TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!

With Fast Heusden Run, Tegenkamp Solidifies USA 5000m Team

David Monti — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:18:34 +0000

Matt Tegenkamp’s 13:07.97 second place performance at tonight’s KBC Night of Athletics meeting in Heusden, Belgium, solidified the American 5000m team for next month’s IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin.

Tegenkamp, 27, who won the USA Outdoor Championships last month in Eugene, Ore., now has the IAAF “A” standard (13:20.00) and, as a result, brought his training partner, Evan Jager, 20, onto the team. That’s because the IAAF allows a three-person team for each event to have two “A” standard holders and one “B.” Since Tegenkamp won the USA title with a “B” standard run, he had already locked-in his place on the team under USATF rules. But, by improving to the “A” today, he brought Jager with him, the third place finish at the national championships, who only has the “B” standard. The second place finisher at the USA Championships, Chris Solinsky, already had the “A” standard and, like Tegenkamp, had locked-in his place on the team.

At the same meeting Jager ran the 1500m “B” race, which he won in a personal best 3:38.33.

All three athletes are coached by Jerry Schumacher, the former University of Wisconsin coach who relocated to Portland, Ore., earlier this year to become, along with Alberto Salazar, one of Nike’s two distance running coaches-in-residence. Tegenkamp, Solinsky and Jager all run for the Nike-sponsored elite division of the Oregon Track Club. Schumacher also coaches Shalane Flanagan and Tim Nelson, both of whom will run the 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships.

Earlier this week, the USA women’s 5000m team was also effectively finalized. USA Championships 5000m winner Kara Goucher will be competing in the marathon in Berlin, but second place finisher, Jen Rhines, had already claimed her place on the team because she had the “A” standard at the time of the Championships. Third place finisher, NCAA champion Angela Bizzarri of the University of Illinois, had neither the “A” or “B” standard, and abandoned her effort to attain one after running 15:57.23 at the Meeting International d’Athlétisme de la Province de Liège, also in Belgium. At the same meeting, the fourth place finisher from the USA Championships, Julie Culley, ran a “B” standard time of 15:21.87 to claim the second spot on the team. So, the USA women’s 5000m squad will only have two women.

At the last IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan, the USA did relatively well in the 5000m. Tegenkamp finished fourth, missing a medal by just 3/100ths of a second. On the women’s side, Rhines finished 7th and Flanagan finished 8th.

Written by David Monti for TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!, 2009. | Permalink | Make a comment!

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***

Bekele Wins In Paris; Stays Alive in GL Jackpot

Bob Ramsak — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:56:48 +0000

What was to be a tactical test for Kenenisa Bekele over a shorter distance largely turned into yet another time trial for the triple Olympic champion at the Meeting Areva on a wet track in front of a crowd of 46,500 at the Stade de France here tonight.

By the time he entered the fourth lap of the 3000m, his eagerly-anticipated face-off with double world champion Bernard Lagat turned into a lopsided victory for Bekele to stay very much alive in the chase for a chunk of the $1 million ÅF Golden League Jackpot.

“The race was hard because of the wind and rain,” Bekele said, but that hardly showed when he threw down a 58 second final lap en route to his 7:28.64 win, more than four-and-a-half seconds ahead of Lagat. Bekele had a four-meter lead with 1600m to go, and extended it to nearly 20 two laps later.

“I still have some work to do on my endurance,” explained Lagat, who was nonetheless pleased with his 7:33.15 career best at age 34. “What I mainly need now are races before Berlin,” he said, adding that a pair of final tune-ups –a mile in London next weekend and a 1000m race in Stockholm on July 31– will help him decide whether he’ll defend both of his world titles at the World championships next month.

Further back, Mourad Amdouni of France was third in 7:37.50, the fastest by a European this season, and American Chris Solinsky ran near his personal best with a 7:37.72 clocking in fourth.

The rain which began to fall during the men’s 3000 picked up significantly by the time the starter’s gun sounded the start of the steeplechase. It quickly became evident that Frenchman Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad’s hopes to join the event’s sub-8 club would have to wait for another day.

The Frenchman did, nonetheless, collect a significant victory over Kenyan Ezekiel Kemboi, 8:13.23 to 8:15.27, with Finland’s European champion Jukka Keskisalo finishing third in a personal best 8:15.59.

American Anna Willard took home the highest profile win of her career with a come from behind victory in the 800m. Running in the middle of the track, Willard, the former U.S. record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, chased down the field over the final 100 meters to win in 1:58.80, her second sub-two minute performance of the season in as many attempts at her least-run distance. She edged Italy’s Mediterranean Games champion Elisa Cusma (1:58.99) and Russian Oksana Zbrozhek (1:59.13). The first seven women all dipped under two minutes with season’s best times, while Shannon Rowbury, the USA 1500m champion, also improved her personal best to 2:00.94 in eighth.

Unlike the women’s race, the men’s two lapper was bereft of any drama with Olympic silver medalist Ahmed Ismail winning comfortably in 1:45.85 off of a slow first half (51.61), well ahead of Algerian Nadjim Mansour (1:46.31) and Berlin-bound American Khadevis Robinson (1:46.47).

The conditions weighed heavily throughout the program, but didn’t dampen the Jackpot aspirations of the other three remaining contenders –American Sanya Richards who won the 400m, Jamaican Kerron Stewart who took the 100m, and Russian Yelena Isinbayeva who won the pole vault in just one jump.

Meet poster boy Usain Bolt of Jamaica won the 100 with a season’s best and meet record 9.79, despite a poor start and the wet track. Second place Daniel Bailey of the Netherlands Antilles set a national record of 9.91,

After a six-week break, the ÅF Golden League series resumes with the Weltklasse in Zurich on August 28 after the IAAF World Championships in Athletics concludes in Berlin.

News & Results, Track & Field

Written by Bob Ramsak for TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!, 2009. | Permalink | Make a comment!

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Course Record for Geoffrey Mutai in Voorthuizen

David Monti — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:10:25 +0000

Kenyan Geoffrey Mutai defended his title and set a course record at today’s Fortis Loopfestijn Voorthuizen in the Netherlands today, a 10 kilometer road race.

Mutai, who also won last year’s Marathon Eindhoven in a course record and personal best 2:07:50, clocked 27:39 in Voorthuizen today. That mark was well under his winning time and previous course record of 28:05 from last year, and was Mutai’s first sub-28:00 performance on the road (he’s run 27:52.09 on the track).

Compatriot Wilson Kipsang followed Mutai over the finish line in 27:48, also a personal best. Kenyan Gilbert Kirwa was a distant third in 28:28.

Belgian Veerle Dejaeghere won the women’s race in 33:28.

By David Monti with Wim van Hemert.

