas Relays Meet Record!!
Nick Miller improved his National Record of Great Britain with a HT of 256-10 at Stanford!
Reggie Jagers got a big PR in the Discus Throw with his 214-9 at Texas.
Two HS girls--Nastassja Campbell and Mackenzie Hayward (only a Junior)--cleared 14-0 in the PV!
Both became 7th A-T HS, tied with 5 others!
We suddenly have a new HS star in the Javelin Throw!
Tzuriel Pedigo began his series with a PR of 230-1.
This made him 13th A-T HS!
He improved in Round 6 to 234-11--moving him from 13th to 7th!!
Sondre Guttormsen PV'ed 17-11 for an OUTdoor PR, and 12th A-T HS!!
Jasmine Moore TJ'ed 44-1, moving her from 8th A-T HS to 6th!
Serena Brown's DT of 198-1 at Texas misses the Collegiate list by 1 inch!!
Jeron Robinson HJ'ed 7-7 at Texas, missing the US list by 0.75 inches!!
Tray Oates PV'ed 18-6.75 at Florida!
A Florida State Senior--Austin Droogsma--SP'ed 66-8 at Florida.
Stanford's Lena Giger improved her SP mark to 57-9.50, while Valerie Allman had a DT of 199-0!!
Texas opened their meet with good Multi's marks of 5946 for Taliyah Brooks, and 8046 for Hunter Veith!
Anderson Peters threw the Javelin a non-PR distance of 267-7!
And Denzel Comenentia sent his HT out 250-3!!
This gave him the National Record of the Netherlands!
And makes him 9th A-T Collegiate!
Distances (Including Distance-oriented Relays)
Stanford set Allie Ostrander loose in the 3000SC!
Her unexpected PR of 9:38.57 moves her from 13th A-T Collegiate to 8th!
It also gets her the Stanford Invite Meet Record, and makes her 22nd A-T US!!
Marie Bouchard of San Francisco ran 9:47.03 in 2nd, missing the Collegiate list by 0.73 seconds!!
Texas saw a good DMR, with the Clemson Women edging those from Texas A&M--11:08.71 to 11:09.43!
Clemson's time makes them 24th A-T School!!
Drew Hunter made his return from injury a good one.
He ended 2nd (to Peter Callahan's 3:38.41) in the Stanford 1500--time of 3:39.49.
He also ran the 800 in 1:49 and change, ending well behind Nigel Amos's 1:44.65!!
Amos will be in the Commonwealth Games next week!!
Texas A&M's Women joined together in the 4 X 800 Relay, their 8:29.25 netting them their School Record and the Texas Relays Meet Record!
Clemson finished 2nd in a good 8:30.58!
Claudia Saunders won the 800 at the Raleigh Relays in 2:02.86!
The Hoka NJ/NY TC got wins for both genders in Florida's 4 X 800's!
The Women ran 8:24.79 for the Florida Relays Meet Record!
The Men won in 7:18.29!
Stanford's Men's 10000 went to Vincent Kiprop--time of 28:19.07!
Lopez Lomong ended 2nd in 28:21.37!
Oregon's Lilli Burdon defeated Indiana's Katherine Receveur in the 5000--15:42.65 to 15:43.26!
And the Sprints--Relays and Open races!
Steven Gardiner ran the 200 in 20.20 in Florida, wind of 2.0.
Christian Taylor opened his 2018 with a 400 of 45.48--not a PR!
Tamari Davis ran a good 11.29 in her heat, while taking the final in 11.34!
Wind was 0.5 for the heat, but she misses my HS DDD by 0.03 seconds!!
Anthony Schwartz zipped his 100 heat in 10.18--max 2.0 wind--then took the final in 10.16, with a 1.7 breeze.
Jazmine Camacho-Quinn ran AGAINST a wind of 0.8, but timed her 100H in 12.77 anyway!!
Grant Holloway's 13.45 in the 110H used a wind of 0.7!
Newly-married--and returning from a 2017 ban!!--Brianna Rollins McNeal sped the 100H in 12.62, aided by the max 2.0!
But her first race was actually her heat of 12.70, where her wind was just 1.3!
She also won the 200 in 23.12--wind of 0.9!
Another beginning anew--as a Professional!!--was Hannah Cunliffe!
In her initial Pro races, she ran on 2 Relays--USA Red's winning 1:34.62 in the 4 X 200 (led off!), and their 43.88 in the 4 X 100!!
Elijah Hall proved his INdoor antics were for real!
He anchored Houston's 4 X 200 Relay of 1:21.20!
But he REALLY tore things up with his 200 winner of 20.11!
He misses the Collegiate DDD by 0.04 seconds!
And he beat Dedric Duke's 20.27!
Wind was 1.6.
LSU's Women ran their 4 X 100 in 42.66!
The USA Red 4 X 400 team was solid--members being Quanera Hayes, Shamier Little, Ashley Spencer, and Courtney Okolo!!
Their time was 3:26.16, beating USA Blue's 3:27.32!
Despite having Justin Gatlin lead off their 4 X 100, the USA Red team lost to the Dominican Republic--38.89 to 38.96.
Also running 38.96 were 3rd placer's USA Blue!
Pure Athletics ran 1:28.77 in the 4 X 200, tying the Florida Relays Meet Record!
Their Men's team also won--time of 1:20.79!
USA Red took the Florida 4 X 400 in 3:27.07!
The final Florida race was the Men's 4 X 400!
And Florida won with a good 3:01.00!!
The Texas Relays always produces a long list of wind-aided times---some HEAVILY windy!!
They did it again!!
Aleia Hobbs's 10.93 100 had a small aid of 2.2!
But her final had a larger 3.7--and her time of 10.86 showed it!!
Tara Davis won her 100H race in 13.04, but she had a wind of 3.2 to help her!
Damion Thomas's 13.43 over 110H had a 3.6!
But Rochelle Burton had the fastest 100H---her 12.64 aided by a 3.3 blast!
Tonea Marshall was 2nd in that race with a good 12.73!!
Gabby Thomas's 22.13 over 200 meters had a humongous 4.6 to push her along!
Then there was Blessing Okagbare's 10.72 Century--with a mere 2.7 behind her!!
One news item of note--Jenny Simpson is entered in the Doha 3000--against Helen Obiri!!
Speculation is already rampant on whether Mary Slaney's AR of 8:25.83 will survive!!
I'm saying it will NOT!!
Thanks for hanging in there!!
See you soon with more great Records & Marks!!
Monday, March 26, 2018
OUTdoors Kicks Down the Doors
And it might have been the 16 pound ball that Tom Walsh threw over the weekend down in beautiful New Zealand that did the deed!!
He tossed that baby a mere 74-4.50--or 22.67 metric--giving the Record Keepers something to consider---
Did this make Walsh the arbiter for a new direction for the Shot Put--and other Throws??
Ryan Whiting said that Putters in the 80's were "all dirty"!
(Did he mean the Americans also??)
He implied that Walsh's monstrous toss should be the SP World Record!
Well, it's not this blog's purpose to argue the merits of previous Records, or to say who was clean, and who wasn't!
In another Half, Mark Kiptoo broke Haile Gebrselassie's Age 40 Record with his 61:04.
It beat Geb's mark by 5 seconds!!
(Before the Valencia race, there had been talk of whether Lagat could get Geb's Record---but the winds interfered!!)
I said that Tarasue Barnett--who threw the DT 192-10--was a Collegiate from Jamaica!
BUT--in the latest eTN from T&FN, , her affiliation is listed as "GCan"!!
What does THAT stand for??
And remember me saying I'd searched my own Blog's Archives for previous editions of my OUTdoor Previews that listed the 24th place marks on my various DDD lists---but came up empty??
I did another in 2016---but it used an entirely different format!!
He tossed that baby a mere 74-4.50--or 22.67 metric--giving the Record Keepers something to consider---
Did this make Walsh the arbiter for a new direction for the Shot Put--and other Throws??
Ryan Whiting said that Putters in the 80's were "all dirty"!
(Did he mean the Americans also??)
He implied that Walsh's monstrous toss should be the SP World Record!
Well, it's not this blog's purpose to argue the merits of previous Records, or to say who was clean, and who wasn't!
So let's return to Walsh's throw!
It breaks his own New Zealand National Record.
It's the Age 26 Record!
It breaks his own New Zealand National Record.
It's the Age 26 Record!
And it moves him from 17th A-T World, tied with 1 other, to 6th, tied with 1 other!!
Blessing Okagbare broke the All-Africa Record in the 200 with her 22.04!
The wind was 0.5.
The wind was 0.5.
This was at the Wes Kittley Memorial, and is the National Record of Nigeria!!
Skipping around, the Half Marathon produced some fireworks over the weekend!
In the Valencia race, Geoff Kamworor reportedly ran his fourth 5000 in 13:01.
Let me repeat that---
Let me repeat that---
Geoff Kamworor--after 15K in 44:13--picked up the pace a bit!
He ran that 5000 in 13:01!!
