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October 2015, Vol. 10 No. 2
Featuring Fall Shoe Review 6 Hill and True Edge Closer to the Summit 10 Top Ten Beijing Moments 12 Beijing Diaries 14 Dafne Schippers and Her Changing Fortunes 15
PhotoRUN.net
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COACHING AT H L E T I C S quarterly
Vol. 10 No. 2
Publisher’s Note is is the Fall 2015 issue of Coaching Athletics Quarterly. We’ll have a Winter issue in November and then, in December we’ll start testing a monthly newsletter for 2016. Our goal is to evolve this newsletter into a monthly issue with a coach interview, technical pieces, and updates on info you ask us for. We’ll also include some special features. We need your help!
Group Publisher Larry Eder fortiusmedia@gmail.com 608.239.3785 Editor Emeritus James Dunaway Advertising Larry Eder larry@runningnetwork.com 608.239.3785 Adam Johnson Eder adamlawrenceeder@gmail.com 608.556.9164
We’d like you to share this issue with your friends and get them to sign up at www.coachingathleticsq.com so we can develop a strong mailing list. Coaching Athletics Quarterly is free, and coverage will only get broader and better. Dear Coaching Athletics readers, here is a new feature: is QR code gives you a link to an audio interview I did with Loren Seagrave at the Zurich Weltklasse meet in August 2014 regarding long jumping and sprinting. Makes for provocative listening and may challenge your thoughts on training. Kind regards,
Larry Eder
Writers/Contributors Alex Mills Cathal Dennehy Cregg Weinmann David Hunter Larry Eder Roy Stevenson Photographers Photorun.NET Alex Larsen Layout/Design, Art Production Alex Larsen Proofreader Marg Sumner, Red Ink Editorial Services Editor Larry Eder 608.239.3785 Coaching Athletics Quarterly is produced, custom published, and owned by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC, PO Box 6450, San Jose, CA 95124. Publisher assumes no liability for matter printed. Publisher assumes no liability or responsibility for content of paid advertising and reserves the right to reject paid advertising. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the Publisher. Copyright ©2015 by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission of the Publisher. Coaching Athletics Quarterly is not related to or endorsed by any other entity or corporation with a similar name and is solely owned by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC. 4CA
Publisher recommends, as with all fitness and health issues, you consult with your physician before instituting any changes in your fitness program.
BOOK REVIEW
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Peter Snell and the Kiwis Who Flew by Vern Walker. Reviewed by Roy Stevenson. A Larry Holiday Gift Recommendation A superb new book on middle and long distance running This book really has legs! Dynamic descriptions of Olympic finals, with a style of writing that often surprises. It covers the golden era between 1956 and 1965 when, amazingly, New Zealand middle and long distance runners bettered or equaled 23 world records or world best times. The author, New Zealander Vern Walker, has superbly captured the heady atmosphere of this period in his highly entertaining new book, Peter Snell and the Kiwis Who Flew. Peter Snell and his wingmen, Murray Halberg, Barry Magee, and John Davies, burst onto the world running scene like a tsunami. Along with 800 meter runner Marise Chamberlain, they won seven Olympic Games medals. Under the guidance of their innovative and pragmatic coach Arthur Lydiard—his name now an established part of the international distance running lexicon—these runners blitzed top class fields around the globe. Their domination was such that they would sit around Lydiard’s kitchen table before the New Zealand championships every year and predetermine which titles they would win in every track event from the 800 meters to the 10,000 as well as the marathon. In the book’s section on statistics and world ranking lists the author writes, “Statistics are the bare-boned unalterable figures that remain long after the memory distorts and fades away. A statistic is always sober, never embellishes and never brags. So I’ve included some of the memorable ones along the way.” The author’s chapter on the infamous 22-mile Sunday runs on the roads up into the Waitakere Ranges, run by thousands of Auckland’s keener distance runners, brought back good (and bad!) memories. There’s not a distance runner who’s trained on this hilly terrain who doesn’t have his own stories about how this scenic loop reduced them to tears or a slow walk at some time during their running career. Or the time when, athletically mature, they flew around the route as if they’d sprouted wings. This book is more than a story about a group of New Zealand runners. It’s also a global look at the subject, with cameos featuring Americans Bob Schul, Dyrol Burleson, and Jim Beatty. Also mentioned are distance running legends Roger Bannister, Abebe Bikila, Ron Clarke, Bill