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Paris Preview: Bekele vs. Lagat in 3000m; Mekhissi-Benabbad Gunning for Sub-8:00

Bob Ramsak — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:06:15 +0000

First-year Meeting Areva meet director Laurent Boquillet may have scored a major coup by managing to bring Usain Bolt to the French capital for tomorrow night’s fourth stop of the ÅF Golden League, but a race he’s equally looking forward to the first-ever 3000m contest between double world champion Bernard Lagat and triple Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele.

Bekele arrives in Paris as one of four remaining contenders for a slice of the $1 million ÅF Golden League Jackpot, and after fending off all challengers in three successive 5000m races, Lagat is seen as a possible spoiler when the event moves down in distance by five laps. The 34-year-old arrives in good spirits after a solid 3:32.56 1500m victory in Tangiers four days ago, but Bekele insisted today that Lagat’s entry won’t change his game plan one bit.

“I’m concentrating on my race and my time,” Bekele said, adding that he’s shooting for a fast performance as well. If not an assault on Daniel Komen’s legendary 7:20.67 world record set nearly 13 years ago, then perhaps an improvement on his own career best of 7:25.79 set two years ago.

“Maybe I’ll try for a world record,” Bekele said. “If not, then maybe for my personal record. It’s 7:25, so it’s not easy.”

Bekele laughed off a suggestion by a reporter who asked if he requested a fast pace in order to knock the kick out of Lagat.

“The fast pace is for me,” he said after a hearty laugh. “But if someone else wants to follow, that would be good, too.”

Olympic steeplechase champion Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad is also asking for a brisk pace, one that will help propel him into the event’s still-exclusive sub-eight minute club.

“My dream is to run under eight minutes,” said the shy, somewhat enigmatic but extremely confident 24-year-old Frenchman, who has produced career bests over four distances already this season. “And I believe in my dream. Most important Friday will be the time. Even if I finish second and run under eight minutes, that will be okay.”

His target also means an assault on compatriot Bob Tahri’s 8:02.19 European record set just 13 days ago in Metz. Mekhissi-Benabbad has already improved his career best this season, clocking 8:06.09 in Hengelo on June 1, where he was edged, just as in Beijing, by Kenyan Brimin Kipruto. His chief rival this weekend will be 2004 Olympic champion Ezekiel Kemboi who improved his PB to 7:58.85 this year, the fastest in the field.

The requested pace will bring the leaders through the first kilometer in 2:40 and the second in 5:20. “If they do a good job, I should get under eight minutes,” Mekhissi-Benabbad said.

The headline act this weekend is, of course, the meet poster boy Bolt, whose appearance at a press conference here on Wednesday attracted nearly 150 journalists, a number virtually unprecedented for a one-day meet. His star power is expected to draw some 50,000 fans to the Stade de France –the top tier of three will not be open– the massive stadium just to the northeast of Paris which hosted the World championships in 2003.

There is a ‘Bolt Factor’ downside, though. Bringing the 100 and 200m world record holder takes a large chunk of the meet budget resulting in thinner fields across the board. That fiscal reality hasn’t escaped Paris.

The program also includes a pair of 800s, with Olympic silver medalist Ismail Ahmed Ismail starting as favorite in the men’s contest. The 23-year-old from Sudan dipped under 1:44 for the first time in his career with his runner-up finish to Asbel Kiprop in Athens on Monday, where he clocked 1:43.82. Also arriving in the French capital in good shape is Berlin-bound American Khadevis Robinson, who ran a solo 1:44.47 in Santa Monica last weekend.

In a wide open women’s race, three of the entrants have dipped under two minutes this season –Mediterranean Games champion Elisa Cusma of Italy, Frenchwoman Elodie Guegan, and American steeplechase specialist Anna Willard. USA 1500m champion Shannon Rowbury, who ran her PB over the distance here last year, is also in the field to test her speed.

PHOTO: France’s Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad at today’s pre-race press conference (photo by Bob Ramsak)

News & Results, Track & Field

Written by Bob Ramsak for TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!, 2009. | Permalink | Make a comment!

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Goucher To Tune Up For World Champs In Chicago

David Monti — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:24:36 +0000

Kara Goucher, who finished third at the most recent editions of both the ING New York City and Boston Marathons, will tune-up for her first World Championships Marathon appearance at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half-Marathon on Aug. 2, race organizers announced. It will be Goucher’s first-ever half-marathon race in the United States.

“I’m excited to be part of the first Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicago Half-Marathon,” Goucher said through a media release. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to race as part of my preparations for the World Championships here on home soil, in one of the true great sporting cities.”

Goucher has only competed in two half-marathons, but both resulted in commanding victories. At the 2007 Bupa Great North Run in Newcastle, England, she startled marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe and ran the fastest-ever half-marathon by an American woman, 1:06:57, to win the race (the course was slightly downhill so her mark didn’t count for the USA record). Radcliffe, who was still rounding into shape after an injury, finished nearly a minute behind. Then, as part of her preparations for last April’s Boston Marathon, Goucher ran the Meia-Maratona Internacional de Lisboa in Portugal, sailing to a 1:08:30 win.

“I’m very happy about the way my preparations have gone,” Goucher said of her training under coach Alberto Salazar for next month’s IAAF World Championships. “I ran the Trials in June (where she won the USA 5000m title) and now it’s time to get back on the roads. I’m hoping to run well in Chicago and take that confidence into Berlin and give a good account of myself on the world stage.”

No American woman has ever won a world marathon title. The best attempt was by Marianne Dickerson in the inaugural World Championships marathon in Helsinki in 1983 where she finished second. Goucher won a bronze medal at the 2007 IAAF World Championships at 10,000m.

The race Goucher will run in Chicago was formerly called the Chicago Distance Classic, before the event was purchased by the Competitor Group which has re-branded it as part of their Rock ‘n’ Roll family of marathons and half-marathons. Last year’s race recorded 8731 finishers, but organizers reported that this year’s race has sold out with 18,000 entrants.

PHOTO: Kara Goucher after winning the 2009 USA 5000m title in Eugene, Ore. (photo by Jane Monti)

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Lucky Auction Winner To Have Bittman, Kastor Prepare Dinner

David Monti — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:11:42 +0000

The lucky winner of a charity eBay auction will have New York Times food writer Mark Bittman, and Olympic medalist Deena Kastor, prepare dinner for them in a posh condo overlooking Central Park’s Harlem Meer.

“Runners and Foodies Unite: Dinner of your Dreams!” reads the title on the eBay auction page at the link, below. “You and up to five of your guests can join world champion runner Deena Kastor and New York Times food columnist (”The Minimalist”) and best-selling cookbook author Mark Bittman for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. You’ll be treated to a sumptuous three-course meal comprised of a menu prepared to your tastes by both Mark and Deena in a private Manhattan apartment with stunning views of Central Park and the New York City skyline.”

