Let's Catch Up!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fayetteville Rules!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

American Track League--a candid review (&Much More!)

 Four days after the veil of darkness was lifted on the steps of the Capitol with the Inauguration of our first Woman Vice President (& oh yeah, Joe Biden as our 46th President!). the question must be asked--
Did the debut meet of the American Track League open the blinds to a brighter future for Track and Field in the Age of Covid---or not?

After the first event--in fact, the first throw of the first event!--we saw erased a 32 year old INdoor Record---with authority!
Ryan Crouser, hat in place, threw his 16 pound ball 74-10.50 to remove the tarnished name of Randy Barnes from the ledger of INdoor Record holders!
He gets the World Record, the American Record, the Age 28 Record, and the Meet Record!!
(His 2nd best toss also surpassed Barnes's old mark!!)

NOTE---All events in this meet are Meet Records!  So I will not be repeating myself with every result listed!  

The Women ran 2 separate races in the 300--so the results were NOT similar to when separate heats are run, with the fastest times set in order from all the heats!!

Gabrielle Thomas, the former Harvard sprinter, PR'ed by 0.06 seconds to 35.92!
She is 2nd A-T US, and 6th A-T World!!
And it's still January!!
Jenna Prandini moved up in distance, ending 2nd with her 36.68!
She is now 17th A-T US!

Shakima Wimbley (36.78), and Ashley Henderson (36.95) made this heat hot (sic!)!
In the other race, High Hurdler Keni Harrison finished in 36.83, making her 22nd A-T US!

Thomas also did the 60, ending 4th in a PR of 7.21!
Winning the event was Blessing Okagbare. time of 7.17!
Christiana Williams took Silver in 7.18, with 3rd going to Kayla White's 7.20!
White had run 7.18 in the heats, with Williams (7.18) & Okagbare (7.19) following!

The Men's Dash was dominated by Trayvon Bromell!
He took the final in 6.48--just 0.01 off his best--and the heats in 6.58!
No one--not even Divine Oduduru--was close!

Fred Kerley took the two lapper in 45.03!
Consider that the best OUTdoor time in all of 2020 was 44.91--by a High Schooler!!
Quanera Hayes had it easy in her 400--especially after Shamier Little took a tumble to the track just before the finish!
Hayes's time was 51.76!

Next to Crouser, the best mark came in the 60H when Grant Holloway tied his American Record of 7.35, remaining 2nd A-T US!
But believe it or not, he failed to add the Age 23 Record to his list!!
Holloway had sped 7.38 in his heat!!
It was a singular display of raw talent!!

Tonea Marshall tied her PR of 7.86 in her 60H final!
She's 22nd A-T US, tied with 1 other!
Christina Clemons (formerly Manning!) was 2nd in 7.88, with Tiffany Porter 3rd in 7.89!
Porter had won the heats in 7.96, with Marshall 2nd in 7.98!

Other than Crouser, the other field events were relatively mild!
Megan Clark topped Katie Nageotte in a jump off in the Pole Vault, both clearing 14-9!
(See below to find out who was sort of MIA in this event!!)
Finally, Vashti Cunningham took the High Jump with 6-2.75!

I have lots more results to report, but stay with me, for I will be analyzing the ATL meet (& concept) later in full detail!!

Athing Mu!!
An unusual name for a rare specimen of Woman!!
One week after opening her 2021 season with an 800 in 2:01.07, Mu (pronounced as MO!) outdid herself!
She DESTROYED the Collegiate Record in the 600 by about two full seconds, running 1:25.80 to win the race by 2.5 seconds!!
The old (and I do mean OLD!!) record was Delisa Walton's 1:26.56, dating from 1981--40 years ago!!!
As a Freshman at Texas A&M, Mu gets the Frosh Class Record, and the Age 18 Record!
Taking 2nd, but WAY back, was Aaliyah Miller, timed in 1:28.31.
This makes her 16th A-T Collegiate!!

But Mu had her MOjo working (Heh!), as her 2nd leg carry in the 4 X 400 Relay took only 50.93 seconds!!
Okay, so she had a running start, and Relay splits are not accurate, but come on--50.93!!
IMHO, given a 6 or 7 second per 400 slow down rate, Mu is capable of an 800 between 1:53.86 and 1:55.86!
Place her in a normal Professional 800 (INdoors!), and I strongly believe that anything slower than 1:58 should be considered cruising!!
Pray she goes for the first ever sub-2:00 INdoor 800 by a Collegiate Woman!!

The Pole Vault--as usual--produced more good marks!
Chris Nilsen went over 19-4.75!
And KC Lightfoot followed his Collegiate Record (See earlier post!) with 19-4.25!

Other fast 300's included--
Syaira Richardson running 37.63, taking the caboose position on my Collegiate DDD!
Bryce Deadmon sped his in  32.73, making him 4th A-T Collegiate!

Other stuff---
Monae Nichols LJ'ed 22-1.75, becoming 11th A-T Collegiate!
Deborah Acquah's 21-10 makes her 21st A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!
Thea LaFond Triple Jumped 47-7.75!
This gives her the National Record of the Dominican Republic!

Gleb Dudarev threw the WT 81-5.25, making him 8th A-T World, and improving his Belarus National Record!
Brandon Miller ran the 600 in 1:17.09, making him 23rd A-T Collegiate!
Laurie Barton ran  a 1000 in 2:42.51, making her 12th A-T Collegiate, tied with 1 other!

Tripp Piperi improved his best in the INdoor SP, hitting 69-3.50!
This makes him 17th A-T Collegiate!
Monique Hardy's Frosh year is going quite well!
After a solid first comp, she broke the Frosh Class Record in her 2nd competition!!
Her mark went 69-6, about two feet better than the previous week!

Christina Schwanitz opened her season in Europe, her 62-8.50 taking the World Lead in the SP!
Another World Leader came in the Pentathlon, the mark of 4665 points belonging to Noor Vidts!!
(Um, uh, who is she??)

Following is my critique of the American Track League!!

It's 4 meets--all INdoors--and all held in the University of Arkansas's home track in Fayetteville!
The next 3 are scheduled for January 31st, February 7th, and February 14th!
They're all scheduled to be televised live on ESPN in a two hour window!

BUT--the initial reaction from experienced T&F fans on the Track and Field News Message Board--as well as on Twitter--was piss poor--and that's being polite!
I'm speaking of the TV presentation, NOT the athlete's performances!!
(See above!)

I've watched numerous meets on TV over a near 60 year period--and my opinion is that this one was "par for the course"--pardon the mixed metaphor!
No better--but no worse--than most others I've seen!

Not TV's fault, but there was no track race longer than 400 meters!
Is that the plan for the next three meets?

Other MB/Twitter complaints focused on the lack of knowledge of the announcers--except for one Woman who was a guest in the booth!
Sandi Morris had been scheduled to compete, but it was revealed she and husband Tyrone Smith incurred CoronaVirus-19 in December!
Luckily, it was mild, and both are in good health now!
But Sandi lost some time training, so decided to forego this 1st meet, and wait for Week Two!

Consensus was she did great--announcing the PV--but wasn't too knowledgeable about other events!
One thing--they rarely aimed the camera at the booth, so all we heard was her voice!

And that--the audio--was another big faux pas!
It was too low!!

I missed it (except in replays!), but Crouser's WR got the reception of a practice toss from the booth crew.
A WORLD RECORD receiving plaudits a HS Soph might get for a minor PR!!

As per normal in TV broadcasts of T&F meets, post-event interviews were held immediately after the event--thus all we got from the various winners was heavy breathing and a series of gasps!!
WAIT a bit before sticking a microphone in their faces!1
Let them recover enough to talk!!

And why did we need two hours to watch 3 field events and 8 track races--none taking more than 52 seconds??
Too much EMPTY space!!

If you truly want to be revolutionary, schedule a Two Mile or 5000 for each sex--and do NOT cut away from the race!!
Let us see every single step, and save the ads for after!!

