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100 & 200 Records Both Broken

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U.S. Tops Medals Chart At The World Champs A Shocking 5000 American Record For Dathan Ritzenhein 2 More Golds For Kenenisa Bekele Golden League Finales In Zürich & Brussels Isi Bounces Back From Berlin Bomb With Another WR Wayne Davis Claims Prep Hurdle Record $3.99 US $4.50 Canada

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Aussie Steve Hooker was one ecstatic bloke as he fought off injury to claim the World Championships vault gold

Volume 62, No. 11 November 2009

gladys chai/asvom agency

• •

’09 Men’s World Champions

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

50W: Sergey Kirdyapkin....... 19 4x1: Jamaica............................. 20 4x4: United States................... 21 HJ: Yaroslav Rybakov............ 22 PV: Steve Hooker................... 22 LJ: Dwight Phillips................. 23 TJ: Phillips Idowu.................. 23 SP: Christian Cantwell.......... 24 DT: Robert Harting................ 24 HT: Primož Kozmus.............. 26 JT: Andreas Thorkildsen........ 26 Dec: Trey Hardee..................... 28

•

100: Usain Bolt.......................... 5 200: Usain Bolt.......................... 7 400: LaShawn Merritt............ 11 800: Mbulaeni Mulaudzi....... 11 1500: Yusuf Kamel.................. 12 St: Ezekiel Kemboi................. 12 5000: Kenenisa Bekele............. 14 10,000: Kenenisa Bekele......... 14 110H: Ryan Brathwaite.......... 16 400H: Kerron Clement........... 17 Mar: Abel Kirui....................... 18 20W: Valeriy Borchin............. 19

• • •

’09 Women’s World Champions

• •

Usain Bolt.............................6 Tyson Gay.............................8 WC Medal Chart..................9 Bernard Lagat.....................13 Kenenisa Bekele.................15 Kerron Clement..................17 Christian Cantwell.............25 Trey Hardee........................29 Allyson Felix......................31 Sanya Richards...................32 Jenny Barringer..................35 Chelsea Johnson.................43 Brittney Reese.....................44 Zürich Golden League......52 Dathan Ritzenhein AR......53 Brussels Golden League....55 Pan-Am Junior Champs....57

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

HJ: Blanka Vlašić.................... 42 PV: Anna Rogowska.............. 43 LJ: Brittney Reese................... 44 TJ: Yargelis Savigne................ 45 SP: Valerie Vili......................... 46 DT: Dani Samuels.......................46 HT: Anita Włodarczyk........... 47 JT: Steffi Nerius....................... 47 Hept: Jessica Ennis................. 48

•

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The Bible Of The Sport

4 x 100: Jamaica....................... 40 4 x 400: United States............. 41

•

100: Shelly-Ann Fraser.......... 30 200: Allyson Felix.............................30 400: Sanya Richards............... 32 800: Caster Semenya.............. 34 1500: Maryam Jamal.............. 34 St: Marta Domínguez............. 35 5000: Vivian Cheruiyot........... 37 10,000: Linet Masai................. 37 100H: Brigitte Foster-Hylton.. 38 400H: Melaine Walker........... 38 Mar: Xue Bai........................... 39 20W: Olga Kaniskina............. 39

Features

Departments Berlin Notebook.................50 Last Lap..............................58 For The Record...................58 Stat Corner..........................59 To The Editor......................61 We Think.............................61 Schedule..............................62 Next Month .......................62

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by Mark Shearman • © Track & Field News 2009 December 2007 — 3

9/17/09 9:59:39 AM

Zzzzzzzzz

4 — November 2009

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

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Track & Field News

9/17/09 12:25:09 PM

zzapp!

by Sieg Lindstrom A news flash for any desert-island readers whose contact with the rest of the planet is limited to bottle-borne T&FN issues washing into your front yard by wind, wave and ocean current: At the ’09 World Championships in Berlin, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt annihilated his own World Records set a year earlier at the Beijing Olympics, knocking the 100 mark down to 9.58 and the 200 to 19.19.

The planet referenced above is Earth, but as no less an authority than OG/WC champion Maurice Greene noted before the meet began, “Bolt is from Mars.”

By now it is clear Bolt’s assessments of his accomplishments tend more toward the unadorned than do his crowd-pleasing hamit-up victory celebrations.

“I keep telling you guys,” he said after his new records were booked, “my main aim is to become a legend. That’s the main aim for me and that’s what I’m working on.

“I don’t put myself under any pressure. I keep telling you, when I go out there I know what to do. So I just go out there and execute, pretty much.”

Execute, indeed. Just as in Beijing, the sprint finals were run on August 16 and 20, with the half-lapper run the day before Bolt’s birthday—his 23rd this time.

Rather than dance the night away, though, an activity for which the 6-5 superstar has wellknown fondness, Bolt said instead, “I’m going to get a long sleep; that’s what I’m going to do.

I’m really, really tired right now.”

So what’s a little exhaustion? Bolt had temporarily removed the phrase “others can only dream about” from the realm of cliché.

100: Zap No. 1 Is A 9.58

In the first of two Bolts on the blue that defined World Championships XII, the universe’s fastest human electrified the crowd as he wiped out Gay & Powell

The Bible Of The Sport

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In his 100 Bolt blew through 60 meters— the distance for which Greene’s World Indoor Record is 6.39—in 6.31.

According to readings from a laser device (see p. 8), 5 meters after that he hit a top speed of 27.45mph (12.27mps).

The wind-reading was 0.9mps, and the Big Gold Book says the time is worth 9.63—by 0.06 the fastest time ever—in windless conditions.

Boggling stats—and the list goes on.

Hands-down, though, the man least boggled was defending champion Tyson Gay (see p. 8), who crushed his own American Record by 0.06 for a final time of 9.71 that flashed far under the old meet record, Greene’s 9.80 from ‘99.

Gay pulled out the record, and a finish well in front of the bronze-medal 9.84 of pre-Bolt WR holder Asafa Powell, despite a groin injury that forced him to soft-pedal his starts in the qualifying rounds and save just one all-out getaway for the final.

“My groin, it’s barely hanging on,” Gay said before opting out of a defense of his 200 title.

“In the finals I just tried to block everything out and give it my all because there was nothing else left.”

Nothing but an all-he-had challenge for Bolt, who repaid the respect by running through the November 2009 — 5

9/17/09 12:25:16 PM

September_Vectana_onethirdP4C_national.pdf

7/22/09

11:00:44 AM

Bolt’s WC Double

at 20 meters by gaining 0.02 on the Jamaican from 20–40, another 0.02 40–60 and then hulking 0.05 chunks from 60-80m and 80–100.

Bailey (4th) and Thompson (5th) both at 9.93 rounded out the final’s sub-10 club. Patton’s zip appeared to desert him after 30 meters and he placed 8th in 10.34.

While Bolt explained his run as just pursuit of his “legend” goal, and added that he really doubted he’d break his 200 record, the rest of the world gaped. “In my event,” former 110 hurdles WR holder Renaldo Nehemiah said after consulting the IAAF Scoring Tables, “that’s a 12.39!”

Yes, and according to those less-thanconsistent calculations, 9.58 is equivalent to 42.09 for 400, 1:38.46 for 800, a 3:37.14 mile or a 1:58:55 marathon. On the field, you’re

line, instead of coasting in Beijing-style.

The Bolt phenomenon, it seemed, also removed the jinx—seen by many as a mental block—that previously limited Powell at championships. Freed from expectations of victory, Powell ran his fastest ever Worlds, equal to the No. 6 time in meet history.

As if Beijing hadn’t sent the message, Bolt played through the 100 rounds, telegraphing fleeting images of Superman. In his quarterfinal, he jogged—yes, that’s really how it looked in the last 30 meters—10.03, looking around and allowing his Antiguan training mate Daniel Bailey the win in 10.02.

In his semi, Bolt false-started on first try at a getaway. Did it rattle him at all?

“No,” he said. “Me and my Faster down the track Bolt goes; where he’ll stop teammate Daniel Bailey were nobody knows. Everybody is speculating, it seems… really just having fun out there. except for Usain Bolt himself.

I told him I was going to beat “Somebody quoted me that I said I could run him out of the blocks because in 9.4,” Bolt said after both training he always beats me out new World Records were of the blocks. So I guess I got a in the can. “I did not say little bit too excited.… Just one that. I said 9.4 is possible. of those things.”

I don’t know if I can do Briton Tyrone Edgar caught it. I think 9.4 is going to the next flyer and disqualification, be the limit for the 100 and when the field finally got a meters. clean start, Bolt blew down the “I don’t know what track in 9.89 (wind 0.2mps), the the limit for 200 meters fastest semi in meet history. is. I don’t put limits on American Doc Patton was myself but I go out there 3rd, while U.S. champion Mike and I run hard all the Rodgers’ 10.04 for 5th was the time.” fastest time not to advance, ever.

But Bolt had run 19.19 Gay took the second semi in 9.93 with a -0.3mps wind. Had (wind -0.2). the Lightning sprinter The 100 final showcased the given any thought to that most mystifying Bolt attribute. or what he might have How does a sprinter who stands done with an optimum6-5—with levers more like to legal 2.0 behind him? Not vaulting poles than short-throw before the race, no. And pistons—match the rest of the best not after either. out of the blocks?

“Spearmon actually Official biomechanical analyasked me before when we were warming up, ‘Which sis or the race (see p. 8) showed way is the wind blowing?’” Bolt said. that at 20 meters Bolt was 0.01 “I was like, ‘I don’t know.’ I didn’t know which clear of Beijing silver-medalist way it was blowing, and I started thinking about it: Richard Thompson, 0.02 up on ‘Uh, looks like we got a headwind.’ But for me I don’t Powell, and 0.03 ahead of Bailey worry about anything because it’s just a part of life. I and Gay. just go out there and run.”

He passed 40 meters in 4.64, 0.06 ahead of Gay having covered looking at a 21-foot vault (6.40), a 30-¾ (9.16) the 20-40m segment in 1.75. Had Bolt stopped long jump or a 79-4¾ (24.20) shot put. Whacky accelerating and merely maintained, he would numbers. have timed 9.89 at the finish, but instead he laid down figures of 1.67, 1.61, and 1.66 for the last three 20-meter sections.

200: Zap No. 2 Is A 19.19 That meant, looking at each 20m segment No one knew what Bolt might do in the as a separate unit: 0.03 faster than Gay from 200. He was downplaying expectations, and, 20–40, 0.02 faster 40–60, 0.02 faster 60–80 and pun intended, would lightning strike twice in 0.03 faster 80–100. Faster in each phase, then, Berlin? It had in Beijing, but wouldn’t twice than the No. 2 all-time sprinter (after being 0.02 defy all laws of probability? slower in reaction time: 0.144–0.146).

With Gay having withdrawn (hoping to In turn. Gay overcame his deficit to Powell save himself for one straightaway run in the

“I Just Go Out There And Run”

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6 — November 2009

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Track & Field News

9/17/09 3:39:00 PM

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9/11/09 9:54:43 AM

Only One Man Faster Than Gay Although the Berlin men’s dashes projected as being all about Bolt and went down as being all about Bolt, the tale of how Tyson Gay preserved the word “competition” for the 100’s vocabulary should never be forgotten.

While Bolt received a 2.7-ton chunk of the Berlin Wall from the host city for his records, Gay—racing with a gimpy groin and reminded at every turn of what he was up against—built a monument of his own to being the best you can be. His 9.71 final was not just an American Record, but also the fastest 100 ever for anyone not named Usain.

Even as he hobbled into his German doctor’s waiting room a week before the meet, Gay met Bolt coming out. Berlin was plastered with posters of his rival, yet Gay’s poise never wavered. Rather than boosting himself on the sense of indomitability Bolt carried into Berlin or on a wave of heavyweight trash talk that would have been incongruous with his quiet style, Gay turned to plain belief in himself.

Even at his career low when his fitness left him shy of the Beijing final, Gay said, “There was never a doubt in my mind that I could compete with this guy or at this level.”

Gay admitted he rushed his training last fall and “got a little banged up early.” But he regrouped and made himself a more complete sprinter. “I’ve gotten a lot stronger this year,” he said. “I changed my workouts so I started running a little bit faster in practice without spikes on. I ran some pretty fast times and I also made sure I took care of my body better.”

Before joining the dash battle of this millennium, Gay half-joked, “I’m probably what you would call boring. I haven’t really flexed my muscles too much before the races or anything like that. But at the same time, I’m always the same person.”

Afterwards, he was still that person. “I’m really happy that Usain Bolt broke the record,” he said. “I know that may sound strange but I knew it was humanly possible for someone to run that fast. Unfortunately it wasn’t me. But I’m very happy with the race.”

On Bolt’s first big night in Berlin, Gay repeated an earlier comment worth remembering: “I gave it my best,” he said, “and I still know I have more left in the tank.” /SL/ 4x1 final) and nobody else under 20-flat in ‘09, it seemed Bolt could just run to win.

Besides, Bolt insisted, “The only thing [his late-April car accident] affected was my 200 training, because I didn’t get to do as much on the corner as I wanted to.”

As in Beijing, even without Gay three Americans reached the final. Bolt took semi 1 in 20.08 ahead of Panamanian JUCO titlist Alonso Edward (20.22) and ’04 Olympic champ Shawn Crawford (20.35).

Wallace Spearmon, the two-time Worlds 200 medalist who lost a podium spot in Bei-

100 Splits At 20-Meter Points

Bolt

Gay

Powell

20 2.89 (2.89) 2.92 (2.92) 2.91 (2.91)

40 4.64 (1.75) 4.70 (1.78) 4.71 (1.80)

60 6.31 (1.67) 6.39 (1.69) 6.42 (1.71)

80 7.92 (1.61) 8.02 (1.63) 8.10 (1.68)

100 9.58 (1.66) 9.71 (1.69) 9.84 (1.74)

In addition to those 20-meter splits—captured by highspeed cameras from othe side—the IAAF/DLV research teams also measured Bolt’s 10-meter splits from behind with a laser. These splits are not as accurate as the 20m ones, having a margin of error of up to 0.02. Bolt’s increments (* = differs from camera version): 1.89 [1.89], 0.99 [2.88*], 0.90 [3.78], 0.86 [4.64], 0.83 [5.47], 0.82 [6.29*], 0.81 [7.10], 0.82 [7.92], 0.83 [8.75], 0.83 [9.58]

8 — November 2009

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Bloodied but unbowed, Gay says he still has “more left in the tank”

jing to an out-of-lane GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY DQ, won semi 2 in 20.14 with Jamaican Steve Mullings (20.26) and Florida State junior Charles Clark (20.27) behind him.

For the final, Ramil Guliyev, the Azerbaijani who had stirred the World University Games in July with an out-of-the-blue 20.04 clocking, was in lane 1. David Alerte of France was in 2. The assignments for lanes 3–8 were to Mullings, Spearmon, Bolt, Edward, Clark and Crawford.

Showtime again. Barely more than 30 meters into the race Bolt gobbled up the stagger to Edward, and began to fully stoke his stride—lightning striking again.

He destroyed the stagger to Clark in another few strides but needed most of the curve to run down Crawford’s margin in lane 8, for the 33-year-old American was pumping full-tilt also.

However, when Crawford reached halfway second with a superb 10.15 split, Bolt was more than 2 meters ahead at 9.92, 0.04 up on the 9.96 split reported for his Beijing WR. Nor did Bolt let up in the straight. In just 38 strides he ate the ground to the finish, which he crossed more than 6 meters ahead of Edward’s Panamanian record 19.81. How

was that for subpar speed endurance?

Edward, the 19-year-old Barton County soph, was 4th at 100 meters, just ahead of slow-starting Spearmon and almost 2 meters behind Mullings in 3rd.

But down the straight Edward and Spearmon split 9.44 and 9.43 to catch Mullings (9.78) and a tying-up Crawford (9.74) with about 10 meters left. Spearmon pulled into 2nd briefly but Edward got the ground back with a superior lean, 19.81–19.85.

Crawford (19.89) and Mullings (19.98) made this the first 200 ever with five men under 20-seconds. Clark placed 6th in 20.39. Everyone in the top 6 save Bolt spent at least some time in the U.S. collegiate system.

These days, however, Bolt as the exception really isn’t news. “ You can look at any sport,” Spearmon explained. “Just because you get beat doesn’t mean that you stop trying. Now all that means is that you go home and you work on your own résumé.

“So whenever I go home this off-season, I’m going to work twice as hard, maybe three times as hard. Maybe [I’ll] put a picture of Bolt above my bed, you know, and that will be motivation at night.”

Track & Field News

9/17/09 12:26:11 PM

Berlin Was One Of The Great Ones

by Sieg Lindstrom From Usain Bolt to Berlino the Bear, to marathons held at the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s hosting of World Championships XII went down as an exceptional edition of an always exceptionally great meet.

There has not yet been a bad or boring Worlds, and that makes comparing them an exercise akin to viewing Himalayan peaks at a range of 20 miles and swearing you can see that Everest tops K2.

However, titanic achievements stand the

The Berlino mascot showed a great gift for physical comedy

meter and a half behind—even as Bolt was than Osaka ’07, although the gold haul was 3 finishing that far ahead of Gay. better than in Beijing).

Berlin, a vibrant hotbed of history, not only Continuing a trend, the men’s jumps and showcased Bolt, it did so in the ’36 Olympic throws were particularly infertile soil, although venue where Jesse Owens made mincemeat of the two medals earned therein were golds.

Adolph Hitler’s racial superiority claptrap. The Olympiastadion today retains its architectural character under a state-of-the art partial roof.

Nation.................Men Women .....Overall Filling the stands—OK, not G S B Total G S B Total filling the stands for the first three United States.......6 4 4 14 4 2 2 8........... 22 days but making up for it Jamaica...............3 – 1 4 4 4 1 9........... 13 thereafter—was a boisterRussia..................3 – 2 5 1 3 4 8........... 13 ously appreciative crowd.

Kenya..................2 3 1 6 2 2 1 5........... 11 The locals showed, as they Germany..............1 – 2 3 1 3 2 6.............9 had in ’93 in Stuttgart, that Ethiopia. . ..............2 1 1 4 – 1 3 4.............8 German track & field fans are Poland.................– 3 1 4 2 1 1 4.............8 as savvy as they come.

They cheered for the Cuba....................– 2 1 3 1 2 – 3.............6 home team, and the home Great Britain.........1 1 1 3 1 1 1 3.............6 team delivered like Pizza Australia...............1 – 2 3 1 – – 1.............4 Man. Germany won two China...................– 1 – 1 1 – 2 3.............4 golds and nine medals overBahrain................1 – 1 2 1 – – 1.............3 all, knocking the straw out of France.................– 1 2 3 – – – 0.............3 T&FN’s premeet formchart, South Africa.........1 1 – 2 1 – – 1.............3 which predicted just a single Trinidad. . ..............– 1 1 2 – – 1 1.............3 bronze for the hosts.

Bahamas..............– – – – 1 1 2.............2 Eight of those medals— including golds for throwJapan...................– 1 1 – 1 – 1.............2 ers Robert Harting and Norway................1 1 – 2 – – – 0.............2 Steffi Nerius—were in the Spain...................– 1 1 1 – – 1.............2 field events and heptathlon.

Barbados.............1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 That may partly explain the Canada................– – – – 1 – 1.............1 crowd’s unrivaled appreciaCroatia.................– – – 1 – – 1.............1 tion for field events. But each Cyprus.................– 1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 time a field eventer, German Czech Republic....– – – – 1 – 1.............1 or not, did something special, Eritrea..................– 1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 robust applause followed.

When Blanka Vlašić had Estonia.................– 1 1 – – – 0.............1 defeated their own high jump Ireland..................– – – – 1 – 1.............1 heroine, Ariane Friedrich, Mexico.................– 1 1 – – – 0.............1 these fans cheered lustily for New Zealand........– – – 1 – – 1.............1 each of the Croatian’s World Panama...............– 1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 Record attempts.

Portugal...............– 1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 All masterpieces have Puerto Rico..........– 1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 flaws, they say. So did this Qatar. . ..................– 1 1 – – – 0.............1 Worlds. An officiating goof Romania..............– – – – – 1 1.............1 tarnished the women’s 10K results, and officials made Slovakia...............– – – – – 1 1.............1 other gaffes along the way.

Slovenia...............1 – 1 – – – 0.............1 Also, the scourge of 3-section Turkey..................– – – – – 1 1.............1 semis with time-qualifiers 24 24 25 73 23 24 22 69....... 142 oozed down to the 200 for the first time. Boooooo!

There was also the Caster Semenya controAnd—oh, yeah—”Berlino the Bear”? Berlino versy: very public sex/gender questions about was the meet’s mascot. While any track meet the women’s 800 winner (see p. 50). at any given moment usually offers a hundred One troubling direction that continued was things you’d rather watch than an adult in a overly large fields in some events, particularly cartoonish costume, Berlino was a cut above. the decathlon and heptathlon, which disrupted His headlong crash into a hurdle cart with gold the time schedule (see We Think, p. 61). medalist Melaine Walker riding piggyback U.S. fans saw their team churn out some will be a belly-laugher on YouTube for years heartening successes and surprises, scoring to come. So it was at the time, once it became 10 golds and 22 medals (both tallies 4 fewer clear that Walker was unhurt.

— By–Nation Medal Chart —

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

test of time and Berlin had two event-wobbling sprint World Records from Bolt following up on his Beijing earthshakers.

With apologies to Jonathan Edwards’ triple jump 60-footer at the ‘95 Worlds and other fabulous records, the only valid World Champs comparison might be the epic Mike Powell/ Carl Lewis long jump clash of Tokyo ’91.

In the 100 here Tyson Gay played a great Lewis to Bolt’s Powell. For some perspective, consider that Gay’s 9.71 would have left Lewis’s then-WR 9.86 dash from Tokyo more than a The Bible Of The Sport

p09 (WCintro).indd 9

November 2009 — 9

9/18/09 12:12:56 PM

— Men’s Track Results 1 — 100 meters (August 16; wind +0.9) 1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)............... 9.58 WR (old WR 9.69 Bolt 8/16/08) (MR)

2. Tyson Gay (US)......................... 9.71 AR (old AR 9.77 Gay ’08 &’09) (2, 3 W)

II(0.3)–1. Spearmon 20.14; 2. Mullings 20.26; 3. Clark 20.27; 4. Guliyev 20.28; 5. Mbandjock (Fra) 20.43 PR; 6.

Hession (Ire) 20.48; 7. Devonish (GB) 20.62; 8. Callander (Tri) 20.70.

400 meters (August 21)

3. Asafa Powell (Jamaica).................. 9.84

1. LaShawn Merritt (US)....44.06 (WL, AL)

4. Daniel Bailey (Ant) 9.93; 5. Richard Thompson (Tri) 9.93; 6. Dwain Chambers (GB) 10.00; 7. Marc Burns (Tri) 10.00; 8. Doc Patton (US) 10.34. (best-ever mark-for-place: 1–3, 7)

2. Jeremy Wariner (US)..................... 44.60

quarters (August 15) II(0.4)–fs: Lemaître (Fra). III(-0.4)–4. Collins (StK) 10.20; 5. Francis (Qat) 10.20; 6. Fasuba (Ngr) 10.25; 7. Pognon

(11.14, 10.35 [21.49], 10.83 [32.32], 11.74) (21.49/22.57) (10.98, 10.43 [21.41], 10.93 [32.34], 12.26) (21.41/23.19)

3. Renny Quow (Trinidad)................ 45.02 (11.70, 10.73 [22.43], 10.89 [33.32], 11.70) (22.43/22.59) 4. Tabarie Henry (VI) 45.42 (21.83/23.59); 5. Chris

Symmonds (US) 1:45.71 (53.5/52.2) (13.3); 7. Bram Som (Hol) 1:45.86 (53.9/52.0) (53.9/52.0) (13.3); 8. Marcin Lewandowski (Pol) 1:46.17 (53.9/52.3) (13.2); 9. Jackson Kivuva (Ken) 1:46.39 (54.0/52.4) (13.3); 10.

Yeimer López (Cub) 1:47.80 (54.2/53.6) (14.2). heats (August 20) III–5. Brown (US) 1:46.92.

giancarlo colombo/PHOTO RUN

semis (August 21) I–1. Symmonds 1:45.96; 2. Kivuva 1:46.32; 3. Ali (Bhr) 1:46.57; 4. Kazi (Hun) 1:47.01; 5. Lastennet (Fra) 1:57.43; 6. Lewandowski 2:01.62 (fell; advanced on appeal);… dnf[fell]—Som (advanced on appeal), Kaki (Sud).

II–1. Kamel 1:45.01; 2. Borzakovskiy 1:45.16; 3. Kirwa Yego 1:45.22; 4. Mulaudzi 1:45.26; 5. Robinson (US) 1:45.91; 6. Kszczot (Pol) 1:46.33; 7. Kiprop (Ken) 1:52.05;… dnf—Ismail (Sud).

III–1. Laâlou 1:45.27; 2. López 1:45.33; 3. Rudisha (Ken) 1:45.40; 4. Reed (Can) 1:45.60; 5. Joseph (Hai) 1:45.87; 6.

Peçanha (Bra) 1:45.94; 7. Rimmer (GB) 1:46.77; 8. Ngoepe (SA) 1:49.03.

1500 meters (August 19) 1. Yusuf Kamel (Bahrain) ..................................3:35.93 (60.0, 60.5 [2:00.5], 57.0 [2:57.5], 38.4) (12.8, 25.6, 38.4, 51.6, 1:50.3, 2:51.1)

2. Deresse Mekonnen (Eth) . .................................3:36.01 (13.1, 26.0, 38.97, 51.9, 1:50.6, 2:51.5)

3. Bernard Lagat (US) ..................................3:36.20

Mulaudzi held on to win a tight 800 by 0.06 (Fra) 10.27. V(0.1)–4. Martina (NA) 10.19; 5. Williamson (GB) 10.23. semis (August 16) I(0.2)–1. Bolt 9.89; 2. Bailey 9.96; 3. Patton 9.98; 4. Burns 10.01; 5. Rodgers (US) 10.04; 6. Mbandjock (Fra) 10.18; 7.

Saidy Ndure (Nor) 10.20;… fs—Edgar (GB).

II(-0.2)–1. Gay 9.93; 2. Powell 9.95; 3. Thompson 9.98; 4. Chambers 10.04; 5. Frater (Jam) 10.14; 6. Edwards (US) 10.14; 7. Phiri (Zam) 10.19; 8. Tsukahara(Jpn) 10.25.

200 meters (August 20; wind –0.3) 1. Usain Bolt (Jamaica)............. 19.19 WR (old WR 19.30 Bolt ’08) (5.60, 4.32 [9.92], 4.52 [14.44], 4.75) (9.92/9.27);

2. Alonso Edward (Panama)....... 19.81 NR (5.88, 4.49 [10.37], 4.63 [15.00], 4.81) (10.37/9.44)

3. Wallace Spearmon (US)................ 19.85 (5.89, 4.53 [10.42], 4.64 [15.06], 4.79) (10.42/9.43) 4. Shawn Crawford (US) 19.89 (5.73, 4.42 [10.15], 4.65 [14.80], 5.09) (10.15/9.74); 5. Steve Mullings (Jam) 19.98 PR; 6. Charles Clark (US) 20.39 (10.38/10.01); 7. Ramil Guliyev (Aze) 20.61 (10.77/9.84); 8. David Alerte (Fra) 20.68 (10.65/10.03). (best-ever mark-for-place: 1, 4–5) semis (August 19) I(0.0)–1. Bolt 20.08; 2. Edward 20.22; 3. Crawford 20.35; 4. Alerte 20.45; 5. Hering (Ger) 20.52; 6. Sorrillo (Tri) 20.63; 7. Palacios (Hon) 20.67; 8. Christian (Ant) 20.79.

10 — November 2009

p10 (mTrackMagate).indd 10

Brown (Bah) 45.47 (21.31/24.16); 6. David Gillick (Ire) 45.53 (21.83/23.70); 7. Michael Bingham (GB) 45.56 (21.84/23.72); 8. Leslie Djhone (Fra) 45.90 (22.04/23.86). heats (August 18) IV–dq[lane]—Kikaya (Con). V–5. Roberts (US) 46.41. semis (August 19) I–1. Wariner 44.69; 2. Bingham 44.74 PR; 3. Djhone 44.80; 4. Gillick 44.88; 5. Miller (Bah) 44.99 PR; 6. Milburn (Aus) 46.06; 7. Khouaja (Lby) 46.43;… dnc—Wissman (Swe).