Please remember that very few Track 5000's have been run that fast in recent years!!
Please remember that very few Track 5000's have been run that fast in recent years!!
Okay, so he had a powerful wind at his back for 4000 of those 5000 meters!
And yes, 44:13 for 15K is "jogging" for someone like Kamworor!!
And yes, 44:13 for 15K is "jogging" for someone like Kamworor!!
Could he have done this on a Track---say, in the 2nd 5000 of an Olympic or WC 10000 while running against, say, Mo Farah??
And could Mo have responded in fashion??
Whatever the case, his end time of 60:02 beat Abe Cheroben by 20 seconds!!
In 14th was the first American--Sam Chelanga's 61:23.
Whatever the case, his end time of 60:02 beat Abe Cheroben by 20 seconds!!
In 14th was the first American--Sam Chelanga's 61:23.
Further back, in 31st, came 43 year old Bernard Lagat, who was a last minute addition to the team!!
The Women's race produced the fastest-ever time for an All-Women's race!!
Netsenet Gudeta's 66:11 beat the heavily favored WR holder Joyciline Jepkosgei by 43 seconds!!
The times were slower than hoped for, but heavy swirling winds affected both races!!
Gudeta now ranks 17th A-T World, tied with 1 other!!
Netsenet Gudeta's 66:11 beat the heavily favored WR holder Joyciline Jepkosgei by 43 seconds!!
The times were slower than hoped for, but heavy swirling winds affected both races!!
Gudeta now ranks 17th A-T World, tied with 1 other!!
First American was Emma Bates, time of 71:45.
She'd moved ahead of Becky Wade around 15K.
Wade ended 41st, time of 72:31.
In another Half, Mark Kiptoo broke Haile Gebrselassie's Age 40 Record with his 61:04.
It beat Geb's mark by 5 seconds!!
(Before the Valencia race, there had been talk of whether Lagat could get Geb's Record---but the winds interfered!!)
There were some speedy sprint times---some affected by wind!
At the UTEP meet, Tobi Amusan ran the 100H in 12.79--but had an aiding wind of 2.4!
At the UTEP meet, Tobi Amusan ran the 100H in 12.79--but had an aiding wind of 2.4!
She also ran a legal 100 in 11.31!!
Twanisha Terry and Deanna Hill whipped though 100's of 10.97 and 10.98 at the Power 5 Challenge--but they had a wind of 3.5!!
There WERE some good legal times---
Jade Baylark, an Arkansas Soph, ran an 11.10 , with a 1.6 wind.
I'd never heard of her before!
Michael Norman used a wind of 1.3 to win the Power 5 200 in 20.37!
Twanisha Terry and Deanna Hill whipped though 100's of 10.97 and 10.98 at the Power 5 Challenge--but they had a wind of 3.5!!
There WERE some good legal times---
Jade Baylark, an Arkansas Soph, ran an 11.10 , with a 1.6 wind.
I'd never heard of her before!
Michael Norman used a wind of 1.3 to win the Power 5 200 in 20.37!
He also anchored the USC 4X100 team to a speedy 38.88!!
It's not a School record!
The USC Women also ran fast---43.18!
In Jamaica, 15 year old Sachin Dennis sped a 100 in 10:20--the World Age 15 Record!!
A couple of interesting names ran okay 400's!
Nigel Amos--best known for his 800's--won a race in Oregon, time of 45.94.
And Kaylin Whitney--who had an off year in 2017--may be coming back, if a win in 53.11 says anything!!
A couple of interesting names ran okay 400's!
Nigel Amos--best known for his 800's--won a race in Oregon, time of 45.94.
And Kaylin Whitney--who had an off year in 2017--may be coming back, if a win in 53.11 says anything!!
Maggie Ewen threw the Hammer 237-1 at the PAC 12-Big 10 Dual!
But the Power 5 Challenge produced a couple of List-making marks!!
But the Power 5 Challenge produced a couple of List-making marks!!
Stamatia Scarvelis won the HT with her 224.4.
This makes her 17th A-T Collegiate!
Janeah Stewart also PR'ed, her 222-1 making her 24th A-T Collegiate!!
(Ewen also had a DT of 196-10!!)
This makes her 17th A-T Collegiate!
Janeah Stewart also PR'ed, her 222-1 making her 24th A-T Collegiate!!
(Ewen also had a DT of 196-10!!)
Anderson Peters, a Mississippi State Junior from Grenada, had a JT of 268-10!
This makes him suddenly 8th A-T Collegiate!
This wasn't a fluke, as he has better marks--but they were thrown AFTER previous year's NCAA meets, so were not eligible for Collegiate lists!!
Grant Holloway LJ'ed 26-3.
Shadae Lawrence threw the Discus 200-5--not a PR!
This wasn't a fluke, as he has better marks--but they were thrown AFTER previous year's NCAA meets, so were not eligible for Collegiate lists!!
Grant Holloway LJ'ed 26-3.
Shadae Lawrence threw the Discus 200-5--not a PR!
Tejaswin Shankar HJ'ed 7-4.50, the Collegiate Leader.
Matthew Ludwig PV'ed 18-4.50.
Nina Schultz came within 3 points of her Heptathlon PR of 6021, but her 6018 still ranks as a good early season mark!
Nina Schultz came within 3 points of her Heptathlon PR of 6021, but her 6018 still ranks as a good early season mark!
Caitlin Collier ran a good 800 opener--2:04.87--the HS leader!
She also dipped under 4:50 over 1600 meters.
And Taliyah Brooks took the Arkansas Invite with her LJ of 22-3 (1.2 wind)!!
This makes her 13th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!
She also dipped under 4:50 over 1600 meters.
And Taliyah Brooks took the Arkansas Invite with her LJ of 22-3 (1.2 wind)!!
This makes her 13th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!
But it also gives the Georgia Crew of Kate Hall, Keturah Orji, and Tara Davis something to ponder!!
Returning to New Zealand---
Valerie Adams is gearing up for the Commonwealth Games, her 3rd SP outing producing a 60-7.75 winner!
And Eliza McCartney took the PV with a height of 15-7.
She took 3 shots at 15-11, but the winds troubled her!
And Eliza McCartney took the PV with a height of 15-7.
She took 3 shots at 15-11, but the winds troubled her!
I have a late-breaking mark from the flagging INdoor season!!
John Meyer's SP flew out 70-4.50, moving him from 14th A-T HS to 11th!!
Remember, this was INdoors!!
The European 50K Walk took place in Slovakia, and it was a Slovakian Woman who won in 4:14:25!
Her name is Maria Czakova!
This makes her 6th A-T World!
Her name is Maria Czakova!
This makes her 6th A-T World!
And Matej Toth Walked his first race since Rio--a winner in 3:42:36!!
A couple of domestic Road races had interesting results--
Chicago's Shamrock Shuffle 8K's were won by Stephen Sambu and Laura Thweatt!!
Thweatt's 26:02 left her all alone at the tape, but Sambu's 23:10 had CLOSE company, as Isaiah Koech and Ian La Mere also ran 23:10's!!
The Carlsbad 5000 was SLOW!!
The Carlsbad 5000 was SLOW!!
Sweden's Kalle Berglund took the Men's race in 14:15!
Emilia Gorecka of Great Britain nipped Sarah Brown by a second--16:04 to 16:05!
Not sure what slowed them down--winds, no top name elites, or just tactics!!
I'll close by correcting things I said in earlier posts!
I said that Tarasue Barnett--who threw the DT 192-10--was a Collegiate from Jamaica!
BUT--in the latest eTN from T&FN, , her affiliation is listed as "GCan"!!
What does THAT stand for??
And remember me saying I'd searched my own Blog's Archives for previous editions of my OUTdoor Previews that listed the 24th place marks on my various DDD lists---but came up empty??
Well, I DID do those Previews---TWICE!!
My error came from not looking back far enough!
My error came from not looking back far enough!
I checked my Archives from 2015, 2016, and 2017--but not 2014!
That was my 1st such Preview!
I did another in 2016---but it used an entirely different format!!
Also, I didn't do that one until May 19th!!
Thus my not being able to locate them!!
(I hope my NEWEST of those Previews will help you enjoy this season more!!)
The Texas Relays are starting in 2 days!!
Thus my not being able to locate them!!
(I hope my NEWEST of those Previews will help you enjoy this season more!!)
The Texas Relays are starting in 2 days!!
There is LOUD controversy regarding Mondo Duplantis's participation in the "elite" PV!!
(Renaud Lavillenie is rumored to have accepted the invitation to compete there BECAUSE Mondo would be there!!)
Let's hope it's resolved--in Mondo's favor--by the time that event begins!!
But whatever the case, the Texas (& Florida) Relays ALWAYS produce the leading marks from the March portion of the OUTdoor season!
But whatever the case, the Texas (& Florida) Relays ALWAYS produce the leading marks from the March portion of the OUTdoor season!
There's no reason to believe it won't happen again!!
See you soon!!
See you soon!!