And why wasn't Paul Swangard or Tim Hutchings or Carrie Tollefson doing the announcing!
Remember, Sandi won't be able to help you these next meets--she'll be on the runway competing!!

Okay, enough ranting!!
Was there anything good about this ATL??
Of course!!
Again, see above for all the great marks produced, including that World Record!!
And the personalities were in abundance!!
Crouser is a solid (in every sense!) presence!
Blessing Okagbare!
Katie Nageotte!
Fred Kerley!
Grant Holloway, Tonea Marshall, and Trayvon Bromell!
My God, could we ask for more!
(YES--some distance runners!!!)

You have one of the World's greatest T&F venues!
You have fantastic athletes!
You had star power announcing in Sandi Morris!

All you needed was for ESPN to respect our great sport, as they do all the others they show!
Announcers, do your homework!
(Read my blog to know what's going on in the Records and Marks departments!!)

I'll be watching--and despite all the rants on the MB's and on Twitter--you can bet all the serious (and HUNGRY!) T&F fans will also be watching the next three meets!!

Thank you for providing SOME meat for the grinder in these days of 1000's of people dying from Covid!
We now have a GREAT duo of Executives in the White House!
Can we have the same next week in Fayetteville?

See you soon!

Amazing Start to 2021 INdoors Despite Covid

 A full year--and about 400,000 American deaths from CoronaVirus-19 later--the 2021 Track & Field INdoor season has begun with a World Record, a Collegiate Record, and some sensational High School marks!!
The Tokyo Olympic Games are closer to full cancellation than ever--although the United Nations (!!!) is apparently being recruited to help save it!
Tomorrow, this nation gets a new President--ending 4 nightmare years of a man who still denies he lost the election!
Yesterday, we celebrated Martin Luther King's birthday--a few months after George Floyd was murdered by some racist cops!

Amid all this madness, somehow the elite athletes of our favorite sport are producing some incredible  marks in the very early weeks of a "season" that maybe should NOT be called a "season"!
Let's enter the venues where the action was, and see what happened!
(Please wear a mask!)

Hughes Zango had a great 2020 OUTdoor season, becoming last year's best Male Triple Jumper!
He proved it wasn't a fluke by breaking the INdoor World Record with a mark of 59-3.50!!
It's also the National Record of Burkina Faso, and the Age 27 Record!!
It happened in France!

KC Lightfoot took over as the Collegiate Record holder with his PV of 19-5.75!!
He passed Chris Nilsen's old mark by a quarter inch!
He made 3 attempts at 6.00, or 19-8.25, and feels confident he'll make that mark soon!!
He gets the Junior Class Record also!
(NOTE--The latest eTN by T&FN states that Collegiate Class Records may not be accurate, due to Covid cancelling some or all of Collegiate activity since early March of last year!  This blog will continue to recognize Collegiate Class Records.  If there's any changes, I'll adjust my Record Book, and report them here!!)
Lightfoot ranks 4th A-T US, and 14th A-T World!!

The Pole Vault--as has been the case in a few other INdoor seasons since my blog began--had a bunch of early high heights--besides Lightfoot's!!

In fact, just hours before KC's Record, Renaud Lavillenie topped 19-5 to temporarily lead the World!!
He's now 34 years old, but misses that Age Record by a few inches!
Younger brother Valentin ended 2nd at 18-9.25!

Other PV marks---
Jake Wooten and Nate Richartz both cleared 18-10.25 in Texas, with Richartz's mark being a PR.
That same meet saw Anicka Newell clear 15-5, also a PR!
In different states, Bridget Guy and Lisa Gunnarsson went over 14-10!
Gunnarsson  now ranks 12th A-T Collegiate!

Anzhelika Sidorova got the Women's World Leader with her clearance of 15-7.
Two NR's went down when Femke Pluim of the Netherlands, and Fanny Smets of Belgium both cleared 14-9.50--with Pluim getting the win!
And back on December 19th, Amanda Moll became the 10th High School girl to clear 14-0 or higher INdoors!
Her 14-0 clearance gives her the Soph Class Record, and makes her 9th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!!

With the New Balance INdoor Nationals being cancelled for the second straight year (!!), the Virginia Showcase gave up several  marks of NBIN quality!!
(The Armory is closed to T&F for the season, now being used as a vaccination center to fight Covid!!)

Topping the Showcase list was---well, gee, how do we choose??!!
But the Women's Two Mile takes that Prize, IMHO!
Sydney Thorvildson and Brynn Brown battled for the W, with Thorvildson becoming 2nd only to Mary Cain's iconic HSR!
She ended with 9:47.95, just 9.27 seconds slower than Cain.
Not taking anything away from Mary, we have to remember that Cain was racing against Tirunesh Dibaba (!!) and several other accomplished Professionals--when still 16 years old!!
This race was for HS'ers only!!
Thorvildson is now 2nd A-T HS!!
And she gets the Senior Class Record, finally taking down the historic mark of Melody Fairchild, run in 1991--30 years ago!!
Finishing in 9:51.00, Ms Brown is now 5th A-T HS, as her mark places her a mere 0.05 seconds ahead of one Katelyn Tuohy on the A-T HS INdoor list!!
BTW, Thorvildson also won the Mile, time of 4:43.90.
This makes her 22nd A-T HS!

Ever hear of Avery Lewis?
Well, I hadn't either--until the Virginia Showcase!!
Get this---
She won the 200 in 23.91.
She ran legs on the 4X200 and 4X400 Relays!
And she won the Long Jump!!

This last was THIS close to SUPER sensational!!!
Born December 21st of 2005, she JUST turned 15 years of age!
She is a Freshman!!
The Frosh Class Record WAS 19-7 for Girls INdoors!
Well, no  more!
Leaping past the old Record on ALL SIX JUMPS, Lewis crushed the Class Record by 13 inches!
And even that's not quite accurate!
Yes, as noted, she'd already broken the Record with her very first attempt!
Her next best (before the 20-8) was 20-4/75--so she actually broke THAT Record!!
Her "worst" mark of the 6 was 19-8.75!!
Other incredible facts--
She's now 13th A-T HS!
Her 20-8 is better than the Soph Class Record also!!
I saw a 4 minute interview with her--She's smart, mature, grounded, and looking ahead to better stuff--soon!!
Remember the name--Avery Lewis!!

The Girls 800 saw Juliette Whittaker run 2:02.07!
It makes her 3rd A-T HS, and is the Junior Class Record!
Roisin Willis ended 2nd in 2:04.31, but wasn't a PR.

Whittaker and Willis joined Sophia Gorriaran and Bailey Goggins on a team called United All Stars to set the World and American Junior records for the 4 X 800 Relay!
However, because it was an "all star" team, and not from one school, it doesn't count as a HSR!
Willis (lead off), Whittaker (3rd leg), and Gorriaran (anchor) all ran in the 2:05's!
But Bailey Goggins (2nd leg) took the baton from Willis sporting a broken foot!!!
You read that correctly--a BROKEN FOOT!!
She could manage just 2:20 & change--but it's a miracle she didn't have to CRAWL the entire way!!
If I get more details about that, I'll report it in my next post!
Anyway, their time of 8:37.20 would have whacked over 16 seconds off the HSR!
And more than that--much more!--if Goggins had run with her foot in one piece!!
WOW!!!

Other VA Showcase stuff--
Jaylen Slade became 2nd A-T HS with his 300 time of 32.77!
It also makes him 18th A-T US!!
But he doesn't get the Junior Class Record, as Brian Herron's HSR of 32.64 was run as an 11th Grader!
Justin Braun took 2nd with his 33.24.
This ranks him 13th A-T HS!

I don't have Records or Lists for the 500, but it was a good race!
Braun won the 500 in 1:02.67, which apparently makes him 8th A-T HS!
Right there with him, but in 2nd, came Ashton Schwartzman.
Given the exact same time, he's also 8th A-T HS, tied with Braun!