The dinner will be prepared on Thursday, Aug. 13, in advance of the NYC Half-Marathon in which Kastor will be competing. She and Bittman have already cooked together before, and agreed to prepare this special meal in order raise money for the Youth Services division of New York Road Runners which organizes running-based programs that promote children’s physical fitness, character development and personal achievement in under-served communities in New York City, nationally, and in the Cape Town region of South Africa.

The auction, which runs through July 24, has an opening minimum bid of $5000 for dinner for six, including wine.

The auction link is here.

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Kastor, Kiplagat & Ndereba To Headline NYC Half-Marathon

David Monti — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:10:07 +0000

With an even dozen individual world championships medals between them, American Deena Kastor, Dutchwoman Lornah Kiplagat, and Kenyan Catherine Ndereba are amongst the most accomplished distance runners in history, especially on the roads. They’ve recorded victories throughout the world (Ndereba alone has 123 career wins), but have faced each other in the same race together on only three occasions. They’ll get another chance, perhaps their last, at the fourth edition of the NYC Half-Marathon here, set for Sunday, August 16.

“It’s always a privilege to bring headliners to NYC,” said New York Road Runners’ president and CEO Mary Wittenberg, who directs the race. “Three of our sport’s best ever will join us for this year’s NYC Half. That’s like hitting a home run before the game begins.”

Kastor, 36, from Mammoth Lakes, Calif., is the only American woman to ever break 2:20 for the marathon. In addition, she holds USA records for 5 km, 12 km+, 15 km, 20 km+ and the half-marathon. The Olympic marathon bronze medalist in 2004, Kastor also has two IAAF World Cross Country Championships individual silver medals. Her half-marathon personal best is 1:07:34.

“It is always exciting to return to New York and race against a competitive field of women,” said Kastor through a statement. “The NYC Half-Marathon is renowned among elite athletes wishing to compete at this distance, and this year it will showcase another stellar field in which I’m anxious to compete.”

The Kenyan-born Kiplagat, 35, has four world titles to her credit, and holds the IAAF world records for 20 km (1:02:57) and the half-marathon (1:06:25). A four-time winner of the NYRR New York Mini 10-K, Kiplagat, like Kastor, will be making her first appearance at the NYC Half-Marathon.

“I am very excited to run in the NYC Half-Marathon, as it will be my first half-marathon in the United States,” said Kiplagat who lives in Groet. “New York City feels like home and it’s always nice to race at home. I’m also looking forward to the strong competition.”

Ndereba, the two-time marathon world champion who will turn 37 on July 21, perhaps comes into the race with a slight advantage. She’s the course record holder (1:09:42, 2007) and has won the event twice in three starts. Although mainly known as a marathoner, the Nairobi resident has 19 career half-marathon victories.

“It is always very exciting to be back in New York, and I love the course of the NYC Half-Marathon,” Ndereba commented. “New York Road Runners always hosts us so well, and the competition is always the best. I am looking forward to a great competition running against Deena and Lornah. It is always my great pleasure to run against the best ladies.”

Wittenberg also announced that 2009 NYRR New York Mini 10-K champion Rose Kosgei of Kenya (1:09:03 half-marathon PB), three-time Hungarian Olympian Aniko Kalovics (1:08:58), 2009 Guadalajara Half-Marathon champion Genoveva Jelagat Kigen of Kenya (1:09:42), and 2009 New Bedford Half-Marathon champion Heidi Westerling of Acworth, N.H. (1:11:35) would also be competing.

They NYC Half-Marathon begins in Manhattan’s Central Park on the Upper East Side. Athletes run a shady, but hilly, loop of the park (10 km) before heading south and into the city streets. The course runs south on Seventh Avenue and into Times Square, before heading west on 42nd Street, then south again near the Hudson River to the finish line on West Street just north of Battery Park. A prize money purse of $70,000 is on offer with $10,000 going to the men’s and women’s winners.

Last year’s race had a record 10,506 finishers.

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Fast 800m For Kiprop In Athens Last Night

David Monti — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 22:08:39 +0000

Olympic 1500m silver medalist, Asbel Kiprop of Kenya, dropped down to 800m last night at the Athens Grand Prix at Olympic Stadium and led three athletes under 1:44.

Kiprop, who may be elevated to Olympic gold medalist if the doping case against Beijing winner Rachid Ramzi ultimately results in a conviction, clocked 1:43.48 ahead of the Sudan’s Ismail Ahmed Ismail (1:43.82) and Canada’s Gary Reed (1:43.95). Kiprop’s time was just short of his personal best and was his second sub-1:44 of the year. Ismail set a personal best.

In the women’s 1500m, Maryam Yusuf Jamal of Bahrain ran a world-leading 3:58.72, the second sub-3:59 recorded this season. Well behind her, Americans Erin Donohue and Sarah Bowman set personal bests of 4:05.21 and 4:05.67, respectively. Donohue’s performance was significant because she is now under the IAAF “A” standard of 4:06.00 and is eligible to represent the USA at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics next month if USA trials third place finisher, Anna Willard, decides to compete only in the steeplechase (she qualified for team berths in both events).

The meet also featured two steeplechase races. Kenyan Brimim Kipruto (8:03.17) and Gulnara Galkina (9:17.86) were the winners. Men’s third place finisher, Tareq Mubarak Taher of Bahrain, set a national record of 8:06.13.

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

USA Men’s Team For Berlin Set After Golden Gala

David Monti — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 15:57:10 +0000

By setting a huge personal best at tonight’s Golden Gala in Rome, University of Arkansas miler Dorian Ulrey cemented his place on the USA 1500m team for next month’s IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin.

Ulrey, who celebrated his 22nd birthday today, clocked 3:35.23 to finish 12th, well under the IAAF “A” standard of 3:36.20. His performance tonight in the Stadio Olimpico knocked off nearly five seconds from his personal best. The race was won by Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, the Beijing Olympics silver medalist, in 3:31.20, a personal best.

With his third place finish at the USA Outdoor Championships last month, and now the “A” standard prior to the end of July, Ulrey has locked-in his first-ever World Championship appearance. He’ll join Beijing Olympians Bernard Lagat –the reigning world champion who gets a bye into the meet– 2009 USA champion Lopez Lomong and 2009 USA runner-up Leonel Manzano. Lomong only has the “B” standard, but by winning the race he guaranteed his spot in Berlin. Manzano already had the “A” standard; he ran 3:34.14 at the Reebok Grand Prix on May 30.

Ulrey’s Facebook page quickly filled up with congratulatory posts. One of Ulrey’s friends, Bryce Lack, wrote: “You’re pretty much the man. Any chance I get I brag to people that we’ve been bros since pre-school. haha.”