Friday, March 23, 2018
To Make the DDD's--OUTdoors 2018
Coulda blown me over with the proverbial feather!!
I was 100% certain I'd done this particular post before--at the onset of other OUTdoor seasons!
But guess not!!
OK, here's the deal!!
In past years, I'd done a post where I provided the 24th place mark on my DDD's--or Top 24 All-Time Performer's lists---for the INdoor season!
And I just assumed (NEVER assume!!) I'd done the same for each OUTdoor season!!
But when I checked my Archives (to see how I'd presented it before!), I couldn't find it!
Not for 2015, or 2016, or for 2017!!
So you are getting a FIRST--it seems!!
(And yes, my memory function is still functioning, thank you!! LOL)
That said, the guidelines are few---
All marks are the 24th best on my DDD's for OUTdoors, as of this time of writing!
A few events have already seen changes in that spot, but these numbers are as of right now, not a week or month ago!
Where there are NO lists for an event, I put "*****" in place of it!
Unlike INdoors, I don't have lists for the 300, 600, or 2000!!
For HS Men ONLY, the lists for the 110H, SP, DT, and the HT are for HS hurdle heights and US HS-weighted implements!
For the HS Men's Decathlon, my list is that using the International-weighted SP & DT, and 42 inch hurdles!
For HS'ers, NO 1600 or 3200 marks, or marks converted FROM them, are eligible for my lists!!
The only Relay lists are the World 4X100 & 4X400 (Men & Women), and the Collegiate 4X100, 4X400, and the DMR, also both genders!
Take a close look at these numbers, Coaches & Athletes, because these are the Marks you should be aiming for!!
As always, the Men go first!!
The lists, left to right, are for the World, US, Collegiate, and HS!
100 9.87 9.93 9.99 10.24
200 19.81 19.96 20.07 20.57
400 44.13 44.28 44.62 45.52
800 1:42.81 1:44.43 1:45.24 1:48.48
1000 2:14.73 2:17.79 ***** *****
1500 3:29.53 3:34.15 3:37.27 3:45.6
Mile 3:48.40 3:52.2 3:57.6 4:01.89
3000 7:28.93 7:39.81 ***** 8:13.27
2 Mile 8:13.47 8:24.14 ***** 8:46.68
5000 12:51.34 13:13.32 13:25.19 14:15.5
10000 26:49.90 27:41.05 27:58.3 30:30.2
Half 59:05 62:00 ***** *****
Marathon 2:04:33 2:10:24 ***** *****
3000SC 8:04.45 8:19.27 8:26.83 9:10.8
110H 13.02 13.13 13.36 13.42
400H 47.72 48.18 48.58 50.55
HJ 7-9.75 7-7.75 7-7 7-4
LJ 27-10.75 27-6.50 26-11.75 25-8.75
TJ 58-3 56-4.75 55-8.25 52-5.75
PV 19-6.25 19-0.25 18-8.25 17-7
SP 72-3 71-2.25 68-2.25 70-7
DT 229-8 219-0 211-9 212-4
JT 292-1 263-6 258-6 222-4
HT 270-11 244-0 241-8 231-0
Decathlon 8667 8285 8126 6906
4X100 38.46 ***** 38.94 *****
4X400 3:00.82 ***** 3:02.16 *****
DMR ***** ***** 9:37.15 *****
Some names missing from the Men's lists--and other observations---
Christian Coleman from the World 200!
Elijah Hall from the US 200!
Michael Norman from the US 400!
Emmanuel Korir from the World 800!
NO Americans are on the World 1500 list, as Bernard Lagat's mark dates from when he was a Kenyan citizen!
The latest Mile marks for the World list date from 2014!!
Jim Ryun's 3:51.1 Mile from 1967 still ranks 12th A-T US!!
NO Americans on the World 3000 list--not even Lagat as a Kenyan!!
NO US Men on the 5000 list either!
Once holder of several American Records, Steve Prefontaine's ONLY presence on a list is 12th place A-T US in the Two Mile!!
(See below!)
The last entry on the World 10K list is from 2014!!
The World 5000 is even worse--latest mark dates from 2013!!
Alan Webb is on EVERY US list from the 800 to the 10000--except for the 1000!
There are already FIVE marks dated 2018 on the World Marathon list!!
The OLDEST World Marathon mark is from 2008!
There are THIRTEEN Marathon marks on the US list dating from between 1979 and 1989--but Gold winner from Munich (& Silver from Montreal!) Frank Shorter is NOT on the US list!!
Rai Benjamin isn't on the US list in the 400H---YET!!
Nor is Grant Holloway on the US 110H list---YET!
Greg Duplantis is still on the US Pole Vault list!
But his son Mondo won't be able to join him--as he's considered a Swede for List purposes!!
Elijah Hall and Divine Oduduru are MIA from the Collegiate 200 list!
Ditto Michael Norman and Akeem Bloomfield from the Collegiate 400 list!
Pre is on the Collegiate list in the Mile, tied with 1 other in 9th place!!
THIRTEEN marks on that Mile list date from between 1964 and 1978!
(ONE race with the best Collegiate 1500 guys running the Mile changes that list almost 100%!!)
Grant Holloway is ABSENT from the Collegiate 110H list---so far!!
Ralph Boston's 27-0.50 LJ dating from 1961 (!!) still ranks 18th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!!
Jordan Geist is MIA from the Collegiate SP list--but I bet not for long!!
He should also make it onto the Collegiate HT list!!
The Top 4 Collegiate DMR marks all date from the late 80's--and they're the only marks on that list from the 20th Century!!
Carl Lewis's ONLY ranking on a HS list is in the LJ!!
He's not on either the 100 or 200 lists!!
Gerry Lindgren's 4:01.5 Mile from 1964 still ranks 19th A-T HS!
(His 3:44.6 in the 1500 ranks 11th, tied with 1 other!)
He never ran faster in those events!
Pre's former HSR 2 Mile of 8:41.5 still ranks 5th A-T!!
He negative split that race---Mile's of 4:26 & 4:15!!
Ed "King" Cheserek's 3000SC time of 9:00.11 as a SOPH still ranks 7th A-T HS!!
The HS Pole Vault list has TWO Father-Son duo's---Jeff & Brandon Bray, and the Duplantis's, Greg & Mondo!!
Trey Knight isn't on the HS Hammer Throw list---YET!!
Now let's move on to the Women!!
100 10.82 10.91 11.05 11.26
200 21.97 22.21 22.42 23.00
400 49.32 50.06 50.83 52.11
800 1:55.96 1:58.65 2:01.37 2:04.19
1000 2:32.77 2:38.48 ***** *****
1500 3:56.50 4:03.59 4:10.55 4:19.34
Mile 4:20.79 4:27.0 4:38.38 4:41.31
3000 8:26.48 8:42.99 9:07.46 9:21.37
2 Mile 9:33.47 10:01.18 ***** 10:10.73
5000 14:31.91 15:04.98 15:29.0 16:31.4
10000 30:22.88 31:37.45 32:29.89 36:19.84
Half 66:29 71:01 ***** *****
Marathon 2:19:52 2:28:34 ***** *****
3000SC 9:13.75 9:39.68 9:46.48 10:52.92 (Just 14 listed!!)
100H 12.44 12.63 12.74 13.29
400H 53.17 54.21 54.94 57.67
HJ 6-8 6-4.25 6-3.25 6-1.25
LJ 23-6 22-6.50 22-1 20-10.75
TJ 49-2.50 45-7 45-1 42-9
PV 15-7 15-1 14-7.25 13-8.25
SP 69-7.50 60-8 59-0.25 51-11.25
DT 230-9 201-4 198-2 177-0
JT 218-1 186-6 186-4 162-9
HT 248-5 226-2 221-2 185-0
Heptathlon 6741 6209 6021 5210
4X100 42.98 ***** 43.58 *****
4X400 3:26.89 ***** 3:29.41 *****
DMR ***** ***** 11:08.83 *****
And from the Peanut Gallery again---
Hannah Cunliffe & Mikiah Brisco aren't on the World or US 100 or 200 lists!
But Valerie Brisco (-Hooks) IS on the World & US 200 & 400 lists!
BTW, the Brisco's are NOT related!!
Val, of course, was one of the 1984 Olympic Heroine's!!
(NOTE--I might be creating a new list for the World 1500 Women! The Chinese--from 1993 & 1997--have NINE on that list now! While I accept their times as "legit"---for now!---I'd like to see what a World 1500 list would look like MINUS those 9 entrants!! I'd keep the Chinese-filled list, but would give more weight to the new one!! I've already done that for the Place Records for that event!!
Mary Cain is no longer on any OUTdoor DDD!
She was!
Emma Coburn and Karissa Schweizer are both MIA from the US 3000 list!!
I think we'll see them there soon!
It's still a MAJOR embarrassment that the US Two Mile list still has EIGHT marks on there made by athletes still in High School when they ran them!!
And even worse, Katelyn Tuohy and Kelsey Chmiel are not YET among them!!