Besides the 800 & the Relay, Gorriaran won the Women's 500 in 1:12.95!
Finally (from VA), Lorenz Colbert won the 200 in 21.14.
But he'd won a race right after New Year's in 21.08!
That time makes him 13th A-T HS, tied with 1 other!

Several other important marks to mention--
Yaroslava Mahuchikh HJ'ed 6-7.50.
She gets the Age 19 Record--and now owns the INdoor Age 17, 18, and 19 records!!
It equals her PR and her National Record of Ukraine!
Ruth Usoro TJ'ed 46-10.25 competing as a Collegiate!
It makes her 2nd A-T Collegiate, and is the National Record of Nigeria!!
She also Long Jumped 21-4.25!!

In College Station, Texas A&M Frosh Athing Mu sped negative splits in a 2:01.07 four lapper!
(Splits of 60.75 and 60.32!)
She gets the Age 18 Record, the Frosh Class Record, and places on a pair of lists!
She's 5th A-T Collegiate, and 24th A-T US!
Monique Hardy smashed her old PR in the Weight Throw with her toss of 67-4.75 in Louisiana.
It leaves her about 4 inches short of the Collegiate Frosh Class Record!

T Hedeilli ran his 800 in 1:45.98!
While the eTN didn't mention this, it makes him 10th A-T Collegiate!
Steven Gardiner ran a 300 in 32.70, not a PR.
Also not his best, Jacory Patterson ran his 300 in 32.61 at the Virginia Tech meet!

Natoya Goule ran a couple of quick 600's--first in 1:26.80, then in a separate meet, in 1:25.85!
The latter is the Age 29 Record!
Back to the 300--
T Conwell sped his in 32.97, making him 8th A-T Collegiate!
He misses the A-T US list by 0.05 seconds!
Kameron Jones didn't PR, but his 600 time of 1:16.16 was solid!
So was Daniel Haugh's WT of 78-11--also not his best!

Can you believe all this happened while Donald Trump STILL believes he won a 2nd term--in a landslide??!!

See ya soon, my friends!

Will Our Sport Survive Covid?

 It's grim, dire, maybe apocalyptic.
4085 Americans died in 1 day from Coronavirus-19.
Then--even if unrelated--there was January 6th--a 21st Century Day of Infamy.
And more to come--a President's Impeachment--and a widely held belief that he is mentally ill, and dangerous in his final days in office!

But this blog is about the sport of Track and Field, Road Racing, Race Walking, and Cross Country.
Yet the Pandemic that has struck the entire world, but seems to be attacking the US most intensely now, has made our sport--as we've known it--almost unrecognizable!!

In  2020, the Olympics (THE OLYMPICS!!!) were postponed a year!
The entire OUTdoor Collegiate season was destroyed!
High Schoolers competed rarely, and then as individuals, not as part of a team.
The INdoor NCAA and NBIN were cancelled.
As were many major Marathons--although London was merely postponed till Fall!

The cancellations, etc are continuing this year!
The venerable Millrose Games--America's best INdoor Invitational--has been cancelled.
The USATF INdoor Championships--scheduled for Albuquerque in late February--were just cancelled!
There is some chatter that the INdoor NCAA meet may enter that list!
Even the Collegiate Conferences!!

Tokyo's Covid case numbers and death count has risen lately--perhaps again endangering their Olympics!!

I was making notes for my next post (after my December 31st AOY post).
I was going to look at which World Records might fall--or at least were vulnerable--this INdoor season!
(I was also going to do one for the US INdoor Records---but NOT for Collegiates and High Schoolers--their projected INdoor seasons too unpredictable!)

Then that Trump-incited treasonous insurrection happened on Wednesday!
As with any major event in my lifetime, the aftermath (in and on the Media) seemed just as devastating and horrible.
Think the Kennedy assassinations, the Challenger disaster, September 11th!!
I--and perhaps the World--were glued to their TV's or radio's--watching the horrible event played and analyzed over and over again!!
It's that way--for me--today, and every waking moment since Wednesday!

So my (and your!) favorite sport was relegated to the back burner!
Then I saw on Twitter that Kyle Merber had retired.
And today--just minutes ago--Becca (PoleVaultPower) tweeted that the former Weeks twins--Tori Hoggard and Lexi Jacobus--have both retired to pursue careers as pharmacists!!

The T&FN website lists a few meets scheduled for January 15th and 16th--all INdoors!
The American Track League says they plan 4 INdoor meets--in late January and early February!
I've heard there's a meet scheduled soon for OUTdoors where several athletes will run the distances (800 to 10000) to secure Qualifying times for the Olympic Trials--and the Olympics.
Some BIG names are listed as competing!

So WILL this sport survive--and even prosper--in 2021??
Or will every day bring more bad news about cancellations and postponements and retirements?
And of dangerous Presidents and riots and destruction in our government's sacred buildings?
And of 4085 (or more???) deaths per day from this angry and holocaustal virus??

I grimly lament these losses, these horrors!
Will the great athletes, coaches, and officials of the best sport ever overcome all this?

We must.

2020 OUTdoor AOY (etc) Review

 Now over 7 years of this blog!
1000's of Results, Records, List Makers, and Opinions!
At age 76, I present to you THE strangest Athlete of the Year wrap-up ever!
In this, THE strangest year ever!
Thus, needing some guidelines----

Because of Covid, the OUTdoor Collegiate season didn't happen!
So I've elected to NOT give Awards to Collegiates for 2020!
As for High Schoolers, there was enough activity to warrant AOY's, etc!
However, I've allowed HS results to go beyond the normal August 31st deadline, and extended that deadline to TODAY, December 31st!
As always, I separate the seasons--IN from OUT, and OUT from IN!!
So these Awards are for OUTdoor Marks ONLY--January 1st to December 31st!
NO Marks from INdoors were considered!!
Due to Covid's destruction of our "normal" way of doing things, I am covering HS here, along with the World and United States, instead of doing HS and Collegiates in September!!
All selections and opinions are mine!
Let's begin with some Results!!

The Marathon Project were 26.2 Mile races held in Chandler AZ, near Phoenix in early December!
Run on a multi-loop flat course of 4.3 miles, plus a bit from the start, and to the finish, off the loop!
There were pacers, and both sex's began together!

Seven American Men broke the 2:10 barrier!

Martin Hehir broke away at 35K to win in 2:08:59!
This rates him 11th A-T American!
(My lists include times from Boston!!)
Noah Droddy becomes 13th A-T American with his 2:09:09!
Colin Benning's 2:09:38 ranks him 20th A-T US, tied with 1 other!

Scott Fauble's 2:09:42 was not a PR!
In 5th came Ian Butler's 2:09:45, making him 23rd A-T US!
Taking up the rear position was Scott Smith's 2:09:48!

Also sub-2:10 was Mick Iacofano, time of 2:09:55!
Ben Preisner's 2:10:47 took Canadian honors over Cam Levins's 2:12:15!

Sara Hall came back from her London PR with yet another Lifetime best here!
Her 2:20:32 (after holding AR pace through 25K) gives her the Age 37 Record!
She's 2nd A-T US!
The breakout runner of the year has to be Keira D'Amato!
She smashed her Marathon best by many minutes, her 2:22:56 ranking her 8th A-T US!
Kellyn Taylor's 2:25:22 in 3rd was not a PR!

Emma Bates improved to 2:25:40, for 15th A-T US!!
Natasha Wodak became 2nd A-T Canadian with her 2:26:19 in 5th!
Paige Stoner ended in 2:28:43!
Brie Wetsch cut many minutes off her PR with her 2:29:50 in 10th!

Cut OFF my US list was legendary Patti Catalano, her 2:27:51 dating from 1981!

Ash Moloney got Australia's National Record in the Decathlon with his score of 8492.
But Kevin Mayer (in a different comp) got the World Leader with his score of 8552 points!