Crothers, Ron Delany, Herb Elliott, “Kip” Keino, George Kerr, John Landy, Roger Moens, Albie Thomas, and the incomparable Emil Zatopek. Some comments on the book by the featured New Zealand athletes . . . • Peter Snell (triple Olympic gold medalist and twotime mile world record holder) writes, “This is a book written with passion, with tidbits of humour and off-the-wall phraseology. Refreshingly different. A real page turner.” • Murray Halberg (gold medalist, 5000 meters, 1960 Rome Olympics) writes, “A brilliant and highly descriptive account, which colorfully describes the fear of defeat and the joy of victory.” • Barry Magee (bronze medal winner, marathon, 1960 Rome Olympics) says, “A masterful story. Having personally known Vern since our days of competition and since, I know this history is backed by meticulous research. Grade out of ten: 11!” • The author’s style is graphic and uniquely descriptive. Depicting Snell’s surge past Belgium’s Roger Moens of Belgium to win the 800 meters at the 1960 Rome Olympics, Walker writes, “Suddenly, Snell drew level with Moens. So shocked was Moens, that his face looked like he had seen a ghost in his bedroom.” • On Snell’s sprint to win the 1500 meters at the 1964 Olympic Games, Walker writes, “Like a lean Yellowstone grizzly that suddenly spots a fat camper, Snell simply took off. He completely scatter-gunned the opposition.” • On Halberg’s agonizing break on the field en route to his Olympic 5000 meters victory, Walker says, “The lifting muscles of his thighs must have seemed to be as heavy as grand pianos. Each stride became like an expedition.” Rounding off the book are extensive chapters on the marathon and cross country. David Ling Publishing, 2014, ~$50, paperback CA5
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presents
People make the shoes you run in. There are people who design them; people who develop them; people who assemble them; and people who sell them. We’re the people who get an early look, take the opportunity to test, and then review the shoes that eventually make their way to the stores which sell them to you. We thank you for your trust, and we hope that our efforts are valuable to you. The process of developing the content for our shoe reviews involves a lot of running, meetings, running, phone calls, running, emails, running, research, running, travel, running, writing, and finally, running. If it seems as if there’s a theme about running, you can rest assured that first and foremost, running shoes are about running. There are improvements in the materials we’re seeing in these shoes, as well as some new approaches, new patents, and the adoption of new practices. What results is a tremendous amount of parity among many of the brands. Because there are so many good shoes, it’s more important than ever to find the shoes which work best for you. I’m frequently asked, “Who makes the best running shoes?” I can honestly say that there are some shoes from each of the brands that work for me. That said, there are some that fit and work better than others, and just like you, I’m always looking for the shoes which work best for me. We’ve said it many times before, and it remains true: Use this guide as a starting point, then try to make your first stop a running specialty store to find the best running shoes for you. —Cregg Weinmann, Running Shoe Reviewer for the Running Network, LLC