NO American Women are on the World 5000 list!!
Ingrid Kristiansen's 30:13.74 10K--run in 1986--was a WR by 45 seconds when she ran that!!
She negative split it--15:11 & 15:02!!
No US Women reside on the World Half list either!!
There are THREE Dibaba's--all unrelated!!--on the World Marathon list--Mare, Birhane, and Tirunesh!!
I was amazed to see that Ivana Spanovic is NOT on the World LJ list for OUTdoors!!
And did you know that HJ'er Supreme Chaunte Lowe has a LJ mark of 22-7.75, which ranks 17th A-T US, tied with 1 other??
Olivia Gruver is NOT on the US Pole Vault list---so far!!
Neither is Tori Hoggard!!
INdoor SP "find" Maggie Ewen has yet to make the OUTdoor list for the US!
The 2 fastest INdoor Collegiates in the 200--Gabby Thomas and Ashley Henderson---are NOT on the OUTdoor 200 list!!
MIA from the Collegiate 400 DDD are Sydney McLaughlin and Lynna Irby!
Just a matter of time---so to speak!
Three biggies aren't on the Collegiate 800 list--Sabrina Southerland, Jazmine Fray, and Sammy Watson!!
As with the Men, the Women's Collegiate Mile list is a "frustrating mess"---Thank you, Jimi Hendrix!!
Will someone PLEASE gather the Top 20 Collegiate Milers (1500 gals!), set them off, and watch them COMPLETELY revise this list!!
Same deal with the 3000!!
The NEWEST mark on this Collegiate list is from the year 2000!!!
(And that is the former Kara Wheeler--now Goucher!! LOL)
Karissa Schweizer is MIA from ALL the Collegiate Distance lists from the 1500 to the 10000 (not counting the SC!)!!
Want to find the source of current American Distance strength among the Women??
See who's in the Top 4 positions on the Collegiate 3000SC list---Courtney Frerichs, Jenny Simpson, Emma Coburn, and Colleen Quigley!!
Maggie Ewen isn't even on the OUTdoor Collegiate SP list either!!
Waiting to see HS Frosh Phenom Tamari Davis invade the 100 and 200 lists---soon!
Speaking of Phenoms, Katelyn Tuohy's ONLY appearance on any of my OUTdoor DDD's is in the 1500--where she ranks just 19th!!
She's MIA from the Mile, 3000, 2 Mile, 5000, and the 10000!!
(IMHO, she could be Number ONE on all of them!!)
Tuohy's soulmate--Kelsey Chmiel--is MIA from the 1500, Mile, 5000, and the 10K!
But she's ON the 3000 and 2 Mile lists!!
And again, I PLEAD with the Powers-That-Be to organize a Track 10000 race, to invite the Top 30 Female HS Distancers in the country, then watch them FLY!!
The current HS Women's 10K list is utterly PATHETIC!!
Any runner capable of a 5:00 Mile could make this Top 24 A-T list!!
Give these kids something of VALUE to go after!!
Emily Sloan, Grace Stark, and Jasmine Jones should all join the 100H list this spring or summer!!
Now that Ms Ewen is so good with the SP in College, it's interesting to see just how good she was with that implement while in HS!!
She's actually 4th A-T on the current list!!
Well, it's been a fascinating excursion doing this post!
And I was so sure I'd done the same every year of this blog's existence!!
I had---for the INdoor season!!
Why did I blank out about doing the same for OUTdoors??
Anyway, it's now time to see how good---or bad!---my Predictions were!
This is the last of my OUTdoor Previews for 2018!!
Next post will hopefully be FILLED with Great Records & Marks!!
See you soon!!
I was 100% certain I'd done this particular post before--at the onset of other OUTdoor seasons!
But guess not!!
OK, here's the deal!!
In past years, I'd done a post where I provided the 24th place mark on my DDD's--or Top 24 All-Time Performer's lists---for the INdoor season!
And I just assumed (NEVER assume!!) I'd done the same for each OUTdoor season!!
But when I checked my Archives (to see how I'd presented it before!), I couldn't find it!
Not for 2015, or 2016, or for 2017!!
So you are getting a FIRST--it seems!!
(And yes, my memory function is still functioning, thank you!! LOL)
That said, the guidelines are few---
All marks are the 24th best on my DDD's for OUTdoors, as of this time of writing!
A few events have already seen changes in that spot, but these numbers are as of right now, not a week or month ago!
Where there are NO lists for an event, I put "*****" in place of it!
Unlike INdoors, I don't have lists for the 300, 600, or 2000!!
For HS Men ONLY, the lists for the 110H, SP, DT, and the HT are for HS hurdle heights and US HS-weighted implements!
For the HS Men's Decathlon, my list is that using the International-weighted SP & DT, and 42 inch hurdles!
For HS'ers, NO 1600 or 3200 marks, or marks converted FROM them, are eligible for my lists!!
The only Relay lists are the World 4X100 & 4X400 (Men & Women), and the Collegiate 4X100, 4X400, and the DMR, also both genders!
Take a close look at these numbers, Coaches & Athletes, because these are the Marks you should be aiming for!!
As always, the Men go first!!
The lists, left to right, are for the World, US, Collegiate, and HS!
100 9.87 9.93 9.99 10.24
200 19.81 19.96 20.07 20.57
400 44.13 44.28 44.62 45.52
800 1:42.81 1:44.43 1:45.24 1:48.48
1000 2:14.73 2:17.79 ***** *****
1500 3:29.53 3:34.15 3:37.27 3:45.6
Mile 3:48.40 3:52.2 3:57.6 4:01.89
3000 7:28.93 7:39.81 ***** 8:13.27
2 Mile 8:13.47 8:24.14 ***** 8:46.68
5000 12:51.34 13:13.32 13:25.19 14:15.5
10000 26:49.90 27:41.05 27:58.3 30:30.2
Half 59:05 62:00 ***** *****
Marathon 2:04:33 2:10:24 ***** *****
3000SC 8:04.45 8:19.27 8:26.83 9:10.8
110H 13.02 13.13 13.36 13.42
400H 47.72 48.18 48.58 50.55
HJ 7-9.75 7-7.75 7-7 7-4
LJ 27-10.75 27-6.50 26-11.75 25-8.75
TJ 58-3 56-4.75 55-8.25 52-5.75
PV 19-6.25 19-0.25 18-8.25 17-7
SP 72-3 71-2.25 68-2.25 70-7
DT 229-8 219-0 211-9 212-4
JT 292-1 263-6 258-6 222-4
HT 270-11 244-0 241-8 231-0
Decathlon 8667 8285 8126 6906
4X100 38.46 ***** 38.94 *****
4X400 3:00.82 ***** 3:02.16 *****
DMR ***** ***** 9:37.15 *****
Some names missing from the Men's lists--and other observations---
Christian Coleman from the World 200!
Elijah Hall from the US 200!
Michael Norman from the US 400!
Emmanuel Korir from the World 800!
NO Americans are on the World 1500 list, as Bernard Lagat's mark dates from when he was a Kenyan citizen!
The latest Mile marks for the World list date from 2014!!
Jim Ryun's 3:51.1 Mile from 1967 still ranks 12th A-T US!!
NO Americans on the World 3000 list--not even Lagat as a Kenyan!!
NO US Men on the 5000 list either!
Once holder of several American Records, Steve Prefontaine's ONLY presence on a list is 12th place A-T US in the Two Mile!!
(See below!)
The last entry on the World 10K list is from 2014!!
The World 5000 is even worse--latest mark dates from 2013!!
Alan Webb is on EVERY US list from the 800 to the 10000--except for the 1000!
There are already FIVE marks dated 2018 on the World Marathon list!!
The OLDEST World Marathon mark is from 2008!
There are THIRTEEN Marathon marks on the US list dating from between 1979 and 1989--but Gold winner from Munich (& Silver from Montreal!) Frank Shorter is NOT on the US list!!
Rai Benjamin isn't on the US list in the 400H---YET!!
Nor is Grant Holloway on the US 110H list---YET!
Greg Duplantis is still on the US Pole Vault list!
But his son Mondo won't be able to join him--as he's considered a Swede for List purposes!!
Elijah Hall and Divine Oduduru are MIA from the Collegiate 200 list!
Ditto Michael Norman and Akeem Bloomfield from the Collegiate 400 list!
Pre is on the Collegiate list in the Mile, tied with 1 other in 9th place!!
THIRTEEN marks on that Mile list date from between 1964 and 1978!
(ONE race with the best Collegiate 1500 guys running the Mile changes that list almost 100%!!)
Grant Holloway is ABSENT from the Collegiate 110H list---so far!!
Ralph Boston's 27-0.50 LJ dating from 1961 (!!) still ranks 18th A-T Collegiate, tied with 3 others!!
Jordan Geist is MIA from the Collegiate SP list--but I bet not for long!!
He should also make it onto the Collegiate HT list!!