Justin Wichtel's 5000 in 14:15.35 misses my High School DDD by 1.40 seconds!
(This was in the same meet where Jenna Hutchins got her HSR!!)

In an INdoor race, Marcus Reilly got the Frosh Class Record in the Mile with a time of 4:12.77!
This was in early November!
Just in---
Anna Willis of Colorado PV'ed 13-1.50 for the INdoor Frosh Class Record!
She also reportedly got the Age 14 Record, but my Age Records begin at Age 17!

A correction from my previous post---
Evans Chebet was 32--not 22!--when he ran 2:03:00 in Valencia's Marathon!
He gets the Age 32 Record!!
I believe Lelisa Desisa's 2:04:52 from 2012 is the Age 22 Record!

And now for my AOY's!
Remember, NO Collegiate honors given!!
And this is for 2020 OUTdoors ONLY!!

World Athlete of the Year--MEN
MONDO DUPLANTIS broke a 20th Century Record, that by Sergey Bubka!
But he only shares the AOY Award with JOSH CHEPTEGAI, who broke TWO WR's, both held by Ken Bekele!

Honorable Mentions go to---Ryan Crouser, Jacob Kiplimo, Kibiwott Kandie, Evans Chebet, Daniel Stahl, Hughes Zango, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Johannes Vetter, Noah Lyles, and Karsten Warholm!!

United States Athlete of the Year--MEN
RYAN CROUSER--no contest!
Honorable Mentions go to---Donovan Brazier, Noah Lyles, Sam Kendricks, Chris Nilsen, Christian Taylor, Rudy Winkler, and Martin Hehir!

High School Athlete of the Year--MEN
TREY KNIGHT gets it for his HSR in the HT!
JUSTIN ROBINSON gets it for leading the World most of the year in the 400!
Honorable Mentions awarded to---Erriyan Knighton, John Lester, Leo Daschbach, Rheinhardt Harrison, and Nico Young!!

World Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
LETESENBET GIDEY for destroying the WR in the 5000, and letting us dreamers think a time in the 13's is actually possible--soon!!
Honorable Mentions to---Elaine Thompson, Sifan Hassan, Peres Jepchirchir, Yulimar Rojas, Katie Nageotte, Valerie Allman, and Femke Bol!

United States Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
SHELBY HOULIHAN didn't shock by crushing her own AR in the 5000 by 11 seconds, but it was sensational nonetheless!
Honorable Mentions to---Sha'Carri Richardson, Karissa Schweizer, Sara Hall, Keira D'Amato, Katie Nageotte, and Valerie Allman!

High School Athlete of the Year--WOMEN
Can you guess??
Yes, it's JENNA HUTCHINS!!
Honorable Mention to Leah Pasqualetti!

World Performance of the Year--MEN
A tie between the WR's of JOSH CHEPTEGAI--his 5000 of 12:35.36, and his 10000 of 26:11.00!
Honorable Mentions to---Mondo's 20-2 in the PV, Kibiwott Kandie's WR of 57:32 in the Half, Karsten Warholm's 46.87 in the 400H, Johannes Vetter's 320-9 in the JT, and ALL of Ryan Crouser's Shot Puts!!!

United States Performance of the Year--MEN
RYAN CROUSER--again for EVERY one of his Puts this OUTdoor season!!
Honorable Mentions---Sam Kendricks's 19-9 in the PV, and Rudy Winkler's HT of 264-9!

High School Performance of the Year--MEN
To JUSTIN ROBINSON's World Leading 400 of 44.91.
When has a HS'er EVER led the WORLD???
Honorable Mentions to---Erriyan Knighton's 20.33 in the 200, John Lester's 800 of 1:48.26, Leo Daschbach's Mile of 3:59.54, and Nico Young's 5000 of 13:50.55!

World Performance of the Year--WOMEN
LETESENBET GIDEY for her WR of 14:06.62!
Honorable Mentions go to---Sifan Hassan's 10000 of 29:36.67, (?) Ababel's Half of 64:31, and Faith Kipyegon's 1000 of 2:29:15.

United States Performance of the Year--WOMEN
SHELBY HOULIHAN's AR of 14:23.92 in the 5000!
Honorable Mentions to Karissa Schweizer's 14:26.34 (and her 1500 of 4:00.02!), Sha'Carri Richardson's 22.00 in the 200, Katie Nageotte's PV of 16-1.75, and Valerie Allman's AR in the DT of 230-2!

High School Performance of the Year--WOMEN
Oh come on!!
Hands (and feet!) down, it's JENNA HUTCHINS's 5000 of 15:34.47!
Honorable Mentions to---Leah Pasquelatti's PV of 14-8.25!

I'm combining my Personality of the Year Awards into one!
Except I'm dividing this category into 2 sections--GOOD and BAD!!

Leading the BAD is none other than CORONAVIRUS-19!!
It first RUINED 2020 for T&F, but then allowed the experimentation that finally made 2020 a pretty damn productive year in the Records and Marks Departments!!
Also vying for this title are SHOES!!
First Nike, then other brands, produced shoes that produced a more than usual slate of list making marks!
It also produced a ton of controversial opinion--one way or the other!
The jury is still out!!

GOOD awards go to---
MONDO DUPLANTIS--Not only breaking an iconic WR, but he is dominant in his style and charisma also!!
One of a kind!!
JAKOB INGEBRIGTSEN--Outclassing his 2 older brothers, he's getting Norway National Records and some Age Records, showing much unmet yet potential!!  And he's not too shy about saying how great he is!
The city of VALENCIA, Spain--It's become the new "in" venue for WR's and other amazing results!!
SARA HALL for making American Women's Marathoning a headliner in the post-Shalane Flanagan age!!
And to ALEXI PAPPAS who became the Mary Cain of 2020---in a way!
In a video that went viral, Pappas told of her battles with depression, a subject that touched many nerves!
She's more than a great runner--she's a movie maker and an actress and just a good decent human being!!

My Event of the Year awards go to the events that produce the most Marks on my various DDD lists!
Because of the severely small season we had in 2020, the total numbers are smaller than ever!

Adding Marks from World, US, and HS (Again, NO  Collegiate!!) OUTdoor lists, we get---
48 MEN's marks (24 World, 16 US, and 8 HS)
55 WOMEN's marks (25 World, 21 US, and 9 HS)

The HALF dominated both Men's and Women's World lists!
Men have 7 marks dating from 2020, while the Women have 10!
The Men's US MARATHON leads the way with 5, while the Women's 10000 leads with 6 marks!
The Mile was the only HS event to get 2 marks on their Men's list!
Ditto with the 3 PV marks the Women got on their DDD!

A list of Major Records broken in 2020---

MEN
World Records by Josh Cheptegai of 12:35.36 and 26:11.00, Kibiwott Kandie with his Half WR of 57:32!
United States Records by the Bowerman Track Club, it being their  4 X 1500 Relay mark of 14:34.47!
The sole High School Record was Trey Knight's HT of 261-7!

WOMEN
(first name??) Ababel ran the Half in the WR time of 64:31.
Letesenbet Gidey got the 5000 WR with her 14:06.62.
Yelena Lashmanova Walked a 50K WR of 3:50:42!
United States Records were set by the Bowerman Track Club in the 4 X 1500 Relay, time of 16:27.02, Shelby Houlihan's 5000 of 14:23.92, and Valerie Allman's DT of 230-2!
High School Records were set by Leah Pasqualetti in the PV (14-8.25), and Jenna Hutchins in the 5000 (15:34.47).

2021 is (in Washington state) a bit less than 6 hours away!
But  we already have bad news from the ascending year!!

The venerable Millrose Games have been CANCELLED!!
After about 110 consecutive years, there will be NO Millrose in 2021!!
I'm LIVID about this nonsensical decision!!
OUTdoor DL's were held, albeit with less events & athletes and few fans in the stands!
Why can't the Millrose Games go on with similar reductions??