II–1. Merritt 44.37 (WL, AL); 2. Quow 44.53 PR; 3.

Collazo (Cub) 44.93 PR; 4. Wroe (Aus) 45.32; 5. Hurtault (Dmn) 45.59; 6. Yousif (Sud) 45.63; 7. Rooney (GB) 45.98; 8. Venel (Fra) 46.30.

III–1. Brown 44.95; 2. Henry 44.97; 3. Chambers (Jam) 45.13; 4. K. Borlée (Bel) 45.28; 5. Steffensen (Aus) 45.50; 6. Larry (US) 45.85; 7. Tobin (GB) 45.90; 8. Galvan (Ita) 46.87.

800 meters (August 23) 1. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (S Africa)....1:45.29 (25.02, 28.42 [53.44], 26.36 [1:19.80], 25.49) (53.44/51.85) (13.0)

2. Alfred Kirwa Yego (Kenya)........1:45.35 (25.4, 28.6 [54.0], 26.0 [1:20.0], 25.3) (54.0/51.3) (12.4)

3. Yusuf Kamel (Bahrain)...............1:45.35 (25.5, 28.3 [53.8], 26.2 [1:20.0], 25.3) (53.8/51.5) (12.8) 4. Yuriy Borzakovskiy (Rus) 1:45.57 (53.6/52.0) (12.5); 5. Amine Laâlou (Mor) 1:45.66 (53.7/52.0) (13.2); 6. Nick

(12.9, 25.7, 38.7, 51.9, 1:50.7, 2:51.6) 4. Asbel Kiprop (Ken) 3:36.47 (12.9, 25.9, 38.2, 51.6, 1:50.5, 2:51.5); 5. Augustine Choge (Ken) 3:36.53 (13.5, 26.3, 39.2, 52.4, 1:51.2, 2:52.1); 6. Mohamed Moustaoui (Mor) 3:36.57 (13.5, 26.6, 39.3, 52.4, 1:50.5, 2:51.7); 7. Mehdi Baala (Fra) 3:36.99 (13.5, 26.7, 39.1, 52.3, 1:50.7, 2:51.8); 8. Lopez Lomong (US) 3:37.62 (13.9, 26.9, 39.9, 53.2, 1:51.8); 9. Belal Mansoor Ali (Bhr) 3:37.72 (14.3, 27.5, 40.0, 53.4, 1:52.0); 10. Amine Laâlou (Mor) 3:37.83 (14.2, 27.4, 39.7, 53.2, 1:51.4); 11. Abdalaati Iguider (Mor) 3:38.35 (14.2, 27.7, 40.4, 53.8); 12. Leonel Manzano (US) 3:40.05 (14.8, 28.5, 41.6, 55.6, 1:54.2, 2:55.2). semis (August 17) I–1. Laâlou 3:36.68; 2. Lomong 3:36.75; 3. Lagat 3:36.86; 4. Kamel 3:36.87; 5. Baala 3:37.07; 6. Brewer (GB) 3:37.27; 7. Higuero (Spa) 3:37.33; 8. Legesse (Eth) 3:37.79; 9. Brannen (Can) 3:38.97; 10. van der Westhuizen (SA) 3:40.00; 11. Silva (Por) 3:41.30;… dnc–Keitany (Ken).

II–1. Kiprop 3:36.24; 2. Manzano 3:36.29; 3. Choge 3:36.43; 4. Mekonnen 3:36.86; 5. Ali 3:36.87; 6. Moustaoui 3:36.94; 7. Iguider 3:37.19; 8. Estévez (Spa) 3:37.55; 9.

Makhloufi(Alg) 3:37.87; 10. Riseley (Aus) 3:38.00; 11. Baddeley (GB) 3:38.23; 12. Ulrey (US) 3:39.33.

steeple (August 18; interior water jump) 1. Ezekiel Kemboi (Kenya)... 8:00.43 (MR) 2. Richard Matelong (Kenya)..... 8:00.89 PR (9, x W)

3. Bob Tahri (France)........ 8:01.18 NR, ER (10, x W) (non-Kenyan born: 2, 3 W) 4. Paul Koech (Ken) 8:01.26 (5:22.79); 5. Yacob Jarso (Eth) 8:12.13 PR; 6. Roba Gary (Eth) 8:12.40; 7. Brimin Kipruto (Ken) 8:12.61; 8. Jukka Keskisalo (Fin) 8:14.47; 9.

Eliseo Martín (Spa) 8:16.51; 10. Tareq Taher (Bhr) 8:17.08; 11. Benjamin Kiplagat (Uga) 8:17.82; 12. Abubaker Ali Kamal (Qat) 8:19.72; 13. Ruben Ramolefi (SA) 8:32.54 (2:41.90); 14. Mustafa Mohamed (Swe) 8:35.77;… dnc[A-positive]—Jamel Chatbi (Mor). heats (August 16) I–… dnf—Alcorn (US). II–13. McAdams (US) 9:02.19.

III–12. Huling (US) 8:46.79;… dnf—Mekhissi-Benabbad (Fra).

Track & Field News

9/17/09 12:14:12 PM

400 meters

Merritt Masters Wariner Again

by Sieg Lindstrom The LaShawn Merritt/Jeremy Wariner rivalry, long may it wave, has matured remarkably—especially considering their ages are still just 23 and 25—since the two 400 men first met in a World Championships final two years ago in Osaka.

Like an argument between a long-married couple, we knew where this thing was going from the start: to the homestretch of the final here. Except this would be no tired argument.

The high-stakes outcome was never certain until we saw that stretch run.

Merritt’s 44.50 to establish the world lead in May, Wariner’s 44.66 answer two weeks later and the pair’s ownership of the top end of the seasonal list were just a prelude.

We knew the denouement could only come on Berlin’s blue homestraight, preceded immediately before by a setup around the second turn. As if to remind us of the obvious

The Bible Of The Sport

p11 (m400-800).indd 11

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

Wariner’s first meeting of the year with Merritt didn’t exactly go according to plan

Wariner—hampered much of the summer by a bruised ankle—lowered his seasonal best in the semis to 44.69 and Merritt responded with a new world leader, 44.37.

Neither of the other U.S. entrants—Gil Roberts & Lionel Larry—reached the final but the race did, however, have other American connections.

Renny Quow, the Trinidadian son of the U.S.’s ’83 WC 200 silver medalist Elliott Quow, PRed at 44.53 in his semi and Michael Bingham, an ‘09 Wake Forest senior and U.S.-British dual citizen now competing for Blighty, essayed a semi PR of his own, 44.74, and both advanced.

Wariner in lane 5 set the final’s early tempo: 10.98, even with perennial 4th-placer Chris Brown of the Bahamas. Merritt, with a sightline advantage in lane 4 and an evolved runner from his younger self who brought it early in Osaka, split 11.14.

Down the backstretch Brown pushed, reaching 200 at 21.31, 0.10 up on Wariner.

Merritt’s 10.35 split to 200 (21.49) halved his deficit behind Wariner, and his curve split (10.83), fastest in the field, delivered him to the stretch 0.02 ahead.

The moment had arrived, and when it did, Merritt owned it.

“I’d been feeling strong mentally and physically,” he said.

“So when I got to 300 I went to work again.”

S a i d Wa r i n e r, “Coming off the turn I think me and LaShawn were pretty much neck and neck, and he just had a better kick than me today.”

Merritt just pulled away, all power strides and petrol to a worldleading 44.06.

Wariner tried to cover but stiffened 50 meters out as his rival receded from reach.

He eased in the closing strides to reach the line in 44.60.

The homestretch told all: Merritt split 11.74, Wariner 12.26 (0.39 slower than in his Osaka win).

Quow, 7th at 300,

flowed to bronze down the stretch in lane 3, to finish in 45.02, a whopping 0.40 ahead of Barton County CC soph Tabarie Henry of the Virgin Islands.

Mark your calendar for August of 2011 and the next WC. If Wariner gets his homestretch groove back—and with Clyde Hart back in his camp the chances are good—round 4 could be a classic.

800 meters

Mulaudzi’s Late Kick Works

by Brian Russell One of the best things about the WC 800 is that to win, one must race with a horde of hungry kickers who have made the final.

So Mbulaeni Mulaudzi figured he had to do something to shake up the field.

The 28-year-old South African assumed the lead at the break and reached the 200 in 25.02.

The slowish pace dropped to 28.42 for the second half-lap, and as the field approached the 400, Yuriy Borzakovskiy, Nick Symmonds and Amine Laâlou jostled for position. The Moroccan’s left arm became entangled with the right of Mulaudzi, causing the leader to alter his step ever so slightly just before the bell.

But he regained his balance and forged ahead with U.S. champ Symmonds on his shoulder, leading the crowded field through a tame 53.44, the second-slowest in meet history.

Down the backstretch the tempo increased.

Everyone with the exception of ’04 Olympic champ Borzakovskiy made a move, but it was still Mulaudzi and Symmonds who passed the 600 in 1:19.80.

Heading into the homestretch, it appeared as if Symmonds had Mulaudzi in his sights and was ready to pounce. With Laâlou on his inside the American “accelerated,” but so did Mulaudzi and the fight to the finish was on.

From the edge of lane 2, 1500 champion Yusuf Kamel of Bahrain came charging down the straight, pulling even with Laâlou and gaining with every stride on Symmonds and Mulaudzi.

The first to falter was the American, who visibly began to tighten 50 meters from the finish. Laâlou was next to fall back and with 30 to go it looked as if Kamel would catch the South African, but out of nowhere came defending champion Alfred Kirwa Yego.

The Kenyan drew even with Kamel with a stride to go but could not outlean Mulaudzi for the win. The camera caught Mulaudzi in 1:45.29, with Yego and Kamel next, both timed in 1:45.35. Borzakovskiy timed his patented mad dash to the finish a hair late, but managed 4th in 1:45.57, a fraction ahead of Laâlou (1:45.66) and Symmonds (1:45.71).

It was the first outdoor gold for the jubilant Mulaudzi, who said, “This is the most important medal for me. Today I was brave enough to control the race and to change the gears in my own time.

“At the 300-meter mark the pace was slow so I picked up as I felt the guys were tired, so I took on a long kick so everyone would die before the finish… and it worked!”

November 2009 — 11

9/17/09 10:29:10 AM

1500 METERS

Kamel Exciting New Face

MARK SHEARMAN

Manzano 12th (3:40.05).

by Sieg Lindstrom Kamel awoke the morning of the final Bahrain’s Yusuf Kamel came a long way to having dreamt he’d won. He took that as win the 1500, an event that since Hicham El an omen, he said, but, “It didn’t happen the Guerrouj’s retirement five years ago has been way I expected. I thought it would be a fast devoid of strong favorites. race but when it was slow I waited to find a The 28-year-old Kamel, who began his cafree spot.” reer as Kenyan 800 runner Gregory Konchellah, hadn’t even appeared on our pre-meet top 10 formchart.

The son of ’87 & ’91 world 800 champ Billy Konchellah, he had quarreled with his federation this year and tried to return to his native land. When Kenya gave up its effort to reclaim him in June, Kamel looked to be an 800 man without a country.

He mended fences with Bahrain, though, and ran 3:31.56 in Monaco in his ’09 Euro Circuit debut.

Kamel’s charge into the lead 40 meters from the finish here brought him victory in 3:35.93 with an 0.08 margin over Ethiopia’s Deresse Mekonnen (3:36.01) that was the smallest in WC history. It gave Bahrain gold just a year after Rashid Ramzi won in Beijing only to later run afoul of a doping retest.

Defending champ Bernard Lagat escaped a box with 90 meters left to take bronze in 3:36.20.

In his heat (5th) and semi (4th), Kamel had kept a low profile, whereas Beijing Nobody could silver (gold?) medalist Asbel Kiprop confirmed his favorite’s status with match Kamel’s heat and semi wins.

The final played out slowly for 12.8 dash 1100 meters. Kenyan Augustine Choge up the final led, followed by Mekonnen through 2:00.18. Then with a lap left Moroccan straight Mohamed Moustaoui ran up from the pack and tried to lead but Mekonnen held him off. Mekonnen led by a meter at 1200 in 2:57.04 and kept leading around the STEEPLECHASE last turn. Lagat had run 3rd or 4th near Kamel most of the way but slipped to 8th early in the

by Phil Minshull curve and then ran into a trap as he scrambled After three successive silvers Ezekiel Kemto catch back up. boi finally got a WC gold to hang alongside the At 90 to go, Mekonnen on the rail had a one he won at the ’04 Olympics. step on the three-man wall of Choge, Kamel Into the bargain, his stunning 8:00.43 broke and Moustaoui. Lagat ran inside behind them the meet record which had stood since 1995 to with France’s Mehdi Baala and Bahrain’s Belal his coach and steeple legend Moses Kiptanui. It Mansoor Ali tight behind him. was the fastest ever race at a major champs.

Given no alternative, Lagat veered some“I had a lot to prove because everyone what awkwardly out to lane 2. He was now free remembers what I said last year when I made to sprint, but Kamel, all straight-ahead motion the boast that if I didn’t win at the Olympics and 6 years younger, had the jump and raced [he finished 7th] I wouldn’t return to Kenya. I past Mekonnen to the win. Lagat sprinted so had to sneak home last summer but this year hard his form broke in the last 15 meters but I can go back with my head held high,” said saved a medal spot from late-charging Kiprop, the animated winner, 27. who had languished between 9th and 12th (last) “Saïf Saeed Shaheen’s World Record of for most of the race.

7:53.63 is very tough but I’ve always thought In the first major-championships 1500 with I had the talent to break it and maybe soon it three U.S. finalists since the ’68 Olympics, Lowill happen now that I have my confidence pez Lomong finished 8th (3:37.62) and Leonel

back after this race,” he added, consolidating his reputation for making bold statements of intent.

A great time in Berlin was on the cards from the outset after South Africa’s Ruben Ramolefi did the hard work at the front for the first kilo and passed that marker in 2:41.90.

Paul Koech, one of four Kenyans in the race thanks to defending champ Brimin Kipruto’s getting a wildcard, then got to the front and kept on cranking out fast laps until just before the bell, going past 2K in 5:22.79.

There was clear daylight between the lead-

Kemboi Good As His Word

12 — November 2009

p12 (m1500-St).indd 12

ing pack of four and the rest of the field from two laps from home and Kemboi took the lead with 420m to go.

Koech, France’s Bob Tahri and Kenyan Richard Matelong initially stayed hard on his heels but Kemboi hit another gear coming into the backstraight.

Once away, no one else could challenge Kemboi, despite him easing up around 7 meters before the line and possibly tossing away the chance to go sub-8:00.

Kemboi became the 8th winner from Kenya in the last 10 editions, the phenomenal streak only broken by the Kenyan-born Shaheen who won under the Qatari flag of convenience in ’03 and ’05 before chronic injury.

A strong finish off the last barrier saw Matelong PR with 8:00.89 and add a silver to the bronze he got two years ago in Osaka. Tahri also broke new ground as he improved his recent European Record to 8:01.18, outleaning the luckless Koech on the line.

Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:00:51 AM

Another Pair Of Medals For Lagat

by Sieg Lindstrom

The Bible Of The Sport

p13 (Lagat).indd 13

and that’s all I need.”

If there is a prouder track papa than Lagat, let him submit his credentials; he displayed orange and white racing spikes with photos of his kids printed on the tongues.

“They always make me proud,” Lagat said. “Just running [in the 5K] today, I had no pressure, but going through my victory lap I saw my family and I feel like that is the reason actually I enjoy what I’m doing.”

Lagat’s family had run a race of their own after a long concessions stand line to buy thirsty Mika a drink had nearly cost them a chance to watch dad’s medal ceremony. Gladys reached the head of the line, paid for the soda, but then before it was served realized the ceremony was about to begin and ran back into the stadium just in time.

That was mild stuff as mishaps go. Lagat had experienced worse during his 5K heat when he incurred a spike wound to his ankle.

Gladys taped the ankle before the final and a shot from the team doctor numbed the pain.

Said Lagat, who limited his warmup for fear the tape might come lose, “Every time I go to run I know I’ve done this before; it’s nothing new.

“At championships like this I don’t think it’s like anything new. I don’t even feel like there’s any pressure at all. Even with my unhealthy foot, I’m like, ‘Hey, I’ve done this before and it’s not going to kill me. If I can numb it, I can go do the job.’ ” Lagat said he will keep going “until I can’t beat these kids anymore. But I can still beat the kids.”

At the London Olympics three years hence, he said, “I don’t know what I’ll be doing: maybe 15, maybe 5. It’s going to be one event [only] for sure.”

Would he consider the 10K, an event he has never tackled? “That’s a possibility as well,” he said. “Coach [James] Li told me, ‘I think we can train you to do anything. But not run with Bolt, no. I can train you to do the long stuff.’

“I believe in him and I believe in myself. If we were to step up, I’m not going to have any reservations whatsoever. I’ll just go all out, just do it.”

Although racing Usain Bolt is not in the plan, Lagat, as he headed off to drug testing, offered an assessment of what would constitute a fair race with the sprint Superman: “Oh, man. If this guy gives me a 50-meter lead in a 100 we’ll finish together.”

CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTY SPORTY

Two more WC races, two more medals. Bernard Lagat, by now the elder statesman of the men’s middle distances—with six years on the next-oldest finalist in the 1500 and four on the next-oldest in the 5000—found his way to the podium twice yet again.

And if as you watched Lagat’s homestretch duel in the 5K with Kenenisa Bekele you flashed back five years to one of the signature Athens races, rest assured Lagat did also.

“Somebody said, ‘Oh, man, Lagat will finish it reminded me of the duel the decade with between Paul Tergat and Haile Gebrselassie in the 10K in Syda total of 7 WC/ ney,’ ” Lagat observed.

“And I watched that. I was OG medals, a live there in the stadium. And tally bettered then I actually stood back and thought, ‘You know, actually, only by in a way it reminded me of Bekele 2004.’ ” The Athens race in question was, of course, the 1500 final in which Lagat nearly killed the dream of Hicham El Guerrouj, then the world’s premier miler, to finally win an Olympic gold.

El Guerrouj only prevailed in the last few strides, by 0.12 seconds, exactly half of Bekele’s margin this time.

“You know what, it came down to actually the same thing happening again,” Lagat said.

“It was as if I was reliving that moment again.

“Because Hicham El Guerrouj was powering out, just going all out on the homestretch and I was just right there on his heels and then at the end I just passed him. At 80 meters to go, which was the case tonight.

“I just kept going like that and then with 20 meters to go, Hicham El Guerrouj started going. It happened exactly [like that] today. It was like that same moment: Kenenisa just went.”

For Lagat, the defending champion in both events, the 1500 bronze came with some frustration.

A consummate tactician in recent years, Lagat had slipped into a box on the last turn, only found his way out with a desperate juke to the outside entering the straight, and finished his catchup game with the feeling he could have done more.

Manager James Templeton admitted after the 1500, “I’m just glad he got a medal. If he hadn’t that would have been devastating.”

After the 5K ceremony, though, Lagat beamed at having given the greatest 5K man on the planet no quarter in an extremely close race.

“This is great,” he said, speaking with wife Gladys, 9-month-old daughter Gianna and 3-year-old son Mika at his side. “To me this is really nice. I came back to Berlin after the disappointment of 2008, and going home with two medals in two events I feel like I achieved a lot this time.

“I was able to train and concentrate, to not prove anything to anybody but just to have fun, run well. I have my family that supports me

November 2009 — 13

9/17/09 10:01:21 AM

MARK SHEARMAN

5000/10,000 meters

Another Bekele Double

some guys might fall off.

There are not very many guys in the world who can sustain that pace.”

His 6th was the highest ever by an American in a WC 10,000, and his 27:22.28 netted him No. 4 on the alltime U.S. list.

5K: Leaving It Late

by Sean Hartnett Kenenisa Bekele backed up his Beijing 5/10 double with a convincing sweep of the Berlin distance races. While lacking Olympic drama, Bekele claimed what was surprisingly the first such double in WC history, weathering Zersenay Tadese’s brutal attack in the 10K, and matching sprint gears with Bernard Lagat in the 5.

Demonstrating superb strength and speed and a mastery of a range of tactics, and brimming with confidence, Bekele was at the top of his game in Berlin, beating two accomplished athletes at their own game.

10K: Tadese Tactics Fall Just Short

Twenty-three laps into Monday night’s 10,000 final, Zersenay Tadese looked up at the video screen and saw that he had executed a perfect race—save one small problem.

The compact Eritrean had systematically dropped the rest of the field, hammering out an audacious 13:09 split for the 5K between kilos 4 and 9. Yet he had not been able to shake the diminutive Kenenisa Bekele, who had matched his perilous effort stride for stride.

Rather than pushing hard from the beginning, Tadese opened comfortably, covering the opening 4K at a 66.5 clip (27:41 pace). Then he hit the front and hit it hard with a 61.5 lap. Not content with a short surge, Tadese blitzed the fifth kilo in 2:35.76, then cranked out a stream of sub-64s.

He covered the 4000–7000 segment in 7:54, 14 — November 2009

p14 (m5-10).indd 14

Sunday’s 5000 final started out as if ThursTadese day’s semi, contested in 88-degree heat, had sapped played the the moxie from the field push-theas the first kilometer was a 2:54 exercise in mass pace card, indecision. but like all Kenenisa Bekele, a somewhat reluctant douother antibler (see p. 15), admitted, “I thought other athletes Bekele might take the pace faster, tactics, it but it was OK.” He ran at a steady 64failed second clip, reaching 3K with the whole field still keyed into the little big man’s whim.

It soon became obvious that it was Bekele’s whim to wait. No long attack as in Beijing; no acceleration at 4K. Even after completing the penultimate lap in 60flat it was clear that Bekele was intent to leave leaving just Bekele and the Kenyan duo of it late, seemingly playing right into defender Micah Kogo and Moses Masai. With 2K to go, Bernard Lagat’s hands.

Tadese put an end to the Kenyan challenge with Riding the rail at the bell, Bekele turned his 61.8 lap, but Bekele never flinched. his pole position into a last-lap advantage as Accelerating at the bell, the Ethiopian asyou’d have to run farther and faster to beat sumed his rightful place, zipping past Tadese on him. He lifted the pace down the backstretch, the first turn and cruising down the backstretch. splitting 27.7 for the next 200 but gained no Bekele split 28.4 for the penultimate 200 and ground as Lagat and ’03 winner Eliud Kipeased home to close out a 57.3 victory lap and choge clung to his heels and another 5 were a meet record 26:46.31. within 3 meters.

Tadese, 4th and 6th in the last two editions Bekele lifted the pace higher and a 13.0 turn of the meet, got a well-earned silver (26:50.12) left only Lagat to contend with as they hit the while Masai also ducked under 27:00 to take the straight. “I was determined to not let Bekele bronze. Then came Ethiopian Imane Merga, Keleave me,” said Lagat. nyan Bernard Kipyego and American Dathan “When he moved, I moved. With 80 to go, he Ritzenhein, three survivors who worked their went, and I passed him way past runners with 50 to go. He came burnt by Tadese’s The Geb/Bek Connection back at me with 40 to go, scorching pace. and I struggled over the Two thirds of the winners of the WC 10K golds Ritzenhein had final 20 meters. have been named Gebrselassie or Bekele: passed 5K a stride “I gave it all I had. behind teammate 1983......................Alberto Cova (Italy) 28:01.04 After the finish, after Galen Rupp in 1987................Paul Kipkoech (Kenya) 27:38.63 I realized that I lost 13:43.40, but as the 1991................... Moses Tanui (Kenya) 27:38.74 to a great champion, I fatigue of a long 1993.....Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) 27:46.02 wasn’t disappointed.” season showed in 1995................................ Gebrselassie 27:12.95 For Bekele, a 26.0 the Oregon grad, 1997................................ Gebrselassie 27:24.58 finish was the winning Ritz began a long 1999................................ Gebrselassie 27:57.27 number in his 13:17.09, sustained grind to 2001............ Charles Kamathi (Kenya) 27:53.25 but this race will be the finish.

2003........ Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia) 26:49.57 remembered for his “I knew when 2005...........................................Bekele 27:08.33 determined drive to the pace picked up 2007...........................................Bekele 27:05.90 prevail over one of the that if I could stay 2009...........................................Bekele 26:46.31 sport’s great closers. in contact, then Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:02:04 AM

by Sean Hartnett

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

Bekele Takes Time To Do Something Special After scoring a challenging win in the 10,000, Kenenisa Bekele seemed to be a reluctant doubler especially with the prospect of advancing his Golden League Jackpot quest in Zürich five days after Berlin’s 5K final.

“There was some pressure from the Ethiopian people because we did not have some of our top athletes in the 5000 and 10000,” Bekele admitted, adding ”This was an opportunity to do something special and win two golds, to make history.”

Indeed, the 27-year-old Bekele had already made considerable history with his 10K triumph: it was his fourth straight WC win (’03, ’05, ’07, ’09) and adding his two Olympic 10K golds (’04 & ’08), it was his sixth straight championship title. It also ran his undefeated record to a dozen, winning all 12 of his career track 10s.

Berlin was a strength race similar to his first WC record run of 26:49.57 in Paris where he led Sileshi Sihine and Haile Gebrselassie to an Ethiopian sweep and he and Geb ran under 13:00 for the final half of the race.

This time, thanks to Zersenay Tadese’s push at 4K, Bekele covered the final 6K at a 2:36.9 clip or 26:09 10K pace. There are few athletes who have ever been able to sustain such a pace, underscoring Bekele’s combination of strength and efficiency as a distance runner.

Not just a finisher, this powerful athlete covers ground like no other distance runner in both form and speed.

Most recognizable is Bekele’s distinctive sprint stride, one nurtured by years of drills and mountain running.

After skipping This sprint technique that has the sole of Bekele’s foot completely inverted at the peak of his back-stride the ’05 and ’07 like a 400-meter runner, delivers wicked torque as it is editions of the snapped forward for each foot plant. While this technique fuels his devastating finishing sprint, it is perhaps 5000, Bekele more remarkable that Bekele covers the whole distance in this stride. returned in a It takes a lot of strength to sustain that technique; big way quad strength derived from daily runs in the mountains around Addis Ababa—all under the direction of his coach, Kenenisa Bekele. That’s right: for the past two years Bekele has been self-coached. a week to the track.”

“Normally I’m controlling myself in training,” he explains. “Coach Bekele has also become a master tactician with a full repertoire of Woldemeskel Kostre can help me only 10 or 15% of the time running strategic weapons. Moving beyond Kostre’s singular penchant for lasta watch. I’m coaching my body two times every day, and every day I lap sprints, Bekele’s self-coaching has yielded virtuoso performances run in the hills sometimes 20K, sometimes 10K, and two or three times such as his blistering final 2K assault in the Beijing 5000. “That was a good tactic,” Bekele chuckled, “a good design and I enjoyed it.”

As for the chess match in the Berlin 5 5000 METERS (August 23) 10,000 METERS (August 17) he admitted, “It was a challenging race 1. Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)....... 13:17.09 1. Kenenisa Bekele (Ethiopia)....26:46.31 (WL) mentally. It was not easy, I’m looking at (13.0, 26.0, 53.7, 1:53.7, 2:55.7, 3:58.2) (MR—old 26:49.57 Bekele ’03) everybody and I was controlling the race. I (14.8, 28.9, 57.3, 2:00.5, 3:03.6, 4:06.2) (13:40.71/13:05.60) 2. Bernard Lagat (US).................... 13:17.33 was confident and stayed ready for the final (13.1, 26.1, 53.7, 1:53.9, 2:55.7, 3:58.0) 2. Zersenay Tadese (Eritrea)......... 26:50.12 tactics.” When Bernard Lagat pulled ahead (15.4, 30.8, 61.2, 2:04.6, 3:07.6, 4:10.2) (13:40.57/13:09.55) 3. James Kwalia (Qatar)................ 13:17.78 50m from the finish, Bekele responded, not(13.4, 26.6, 54.0) 3. Moses Masai (Kenya)................ 26:57.39 ing, “I had to use 100% of my speed.”