The Top 4 Collegiate DMR marks all date from the late 80's--and they're the only marks on that list from the 20th Century!!
Carl Lewis's ONLY ranking on a HS list is in the LJ!!
He's not on either the 100 or 200 lists!!
Gerry Lindgren's 4:01.5 Mile from 1964 still ranks 19th A-T HS!
(His 3:44.6 in the 1500 ranks 11th, tied with 1 other!)
He never ran faster in those events!
Pre's former HSR 2 Mile of 8:41.5 still ranks 5th A-T!!
He negative split that race---Mile's of 4:26 & 4:15!!
Ed "King" Cheserek's 3000SC time of 9:00.11 as a SOPH still ranks 7th A-T HS!!
The HS Pole Vault list has TWO Father-Son duo's---Jeff & Brandon Bray, and the Duplantis's, Greg & Mondo!!
Trey Knight isn't on the HS Hammer Throw list---YET!!
Now let's move on to the Women!!
100 10.82 10.91 11.05 11.26
200 21.97 22.21 22.42 23.00
400 49.32 50.06 50.83 52.11
800 1:55.96 1:58.65 2:01.37 2:04.19
1000 2:32.77 2:38.48 ***** *****
1500 3:56.50 4:03.59 4:10.55 4:19.34
Mile 4:20.79 4:27.0 4:38.38 4:41.31
3000 8:26.48 8:42.99 9:07.46 9:21.37
2 Mile 9:33.47 10:01.18 ***** 10:10.73
5000 14:31.91 15:04.98 15:29.0 16:31.4
10000 30:22.88 31:37.45 32:29.89 36:19.84
Half 66:29 71:01 ***** *****
Marathon 2:19:52 2:28:34 ***** *****
3000SC 9:13.75 9:39.68 9:46.48 10:52.92 (Just 14 listed!!)
100H 12.44 12.63 12.74 13.29
400H 53.17 54.21 54.94 57.67
HJ 6-8 6-4.25 6-3.25 6-1.25
LJ 23-6 22-6.50 22-1 20-10.75
TJ 49-2.50 45-7 45-1 42-9
PV 15-7 15-1 14-7.25 13-8.25
SP 69-7.50 60-8 59-0.25 51-11.25
DT 230-9 201-4 198-2 177-0
JT 218-1 186-6 186-4 162-9
HT 248-5 226-2 221-2 185-0
Heptathlon 6741 6209 6021 5210
4X100 42.98 ***** 43.58 *****
4X400 3:26.89 ***** 3:29.41 *****
DMR ***** ***** 11:08.83 *****
And from the Peanut Gallery again---
Hannah Cunliffe & Mikiah Brisco aren't on the World or US 100 or 200 lists!
But Valerie Brisco (-Hooks) IS on the World & US 200 & 400 lists!
BTW, the Brisco's are NOT related!!
Val, of course, was one of the 1984 Olympic Heroine's!!
(NOTE--I might be creating a new list for the World 1500 Women! The Chinese--from 1993 & 1997--have NINE on that list now! While I accept their times as "legit"---for now!---I'd like to see what a World 1500 list would look like MINUS those 9 entrants!! I'd keep the Chinese-filled list, but would give more weight to the new one!! I've already done that for the Place Records for that event!!
Mary Cain is no longer on any OUTdoor DDD!
She was!
Emma Coburn and Karissa Schweizer are both MIA from the US 3000 list!!
I think we'll see them there soon!
It's still a MAJOR embarrassment that the US Two Mile list still has EIGHT marks on there made by athletes still in High School when they ran them!!
And even worse, Katelyn Tuohy and Kelsey Chmiel are not YET among them!!
NO American Women are on the World 5000 list!!
Ingrid Kristiansen's 30:13.74 10K--run in 1986--was a WR by 45 seconds when she ran that!!
She negative split it--15:11 & 15:02!!
No US Women reside on the World Half list either!!
There are THREE Dibaba's--all unrelated!!--on the World Marathon list--Mare, Birhane, and Tirunesh!!
I was amazed to see that Ivana Spanovic is NOT on the World LJ list for OUTdoors!!
And did you know that HJ'er Supreme Chaunte Lowe has a LJ mark of 22-7.75, which ranks 17th A-T US, tied with 1 other??
Olivia Gruver is NOT on the US Pole Vault list---so far!!
Neither is Tori Hoggard!!
INdoor SP "find" Maggie Ewen has yet to make the OUTdoor list for the US!
The 2 fastest INdoor Collegiates in the 200--Gabby Thomas and Ashley Henderson---are NOT on the OUTdoor 200 list!!
MIA from the Collegiate 400 DDD are Sydney McLaughlin and Lynna Irby!
Just a matter of time---so to speak!
Three biggies aren't on the Collegiate 800 list--Sabrina Southerland, Jazmine Fray, and Sammy Watson!!
As with the Men, the Women's Collegiate Mile list is a "frustrating mess"---Thank you, Jimi Hendrix!!
Will someone PLEASE gather the Top 20 Collegiate Milers (1500 gals!), set them off, and watch them COMPLETELY revise this list!!
Same deal with the 3000!!
The NEWEST mark on this Collegiate list is from the year 2000!!!
(And that is the former Kara Wheeler--now Goucher!! LOL)
Karissa Schweizer is MIA from ALL the Collegiate Distance lists from the 1500 to the 10000 (not counting the SC!)!!
Want to find the source of current American Distance strength among the Women??
See who's in the Top 4 positions on the Collegiate 3000SC list---Courtney Frerichs, Jenny Simpson, Emma Coburn, and Colleen Quigley!!
Maggie Ewen isn't even on the OUTdoor Collegiate SP list either!!
Waiting to see HS Frosh Phenom Tamari Davis invade the 100 and 200 lists---soon!
Speaking of Phenoms, Katelyn Tuohy's ONLY appearance on any of my OUTdoor DDD's is in the 1500--where she ranks just 19th!!
She's MIA from the Mile, 3000, 2 Mile, 5000, and the 10000!!
(IMHO, she could be Number ONE on all of them!!)
Tuohy's soulmate--Kelsey Chmiel--is MIA from the 1500, Mile, 5000, and the 10K!
But she's ON the 3000 and 2 Mile lists!!
And again, I PLEAD with the Powers-That-Be to organize a Track 10000 race, to invite the Top 30 Female HS Distancers in the country, then watch them FLY!!
The current HS Women's 10K list is utterly PATHETIC!!
Any runner capable of a 5:00 Mile could make this Top 24 A-T list!!
Give these kids something of VALUE to go after!!
Emily Sloan, Grace Stark, and Jasmine Jones should all join the 100H list this spring or summer!!
Now that Ms Ewen is so good with the SP in College, it's interesting to see just how good she was with that implement while in HS!!
She's actually 4th A-T on the current list!!
Well, it's been a fascinating excursion doing this post!
And I was so sure I'd done the same every year of this blog's existence!!
I had---for the INdoor season!!
Why did I blank out about doing the same for OUTdoors??
Anyway, it's now time to see how good---or bad!---my Predictions were!
This is the last of my OUTdoor Previews for 2018!!
Next post will hopefully be FILLED with Great Records & Marks!!
See you soon!!
OUTdoor Records Predictions--2018
It would be so nice if 50% of all the Records in the 4 core groups (World, US, Collegiate, HS) were broken in any given year!
Good luck!!
And there are so many reasons why they aren't!
Lack of opportunity.
Injury or illness at the wrong time.
Bad weather conditions.
And athletes who fall short of their potential--intentionally or not!
But my job here--as I do every year--is to suggest which Records CAN be broken---if!
What the odds are, and who has the necessary talent!
As always, I'll begin with the Men!!
WORLD RECORDS
Despite Christian Coleman's Super INdoor season, Usain Bolt's 100 & 200 WR's will survive another year!
However, CC could come close in the 100, so let's give him 5-95 odds on that one, and ZERO odds on the half-lap!
NADA also on the 400, 1000, Mile, 3000, Two Mile, 5000, 10000, 3000SC, 110H, HJ, LJ, SP, DT, JT, HT, and Decathlon!
I considered giving the SC and HJ some odds to play with, but previous attempts at those WR's have all come to naught!
The Steeple usually becomes tactical after a fast 1st K, while there's not enough competition to spur someone like Mutaz Barshim on to the highest heights!
The 800 and 1500 have a chance to fall--if that chance is taken!
Will Asbel Kiprop--or someone "new"--tag the rabbit through 1000 in 2:18+?
Will Emmanuel Korir dig in for a 49.0 first lap in the 800, then come through 600 in 1:14.5?
The Half & Full Marathon WR's can go, given the NUMBER of newcomers who run sub-60's or sub-2:05's in their FIRST races at those distances!
(Guye Adola's first 26.2 was a 2:03:46!!)
Give the Half 20-80 odds, and the Full 60-40!!
With Rai Benjamin's flat speed, and his PR of 48.33, I have a feeling that Legendary 46.78 in the 400H will be taken out in 2018!!
70-30 odds!!