And the Boston Marathon was pushed back (a la London in 2020) to September!
Why not--as some suggested in 2020--hold the event for a select group of elites ONLY??
The Marathon Project was a big success doing just that!!
(See above details!)

The World Championships scheduled for Eugene in 2021 was postponed until---2023!!
WHAT???!!!

As in 2020, there's apparently NOT going to be any Collegiate season OUTdoors in 2021.
No Conferences?
No NCAA Championships??
Bah! Humbug!!

But on the good side, a six meet Professional series of meets are due to be held (from May through August??) across America!
Fingers crossed!!

Have a very HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
(Egg Nog and other goodies await me!!  LOL)

2020, or The Season of Covid-19

 As promised in my last post, I have some additional info to offer!
A trio of Age Records fell in the WR breaking Valencia Half!
Kibiwott Kandie's 57:32 gets the Age 24 Record!
Jacob Kiplimo's 57:37 is the new Age 20 Record!
And the 57:49 by Rhonex Kipruto claims the Age 21 Record!
BTW, birthdates were attained from the Tilastopaia site!

In the Valencia Marathon---Evans Chebet's 2:03:00 is the new Age 22 Record!
Birhanu Legesse's 2:03:16 is the new Age 26 Record!
The 2:03:30 of Amos Kipruto is the Age 28 Record!
And Abel Kirui became the oldest to run a sub-2:06, his 2:05:05 claiming the Age 38 Record!
It should be noted that Ken Bekele will be 38 in 2021, and ran 2:01:41 when 37!!

Y Yalemzerf's 64:46 in the New Delhi Half gets her the Age 21 Record!
Genzebe Dibaba's 65:18 in the Valencia Half gets her the Age 29 Record!
Peres Jepchirchir's 2:17:16 in Valencia's Marathon is the Age 27 Record!
As noted, Birthdates were gotten on Tilastopaia, so I'm believing that Helaria Johannes's 2:19:52 makes her the oldest Woman to run under 2:20!
She's 40 years old, and gets that Age Record!

Finally, according to MileSplit, Jenna Hutchins is a HS Junior!
Her 15:34.47 is the 11th Grade Record!

Now for some thoughts on 2020---

It began normally, with the INdoor season progressing as it should.
Then, suddenly, it was gone!
The NCAA and NBIN meets--exciting Record producing affairs both--were cancelled!
As was almost the entire OUTdoor spring series of meets!
No Penn or Drake or Florida or Kansas or Texas Relays!
No May DL's in Doha and Shanghai!
No Distance Paradise meets on Stanford's oval!
And no London or Boston Marathons!

Yet---
if you read all my posts covering (belatedly!) what became an OUTdoor season, then you know of all the Records and List making Marks that came from "meets" across the US, and even around the World!
Were they all legit, with the Records ratifiable by USATF and WAF (IAAF's new acronym--for World Athletics Federation)??
That requires a "wait and see" stance on those not yet ratified!
Some were glorified time trials amongst friends and teammates--such as Shelby Houlihan's 5000 AR, and the pair of 4 X 1500 Relay Records put up by Houlihan and Co---aka the Bowerman Track Club, coached by Jerry Schumacher!
I (and this blog) consider these and other Marks legit!

Bigger fish got hooked on the line thrown at the World by the virus known as Covid-19!
The "2020" Tokyo Olympics were tossed over to 2021!
It's confusing (to me!), but some World Championships--both OUTdoor and INdoor---seem to have been postponed!
My advice (to you, and to myself!) is to check your T&F calendar to see what meets are happening when!
For example, it seems this fall's NCAA Cross Country Champs will be held next March--amidst the MAYBE OUTdoor NCAA T&F season??
And there were no HS XC Championships--no NXN or Footlocker!
(Maybe that's how Jenna Hutchins got to break the HSR in the 5000!!)

Bottom line, this horrid virus--killing over 2000 Americans every day!--changed the "normal" doings of our little world of T&F, XC, and even Road Racing!

Yes, much happened in 2020!
But much of it was surprising to this blogger!
When I began my multi-post recap of the previous year's activity, I didn't expect the VOLUME of Records and Marks to be so huge and lengthy!!
So Covid-19 didn't really destroy 2020--it merely tossed some new flavors and seasoning--a new recipe, if you will--on this quite conservative and traditional sport!

Some questions---
What happened to Mary Cain after INdoors?
(Though many Elites chose to forego OUTdoor racing after the Lockdown and Quarantining began last March!)
Why was London the only Spring Marathon to run their race a few months later?
(Boston had been run during World Wars and other catastrophes!!)

Some races had more than a safe number of competitors--and none wore a mask during the race!
So if they went that far, why not invite others to these events?
For example, that Bowerman TC 5000 might have been better with a few NON-BTC runners added!
Also those Record setting long Relays!

We DID have a season!
It just wasn't "normal"!!

And what about those shoes?
Did those fast Valencia times come because of the shoes worn?
It's not just Nike--other companies are producing similar shoes!

But didn't the same arguments occur when tracks changed from dirt to asphalt?
When Pole Vault poles went the fiberglass route?
When the sport went Professional?
Aren't they all the same--or at least in the same ballpark, to use a mixed metaphor??

I ran over a 30 year period, though many of those "years" weren't 365 days!
What shoes did I wear?
In HS, I wore a pair of Adidas spikes--costing $9.95!!
(I know, those were early 1960's prices!!  LOL)
I ran in Tiger (later ASICS) Boston shoes during my PR Marathon of 2:56:02 in 1978!
In fact, I wore those SAME "Boston's" in most of my frequent races--AND during my 10 or 20 mile training runs--on the track, roads, and on forest trails and the sands of nude beaches!!

I was far from elite--though that 2:56 Marathon (Avenue of the Giants) got me 147th place out of 1550 finishers!!
I didn't need Nike "fly" (or whatever they're called!) to run my fastest--or to just run!
Couldn't iconic figures like Ken Bekele, Brigid Kosgei, and Eliud Kipchoge run as fast as they have with "legal in every way" shoes??
Why bring controversy into the race?
Why possibly deny yourself a ratified WR, or just a National Record?

Should separate Records be kept for the different tracks we've run on ?
The different poles Vaulters use?

As you all know, I'm 100 percent strict on the separation of seasons--INdoors from OUTdoors!
Should USATF and WAF be as strict with the new shoes?
Or do we accept the advancements brought about by this 21st century technology?
(Oh, for the good old days, when Bill Bowerman invented a legendary & history making shoe--using his wife's WAFFLE maker!!)

Covid-19 WILL be gone!
The World's and the USA's Track and Field competitions will return to "normal"!
We'll get our seasons back!

And this blog will be reporting the results--in detail, as always!
(Health--and being alive!--allowing!!!)

The Marathon Project is hours away!
A full report will soon follow!
(Not to mention my Athlete, Performance, Event, and Personality of the Year choices for 2020 OUTdoors!)

Record Rampage Near End of OUTdoor 2020

 This VERY weird year ain't over yet!
There's a bit more to come under the sky (as opposed to under the roof!).
But the end sprint is on....and I mean ON!!!
Let's revisit Valencia!

December 6th---
The Men's Half Marathon--controversial shoes and all--revised all Record Books in a HUGE way!!
Kibiwott Kandie (or Kandie Kibiwott??) lowered the World Record by 29 seconds, running 57:32.
And he had some close company--the first 4 under the previous WR!!
He also gets Kenya's National Record!

Jacob Kiplimo was 2nd in 57:37, making him 2nd A-T World.
He gets the best 2nd Place mark, and Uganda's NR!
Rhonex Kipruto is 3rd A-T World, and gets the best 3rd Place mark  with a time of 57:49!
At 57:59 came the best 4th Place mark, name of Alexander Mutiso!
He is 4th A-T World!