4. Moses Kipsiro (Uga) 13:18.11 (13.4, 26.8, 54.5); 5. Eliud (62.4) (13:40.45/13:16.94) That winning effort only furthered Kipchoge (Ken) 13:18.95 (14.2, 27.7, 55.5); 6. Ali Abdosh (Eth) 4. Imane Merga (Eth) 27:15.94 PR (13:41.20/13:34.74); 5.

13:19.11 (14.0, 27.3, 54.8); Lagat’s appreciation for his Ethiopian rival Bernard Kipyego (Ken) 27:18.47 (13:42.68/13:35.79); 6. Dathan 7. Mo Farah (GB) 13:19.69 (14.1, 27.9, 56.0); 8. Matt TegenRitzenhein (US) 27:22.28 PR (AL) (4, 5 A) (13:43.40/13:38.88); as he said, “It will take a long time to get kamp (US) 13:20.23 (14.6, 28.7, 56.3); 9. Vincent Chepkok 7. Micah Kogo (Ken) 27:26.33 (13:41.13/13:45.20); another Kenenisa Bekele who dominates (Ken) 13:21.31; 10. Jesús España (Spa) 13:22.07; 8. Galen Rupp (US) 27:37.99 (13:42.59/13:55.40); 9. the 10,000 and 5000 as well as cross country.

11. Chakir Boujattaoui (Mor) 13:23.05; 12. Chris Solinsky Kidane Tadasse (Eri) 27:41.50; 10. Gebre-Egziabher Gebre(US) 13:25.87 (61.7); 13. Joseph Ebuya (Ken) 13:39.59; 14.

You have to train hard and race smart. You mariam (Eth) 27:44.04; 11. Ahmad Abdullah (Qat) 27:45.03; Anis Selmouni (Mor) 13:44.59; 15. Teklemariam Medhin (Eri) 12. Teklemariam Medhin (Eri) 27:58.89; have to be a great tactician and you have 13:44.65; 16. Collis Birmingham (Aus) 13:55.58.

13. Naasi (Tan) 28:04.32; 14. Romero (Mex) 28:09.78; to have a lot of guts. heats (August 20): 15. Castillejo (Spa) 28:09.89; 16. Mkami (Tan) 28:18.00; 17.

“He is a great talent and will go down I–11. Shaheen (Qat) 13:26.35 (fell). II–11. Jager (US) Nelson (US) 28:18.04 (13:56.68/14:21.36); 18. Barrios (Mex) in history as one of the greatest champi13:39.80.

28:31.40; 19. Singh (Ind) 28:35.51. ons.”

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November 2009 — 15

9/17/09 10:02:57 AM

110 hurdles

Brathwaite From The Blue

by Jon Hendershott

VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN

Maybe as surprising as the demise of Olympic champion/WR holder Dayron Robles—the left hamstring he injured indoors gave out on the struggling Cuban in the semis—was the unexpected win by Ryan Brathwaite.

T h e 2 1 - y e a r- o l d Barbadian clocked an NR 13.14 in an ultratight finish to edge out Americans Terrence Trammell and David Payne (both 13.15). The trio finished well ahead of the pack as Briton William Sharman timed a PR 13.30 in 4th.

Brathwaite, a soph at Kansas’ Barton County CC, brought a 13.38 PR into ’09 from the Olympic prelims. He started this season with a 13.32 best at the Texas Relays, won his second JUCO title in May and cut his best to 13.30 at the New York GP. But a 13.23 PR two weeks before Berlin, as well as 2nds in three Euro invitationals, stamped him certainly as a young prospect to watch in his second Worlds (he placed 8th in his Osaka semi in ’07).

Brathwaite’s 13.35 was the No. 2 time in the heats. Eliminated were potential finalists

Aries Merritt of the U.S. and Richard Phillips of Jamaica (both 13.70) and Britain’s ailing Andy Turner (13.73). Merritt had severely twisted his left ankle while warming up and ran with it

After a lengthy wait, the final results confirmed how close it was, Brathwaite eking out the win by 0.01 as Trammell was relegated to yet-another silver and Payne repeated his bronze from ’07.

“This is just great! It really did happen,” said Brathwaite. “My coach [Matt Kane] told me I could win. Barbados is only a small country, but I showed the world who I am.”

Trammell mounted the medal podium the

The medalists finished the race nearly in lockstep

next day holding up five fingers to signify his tightly taped. Robles looked ragged at 13.67 fifth runner-up finish (3 Worlds, 2 Olympics). to take 3rd in his heat.

He said, “I’m happy to make the podium again Trammell timed 13.24 to win semi 1 after after last year [hamstring strain in his Beijing taking control midway. Brathwaite started well heat]. But hitting the tenth hurdle really slowed en route to his NR 13.18 in 2 ahead of me down.”

Payne’s 13.24. Sharman PRed at 13.38 in 110 HURDLES (August 20; wind +0.1): USATF champ Payne said, “I don’t know if 3 as Robles’ season came to an end.

1. Ryan Brathwaite (Barbados).... 13.14 NR I’m happy or disappointed. I definitely wanted The Cuban hit the first two hurdles and (2.54 [2.54], 1.06 [3.60], 1.01 [4.61], 0.99 [5.60], 0.99 [6.59], 1.01 [7.60], to win, but I hit the fifth or sixth hurdle and then pushed over the third and stopped.

1.02 [8.62], 1.03 [9.65], 1.05 [10.70], 1.04 [11.74], 1.40 [13.14]) fell back.”

He was helped from the track by medical 2. Terrence Trammell (US).................. 13.15 personnel.

(2.54 [2.54], 1.04 [3.58], 1.03 [4.61], 1.00 [5.61], 1.01 [6.62], 1.02 [7.64], For the final, Payne (lane 3), 1.02 [8.66], 1.03 [9.69], 1.05 [10.74], 1.04 [11.78], 1.37 [13.15]) 400 HURDLES (August 18) Brathwaite (4), Trammell (5) and 3. David Payne (US)............................ 13.15 Sharman (6) lined up in adjacent 1. Kerron Clement (US)..............47.91 (WL) (2.56 [2.56], 1.04 [3.60], 1.01 [4.61], 0.99 [5.60], 1.00 [6.60], 1.02 [7.62], corridors. The stadium was still 1.01 [8.63], 1.03 [9.66], 1.05 [10.71], 1.06 [11.77], 1.38 [13.15]) 2. Javier Culson (Puerto Rico)..... 48.09 NR 4. William Sharman (GB) 13.30 PR; 5. Maurice Wignall buzzing after Usain Bolt’s 200 WR 3. Bershawn Jackson (US)................. 48.23 (Jam) 13.31; 6. Petr Svoboda (CzR) 13.38; 7. Dwight Thomas only minutes earlier.

4. Jehue Gordon (Tri) 48.26 NR (3, 4 WJ; world age-17 (Jam) 13.56; 8. Wei Ji (Chn) 13.57.

Trammell got his usual sprinter’s record); 5. Periklís Iakovákis (Gre) 48.42; 6. Danny McFarlane heats (August 18) (Jam) 48.65; 7. David Greene (GB) 48.68; 8. Felix Sánchez start and moved to a marginal lead III(0.2)–4. Merritt (US) 13.70.

(DR) 50.11. by mid-race.

But the 30-year-old semis (August 20) heats (August 15) veteran rapped the last three barI(0.9)–1. Trammell 13.24; 2. Svoboda 13.33; 3. Ji 13.41; 4.

III–3. Gordon 48.66 NR (5, 7 WJ; world age-17 record).

Noga (Pol) 13.43; 5. Villar (Col) 13.44; 6. Olijars (Lat) 13.50; riers, the tenth especially hard, IV–4. Angelo Taylor (US) 49.64.

7. Quinónez (Spa) 13.54; 8. Capetillo (Cub) 13.55. and Brathwaite and Payne closed semis (August 16) II(0.6)–1. Brathwaite 13.18 NR; 2. Payne 13.24; 3. Thomas the gap.

I–1. Clement 48.00; 2. Sánchez 48.34; 3. Culson 48.43; 13.37; 4. Shi (Chn) 13.42; 5. Sedoc (Hol) 13.45; 6. Lynsha (Blr) 4. McFarlane 48.49; 5. Gordon 48.77; 6. van Zyl 48.80 (SA); The trio took the final three ob13.46 PR; 7. Bascou (Fra) 13.49 PR; 8. John (Ger) 13.64.

7. Silva (Uru) 49.34 NR; 8. Cole (Aus) 49.92.

III(0.1)–1. Sharman 13.38 PR; 2. Wignall 13.43; 3. Kiss (Hun) stacles virtually in tandem, although II–1. Jackson 48.23; 2. Greene 48.27 PR; 3. Iakovákis 48.73; 13.45; 4. Sands (Bah) 13.47; 5. Darien (Fra) 13.57; 6. Borisov Brathwaite touched down first after 4. Phillips (Jam) 48.93; 5. Cisneros (Cub) 49.21; 6. Dutch (US) (Rus) 13.63; 7. Schwarzer (Ger) 13.72;… dnf[hamstring— No. 10. Then it was a matter of sprint49.28; 7. Thomas (Aus) 49.76; 8. Yoshida (Jpn) 50.34. pushed over third hurdle]—Robles (Cub). and-lean on the runin.

16 — November 2009

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Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:03:36 AM

CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTY SPORTY

400 hurdles

A Successful Defense For Clement

by Jon Hendershott In a race reminiscent of the ’05 USATF contest when he set his still-standing PR of 47.24, Kerron Clement maintained 13 strides all the way around and successfully defended his crown, clocking a world-leading 47.91.

The 23-year-old Florida alum outran the Puerto Rican record 48.09 set by Javier Culson, with ’05 champ Bershawn Jackson 3rd (48.23).

In 4 th, Jehue Gordon timed a Trinidadian Record 48.26, his second world age-17 record of the meet.

Clement dominated throughout. He won his heat at 48.39, the fastest by 0.37. Gordon stood out behind him with 48.66, an NR and his first age-17 record.

In the final heat, two-time Olympic champion Angelo Taylor struggled to run 49.64 in a non-advancing 4th. He later said he had strained a hamstring in the weeks before Berlin and hadn’t been able to hurdle until two days before his heat.

Clement (48.00) was again fastest in the semis ahead of resurging ’04 Olympic winner Felix Sánchez (48.34). World leader at 47.94 coming in, South Africa’s LJ van Zyl ran 48.80 for a non-advancing 6th. Jackson (48.23) won semi 2 from the 48.27 PR by Britain’s David Greene, with third American Johnny Dutch 6th (49.28).

Clement drew lane 3 for the final, with Gordon behind him in 2 and Sánchez (4) and Jackson (5) in front with Culson on the

Building Speed Was Key As the defending world champion over the long barriers, Kerron Clement had an automatic entry to Berlin. So by design with coach Bobby Kersee, he ran more flat 400s early this season.

“The plan to run more 400s basically was to just work on building speed,” says the transplanted Texan-turned-Californian.

“I knew that once my speed was there, my confidence would be built up. I knew I would run really well in the championships.

“There was so much relief not having to run the hurdles at nationals. The USAs always is such a nerve-wracking meet, in any event. But I got 3rd in the 400 and actually made the team there too.”

After running two hurdles races and one 400 in Europe in early July—including his then seasonal-best 48.09 to win the Rome barriers—Clement and Kersee settled in Paris for an extended period of training.

“We called it the ‘Bobby Kersee boot camp,’” Clement smiles. “We just stayed there and trained in the weeks leading up to Berlin. It was a good thing, because we just

The Bible Of The Sport

p17 (m400H-Clement).indd 17

outside in 8.

Sánchez ended his hopes by hammering the first barrier and never recovering. Clement led down the backstretch, moving nearly even with Jackson by barrier 4. Around the turn, Gordon and Culson moved into contention.

Clement led the pair over No. 8. Jackson made his usual late-race rush in the final straight, just collaring Gordon but unable to rein in Culson.

Unlike some past title races, Clement never faltered as he maintained a smooth, powerful stride pattern all the way. Even if his 47.91 was the slowest winner since ’95, Clement nonetheless joined Edwin Moses (’83 & ’87) and Sánchez (’01 & ’03) as two-time champions.

“My plan all along was to defend my title,” said Clement (see sidebar). Culson said, “I’m extremely happy to be the first Puerto Rican to go home with a Worlds medal.”

Jackson revealed, “Two weeks before Berlin, I pulled a hamstring, so I wasn’t able to train for fitness. But Kerron and Javier ran great races. I’m happy to get the bronze and I’m going to prepare for 2011.” stayed away from everybody.”

Clement built up his own confidence in his first-round Worlds Clement was race. “When I ran 13 steps all the back to his way in my heat, I knew that my stride pattern would be down all magic 13-stride through the rounds,” he reveals. pattern “Originally, I was to run 13s through hurdle 8, then switch to 14.

But in the prelims, I kept my pattern at 13 all the way. I felt strong and my confidence came back.”

Favored going into his first “In the Berlin final, I ran a clean race—13 Worlds in ’05 after his PR at the U.S. nationals, all the way. My focus was there, so I just Clement chopped his strides badly in the final thank God.” stretch and faded to 4th.

“But I’m just really tickled to have come Then, he recalls, “In ’07, I messed up like to Berlin and defended my title since that three hurdles coming down the homestretch was the plan all this season.” [but he still won in Osaka].”

Kersee was so confident in Clement that He was favored again for the Beijing Olymhe left him at the practice track and didn’t pics, but stutter-stepped at the final obstacle even see the final: “Bobby knew I had the and finished 2nd behind the resurgent Angelo gold medal and he told me to just go out Taylor. and do my thing.

“Getting Olympic silver was motivation “He left while I was warming up because for me to come out this year and get the gold he was that confident that I’d have the gold medal at Worlds,” Clement says. “I fell short medal in my bag.” /JH/ in Beijing and Angelo got that win.

November 2009 — 17

9/17/09 10:04:06 AM

marathon

Kirui Leads Kenyan Charge

A 1–2 from Kirui and Mutai also won Kenya the World Cup

by Sean Hartnett

I came to Berlin I felt so confident,” he admitted.

“Berlin is my city, and I enjoy running here.”

Despite the strong Kenyan presence, the sub-3:00 kilos seemed advantage-Ethiopia at 20K (59:42) and half-way (63:03).

Merga, Olympic bronze medalist Tsegay Kebede and Deressa Chimsa were all in the lead pack of 8 and all 5 were in the first dozen.

The Kenyan trio responded in unison with repeated efforts to lift the pace that sagged with the warmth and turn fatigue.

“We agreed to work as a team,” Kirui explained, “and did all we could to push the pace and get the title.”

Despite its status as the world’s leading At 30K (1:29:43) producer of marathoners, Kenya came to Berlin Kirui, Mutai and without ever having won the World Cup. That Cheruiyot threw changed in a big way as they averaged more three Kenyan than two minutes faster than arch-rival Ethiopia vests across the to score a huge win. front maintaining The Ethiopians nabbed silver despite having a 3:00 clip that two runners retire in the final kilometers. Two-time dropped Kebede defender Japan put three runners under 2:15 to and Chimsa, leavedge Portugal for the bronze.

The gritty Kebede rode a tender knee past ing only Merga in the lead pack with 1. Kenya 6:25:28 (avg. 2:08:30); 2. Ethiopia 6:32:26 (2:10:49); 3. Japan 6:41:05 (2:13:42); 4. Portugal 6:42:59 (2:14:20); 5. South the stragglers to secure the bronze, just ahead of them.

Africa 6:46:27; 6. Brazil 6:47:32; 7. Russia 6:54:31; fast closing teammate Yemane Tsegay (2:08:42).

Pre-race favorite Kebede ran 8 8. Australia 6:55:31; 9. Germany 6:56:20; 10. France 6:59:36; Cheruiyot (2:10:46) came across 5th to close out seconds back dealing with pace and 11. Canada 6:59:41; 12. Mexico 7:06:37; 13. United States 7:07:46 Kenya’s big day. knee issues. ”The race was very fast,” (2:22:36); 14. Tanzania 7:11:51; 15. South Korea 7:37:53. he said. “I wanted to control it, but they went too fast. I also had A pace not too steep as to leave a lead group some problems with my knee that hurt MARATHON (August 22) of 32 runners, and a vigorous Kenya/Ethiopia on the tight turns.”

1. Abel Kirui (Kenya)....................... 2:06:54 jousting match taking shape at the front.

Indeed, turn-fatigue hit the field and (MR—old 2:08:31 Gharib [Mor] ’03) (1:03:03/1:03:51) Berlin’s first-ever sans-stadium route as the pace slowed the race broke in 2. Emmanuel Mutai (Kenya)............ 2:07:48 featured a 10K downtown loop starting and many ways. Cheruiyot fell off just after (also under old MR) (1:03:03/1:04:45) finishing at the Brandenburg Gate. Pancake flat, 30K noting “that my legs felt sore and I 3. Tsegay Kebede (Ethiopia)........... 2:08:35 save some testy bridge approaches, the course lost power.”

(1:03:03/1:05:32); 4. Yemane Tsegay (Eth) 2:08:42 (1:03:34/1:05:08); 5. seemed designed for Michael Schumacher with Mutai countered with a strong surge in Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (Ken) 2:10:46 (1:03:03/1:07:43); a total of 65 gear-changing turns. the 33rd kilo that was matched by Merga 6. Atsushi Sato (Jpn) 2:12:05 (1:03:51/1:08:14); Merga lost the patience he exhibited in and Kirui but exacted a delayed toll at 35K 7. Adil Ennani (Mor) 2:12:12; 8. José Manuel Martínez Boston and tugged hard at the pace on the (1:44:56) when Merga slowed to a jog and (Spa) 2:14:04; 9. José Moreira (Por) 2:14:05; 10. Luís Feiteira (Por) 2:14:06; 11. Masaya Shimizu (Jpn) 2:14:06; 12. Norman second lap, ripping off a string of 2:56–2:58 eventually a DNF, and Mutai cramped.

Dlomo (SA) 2:14:39; kilos. Eager to match his charge was the forDespite slowing to 3:03 pace, Kirui 13. Silva (Por) 2:14:48; 14. Irifune (Jpn) 2:14:54; 15. Yirdaw midable Kenyan trio. won going away in 2:06:54, 56 seconds (Eth) 2:15:09; 16. dos Santos (Bra) 2:15:13; 17. Kekana (SA) Kirui ran 2:05:04 last April in a somewhatahead of Mutai (2:07:48) and well under 2:15:28; 18. Pollmächer (Ger) 2:15:36; 19. Bastos (Bra) 2:15:39; 20. Kulkov (Rus) 2:15:40; overlooked 3rd-place finish at Rotterdam, but Gharib’s 2:08:31 MR. 21. Dent (Aus) 2:16:05; 22. Ngamole (SA) 2:16:20; 23. de is best known for his up-tempo exploits on the “It was a very tactical race,” the Souza (Bra) 2:16:40; 24. Browne (US) 2:16:49; 25. Coolsaet streets of the German capital.

27-year- old Kenyan acknowledged, (Can) 2:16:53;… 36. Gabrielson (US) 2:18:41;… 63. Jenkins He clocked 2:06:51 here in ’07 and paced adding, “A very challenging race, and (US) 2:32:16;… dnf—Chimsa (Eth), Goumri (Mor), Merga (Eth), Young (US).

Haile Gebrselassie in ’06 and ’08 when he for the World Championships this is a pulled Haile through 32K at WR pace. “When good time.”

Fitness and commitment are always difficult to assess ahead of summer-championship marathons. Contenders such as Jaouad Gharib and Daniel Rono never made it to the starting line, while others like Abderrahim Goumri and Mubarak Hassan Shami never were a factor.

What has become easier to predict in the Sammy Wanjiru era of smash-mouth marathoning is that Kenyans will dominate fastpaced races.

Abel Kirui demonstrated this principle with a meet record 2:06:54 win, and led Kenyan teammates Emmanuel Mutai (2nd in 2:07:48) and Robert Kipkoech Cheruiyot (5th in 2:10:46) to the World Cup team title (see sidebar) in what was easily the fastest World Champs race ever.

The 11:00 start and temperatures rising to 70 (21C) suggested the bit of caution manifested in the 15:09 opening 5K before Ethiopian Deriba Merga upped the tempo to 3:00/kilo pace, splitting 30:08 for the first 10K lap.

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

World Cup Title To Kenya

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Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:04:45 AM

20K WALK

Borchin Was Scorchin’

by Elliott Denman Just as in Beijing, Valeriy Borchin turned a middle-of-the-pack start into a sizzling finish to earn the first gold medal awarded here.

In the process, victorious Valeriy kicked off Team Russia’s eventual sweep of all three walking titles and became just the second man to own both the OG/WC titles at once (after Mexico’s Ernesto Canto in ’83 & ’84).

With 3-time reigning champ Jefferson Pérez retired, it was Borchin’s turn to move into the vacated shoes of the Ecuadorian icon, who won his last in Osaka in ’07.

Osaka? Borchin hardly remembers the race. Two years later, all he can tell you is, “I started walking, was among the leaders, but suddenly I was like I was switched off. I fell to the ground and then came around at the medical center.”

Beijing was hot and humid and so to a lesser extent was Berlin but Borchin, quite obviously, has learned to deal with steamy situations.

The favorite bided his time, letting Norway’s Erik Tysse and the Italian pair of Ivano Brugnetti and Giorgio Rubino take it out in the usual early mob scene. Thirty-six were within 30 seconds past the first 5K checkpoint, not far from that other checkpoint of note, Charlie.

The same threesome—Rubino (39:48), Brugnetti (39:49), Tysse (39:50)—were still in front as the pace quickened to 10K. The real racing began just past 14K. Borchin got into gear but so did China’s surprise, Hao Wang. They reached 15K in 59:29 but from there Borchin kept speeding up as Wang relented.

Negative splitting all the way—5Ks of 20:13, 19:47, 19:29 and 19:12—Borchin took a last pass through the Brandenburg Gate in his 1:18:41 triumph to huge applause and a hard-earned sit-down.

Wang (1:19:06) held on for the silver and Mexico’s Eder Sánchez (1:19:22) moved up a spot from ’07. Rubino gutted out a 1:19:50 for 4th, with Colombia’s Luis Lopez (1:20:33) getting an NR in 5th.

Tysse slipped to 7th, while ’04 Olympic king

Brugnetti wound up on the DNF list along with Spain’s ’07 silver medalist Francisco Fernández.

Youth definitely prevailed in this no-longer grizzled vet’s game: Borchin is 22; Wang hit 20 the day after the race; Sanchez and Rubino are 23.

50K walk

Kirdyapkin Finishes Russian Gold Rush

by Elliott Denman

The Bible Of The Sport

p19 (m20W-50W).indd 19

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

After a pair of 20K triumphs on the opening weekend, a startling 3/3 gold medal haul for Russia was concluded

by Sergey Kirdyapkin’s 50K win.

Four times before (Russia ’91, ’01 & ’05, Spain ’93) had one nation taken two of three, but this time the Russians were total monopolists. And all three winners are pupils of coach Viktor Chegin in Saransk.

The 50K delivered loads of drama for the fans packed along the 2K loop. The race had at least seven different leaders before the 29-year-old Kirdyapkin took control in the final hour en route to his 3:38:35 triumph, a near-replica of his 3:38:08 win at The favored Diniz Helsinki in ’05.

The early pacemaking saw Japan’s couldn’t hang with Yuki Yamazaki in front at 5K (22:11) Kirdyapkin’s strong and Aussie Luke Adams first to 10K (44:34) and staying there to midway second half (1:50:08), in the company of France’s Yohan Diniz and Kirdyapkin.

For much of the next hour, Aussies “Start slower and then speed up,” was Jared Tallent and Adams led the way (2:33:07 Chegin’s game plan for Kirdyapkin, who at 35K) with a sizable gap on Russia’s Denis hung tough and followed it to perfection. Said Nizhegorodov.

Nymark, “I kept the pace, kept pushing.” The Tallent still led at 40K (2:55:24) but then the nearly-40 Garcia became the oldest medalist in heat and humidity kicked in. As Kirdyapkin the whole meet; it was his ninth Worlds and stepped it up, the Aussie threat receded. fourth medal.

Soon the doubts were over. Kirdyapkin’s 25th trip through the Gate (21:37 last 5K) got him home comfortably in front of two 50K WALK (August 21; 25 two-kilo loops) late-chargers in Norway’s Trond Nymark 1. Sergey Kirdyapkin (Russia)...3:38:35 (WL) (3:41:16) and Spain’s super-vet Jesús (22:26, 22:10 [44:36], 21:50 [1:06:26], 22:00 [1:28:26], Angel Garcia (3:41:37), who won 21:42 [1:50:08], 21:44 [2:11:52], 21:51 [2:33:43], 21:44 20K WALK (August 16; 10 two-kilo road loops) [2:55:27], 21:31 [3:16:58], 21:37) (1:50:08/1:48:27) back in ’93.

1. Valeriy Borchin (Russia).............. 1:18:41 At the finish Kirdyapkin, who col2. Trond Nymark (Norway)............... 3:41:16 (20:13, 19:47 [40:00], 19:29 [59:29], 19:12) (40:00/38:41) (23:20) (1:50:43/1:50:33) lapsed and DNFed at Osaka, flopped 2. Hao Wang (China).................. 1:19:06 PR down on the pavement for a breather.

3. Jesús Angel García (Spain)........ 3:41:37 (20:14, 19:45 [39:59], 19:30 [59:29], 19:37) (39:59/39:07) (22:03) (1:50:57/1:50:40) His slowest 5K: 22:26, his first. His 4. Grzegorz Sudoł (Pol) 3:42:34 (1:51:22/1:51:12); 5. André 3. Eder Sánchez (Mexico)................ 1:19:22 fastest 5K: 21:31, his ninth. His negaHöhne (Ger) 3:43:19 (1:51:53/1:51:26); 6. Luke Adams (Aus) (20:14, 19:46 [40:00], 19:37 [59:37], 19:45) (40:00/39:22) tive halves: 1:50:08/1:48:27.

3:43:39 (1:50:09/1:53:30); 7. Jared Tallent (Aus) 3:44:50 4. Giorgio Rubino (Ita) 1:19:50 (39:48/40:02); 5. Luis López Following the medalists, Poland’s (1:50:09/1:54:41); 8. Marco De Luca (Ita) 3:46:31; (Col) 1:20:03 (39:59/40:04); 6. Jared Tallent (Aus) 1:20:27 Grzegorz Sudoł (heir to the Robert 9. Kinnunen (Fin) 3:47:36; 10. Tóth (Svk) 3:48:35; 11. Xu (40:00/40:27); 7. Erik Tysse (Nor) 1:20:38 (39:50/40:48); 8. th (Chn) 3:48:52; 12. Diniz (Fra) 3:49:03; 13. Sánchez (Mex) Jesús Sánchez (Mex) 1:20:52; 9. Matej Tóth (Svk) 1:21:13; Korzeniowski legacy) moved up to 4 3:50:55; 14. Skarnulis (Lit) 3:50:56; 15. Zhao (Chn) 3:53:06; 10. Vieira (Por) 1:21:43; 11. Morioka (Jpn) 1:21:48; 12.

(3:42:34) and Berliner Andre Höhne 16. Shelest (Ukr) 3:54:03; 17. Suskevicius (Lit) 3:54:29; Li (Chn) 1:21:54; 13. Zhu (Chn) 1:21:56; 14. Höhne (Ger) th to 5 (3:43:19) to the delight of his 18. Morioka (Jpn) 3:56:21; 19. Nava (Mex) 3:56:26; 20.

1:21:59; 15. Heffernan (Ire) 1:22:09; 16. Díaz (Spa) 1:22:12; home fans.

Davaux (Fra) 3:57:10; 21. Gustafsson (Swe) 3:57:53; 17. Krivov (Rus) 1:22:19; 18. Adams (Aus) 1:22:37; 22. Augustyn (Pol) 3:58:30; 23. Cardoso (Por) 3:59:10; 24.