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Bekele’s Jackpot Quest Resumes In Rome Tomorrow

Bob Ramsak — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:31:42 +0000

As Kenenisa Bekele resumes his quest for the $1 million ÅF Golden League jackpot here in tomorrow’s Golden Gala, he said that only one thing is certain about his 5000m race: he won’t be chasing a fast time.

“To run fast times now is very difficult for me right now,” Bekele told reporters today. “I’m not like I was before. I’m very tired during a race. I’m not feeling very good (during a race).”

Still on the rebound from injury which sidelined him from the cross country and indoor seasons, Bekele is playing catch-up in order to be ready to defend his 10,000m title at the IAAF World Championships next month. He is making progress, he said, but it’s coming along slowly.

“I am trying to train as before, but my body cannot accept it. But slowly I’m getting better and better.”

So, it’s logical to conclude that Bekele’s game plan will be largely similar to the one he utilized at Oslo’s ExxonMobil Bislett Games a week ago, when he did just enough to collect his second Golden League victory. In a largely tactical race, which started fast by slowed markedly in the middle, he proved unstoppable when he launched his last lap kick, clocking 13:04.87.

Trying to play spoiler this week will be his compatriots Ali Abdosh, the Hengelo 5000m winner last month in 12:59.56, and Bekana Daba, the 20-year-old who improved to 13:02.32 in Berlin, and Kenyan Abraham Chebii who was second in Berlin in 13:01.08.

Stepping down in distance, both 1500m races feature the finest head-to-head competition. The men’s race will provide a good preview of the Kenyan championships to be held later this month, with world leader Augustine Choge, who clocked 3:29.47 in Berlin last month, butting heads with Olympic silver medalist Asbel Kiprop, who won the Prefontaine Invitational Mile this year. Chasing these big guns will be teenager William Biwott, who last week became the first junior to crack 3:50 in the mile with his 3:49.29 run in Oslo.

With five wins in as many starts and two of the year’s three sub-four minute clockings, Gelete Burka has been the hottest metric miler this season. The Ethiopian will again face reigning world champion Maryam Jamal of Bahrain, who she outsprinted in Lausanne two nights ago. While she hasn’t been quite as fast, Iryna Lishchynska of Ukraine, the reigning World and Olympic silver medalist, is always a threat. American Christian Wurth-Thomas has made a huge improvement into sub-4:02 territory this season, and is hoping to be a factor.

In the women’s steeplechase, one name looms particularly large. She’s only raced once in her specialty event this season, but Olympic champion and world record holder Gulnara Samitova is already nearly three seconds faster than anyone else in the world this season, and nearly five seconds faster than anyone in the field. The Russian, who became the first woman to crack the nine-minute barrier with her stunning triumph in Beijing last summer, hasn’t had a bad outing in distances beyond 1500m this season; an assault on her own world leading mark of 9:13.70 is as sure a bet as any on Friday night.

Hoping to cling on as long as possible to the Russian’s late race strength will be Kenyan Ruth Bisibori, the winner in Oslo last Friday, and Ethiopian Sofia Assefa, whose pursuit of Bisibori last Friday was rewarded with a 9:19.91 career best. Russian Yekaterina Volkova, the silver medalist at the 2005 World championships, the winner in 2007 and the Olympic bronze medalist last year, will be making her 2009 debut.

There are also a pair of 800m’s on the program. The men’s race includes world champion Alfred Kirwa Yego of Kenya, who’ll face his Olympic teammate Boaz Lalang and perennial speedster Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa, the runner-up in Lausanne.

In the women’s race, the focus of considerable attention will be Italy’s Elisa Cusma who’ll be looking to bring the momentum from her middle distance double victory at the Mediterranean Games last week to the Stadio Olimpico. In a wide open field, she’ll face world champion Janeth Jepkosgei, who is still on the mend from injury, Russian Yekaterina Kostetskaya, who clocked 1:59.43 at the European Team Championships, and American champion Hazel Clark.

Also generating interest were a number of unnamed Kenyan athletes who won’t be appearing on the track after the Kenyan federation refused to grant them permission to compete. Seven athletes, two entered in the 800m and three each in the 1500m and 5000m, were forced to withdraw, leaving Golden Gala meet director Luigio D’Onfrio with several unanticipated late-hour holes in his start list.

“While we respect the Kenyan federation’s right to keep athletes from competing, particularly with the world championships coming up soon,” D’Onofrio said, “we are disappointed in the way their decision was made.”

D’Onfrio said that several contracts were signed and agreements made, and that the sudden withdrawal doesn’t serve any parties particularly well.

“We need to receive this information ahead of time so we can make up for athletes who cancel. We need to find substitutes and that takes advance notice.”

PHOTO: Kenenisa Bekele at today’s press conference for the 2009 Golden Gala in Rome (photo by Bob Ramsak)

News & Results, Track & Field

Written by Bob Ramsak for TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!, 2009. | Permalink | Make a comment!

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Great Racing At Soggy Lausanne Super Grand Prix

David Monti — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:31:26 +0000

Although Usain Bolt’s incredible 19.59 200m into a driving rain will rightly get all of tomorrow’s headlines, there was also great action in the middle and long distance races at today’s Athletissima meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, an IAAF Super Grand Prix event.

The men’s 1500m was a fascinating race. Throwing up a stream of water behind him, pacemaker Samson Surum of Kenya blazed through the first 400m in an improbable 54.11 seconds, gapping the field. But as if the race were being run uphill, each successive lap was slower: 59.61 for the second circuit and 61.62 for the third with second pacer Vickson Polonet of Kenya on the lead. That set up a mad dash on the final lap, with the surprising winner, Antar Zerguelaine of Algeria, emerging from a pack of four off of the final turn. Zerguelaine clocked a relatively modest 3:37.15, but turned a sub-56 second final lap to get his win over South Africa’s Johan Cronje (3:37.50) and Bahrain’s Belal Mansoor Ali (3:37.75).

There was a similar plotline in the men’s 3000m. The early laps looked promising, with pacer Benson Marrianyi Esho of Kenya getting the field through the first kilometer in 2:30.67, on pace for a 7:32 finish. But Esho stopped just after the first kilo, and the pace quickly slowed: 60 to 61 second laps became 63 and 64 second circuits. The pack bunched up, and it wasn’t until the penultimate lap that a serious pace returned. Ethiopia’s Deresse Mekonnen, who won last Friday’s Dream Mile in Oslo in 3:48.95, broke open the race with Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, this year’s 3000m and 5000m world leader. The pair dropped Kenyans Thomas Longosiwa and Edwin Soi, and Mekonnen outkicked Kipchoge in the final 150 meters to win by 33/100ths in 7:37.62.