Philomon Kiplimo was 5th in 58:11.
He's 6th A-T World, and has the best 5th Place mark!
Kelvin Kiptum ended in 58:42, making him 13th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
He gets the best 6th Place mark!

BTW, I'll have more info on these and other marks in this post in my next post!
My intention here is to basically bring my series of results recaps up to the present day!

The Women's race saw Genzebe Dibaba run 65:18 for the Gold!
She's 13th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
Sheila Kiprotich took 2nd in 65:39, making her 18th A-T World, tied with 1 other!
Emily Sisson ran a great 67:26, making her 3rd A-T US!
She finished 5th in the race!
NOTE--I include Kara Goucher's 66:57 run on an "aided" course!
Thus, the eTN 's designation of Sisson's mark as 2nd A-T US does NOT include Goucher's mark!!
And we're not done with Valencia!!

They also held a Marathon, with some notable depth in the results.
Evans Chebet took the W in a solid 2:03:00!
(As you know, I include Boston times on my Top 24 list!!)
Chebet is now 6th A-T World!
Lawrence Cherono was close, ending 4 seconds back in 2:03:04!
Berhanu Legesse was 3rd in 2:03:16.
This ties the best 3rd Place mark!

Amos Kipruto was 4th in 2:03:30!
He's 13th A-T World, and gets the best 4th Place mark!
We move to 8th placer Abebe Degefa, whose 2:05:15 gives him the best 8th Place mark!
Leal Gebrselassie ran 2:05:29, getting the best 9th Place mark!
Philomon Rono's 2:05:37 gets the best 10th Place mark!

In 11th came Ogbe Ruesom's 2:05:53.
He gets Eritrea's NR, and the best 11th Place mark!
A Lamdassem's 2:06:35 is Spain's new National Record, and the best 12th Place mark!
In 16th came A Petros in 2:07:18.
This gets him  the National Record of Germany!!

The Women's race gave even more weight to the idea that Valencia is now THE place to go for fast times and major Records!!
Peres Jepchirchir's 2:17:16 makes her 5th A-T World!
Joyciline Jepkosgei was a full "lap" behind (and then some!), yet still ran 2:18:40!
She is 15th A-T World!
Helaria Johannes got Namibia's National Record with her 2:19:52!

Z Yimer ran 2:19:54 in 4th!
Two seconds back came two runners given the same time of 2:19:56!
Tigist Girma got 5th with her's, while Degitu Azimeraw's time got her 6th!
And the best 6th Place mark!
Ruti Aga's 2:20:05 gets her the best 7th Place mark!
With the best 8th Place mark was Joan Chelimo, time of 2:20:57.
Back in 27th was American Jordan Hasay, stopping the clock at 2:33:51.
She might have decided to "tempo" the race, so maybe the time isn't as bad as it seems!

Another Record Book Destroyer came at something generically called The Track Meet!
It took place in Southern California!
It was a series of 5000's and 10000's run on a track---OUTdoors---in December!!

Luis Grijalva's 13:16.75 took the Men's 5K!
This makes him 4th A-T Collegiate!
Cooper Teare's 13:17.13 was 2nd, and ranks 6th A-T Collegiate!
Drew Hunter was 3rd in 13:17.55!

In a separate race, Matthew Centowitz cruised to a win in 13:32.92.
But breathing down his neck (NOT wearing a mask! LOL) was UO Frosh Cole Hocker, timed in 13:32.94.
Another Frosh, Nico Young of NAU, ran a good 13:44.50!
(Remember that High Schooler Gerry Lindgren ran 13:44.0 in 1964!)

The 10K saw Eric Jenkins win in 27:22.06!
This makes him 9th A-T US!!
Add his 5K PR of 13:07.33, and you get a Combined Events total of 40:29.39!
He ranks 8th A-T US there!

Pat Tiernan ran 27:22.55 in 2nd, claiming the National Record of Australia!
Ed Cheserek PR'ed in 3rd with 27:23.58!
In 5th came Joe Klecker's 27:35.57, which ranks 23rd A-T US!
Wes Kiptoo ended 6th in 27:37.29!
He is 10th A-T Collegiate!
Robert Brandt timed 27:39.20, making him 14th A-T Collegiate!

The Women's 5000 was won by American Record holder Shelby Houlihan, time of 15:02.55.
Second went to Elise Cranny's 15:04.83!
Emily Lipari PR'ed in 3rd with 15:17.72!

But the 25 lapper really ROCKED!!
Rachel Schneider clocked 31:09.79, making her 8th A-T US!
Weini Kelati was 2nd in an Eritrean National Record of 31:10.08!
Alicia Monson took 3rd in 31:10.84!
She ranks 10th A-T US!!
Sharon Lokedi was 4th in a PR of 31:11.07!

Natosha Rogers was 5th in 31:12.28, making her 11th A-T US!
Kellyn Taylor ran 31:15.65.
Remember the 31:07 I reported in a previous post?
Well, that time is apparently unacceptable!
Thus, her time here ranks her 14th A-T US!

Danielle Shanahan--unknown to me!--ran a solid 31:22.86.
This makes her 21st A-T US!
Veteran Stephanie Bruce improved to 31:24.47 in 8th!
This makes her 22nd A-T US!

In a separate race, Marie Mettler timed 32:09.37, making her 17th A-T Collegiate!
Elle Henes ran 32:12.08, ranking her 20th A-T Collegiate!

Erased FROM my US list was one Mary Slaney.
Her 31:35.3 run in a small Eugene meet in 1982 was then a World Record, believe you not!!
Didn't last long, but it WAS a WR--and was run in training flats!!

Lots more to report, so hang in there!!

Some major Collegiate Conference XC races were held---
Yared Negese took the ACC 8K in 23:03.6.
Jan Shanklin was about 2 seconds back!
Dominique Clairmonte's 19:55.1 took the Women's 6K.
Amanah Vestri was 11 seconds behind!

The Big 12 went to Wes Kiptoo's 22:35.4!
He beat the 22:49.3 of Isai Rodriguez!
Callie Logue beat Taylor Roe in the Women's race, 20:06.5 to 20:07.8!

The SEC Men's race went to Mario Romo's 23:32.9!
Second went to Cole Bullock's 23:34.3!
Mercy Chelangat won the Women's race in 19:46.5.
Jenna Gearing ran 19:58 in 2nd!
Taylor Ewert was back in 10th in 20:21.6.

Another Hour Run was held in Massachusetts!
Molly Huddle wiped away the American Record, finishing 17,930 meters in the 60 minutes!
That's approximately 11 Miles and 231 Meters!

Keira D'Amato (Listen to Carrie Tollefsen's podcast with D'Amato!!) emerged into Elite territory with a couple of fast Road times!
She took the Michigan Pro Half in 68:57!
She ranks 9th A-T US!
She best Emma Bates, whose 69:14 ranks her 10th A-T US!
That race was held October 26th!

Awhile later, D'Amato won a 10 Mile race in our Nation's Capital!
Her 51:24 is the Women Only American Record!
Molly Seidel finished far back in 53:36, but ran close to D'Amato for a bit!

In other news---
Galen Rupp passed 10 Miles in an American Record 45:59, enroute to a Half Marathon win in Oregon, time of 60:23!
Suguru Osako was 2nd in 61:18.

In Slovakia, Mutaj Toth Walked a World Leader in the 50K, time of 3:41:15!
One week apart (October 24th & 31st), High Schooler Charlotte Bednar made my HS DDD in 2 events.
Her 5000 was in 16:21.67, and makes her 19th A-T HS!
On Halloween, her 3000 in 9:20.98 gave her the caboose position on that list!

Some good races in Japan---
Akira Aizawa got the National Record in the 10000 with his 27:18.75!
Hitomi Niiya ran a speedy 10K in 30:20.44.
This makes her 23rd A-T World!

OFF my World list is America's Shalane Flanagan, her 30:22.22 dating back to 2008!
Molly Huddle's AR is the only US time on the World list!!