19. Sebei (Tun) 1:22:52; 20. Panucha (Ind) 1:23:06; 21.

Adams and Tallent dropped to 6-7 Bátovsky (Svk) 3:59:39; 25. Li (Chn) 4:00:13; 26. Odriozola Nkouloukidi (Ita) 1:23:07; 22. Simanovich (Blr) 1:23:36; 23. and ’07 silver winner Diniz to 12th.

(Spa) 4:00:54; 27. Houssaye (Fra) 4:02:44; 28. Cafagna (Ita) Saquipay (Ecu) 1:23:51; 24. Molina (Spa) 1:24:00; 25. Park Yamazaki was one of three DQs and 4:08:04; 29. Cambil (Spa) 4:13:14; (SK) 1:24:01; 26. Brzozowski (Pol) 1:24:17; 1-3 Beijing finishers Alex Schwazer of … dnf—Schwazer (Ita), Tysse (Nor), Nizhegorodov (Rus);… … dnf—Brugnetti (Ita) (39:49), Fernández (Spa) (40:00). dq—Zepeda (Mex). (47 started, 31 finished; no U.S. entrant) (50 started, 45 finished; no U.S. entrant) Italy and Nizhegorodov were shock DNFs. November 2009 — 19

9/17/09 10:30:41 AM

4

X

100

NEW Jamaica Roars; U.S. Not So Much WORK ON KENYAN RUNNING

by Sieg Lindstrom

Four chapters: 1. Kenyan Running—history, typical training runs, Iten and Eldoret, etc.: 2. Training—Diet, hard training for road and track, the coaches; 3. Profiles—athletes from 800m to marathon profiled; 4. Results—what you can learn from the Kenyans, Tergat’s three golden rules, 15 ways to adopt a Kenyan program, etc. All of Tanser’s royalties go toward building a children’s hospital in Kenya.

More Fire is available from Track & Field News for $19.95. California residents add 8¼% sales tax. Postage/ handling: add $2.95 per book for U.S. delivery, $12.00 per book for foreign delivery. Track & Field News, 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 606, Mtn. View, CA 94040. Order online at www. trackandfieldnews.com.

20 — November 2009

p20 (m4x1).indd 20

“These guys are great athletes. They don’t come out to play,” said Bolt, discussing one of his Berlin gold medal races that didn’t include a World Record for the first time.

“So it was always a rough run. But I’m re-

Bolt & Powell had good things to point at, the U.S. team only itself (and maybe the officials)

CLAUS ANDERSEN

Toby Tanser’s follow-up to Train Hard, Win Easy is another feast for those interested in why the Kenyans are so outstanding in the middle and long distances. He keeps a bit of the material from the first book (with updates), but adds so much more, with profiles of Catherine Ndereba, Benjamin Limo, Ezekiel Kemboi, Lornah Kiplagat, Robert Cheruiyot, and many more, plus a greatly extended profile of Paul Tergat. The book’s subtitle is “How to Run the Kenyan Way,” and a whole chapter is devoted to what runners in the west can learn from the Kenyans and what they can use to improve their own running.

The last chance for the U.S. men’s dash corps to dent the armor of the Jamaican fortress was the 4 x 100 relay—a powder keg of a challenge given the recent history of American baton mishaps in which Beijing’s was of course the most graphic.

No dent was delivered, though, as the 37.97 U.S. squad that crossed the line first in its heat earned a controversial disqualification through a furorraising judging process (see p. 50).

Nothing appeared catastrophic on first glance at the U.S. run. Terrence Trammell passed cleanly to Mike Rodgers, who ran up on Shawn Crawford but handed off safely. Crawford passed early but smoothly to Doc Patton, who brought the stick home.

The judges waved only white flags, but well after the race the result was nullified based on a video-replay ruling that Patton had touched the stick before it entered the zone.

Jamaica survived shaky passing of its own to make the final. Once there—with Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell added to the team—it mined gold with the No. 2 all-time clocking, 37.31, a World Championships record.

The final was now Jamaica’s to lose, and the favorites drew lane 7, with Beijing silver team Trinidad in 6. Steve Mullings, now on leadoff, handed off to Michael Frater in a tight race with Trinidad and Great Britain (3).

TCU alum Frater, Trinidad’s Marc Burns and Briton Tyrone Edgar dashed the backstretch essentially even. But waiting outside them was Bolt.

The indomitable one opened a—ho-hum for him—lead of a meter, and then Powell stretched it to three over individual Beijing medalist Richard Thompson down the straight.

Trinidad’s 37.62 earned No. 3 all-time nation status and led Britain, whose anchor, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, took the stick about a meter up on Japan and doubled the margin on the Beijing bronze-medal nation, 38.02–38.30.

ally tired. I didn’t run the best third leg like I wanted to, but I’m just tired. Really. I’m just happy I actually got the baton around the track and gave it to Asafa.”

Thompson, an LSU alum, said of Trinidad’s race, “Darrel [Brown] got out very well and it stayed fluid from there. We are very satisfied with the national record. It’s a great accomplishment.

“When you’ve got the speed, it all comes down to the exchange.”

Nobody needs to remind the U.S. of that Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:31:21 AM

4

x

400

Another U.S. Runaway

by Dave Johnson The biggest lock of the meet came through as expected as the U.S. won comfortably in 2:57.86, crossing the line first for the ninth WC in a row (although 4 of those have been wiped out by retroactive drug DQs).

The Americans led at the first exchange and padded that margin on each subsequent leg with a team that featured the first two finishers in the open 400, and the winner of the 400 hurdles. And with top-challenging Bahamas having been DQed in the heats, the number of possible challengers was reduced significantly.

Leadoff: Angelo Taylor, generally thought of as a hurdler but with sufficient baton skills to have run on the last five U.S. internationals, ran comfortably down the backstretch and trailed

a slim lead, and halfway had just a meter ’s margin over Dominican Yon Soriano, with another meter back to Aussie Ben Offereins and Britain’s Michael Bingham.

At this point Wariner—a product of the impeccable Baylor School of 4x4ing— took off, and by the end of the 115-meter curve, had opened the gap to a good 12 meters over Bingham.

At the exchange, the margin was still some 10 meters as Wariner had run the only sub-44 of the race, a 43.6, with Bingham’s 44.7 leaving Britain closest.

Third Leg: Long hurdles champ Kerron Clement maintained much of Leg 2: 1. U.S. 1:28.98; 2. Great Britain 1:30.23; 3. Australia the margin around the 1:30.85; 4. Belgium 1:31.02; 5. Nigeria 1:31.40; 6. Poland 1:31.51; first curve, but on the 7. France 1:31.68; 8. Dominican Republic 1:31.70. backstretch Australia’s Leg 3: 1. U.S. 2:13.70; 2. Great Britain 2:15.70; 3. Belgium Tristan Thomas moved Wariner may have been second2:15.82; 4. Australia 2:16.19; 5. France 2:17.20; 6. Dominican into 2 nd past Britain’s Republic 2:17.50; 7. Poland 2:17.56; 8. Nigeria 2:18.01. best in the flat 400, but in the Robert Tobin.

Clement made his relay he was, predictably, the best move in the final curve, graduBritain’s Conrad Williams and the Dominican ally increasing the margin.

Republic’s Arismendy Peguero.

“Down the backstretch, I was looking at the In the homestretch, Britain retook 2nd, Tobin But the Georgia Tech alum closed on the screen the whole time to see where my position running 45.47 to keep the team three meters second curve, then moved to the lead in the was. When I got to the turn, my coach before ahead of the 45.34 Thomas ran for Australia. stretch, his 45.4 putting him a little better than a the race told me just open it up and that’s what Clement’s 44.72 left the U.S. with a solid meter ahead of the 45.6s for Williams, Peguero I did. I went out there and ran my last 200 as 15-meter margin. and Australia’s John Steffensen. hard as I could to give him a big lead.”

Anchor Leg: Open champ LaShawn MerSecond Leg: Jeremy Wariner, the 400 Lionel Larry and Bershawn Jackson also ritt anchored for the U.S. and was content to runner-up, took off around the first curve as picked up golds, having run the heats (which cruise his leg as Britain and Australia battled the pretenders followed closely. As the teams had a three-quarters long hurdlers composifor silver, the fourth-running team from Belbroke for the pole, Wariner—who had anchored tion) in place of Wariner and Merritt. gium having started the anchor some 7 meters U.S. top-meet winners in ’04, ’05 & ’07—held behind Australia.

Midway through the last curve, 4 x 400 (August 23) 4 x 100 (August 22) Merritt’s lead was some 20 meters 1. United States................ 2:57.86 (WL, AL) over Britain’s Martyn Rooney, with 1. Jamaica........................................... 37.31 (Taylor 45.4, Wariner 43.6, Clement 44.72, Merritt 44.16) (2 W) (MR—old 37.40 U.S. ’93) (Mullings, Frater, Bolt, Powell) Aussie Sean Wroe another 2 meters 2. Great Britain................................ 3:00.53 back.

2. Trinidad..................................... 37.62 NR (Williams 45.6, Bingham 44.7, Tobin 45.47, Rooney 44.83) (11 W) (No. 3 nation) (Brown, Burns, Callander, Thompson) Merritt added to the gap around 3. Australia....................................... 3:00.90 the curve and in the homestretch, 3. Great Britain................................... 38.02 (Steffensen 45.6, Offereins 45.3 , Thomas 45.34, Wroe 44.71) (Williamson, Edgar, Devonish, Aikines-Aryeetey) reaching the finish nearly 25 meters 4. Belgium 3:01.88 (Gillet 46.7, K. Borlée 44.4, Duerinck 4. Japan 38.30 (Eriguchi, Tsukahara, Takahira, Fujimitsu); 46.06, van Branteghem 44.80); 5. Poland 3:02.23 (Marciniszyn to the good after his 44.16, the second5. Canada 38.39 (Effah, Smith, Connaughton, Barnett); 6. Italy 46.1, Klimczak 45.4, Kozłowski 46.05, Ciepiela 44.67); fastest leg of the race.

38.54 (Donati, Collio, Di Gregorio, Cerutti); 6. Dominican Republic 3:02.47 (Peguero 45.6, Soriano 46.1, Rooney’s 44.83 closed out Great 7. Brazil 38.56 (de Lima, Viana, de Moraes, Moreiras); 8.

Tapia 45.80, Sánchez 44.97); 7. France 3:02.65 (Djhone 45.9, France 39.21 (Pognon, Mbandjock, De Lepine, Lemaître).

Britain’s 3:00.53 silver medal run, and Venel 45.8, Fonsat 45.52, Décimus 45.45); 8. Nigeria 3:02.73 (best-ever mark-for-place: 2) (Weigopwa 46.12, Noah 45.28, Morton 46.61, Lawal 44.72).

Wroe’s 44.71 brought Australia home heats heats (August 22) 3rd, in 3:00.90.

I–1. Trinidad 38.47; 2. Japan 38.53; 3. France 38.59; 4.

I–1. United States 3:01.40 (Larry 45.5, Clement 45.2, Wariner, who broke the race open Brazil 38.72; 5. Switzerland 39.47; 6. South Africa 39.71.

Jackson 45.29, Taylor 45.45); 2. France 3:01.65; 3. Great II–1. Great Britain 38.11; 2. Canada 38.60; 3. Holland on the second leg, commented, “When Britain 3:01.91; 4. Australia 3:02.04; 5. Nigeria 3:02.36; 6.

38.95; 4. Portugal 39.25; 5. Ghana 39.61;… dq[1—zone]— Russia 3:02.78. you have the best quarter-milers and United States [37.97] (Trammell, Rodgers, Crawford, Patton II–1. Belgium 3:02.13; 2. Dominican Republic 3:02.76; 3. the best 400 hurdlers in the world out [took baton early]).

Poland 3:03.23; 4. Germany 3:03.52; 5. Jamaica 3:04.45; 6. there at the same time on one team, we III–1. Italy 38.52; 2. Jamaica 38.60; 3. Australia 38.93; 4.

South Africa 3:07.88; … dq[2—faulty changeover]—Bahamas Thailand 39.73;… dnf—Germany. expect greatness. That’s what we did [3:02.47]. today, we showed greatness.

VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN

Leg 1: 1. U.S. 45.4; 2. Dominican Republic 45.6; 3. tie, Australia & Great Britain 45.6; 5. France 45.9; 6. Nigeria 46.12; 7. Poland 46.1; 8. Belgium 46.7.

The Bible Of The Sport

p21 (m4x4).indd 21

November 2009 — 21

9/17/09 12:14:54 PM

high jump

Gold At Last For Rybakov

Rybakov finally got better than his three previous silvers VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN

by Phil Minshull It wasn’t a classic high jump contest in terms of the heights being cleared—indeed, the winning height was equal to the meet’s lowest ever—but it was still a riveting jumpfest with four men over 7-7¼ (2.32) and an added element of unpredictability coming from the start’s being delayed by more than an hour thanks to a downpour.

Russia’s experienced Yaroslav Rybakov eventually triumphed over his remaining rivals, getting a first-time clearance at the deciding height before all four failed at 7-8½ (2.35).

“I’m not an emotional person,” explained the steel-nerved 28-year-old right afterwards.

“This competition was not about that—in fact I don’t even feel emotional now. Only perhaps when I hear the Russian national anthem will I perhaps start to feel something.”

For the winner, it was not so much of a victory over the erratic elements on the only day in Berlin when the weather was a factor— with the humidity still a super-sticky 90-plus throughout the competition despite the temperatures often dropping below 65—but his own destiny after having got silver medals at the last two Worlds and also when he was barely out of his teens in ’01.

The big shakeout came at a relatively modest 7-5¾ (2.28) after 12 men, including Americans Andra Manson and Keith Moffatt, had gotten over 7-3¾ (2.23) on a soaked and slick apron.

Incredibly, no one among the dozen jumpers got over 7-5¾ at the first time of asking although four eventually did clear it; but they didn’t include either Manson, Moffatt or acknowledged favorite Ivan Ukhov, who had cleared 7-10½ (2.40) indoors.

22 — November 2009

p22 (mHJ-PV).indd 22

At 7-7¼ (2.32), Rybakov got over with his first attempt; the bar wobbled but stayed up after he had tickled it with his right calf.

Cyprus’s Kyriakos Ioannou, 3rd in Osaka, also made the height with his first jump but having needed three tries at 7-5¾, he eventually took the silver.

Poland’s Sylwester Bednarek and Germany’s Raul Spank, both achieved PRs (the latter an equal) when they went over 7-7¼ with their second attempts and were awarded joint bronzes.

U.S. champ Tora Harris couldn’t do better than 7-4¼ (2.24) in the qualifying and didn’t make the cut but he had good company among the casualties as the last two gold medalists, Ukraine’s Yuriy Krymarenko and Bahamas’ Donald Thomas, also crashed out. Injured Olympic champ Yuriy Silnov didn’t make the Russian team.

pole vault

Tough Hooker Guts It Out

by Bob Hersh

As the year began, Olympic champion Steve Hooker was wandering in Bubkaland, the stratosphere of pole vaulting that hadn’t been visited by many mortals since the World Record holder was in his prime in the ’90s.

When the Aussie cleared 19-10½ (6.06) in February, he became history’s No. 2 vaulter and he seemed to have real prospects of being No. 1 before very long.

But injuries soon thwarted his progress. A knee problem set back his training and when he resumed competition, he was far from his peak, with a best of only 18-11 (5.77) in four European meets. Nonetheless, he was the heavy favorite

until 10 days before the competition in Berlin, when he tore a thigh muscle in practice.

At that point, he stopped vaulting and started treatments. He decided to compete only at the last moment after an MRI assured that the muscle was healing, and after taking pain-killing shots to address a related neural problem.

On the day of qualifying, as Hooker was electing to jump, reigning champ Brad Walker decided not to. The American—whose season debut was in winning USATF, and who jumped only twice more after that—was still in pain from a hip injury incurred in his last meet in late July, and he chose not to risk further damage.

Hooker’s strategy was simple—vault as few times as he had to. He entered the qualifying when the bar reached the automatic height of 18-6½ (5.65), which he cleared on his first attempt.

Then, in an amazing final, he passed until 19-2¼ (5.85), a height that he figured would give him a medal. Looking very slow on the runway, he had good height but came down on the bar on his first attempt, and when France’s Romain Mesnil cleared, he decided to take his next attempt at 19‑4¼ (5.90). He succeeded at that height, nobody else did, and he was the champion. Mesnil took the silver and his countryman Renaud Lavillenie won the bronze at 19-¼ (5.80).

“Early on,” said Hooker, “there was no way I thought I was going to jump.” But while others were jumping, he got another jab of painkiller.

“As that kicked in, I thought I had more and more of a chance of jumping. I was lucky I had this aggressive strategy, but even more lucky that it paid off.”

Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:32:04 AM

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

long jump

Phillips Victory Draped In History

by Ben Hall

In the second round Phillips used his exceptional speed and a better takeoff position to spring 28-¼ (8.54), good enough for a medal in any edition of the meet.

Godfrey Mokoena followed two jumpers later and just missed his month-old PR by 3cm with a leap of 27-9½ (8.47), pushing Watt to bronze and Lapierre out of the medals.

Saladino again fouled, then as the last jumper in the third round needed 26-1¾ (7.97) to get three more jumps but again reached for the big jump and fouled. In the eyes of many he could have backed off slightly, and with his talent had a “safety jump” that would easily have put him into the final rounds.

In the fifth round, Before the USATF Champs, Dwight Phillips after three consecutive said, “I want to become relevant again.” The fouls Watt found the reworked 31-year-old Georgian is again more board and landed with than relevant. his best jump of the night, The Arizona State alum, who went from three Phillips 27-5½ (8.37), solidifying straight No. 1s in the World Rankings to a 5 a his bronze medal status.

3 and no rank at all, began working with Loren wrote his Mokoena fouled and PhilSeagrave last fall; the noted speed coach got him own chapter lips passed. to lose weight and focus his training.

Jumping in the final Says Phillips, “Loren saw to it that I didn’t in a stadium round, Great Britain’s overtrain or hurt myself. I got my body balanced Greg Rutherford edged drenched in and I made the commitment that every day I closer to 4th but it was trained, I would leave everything on the track. long jump lore fouls not fireworks for I was going to work hard—and smart—and it the top three. paid off.”

Watt and Mokoena In his season opener in early May, Phillips both tried to overtake Phillips but in the recorded in the third round to move into a lead leaped 27-11 (8.51). “From then, I knew I could end all three fouled. he would retain through the end. win at Worlds,” he says, “because I had never Phillips made his own history, by Évora did not give up in the least. He jumped that far so early in the season.” becoming the first to lose the LJ mantle pushed hard the rest of the evening, logging He later hit a PR 28-8¼ (8.74) at Pre and in and regain it.

57-¼ (17.38) and 56-10¼ (17.33) before ending between showed off his new speed by lowering “It was like history looking at me in with a 57-7 (17.55) as a meager improvement as his 100 PR from 10.14 to 10.06. Power was part the face,” he said when his medal was the title moved over to the garishly red-haired of the new equation too. presented by the granddaughters of Idowu, who fouled on his last three attempts “I came to Berlin stronger than I had ever Owens and Long. as he, too, was looking for even more. been,” Phillips says. “So I expected to jump “I managed to complete the whole season better than ever. My goal from the beginning TRIPLE JUMP and to stay injury-free,” said the new champion. was to win and I’m just blessed and happy I “Today was one of the best days of my life.” was able to do that.” Évora hid much of his anguish and instead spoke in triple-jump marketing terms: “I appreby Ed Gordon ciate having rivals like Idowu because it is good threats, as the 28-footer produced indoors by Based on his World/Olympic golds of the for the sport and also good for the show.” local favorite Sebastian Bayer continues to aplast two seasons, season leader Nelson Évora Meanwhile, a battle for the bronze ensued pear as one of those odd magical moments. was the man to beat. And jumping leadoff behind the two leaders. David Giralt’s 56-7½ Australian Fabrice Lapierre hit 26-11¼ (8.21) in the finals, the Portuguese ace bounded a (17.26) put him in 3rd half way, but Leevan Sands on the second jump of the night. Phillips took medal-range 57-6½ (17.54) to set an immediate nudged the Cuban out of a podium spot with off some 9 inches short of the plasticine yet target for the rest.

56-10 (17.32). That set the stage for another still reached 27-6¾ (8.40).

Beijing silver winner Phillips Idowu acCuban, Alexis Copello, to snare the bronze Still in the first round another Aussie, newcepted the challenge and answered with an with a last-round 56-11½ (17.36). comer Mitchell Watt, leapt past his compatriot opener only an inch shorter to move close.

The U.S. jumpers all met their match in the and into 2nd at 27-2 (8.28). Saladino, apparently This was just a preview of the world-leading qualifying round. trying to hit a big jump early, fouled. outdoor PR of 58-2 (17.73) the 30-year-old Briton Throughout the meet it was close to impossible to miss the images of and honors for the legendary ’36 Olympic rivals, Jesse Owens and Luz Long. The board and sand of the long jump were the setting for their story.

With the stadium filled to capacity their history set the stage for the men’s long jump final and the triumphant return of Dwight Phillips, who had owned the event 2003–05 before three relatively down years.

Phillips reinvigorated his career this year (see sidebar) by producing consistently long marks—including the best of his life—that required the best from his competitors if they wished to beat him.

Already he had forced reigning WC/OG champ Irving Saladino to jump a 28-footer to beat him, then returned the favor.

Qualifying knocked out no predicted medal

Phillips Gets An Upgrade

Idowu Upsets Évora

The Bible Of The Sport

p23 (mLJ-TJ).indd 23

November 2009 — 23

9/17/09 10:32:33 AM

shot

Cantwell Comes Through

by Garry Hill

Offered Majewski, “It was a good year for me but it does not mean a thing as I did not get the gold medal. Our plans are not always fulfilled, so I have a lot to do in the next two years to fight for the world title again. Christian showed his cards in the end and was the strongest one.”

“Big men do cry, but I’m going to try and make sure no one sees me,” said Harting

MARK SHEARMAN

Too often burned by fast-spinners who developed foul trouble in the big outdoor championship meets, T&FN went a different route in its Berlin formchart, going with a plodding, old-fashioned glider.

Since that retro character is the reigning Olympic champ, Tomasz Majewski, and he had a 4–3 seasonal mark over top American Christian Cantwell it wasn’t all that wild a pick. But it was wrong.

The hulking Pole’s 69-6¼ (21.19) led a qualifying round in which No. 4 American Dan Taylor fouled his first two and wasn’t close to advancing.

Cantwell, throwing with bruised toes (see sidebar), led off the final at 70-8 (21.54), a mark Majewski had only bettered twice in his career. Majewski’s response was 70-1 (21.36).

The ’05 winner, Adam Nelson hit 69-3¼ (21.11) and would get no better. Defending champ Reese Hoffa reached 68-11¾ (21.02).

The second round was uneventful, but in the third the Germans got their first chance to go wild when Ralf Bartels upped his outdoor PR to 70-1½ (21.37) to move from 8th into bronze-medal position.

With the order reversed, Majewski stormed back in round 4, just as he had in Beijing, his 71‑1½ (21.68) taking the lead.

And then in 5 he upped the ante to 71‑10¾ (21.91).

That just got Cantwell really fired up. Controlling his speed and power well he punched out a put that was an obvious leader the moment it landed: a world-leading 72‑3½ (22.03). The giant American was already pumping his fists in glee before the measure was officially announced.

On his fourth throw, Hoffa had improved to 69-4¼ (21.14) to pass teammate Nelson for the No. 4 spot, but he would get no closer, although he did improve his best to 69-9¾ (21.28) on his last attempt.

He was the only one to improve in stanza 6, though, and when Cantwell passed to finish things off, he had the narrowest margin of victory in meet history.

“I have won medals in the past but not that one,” he said. “To win it in that fashion is even more exciting. I hope the crowd enjoyed it as much as we did. The level of the competition was very high with 6 athletes at 21, so to win a competition like this, that makes it feel better.”

(69.15) in the fifth stanza—couldn’t respond.

Said Harting, “I can’t describe what the atmosphere was like before my final throw.

Everybody was yelling; they were screaming, I knew I only had one chance, my last chance, and I just had to go aggressive. I think I might have a little cry now.

“Big men do cry, but I’m going to try and make sure no one sees me,” reflected Harting, who was born and brought up just 75 miles down the road from Berlin.

“I had the advantage of being relaxed coming into the competition. Everybody was

24 — November 2009

p24 (mSP-DT).indd 24

DISCUS

Harting The Hometown Hero

by Phil Minshull Robert Harting is a controversial character in the German track community. His outspoken pro-drugs stance and harsh criticisms of the national federation led to calls for him to be kicked off the team, but the Berlin-based soldier was still arguably the most popular champion of the meet’s nine days.

His come-from-behind victory, throwing a PR of 227-9 (69.43) on the penultimate throw of the competition to move up from the silver slot to pole position, turned the stadium into a cauldron of noise.

Poland’s Piotr Małachowski, who had led from the first round after his NR 225-7 (68.77)—which he then improved to 226-10

looking at [Estonia’s defending champion] Gerd Kanter. He was the big favorite and had been throwing fantastic coming into the championships. However, I knew I had 69 meters [c226 feet] in me.”

Olympic champion Kanter will probably have nightmares about this for quite a while.

He arrived in Berlin with 28 straight wins behind him and had not lost for more than a year, but his best form seemed to evaporate despite his fourth-round 219-5 (66.88) holding up for bronze, just ahead of former Olympic/world champion Virgilijus Alekna of Lithuania.

U.S. champion Casey Malone ended the first round in 5th with his 208-8 (63.61). He improved three more times, culminating with his final effort of 216-9 (66.06), but the men in front of him also upped their game and that’s where he finished.

Track & Field News

11/30/09 12:15:27 PM

Cantwell Runs U.S. Gold Streak To 3

by Jon Hendershott

The Bible Of The Sport

p25 (Cantwell).indd 25

Cantwell joined teammates Reese Hoffa and Adam Nelson as the winners of the last three WC titles. “That’s a pretty good group,” he acknowledged. “It’s hard to find one country as good as we are. Even though we didn’t compete that well in Beijing, we’re still the best country in the world in the shot, there’s no doubt.

“It’s a legacy but it’s also a thing that every time you start back the next year, you think, ‘What are these other guys going to do?’ You can never rest because you never know what Reese or Adam will do, or Dan Taylor this season. That’s pretty deep for one country.”

Of Cantwell, Nelson said, “Christian is clearly one of the most talented and gifted individuals in our sport. He’s scary; we’ve created a monster. We don’t know what he can do, he has such awesome ability.”

Brett Halter, Cantwell’s college coach at Missouri who continues to mentor him as a pro, said of his pupil, “Obviously, I always thought he could be the top guy. He asked me on his first day on campus as a 19-year-old how far I thought he could throw.

I didn’t put a cap on his high end because that wouldn’t have been fair to him.

“But I did say that every record in the books could be in jeopardy. I still believe he is very capable of breaking the World Record [Randy Barnes’s 75-10¼/23.12 from ’90].

“He loves to compete; the bigger the competition, that’s where he wants to be. If the rest of the world understood what he has brought into meets as far as injuries, they would be scared to death of this man.”

Cantwell came to Berlin quasi-injured: he had bruised toes on his right foot after an official at the late-July London Grand Prix accidentally dropped a shot on it. Cantwell drolly pointed at Majewski when asked about the mishap.

“This guy did it,” said the American. The Pole wagged a finger and countered, “Noooo, not me.”

Halter said, “Christian will lose some toenails. But it’s all part of the adversity. I keep trying to beat him, at anything, but I can’t. If there was a game of tossing a tennis shoe into a trashcan, he’d find a way to win.

“He’s just an animal when it comes to competing. If you ask me if he’s the best shot putter to ever walk the planet, I absolutely believe that.”

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

Christian Cantwell finally got one of the titles many had expected him to win for the last five years.

The 6-6/320 (1.98/145) giant won the ’04 and ’08 World Indoor crowns, but didn’t make the U.S. team for Athens and had been edged out at in Beijing by another towering putter, Pole Tomasz Majewski. The odd-numbered years had seen him “It’s hard to find finish 5th at the ’05 Worlds, then not make the team in ’07. one country as So the 28-year-old Missouri good as we are” native used the opportune slot of opening the final’s throwing order to take a lead that lasted until Majewski took over in round 4, but Cantwell replied in the next stanza with a 72-3½ [22.03] that his rival couldn’t better.