FORTIUS Media Group, LLC Partners American Track & Field www.american-trackandfield.com Athletes Only www.atf-athlete.com Athletics-Africa www.athletics-africa.com/s/ Austin Fit www.austinfitmagazine.com California Track & Running News www.caltrack.com Club Running (RRCA) www.rrca.org/publications/club-running Coaching Athletics www.coachingathleticsq.com Colorado Runner www.coloradorunnermag.com Footnotes (Long Island, NY) www.glirc.org Get Active! & Club Business International www.healthclubs.com Hawaii Sport www.hawaiisportmag.com Latinos Corriendo www.latinoscorriendo.com Michigan Runner www.michiganrunner.net Missouri Runner & Triathlete www.morunandtri.com New England Exchange Zone www.usatfne.org Race Packet DC www.racepacket.com RunMinnesota www.runmdra.org Running Journal & Racing South www.running.net RunOhio www.runohio.com Track & Field News www.trackandfieldnews.com US Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association www.USTFCCCA.org Winged Foot (NYC) www.nyac.org Winged M (Portland, OR) www.themac.com Youth Runner www.youthrunner.com www.ePodismo.com (Italy) www.ePodismo.com/USA www.HalfMarathon.net www.JumpingTheGun.com www.MarathonGuide.com www.PhysicalMag.com www.RunBlogRun.com www.issuu.com/RunDenmark www.RunJumpThrow.com www.RunningProductReviews.com www.SlowTwitch.com www.WomenTalkSports.com www.WorldWideRunning.com
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elcome to our 2015 Fall Shoe Review, your guide to some of the best running shoes in the marketplace. It’s the result of a lot of hard work by our team, but remember that it’s only a start. Read through our reviews, then head to your local running store. Try on 6–7 different shoes, run in them, talk to the staff, and figure out which is the best shoe for you. Local running stores are a huge part of the running culture. In the early days of the first running boom, the local running store was a place to hang out, check out products, find your next race, and get training tips. My store was Goettelmann’s Ryan’s Sports in California’s Silicon Valley. Gary Goettlemann was—and still is at heart—a real runner, doing track, cross country, and marathons. Through runs with him, talking with him, reading from his stack of old magazines (full confession: I still have one of his Track & Field News issues from July 1974), I learned about our sport. It was perhaps 1977 or ’78 when I first went to Gary’s store. Now a few decades later, Gary and his son Steve run the shop together. If you want to be patronized, please go to another running store. But if you want honest comments on what shoes could work for you, how to improve your training, and how running can positively impact your life, then by all means ask Gary or Steve. Gary influenced me in many ways. One of my favorite memories was when I was trying to break 33 minutes for the 10K. I had tried and tried, and it just wasn’t happening. Gary looked at me and said, “Maybe it’s not to be.” Those words got me so wound up that I focused on the training I was missing and about a month later I broke 33 minutes for the first time. When I returned to the store to show Gary, he smiled and said, “I knew you could do it.” Read our reviews, then go ask some questions at your local running store. If you need help finding a great store in your area, email me at runblogrun@gmail.com with the subject line “running stores,” and I’ll help you find one. All of the good running stores have characters—and we all need a few good characters in our lives.
Larry Eder Publishing Director FORTIUS Media Group, LLC
361º Sensation
HOKA ONE ONE Clifton 2
adidas Supernova Sequence Boost 8
NEW SHOE
RENOVATION
Fall 2015
Fall 2015
New Balance Vazee Pace
Mizuno Wave Enigma 5
Motion Stabilizing
Performance
Neutral
Fall 2015
Fall 2015
Fall 2015
Project Coordinator/Editor: Christine Johnson Reviewer: Cregg Weinmann Designer: Kristen Cerer Proofreader: Marg Sumner, Red Ink Editorial Services Shoe Photography: Daniel Saldaña, Cregg Weinmann Advertising Sales: FORTIUS Media Group, LLC Publishing Director: Larry Eder, 608.239.3785, fortiusmedia@gmail.com Ad Manager: Adam JohnsonEder, 608.556.9164, adamlawrenceeder@gmail.com Legal Counsel: Perry F. Goldust This 2015 Fall Shoe Review is produced independently by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC for its partner publications and websites. All shoes reviewed were tested by experienced, competitive runners who were matched to the biomechanical purpose of each shoe model. Copyright © 2015 by FORTIUS Media Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be stored, copied, or reprinted without prior written permission of FORTIUS Media Group, LLC. FORTIUS Media Group, LLC and its partner publications and websites suggest that, as with all fitness activities, you meet with a healthcare professional before beginning or changing your fitness regimen.