Will Christian Taylor--or Pablo Pichardo--finally nab Jon Edwards's 60-0.25 TJ WR??
Let's give them 40-60 odds!
The Relays?
ALL of them CAN go down!!
But they all won't!
Not just because there's no World Relays meet this year!
It's that meets have little desire to change their list of events, so Relays like the 4X1500 or 4 X Mile are usually not included!
Yet, maybe a Club team (NJ/NY TC, or the Bowerman's) might take the lead and go for it!!
Strongest odds go to the 4X400!!
The rest--roll the dice!
US RECORDS
Give CC the 100 AR!!
90-10 odds!
25-75 on the 200!
ZERO on the 400, 1500, Mile, 3000, Two Mile, 10000, Marathon, 110H, HJ, LJ, DT, JT, HT, and Decathlon!
Yes, that means I believe Johnny Gray's 1:42.60 and Rick Wohlhuter's 1000 mark of 2:13.9 will finally fall!!
Both events have a few guys with Record potential--Clay Murphy, Donavan Brazier, Isaiah Harris, Boris Berian!!
If they worked together through 600.....!!!
Give both a fairly strong 55-45 odds!
The 5000 AR needs fixing!
Like maybe a sub-12:50??
Who's gonna give that baby a shot??
If "they" are serious, give "them" 40-60 odds!
Galen Rupp just came VERY close to Ryan Hall's Half AR!
I think he can cut those few extra seconds!
59:30 is possible, given perfect weather & pacing!
But where & when??
40-60 odds!!
As noted above, I think Rai Benjamin has a GREAT chance to get the 400H mark!
Ditto with Mr Taylor in the TJ!
I'm also giving the SP mark 30-70 odds!
Ryan Crouser or Joe Kovacs seem ready to hit that BIG one---and all it takes is ONE!!
See my World Predictions about AR's in the Relays!
COLLEGIATE RECORDS
TOTALLY SAFE are the 100, 200, 3000, 10000, 3000SC, LJ, TJ, PV, JT, and the HT!
With Michael Norman and Akeem Bloomfield around, we just might see that 400 CR fall!
Give it 40-60 odds!!
Michael Saruni has the 600 speed to go under 1:44 this year!
And that takes him into CR territory!
Give him--and it!--60-40 odds!
Justyn Knight--IF he takes the opportunity!!--CAN break the 5000 CR!!
In a race against Pro's--or in his FINAL Collegiate race??
Give him 30-70 odds--and raise them to 70-30 if he races at PJ or Pre!!/'
Am I OVERestimating Grant Holloway's current potential in saying he CAN get Renaldo Nehemiah's Legendary 110H CR in 2018??
He broke the CR for the 60H INdoors!
So---give this one 20-80 odds--in the "perfect" race!!
See my AR Predictions about the 400H!
With TWO guys at 7-7.75 INdoors, I'm giving Trey Culver and/or Vernon Turner 20-80 odds of adding 2.25 inches to those INdoor marks!
Jordan Geist is the most likely to get the SP mark, but he'll have some company--which can only help him!
Give that CR 60-40 odds!
The CR in the DT is 223-7.
Right now, I can't think of any "names" to offer, but that event has certain elements that send that implement flying to unexpected destinations!
So give it 40-60 odds!
The Decathlon CR is "only" 8539 points!
All an athlete needs is to PR in 4 or 6 of his 10 events to see that mark fall!
With that caveat in mind, give this one 30-70 odds!
Give 100-0 odds for the 4X400 Relay!
The others?
Pay attention to "Relays Weekend", when Penn, Drake, and the Arkansas deal goes down!!
HIGH SCHOOL RECORDS
Tyrese Cooper is injured, and won't compete until maybe June!!
But give Anthony Schwartz 30-70 odds in the 100 & 200!
Give Jamal Walton (& Brian Herron??) 40-60 odds of getting the 400 HSR!
Give Josh Hoey 25-75 odds of improving enough to get Mike Granville's 800 mark!
ZERO odds will save the 1500, Mile, 5000, 10000, 3000SC, 110H (both), 400H, HJ, LJ, TJ, SP (both), DT (both), JT, and the Decathlons for next year!
(When I say "both", I mean the HS and Intl standards in the listed events!)
Brodey Hasty SEEMS to like to chase fast times!
Yet his NBIN performances diluted that image a bit!
But if he gets back to the Tasty Hasty I love, give him 60-40 odds of getting the 3K and Deuce HSR's!!
Mondo---Who else??--gets 80-20 odds of reaching 19-5 in the PV!!
He'll have until August 31st--unless he changes his tune on going Pro!!
No Relays Predictions for HS'ers--sorry!!
So let's see if the Women might fare a little better!!
WORLD RECORDS
FORGET any WR's in the 100, 200, 400, 3000, 2 Mile, 10000, LJ, TJ, SP, DT, and Heptathlon!!
I ALMOST gave some odds for the Two Mile, but the last time ANY decent 3218 Meter race was held was in 2014!!!
Can Ajee Wilson break the venerable 800 and 1000 WR's??
(ZERO consideration given to those people with the following initials--CS, FN, and MW!!)
Give her 20-80 odds for each!
With Genzebe Dibaba around & kicking (in the best sense!!), give her 30-70 odds of taking out her own 1500 WR!
If that one goes, it SHOULD follow that the Mile mark should go also!!
Give it 40-60 odds!
That 5000 mark has been targeted for years--by G-D, Almaz Ayana, and 1 or 2 others!
I think 2018 might be the right time!!
Give it 65-35 odds!
I have faith that Mariya Lasitskene will turn consistency into a WR in the HJ!!
Giving her 60-40 odds!
There's too many 16 footers in the PV now--with 2 or 3 more knocking at the door--for me to send that WR into 2019 unscathed!
Give Isi's mark 70-30 odds!
And take your pick of WHO will have the honors!!
Is Barbora Spotakova retired?
(Note that I didn't list her in my Age Records Predictions!!)
Even if she's not, I could see a Sara Kolak nailing the biggie in the JT!
Give this event 25-75 odds!
And give Anita (No last name needed!!) 85-15 odds of improving her own WR in the Hammer Throw!
No Relays Predictions--but let me repeat my URGENT request that SOMEONE organize a 4 X Mile Relay somewhere!!
With the right team, the WR, the AR, AND the Collegiate Records could all fall when "that" team crosses the finish line!!
But I'd take just the World Record!!
LOL
US RECORDS
Once again, forget Flojo's Sprint marks from 1988!!
Add to that list the AR's in the 10000, LJ, SP, DT, JT, and the Heptathlon!!
I'm getting to like Allyson Felix's feistiness!!
She--at age 32, after a LONG career--is insisting that she ain't finished yet!!
So give her 40-60 odds of getting the AR in the 400!!
See above for my thoughts on Ajee Wilson's chances in the 800 and 1000!
Shannon Rowbury may be with baby right now, but Jenny Simpson could still have some company up front if & when she's closing in on AR's in events like the 1500, Mile, 3000, Two Mile, and the 5000!!
Such as Shelby Houlihan, Brenda Martinez, Kate Grace, Emily Infeld, and a few others!
Such is the American talent field in the Women's Distances that I can't even single out the iconic Ms Simpson as "the girl most likely to..."!!
Except for the Deuce (Lack of races!!), give 60-40 odds to ALL the other events!!
Emma Coburn, Courtney Frerichs, and Colleen Quigley get 75-25 odds of taking out Coburn's SC Record!!
I'm giving the 2 longest races (Half & Full Marathon) 60-40 odds of getting broken!
Remember, I count marks from the Boston course!!
Both Hurdles events AR's can fall!
And a Gal named Syd could get the longer race's mark!
That is Sydney McLaughlin, for those just now exiting a cave!!
I'll take a BIG chance, and give Vashti Cunningham 10-90 odds of getting the HJ Record!
Will Keturah Orji improve on her Rio AR in the TJ??
I'll give this graduating Senior 60-40 odds!
If Sandi Morris, Katie Nageotte, and Jenn Suhr all remain healthy, and compete often (Not so SUHR about Jenn!! LOL), give the PV mark 60-40 odds!
Gwen Berry has broken the AR in the Hammer Throw TWICE!
Well, they say "3rd time's the charm"!!
260 feet???
Give her 5-95 for THAT distance, but 65-35 for the Record itself!
COLLEGIATE RECORDS
Despite some really Class acts in the Collegiate world this year, I'm giving ZERO odds to the following events---the 200, 800, 1500, 3000 (Because it's so rarely run OUTdoors anymore!!), HJ, LJ, and the DT!
While it would take perfect weather & a Pro-type start, I'm giving just 15-85 odds for such as Mikiah Brisco and Aleia Hobbs to cut down Dawn Sowell's 29 year old 100 CR of 10.78!!
But Courtney Okolo's 49.71 CR in the 400 should fall--and maybe by Ms Okolo herself!!
If not her, look around for those Super Frosh--Ms McLaughlin and Lynna Irby!