“I knew I could hit one better than that first throw,” said the Missouri grad. “You never know what someone else is going to do. But I knew if I stayed within myself and just did what I was supposed to do, I could get one out there.

“Luckily, I ended up with the gold medal. It feels good to finally win one. Anytime you can win the World Championships, that’s the top, as high as you can go. You’re the world champion and that feels good.”

Cantwell admitted that a gold in Berlin wouldn’t wipe away the memory of being relegated to silver in Beijing as his final throw moved him up a place from 3rd but couldn’t overhaul Majewski.

“This will never wipe away that memory—and it’s not the type of memory I want wiped away,” he continued. “At the time, I was real disappointed but since then, I guess I’ve realized the important of a medal at the Olympics.

“Any medal, actually. At that time, I was disappointed but now I really cherish those memories.

Now this Worlds medal is another one to add to the collection and it feels good.”

Asked how he felt in his throwing, aggressive or relaxed, Cantwell replied, “It’s funny because people wondered what I was thinking on my fifth [winning] throw. I told myself to slow down and almost try to relax. I was rushing it before that and not getting the timing right at the front. I finally just slowed down and let the shot bend my fingers back.

“I had thrown 22.03 the past week in practice, so it wasn’t a distance I’m uncomfortable throwing. But in a championship, it’s really hard because of the qualifying the same day. And I didn’t sleep very well last night. So it’s a hard process. But I don’t need excitement to throw 22 meters [72-2¼], that’s for sure.”

November 2009 — 25

9/17/09 10:33:14 AM

hammer

Kozmus Topples Favored Pars

by Bob Hersh Krisztián Pars had the world’s leading mark (267-2/81.43) and seven of the top eight throws of the year coming in. The Olympic silver medalist also had a winning streak of 18 meets, and so he was the logical premeet choice.

The 27-year-old Hungarian had the best throw of the qualifying competition as well, topping all throwers with a toss of 258-2 (78.68).

But in the final, things went terribly wrong for the favorite. He threw 247-9 (75.51) as the first thrower in the first round, then fouled twice, barely making the cutoff of the top 8.

He improved to 254-1 (77.45) in round 4, but

JIRO MOCHIZUKI/PHOTO RUN

Kozmus needed only the second longestwinning toss ever

Ziółkowski, who was the ’00 Olympic gold medalist and the ’01 World champion in Edmonton.

The Pole’s silver gave him a complete set of WC medals, as he also took the bronze in Helsinki in ’05.

The bronze went to Russia’s Aleksey Zagornyi, whose final throw of 256-2 (78.09) knocked Pars off the podium.

Kozmus was delighted to become the first from his young nation ever to win a gold medal at the Worlds.

“It was a perfect day for me and my country,” he said. It was a day that was undoubtedly made easier by his Olympic success.

“I was more relaxed than in Beijing,” he explained.

“It is never easy to win gold, but it was easier for me personally to go out there and get the best out of myself.

I guess Beijing made me more confident of my ability.”

The results conNo stranger to winning big tinued the Eastern European domination titles, Thorkildsen got his first of the event. Of the in an odd-numbered year 36 medals awarded in the 12 WCs, all but the Olympic, World and European titles con5 have been won by throwers currently. from that region.

But he promises much more in the future The U.S. continued its with an emphasis on winning golds more than dismal record. Only two on breaking the great Jan Železný’s World Americans have ever gotten Record of 323-1 (98.48). past the qualifying round and When asked about chasing the WR he said, the last to do so was Lance “The Golden League and the major championDeal in ’95. ships are my priority. When you look at the stats there is always a lot of wind when people throw javelin long. No, my goal is to win titles.”

Guillermo Martínez surprised with a seasonal best 273-8 (83.43) in the first stanza for an early lead. His mark may have only held the top spot for one round but it would be

by Ben Hall good enough for silver. In the sixth frame the Throwing on the final afCuban mustered another seasonal best and ternoon after multiple exciting improved to 283-6 (86.41), still a full 10 feet throws competitions throughshort of the winner. out the prior 9 days, the men’s Yukifumi Murakami, an unheralded javelin fell flat.

29-year-old Japanese who had PRed at 272-8 Andreas Thorkildsen dom(83.10) in the qualifying, took advantage of the inated the field with a pair of lackluster throwing by the rest of the field with long throws in the big stadium that no one else his 272-2 (82.97) second round throw, which could approach. The 27-year-old Norwegian was good enough to garner the bronze. took only four throws but he needed only his Thorkildsen’s most consistent rival, defendsecond in order to win. ing champ Tero Pitkämäki of Finland, was After the favorite’s 293-11 (89.59) blast in unable to compete at the top of his game due the second round the rest of the field was again to the flu and finished 5th, a place behind Q fighting for the minor medals. leader Vadims Vasilevskis.

The win made him the first ever to hold

Thorkildsen Collecting Titles

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

then came two more fouls.

Meanwhile, Slovenian rival, Primož Kozmus, had four throws over 260-feet (79.24), his best of 265-3 (80.84) coming in the last round. Kozmus thus added the world title to the Olympic crown he had won last year in Beijing.

The silver medal went to Szymon 26 — November 2009

p26 (mHT-JT).indd 26

Track & Field News

9/17/09 12:29:03 PM

— Men’s Field Results — 1. Yaroslav Rybakov (Russia)..... 7-7¼ (2.32) (7-1¾, 7-3¾, 7-5¾ [2], 7-7¼, 7-8½ [xxx])

2. Kyriakos Ioannou (Cyprus).... 7-7¼ (2.32) (7-1¾, 7-3¾, 7-5¾ [3], 7-7¼, 7-8½ [xxx])

=3. Sylwester Bednarek (Pol)..... 7-7¼ (2.32) (7-1¾ [2], 7-3¾, 7-5¾ [2], 7-7¼ [2], 7-8½ [xxx])

=3. Raul Spank (Germany)......... 7-7¼ (2.32) (7-1¾, 7-3¾, 7-5¾ [3], 7-7¼ [2], 7-8½ [xxx]) 5. tie, Jaroslav Bába (CzR), Mickaël Hanany (Fra), Martijn Nuyens (Hol) & Linus Thörnblad (Swe) 7-3¾ (2.23); 9.

Andra Manson (US) 7-3¾; 10. Ivan Ukhov (Rus) 7-3¾; 11. tie, Giulio Ciotti (Ita) & Keith Moffatt (US) 7-3¾; 13. Kabelo Kgosiemang (Bot) 7-1¾ (2.18). qualifying (August 19) Hanany, Ioannou, Kgosiemang, Manson, Spank, Thörnblad, & Ukhov cleared 7-6½ (=highest qualifier ever), others 7-5¼/2.27 without a miss.

Notable non-qualifiers: [7-5¼/2.27]—de Lima (Bra) & Thomas (Bah); [7-4¼/2.24]—Harris (US), Krymarenko (Ukr) & Tereshin (Rus).

pole vault (August 22) 1. Steve Hooker (Australia)...19-4¼ (5.90) (19-2¼ [xp], 19-4¼, 19-6¼ [p])

2. Romain Mesnil (France)....19-2¼ (5.85) (18-½, 18-6½, 18-10¼ [xp], 19-¼, 19-2¼, 19-4¼ [xp], 19-6¼ [xx])

3. Renaud Lavillenie (Fra).......19-¼ (5.80) (18-½, 18-6½, 18-10¼ [3], 19-¼, 19-2¼ [xp], 19-4¼ [xp], 19-6¼ [x]) 4. Maksym Mazuryk (Ukr) 18-10¼ (5.75); 5. Aleksandr Gripich (Rus) 18-10¼ PR; 6. Damiel Dossévi (Fra) 18-10¼ =PR; 7. tie, Giuseppe Gibilisco (Ita), Steven Lewis (GB) & Alexander Straub (Ger) 18-6½ (5.65); 10. tie, Viktor Chistiakov (Rus), Daichi Sawano (Jpn), Alhaji Jeng (Swe) & Kevin Rans (Bel) 18-½ (5.50); 14. Malte Mohr (Ger) 18-½; … nh[18-½]—Derek Miles (US).

QUALIFYING (August 20) Notable non-qualifiers: (qualifiers cleared 18-2½/5.55 without a miss, or 18-6½/5.65): [18-2½/5.55]—Otto (Ger), Pavlov (Rus), Scott (US); [17-8½/5.40]—Olhovsky (Isr), Rovan (Slo), Stevenson (US).

4. Leevan Sands (Bah) 56-10 (17.32) (56-5¼, 56-½, 55-7¾, 55-11¼, 56-10, 55‑9); 5. David Giralt (Cub) 56-7½ (17.26) (56-7½, 56-4½, f, 56-4¾, 55-9¾, 55-11¾); 6. Yanxi Li (Chn) 56-6½ (17.23) (55-7½, 55-6¼, 46-8¼, 56-6½, f, 54-11½); 7. Igor Spasovkhodskiy (Rus) 55-5¾ (16.91); 8. Jadel Gregório (Bra) 55-5 (16.89); 9. Momchil Karailiev (Bul) 55-2¼ (16.82); 10. Nathan Douglas (GB) 55-1 (16.79); 11.

Teddy Tamgho (Fra) 55-1 (16.79); 12. Dmitrij Val’ukevič (Svk) 54-3¼ (16.54).

(255-3, 293-11, 291-10, f, p, p)

2. Guillermo Martínez (Cub).... 283-6 (86.41) (273-8, 273-3, 256-7, 253-6, p, 283-6)

3. Yukifumi Murakami (Jpn)..272-2 (82.97)

QUALIFYING (August 16) Notable non-qualifiers (55-7¾/16.96 qualified): Achike (GB) & Roulhac (US) 55-7 (16.94), Schembri (Ita) 55‑4¾ (16.88), Betanzos (Cub) 55-¼ (16.77), Lewis (Grn) 54‑10¾ (16.73), Davis (US) 54-6½ (16.62), Bell (US) 53-6½ (16.32).

(249-4, 272-2, f, f, p, 255-7) 4. Vadims Vasilevskis (Lat) 270-3 (82.37) (f, 269-2, f, f, f, 270-3); 5. Tero Pitkämäki (Fin) 268-8 (81.90) (268-8, 266‑2, 264-1, f, 263-0, 266-2); 6. Antti Ruuskanen (Fin) 268-7 (81.87) (247-3, 248-3, 268-7, 258-0, f, 265-4); 7. Ainars Kovals (Lat) 267-6 (81.54); 8. Mark Frank (Ger) 266-9 (81.32); 9. Teemu Wirkkala (Fin) 261-10 (79.82); 10.

Petr Frydrych (CzR) 260-1 (79.29); 11. Tero Järvenpää (Fin) 247-11 (75.57); 12. Sean Furey (US) 244-5 (74.51).

shot (August 15) 1. Christian Cantwell (US)...72-3½ (22.03) (WL, AL) (70-8, 67-11¾, 69-0, 69-7, 72-3½, p)

QUALIFYING (August 21) Notable non-qualifiers (258-2/78.69 qualified): Makarov (Rus) 258‑2 (78.68), Farquhar (NZ) 257‑7 (78.53), Olteán (Hun) 257-5 (78.46), Kukk (Est) 256-6 (78.18), Hazle (US) 256-5 (78.17), Ivanov (Rus) 255-11 (78.00), Hill (US) 253-1 (77.14), Rags (Lat) 250-1 (76.23), Janik (Pol) 246-9 (75.20).

2. Tomasz Majewski (Pol)..71-10¾ (21.91) (70-1, 69-6¼, 68-3, 71-1½, 71-10¾, 69-6)

3. Ralf Bartels (Ger).. 70-1½ (21.37) out PR (66-9¼, 66-2½, 70-1½, 68-3, 68-8½, 69‑6¾) 4. Reese Hoffa (US) 69-9¾ (21.28) (68-11¾, f, 68‑8¾, 69-4¼, 68-9¾, 69‑9¾); 5. Adam Nelson (US) 69-3¼ (21.11) (69-3¼, 68-8, f, f, f, f); 6. Pavel Lyzhin (Blr) 68-10 (20.98) PR; 7. Andrei Mikhnevich (Blr) 68-½ (20.74); 8. Miroslav Vodovnik (Slo) 67-3¼ (20.50); 9. Hamza Alić (Bos) 65-7½ (20.00); 10. Pavel Sofyin (Rus) 65-3¼ (19.89); 11. Carl Myerscough (GB) 60-5¼ (18.42);… 3f— Peter Sack (Ger).

QUALIFYING (August 15) Notable non-qualifiers (65-11½/20.10 qualified): Alhabashi (Sau) 65-9 (20.04), Anlezark (Aus) 65-5 (19.94), Armstrong (Can) 65-2 (19.86), Martínez (Spa) 64-11½ (19.80), Martin (Aus) 64-½ (19.52), Taylor (US) 63-7½ (19.39), Storl (Ger) 62-11½ (19.19), Mulabegović (Cro) 62-10 (19.15).

Discus (August 19) 1. Robert Harting (Ger)...227-9 (69.43) PR (223-11, 219-11, 222-5, f, 222-5, 227-9)

2. Piotr Małachowski (Pol)......226-10 (69.15) NR (225-7 NR, 223-3, 219-10, f, 226-10, 220‑10) (216-3, 215-4, f, 219-5, 217-4, 214-8)

1. Dwight Phillips (US)............28-¼ (8.54) (27-6¾, 28-¼, 27-5½, 27-¾, p, f)

2. Godfrey Mokoena (S Afr)..27-9½ (8.47) (f, 27-9½, 27-3¼, 26-10½, f, f)

3. Mitchell Watt (Australia)....27-5½ (8.37) (27-2, f, f, f, 27-5½, f) 4. Fabrice Lapierre (Aus) 26-11¼ (8.21) (26-11¼, 25-6, 26-10½, f, 26-11¼, 26-11); 5. Greg Rutherford (GB) 26-9¾ (8.17); 6. Salim Sdiri (Fra) 26-5¾ (8.07); 7. Gable Garenamotse (Bot) 26-5½ (8.06); 8. Chris Tomlinson (GB) 26-5½; 9. Brian Johnson (US) 25-9½ (7.86); 10.

Yahya Berrabah (Mor) 25-8¼ (7.83); 11. Loúis Tsátoumas (Gre) 24-11 (7.59); … 3f—Irving Saladino (Pan).

4. Virgilijus Alekna (Lit) 217-8 (66.36) (217-8, 217-7, 215-6, 211-8, 217-4, f); 5. Casey Malone (US) 216-9 (66.06) (208-8, 202-0, 215-4, 212-9, 216-6, 216-9); 6. Zoltán Kövágó (Hun) 213-9 (65.17); 7. Bogdan Pishchalnikov (Rus) 213-4 (65.02); 8. Gerhard Mayer (Aut) 207-3 (63.17); 9. Omar El Ghazaly (Egy) 206-1 (62.83); 10. Mario Pestano (Spa) 205-11 (62.76); 11. Jarred Rome (US) 204-11 (62.47); 12. Frantz Kruger (Fin) 196-1 (59.77).

QUALIFYING (August 18) Notable non-qualifiers (204-4/62.29 qualified): Tammert (Est) 204-2 (62.24), Waltz (US) 203-6 (62.04), Harradine (Aus) 202-7 (61.74), Casañas (Spa) 200-5 (61.10), Schärer (Swi) 191-11 (58.50).

QUALIFYING (August 20) Notable non-qualifiers: (26-3½/8.01 qualified): Evilä (Fin) & Li (Chn) 26-3½ (8.01), Al-Sabee (Sau) 26-2¾ (7.99), Bayer (Ger) 26-2¼ (7.98), Lukashevych (Ukr) 25-10 (7.87), Novotný (CzR) 25-9½ (7.86), Camejo (Cub) 25-3½ (7.71), Al Khuwalidi (Sau) 25-1¾ (7.66), Pate (US) 24-11¾ (7.61).

hammer (August 17)

Triple jump (August 18)

3. Aleksey Zagornyi (Rus) 256-2....(78.09)

1. Phillips Idowu (GB)...58-2 (17.73) (WL) out PR (57-5½, 57-2¾, 58-2, f, f, f);

2. Nelson Évora (Portugal).....57-7 (17.55) (57-6½, f, 57-¼, f, 56-10¼, 57-7)

3. Alexis Copello (Cuba)...56-11½ (17.36) (55-11¾, 56-4¾, 48-7½, f, 55-11, 56-11½)

p27 (mFieldMagate).indd 27

1. Andreas Thorkildsen (Nor)...293-11 (89.59)

3. Gerd Kanter (Estonia)......219-5 (66.88)

Long Jump (August 22)

The Bible Of The Sport

Javelin (August 23)

mark shearman

High jump (August 21)

QUALIFYING (August 15) Notable non-qualifiers (247-4/75.38 qualified): Al-Zinkawi (Kuw) 246-5 (75.10), Melich (CzR) 244-4 (74.47), Freeman (US) 243-5 (74.19), Karjalainen (Fin) 243-1 (74.09), Sokolovs (Lat) 242-8 (73.97), Mai (US) 238-1 (72.58), Kruger (US) 230-3 (70.19), Rubanko (Ukr) 229-0 (69.81).

1. Primož Kozmus (Slo)........265-3 (80.84) (246-6, 261-7, 253-3, 260-1, 262-11, 265‑3)

2. Szymon Ziółkowski (Pol) 260-2..(79.30) (254-1, 260-2, 255-5, 254-9, 256-2, 252-3) (249-8, f, 254-0, f, 246-5, 256-2) 4. Krisztián Pars (Hun) 254-1 (77.45) (247-9, f, f, 254‑1, f, f); 5. Sergej Litvinov (Ger) 251-3 (76.58); 6. Markus Esser (Ger) 250-2 (76.27); 7. András Haklits (Cro) 250-2 (76.26); 8. Pavel Kryvitskiy (Blr) 249-4 (76.00); 9. Nicola Vizzoni (Ita) 241-9 (73.70); 10. Libor Charfreitag (Svk) 238-3 (72.63); 11. Dilshod Nazarov (Tjk) 235-2 (71.69); … 3f—Igor Vinichenko (Rus).

Idowu picked a good time for the first outdoor 58-footer of his career November 2009 — 27

11/30/09 12:16:28 PM

ERROL ANDERSON/THE SPORTING IMAGE

decathlon

Hardee In Command

by Brian Russell The table had been set for Trey Hardee. With reigning Olympic gold medalist/’05 Worlds winner Bryan Clay out injured, U.S. champion Hardee had the chance to overcome the disappointment of Beijing, where he had no-heighted in the vault while in 4th. The Texas grad took full advantage.

After two events out of the lead, Hardee stormed back with the only sub-14 flight of hurdles

100 Meters: The 25-year-old Hardee began with an excellent 10.45, with teammate Ashton Eaton next at 10.53. Beijing silver medalist Leonel Suárez (11.13) and defender Roman Šebrle (11.16) were well back.

1. Hardee 987; 2. Eaton 968; 3. García 952; 4. Kasyanov 945; 5. Díaz 938; 6. Bouraada 933; 7. Raja 901; 8. Sysoev 894; 9. Coertzen 885; 10. Vos 883;… 13. Pogorelov 872;… 26. Suárez 832.

Long Jump: Hardee spanned an outdoor PR 25-8¼ (7.83), giving him a 14-point edge over Eaton’s eventleading 25-9¼ (7.85). Oregon’s NCAA champ slipped back from that point while Hardee forged ahead.

1. Hardee 2004; 2. Eaton 1990; 3. Kasyanov 1955; 4. Díaz 1928; 5. Šebrle 1835; 6. Bouraada 1831; 7. Raja 1806; 8. Pogorelov 1804; 9. Kravchenko 1786; 10. García 1778;… 23. Suárez 1703.

Shot: Hardee hit nearly a 2-foot PR with a 50-3½ (15.33) effort, only to have two prime challengers also get lifetime best. Russian Aleksandr Pogorelov led the event with 547½ (16.65) in moving to 3rd. Ukraine’s Oleksiy Kasyanov moved up a slot to 2nd thanks to his 51-7 (15.72). Suárez (49-10½/15.20) climbed nine places to 14th.

1. Hardee 2814; 2. Kasyanov 2789; 3. Pogorelov 2695; 4. Díaz 2689; 5. Šebrle 2623; 6. Eaton 2612; 7. García 2577; 8. Raja 2568; 9. Behrenbruch 2550; 10. Müller 2541;… 14. Suárez 2505.

High Jump: Hardee’s 6-6¼ (1.99) matched his height at USATF, but Kasyanov (6-8¾/2.05) took over by 31 points. Šebrle scaled 6-11 (2.11) to move to 4th, while Suárez in 9th (also 6-11) continued to climb.

1. Kasyanov 3639; 2. Hardee 3608; 3. Pogorelov 3573; 4. Šebrle 3529; 5. Díaz 3511; 6. García 3455; 7. Eaton 3434; 8. Kravchenko 3418; 9. Suárez 3411; 10. Wiberg 3383;

400 Meters: Third Cuban Yunior Díaz sped a 46.15 PR to jump from 5th to a shortlived 2nd. Kasyanov ran 47.85 in the same heat to claim the lead by 43 points. Hardee clocked his season’s best 48.13 to trail Díaz by a mere point. Eaton was third-fastest overall at 47.75 to end Day 1 in 5th.

Said Hardee, “I came out like a cannon in the first three events. Pointwise, I have to be happy with where I am and I’m looking forward to an exciting second day.”

1. Kasyanov 4555; 2. Díaz 4512; 3. Hardee 4511; 4. Pogorelov 4375; 5. Eaton 4355; 6. García 4348; 7. Šebrle 4324; 8. Suárez 4320; 9. Kravchenko 4290; 10. Wiberg 4257.

110 Hurdles: Hardee roared to the only sub-14 time, a 13.86 for his second-fastest time ever and a 31-point margin ahead of Kasyanov.

1. Hardee 5504; 2. Kasyanov 5473; 3. Díaz 5415; 4.

Pogorelov 5325; 5. García 5312; 6. Eaton 5294; 7.

Kravchenko 5248; 8. Šebrle 5242; 9. Suárez 5237; 10.

Behrenbruch 5191.

Discus: A 157-9 (48.08) toss padded Hardee’s lead to 59 over Kasyanov, while Pogorelov moved up a spot to 3rd. Eaton dropped out of the top 10.

1. Hardee 6334; 2. Kasyanov 6275; 3. Pogorelov 6163; 4. Díaz 6151; 5. García 6066; 6. Šebrle 6036; 7. Behrenbruch 6021; 8. Suárez 5998; 9. Sysoev 5994; 10.

Kravchenko 5958.

28 — November 2009

p28 (mDec).indd 28

Pole Vault: His Waterloo event in Beijing, the vault turned out to be huge for Hardee here. He cleared his first five heights on first try, eventually topping an event-leading 17-¾ (5.20) to boost his margin to 182. Suárez continued his inexorable rise, moving to 6th.

Decathlon (August 19–20) “After the disappointment of the 1. Trey Hardee (US)............... 8790 (WL, AL) Olympics, making my first bar [15-5/4.70] (9, x W; 3, x A) was just a huge weight being lifted off my (10.45, 25-8¼/7.83, 50-3½/15.33, 6-6¼/1.99, 48.13 [4511—3], shoulders,” said Hardee.

13.86, 157-9/48.08, 17-/5.20, 223-1/68.00, 4:48.91 [4279]); 2. Leonel Suárez (Cuba)...................... 8640 (11.13, 23-9/7.24, 49-10½/15.20, 6-11/2.11, 48.00 [4320—8], 14.45, 146-8/44.71, 16-4¾/5.00, 246-8/75.19, 4:27.25 [4320]);

3. Aleksandr Pogorelov (Russia). 8528 PR (10.95, 24-7/7.49, 54-7½/16.65, 6-9¾/2.08, 50.27 [4375—4], 14.19, 159-0/48.46, 16-8¾/5.10, 209-9/63.95, 4:48.70 [4153]); 4. Oleksiy Kasyanov (Ukr) 8479 PR (10.63, 25-7¼/7.80, 51-7/15.72, 6-8¾/2.05, 47.85 [4555—1], 14.44, 153-2/46.70, 15-9/4.80, 160-9/49.00, 4:24.52 [3924]); 5. Alexey Sysoev (Rus) 8454 (10.85, 22-6½/6.87, 53-¾/16.17, 6-7½/2.02, 49.32 [4207—14], 14.97, 173-11/53.03, 16-8¾/5.10, 211-9/64.55, 4:34.97 [4247]); 6. Pascal Behrenbruch (Ger) 8439 PR (10.92, 23-3¼/7.09, 51-9/15.77, 6-7½/2.02, 48.72 [4247—11], 14.24, 157-8/48.06, 15-9/4.80, 228-9/69.72, 4:39.45 [4192]); 7. Nicklas Wiberg (Swe) 8406 NR (10.96, 23-9½/7.25, 49-2¼/14.99, 6-8¾/2.05, 48.73 [4257—10], 14.75, 138-8/42.28, 14-9/4.50, 246-1/75.02, 4:17.05 [4149]); 8. Yordani García (Cub) 8387 (10.60, 23-1¾/7.05, 49-8½/15.15, 6-9¾/2.08, 48.34 [4348—6], 14.08, 145-8/44.40, 15-5/4.70, 227-7/69.37, 4:49.45 [4039]); 9. Yunior Díaz (Cub) 8357 PR; 10. Andrei Kravchenko (Blr) 8281; 11. Roman Šebrle (CzR) 8266; 12. Romain Barras (Fra) 8204; 13. Larbi Bouraada (Alg) 8171 NR; 14. Willem Coertzen (SA) 8146 NR; 15. Andres Raja (Est) 8119 PR; 16. Müller (Ger) 8096; 17. Kharlamov (Rus) 8065; 18. Eaton (US) 8061; 19. Martineau (Hol) 8055; 20. Vos (Hol) 8009 PR; 21.

Karpov (Kaz) 7952; 22. El Fassi (Fra) 7922; 23. Newdick (NZ) 7915 PR; 24. Arnold (US) 7837; … dnf—Smith (Jam) (1).

1. Hardee 7306; 2. Kasyanov 7124; 3. Pogorelov 7104; 4. Díaz 6941; 5. Sysoev 6935; 6. Suárez 6908; 7. García 6885; 8. Behrenbruch 6870; 9. Kravchenko 6838; 10. Šebrle 6826.

Javelin: Hardee’s 223-1 (68.00)—a PR by nearly 13 feet—extended his lead to 264 points over Pogorelov. That was just part 3 of a trio of PRs which found the hot Hardee hitting 214-0 (65.22) and 219-4 (66.86) before his final toss.

A monster 246-8 (75.19) event leader by Suarez catapulted him into 3rd as Kasyanov slipped to 7th.

1. Hardee 8165; 2. Pogorelov 7901; 3. Suárez 7877; 4. García 7765; 5. Behrenbruch 7755; 6. Sysoev 7742; 7. Kasyanov 7698; 8. Díaz 7680; 9. Šebrle 7649; 10.

Kravchenko 7587.

1500 Meters: With a commanding 264-point lead, Hardee only had to finish the final event. He ran 4:48.91 to cap a world-leading 8790, a 256-point PR boost from his 8534 at last year’s Trials.

The battle for 2nd saw Suárez time 4:27.25 to total 8640 in 2nd ahead of the 8528 PR by Pogorelov (4:48.70). Kasyanov (4:24.52) also PRed at 8479 in 4th.

Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:34:04 AM

Hardee started his ’09 multi-event season in a big way, finishing 2nd in the prestigious Götzis meet with 8518 points, just 18 points shy of his ’08 PR. “That was the biggest confidence booster I could possibly get,” he said of his performance in Austria. “In my first meet EVEN BEFORE RECEIVING his gold medal, Trey Hardee got a at the Texas Relays, I strained a hamstring pretty badly. I didn’t do couple of other rewards. First, he was tossed into the air by some of much training or competing for six weeks. his 10-event compatriots, a ceremony befitting a conquering hero.