The women’s 1500m also featured a great head-to-head sprint finish. Breaking away from the pack at the 1200m mark and quickly exchanging a few elbows, Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka, the reigning world indoor 1500m champion, and Bahrain’s Maryam Jamal, the reigning world 1500m champion, duked it out all the way to the homestretch. Burka had the advantage coming out of the final turn, and managed to hold it to the line, winning in 4:00.67 to Jamal’s 4:01.99. American Christian Wurth-Thomas got third in 4:05.09.

Of the two 800m race held, the men’s was more compelling. Sudan’s Ismail Ahmed Ismail got his second win of the outdoor season with a great stretch run over South Africa’s Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, 1:44.80 to 1:44.97. The women’s contest went to Russia’s Oksana Zbrozhek in a modest 2:01.24, beating American Hazel Clark by more than a full second.

Bolt’s performance put a huge smile on the face of long-time meeting director Jacky Delapierre who hugged the tall Jamaican after his race. The 19.59 mark was the fourth fastest of all-time, incredibly quick given the heavy rain and 0.9 m/s headwind. Commenting on the race for Universal Sports’ television coverage, former world 200m champion Ato Boldon said: “You have to be kidding me.”

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Athlete Disqualified At Peachtree Road Race

David Monti — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:59:25 +0000

In an unusual move, the organizers of yesterday’s Atlanta Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Race disqualified a top finisher for unsportsmanlike conduct.

“After further review of an unsportsmanlike conduct protest filed after the AJC Peachtree Road Race regarding men’s fourth place finisher, Tadese Tola, the Atlanta Track Club has made the decision to disqualify Tola,” said spokesperson Tracy Lott in a statement. “Fifth place finisher Boaz Cheboiywo filed the protest after being elbowed by Tola in the final 30 meters of the race.”

As a result of the disqualification, all finishers below Tola were elevated by one position. Although this did not have a direct affect on the USA Men’s 10-K Championship which was conducted as a race within the race, it did mean that the USA championship finishers were able to win larger cash prizes from the open purse.

Yesterday’s AJC Peachtree Road Race was the 40th running of the event.

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Abdirahman Wins Third USA 10-K Title

David Monti — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:46:28 +0000

Abdi Abdirahman of Tucson, Ariz., won his third consecutive USA 10 km road running title today at the Atlanta Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Race. Finishing sixth overall within an international field, the three-time Olympian hit the finish line in Piedmont Park in 28:11, equalling his personal best time. Two-time Olympian Anthony Famiglietti of Knoxville, Tenn., finished second in 28:15, his fastest-ever 10 km time on the roads. James Carney of Boulder, Colo., was third in 28:19, also a personal best.

At the recent USA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Ore., Abdirahman finished 8th in the 10,000m, the distance at which he has won the USA title four times. He was also the USA 10 mile champion in 2005.

In addition to the race’s open prize money, there was a separate purse for American men. Abdirahman won $10,000 from the USA purse, while Famiglietti collected $6,000 and Carney $4,000.

Results of the championship can be see here.

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Kitwara and Chepkurui Win Big Bonus At Peachtree

David Monti — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:52:56 +0000

Kenyans Sammy Kitwara and Lineth Chepkururi not only won their first Atlanta Journal Constitution Peachtree Road Races today, but will share in the $35,000 Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) bonus. This means each athlete will take away $32,500 in prize money and bonuses from the Peachtree, America’s largest 10-K.

According to a story posted to the website of the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Kitwara clocked 27:21, the fastest winning time at Peachtree since Kenyan Joseph Kimani set the course record of 27:04 in 1996. It was Kitwara’s first appearance at Peachtree, and his fifth consecutive road racing victory. Chepkurui’s finish time was not reported.

The PRRO bonus was available to any athlete who won one of the previous PRRO circuit races in the 2008/2009 season, and then won the Peachtree, the series final. Kitwara won the World’s Best 10-K last February and Chepkurui won both the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Miler and the Lilac Bloomsday 12-K in April and May, respectively.

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Bekele Remains Alive In Jackpot Chase

David Monti — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:58:06 +0000

After winning the 5000m at last night’s ExxonMobil Bislett Games in Oslo with a fast final 200m, Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele remains alive in the chase for the $1,000,000 jackpot in the six-meeting ÅF Golden League series.

Bekele is the only distance runner still in contention for the jackpot. The other athletes in contention are javelin thrower Tero Pitkämäki of Finland, sprinters Kerron Stewart of Jamaica and Sanya Richards of the United States, sprint hurdler Damu Cherry of the United States, and pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia.

Bekele clocked 13:04.87 last night, holding off challenges for Qatar’s James Kwalia and Kenyan Vincent Kiprop.

The ÅF Golden League series continues in Rome on Friday, July 10.

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Kitwara’s Win Streak On the Line At Peachtree Tomorrow

David Monti — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 19:35:38 +0000

Sammy Kitwara’s road running win streak of four victories this year will be on the line at tomorrow’s 40th running of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta, Ga., which features a huge invited field, including many top Americans who will contest the USA Men’s 10-K Championship.

Kitwara’s road racing season began back in February with a course record victory at the World’s Best 10-K in San Juan, P.R. (27:26). Then in Holland last March at the Fortis City-Pier-City Half-Marathon, Kitwara scored the biggest victory of his career, beating Haile Gebrselassie in a sprint finish by three seconds in 59:47. Kitwara then won the Bay to Breakers 12-K in San Francisco, Calif., last May in a course record 33:31, picking up $40,000 in prize and bonus money. His most recent victory was back in Puerto Rico at the Abraham Rosa Int’l 10-K in Toa Baja on May 31, where he ran 28:32.

Tadese Tola, the Ethiopian who won the Healthy Kidney 10-K in New York’s Central Park last May in a course record 27:28, looks to be Kitwara’s chief rival at Peachtree. Tola’s compatriot and 2008 world junior cross country champion, Ibrahim Jeilan, and Moroccan road specialist Ridouane Harroufi should also contest for the overall title.

The top Americans, who will be competing for both an open and USA prize money purse, include Olympians Anthony Famiglietti (27:37.47 PB)and Abdi Abdirahman (27:16.99 PB).

The women’s race appears to be a close match between Kenyans Lineth Chepkuri and Alice Timbilili and Ethiopians Amane Gobena and Abebu Gelan. Bahrain’s Nadia Ejjafini whould also be in the mix.

The Peachtree serves as the series final for the Professional Road Running Organization (PRRO) 2008/2009 season. Any athlete who has earned at least one PRRO race victory will be eligible to share in a $35,000 bonus if he or she wins the Peachtree. The eligible athletes are Kitwara (who won the World’s Best 10-K), Harroufi (who won the Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10-Mile) and Chepkurui (who won both the Cherry Blossom and the Lilac Bloomsday Run).