Prior to Valencia's Half (See above!) was one held in New Delhi, India on November 29th!
There, Amdework Walelegn's 58:53 gave him a (then) ranking of 20th A-T World!
A Belihu's 58:54 then ranked him 21st A-T World, tied with 1 other!
On the Women's side, Yehualav Yalemzerf timed 64:46, making her 2nd A-T World!
Ruth Chepngetich's 65:06 was 2nd, making her 9th A-T World!
Yeshanah Ababel's 65:21 in 3rd was not a PR!

The iconic Fukuoka Marathon went to Y Yoshida in 2:07:05!

I have ONE mark from INdoors!
Ryan Crouser moved his amazing 2020 under a roof, getting a Shot Put mark of 74-1.
I'll try to find out if this is the best December SP mark in History INdoors!

Finally, we have a new High School Record in the OUTdoor 5000!
Jenna Hutchins--who won everything during a studly Cross Country season--becoming the first Woman to dip under 16 minutes in a XC 5K--ran against lower level Collegiates and maybe a Pro or two--yet WON the race in the new HSR of 15:34.47!
This removes Mary Cain's 15:45.46 from 2013 from the Record Book!
Word has it she led the entire way!!
And apparently she's only 16 years old!!

More on some of the above in my next post!
So this concludes my Nostalgia Tour of the past 15 months--caused by bad vision, since cleared up!
My next post will have all NEW material!

Stay tuned, loyal readers!




                     

Valencia Ground Zero for World Records?

 Dubai
London
Chicago
Oslo
Eugene
Amsterdam

More and more, top runners have chosen Spain's Valencia as THE venue to challenge their talents against the Clock!
Marathons, Half Marathons, other Road races, and the Track!
Fast times every time!

Letesenbet Gidey and Joshua Cheptegai kept the trend alive in a pair of races!
Gidey led the way by cutting 4:53 off Tirunesh Dibaba's 12 year old WR, her 14:06.62 moving Women ever closer to running in the 13's!
Hitting the 3K in 8:31.85, she averaged 67's the rest of the way!

She also gets Ethiopia's National Record, and the Age 22 Record!
On a pair of Combined Events lists, Gidey is solid!
Her 14:06.62 and 10K of 30:21.23 adds to 44:27.85, ranking 8th A-T World!
In the 3K-5K-10K C-E, her 8:20.27, 14:06.62, and 30:21.23 adds to 52:48.12, ranking her 6th A-T World!

Cheptegai's contribution was to chop 6.53 off Ken Bekele's 2005 WR, crossing the finish line in a rounded 26:11.00!
And he ran negative splits--13:07.73 and 13:03.27!
How long before a Man runs in the 25's??
He also gets Uganda's National Record, and the Age 23 Record!
Bekele was the same age in 2005!!
His 12:35.36 and 26:11.00 adds to 38:46.36, moving him about 8 seconds ahead of Bekele!!
Nicholas Kemboi took Silver with 27:12.48!

Who's traveling next to Valencia??

Sifan Hassan chose the Hengelo meet as her venue of choice to run a fast 10000!!
Her 29:36.67 is her SEVENTH National Record as a Netherlands citizen!
OUTdoors, she holds NR's in the 1000, 1500, Mile, 3000, 5000, 10000, and the Half Marathon!
Her C-E totals for the 3000, 5000, and 10000 (8:18.49, 14:22.39, and 29:36.67) is 52:17.55, ranking her 2nd A-T World!
Her 5K and 10K adds to 43:59.06, ranking her 4th A-T World!
She smashed Hengelo's Meet Record by over one minute!!

Second was Tsehasy (sp?) Gemacher's 30:57.73.
Third was Sarah Chelangat's 31:46.36, Uganda's National Record!

London's Marathon, pushed to September because of the Pandemic, saw some good results, but not as solid as the Springtime version normally produces!
Tola Shure outsprinted Vincent Torotich, his 2:05:41 beating Torotich's 2:05:42!!
Favored (??) Eliud Kipchoge had "one of those days", ending 8th in a still respectable 2:06:49!

As expected, new WR holder Brigid Kosgei took the Women's race in a good 2:18:58/
But the real drama came from Sara Hall!
Back in 6th or so late in the race, she passed fading runner after fading runner, finally pulling a brilliant sprint down the final straightaway, taking 2nd in a PR of 2:22:01!
She's 6th A-T US--and my list includes times from Boston!!

Molly Seidel took minutes off her best, her 2:25:13 giving her 6th place, and making her 13th A-T US!!

Did Yelena Lashmanova Walk a 50K World Record of 3:50:42 in Russia?
Yes, she did!
BUT--according to the eTN, the mark will probably NOT be ratified, due to Russia's banned status!!
Again, this blog and blogger recognizes and accepts ALL Russian marks for Records and List purposes, choosing to respect CLEAN Russians as I do ALL clean athletes--of whatever Nation!
Innocent until PROVEN guilty!
Second was Margarita Nikiforova in 3:59:46!
The Men's race saw Demently Cheparov Walk the 31.1 mile distance in a World Leading 3:45:20!

This is a Distances dominated post, so in keeping with that theme, here's some other important results!
Poland was the site of the World Half Marathon Championships!
Peres Jepchirchir's 65:16 set a World Record for a Women Only race!!
It also ranks her 10th A-T World!
But it was a competitive finish!

Second went to Melaf Kejeta in 65:18.
She gets Germany's NR, and ranks 11th A-T World!
Jelenanzerf Yehisalaw (sp?) was 3rd in 65:19.
She ranks 12th A-T World!
Z Yimer's 65:34 in 4th ranks her 17th A-T World!
Yeshanah Ababel did not PR with her 65:41 in 5th!
Neither did Joyciline Jepkosgei's 65:58 in 6th!

The Men's Winner was Jacob Kiplimo, time of 58:49!
This ranks him 17th A-T World!
Kibiwott Kandie (Which name comes first?  I've seen it written both ways!!  LOL) was 2nd in 58:54.

Two High Schoolers make my A-T lists in the 5000!
In separate races, Charlotte Bednar's 16:25.90 ranks her 22nd A-T HS!
Brooke Rauber's 16:28.34 ranks her 24th A-T HS!!

As my steady readers (Do I have any??) know, Cross Country gets short-shrift on this blog!
Main reason is this is a Results oriented blog, so official times in track or road races are a MUST!
XC times may be accurate, but the varied terrain of the different courses makes comparing times a very iffy determinant!

That said, here's some interesting results--
At the SEC Preview, Frosh WALKER Taylor Ewert took 1st with a good 16:53.7!
She led an Arkansas SWEEP!!

In the Oklahoma State Invite, Luis Grijalva won it in 23:30.2.
Conner Mantz was close behind in 23:31.4.
The Women's race went to Whittni Orton's 20:27.8.
Taylor Roe took second in 20:38.4.

To end this post, I'm sad to report that the Hammer Throw of 264-10 by Rudy Winkler (See earlier post!) has been ruled illegal, as the field was downhill!!
His PR reverts to 264-9!

More soon!

Mondo Conquers---DL "Season" Ends

 NOTE--
To remind my readers, this blog "retired" for about 11 months due to cataracts--removed September 16!
Since late September, I've had the goal of covering all this blog had missed--without reporting "today's" results.
When you describe a movie, you don't tell the ending--you avoid "spoilers".
Thus, I've been reporting--chronologically!--all the results (beginning with Doha '19's WC's) this blog normally covers!
This post brings us back to Doha--for the final Diamond League meet of the WEIRD 2020 season!
And so much more!
I promise you this blog will reach "TODAY" soon!
Enjoy!

MONDO (Duplantis)--yes, his name deserves an all caps intro!
As did SERGEY BUBKA in his day--back when HE held both the INdoor and OUTdoor WR's in the Pole Vault!
Then came Renaud Lavillenie's INdoor WR of 20-2.50--leaving Bubka as the OUTdoor WR holder!
And along came Mondo--taking down Lavillenie's INdoor WR--and now Bubka's OUTdoor WR!
He has definitely CONQUERED the World of the Pole Vault!!