And let's not ignore Kendell Ellis!
Give that one 40-60 odds!
The Mile mark is so weak--especially when compared to the 1500 CR---that it SHOULD have fallen years ago!!
It would take someone coming through 1500 in 4:12 or a few tenths faster!
75-25 odds if the opportunity arises!
And what kind of tactics will Karissa Schweizer use in her last Collegiate races?
If she GUNS it from the gun (Heh.), give the 5K & 10K marks 60-40 odds!
If she (& others) go for Points, drop those odds to 10-90!!
Eleanor Purrier has the flat speed to drop-kick the 3000SC mark over the wall!!
Give her 70-30 odds!
It would take a LOT of improvement to get both Hurdles CR's!
But it's been done before--going from 12.60'ish to the 12.30's!
As for the 53.21 CR in the full lap race, the ONLY guesswork is by HOW MUCH McLaughlin will send that mark into oblivion!!
The CR in the TJ is 7.25 inches less than Ms Orji's AR!!
So give her 75-25 odds of getting the CR!
Will the former Weeks twins (Lexi Jacobus & Tori Hoggard) do battle with Olivia Gruver in chasing the PV Record??
And if limited to that 3-some, WHO will end on Top??
Give the CR 80-20 odds!!
Raven Saunders is finished with her Collegiate career, but Maggie Ewen gets 20-80 odds of taking out the Raven's CR in the Shot Put!
The JT Record is out there, but this event is one filled with shocking PR's!!
It could happen again!
Give it 20-80 odds!
And Ms Ewen gets 90-10 odds of improving her own CR in the Hammer Throw!
Give the Heptathlon Women--especially Taliyah Brooks and Nina Schultz--40-60 odds of getting that 23 year old Record!!
Again, no Relays Predictions!
HIGH SCHOOL RECORDS
There are three HS'ers who are FAR advanced in comparisons to their compadres!!
They are Briana Williams, Tamari Davis, and Katelyn Tuohy!
That said, I'm still giving ZERO chance for seeing new HSR's in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 10000, 3000SC, 300H, 400H, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, SP, DT, JT, and the HT!!
Williams ran 11.13 to open her OUTdoor season, breaking Marion Jones's World Age 15 Record!
But that's still FAR removed from Candace Hill's 10.98!!
And Ms Davis, no matter how precocious, is almost a FULL SECOND from Allyson Felix's iconic 22.11 in the 200!
As for Ms Tuohy, it's entirely up (conceding 100% good health!) to her choosing to CHASE after Records!!
If she REALLY wants them, give her 95-5 odds for the Mile, 3000, Two Mile, and the 5000!!
And if she REALLY goes crazy, add 80-20 odds for the 10000 HSR also!!
The 100H mark of 12.84 has the HSR holder herself (Tia Jones) still breathing!
Add those speedy "newcomers" from INdoors, and stir the pot!!
Give that Record 65-35 odds!
Jasmine Moore is a GREAT TJ'er, but she's more than a foot shy of the HSR!!
But give her 10-90 odds anyway!!
Erica Ellis PV'ed 14-1.25 INdoors, but she's all alone at that height right now!
Give her 15-85 odds of adding 6.50 inches!!
Anna Hall fell 14 points short of Kendell Williams's great INdoor Pentathlon Record!
Can she come close to the OUTdoor Heptathlon HSR--also held by Williams??
Give her 60-40 odds!!
Remembering that Emma Fitzgerald came within ONE POINT of the mark 2 years ago!!
Well, friends, there will be one more OUTdoor Preview post!!
That will list what marks are needed to make my Top 24 All-Time Performers Lists!!
After that, it's time for ACTION---and Results!!
See you soon!!
Good luck!!
And there are so many reasons why they aren't!
Lack of opportunity.
Injury or illness at the wrong time.
Bad weather conditions.
And athletes who fall short of their potential--intentionally or not!
But my job here--as I do every year--is to suggest which Records CAN be broken---if!
What the odds are, and who has the necessary talent!
As always, I'll begin with the Men!!
WORLD RECORDS
Despite Christian Coleman's Super INdoor season, Usain Bolt's 100 & 200 WR's will survive another year!
However, CC could come close in the 100, so let's give him 5-95 odds on that one, and ZERO odds on the half-lap!
NADA also on the 400, 1000, Mile, 3000, Two Mile, 5000, 10000, 3000SC, 110H, HJ, LJ, SP, DT, JT, HT, and Decathlon!
I considered giving the SC and HJ some odds to play with, but previous attempts at those WR's have all come to naught!
The Steeple usually becomes tactical after a fast 1st K, while there's not enough competition to spur someone like Mutaz Barshim on to the highest heights!
The 800 and 1500 have a chance to fall--if that chance is taken!
Will Asbel Kiprop--or someone "new"--tag the rabbit through 1000 in 2:18+?
Will Emmanuel Korir dig in for a 49.0 first lap in the 800, then come through 600 in 1:14.5?
The Half & Full Marathon WR's can go, given the NUMBER of newcomers who run sub-60's or sub-2:05's in their FIRST races at those distances!
(Guye Adola's first 26.2 was a 2:03:46!!)
Give the Half 20-80 odds, and the Full 60-40!!
With Rai Benjamin's flat speed, and his PR of 48.33, I have a feeling that Legendary 46.78 in the 400H will be taken out in 2018!!
70-30 odds!!
Will Christian Taylor--or Pablo Pichardo--finally nab Jon Edwards's 60-0.25 TJ WR??
Let's give them 40-60 odds!
The Relays?
ALL of them CAN go down!!
But they all won't!
Not just because there's no World Relays meet this year!
It's that meets have little desire to change their list of events, so Relays like the 4X1500 or 4 X Mile are usually not included!
Yet, maybe a Club team (NJ/NY TC, or the Bowerman's) might take the lead and go for it!!
Strongest odds go to the 4X400!!
The rest--roll the dice!
US RECORDS
Give CC the 100 AR!!
90-10 odds!
25-75 on the 200!
ZERO on the 400, 1500, Mile, 3000, Two Mile, 10000, Marathon, 110H, HJ, LJ, DT, JT, HT, and Decathlon!
Yes, that means I believe Johnny Gray's 1:42.60 and Rick Wohlhuter's 1000 mark of 2:13.9 will finally fall!!
Both events have a few guys with Record potential--Clay Murphy, Donavan Brazier, Isaiah Harris, Boris Berian!!
If they worked together through 600.....!!!
Give both a fairly strong 55-45 odds!
The 5000 AR needs fixing!
Like maybe a sub-12:50??
Who's gonna give that baby a shot??
If "they" are serious, give "them" 40-60 odds!
Galen Rupp just came VERY close to Ryan Hall's Half AR!
I think he can cut those few extra seconds!
59:30 is possible, given perfect weather & pacing!
But where & when??
40-60 odds!!
As noted above, I think Rai Benjamin has a GREAT chance to get the 400H mark!
Ditto with Mr Taylor in the TJ!
I'm also giving the SP mark 30-70 odds!
Ryan Crouser or Joe Kovacs seem ready to hit that BIG one---and all it takes is ONE!!
See my World Predictions about AR's in the Relays!
COLLEGIATE RECORDS
TOTALLY SAFE are the 100, 200, 3000, 10000, 3000SC, LJ, TJ, PV, JT, and the HT!
With Michael Norman and Akeem Bloomfield around, we just might see that 400 CR fall!
Give it 40-60 odds!!
Michael Saruni has the 600 speed to go under 1:44 this year!
And that takes him into CR territory!
Give him--and it!--60-40 odds!
Justyn Knight--IF he takes the opportunity!!--CAN break the 5000 CR!!
In a race against Pro's--or in his FINAL Collegiate race??
Give him 30-70 odds--and raise them to 70-30 if he races at PJ or Pre!!/'
Am I OVERestimating Grant Holloway's current potential in saying he CAN get Renaldo Nehemiah's Legendary 110H CR in 2018??
He broke the CR for the 60H INdoors!
So---give this one 20-80 odds--in the "perfect" race!!
See my AR Predictions about the 400H!
With TWO guys at 7-7.75 INdoors, I'm giving Trey Culver and/or Vernon Turner 20-80 odds of adding 2.25 inches to those INdoor marks!
Jordan Geist is the most likely to get the SP mark, but he'll have some company--which can only help him!
Give that CR 60-40 odds!
The CR in the DT is 223-7.
Right now, I can't think of any "names" to offer, but that event has certain elements that send that implement flying to unexpected destinations!
So give it 40-60 odds!
The Decathlon CR is "only" 8539 points!
All an athlete needs is to PR in 4 or 6 of his 10 events to see that mark fall!
With that caveat in mind, give this one 30-70 odds!
Give 100-0 odds for the 4X400 Relay!
The others?
Pay attention to "Relays Weekend", when Penn, Drake, and the Arkansas deal goes down!!
HIGH SCHOOL RECORDS
Tyrese Cooper is injured, and won't compete until maybe June!!