2015 Fall Shoe Review — 1 — FORTIUS Media Group, LLC
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To read our complete 2015 Fall Shoe Review, visit www.runningproductreviews.com 361º Sensation
adidas Supernova Sequence Boost 8
NEW SHOE
Motion Stabilizing
Fall 2015
Fall 2015
Motion Stabilizing
$120
Saucony Omni 14
Motion Stabilizing
$130
HOKA ONE ONE Clifton 2
Motion Stabilizing
$130
adidas Boston Boost
Motion Stabilizing
Performance
$100
New Balance Vazee Pace
Performance Fall 2015
361º Spire
Performance
$110
ASICS Gel-Cumulus 17
Neutral
$140
Mizuno Wave Enigma 5
Neutral
Mizuno Wave Paradox 2
$100
Performance
$120
On CloudCruiser
Neutral
$135
Performance
$125
Nike Zoom Elite 8
$110
Brooks Ghost 8
$120
Motion Stabilizing
Altra Torin 2.0
Mizuno Sayonara 3
Fall 2015
$130
Motion Stabilizing
Under Armour Charged Bandit
RENOVATION
Performance
ASICS GT-1000 4
Performance
$115
Brooks Glycerin 13
$120
Pearl Izumi Road N3
Neutral
$150
Skechers GOrun Ultra Road
Neutral Fall 2015
Neutral
$150
Neutral
$150
Neutral
$130
Neutral
$115
2015 Fall Shoe Review — 2 — FORTIUS Media Group, LLC For the full 6 page Fall Shoe Review, please link here. http://issuu.com/fortius_media/docs/2015_fall_shoe_review_final_718c928f0883c4/6?e=11293048/30006332
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edge closer to the summit by Cathal Dennehy
Photorun.NET
10CA
For Ben True and Ryan Hill, whose achievements have so often been overshadowed by the exploits of fellow American Galen Rupp, 2015 was the year to finally step into the limelight. On Friday night in Brussels, True and Hill proved once again they’re no idle threat to Rupp’s dominance. True and Hill outran the 2012 Olympic medallist, finishing 7th and 8th respectively. Both men ran 13:05 and came home 3 seconds clear of Rupp, who finished 10th in 13:08.38. “It was a good year,” said True shortly after the race. “I was never able to get the fast time I wanted, but other than this and the other Belgian race [in Heusden, where he ran 13:06.15], they were all slow and tactical, but that was probably good practice for the Olympic Trials.” In Brussels True ran with the lead pack through 3000m, but soon found the pace laid down at the front by the Ethiopian duo of Hagos Gebrhiwet and Yomif Kejelcha too hot to handle. Rupp, who’d run the first three kilometers near the front, began to fade at the 4K mark, at which point he was passed by True. Hill, who had run more conservatively, came through strongly over the final two laps and battled with True down the home straight to become the fastest American this year, a race won by True, 13:05.54 to 13:05.69. “I probably went out a bit fast,” admitted True, “but it was at the end of a long season, so I’m happy to be able to run somewhat quick. I wasn’t able to get the fast race I really wanted this year, but it was a steady progression. Every year it’s just a case of trying to improve a little bit and sooner or later I should be up there.” In Beijing, True finished sixth in the 5000m final, one place behind Rupp and one spot in front of Hill, a performance that left him with mixed emotions. “It was my first world champs final so I can’t complain with sixth, but it was an 800m race, not really a 5K,” said True. “I’d liked to have done a little better, but it was my first time in the final so I can’t complain too much. I’m fiercely competitive so I always want to do better. “I’ve had a good year. When I graduated and started running full time, I knew it was going to take me five years of miles and strength and running to be able to compete with those
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Photorun.NET
guys. This is number six since graduating, so hopefully the more 100-mile weeks I have, the more years I put in, I’ll go from strength to strength.” For Hill, meanwhile, Brussels brought a 9-second personal best and, coupled with his US title over 5000m earlier this summer (a race in which he outkicked both True and Rupp), it capped a breakthrough year for the 25-year-old. “I am really happy to finally dip under 13:10,” he said. “It’s too bad Ben just edged me out for US number one on the year but we go back and forth all the time so I’m good with it.” When it came to his race tactics in Brussels, Hill explained that ignorance proved to be bliss when it came to how fast he was running. “I didn’t look at a single split out of fear for the first half,” he said. “I just wanted to be oblivious. I knew we were running hard because I couldn’t stay with it. I thought around 3K it was going to be a battle for me, but then I kept looking at the clock every lap, calculating what I needed to do to run under 13:10, and that kept me in it, kept me running.” With the run in Brussels, Hill brought his season to a close and the Bowerman Track Club athlete was looking forward to a few weeks off before gearing up for 2016, a year in which he plans to make the Olympic Games in 5000m. “It’s a nice way to end the season,” he said. “I’ll probably take two weeks of no running, then jog for a month and by December we’ll be cranked up because we want to make the world indoor team in Portland.” Hill believes there’s plenty more to come in 2016 and for his continued development, he credits his training group and, specifically, coach Jerry Schumacher. “It was the best year of my career,” he said. “The key is Jerry. He’s built the team culture that we want to join, guys who want to be professionals and also be on a team. It all stems from him. He has a grinding mentality, and every day we’re going to work. “This year I jumped into the top three US guys for 5K; now I just have to do it on the world stage. We worked out really hard this year, but it was sparingly, just every 10 days, so next year we can up that to once a week and get a little bit better. There’s certainly room to improve.”