Excluding the PRRO bonus, the event’s prize money purse totals $111,300, larger than many marathons.

Invited Athletes:

Bib # Open Men
1 Sammy KITWARA (KEN) Age 22
2 Tilahun REGASSA (ETH) Age 19- SCRATCH
3 Tadese TOLA (ETH) Age 21
4 Gashu Ibrahim JEILAN (ETH) Age 19
5 Ridouane HARROUFI (MAR) Age 27
6 Tesfaye BEKELE (ETH) Age 25
7 Robert LETTING (KEN) Age 24
8 Anthony FAMIGLIETTI (USA) Age 30
9 John KORIR (KEN) Age 33
10 Abdi ABDIRAHMAN (USA) Age 32
11 James CARNEY (USA) Age 30
12 Boaz CHEBOIYWO (KEN) Age 31
13 Daniel KIPKOECH (KEN) Age 23
14 Ed MORAN (USA) Age 27
15 Stephen CHEMLANY (KEN) Age 27
16 Brian SELL (USA) Age 31
17 Jason HARTMAN (USA) Age 28
18 Josh MOEN (USA) Age 26
19 Andrew CARLSON (USA) Age 27
20 Luke HUMPHREY (USA) Age 28
21 Edwardo TORRES (USA) Age 28
22 Celedonio RODRIGUEZ (USA) Age 28
23 Patrick SMYTH (USA) Age 22
24 Wilson KOMEN (KEN) Age 31
25 Ian BURRELL (USA) Age 24
26 Justin YOUNG (USA) Age 29
27 Antonio VEGA (USA) Age 25
28 Joshua GLAAB (USA) Age 26
29 Mohamed TRAFEH (USA) Age 24
30 Stephen FURST (USA) Age 23
31 Nick ARCINIAGA (USA) Age 26
32 Stephen HAAS (USA) Age 24
33 Forest BRADEN (USA) Age 26
34 Christian WAGNER (USA) Age 23
35 Nate PECK (USA) Age 23
36 Michael KILBURG (USA) Age 24
37 Tommy NEAL (USA) Age 26

Bib # Masters Men
100 Sean WADE (USA) Age 43
101 Paul AUFDEMBERGE (USA) Age 44
102 Yevgeny SIROTIN (UKR) Age 40
103 Tracy LOKKEN (USA) Age 43
104 Gideon MUTISYA (KEN) Age 42
105 Paul MWANGI (KEN) Age 41
106 Valentin ALVAREZ (MEX) Age 40

Bib # Open Women
W1 Lineth CHEPKURUI (KEN) Age 21
W2 Amane GOBENA (ETH) Age 26
W3 Abebu GELAN (ETH) Age 19
W4 Nadia EJJAFINI (BRN) Age 28
W5 Alice TIMBILILI (KEN) Age 26
W6 Belianesh GEBRE (ETH) Age 21
W7 Ogla KIMAIYO (KEN) Age 23
W8 Volha KRAUTSOVA (BLR) Age 28
W9 Meseret MENGSITU (ETH) Age 19
W10 Hyvon NGETICH (KEN) Age 24
W11 Edna KIPLAGAT (KEN) Age 29
W12 Teyba NASER (ETH) Age 22
W13 Irene LIMIKA (KEN) Age 29
W14 Sally MEYERHOFF (USA) Age 25
W15 Aziza AYILU (ETH) Age 23
W16 Hirut MANDEFRO (ETH) Age 23
W17 Elva DRYER (USA) Age 37
W18 Kathy BUTLER (GBR) Age 35
W19 Neriah ASIBA (KEN) Age 26
W20 Allison GRACE (USA) Age 26
W21 Kelly JASKE (USA) Age 32
W22 Jane Wanjiku GAKUNYI (KEN) Age 30
W23 Melissa WHITE (USA) Age 28
W24 Adriana PIRTEA (ROM) Age 29
W25 Samia AKBAR (USA) Age 27
W26 Jessica MINTY (USA) Age 25
W27 Ilsa PAULSON (USA) Age 20

Bib # Masters Women
W111 Colleen DE REUCK (USA) Age 45
W112 Albina GALLYAMOVA (RUS) Age 45
W113 Tatiana TITOVA (RUS) Age 43
W114 Michelle SIMONAITIS (USA) Age 43
W115 Trina PAINTER (USA) Age 42
W116 Rachel HOPKINS (USA) Age 41

News & Results, road racing

Filed under News & Results, Road Racing.

Defar Faces Melkamu, Not Defar, In Oslo 5000m

Bob Ramsak — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:53:13 +0000

During the previous two editions of the ExxonMobil Bislett Games, Meseret Defar and Tirunesh Dibaba took turns smashing the world record in the 5000m. Both were on the slate in the event on Friday, but when Dibaba announced yesterday that she was pulling out of Friday night’s race due to injury, the meet was robbed of one of the most eagerly anticipated face-offs of the year. Yet despite the double Olympic champion’s withdrawal, Defar will nonetheless have quite a race on her hands when the AF Golden League series resumes tomorrow night here.

Two years ago here, Defar sliced nearly eight seconds from her own world record with a dazzling 14:16.63 run, which Dibaba took even lower last year, clocking 14:11.15. While she’s not predicting another world record run, Defar said she’s ready to dazzle again.

“I’m going to do my very best,” said Defar, whose only outing outdoors this year was a 31:07.34 victory in a specially arranged 10,000m race in Stockholm in May. “I’m going to run a very fast race.”

With compatriot Meselech Melkamu in the field, she’ll most likely have to. The 24-year-old arrives in the shape of her life, and at the moment, as the fastest woman in the world at both the 5000 and 10,000m this year. On June 14, Melkamu became the second fastest women ever in the 10,000m, after scorching a 29:53.80 national record in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Three days later, she toppled a strong 5000m field in Ostrava, where she ran 14:34.17, a world lead. Her antics impressed many, including Defar.

“I ran 31:07 in May, and she ran 29:53,” Defar said. “Yes, I was very surprised.”

Defar has requested a world record pace, and organizers have obliged. Pacesetter Yelena Zadorozhnaya of Russia has been asked to churn out 68-second laps in an effort to bring the leaders through 3000 meters in under 8:34.

The field also includes Vivian Cheruiyot, the 25-year-old Kenyan who first pushed, and then chased, Defar to her world record two years ago. Staying in contact for all but the final two laps, Cheruiyot was rewarded with a 14:22.51 national record. More recently, she won the Kenyan 1500m title in Nairobi last weekend, and the week before finished third in the Ostrava 5000m, clocking 14:38.26.