“We went to Götzis just to test out things and I almost PRed. That Then during the en masse victory lap of all the decathletes, the set the tone for the rest of the summer. And I trained right through 25-year-old Alabama-born star stopped on the backstretch to accept USAs. After the confidence from Götzis, we knew we could really a homemade “gold medal” from some Swiss fans. put the hammer down in trainThe imitation award, made ing and wouldn’t have to do of cardboard colored gold and Sneaking in a little hook ’em Horns anything special to make the hanging from a blue string, was team. Just do things right and still around Hardee’s neck as he train for Worlds and I’d be talked to the media. ready to go.”

“This will do until I get the The day after his Berlin win, real thing,” he said, smiling. at the Track & Field News Tour Then his voice turned serious as luncheon, Hardee clarified he continued, “I’m very grateful what was the turning point for and humbled. I’ve said before that him. “I said last night it was the things happen for a reason. I’m 100 start,” he smiled, “but really very honored. it was the vault. Making that “The people who have been first height was huge. I went put in my life, for whatever reason, to my coach Mario Sategna and I feel I represented them well. I we felt like were one big step closer.” competed to the best of my ability and I had a good time doing it. I Hardee said the feeling of camaraderie among the decathletes was can’t ask for anything more.” reflected by the toss in the air and the communal victory lap. “The A major thing that happened “for a reason” was Hardee’s no-height decathlon is a battle,” he said. “You don’t compete directly against in the vault—echoing what had happened to the Collegiate Record the other guys, but more against yourself. Your mind, emotions, the holder at the ’06 NCAA—that led to his withdrawal from last year’s elements, the scoring tables.

Olympic decathlon. He said, “Berlin wouldn’t be nearly as sweet “When it’s all done, you’re brothers, friends for life. That camawithout Beijing. That was great, unbelievable motivation. All last fall raderie is unlike anything else in sports.” /Jon Hendershott/ and this season, my mental preparation was driven by that.”

Hardee & His Band Of Brothers

TONY DUFFY/THE SPORTING IMAGE

LATEST VERSION RECOUNTS THE FABULOUS JAMAICAN ACCOMPLISHMENTS AT THE BEIJING OLYMPICS Judge Patrick Robinson has revised his work on Jamaican track & field to incorporate all the great achievements in Beijing by Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Shelly-Ann Fraser, Melaine Walker, et al. It is essentially a new book, with vivid photographs of elite athletes and rising stars, while paying due tribute to Jamaican triumphs of the past.

It’s a beautiful, informative volume, one that belongs in the library of every fan. 140pp., well illustrated. 2009.

Jamaican Athletics: A Model For the World is available @ $29.95 per copy from Track & Field News, 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 606, Mountain View, CA 94040. Add $2.95/ copy shipping/handling for US delivery ($12 for foreign delivery). Calif. residents add 8¼% sales tax ($2.47).

The Bible Of The Sport

p29 (Hardee).indd 29

November 2009 — 29

9/17/09 10:35:52 AM

CLAUS ANDERSEN

women’s 100 meters

Fraser Confirms

way back at 11.00.

The stage was now set for what appeared on paper to be just a great final. But if you did not hail from the U.S. or the Caribbean, you did not belong in this one.

Four Jamaicans would come to the line with two Americans and two Bahamians. A situation like this with representation from only three countries had never occurred in a WC sprint final for the women.

The only other time this happened at all was Athens ’97, where just the U.S., Uganda and Britain were represented in the men’s 400 final.

The Jamaicans occupied lanes 1 (Bailey), 3 (Fraser) 4 (Stewart) and 6 (Campbell-Brown.)

Bahamians Debbie Ferguson McKenzie and Chandra Sturrup were in 2 and 7. This left 5 for Jeter and 8 for Williams.

As in Beijing, Fraser reacted in specFraser was tacular fashion to the gun, drove out low and already ecstasy had a visible edge at 2 meters. personified at She would not be chalthe century’s lenged until the end of the race but by then it was too finish late for Stewart.

Fraser led by 0.08 at the 60-meter mark and by 0.05 at 80. It appeared that her rival was making up some ground as she closed to 0.02 at the

by Scott Davis end, but the blistering start was too much to Make no mistake about it. Shelly-Ann Fraser overcome. Fraser’s 10.73 was the fastest legal came to Berlin to prove her Olympic gold last mark in 10 years. Stewart equaled her PR at year was no fluke. And from the get-go, her 10.75. Jeter captured the bronze but after stayproof was certainly brilliant in its beauty and ing close to Stewart for the first half, was really simplicity. never in the race.

No major surprises occurred in the first two Fraser was extremely happy, saying, “I knew rounds, even though U.S. champ Carmelita I had to work on my start if I was going to have Jeter bested Fraser in the quarters, 10.94–11.02. a good race. I knew after the semi-final race It was clear that Fraser was running simply that I could run faster. I left the whole world to qualify. behind me on the track down there tonight. I In the first semi, Fraser lined up in lane 6 wanted to win very badly and I had a great with teammate Kerron Stewart in 4. The ’05 start and I executed the race well.” champ, Lauryn Williams, was between the JaSaid Stewart, “I am happy with the silver. maican pair. Fraser had a fantastic start and led It is not what I wanted but I gave it everything wire-to-wire; she recorded her second-fastest I had. I knew Shelly would have a very quick time ever, 10.79. Stewart was 2nd (10.84) with start. We all had a chance to win but if someone Williams far back in 3rd (11.01), which turned is going to beat you with a 10.73, you can’t out to be a seasonal best for her. worry about it too much.”

The second had the dangerous Jeter in lane Said Jeter, “I just got left in the blocks, that’s 4 with defending champ Veronica Campbellall. I was pleased to get on the podium. There Brown in 3. Jeter had only the No. 4 reaction is no bad blood between the Jamaicans and us time but quickly took the lead at the 20-meter at all. Right now, they are dominant. But there mark and the race was never in doubt. She is more for me to come next year.” recorded a PR 10.83 with Campbell-Brown

30 — November 2009

p30 (w100-200).indd 30

200 METERS

Felix Gets Her 3-Peat

by Scott Davis Winning three WC titles in a row is quite a feat, with few ever having achieved it (see sidebar). Such was the challenge for America’s Allyson Felix.

After winning the last two golds, the 23-year-old Californian came to Berlin fully prepared to do what was needed, and did it.

A smaller-than-expected entry found the event scratched down from four rounds to three, but even with that, nobody of note was lost in the heats.

In the first semi, Bahamian Debbie Ferguson McKenzie led wire-to-wire to win in 22.24. Twotime Olympic champ/main Felix nemesis Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica, finished 2nd.

Disaster struck American Marshevet Hooker, however, as she clutched her left hamstring 80 meters in and fell to the track in pain.

In the second, Felix ran easily to win in 22.44. Jamaica’s Anneisha McLaughlin finished 2nd in a PR 22.55.

Then it was American Muna Lee’s turn in the third and she responded with a seasonal best 22.30, beating Jamaica’s Simone Facey by a whopping 0.28.

So the final was set, and in similar fashion to the 100, six of the runners hailed from the U.S., Jamaica or the Bahamas.

Lee drew lane 3, with Ferguson McKenzie in 4, Campbell-Brown in 5 and Felix in 6. Felix had captured the Olympic silver behind CampbellBrown in ’04 and ’08; would she gain a measure of revenge here once again as in Osaka?

Rain threatened to cause some problems, but by race time, it had stopped. The track was fairly dry as the event got off about a half hour behind the original schedule, but the heat of the previous days had completely given way to downright coolness, the thermometer reading only 63 (17C).

At the gun, Felix and Campbell-Brown were out best, the Jamaican being ahead at 50 meters, 6.19–6.25. Felix moved well in the second half of the turn, however, and had cut the gap to 0.02 (11.14–11.16) at the halfway point.

From there Felix just began to flow away, covering the third 50-meter segment 0.14 faster than her rival so was well up at the 150, 16.37–16.49. The gap just continued to grow and at the finish VCB was 0.33 behind Felix’s 22.02.

Lee held on to 3rd with 20 meters to go but was run down by 33-year-old ’01 gold medalist Ferguson McKenzie for the bronze, 22.41–22.48.

Said the ecstatic Felix, who had set her PR of 21.81 in winning the ’07 title in Osaka, “To be a 3-time champion is fantastic. To win in this historic stadium is really great. The weather conditions were certainly not the best as you could tell by the times.”

Campbell-Brown said, “I have had a lot of ups and downs this season. I missed six weeks of training this year so considering all of this, I am very happy with the silver.”

Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:37:00 AM

The Elite 3-Win Club

CLAUS ANDERSEN

Allyson Felix moved into elite WC company as she became the first woman runner to win the same event three times in a row.

Maria Mutola (800) and Gail Devers (100H) won a trio of titles, but not consecutively.

A pair of field eventers have scored three straight victories— Astrid Kumbernuss (SP) and Carolina Klüft (heptathlon)—while Franka DiFelix would etzsch took three discus crowns nonconsecutively.

Remarkably, though, Felix sped to her golden trio by the age of 23, the youngest of any of the triple-title claimants (Klüft won her third in Osaka at 24).

“Three times is very special,” said Felix. “Each one is different, but they all definitely mean a great deal. For the third one to take place in this stadium, where there has been so much history…

“To me, Jesse Owens means so much.

He was so courageous during such a difficult time and accomplished so much for us. I’m forever grateful. I don’t think I could have asked for anything more.”

Well, maybe one “small” item. Asked how it has been to battle Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown since the ’04 Olympics, Felix replied, “We’ve been racing back and forth for a long time and every time I race Veronica, she brings out the best in me.”

Then Felix added with a nervous laugh, “But I’d love to trade my three Worlds golds for just one of her Olympic golds.” Felix, of course, finished 2nd to the Jamaican in the last two Olympic half-lap finals.

Campbell-Brown only smiled and made no offers to swap awards.

Asked if she was serious about trading, Felix again smiled as she replied, “Of course, I am.”

Then she added more seriously, “Beijing definitely was a disappointment not to reach my goals, but I also feel I’m blessed. God is good. I’m blessed for those experiences.

“I’ve learned a lot, but that’s in the past and now I trade for an Oly gold just want to go forward. This win definitely is special and it begins the healing process and going on up from here.”

The Berlin time was slightly disappointing, she admitted: “I definitely would like to have run faster, but I think the conditions played a role. And our warm-up got interrupted.

But I really just focused on going after the win.

“I definitely felt Veronica coming up on me, but I was very confident in my strength coming home. I feel that’s my strong point and that’s what I liked about the race.

“Now I’m looking forward to the future, going ahead from here and focusing on the next Olympics. I’m definitely happy tonight and couldn’t ask for anything more.” /Jon Hendershott/

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November 2009 — 31

9/17/09 10:37:42 AM

400 meters

A Relieved Richards Finally Gets Gold

by Phil Minshull After so many disappointments on the global stage—think Helsinki, Osaka & Beijing—Sanya Richards finally got the gold medal she deserved after being the world’s dominant runner over one lap of the track for the last five summers.

Richards, having modified her training this year under the guidance of coach Clyde Hart to give her more in reserve over the second furlong, had a clear lead of 3 meters coming off the final bend but still had enough gas in the tank to power down the home straight and finish in 49.00, her fastest time since her American Record 48.70 ’06.

Shericka Williams, running in lane 4 with Richards inside her having made up the stagger by 250, was able to change gear as well and chased hard over the final 90 but the Jamaican couldn’t close the gap although the Oly silver medalist was rewarded with a PR 49.32.

“I’m on top of the world right now,” said

The Burden Comes Off For Richards

the top two when the hammer went down and was floundering so badly in the final meters that she was almost caught on the line by ‘07 bronze medallist Novlene Williams-Mills.

Christine Ohuruogu, after winning Commonwealth, World and Olympic gold medals in consecutive years, made a spirited defense of her title but a recent hamstring problem that had troubled her during June and July meant she was short of racing.

Having only run 51.14 ahead of arriving in Berlin, the Briton improved to 50.35 in her semi and then 50.21 in the final but she had to settle for 5th.

USATF champs runner-up Debbie Dunn, at 31 the oldest in the final, ran 50.35 for 6th after clocking a massive PR of 49.95 in her semi.

A super-hot race in the final was on the cards after the semis which saw five women go under 50 seconds, something that’s never happened before, not even in the days of the old EastBloc dominance.

year. Now to have that lifted off my shoulders will make it a lot easier to run well at majors moving forward.”

Father Archie added, “We all told Sanya that she could focus and be mentally strong.

The greatest catalyst for that was how fast she ran early in the season. That really boosted her confidence.”

Asked if having to wait for so long to win a title makes this one more special, Richards—still only 24—said, “I would have loved to win the Olympics and prior Worlds, but I definitely think sometimes you have to learn things to grow. I’ve been through a lot and learned a lot and I feel I’m a much better athlete because of it.” /Jon Hendershott/

MARK SHEARMAN

“Yes, finally!” Sanya Richards said with a wide smile after decisively shedding the can’t-win-a-major-title albatross.

“This year, I’ve had a really good time,” said the Austin resident. “I was very confident in my race and in my race strategy. The rounds went just as I hoped. I enjoyed every step around the track in the final and I’m just thrilled to be a world champion.”

Richards said earlier this season that she felt she put too much pressure on herself in past championship seasons, stress that caused her to tighten up in the title race.

She said, “I got really consistent early this year so I felt very confident in my race. I didn’t have much doubt coming into Berlin. I had run under 50.0 five times, so I felt very confident in my race.

“Also this year I handled my illness [Behçet’s Disease], so I was able to work out with more intensity. It flared up a little at this meet, which I expected since it can come up when I’m stressed. But I didn’t let it get in my mind; it didn’t get in my way. I was in much better shape this year and able to run my season’s best when it counted.”

Richards revealed, “The ‘hasn’twon-a-title’ thing was becoming more and more of a challenge. I just had to tell myself that this was going to be my

Richards. “To finally get it right at a major championship and also run a world-leading time, it means the world to me. I’m so happy I can finally call myself a world champion.

“I knew I was going to have to run this sort of time to get the gold. In fact, I talked about this last night with coach Hart and I thought I might even have to run in the 48s as Shericka had run so well in the semi with a 49.5. I knew she’d come out and run really well, and she did,” she added.

“In truth, I was sorta hoping to run under 49 but I don’t care about that right now. I did it in front of my entire family. They are all here; my mom, my dad, my sister, my aunt. Now we’re going to party!”

Bronze went to new find Antonina Krivoshapka in 49.71. She wasn’t quite in the sort of form that took her to 49.29 in the Russian Champs but she held 2nd, half-a-stride ahead of Williams on her inside, with 100 to go.

However, Krivoshapka couldn’t stay with

32 — November 2009

p32 (w400-Richards).indd 32

Richards ran well clear of the other two medalists

Track & Field News

9/17/09 10:38:30 AM

— Women’s Track Results 1 — 100 meters (August 17; wind +0.1)

800 meters (August 19)

1. Shelly-Ann Fraser (Jamaica)..10.73 (WL)

1. Caster Semenya (S Africa)..1:55.45 NR

(=3, x W; 2, 2 WC)

2. Kerron Stewart (Jamaica).... 10.75 =PR (=6, x W)

3. Carmelita Jeter (US)..................... 10.90 4. Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jam) 10.95; 5. Lauryn Williams (US) 11.01; 6. Debbie Ferguson McKenzie (Bah) 11.05; 7. Chandra Sturrup (Bah) 11.05; 8. Aleen Bailey (Jam) 11.16. semis (August 17) I(-0.1)–1. Fraser 10.79 (fastest WC semi ever); 2. Stewart 10.84; 3. Williams 11.01; 4. Ferguson McKenzie 11.03; 5.

Baptiste (Tri) 11.07; 6. Sailer (Ger) 11.24; 7. Harrigan (BVI) 11.34; 8. Hutchinson (Tri) 11.58.

II(-0.1)–1. Jeter 10.83 PR (AL) (9, x A); 2. CampbellBrown 11.00; 3. Sturrup 11.01; 4. Bailey 11.16; 5. Lee (US) 11.18; 6. Anim (Gha) 11.43; 7. Hackett (Tri) 11.45; 8.

Artymata (Cyp) 11.49.

200 meters (August 21; wind –0.1) 1. Allyson Felix (US)......................... 22.02 (6.25, 4.91 [11.16], 5.21 [16.37], 5.65) (11.16/10.86)

2. Veronica Campbell-Brown (Jam).....22.35 (6.19, 4.95 [11.14], 5.35 [16.49], 5.86) (11.14/11.21)

3. Debbie Ferguson McKenzie (Bah) . ..22.41 (6.27, 5.02 [11.29], 5.36 [16.65], 5.76) (11.29/11.12) 4. Muna Lee (US) 22.48 (6.29, 4.96 [11.25], 5.36 [16.61], 5.87) (11.25/11.23); 5. Anneisha McLaughlin (Jam) 22.62 (11.43/11.19); 6. Simone Facey (Jam) 22.80 (11.39/11.41); 7. Emily Freeman (GB) 22.98 (11.47/11.51); 8. Eleni Artymata (Cyp) 23.05 (11.70/11.31).

2. Janeth Jepkosgei (Kenya).........1:57.90 (26.81, 30.3 [57.1], 30.2 [1:27.3], 30.6) (57.1/60.8) (15.5)

3. Jenny Meadows (G Britain)... 1:57.93 PR (27.4, 30.3 [57.7], 30.3 [1:28.0], 29.9) (57.7/60.2) (15.0) 4. Yuliya Krevsun (Ukr) 1:58.00 (27.1, 30.0 [57.1], 30.1 [1:27.2], 30.8) (57.1/60.9) (16.0); 5. Mariya Savinova (Rus) 1:58.68 (57.6/61.1) (15.9); 6. Elisa Cusma Piccione (Ita) 1:58.81 (57.6/61.2) (15.6); 7.

Mayte Martínez (Spa) 1:58.81 (58.0/60.8) (15.2); 8. Marilyn Okoro (GB) 2:00.32 (57.3/63.0) (17.5). semis (August 17) I–1. Savinova 1:59.30; 2. Krevsun 1:59.38; 3. Martínez 1:59.72; 4. Benhassi (Mor) 2:00.06; 5. Simpson (GB) 2:00.57; 6. Gall (US) 2:01.30; 7. Calatayud (Cub) 2:01.53; 8. Guégan (Fra) 2:04.38.

II–1. Semenya 1:58.66; 2. Meadows 1:59.45; 3. Jepkosgei 1:59.47; 4. Clark (US) 1:59.96; 5. Klyuka (Rus) 2:00.48; 6.

Petlyuk (Ukr) 2:00.90; 7. Klocová (Svk) 2:01.56; 8. Burnett (Guy) 2:02.75;… dnf–Hachlaf (Mor).

III–1. Cusma Piccione 2:00.62; 2. Okoro 2:01.01; 3.

Rostkowska (Pol) 2:01.40; 4. Kofanova (Rus) 2:02.02; 5.

Sinclair (Jam) 2:02.31; 6. Masná (CzR) 2:02.55; 7. Vessey (US) 2:03.55;… dnf[inj]–Jelimo (Ken).

1500 meters (August 23) 1. Maryam Jamal (Bahrain)...........4:03.74 (66.9, 68.5 [2:15.4], 62.2 [3:17.6], 46.1) (15.3, 30.9, 61.4, 2:04.8, 3:14.5)

2. Lisa Dobriskey (Great Britain).....4:03.75 (15.2, 30.7, 45.9 60.9, 2:04.5, 3:14.2)

3. Shannon Rowbury (US).............4:04.18 (15.6, 30.9, 46.2, 61.2, 2:04.8, 3:14.7) 4. Nuria Fernández (Spa) 4:04.91 (15.1, 30.8, 46.3, 61.8); 5. Christin Wurth-Thomas (US) 4:05.21 (15.3, 30.7, 46.1, 61.8); 6. Anna Willard (US) 4:06.19 (16.5, 32.3, 47.7, 63.0); 7. Lidia Chojecka (Pol) 4:07.17 (16.3, 32.9, 48.5, 63.8);

semis (August 21) I–1. Jamal 4:03.64; 2. Rodríguez 4:03.73; 3. Dobriskey 4:03.84; 4. Wurth-Thomas 4:04.16; 5. Gezahegne 4:04.75; 6. Yevdokimova 4:04.93; 7. Chojecka 4:06.53; 8. Kibiwot (Ken) 4:06.88; 9. Fuentes-Pila (Spa) 4:07.10; 10. Roman (Slo) 4:07.20; 11. Lakhouad 4:08.72 (Mor); 12.

Mishchenko (Ukr) 4:11.02; 13. Krakoviak (Lit) 4:12.54.

II–1. Burka 4:10.19; 2. Selsouli 4:10.46; 3. Willard 4:10.47; 4. Rowbury 4:10.51; 5. Fernández 4:10.64; 6. Hamblin 4:10.96 (NZ); 7. Langat (Ken) 4:11.10; 8.

Chahyd (Fra) 4:11.22; 9. Ejdys (Pol) 4:11.33; 10. Alminova (Rus) 4:12.55; 11. Belete (Bhr) 4:13.30;… dnf—Lishchynska (Ukr);… dnc—Assefa (Eth).

Steeple (August 17) 1. Marta Domínguez (Spain)...9:07.32 NR (WL) (3, 4 W)

2. Yuliya Zarudneva (Russia)... 9:08.39 PR (5, 9 W)

3. Milcah Chemos (Kenya)...... 9:08.57 PR (6, 10 W) 4. Gulnara Galkina (Rus) 9:11.09 (3:01.26); 5. Jenny Barringer (US) 9:12.50 AR (old AR 9:22.26 Barringer [Co] ’08) (8, x W); 6. Habiba Ghribi (Tun) 9:12.52 NR (9, x W); 7. Ruth Bisibori (Ken) 9:13.16 PR (10, x W); 8. Gladys Kipkemoi (Ken) 9:14.62 PR (6:06.45); 9. Antje Möldner (Ger) 9:18.54 NR; 10. Zemzem Ahmed (Eth) 9:22.64; 11. Jessica Augusto (Por) 9:25.25; 12. Katarzyna Kowalska (Pol) 9:30.37; 13. Sofia Assefa (Eth) 9:31.29; 14. Eva Arias (Spa) 9:33.34; 15. Sophie Duarte (Fra) 9:33.85. (best-ever mark-for-place: 4–15) Heats (August 15) I–1. Galkina 9:17.67 (fastest WC heat ever);… 7. Bobocel (Rom) 9:34.39;…9. Sidorchenkova (Rus) 9:37.16;… 11.

Anderson (US) 9:46.03; 12. MacFarlane (Aus) 9:52.46.

II–3. Barringer 9:26.81 (x, 10 A);… 6. Moreira (Por) 9:28.64 PR; 7. Itaa (Eth) 9:33.67 (x, 12 WJ).

III–5. Ouhaddou (Mor) 9:35.78; 6. Juravel (Mol) 9:36.63 NR; 7. Volkova (Rus) 9:43.52;… 12. Franek (US) 9:50.02.

MARK SHEARMAN

semis (August 20) I(0.5)–1. Ferguson McKenzie 22.24; 2. Campbell-Brown 22.29; 3. Freeman 22.64 PR; 4. Artymata 22.64 NR; 5.

Danois (Fra) 23.03 PR; 6. Al-Gassra (Bhr) 23.26; 7. Bolsun (Rus) 23.27;… dnf—Hooker (US) (injured).

II(0.3)–1. Felix 22.44; 2. McLaughlin 22.55 PR; 3. JonesFerrette 22.74; 4. Mothersill (Cay) 22.80; 5. C. Williams (US) 22.81; 6. Zaytseva (Rus) 23.19; 7. Ferguson (Bah) 23.40; 8. T. Williams (StK) 23.47.

III(0.5)–1. Lee 22.30; 2. Facey 22.58; 3. M. Williams (NZ) 22.90 NR; 4. Baptiste (Tri) 22.96; 5. Hodge (StK) 23.19; 6. Gushchina (Rus) 23.24; 7. Anim (Gha) 23.36; 8.

Borlée (Bel) 23.42.

(WL) (13, x W; 2, 6 WJ) (27.0, 29.8 [56.83], 29.89 [1:26.72], 28.73) (56.83/58.62) (14.4)

8. Natalya Yevdokimova (Rus) 4:07.71 (16.2, 33.2, 64.8); 9. Kalkidan Gezahegne (Eth) 4:08.81; 10. Gelete Burka (Eth) 4:11.21 (knocked down) (66.66, 68.47 [2:15.13], 62.24 [3:17.37], 53.84); … dq[shoving]—[1] Natalia Rodríguez (Spa) [4:03.36] (15.0, 30.6, 45.6, 60.8); … dnc—Mariem Selsouli (Mor).

400 meters (August 18) 1. Sanya Richards (US).....49.00 (WL, AL) (x, 4 A) (11.81, 11.69 [23.50], 12.13 [35.63], 13.37) (23.50/25.50)

2. Shericka Williams (Jamaica).. 49.32 PR (12.07, 11.69 [23.76], 12.24 [36.00], 13.32) (23.76/25.56)

3. Antonina Krivoshapka (Russia)... 49.71 (12.13, 11.46 [23.59], 12.31 [35.90], 13.81) (23.59/26.12) 4. Novlene Williams-Mills (Jam) 49.77 (12.36, 11.64 [24.00], 12.18 [36.18], 13.59) (24.00/25.77); 5. Christine Ohuruogu (GB) 50.21 (24.32/25.89); 6. Debbie Dunn (US) 50.35 (23.94/26.41); 7. Anastasiya Kapachinskaya (Rus) 50.53 (24.39/26.14); 8. Amantle Montsho (Bot) 50.65 (24.47/26.18). semis (August 16) I–1. Williams-Mills 49.88; 2. Montsho 49.89; 3. Kapachinskaya 50.30; 4. Pompey (Guy) 50.71 NR; 5. Beard (US) 51.20; 6. González (Col) 51.91; 7. Alexander (StV) 53.43;… dnf—Ogoegbunam (Ngr).

II–1. Williams 49.51 PR; 2. Krivoshapka 49.67; 3. Dunn 49.95 PR; 4. Sanders (GB) 50.45; 5. Thiam (Sen) 51.70; 6. Abugan (Ngr) 51.75; 7. Sakari (Ken) 52.69; 8. DésertMariller (Fra) 53.26.

III–1. Richards 50.21; 2. Ohuruogu 50.35; 3. Litvinova (Rus) 50.52; 4. Grenot (Ita) 50.85; 5. Terrero (Col) 51.87; 6. Nwachukwu (Ger) 51.98; 7. Ponteen (StK) 53.22; 8.

Day (Jam) 53.46.

The Bible Of The Sport

p33 (wTrackMag1).indd 33

Semenya dominated the 800 but left town with her status up in the air

November 2009 — 33

9/17/09 11:10:06 AM

800 meters

Semenya Becomes Story Of Meet

by Jeff Hollobaugh

34 — November 2009

p34 (w800-1500).indd 34

After some promising indications of competitiveness, Americans Hazel Clark, Geena Gall and still-learning-how-to-race Maggie Vessey made the semifinals, but not the cut to the finals.

Clark came closest, with a 1:59.96 that left her the fastest non-qualifier. Said Clark, running in her fourth Worlds, “I was the first one to miss. It was a close call… I’m going to keep working hard until I get the medal that I have been working for.”

1500 meters

Jamal Emerges From Wreck

by Brian Russell

Ethopian-turned-Bahraini Maryam Jamal had just one defeat in the 1500 this year and that was at the hands of former compatriot Gelete Burka in Monaco in July, but the results were flip-flopped three weeks later when the two crossed paths in Lausanne. A showdown between the two was imminent, with a slew of others lying in wait.

For the first time, three Americans— Shannon Rowbury, Christin Wurth-Thomas & Anna Willard—made a 1500 final and it was Wurth-Thomas who was shouldering Burka as the pack completed the first 300.

Burka finished the initial lap in 66.66 and continued the modest pace through the 800 in 2:15.13 as Wurth-Thomas slid to 5th, with Russian Natalya Yevdokimova moving into 2nd and 30-year-old Spaniard Natalia Rodríguez just inside of the 3rd-place Jamal.

MARK SHEARMAN

The 800 ended up grabbing as much media bandwidth as anything that happened in Berlin.