Photorun.NET
CA11
TOP 10
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My
Beijing Moments by David Hunter
When it comes to global competitions in track & field, there’s enjoyment both in anticipating a great athletic gathering and in witnessing the competition in person. But there’s also lasting pleasure in remembering and looking back on the dozens of memorable, witnessed moments that inevitably emerge as the athletes from all nations do battle on the track and in the field. Notwithstanding the disturbingly high number of disappointments that plagued Team USA, the 15th IAAF Championship in Athletics provided more than its share of great performances—some from Americans and even more from others—that will long be remembered. While your list may well be different, here’s my ranking—in ascending order—of my Top 10 Beijing Moments. 10. Infeld Swipes w10,000 Bronze: Global championship 10,000 meter races are often tactical, but this one was pedestrian. Kilometer splits hovering between 3:08–3:17 allowed most competitors to stay in the hunt. With only a few laps remaining, all three Americans (Molly Huddle, Shalane Flanagan, Emily Infeld) were in the mix. Over the final kilometer, Vivian Cheruiyot and Gelete Burka battled for the victory, ultimately claimed by Cheruiyot in 31:41.31. Huddle, the 5000m AR, ran a valiant final circuit and came off the final turn with the bronze in sight. But as the athlete slowed near the finish line, preparing to raise her arms in a celebratory gesture, Infeld saw her opportunity. With a catlike burst in the final meters, she surged on the inside to nip Huddle by 0.09 seconds. A jubilant Infeld (31:43.49) said, “I just ran through the line. I feel a little guilty because I feel like Molly let up a little. I don’t think she realized how close I was. … I’m really thrilled.”
12CA
onship distance racer, Great Britain’s Mohamed Farah combined pacing patience and his legendary kick to claim two more global crowns with victories in the 5000 and 10,000. In the opening day 10,000m final, Farah, who let others set the early pace, used a long drive over 1200 meters (3:00.6) to repel the Kenyan trio of Kamworor, Tanui, and Karoki to capture the title. And in the 5000, the Brit employed a withering drive over the final three laps, including a final kilometer in 2:19 and a last 800 meters in 1:48, unmatched by his competitors. Global distance racers will return to their drawing boards as they have yet to find a racing formula to vanquish the indomitable Farah. The double is his third consecutive set of twin distance titles in global gatherings, which include the last two WCs and the ’12 Olympics.
9. Van Niekerk Wins a 400m for the Ages: The men’s 400m final was initially seen as a showdown between Olympic champ Kirani James and defending world titlist LaShawn Merritt. As it turned out it’ll rank as one the most electrifying 400 meter races ever. Wayde Van Niekerk’s winning 43.48 gave him the #4 performance, ranking the South African as the #4 performer of all time. Despite his unsuccessful title defense, silver medalist Merritt found solace in improving his PR to 43.65. “It was a great final, and I ran a personal best. It was a long season for me, but to go out and run a personal best and still get a silver lets me know there’s some amazing talent in this 400 right now,” said Merritt. “I’ll take the silver and shine it up and add it to my collection.”
7. Felix’s Dominating 400m Win: After abandoning her quest for a 200m/400m world championship sprint double, Allyson Felix, USA dash queen, focused on the 400m. Running up front and in control, the reigning Olympic 200m champ looked relaxed in the first two rounds. Running with a determined focus in the final, Felix was nearly unchallenged as she led wire to wire for a PR world-leading 49.26 (#17 on the alltime world list) and grabbed her first WC gold at 400m. “It gives me confidence in my fitness. It’s something Bobby [Kersee] had been telling me all year long: just to trust in it and prove that I can do the process. I can train and execute my race plan,” said Felix. “It’s my first 400 title. … I felt like I was finally able to put together what I needed to do to execute.” Felix’s victory further burnishes her legacy as the one of the most versatile long sprinters of all time.