But give Anthony Schwartz 30-70 odds in the 100 & 200!
Give Jamal Walton (& Brian Herron??) 40-60 odds of getting the 400 HSR!
Give Josh Hoey 25-75 odds of improving enough to get Mike Granville's 800 mark!
ZERO odds will save the 1500, Mile, 5000, 10000, 3000SC, 110H (both), 400H, HJ, LJ, TJ, SP (both), DT (both), JT, and the Decathlons for next year!
(When I say "both", I mean the HS and Intl standards in the listed events!)
Brodey Hasty SEEMS to like to chase fast times!
Yet his NBIN performances diluted that image a bit!
But if he gets back to the Tasty Hasty I love, give him 60-40 odds of getting the 3K and Deuce HSR's!!
Mondo---Who else??--gets 80-20 odds of reaching 19-5 in the PV!!
He'll have until August 31st--unless he changes his tune on going Pro!!
No Relays Predictions for HS'ers--sorry!!
So let's see if the Women might fare a little better!!
WORLD RECORDS
FORGET any WR's in the 100, 200, 400, 3000, 2 Mile, 10000, LJ, TJ, SP, DT, and Heptathlon!!
I ALMOST gave some odds for the Two Mile, but the last time ANY decent 3218 Meter race was held was in 2014!!!
Can Ajee Wilson break the venerable 800 and 1000 WR's??
(ZERO consideration given to those people with the following initials--CS, FN, and MW!!)
Give her 20-80 odds for each!
With Genzebe Dibaba around & kicking (in the best sense!!), give her 30-70 odds of taking out her own 1500 WR!
If that one goes, it SHOULD follow that the Mile mark should go also!!
Give it 40-60 odds!
That 5000 mark has been targeted for years--by G-D, Almaz Ayana, and 1 or 2 others!
I think 2018 might be the right time!!
Give it 65-35 odds!
I have faith that Mariya Lasitskene will turn consistency into a WR in the HJ!!
Giving her 60-40 odds!
There's too many 16 footers in the PV now--with 2 or 3 more knocking at the door--for me to send that WR into 2019 unscathed!
Give Isi's mark 70-30 odds!
And take your pick of WHO will have the honors!!
Is Barbora Spotakova retired?
(Note that I didn't list her in my Age Records Predictions!!)
Even if she's not, I could see a Sara Kolak nailing the biggie in the JT!
Give this event 25-75 odds!
And give Anita (No last name needed!!) 85-15 odds of improving her own WR in the Hammer Throw!
No Relays Predictions--but let me repeat my URGENT request that SOMEONE organize a 4 X Mile Relay somewhere!!
With the right team, the WR, the AR, AND the Collegiate Records could all fall when "that" team crosses the finish line!!
But I'd take just the World Record!!
LOL
US RECORDS
Once again, forget Flojo's Sprint marks from 1988!!
Add to that list the AR's in the 10000, LJ, SP, DT, JT, and the Heptathlon!!
I'm getting to like Allyson Felix's feistiness!!
She--at age 32, after a LONG career--is insisting that she ain't finished yet!!
So give her 40-60 odds of getting the AR in the 400!!
See above for my thoughts on Ajee Wilson's chances in the 800 and 1000!
Shannon Rowbury may be with baby right now, but Jenny Simpson could still have some company up front if & when she's closing in on AR's in events like the 1500, Mile, 3000, Two Mile, and the 5000!!
Such as Shelby Houlihan, Brenda Martinez, Kate Grace, Emily Infeld, and a few others!
Such is the American talent field in the Women's Distances that I can't even single out the iconic Ms Simpson as "the girl most likely to..."!!
Except for the Deuce (Lack of races!!), give 60-40 odds to ALL the other events!!
Emma Coburn, Courtney Frerichs, and Colleen Quigley get 75-25 odds of taking out Coburn's SC Record!!
I'm giving the 2 longest races (Half & Full Marathon) 60-40 odds of getting broken!
Remember, I count marks from the Boston course!!
Both Hurdles events AR's can fall!
And a Gal named Syd could get the longer race's mark!
That is Sydney McLaughlin, for those just now exiting a cave!!
I'll take a BIG chance, and give Vashti Cunningham 10-90 odds of getting the HJ Record!
Will Keturah Orji improve on her Rio AR in the TJ??
I'll give this graduating Senior 60-40 odds!
If Sandi Morris, Katie Nageotte, and Jenn Suhr all remain healthy, and compete often (Not so SUHR about Jenn!! LOL), give the PV mark 60-40 odds!
Gwen Berry has broken the AR in the Hammer Throw TWICE!
Well, they say "3rd time's the charm"!!
260 feet???
Give her 5-95 for THAT distance, but 65-35 for the Record itself!
COLLEGIATE RECORDS
Despite some really Class acts in the Collegiate world this year, I'm giving ZERO odds to the following events---the 200, 800, 1500, 3000 (Because it's so rarely run OUTdoors anymore!!), HJ, LJ, and the DT!
While it would take perfect weather & a Pro-type start, I'm giving just 15-85 odds for such as Mikiah Brisco and Aleia Hobbs to cut down Dawn Sowell's 29 year old 100 CR of 10.78!!
But Courtney Okolo's 49.71 CR in the 400 should fall--and maybe by Ms Okolo herself!!
If not her, look around for those Super Frosh--Ms McLaughlin and Lynna Irby!
And let's not ignore Kendell Ellis!
Give that one 40-60 odds!
The Mile mark is so weak--especially when compared to the 1500 CR---that it SHOULD have fallen years ago!!
It would take someone coming through 1500 in 4:12 or a few tenths faster!
75-25 odds if the opportunity arises!
And what kind of tactics will Karissa Schweizer use in her last Collegiate races?
If she GUNS it from the gun (Heh.), give the 5K & 10K marks 60-40 odds!
If she (& others) go for Points, drop those odds to 10-90!!
Eleanor Purrier has the flat speed to drop-kick the 3000SC mark over the wall!!
Give her 70-30 odds!
It would take a LOT of improvement to get both Hurdles CR's!
But it's been done before--going from 12.60'ish to the 12.30's!
As for the 53.21 CR in the full lap race, the ONLY guesswork is by HOW MUCH McLaughlin will send that mark into oblivion!!
The CR in the TJ is 7.25 inches less than Ms Orji's AR!!
So give her 75-25 odds of getting the CR!
Will the former Weeks twins (Lexi Jacobus & Tori Hoggard) do battle with Olivia Gruver in chasing the PV Record??
And if limited to that 3-some, WHO will end on Top??
Give the CR 80-20 odds!!
Raven Saunders is finished with her Collegiate career, but Maggie Ewen gets 20-80 odds of taking out the Raven's CR in the Shot Put!
The JT Record is out there, but this event is one filled with shocking PR's!!
It could happen again!
Give it 20-80 odds!
And Ms Ewen gets 90-10 odds of improving her own CR in the Hammer Throw!
Give the Heptathlon Women--especially Taliyah Brooks and Nina Schultz--40-60 odds of getting that 23 year old Record!!
Again, no Relays Predictions!
HIGH SCHOOL RECORDS
There are three HS'ers who are FAR advanced in comparisons to their compadres!!
They are Briana Williams, Tamari Davis, and Katelyn Tuohy!
That said, I'm still giving ZERO chance for seeing new HSR's in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1500, 10000, 3000SC, 300H, 400H, HJ, LJ, TJ, PV, SP, DT, JT, and the HT!!
Williams ran 11.13 to open her OUTdoor season, breaking Marion Jones's World Age 15 Record!
But that's still FAR removed from Candace Hill's 10.98!!
And Ms Davis, no matter how precocious, is almost a FULL SECOND from Allyson Felix's iconic 22.11 in the 200!
As for Ms Tuohy, it's entirely up (conceding 100% good health!) to her choosing to CHASE after Records!!
If she REALLY wants them, give her 95-5 odds for the Mile, 3000, Two Mile, and the 5000!!
And if she REALLY goes crazy, add 80-20 odds for the 10000 HSR also!!
The 100H mark of 12.84 has the HSR holder herself (Tia Jones) still breathing!
Add those speedy "newcomers" from INdoors, and stir the pot!!
Give that Record 65-35 odds!
Jasmine Moore is a GREAT TJ'er, but she's more than a foot shy of the HSR!!
But give her 10-90 odds anyway!!
Erica Ellis PV'ed 14-1.25 INdoors, but she's all alone at that height right now!
Give her 15-85 odds of adding 6.50 inches!!
Anna Hall fell 14 points short of Kendell Williams's great INdoor Pentathlon Record!
Can she come close to the OUTdoor Heptathlon HSR--also held by Williams??
Give her 60-40 odds!!
Remembering that Emma Fitzgerald came within ONE POINT of the mark 2 years ago!!
Well, friends, there will be one more OUTdoor Preview post!!
That will list what marks are needed to make my Top 24 All-Time Performers Lists!!
After that, it's time for ACTION---and Results!!
See you soon!!
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