As for Dibaba, her injury is not suspected to be serious, and she’ll most likely race at least once prior to her 10,000m title defense in Berlin next month, said her manager Mark Wetmore, who also represents Defar.

“On Tuesday morning, Tirunesh said she was fit and ready to go,” Wetmore said. “And then we found out yesterday morning that she sustained a small injury on Tuesday evening. I think she wanted to be 100 percent to race against Meseret.”

There is also a high powered men’s 5000m on tap, headed by Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele. The Ethiopian is looking to stay alive in the $1 million Golden League Jackpot chase, after his solid victory in Berlin three weeks ago. His compatriot Sileshi Sihine, and Kenyans Abraham Chebii and Vincent Chepkok, second and fourth in Berlin and less than a second behind, will try to stop him.

Synonymous with the Bislett Games is the evening-capping Dream Mile. This year, the hands down favorite is Kenyan Augustine Choge, who’s taken fast 3:30.20 and 3:29.47 1500m victories this season in Doha and Berlin. The latter was a career best for the 22-year-old, as his 1:44.86 clocking in the Ostrava 800m 15 days ago. World indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia could be a factor but defending champion Andy Baddeley won’t be. The Briton, who won here last year in 3:49.38, is sidelined by an ankle injury he sustained on Tuesday.

Like the women’s 5000m, the men’s 800m features the return of a runner with fond memories of Oslo. A year ago, Abubaker Kaki produced a sensational 1:42.69 world junior record, the fastest performance of 2008. He’s already nearly in sub-1:43 form with a 1:43.09 best from May, and arrives unbeaten in five races outdoors this year. Challenges will likely come from Mohammed Al-Salhi who sped to a 1:43.66 Saudi national record in Doha, and from the ever unpredictable Yuriy Borzakovskiy.

Elsewhere, Kenyan Ruth Bisibori leads the field in the women’s steeplechase and Irishman Alistair Cragg tops the field in the men’s 1500m.

PHOTO: Meseret Defar at the 2009 ExxonMobil Bislett Games pre-race press conferance (photo by Bob Ramsak)

News & Results, Track & Field

Written by Bob Ramsak for TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More!, 2009. | Permalink | Make a comment!

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Sprint Finishes Highlight Final Day Of USA Championships

David Monti — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:29:32 +0000

The USA Outdoor Championships wrapped up four days of competition here today with three thrilling sprint finishes –and a relative runaway– in the four middle distance finals contested. But in some ways, the meet isn’t over because a number of athletes lack the qualifying marks in their events needed to enter the 2009 IAAF World Championships in August in Berlin and will spend much of the next month chasing those standards.

The runaway went to the University of Colorado’s Jenny Barringer in the 3000m steeplechase. Leading from gun to tape, Barringer went out at a moderate pace, and led a pack of six athletes, including Olympians Anna Willard and Lindsey Anderson, and NCAA East Regional steeplechase champion Bridget Franek of Penn State. Coming out of the water jump with three laps to go, Barringer pushed off the barrier hard and opened a gap on the field, passing the finish post with a two second advantage. Her lead would grow each lap, and sprinting the final 100m, Barringer finished in 9:29.38. It was her second USA steeplechase title.

“I feel really lucky to come in with the win,” said Barringer who also thought about competing in the 1500m instead after running 3:59.90 for that event at the Prefontaine Classic here three weeks ago. “The steeplechase is what I have been training for.”

Barringer also confirmed that she will not emerge from the NCAA ranks ahead of schedule, and plans to run the fall cross country season with her Colorado team. “It’s not tempting (to turn professional) because I made my decision. I’m a woman of my word. To be able to call them my teammates for another couple of months is worth it.”

As expected, Anna Willard made the podium, too, finishing second in 9:35.01. She said she ran cautiously to secure a top-3 finish. “I wasn’t swinging for the fences today,” she said. “I wasn’t trying to win the race today.”

On the question of whether she doubles in the 1500m and steeplechase in Berlin Willard said: “I don’t know. I’ve got to see what Terrence (Mahon, her coach) says.”

Franek came up big with a third place finish in a personal best 9:36.74. Her mark was under the IAAF “A” standard of 9:40-flat putting her on the team with Barringer and Willard.

“Oh my, I don’t even know what to say,” said Franek. “It’s a dream come true.”

CLARK AND SYMMONDS TAKE 800M TITLES

Hazel Clark and Nick Symmonds took their respective 800m titles with strong sprint finishes. Clark led her race out of the final turn and held off a fast-closing Geena Gall, 2:00.79 to 2:01.01. For Clark it was her fifth USA outdoor 800m title.

“It feels great,” said Clark who already has the IAAF “A” standard from last year. “I trained through some meets this year. I want to get a medal. I can’t sleep until I get a medal.”

Gall also got on the team because she has the “B” standard and finished second, but third place Phoebe Wright of the University of Tennessee, who ran a blistering final 50 meters to finish in a personal best 2:01.12, will need to get the “A” standard to get guarantee her spot on the team. She said she’s not worried about it.

“That’s not a problem,” said Wright who, like Hazel Clark, is coached by J.J. Clark. She said that Hazel would pace her to an “A” standard at a yet to be determined meet.

“I’m going to try to rabbit her to get the standard,” Clark said.

Maggie Vessey, who ran a sensational 28.37 for the final 200m to finish fourth in 2:01.19, can also get on the team if she achieves the “A” standard and Wright does not. She was in last place at the half-way mark.

As for Symmonds, he summoned the same kick which brought him victory here in the Olympic Trials last year, just holding off a gutsy stretch run by Khadevis Robinson. Symmonds ran 1:45.86 to Robinson’s 1:45.97, equaling his season’s best time.

“I always go for the win,” said Symmonds. “If you’re going to go to the line you have to be ready to win.”

Third place Ryan Brown ran 1:46.67, and since he ran 1:46.17 earlier this season (under the IAAF “B” standard of 1:46.60) he makes the team for Berlin because both Symmonds and Robinson have the “A” standard.

LOMONG WINS FIRST USA TITLE

The men’s 1500m was predictably slow (2:03.88 at halfway), but 900 meters into the race there was an unexpected development. Stephen Pifer shot ahead to break up the pack. Beijing Olympians Lopez Lomong and Leonel Manzano responded, as did Will Leer and Dorian Ulrey.

“Five hundred meters to go was a perfect spot for me,” said Pifer who wore a black ribbon on his uniform in honor of former coach Frank Gagliano’s daughter-in-law who recently died of cancer. “I gave it everything I had.”

Pifer’s move launched Lomong and Manzano to battle for the title, and Lomong got it by 14/100ths in 3:41.68. Behind them, Pifer, Ulrey and Leer battled for the final team spot and Ulrey, who faded badly in the final meters of the NCAA championships earlier this month because of illness, got third.