8. Farah’s 3rd Consecutive Global Distance Double: Adding luster to his reputation as the consummate champi-
6. Bartoletta Snatches LJ Gold on Final Jump: Ten years after capturing her first world championship long jump
crown, Tianna Bartoletta showed she still had the skill, athletic longevity, and sixth-round grittiness as she claimed her second global LJ title. Despite coming into the WC with the world-leading jump of 7.12m (23'4½") and as the final unfolded, the lead-off runner on the USA’s ’12 gold medal and world record– setting 4x100 relay team mustered a best leap of 6.95m (22'9¾"), trailing Britain’s Sharon Proctor (7.07m/23'2½") and Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic (7.01m/ 23'0") after five rounds. On her final attempt, the former U of Tennessee athlete unleashed her tremendous runway speed to stretch out to 7.14m (23'5¼"), good enough to recapture the #1 position on the world leaderboard and win the WC gold medal. “Yesterday I was quite timid on the runway. Everyone was saying how fast the track is, and I didn’t want to foul because it would be absolutely horrible to foul out in the qualifying round,” said the new champ. “Today I thought, ‘Just leave that fear behind. … I know what it feels like. I’m just going to go for it.’” 5. Usain’s 5th Bolt Slam: Over the past seven years, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt has developed a habit of collecting global championship golds in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay, a sprint hat trick called the Bolt Slam. While Bolt had previously performed the Slam in two Olympics and two WCs heading into the Beijing championships, doubts emerged as to whether Bolt, who took a sabbatical in ’14 and struggled with a few nagging injuries this campaign, could replicate the dash feat in China. American sprint star Justin Gatlin, ranked in ’14 as the world’s #1 in the 100m and 200m, was at the top of his game. There were even rumors that Bolt might not run in Beijing. Not to worry. Bolt came—ready to run. Aided by Gatlin’s ill-timed lean in the 100m final, Bolt captured the gold in 9.79. In the 200m final when Bolt came off the curve
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with a slight lead over Gatlin, everyone knew it was curtains for the American. Bolt won in a world-leading 19.55. It looked like the sprint legend might be tested in the 4x100 relay final when two good stick passes by the Americans gave Team USA a solid lead heading toward the final exchange. But a homestretch battle between Bolt and USA anchor Mike Rodgers was ruined when the American took off w-a-a-a-y too early, leading to Team USA’s DQ. Now is there anybody in the Milky Way who doesn’t agree that Usain Bolt is the greatest sprinter of all time? 4. Taylor’s 6th-Round AR Triple Jump: Reigning Olympic triple jump gold medalist Christian Taylor showed why he’s a champ. The final turned out to be a battle between him and Cuba’s Pedro Pichardo. The Cuban grabbed the early lead with 17.60m (57'9"), a mark Taylor matched in his third-round attempt. The American then grabbed the lead in the fourth round with a hop, skip, and jump of 17.68m (58'¼"). He sealed the win with a sixth-round bomb of 18.21m (59'9"), an AR surpassing Kenny Harrison’s ’96 record leap of 18.09 (59'4¼") and second only to the WR mark of 18.29m (60'¼") set in ’95 by GB’s Jonathan Edwards. “God was good and He’s always coming through,” said the new champ, whose takeoff on the record jump was reportedly 11cm behind the front edge of the board. “I knew I couldn’t celebrate too much because Pichardo had one more jump. For everything to line up at the World Championships is what it’s all about.” 3. Barber’s Gripping Pole Vault Victory: In the men’s pole vault, favored French athlete Renaud Lavillenie, world record holder and reigning Olympic champ, received all the pre-meet attention. But collegian Shawn Barber, the lightly touted Canadian, had quietly been elevating his game throughout the year. Beginning with his ’15 PR clearance of 5.66m (18'6¾"), the U of Akron junior steadily improved his best to 5.93m (19'5¼"). In the championship final Barber, the field’s youngest competitor, jumped cleanly through 5.90m (19'4¼") as Lavillenie and three other remaining challengers went three-and-out at that height. Only a third-attempt clearance by defending champ Raphael Holzdeppe kept the competition alive. With the bar raised to 6.00m (19'8¼"), both athletes failed in their first two attempts. When Barber, the leader, missed on his third try, he was forced to watch helplessly as Holzdeppe had one final shot to grab