Unfortunately, hardly any of that attention focused on the impressive nature of the race itself. Rather it was the beginning of a whirlwind of speculation as to the winner’s sexual makeup (see p. 50).

Perhaps the most notable fact of the day was that Caster Semenya stayed cool enough in the media firestorm to crush her opposition so confidently on the track.

The young South African almost didn’t make it to the final, after flirting with disqualification when she clipped Janeth Jepkoskei in the first round, causing the defending champ to fall.

Officials advanced Jepkoskei to the semis but opted not to DQ Semenya. Had they done so, the controversy would have been averted and a significant portion of the world’s media would have been forced to fill space with even more about Usain Bolt nuggets, death panels, and Jon & Kate.

The final went out fast, thanks to Jepkosgei and Semenya and their battle for the lead. The Kenyan edged ahead, leading through 200 in 26.81 before Semenya took the fore at 56.83.

After the penultimate turn, Jepkoskei got herself boxed in by Ukraine’s Yuliya Krevsun and slipped to 3rd on the backstretch.

Semenya hit 600 in 1:26.72, and then things got a little crazy. The 18-year-old displayed speed and power that the world had not yet seen and floated away from the field to win in a stunning 1:55.45, needing just 14.4 for the last 100.

In her distant wake, Jepkosgei finally sprinted past Krevsun to get silver, and a hard-charging Jennifer Meadows caught Krevsun for bronze (and very nearly had silver).

In the furor following the final, Semenya did not speak to the media. After the semis, she had described a refreshingly relaxed mindset toward her running: “Running is just a game for me. Even next year, I can stop running if I want.”

Said Jepkoskei, “I told myself I had to fight. I really wanted to get the gold but it was too hard. I’m so happy because at least I’m not coming home empty-handed, especially after falling down in the heats.

“I’m not used to running among people, because I tend to get boxed, so I prefer to avoid that kind of situation.”

With 650m to go Burka accelerated. All of her pursuers reacted, but it was defending champ Jamal who moved into 2nd. At the bell it was Burka, with Jamal a step back, followed

by Rodríguez, Briton Lisa Dobriskey, Yevdokimova and Rowbury.

Burka passed the 1200 in 3:17.37—a 62.24 lap—and tried to stretch her advantage, but the pack was gaining on her every stride down the backstretch.

With the gap narrowing, Rodríguez saw a tiny bit of daylight on the inside and made a desperate attempt to squeeze by Burka with 200 to go. The ensuing entanglement brought Burka down and suddenly Jamal found herself in the lead as she headed for the homestretch.

Surprisingly, Rodríguez was hardly affected by the collision with Burka, other than briefly being bounced over the curb to the infield. The Spanish champion came off the final turn and surged past Jamal, opening a meter’s lead as she sprinted toward the finish.

Jamal, meanwhile, was busy fighting Dobriskey for silver as Rowbury was digging hard to find a gear that could get her a medal. At the end it was Rodríguez crossing the line first in 4:03.36, followed by Jamal (4:03.74), Dobriskey (4:03.75) and Rowbury (4:04.18).

To no one’s surprise, it was announced shortly thereafter that Rodriguez—who apparently foreseeing her doom, hadn’t taken a victory lap—had been disqualified.

Jamal reflected, “When the Spanish girl pushed Gelete, that threw me off. In the end it was all right but I am very disappointed that Gelete fell behind because I am certain she would have taken a medal.”

In addition to Rowbury’s bronze, WurthThomas finished strongly in 5th (4:05.21), as did Willard, a few steps behind in 6th (4:06.19).

Rodríguez crossed the 1500 line first, but didn’t stand on the podium

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:10:51 AM

steeplechase

Domínguez Makes Up For Beijing

7 were still slightly bunched at the final waterjump; Barringer (shoes at top) closed fast for an AR

by Sieg Lindstrom

MARK SHEARMAN

Spaniard Marta Domínguez ended the string of Russian global steeple titles at two, dispatching Yuliya Zarudneva to silver in the last straight.

U.S. fans saw a homestretch sprint to stir the blood from Jenny Barringer, who improved to 5th from her 9th-place Olympic finish and demolished her American Record by nearly 10 seconds.

WR holder/Oly champ Gulnara Galkina doled out a tempo in the WR range from the outset accompanied by Kenya’s Gladys Kipkemoi, Zarudneva and Domínguez.

In an omen suggesting this was not a lucky night for favored Russians, vault favorite Yelena Isinbayeva failed her second try at her opening height just as they finished lap 1.

Barringer, the lone American in the final, trailed in about 8th as they passed the finish line the first time and ran outside the first dozen a lap later.

The third time past the finish the Colorado senior was 14th of 15, 2.9 seconds behind the leaders and their 72/73-second laps (internal water jump), which slowed on the fifth lap to 74-second range.

At each water jump the two Russians and Domínguez (joined on lap 6 by Tunisia’s Habiba Ghribi), would gap Kipkemoi, slogging out of the water, and then the Kenyan would catch back up on the next lap.

Barringer—taking a bigger bite of each water barrier than anybody—ran 4.5 seconds down to the lead in 12th on lap 5.

On lap 6, the Russians, Domínguez and Ghribi gapped Kipkemoi, now joined by her teammates Ruth Bisibori and Milcah Chemos.

Barringer moved up to 10th. Approaching the

Another AR For Barringer Jenny Barringer minced no words, either of pleasure or of criticism, in assessing her 9:12.50 for a near-10-second American Record.

“The time is like, wow!” enthused the 3-time NCAA champion, who had claimed the third AR of her career. “I’m stoked and really happy about the time. I knew I had that in me and this was the place to pop a PR like that. So I’m really pleased about the time.

“The race I’m a little sad about. I knew I belonged up there with the leaders. I know that if I’m there, I have the ability to stay there. So that part was hard. But I was really proud of myself that I finished so strongly, despite in the last 100, I was a little bummed.”

Reflecting on her hanging off the pace early on, Barringer said, “That’s going to be the argument: should I have pressed in the middle?

I know the women went out really hard and I checked a split or two along the way and I knew

The Bible Of The Sport

p35 (wSt-Barringer).indd 35

water jump on lap 7, Kipkemoi again joined the leaders only to fall behind again at the wading pool, where Zarudneva—a newbie to elite barrier racing—hit the gas.

Domínguez, avoiding a final backstretch fall like the one she took when charging hard late in her futile Beijing race for a medal, drew even with Zarudneva at the last water jump.

I was running hard for me.

The pair seesawed back and forth “But these types of races are so tricky. You until the Spaniard edged away from have to be smart, not just passionate. If you go even at the last barrier to finish 6 mefrom the front the whole way, you might hit a ters up in an NR 9:07.32 that made her wall. I thought 9:10 would be near the medals; No. 3 ever. Her last lap took just 66.7. that’s what I shot at and I ran 9:12. I did what I Zarudneva timed 9:08.39 to move to could and I’m proud of the time. The race, I just No. 5 on the all-time list. needed to get in it more.”

“The dream has happened,” exulted Barringer said that 9:10 wasn’t a specific goal, the winner, finally a world titlist at adding, “Time really doesn’t matter. The AR is age 33 after taking 5000 silvers in ’01 really cool, but I got 5th. What matters is top 3 and and ’03. that’s what I have to keep in mind. But the time Chemos hurdled the last water jump is a good gauge and I knew I could run 9:10.” and brought Kenya its third medal in Might another 4-place progression, like from three global championships, up on a 9th in Beijing to a 5th in Berlin, yield a medal in Galkina 9:08.57–9:11.09. ’11? “Exactly,” she smiled.

Barringer, 8th at the water jump, 1.3 “I have big goals, and beyond the steeple,” seconds behind 7th, unfurled a banner she continued. “I want to be a great American kick that carried her to 5th over Ghribi distance runner. So I’m working from the 800 to right at the line, 9:12.50–9:12.52. the 5K. I want to be a meaningful contributor Her time, which thrilled her (see to the U.S. team anywhere they need me.” /Jon sidebar), would have left her Beijing Hendershott/ AR, 9:22.26, way back around the final barrier.

November 2009 — 35

9/17/09 11:11:23 AM

DISTANCE RUNNING STRATEGY

— Women’s Track Results 2 — 5000 METERS (August 22)

400 HURDLES (August 20)

1. Vivian Cheruiyot (Kenya) ........ 14:57.97

1. Melaine Walker (Jamaica).. 52.42 (WL)

([9:15.05] 3:00.74 [12:15.79], 2:42.18) (14.1, 28.8, 58.6, 2:06.5, 3:17.7, 4:30.3)

(2, 2 W) (MR—old 52.61 Batten [US] ’93) (6.23 [6.23], 3.92 [10.15], 4.17 [14.32], 4.26 [18.58], 4.40 [22.98], 4.47

2. Sylvia Kibet (Kenya) ............... 14:58.33

2. Lashinda Demus (US).................. 52.96

3. Meseret Defar (Ethiopia) ........14:58.41

(6.16 [6.16], 3.95 [11.14], 4.12 [14.23], 4.36 [18.59], 4.46 [23.05], 4.46

(14.7, 29.1, 58.8, 2:06.7, 3:18.0, 4:30.5) 4. Sentayehu Ejigu (Eth) 15:03.38 (6:11.04) (15.8, 32.1, 63.6); 5. Meselech Melkamu (Eth) 15:03.72 (16.4, 32.9, 63.8); 6. Iness Chenonge (Ken) 15:06.06 (17.7, 34.8, 66.0); 7. Silvia Weissteiner (Ita) 15:09.74 (67.4); 8. Genzebe Dibaba (Eth) 15:11.12 (70.5); 9. Jen Rhines (US) 15:11.63 (68.0); 10. Sara Moreira (Por) 15:12.22; 11.

Yuriko Kobayashi (Jpn) 15:12.44; 12. Yurika Nakamura (Jpn) 15:13.01 PR (3:06.02); 13.

Alemitu Bekele (Tur) 15:18.18; 14. Krisztina Papp (Hun) 15:20.36; 15. Zakia Mohamed (Tan) 15:31.73.

HEATS (August 19) I–7. Culley (US) 15:32.33;… dnc—Abeylegesse (Tur).

10,000 METERS (August 15) The Fall 2009 issue (#189) is the lastest Track Coach number. The lead article, by Indiana club coach Robert Chapman is a handy guide to distance racing strategy and should be studied by every coach.

Track Coach editor Russ Ebbets offers an article, “Skills and Drills,” which is of great value to anyone teaching beginning skills to young athletes. Kurt Dukel’s profile of javelin national champion Kara Patterson is adapted from Long & Strong and provides a fascinating picture of a star of the future. A letter from sprint coach Dennis Grady discusses the U.S. 4x100 challenges on the eve of the Berlin Worlds. (Sorry, Dennis, they did it again!) These and other articles make TC189 must reading for every coach and serious fan. Order your copy/subscription today.

TC 189 is available singly for $5.50 ($8.00 foreign), postage paid. A one-year subscription (published quarterly) is $20 U.S., $28 foreign. Order from Track & Field News, 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 606, Mountain View, CA 94040. Phone (650/9488188) or fax (650/948-9445) orders welcome, or order online at www.trackandfieldnews.com.

Track Coach is the official technical journal of USA Track & Field.

36 — November 2009

p36 (wTrackMag2).indd 36

[27.45], 4.63 [32.08], 4.73 [36.81], 4.77 [41.58], 5.05 [46.63], 5.79)

(14.2, 28.9, 58.6, 2:06.6, 3:17.9, 4:30.4)

1. Linet Masai (Kenya) ................ 30:51.24 (15.8, 30.4, 63.0, 2:16.4, 3:28.8, 4:39.0) (15:47.0/15:04.2)

2. Meselech Melkamu (Ethiopia) ..... 30:51.34 (15.9, 30.5, 63.1, 2:16.5, 3:28.9, 4:39.1) (15:46.7/15:04.6)

3. Wude Ayalew (Ethiopia) .......... 30:51.95 (15.0, 30.5, 63.0, 2:16.4, 3:28.5, 4:39.2) (15:45.9/15:06.1) 4. Grace Momanyi (Ken) 30:52.25 PR (16.6, 31.7, 64.1, 2:17.5, 3:29.8, 4:40.3); 5. Meseret Defar (Eth) 30:52.37 (15:46.6/15:05.8); 6. Amy Yoder Begley (US) 31:13.78 PR (AL) (4, 6 A) (15:46.7/15:27.1); 7. Yurika Nakamura (Jpn) 31:14.39 PR (3:08.85); 8. Kim Smith (NZ) 31:21.42; 9. Kayoko Fukushi (Jpn) 31:23.49; 10.

Inês Monteiro (Por) 31:25.67 PR; 11. Mariya Konovalova (Rus) 31:26.94 (6:17.01, 12:35.29, 15:45.19, 18:55.45); 12. Kiplagat (Ken) 31:30.85 (15:46.1/15:46.1); 13.

Félix (Por) 31:30.90 PR; 14. Flanagan (US) 31:32.19 (15:46.1/15:46.1); 15. Agafonova (Rus) 31:43.14; 16. Dias (Por) 31:49.91; 17. McGregor (US) 32:18.49; 18. Zhang (Chn) 32:33.63; 19. Shobukhova (Rus) 32:42.36 (9:24.89); 20. Sahaku (Jpn) 33:41.17; …dnf— Abeylegesse (Tur) (15:46.4).

100 HURDLES (August 19; wind +0.2) 1. Brigitte Foster-Hylton (Jamaica) .. 12.51; (2.60 [2.60], 1.00 [3.60], 0.99 [4.59], 0.97 [5.56], 0.95 [6.51], 0.95 [7.46], 0.97 [8.43], 0.98 [9.41], 0.98 [10.39], 1.01 [11.40], 1.11)

2. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (Can) ..... 12.54 (2.56 [2.56], 1.02 [3.58], 1.00 [4.58], 0.99 [5.57], 0.97 [6.54], 0.96 [7.50], 0.97 [8.47], 0.99 [9.46], 0.98 [10.44], 1.02 [11.46], 1.09)

3. Delloreen Ennis-London (Jam) ... 12.55 (2.60 [2.60], 1.00 [3.60], 0.98 [4.58], 0.96 [5.54], 0.96 [6.50], 0.97 [7.47], 0.97 [8.44], 0.99 [9.43], 1.01 [10.44], 1.02 [11.46], 1.09)

4. Derval O’Rourke (Ire) 12.67 NR (2.58 [2.58], 0.99 [3.57], 0.98 [4.55], 0.98 [5.53], 0.99 [6.52], 0.99 [7.51], 0.98 [8.49], 1.01 [9.50], 1.02 [10.52], 1.06 [11.58], 1.09); 5. Sally McLellan (Aus) 12.70; 6. Ginnie Powell (US) 12.78; 7. Dawn Harper (US) 12.81; 8. Perdita Felicien (Can) 15.53.

HEATS (August 18) II(-0.3)–5. Whyte (Can) 13.27. III(0.1)–7. Perry (US) 13.68.

SEMIS (August 19) I(-0.1)–1. Lopes-Schliep 12.60; 2. Ennis- London 12.64; 3. Powell 12.73; 4. Škrobáková (Cze) 12.92; 5. Yanıt (Tur)12.99; 6. Kondakova (Rus) 13.00; 7. Barber (Tri) 13.06; 8. Billaud (Fra)13.20.

II(0.1)–1. Foster-Hylton 12.54; 2. Felicien 12.58; 3.

Cherry 12.76 (US); 4. Tejeda (Cub) 12.82; 5. Vukicevic (Nor) 13.00; 6. Augustus (Ngr) 13.11; 7. Merlano (Col) 13.23; 8.

Lenskiy (Isr) 13.29.

III(0.3)–1. Harper 12.48 PR (8, x A) (fastest WC semi ever); 2. McLellan 12.66; 3. O’Rourke 12.73; 4. GoldingClarke (Jam) 12.76; 5. Nytra (Ger) 12.94; 6. Berings (Bel) 12.94 NR; 7. Kocielnik (Pol) 13.21; 8. Claxton (GB) 13.21.

(x, 9 A) [27.51], 4.51 [32.02], 4.63 [36.65], 5.05 [41.70], 5.29 [46.99], 5.97)

3. Josanne Lucas (Trinidad) .... 53.20 NR (6.26 [6.26], 3.94 [10.20], 4.10 [14.30], 4.20 [18.50], 4.40 [22.90], 4.57 [27.47], 4.70 [32.17], 4.80 [36.97], 5.04 [42.01], 5.20 [47.21], 5.99)

4. Kaliese Spencer (Jam) 53.56 PR (6.43 [6.43], 4.05 [10.48], 4.18 [14.66], 4.27 [18.93], 4.38 [23.31], 4.64 [27.95], 4.74 [32.69], 4.82 [37.51], 4.94 [42.45], 5.10 [47.55],6.01);

5. Tiffany Williams (US) 53.83; 6. Natalya Antyukh (Rus) 54.11 PR; 7. Anastasiya Rabchenyuk (Ukr) 54.78; 8. Angela Morosanu (Rom) 55.04.

SEMIS (August 18) I–1. Walker 53.26 (fastest WC prelim ever); 2. Lucas 53.98 NR; 3. Morosanu 54.15; 4. Huang (Chn) 55.40; 5. Ivanova (Rus) 56.08; 6. Tosta (US) 56.31; 7. Odumosu 56.80 (Ngr); 8. Ouédraogo (Bel) 57.58.

II–1. Spencer 54.37; 2. Rabchenyuk 54.49; 3. Williams 54.79; 4. Jesień (Pol) 54.82; 5. Churakova (Rus) 56.11; 6.

Zunda (Lat) 56.66; 7. Shakes-Drayton (GB) 57.57;… dq[trail leg]—Ogoegbunam (Ngr).

III–1. Demus 54.25; 2. Antyukh 54.86; 3. Wilson (Jam) 54.89; 4. Hejnová (CzR) 54.99; 5. Stambolova (Bul) 56.12; 6. Child (GB) 56.21; 7. Petersen (Den) 56.99; 8. Tilgner (Ger) 57.11.

MARATHON (August 23; 4 flat 10K loops) 1. Xue Bai (China) .........................2:25:15 (1:13:40/1:11:35)

2. Yoshimi Ozaki (Japan) ..............2:25:25 (1:13:40/1:11:45)

3. Aselefech Mergia (Ethiopia) .....2:25:32 (1:13:40/1:11:52) 4. Chunxiu Zhou (Chn) 2:25:39 (1:13:40/1:11:59); 5.

Xiaolin Zhu (Chn) 2:26:08 (1:13:39/1:12:29); 6. Marisa Barros (Por) 2:26:50 (1:13:40/1:13:10); 7. Yuri Kano (Jpn) 2:26:57 (1:13:40/1:13:17); 8. Nailiya Yulamanova (Rus) 2:27:08 (1:13:39/1:13:29); 9. Alevtina Biktimirova (Rus) 2:27:39; 10.

Kara Goucher (US) 2:27:48 (1:13:40/1:14:08) 11. Desireé Davila (US) 2:27:53 PR; 12. Julia Mumbi Muraga (Ken) 2:28:59; 13. Weiwei Sun (Chn) 2:29:39; 14.

Yoshiko Fujinaga (Jpn) 2:29:53; 15. Svetlana Zakharova (Rus) 2:29:55; 16. Bezunesh Bekele (Eth) 2:30:03; 7. Mockenhaupt (Ger) 2:30:07; 18. Weightman (Aus) 2:30:42 PR; 19.

Balciünaité (Lit) 2:31:06; 20. Kim (NK) 2:31:24; 21. Limika (Ken) 2:31:29; 22. Simon (Rom) 2:32:03; 23.

Tune (Eth) 2:32:42; 24. Naigambo (Nam) 2:33:05;… 28.

Moody (US) 2:36:39;… 30. Higgins (US) 2:37:11;… 51.

Gómez (US) 2:42:49.

20K WALK (August 16; ten 2K loops) 1. Olga Kaniskina (Russia) ..........1:28:09 (44:58/43:11)

2. Olive Loughnane (Ireland) .......1:28:58 (45:30/43:28)

3. Hong Liu (China) ......................1:29:10 (45:31/43:39) 4. Anisya Kirdyapkina (Rus) 1:30:09 (45:24/44:45); 5. Vera Santos (Por) 1:30:35 (45:31/45:05); 6. Beatriz Pascual (Spa) 1:30:40 (45:46/44:54); 7. Masumi Fuchise (Jpn) 1:31:15; 8.

Kristina Saltanovic (Lit) 1:31:23; 9. Elisa Rigaudo (Ita) 1:31:52; 10. Susana Feitor (Por) 1:32:42; 11. Inês Henriques (Por) 1:32:51; 12. Kumi Otoshi (Jpn) 1:33:05; 13. Larisa Emelyanova (Rus) 1:34:31; 14.

Vera Sokolova (Rus) 1:34:55; 15. Yurchanka (Blr) 1:34:57; 16. Groza (Rom) 1:35:19; 17. Trapletti (Ita) 1:35:33; 18. Yang (Chn) 1:35:42; 19.

Schindlerová (CzR) 1:35:47; 20. Spindler (Bra) 1:35:51;21.

Evaggelía Xinoú (Gre) 1:35:56;…dnf—Vaill (US), Vasco (Spa);… dq—Plätzer (Nor).

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:11:51 AM

5000/10,000 meters

Kenyans Smack Ethiopia

by Jeff Hollobaugh

brought her to the front in the last few steps.

She nipped the celebrating Melkamu by inches.

Her last 3000 took only 8:47.04.

“I can’t believe it,” the 19-year-old Masai said. “I’m so grateful for the win. I didn’t give up.”

Said Melkamu, “I am very, very disappointed that we lost the gold… I never saw

takkashi ito/PHOTO RUN

Are the fabled Ethiopian kickers losing their edge to the Kenyans? One had to wonder, with first the 10,000 and then the 5000 featuring the blazing kicks of Kenyan women. It didn’t help the Ethiopian cause that Tirunesh Dibaba (sidelined late with an injury) and Meseret Defar (with respiratory problems, just not herself), winners of 5 golds in the last 3 meets, picked up but a single bronze.

9:15.05, and while she sped up the following kilometer, they kept the pace fairly easy.

Cheruiyot’s next kilo took just 3:00.74, but hardly shook the field.

As the last four laps began, virtually every starter remained with the pack. With 2 laps left, Cheruiyot led a pack of 8 that included 4 Ethiopians. Meseret Defar, the defending champion, stayed close, hoping to make amends for her failure to medal in the 10.

At the bell, the real sprinting began, and what looked like the Defar of old moved into the lead as Cheruiyot and Sylvia Kibet chased.

Coming off the final turn, Cheruiyot put on

10K: Masai In Wild Finish

Linet Masai shocked at the finish of a wild 10,000m to capture Kenya’s first medal of the meet in a race that sparked some controversy over the actual distance run (see sidebar).

The first half seemed pedestrian enough, with any hopes for a great time quickly vanquished. At halfway, Russian Mariya Konovalova led in 15:45.19. However, the tension kept building for the finish, with the Ethiopians and Kenyans jockeying for position. Favored Meseret Defar looked perfectly poised.

Masai took the lead in the last 3000, and with a lap to go, the three Ethiopians sped past her, raising the prospect of a sweep. Defar led, and seemed to have more than enough speed to hold off her challengers.

Boxed in, the long-striding Kenyan tried to pass on the inside on the backstretch and chopped her stride twice. Then with just over 100 to go, she tangled with teammate Grace Momanyi. That fired her up for a powerful finishing sprint from behind.

Still, renowned kicker Defar looked des-

Cheruiyot outkicked defending champ Defar to win Kenya’s first 5K gold ever

the Kenyan.”

Defar explained her final strides by saying, “I felt some pain inside and it started bothering me the last couple of laps. The last 30 meters, I had trouble lifting my legs.”

Meanwhile American Because of the size of the field, the 10K was started in two different Amy Yoder Begley performed corridors. IAAF rules mandate that only a single cone is needed to best among the rest, winning indicate the cut-in point, but in practicality, a line of cones around the race of the second pack, the whole curve is typical. behind only Kenyans and As a result, a number of runners were confused and ended up treatEthiopians. Her 31:13.78 was ing it like a waterfall start. Eventually, all of the runners in the outside a PR by some 9 seconds, and box—Agafonova, Ayalew, Félix, Masai, Momanyi, Nakamura, Sahaku moved her to No. 4 American & Zhang—cut in too early, so none of them ran the full distance, with all-time. Shalane Flanagan the average “shortcut” being 7–8 meters. ran more aggressively but However, since the race was so slow and tactical in the first half, it’s faded to 14th in 31:32.19. arguable whether the difference at the start made any real difference

Short Course For Some In The 10?

at the finish. And it’s hard to fault the athletes.

Ethiopia did not protest the result officially, even though Masai won by mere inches. That didn’t please all their countrymen. A headline on the team’s unofficial website read, Ethiopian team blows chance to reclaim 10,000m victory in Berlin.

tined for the win, but with 30 meters to go, teammate Meselech Melkamu passed her and Defar appeared to give up. She leaned back and stopped racing, missing the chance at any medal. Meanwhile, Masai’s late charge The Bible Of The Sport

p37 (w5k-10k).indd 37

5000: Cheruiyot’s Turn To Kick

That this particular case study would boil down to another kicker’s race became clear early. Yurika Nakamura of Japan was in charge through the first kilo of 3:06.02. Yet when the Africans took over, the speed did not substantially increase.

Vivian Cheruiyot led through the 3000 at

a burst of speed that carried her to the win in 14:57.97. Kibet followed, barely nipping Defar at the line for silver, 14:58.33–14:58.41.

Cheruiyot closed in 28.8 and 58.6 to become the first Kenyan champion ever.

“On my last 100 meters I was pushing so hard, pushing, pushing,” she said. “I like fast races because if the race is not fast, there can be still 10 athletes in the last lap at the same time.

Anybody can win then with a good sprint. After Masai won the 10K race, she encouraged me to be self-confident. She was my biggest inspiration and I believed I could beat Defar.”

The dispirited Defar admitted, “I expected I was going to get gold today, but I was not successful. I am very sad. The pace was not too fast.”

Kibet shed some light on the Kenyan kicks: “We started to accelerate in the sixth lap, but we prepared a lot for the last lap, because they always beat [us] up in the last lap.”

Cheruiyot aptly concluded, “It has been such a long time that Kenya has not gotten the gold medal in the 5000. I think we are coming now!”

The lone American in the final, Jen Rhines, finished 9th in 15:11.63. “I just didn’t have the kind of race that I wanted to,” she said.

November 2009 — 37

9/17/09 11:12:24 aM

100 hurdles

U.S. Shut Out In Medal Department

by Jon Hendershott

“I had a good start but hit No. 2,” said Harper. “There’s not much you can do when you hit one. It’s hard to regroup when you’re chasing a 12.51.” The U.S. ended up without a medal for the first time since ’97.

Demus was ahead at half the hurdles (1, 2, 3, 7 & 8), but Walker prevailed at the other half and at the allimportant finish

CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTY SPORTY

There was no basis in fact to a conclusion after the women’s sprint barriers that to have medaled, a competitor had to have a hyphenated last name.

It just seemed that way after Jamaican veterans Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.51) and Delloreen Ennis-London (12.55) finished 1st and 3rd in a closely-fought final. Splitting the islanders in 2nd was Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (12.54).

Olympic champion Dawn Harper PRed at 12.48 in her semi, but cracked the second barrier in the final and never recovered, slipping to 7th (12.81).

U.S. runner-up Ginnie Powell (12.78) also clipped hurdles to finish a slot ahead of her.

Two-time defender Michelle Perry was the major casualty in the heats, the American obviously subpar with a heavily taped right knee.

She had torn the lateral collateral ligament on the outside of the knee while warming up in Monaco, she explained after her 13.68 for 7th in her prelim: “I’ll be going home right away to have surgery.”

Fourth American Damu Cherry ran 12.76 for 3rd in her semi to miss advancing to the final.

Veteran Lacena GoldingClarke—Jamaica’s third entrant with a hyphenated last name—ran the same time in semi 3 and also was out.

But Harper looked very sharp with her PR 12.48, the fastest Worlds semi ever, and making her No. 8 American all-time.