“I had a stomach virus,” said Ulrey who clocked 3:42.84.

Lomong only has the “B” standard, but is guaranteed a team spot by virtue of being the winner. Manzano also makes the team as an “A” standard-holder in second place. Ulrey has neither standard, and needs to improve to at least a “B” (3:39.20) to have a chance of making the team. He gets to Berlin with a “B” time if Lomong improves to an “A” by July 31 under USATF rules. Or, if Ulrey improves to an “A” (3:36.20) he also makes the team. He’d have to improve his personal best by about three seconds to do that.

* * * * * *

In the exhibition masters women’s 1500m, 1984 Olympic Marathon gold medalist Joan Samuelson, 52, finished fourth in 5:02.34 and was warmly applauded by the Hayward Field crowd as she completed her final lap in 81.9 seconds. She had hoped to run under 4:50.

“That wasn’t even close,” said a disappointed Samuelson who lives in Freeport, Me. Never at completely at home racing on the track she added: “I’m a duck out of water.”

PHOTO: Jenny Barringer after winning her second USA steeplechase title (photo by Jane Monti)

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Rupp Selects Johnson As Agent

David Monti — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:30:46 +0000

Race Results Weekly has learned that NCAA and USA 10,000m champion Galen Rupp of the University of Oregon has chosen 400 meter world record holder Michael Johnson to be his agent. RRW was informed of Rupp’s decision, which came this morning, by a shoe company executive who had spoken to one of the key agents who was trying to secure Rupp as a client. Two other prominent agents, who also did not wish to be identified, confirmed that Rupp had signed with Johnson.

Rupp’s decision is surprising, considering that Johnson, who represents Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner, does not have any other distance running clients.

“I’m stunned,” said one event promoter who was reached by telephone.

An agent’s typical role when an athlete is graduating from college is to shop the athlete to different shoe companies looking for the best available deal. But with Rupp, it was a certainty that he would go with Nike given that his coach, Alberto Salazar, is Nike’s top coach-in-residence at the Nike World Campus in Beaverton, just outside of Portland. Speculation swirled here in the last several days as Rupp interviewed potential agents, including Ray Flynn, Peter Stubbs, Mark Wetmore and Tom Ratcliffe.

Rupp just wrapped up the best distance running season of any NCAA athlete in history, sweeping all five available distance titles in cross country, indoors (3000m and 5000m) and outdoors (5000m and 10,000m). Rupp then rallied last Thursday to win the overall USA title here, becoming the first athlete to ever win the NCAA and USA 10,000m titles in the same year. He ran his final race in the University of Oregon uniform here, much to the delight of the crowd.

“I’ll remember it for the rest of my life,” Rupp said after the race. “It was just magical.”

PHOTO: Galen Rupp on his way to winning the 2009 NCAA 10,000m title (photo by Mike Scott)

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.

Top Women All Smiles After 1500m Final

David Monti — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:27:42 +0000

Sometimes it’s possible for a race to have more than one winner, like in yesterday’s women’s 1500m final at the USA Outdoor Championships here.

The big winner was Shannon Rowbury. The 24 year-old from San Francisco, who was seventh at last summer’s Beijing Olympics, defended her national title by running a sizzling 60.3 seconds for her final 400m to catch a breakaway bid for victory by Christin Wurth-Thomas. Rowbury clocked 4:05.07 to Wurth-Thomas’s 4:06.00, impressive times considering they ran the first lap in about 68 seconds.

“We’ve really worked on sharpening the last few weeks,” a visibly excited Rowbury explained. “It’s one thing to practice it, but another to actually have it happen (in a race).”

Wurth-Thomas, who ran to a 4:03.96 win in a similar front-running move at the Reebok Grand Prix last month, became impatient with the slow pace, and surged less than half-way through the race. She quickly built up a five second lead, a lead that stuck nearly to the finish line.

“You know, I went for it,” said a smiling Wurth-Thomas who clearly felt great about being able to assert herself in such a big meet. “That was the way I wanted to run the race.”

Rowbury didn’t react quickly to Wurth-Thomas’s move, but waited until the last circuit to shift to full power. Her back as straight as an I-beam and showing perfect form, Rowbury glided up to top speed and caught Wurth-Thomas just before the finish.

“I was not sure I could close it,” she said of the wide gap to Wurth-Thomas. “By the time I hit 400 (to go) I said I better be the one to close it.”

Both with IAAF “A” standard times in their pockets, Rowbury and Wurth-Thomas are qualified for Berlin, which brings us to our third winner, Anna Willard.

Willard, the Olympic steeplechaser with a 9:22.76 personal best, completed the first leg of her double at this meet by finishing third in 4:07.70. Barring disaster, she should also get a podium finish at today’s steeplechase final and will have earned team berths in both events (she has “A” qualifying standards in both events). Does she plan to run both events in Berlin?

“MY coach and I have to decide… in the next few weeks,” said Willard referring to Mammoth Track club coach Terrence Mahon.

Under Mahon, Willard has quickly evolved into America’s most versatile middle distance runner. This year alone she’s clocked 1:59.29 for 800m, 4:01.44 for 1500m (both career bests) and 9:26.85 for the steeple. Assuming she can maintain her excellent form through July and August, she would be competitive at both events in Berlin.

Should Willard decide to do only the steeple, fourth place Erin Donohue, also an Olympian last year, would move up to take Willard’s spot in the 1500m. Donohue, who is now coached by Frank Gagliano, has a “B” qualifier of 4:06.70 (the “B” standard is 4:09-flat), which is good enough to make the team because both Rowbury and Wurth-Thomas have “A” standard times. (The IAAF allows two “A” athletes and one “B” to form a team.)

When a reporter asked if Willard to should step aside to allow Donohue to have the third team spot, the former high school javelin thrower said Willard should not. “It’s up to her,” said Donohue. “Whoever was the fastest should get to represent the U.S. If she’s feeling up to it, she should do it.”

* * * * * *

In the other distance final yesterday, Josh McAdams ran a very controlled race to win the men’s steeplechase in a modest 8:29.91. McAdams ran comfortably in the pack as fellow Olympian Billy Nelson led for the first four laps (he would fade to 13th at the finish), then broke away with Daniel Huling, who would finish second (8:32.86). Kyle Alcorn, the 2008 NCAA champion, got third in 8:34.65. All three athletes have “A” qualifiers (8:23-flat), and are all set to make the trip to Berlin in August.

McAdams credited his coach Ed Eyestone for advising him to be cautious yesterday and not take the race out fast. “He said, ‘It’s great to throw caution to the wind, but let’s make the team,’” McAdams recounted.

News & Results, Track & Field

Filed under News & Results, Track & Field.