the gold. When the German’s third attempt dislodged the bar, the world championship crown went to Barber. Afterward, Barber explained his thoughts as he took his final attempt at 6.00m: “I knew that whatever happened, I was already on the podium. And if [Holzdeppe] would jump 6 meters, he was more than welcome to the top of the podium.” 2. Easton’s WR Decathlon: Several days before the world championships began, word spread that a decathlon WR attempt was on. While PRs by Ashton Eaton earlier in the summer in the 400m (45.55) and pole vault (5.45/ 17'10½") made this rumor plausible, reaction was generally subdued since such record attempts in the 10-event competition often go awry. Early expectations were dampened when Eaton, who long jumped 8.23m (27'0") in setting the ’12 WR, could muster only 7.88m (25'10¼"). But when the Olympic champ closed day one with a 45.00 clocking in the 400m—a decathlon world best—expectations were again elevated. Eaton’s first day point total of 4703 was only 25 points behind his WR pace. The world record holder soldiered on through track & field’s most grueling event, losing a little ground on record pace as day two wore on. In the ninth event, when Eaton’s 63.63 (208'9") heave in the javelin put him 28 points ahead of record pace, you could feel the electricity in the Bird’s Nest. Word spread quickly that Eaton, who closed his earlier record performance with a 4:14.48 clocking in the 1500, would need to run 4:18.25 or better to break his own world mark. A focused but tired Eaton began the final event cautiously. And when he hit 1200 meters in a behind-pace 3:32, most thought the record opportunity had slipped away. But the athlete had more to give. Covering the final 300 meters in sub-45 seconds, Eaton hit the line in
4:17.59, only 0.73 seconds below the clocking needed to reset his world mark. While Eaton’s point total of 9045 eclipsed his prior WR mark by a mere 6 points, it affirmed his unofficial title as World’s Greatest Athlete. 1. Aries Merritt’s Dramatic Medal Performance: Those who follow track & field had been confounded by the performance drop of American hurdler Aries Merritt. After a dominating year in ’12—when he captured gold medals in the hurdles at the World Indoor Championship and the Olympics and capped off the year with a flawless WR hurdle clocking of 12.80—the young star’s career had been in a tailspin. Just before the start of the competition, we learned why: Merritt had been struggling with a rare kidney ailment that required a transplant shortly after the WC. One of the most likable athletes on the circuit, Merritt was quick to acknowledge the immediate lift he’d received from friends, fans, and others once news of his health crisis spread. “I’ve gotten a lot of support from my fans and from people I don’t even know,” said Merritt. “They just come up and say, ‘We support you. We’re so inspired.’ And it’s just a blessing to have so many supporters.” Competing in the championships with only 20% kidney function, Merritt somehow advanced through the hurdle rounds, winning his first two races. His winning time of 13.08 in his semifinal represented his best clocking in two years. Asked why he now looked like the Merritt of old, the hurdle star confessed, “I have no idea.” In the final he ran an error-free race and from somewhere summoned the speed and the will to cross the line third in a season best time of 13.04. After the race, Merritt, poised to head home for his kidney transplant, said, “This bronze medal will shine brighter than my Olympic gold.” Everyone knew why.
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Beijing Diaries, Day 2:
Always, always watch the last jump of
Christian Taylor
By Larry Eder
Photorun.NET
14CA
Christian Taylor is a clutch jumper, among many other things. This guy can pull out a final effort that wins competitions. I forgot that fact when I was in Lausanne, France and let myself be distracted after Taylor leaped 18.02 meters on his fifth jump. On his sixth jump in Lausanne, Taylor leaped 18.06 meters! I learned my lesson. So I was prepared in Beijing. I watched each jump of Pedro Pichardo and Christian Taylor. What a magnificent night! In August 1995 at the World Champs in Göteborg, Sweden, Jonathan Edwards put the triple jump into the stratosphere with his 18.29 meters, becoming the first man to jump over 60 feet! In that competition Edwards broke the world record twice! That was my first World Championships, and that world record was amazing. Edwards was both competitor and viewer. He wasn’t sure that it had happened. And then, when he did it again, both he and the crowd gasped. It was truly something special. The triple jump in Beijing will be remembered by many as a similar night. Pichardo, he of the 18.08 meter leap, started off the final with 17.52 meters, to get things going. Taylor opened with 16.85 meters. In the second round Pichardo leaped 17.44 meters and Taylor countered with 17.49. Then it got weird. Pichardo increased his lead with a 17.60 metrs. Taylor countered—with another 17.60 meter leap! They were tied. In the next round the wily Cuban leaped 17.33 meters, and the wily American leaped 17.68 meters, taking the lead for the first time. In round 5, Taylor leaped 17.22 meters. Pedroso responded with 17.52. Omar Craddock moved into third with his 17.37 meter leap in the fifth attempt. In the final round Nelson Evora of Portugal put it together and moved into the bronze medal position, pushing Craddock back to fourth place. Then, it happened. In that moment when perfect timing comes into play, Taylor did it all right: Each portion of his jump was better than before. He still had some room before the plasticine, then BOOM! We knew it was big, really big. So did Taylor. I am not sure he actually recognized how far he’d gone. Then it came up on the board: 18.21 meters! 