He topped Bubka's 20-1.75 by a quarter inch, his 20-2 coming in the Golden Gala DL in Rome!
He broke his own Age 20 Record, his own Swedish National Record, as well as the Rome Meet Record!!

A real shocker came in another field event--the Javelin Throw!
In a meet in Poland, Germany's Johanne Vetter came THIS close to the iconic WR of Jan Zelezny!
OK, so it was over two feet shy, but it's the closest anyone in  history has come to Zelezny's mark!
His 320-9 (97.76 in metric!) gives Vetter the Age 27 Record, and breaks his own NR of Germany!
As noted, he ranks 2nd A-T World!
He had another spear chuck in the series reaching 311-2--which was a PR for him--then!
All his other marks were under 300 feet!

In that same meet, Ryan Crouser had a SP of 74-5.25--one of several great marks he's had in 2020!
Michel Haratyk was 2nd with 71-5.50!
Crouser got the Ostrava Meet Record with a toss of 73-7.25!
Another MR--Zagreb's--fell to the former Duck--mark being 74-7.25!
In Serbia, he threw 74-1.50!
Impressed??

Other good field event marks--
Christian Taylor and Hughes Zango tangled in Ostrava in the TJ--Taylor prevailing 57-3.50 to 57-2!
Taylor improved in the ISTAF meet with 57-7.75!
Yulimar Rojas got a TJ World Leader with her 48-3.25!

Harry Coppell tied the NR of Great Britain with his PV of 19-2.25!
Duplantis cleared 19-4.75 in the ISTAF meet!
Ho hum.
Mondo beat Sam Kendricks and Lavillenie in the Doha DL--all clearing 19-1--and all tying the Meet Record!

Leonardo Fabbri's SP of 72-1.75 fell short of my World DDD by less than 5 inches!
In Germany, Malaika Mihambo LJ'ed 23-0.75 for a World Leader!
Rudy Winkler added an inch to his Hammer Throw PR with a 264-10.
He remains 3rd A-T US!
In Japan, Yuki Hashioka LJ'ed 27-2.50, also a World Leader!

Dan Stahl got the Zagreb MR with his DT of 225-11.
In China, Jianan Wang topped Hashioka's WL with his LJ of 27-3.25.
Finishing 2nd was Changzhou  Huang, mark of 27-2.
Also in China, Shiying Liu's Javelin Throw traveled 220-9, making her 19th A-T World, tied with 2 others!

The Rome and Doha DL's produced fast (and deep!) 3000 meter races!
Rome gave us the Men's race, with Jacob Kiplimo leading the way with a speedy 7:26.64!
This is the Rome MR, and the National Record of Uganda!
It makes him 8th A-T World!
Jakob Ingebrigtsen continued his slough of fast times with a 2nd place mark of 7:27.05.
It's Norway's NR, and makes him 9th A-T World!

Stewart McSweyn got another NR of Australia with his 3rd place mark of 7:28.02.
He is 17th A-T World!
Yemana Crippa's 7:38.27 in 4th gave him Italy's NR!

In Doha, the Women's 3K went to Helen Obiri's 8:22.54!
She gets the Age 30 Record!
Agnes Tirop came 2nd with her time of 8:22.92!
She's 14th A-T World, tied with one other!
That "other" finished 3rd here--also in 8:22.92!!
Her name is Beatrice Chepkoech, and she's perhaps better known as the WR holder in the 3000SC!!
In fact, she improves her lead in the World Combined Events of the 3000 and 3000SC!
Her 8:22.92 and 8:44.32 adds to 17:07.24!
She's FAR out in front on this Combined Events list!!

But there's more!
Margaret Kipkemboi ended 4th with her 8:24.76!
She's 21st A-T World!
Hyvin Jepkemoi's 8:25.13 makes her 22nd A-T World!
Gudef Tsegay's 8:25.23 makes her 23rd A-T World!
And she also gets the best 6th Place mark!
Laura Weightman's 8:26.31 gives her the best 7th Place mark!!
And back in 10th was Australia's Jessica Hull, her 8:36.03 making her Australia's Standard Bearer!!

Cut OFF the World list were a few icons of the sport--
Genzebe Dibaba
Zahri Ouaziz
Mary Slaney!!
Slaney was the only American on my World DDD list!
But no more!!
(Who will take her place??)

Other Distance marks of note--
Laura Muir won a race in Poland--her 3:58.24 taking the 1500 over Sofia Ennaoui's PR of 3:59.70!
Ostrava gave an 800 PR to Jake Wightman--time of 1:44.18!
Also in Ostrava, Jacob Kiplimo got the 5000 Meet Record with his 12:48.63!
Selemon Barega took 2nd with his 12:49.08!
In 3rd was Italy's Yemena Crippa--his 13:02.26 being his Nation's NR!!

Faith Kipyegon continued her fine season with the Ostrava MR in the 1500--time of 3:59.05!
Sifan Hassan ran the 5000 in 14:37.85.
In Italy, Matthew Ramsden got 2020's fastest Mile, time of 3:51.23.
Kellyn Taylor ran the 10000 in a PR of 31:07.40.
BUT--it may not count as legal!
It was a mixed race time trial, I believe!
For the nonce, this blog will accept it!
It makes her 7th A-T US!
Stephanie Bruce also PR'ed with 31:34.87, making her 21st A-T US!

The Prague Half Marathon gave us the Women Only WR!!
Peres Jepchirchir ran 65:34!
This makes her 6th A-T World, tied with 2 others!
The Men's race went to Kandie Kibiwott's 58:38!
He's now 5th A-T World!

ISTAF's Meet Record in the Women's 1500 went to Laura Muir's 3:57.40!
Laura Weightman PR'ed with her 4:00.09!
(Sooooo close to the 3's!!)
Jessica Hull has strengthened her claim to Australia's best ever distance runner with her 4:00.42 National Record in 3rd!
In 5th was Shannon Rowbury, with yet another fast time in 2020--this one being 4:02.56!

Hyvin Jepkemoi got 2020's World Leading 3000SC with her 9:06.14!
In Italy, Hedda Hynne got Norway's NR with her 800 in  1:59.15!
But then in Switzerland, Hynne chopped more than a second off that time, her 1:58.10 breaking her own NR!
Selina Buchel took 2nd with a good 1:58.37!

Doha's DL gave Stew McSweyn Australia's NR in the 1500--time of 3:30.51!
Selemon Barego improved to 3:32.97 in 2nd!
This time, plus his 12:43.02 in the 5000, adds to 16:15.99 on my Combined Events list!
He's 4th A-T World there!
Steepler Soufiane El Bakkali PR'ed in 3rd with 3:33.45!
Faith Kipyegon PR'ed in the 800 with 1:57.68.
Add that to her Mile time of 4:16.71, and you have a total time of 6:14.39.
She ranks 8th A-T World on that C-E list!
Finally (in the distances!), we have a couple of speedy 10K's.
Nicholas Kimeli ran 26:58.97 in the Netherlands.
And Richard Yator timed 27:01.42 in Japan!

We're left with the Speedsters!
Karsten Warholm ran the 400H in 47.08 at ISTAF!
It's the Meet Record!
The old mark was run by Edwin Moses--in 1980!!
He cut 0.01 off that time in Rome, his 47.07 getting the MR!

Elaine Thompson (aka ET) ran home (HaHa!) in 10.85 in Rome!
(Home and Rome rhyme--Gosh, I'm really sharp today!!  LOL)
She also had a 100 of 10.87 in Doha!
Aaron (sic!) Mallett PR'ed in the 110H with his 13.15!
Payton Chadwick ran the fastest American 100H of 2020--time of 12.78!!

More to come!
We're in September now (See opening Note!)--moving on!
More soon!!