59 feet, 9 inches! Christian Taylor had just accomplished the second longest jump in history! His world-leader also made him the American record holder, breaking Kenny Harrison’s gold-medal record of 18.09m, set at the '96 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Taylor waited for Pichardo to jump. Pichardo, to his credit, responded with a longer jump, 17.73m, but it wasn’t going to challenge Taylor. This was Christian Taylor’s night. Rana Reider, Taylor's coach, came over and gave him an embrace. It was nice to see that. They’ve been close for a long time. Martyn Rooney, British 400m runner and Euro champion, told me recently that Taylor is the hardest workout performer that he’d ever seen. He also noted that a big jump had been only a matter of time. After I missed Taylor’s former PB of 18.06m in Lausanne, Taylor sent me a tweet that it was okay, as there would be longer jumps to come. He was right. 18 meters, 21 centimeters! Unbelievable. And in the sixth jump!
Dafne
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Schippers and her changing fortunes By Alex Mills
Dafne Schippers won the European Championships at 100 meters and 200 meters in 2014. Then, She ran a 10.92 NR in the London Diamond League in July. In Beijing she took the silver in the 100 meters and gold in the 200 meters, setting NRs twice in the 100 meters and a NR in the 200 meters. Schippers’ life has changed. In the Netherlands, she’s a superhero. Her fortunes could become even bigger with success in Rio. This season the former hepthathlete has been concentrating on the sprints. Dafne had a knee problem in Götzis, Austria and pulled out of the competition. Her season in the sprints has been nearly flawless. Here’s her story... When Dafne Schippers crossed the line, having run 10.81 seconds to reset her national record and claim world championship silver in the 100m, the Dutchwoman must have already realized that things would change once she went home to the Netherlands. At least for a while. So when four days later she smashed her way to the 200m gold in a championship record 21.63 seconds, the third-fastest time in history, not to mention the fastest in 17 years, it kicked in that things would definitely change. For better and for worse. “When I walk down the street with my dog, it’s almost impossible,” Schippers joked as she took the media through her life changes since Beijing in the press conference before her 200m face-off with Elaine Thompson and Allyson Felix at the Brussels Diamond League. “It’s all new. It’s a crazy world. It’s nice, but it takes a lot of energy,” she added. “For now it’s a little bit difficult, but I stay relaxed and that’s what’s important, after all. It’s also nice when you walk on the street and people see you and they know who you are.” Aside from the struggles of walking the dog and being inundated with media requests, the Dutch athlete says she’s been given a new perspective since China. She admitted that she hadn’t expected to achieve the times she did. Now she’s set new standards and new targets, including one day the world record: “Before the 200m final in Beijing, I didn’t know I could run this time, so, I surprised myself,” she said.
“I’m 23. I have all the time [I need to break the world record]. I hope so. We will see what happens in the coming years. I’m training as a sprinter. It’s step by step, I think. “I hoped to run under 22 seconds in Beijing and I did. It was faster than I hoped. Maybe [breaking the world record] is possible, but I need some time. That’s normal. I think more about it than before.” In the short term however, Schippers must overcome the strong competition in Brussels. Having been recovering from a slight injury that prevented her from competing at the Zurich Diamond League, the world champion says she feels okay now and looks forward to seeing what she and her rivals can do. “I feel good. I think all the girls are a little bit tired at the end of the season. That makes me a little nervous. “I’m a little bit nervous, but that’s good. .... I hope to surprise myself tomorrow [in Brussels]." A year ago Schippers finished third in the race that Felix won, although she insists a lot has changed: “I’m a better sprinter now. I think I’m a better athlete.” “It’s nice to compete against the girls and have some fun.” While Schippers has accepted once more that she’s done with the multi-events, the 23year-old said that she hoped to compete in the long jump again in 2016, although not in the Olympics à la Carl Lewis, adding that she believes she can jump more than 7 meters.
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