Two hours later, World Indoor champ Derval O’Rourke lined up in lane 1; to her right came Powell, ’03 champ Perdita Felicien, BFH, Harper, PLS, Olympic silver winner Sally McLellan and DEL. McLellan got her usual fast sprinter ’s start and led over the third barrier. Ireland’s O’Rourke, running the race of her life, drew even before No. 4. Ennis-London was fractionally ahead at No. 5, but Foster-Hylton took over before the sixth and edged ahead for good. Lopes-Schliep and Ennis-London ran even to the end, the Canadian’s better lean claiming silver.

“This is an amazing feeling,” said FosterHylton, 2nd in ’03 and 3rd in ’05. “Before the race, I visualized it and told myself to close my eyes after the last hurdle in order to give it everything.”

team due to a bulging disk in her back, while Russia’s WR holder Yuliya Pechonkina was sidelined by severe sinusitis.

Williams knelt for the final in lane 2, with Lucas (3), Walker (4), Demus (5) and Spencer (6) to her outside. Demus got her usual strong start and made up the stagger on Spencer by hurdle 2. She led down the start of the backstretch but the 26-year-old Texas alum powered back to pull essentially even at the fourth barrier, then

38 — November 2009

p38 (w100H-400H).indd 38

400 hurdles

Walker/Demus Back & Forth

by Jon Hendershott In her last pre-WC race, U.S. champ Lashinda Demus had roared to a PR and year-leading 52.63 in Monaco. Finishing 2nd behind Demus, Olympic champion Melaine Walker clocked her season’s fastest at 54.20.

After Walker won her Berlin semi at 53.26—the fastest prelim in meet history—and Demus ran a strong-looking 54.25 in hers, the stage was set for a high-level final.

Adding spice: Trinidad’s Josanne Lucas, 2nd in Walker’s semi with a big PR of 53.98.; No. 2 Jamaican Kaliese Spencer ran well to win semi 2 at 54.37.

American Tiffany Williams advanced on time, but teammate Sheena Tosta, the Olympic silver winner, went out in Walker’s semi after losing steam in the final straight and clocking only 56.31 for 6th.

Before the meet, two-time winner Jana Rawlinson had withdrawn from Australia’s

forged a minor lead of her own.

Demus ran strongly on the curve, again having a fractional margin at barrier 7, but Walker made a strong surge before No. 9 to regain the front, despite clipping the barrier. Demus rattled the final two hurdles to seal her fate as Walker finished strongly off No. 10.

The Jamaican clocked a stellar 52.42—a meet record, lowering the old best from Kim Batten’s 52.61—a WR at the time—from ’95. Only Pechonkina’s 52.34 WR in ’03 is faster ever.

Demus’s 52.96 gave her a solitary 2nd, while Lucas closed strongly off the final hurdle to clock another PR at 53.20 ahead of Spencer’s career-low of 53.36. Williams ran a solid 53.83 in 5th, her season’s fastest.

“Everything worked perfectly,” said Walker.

“I’ve been looking forward to this race because this is the only time you can do it.”

By contrast, Demus said, “I ran a bad technical race; I could have run much better.

I’m so disappointed. But I haven’t been to a championship in a couple of years. So I can’t be upset with getting a silver medal.”

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:13:02 AM

marathon

Bai Prevails As Faves Don’t Run

by Sean Hartnett

20k walk

No One In Kaniskina’s League

by Elliott Denman Unlike good friend and sometime training partner Valeriy Borchin, winner of the men’s 20K title the day before, defender Olga Kaniskina wasn’t about to play a waiting game for very long en route to her 1:28:09 triumph.

Borchin had had company for at least half of his race, but Kaniskina, who hasn’t lost in more than two years, made her breakaway just past the 5K mark.

Germany’s Sabine Krantz led at 23:18 for the opening 5K, along with Spain’s Maria Vasco and Norway’s Kjersti Plätzer. Kaniskina was just 2 seconds back.

But reality soon set in—that trio wasn’t in the 24-year-old Russian’s league. As it turned out, only a handful of others were even close.

The sprint was soon underway as the Olympic champ walked through the 10K in 44:58, hit 15K in 1:06:22 and brought it home to a comfortable 49-second decision.

Ireland’s Olive Loughnane made a big push in the second half to claim silver in 1:28:58, closing fast with a 21:40 last 5K, 7 seconds better than Kaniskina. But she was never a threat to overhaul the leader.

China’s Hong Liu stayed with Loughnane past 17K, but couldn’t maintain and settled for the bronze in 1:29:10.

The medal winners had plenty of room on the rest of the pack. Fourthplacer Anisya Kirdyapkina—whose husband Sergey would win the 50K five days later—was nearly a full minute back of Liu at 1:30:09.

Early leaders Krantz and Vasco DNFed after the 10K post, while two-time Olympic silver medalist Plätzer drew a late DQ past 15K. After Krantz’s exit, Kaniskina became a crowd favorite. “A lot of Russian people came here to support me and the team,” she said. “It was a very special thing. They made it easier.”

Kaniskina’s 1:28:09 was a precise twominute improvement on her Osaka winner and impressive in the 80-degree temps. But the time still was no threat to the WR 1:25:41 set by countrywoman Olimpiada Ivanova at Helsinki in the ’05 meet.

(after a death in the family) and Paula Radcliffe (after bunion surgery this spring) pleaded a lack of fitness.

Heading towards 40K Bai made her break.

“Surprisingly I was able to run very relaxed and easy until 30K. In the last 2km I was able to give everything I had. At the 40km point, when

year- old Chinese broke clear of Yoshimi Ozaki and Aselefech Mergia at 40K to claim the gold medal and lead her nation to the World Cup title as well (see box).

With a bright sky and warming temperatures the women’s field set off at a pensive pace covering the opening 10K in 35:03. Nailiya Yulamanova and Xiaolin Zhu led a cumbersome pack of 24 runners across the half-way mat in 1:13:39, then tugged at the pace with Bai and teammate Zhu whittling down the pack to 9 at 30K. Highly rated American Kara Goucher was among the strugglers as she fell 7 seconds off the pace just as Bai, Ozaki and Mergia lifted the pace and broke clear of the field, zipping the 30–35K segment in 16:30.

Goucher’s problems had started early in the race. “I had a lot of problems keeping my fluids down,” she said.” After the second station, I started throwing up what I took in.

“I started to cramp with 13k to go, and then the field started to surge. It wasn’t there. I just wasn’t good enough today. When the field made their break, my body wouldn’t go.”

Also having problems was Beijing bronze medalist Chun Zhouxiu, who had inherited the favorite’s mantle after both Irina Mikitenko

I threw my cap away, I thought I had already secured a medal, I was feeling so well that I thought I could now work for the gold.”

Bai surged ahead with only Ozaki able to muster a challenge, but the Japanese runner was destined for silver.

Bai came across first in 2:25:15, becoming the youngest ever to win the WC marathon.

Ozaki followed in 2:25:25, with Mergia finishing hard in 3rd at 2:25:32 to fend off a late rally by Zhou, who charged home in 2:25:39.

Bai came to Berlin prepared for the route and the atypical heat. “The course was very flat, although there were a lot of turns,” she said. “But if you have similar training before the championships, that is OK. As for the weather and humidity, I think in China & Ethiopia Duel For World Cup my country it is even more humid and The World Cup developed as a dual meet between China warmer at this moment, so it was not and Ethiopia as both had three runners in the lead pack of a problem at all.” eight at 30K. The final 12K broke hard in favor of China.

Prerace medal pick Goucher finished Despite Aselefech Mergia’s unexpected medal, Ethiopia’s th 10 in 2:27:48, 5 seconds ahead of Dechallenge evaporated as Bezunesh Bekele and big name siree Davila, who stepped up to score Dire Tune staggered home. a big PR (old best 2:31:33).

1. China 7:17:02 (avg. 2:25:41) 2. Japan 7:22:15 (2:27:25) 3.

“I went out pretty even, and was able Russia 7:24:42 (2:28:14) 4. Ethiopia 7:28:17 (2:29:26); 5. United States 7:32:20 (2:30:47); 6. Kenya 7:39:51 (2:33:17); 7. North to pick it up along the way,” Davila said.

Korea 7:50:32 (2:36:51); 8. New Zealand 8:00:37 (2:40:13); 9.

“I felt great going into the last lap, and France 8:13:43 (2:44:35). was able to pick people off.”

MARK SHEARMAN

After finishing a disappointing 21st in the Olympic 10,000, Xue Bai took out her frustration by running and winning the Beijing Marathon in October, then ran three more “training” marathons before toeing the line in Berlin.

Practice seems to make perfect as the 20-

The Bible Of The Sport

p39 (wMar-20W-Cup).indd 39

November 2009 — 39

9/17/09 11:13:28 AM

www.trackandfieldnews.com We are operating a tour in the summer of 2010 to the World Junior Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada.

The World Junior Champion Championships will be held in July in Moncton, N.B., Canada, a growing city of almost 125,000, about 225 miles northeast of Bangor, Maine. This will be our first World Juniors tour and it promises to be something special. The World Juniors have been sensational the last few editions—a coming out party for stars of the future, like LaShawn Merritt, Usain Bolt, Yelena Isinbayeva, Veronica Campbell, Kerron Clement, Lauryn Williams, et al.

We’re looking at a two-week tour including 7 nights in Moncton, and a week’s touring to Prince Edward Island, Halifax, Maine and Boston. Or just do the week in Moncton. No price estimates yet, but should be less than $3,000 for the two weeks. Earliest signups get best priority for housing, etc. $75/person deposit. Championships dates are July 19-25, so figure July 19-August 1 for the two-week tour.

To join send deposit to Track & Field News Tours 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 606 Mountain View, CA 94040

40 — November 2009

p40 (w4x1).indd 40

X

100

Jamaicans Hold On, U.S. Doesn’t

by Sieg Lindstrom Debbie Ferguson McKenzie, along with 38-year-old Chandra Sturrup a member of the Bahamian team that won Olympic gold way back in Sydney as the millennium began, restated an eternal truth about the 4x1: “It’s not necessarily about the four fastest people but to bring the baton all along.”

The Jamaican women’s team did that best, passing the stick cleanly to win comfortably in 42.06.

The U.S. squad came in with confidence high from a 41.58 run in Cottbus just two weeks earlier. That time was faster than any Jamaican team has ever run, but the U.S. foursome never made it through their heat (see p. 50).

Jamaica had won heat 1 in 41.88 and the U.S. seemed poised to respond in heat 2.

Lauryn Williams—leading off as she had on the gold medal team of ’07—passed safely to Alex Anderson.

In turn, Anderson matched Russian Aleksandra Fedoriva, the second leg on her nation’s gold-medal team from Beijing, down the backstretch.

The two squads started their second passes roughly even and then the U.S. effort went awry. Anderson’s attempt to hand off to Muna Lee missed connections a time or two, requiring Lee to flail her arm for the retry. They eventually connected but Lee fell violently to the track as a left hamstring tore.

“It didn’t even dawn on me it could be us,” said Williams.

But it was.

Was running Lee a mistake? The LSU alum had disappeared from the Euro circuit a month before the meet with injury problems. She had run on the team in Cottbus, though, and performed well in the Worlds 200, placing 4th, even though she sported black tape on either her right thigh, her back or both throughout the half-lap rounds.

No, there was not much to second-guess.

Jamaica could breathe a little easier, though.

In lane 5 for the final, Jamaica sent Texas A&M alum Simone Facey out on leadoff to hand the stick to Shelly-Ann Fraser.

The OG/WC gold medalist built Jamaica a slight lead over Fedoriva (lane 8) and Sturrup (3), and ended her carry with a smooth

exchange to South Carolina alum Aleen Bailey.

Bailey—a late add to the Jamaican squad after 200 silver medalist Veronica Campbell-Brown withdrew in an apparent spat with team officials over who would run anchor—held a small

CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTY SPORTY

NEXT YEAR IN MONCTON?

4

Bailey’s smooth pass to Stewart sealed the Jamaican win

margin over Bahamian quartermiler Christine Amertil and Russia’s Yuliya Gushchina around the turn.

Bailey handed cleanly to Jamaican Champs runnerup Kerron Stewart, and the yellow and green team ran safely home.

The surprise in the turn was host-nation Germany, whose third leg, Cathleen Tschirch, was running her team into medal contention.

Georgia alum Ferguson McKenzie kept the stretch run honest, bringing the Bahamians silver in 42.29, as German anchor Verena Sailer overhauled all expectations to sail past Russia 42.87–43.00.

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:14:06 AM

4

x

400

U.S. Rips Off A Fast One

Leg 1: 1. U.S. 50.5; 2. Russia 50.7; 3. Jamaica 51.4; Great Britain 52.1; 5. France 52.4; 6. Germany 52.9; 7. Nigeria 53.6; 8. Cuba 58.53.

Leg 2: 1. U.S. 1:39.25; 2. Russia 1:40.58; 3. Jamaica 1:40.96; 4. Great Britain 1:42.68; 5. France 1:43.95; 6. Germany 1:44.85; 7. Nigeria 1:45.47; 8. Cuba 1:50.54.

Leg 3: 1. U.S. 2:29.39; 2. Russia 2:30.60; 3. Jamaica 2:31.11; 4. Great Britain 2:34.81; 5. France 2:36.24; 6. Germany 2:36.35; 7. Nigeria 2:37.57; 8. Cuba 2:44.26.

ing 49.46 per leg, so too were Jamaica (3:21.15) and Russia (3:21.64) for the other two medal positions, as their times left them well clear of 4th-place Britain (3:25.16), which in turn was far ahead of Germany (3:27.61).

Although internet chatter leading to the meet was insistent that both Jamaica and Russia had a chance to unseat the Americans, the event was not so much a race as it was a time trial for the medals, as there was only one change of position among the top three teams over the entire course, and that didn’t come until very late in the race.

Leadoff: Debbie Dunn, at 31 the veteran of the U.S. team, was off best on the first turn, with Russia’s former anchor, Anastasiya Kapachinskaya, trying to close on the backstretch.

In the homestretch, Jamaica’s Rosemarie Whyte cut down the distance to 2nd, but at the exchange Dunn had a full meter over Russia,

50.5–50.7, with Jamaica another 4 meters back in 51.4.

Second Leg: Allyson Felix, the half-lap champion, ran second and at the break had a mere 2-meter lead on Russian Tatyana Firova, with Jamaican Novlene Williams-Mills another meter behind.

But Felix powered through the second turn and the homestretch, and after running 48.8 she handed off with a lead of nearly 10 meters.

Third Leg: With 400 hurdles silver medalist Lashinda Demus handling the stick, the U.S. maintained most of its margin throughout, with Demus turning her lap in 50.14.

Lyudmila Litvinova ran 50.02 to close the gap by a meter, but the Russians had front-loaded their team, and the U.S. had 400 champ Sanya Richards on anchor.

Meanwhile, Jamaica’s Shereefa Lloyd had run 50.15, dropping another meter behind Russia.

“I liked that big lead,” said Demus. “But I still didn’t let myself off the hook. I did what I had to do. I saw Sanya pulling me in. She made me go for her.

She finished it off for us.”

Dunn gave the U.S. a leadoff lead it never relinquished

ERROL ANDERSON/THE SPORTING IMAGE

by Dave Johnson With three individual medalists on the team, including the champions at 200 and 400 meters, it was not a surprise when the United States won.

The stunner was the time, 3:17.83: the fastest time in the world since ’93 (and No. 6 ever), when a U.S. foursome won the World title in Stuttgart in 3:16.71, the only faster time ever run in the meet.

As dominating as the U.S. was in averag-

Anchor: Richards pulled away strongly over the first 200, doubling the margin to about 18 meters at the halfway point.

Behind her, Jamaican Shericka 4 x 100 (August 22) Williams, the 400 silver medalist, 1. Jamaica........................................... 42.06 caught Russia’s Antonina Kri(Facey, Fraser, Bailey, Stewart) voshapka in the turn and moved into 2. Bahamas......................................... 42.29 2nd early on the backstretch.

(Ferguson, Sturrup, Amertil, Ferguson McKenzie) From there it was merely a run 3. Germany.......................................... 42.87 to the line, as Richards extended the (Wagner, Möllinger, Tschirch, Sailer) lead to a good 20 meters at the finish, 4. Russia 43.00 (Polyakova, Fedoriva, Gushchina, Cherher 48.44 serving as the fastest split moshanskaya); 5. Brazil 43.13 (Neto, de Moura, Presti, of the race (and of her career).

Gomes); 6. Great Britain 43.16 (Turner, Douglas, Freeman, Ania); Williams closed out Jamaica’s 7. Trinidad 43.43 (Thomas, Baptiste, Hutchinson, Hackett); 8. silver-medal race with a 50.04, as Colombia 43.71 (Hinestroza, Palacios, Obregón, González).

Krivoshapka ran 51.04. heats (August 22) Dunn, who put the U.S. in the I–1. Jamaica 41.88; 2. Bahamas 42.66; 3. Trinidad 43.22; lead from the start, said of second 4. Ukraine 43.77; 5. St. Kitts 43.98; 6. Belgium 43.99.

II–1. Germany 42.96; 2. Colombia 43.30; 3. Great Britain runner Felix, “I saw Allyson open 43.34; 4. Belarus 44.12; 5. Thailand 44.59; 6. Nigeria 46.54. it up, and gave us a pretty big lead.

II–1. Brazil 43.07; 2. Russia 43.18; 3. Poland 43.63; 4.

My mind set was to put it out there.

Japan 44.24;… dnf—United States (L. Williams, Anderson, Get these girls out in front and we Lee [drop], Jeter). are going for the gold.”

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4 x 400 (August 22) 1. United States................ 3:17.83 (WL), AL (6 W, 3 US) (Dunn 50.5, Felix 48.8, Demus 50.14, Richards 48.44)

2. Jamaica........................................ 3:21.15 (Whyte 51,4, Williams-Mills 49.6, Lloyd 50.15, Williams 50.04)

3. Russia.......................................... 3:21.64 (Kapachinskaya 50.7, Firova 49.9, Litvinova 50.02, Krivoshapka 51.04) 4. Great Britain 3:25.16 (McConnell 52.1, Ohuruogu 50.6, Barr 52.13, Sanders 50.35); 5. Germany 3:27.61 (Kohlmann 52.9, Nwachukwu 52.0, Cremer 51.50, Hoffmann 51.26); 6. Nigeria 3:28.55 (Abinuwa 53.6, Odumosu 51.9, Ehigwe 52.20, Abugan 50.88); 7. France 3:30.16 (Michanol 52.4, Kamga 52.2, Behi 52.29, D-Mariller 53.92); 8. Cuba 3:36.99 (Peña 58.53, Bonne 52.01, Calatayud 53.92, Terrero 52.53). heats (August 22) I–1. United States 3:29.31 (Dunn 51.1, Hastings 51.8, Beard 51.38, Richards 54.99); 2. Nigeria 3:29.60; 3. France 3:29.60; 4. Australia 3:30.80; 5. Italy 3:31.05; 6. Brazil 3:31.42; 7. Mexico 3:40.03; … dq[improper ordering at handoff]—Bahamas.

II–1. Russia 3:23.80; 2. Jamaica 3:24.72; 3. Germany 3:25.08; 4. Great Britain 3:25.23; 5. Cuba 3:27.36; 6. Canada 3:29.17; 7. Ukraine 3:30.76; 8. Japan 3:34.46.

November 2009 — 41

9/17/09 12:22:51 PM

high jump

1. Blanka Vlašić (Croatia).......... 6-8¼ (2.04) (6-1½, 6-3½, 6-5, 6-6¼, 6-7½ [2], 6-8¼ [2], 6-10¾ WR [xxx])

2. Anna Chicherova (Russia).... 6-7½ (2.02) (6-1½, 6-3½, 6-5 [2], 6-6¼, 6-7½, 6-8¼ [xxx])

3. Ariane Friedrich (Ger)........... 6-7½ (2.02) (6-3½, 6-6¼, 6-7½ [3], 6-8¼ [xxp], 6-9 [x]) 4. Antonietta Di Martino (Ita) 6-6¼ (1.99); 5. Ruth Beitia (Spa) 6-6¼; 6. Svetlana Shkolina (Rus) 6-5 (1.96); 7. tie, Emma Green (Swe) & Chaunté Howard (US) 6-5; 9. Melanie Melfort (Fra) 6-3½ (1.92); 10. Elena Slesarenko (Rus) 6-3½; 11. Meike Kröger (Ger) 6-1½ (1.87); 12. Amy Acuff (US) 6-1½. qualifying (August 18) Notable non-qualifiers (finalists cleared 6-3½/1.92 on second attempt or better): [6-3½/1.92]—Aitova (Kaz); [6-2¼/1.89]—Day (US), Palamar (Ukr).

pole vault (August 17) 1. Anna Rogowska (Poland........ 15-7 (4.75) (14-5¼, 14-11, 15-3 [2], 15-7, 15-9 [xxx])

=2. Chelsea Johnson (US) ........ 15-3 (4.65) (14-5¼, 14-11, 15-3, 15-7 [xxx])

=2. Monika Pyrek (Poland.......... 15-3 (4.65) (14-5¼, 14-11, 15-3, 15-7 [xxp], 15-9 [x]) 4. Silke Spiegelburg (Ger) 15-3 (14-5¼, 14-11 [2], 15-3 [2], 15-7 [xxx]); 5. Fabiana Murer (Bra) 14-11 (4.55); 6. Kate Dennison (GB) 14-11; 7. tie, Anna Battke (Ger) & Tatyana Polnova (Rus) 14-5¼ (4.40); 9. Aleksandra Kiryashova (Rus) 14-5¼; 10. Kristina Gadschiew (Ger) 14‑5¼; … nh[15-7/4.75 & 15-9/4.75 & 4.80—Yelena Isinbayeva (Rus); … dnc—Yuliya Golubchikova (Rus).

QUALIFYING (August 15) Notable non-qualifiers (finalists cleared 14-9/4.50 without a miss or better): [14-9/4.50]—Bruno (Ita), Büchler (Swi) (NR), Schwartz (US); [14-5¼/4.40]—Agirre (Spa), Hendry (Can); [13-11¼/4.25]—Dragila (US);… nh—Gao (Chn).

Long jump (August 23) 1. Brittney Reese (US)....... 23-3½ (7.10) PR (WL, AL) (3, x A) (22-8½, 22-5¾, 23-3½, f, f, f)

2. Tatyana Lebedeva (Rus).... 22-10½ (6.97) (22-3, 22-10½, f, f, f, f)

3. Melis Mey (Turkey)............... 22-3¾ (6.80) (22-2¼, f, 22-3¾, f, f, 21-3½) 4. Naide Gomes (Por) 22-2½ (6.77) (22-2½, f, 21-4¾, 21-11, 21-11½, 21-11); 5. Olga Kucherenko (Rus) 22-2½ (6.77) (f, f, 22-2½, 21-9, f, 21-11); 6. Shara Proctor (Agu) 22-¼ (6.71) NR; 7. Maurren Maggi (Bra) 21-11 (6.68); 8. Ksenija Balta (Est) 21-8¾ (6.62); 9. Brianna Glenn (US) 21-7½ (6.59); 10. Teresa Dobija (Pol) 21-7¼ (6.58); 11. Nastassia Mironchyk (Blr) 20-7¾ (6.29); … 3f—Keila Costa (Bra).

QUALIFYING (August 21) Notable non-qualifiers (21-4¾/6.52 qualified)—Sokolova (Rus) 21‑4¼ (6.51), Jung (SK) 21-3½ (6.49), Abdulai (Can) 21-2 (6.45), Jarrett (Jam) 21-1¼ (6.43), Dobrynska (Ukr) 20‑11¼ (6.38), Jimoh (US) 20-9¾ (6.34).

Triple jump (August 17) 1. Yargelis Savigne (Cuba)...... 49-¾ (14.95) (47-5, 46-4¾, 48-10¼, 48-8¾, 49-¾, 47‑2½)

2. Mabel Gay (Cuba)............ 47-11¼ (14.61) (45-6¼, 47-7, f, 47-11¼, 47-6¼, 46-¾)

3. Anna Pyatykh (Russia)....... 47-10 (14.58) (45-¼, 46-8¼, 44-9¾, 47-10, 47-5¼, 47-8) 4. Biljana Topic (Ser) 47-7¾ (14.52) NR (46‑7½, 47-2¼, 46-10, 47-7¾, 47-4¼, 46-3¼); 5. Trecia Smith (Jam) 47-6¼ (14.48) (46-11½, f, f, 47-3½, 47-6¼, f); 6. Tatyana Lebedeva (Rus) 47-1¾ (14.37); 7. Cristina Bujin (Rom) 46-9½ (14.26); 8. Dana Veldáková (Svk) 46-9 (14.25); 9. Limei Xie (Chn) 46-5½ (14.16); 10. Olga Rypakova (Kaz) 45-7¾ (13.91); 11.

Teresa Nzola Meso (Fra) 45-3 (13.79); 12. Gisele de Oliveira (Bra) 43-3¼ (13.19).

QUALIFYING (August 15) Notable non-qualifiers (46-4¼/14.13 qualified): Aldama (Sud) & Dacheva (Bul) 46-3½ (14.11), Williams (Jam) 46‑2½ (14.08) PR, Welsch (US) 45-11¾w (14.01), Šestak (Slo) 44-11 (13.69), Marks (US) 44-10¼ (13.67), Alekhina (Rus) 44-7½ (13.60), McLain (US) 43-11¼ (13.39).

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Vlašić Wins Big Duel

by Kevin Saylors This was the duel that the German fans were anticipating: The queen of the high jump, defending champion Blanka Vlašić of Croatia versus their hero, Ariane Friedrich.

Friedrich had beaten Vlašić at the ISTAF meet in June, 6-9 (2.06)–6-8 (2.03), setting a National Record in the process.

But the World Championships were the big prize. No one could escape it, and Friedrich’s face was everywhere in Berlin: magazines, newspapers, and TV features.

In qualifying, she took one jump and declared herself fit and ready. In the other pit, Vlašić needed four jumps, perhaps in an attempt to build her confidence after receiving six stitches to close a head wound after a freak accident that morning.

The early rounds of the final merely prolonged the time before the duel would begin in earnest.

Five cleared 6-6¼ (1.99) to move on to 6-7½ (2.02), including The Big Two, plus Osaka co-silver medalists Anna Chicherova of Russia and Antonietta Di Martino of Italy, and Ruth Beitia of Spain.

At 6-7½ Friedrich was in trouble. With her first attempt, she knocked the bar off with her shoulder; on her second, she took off too far out and came down on the bar.

Chicherova nailed her first attempt to take sole possession of the lead; Vlašić missed once, then put it all together on her second attempt, clearing by a good inch. Di Martino and Beitia bowed out.

On her third attempt, perhaps the most pressure-packed jump in her career, Friedrich delivered a flawless clearance to complete the triumvirate that would contest the medals.

A PR-equaling 6-8¼ (2.04) was too much for Chicherova, but Vlašić arched over on her second attempt and out came the start of her celebration dance.

In response, Friedrich passed, to take her remaining attempt at 6-9 (2.06).

Unlike Vlašić, who likes to jump with the crowd rhythmically clapping, Friedrich prefers quiet. And with 50,000-plus eerily silent, Friedrich sprinted towards the bar, planted, and propelled her body up into the air. Her hips cleared, but her legs ticked the bar and down it came. The crowd ooohed in disbelief that she had come so close but missed, then applauded their favorite.

Vlašić then raised the bar for the obligatory three attempts at a World Record 6-10¾ (2.10),

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

High jump (August 20)

Vlašić got another chance to do her celebratory shimmy

but that would have to wait for another day.

“This is one of the hardest things I have done in my career,” she said. “It’s not easy to defend your title.”

Friedrich exuded, “It was a fantastic competition. It was amazing, so much fun to jump here.”

High jump aficionados from around the world can look forward to many more duels between these great young (both just 25) jumpers.

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:17:44 AM

POLE VAULT

Surprises For Both Isi & Rogowska

by Ed Gordon

the two-time champion.

Meanwhile, two of the other three combatants—American Chelsea Johnson and German Silke Spiegelburg—exited the competition by missing at 15-7. That left Rogowska’s countrywoman Monika Pyrek—with one attempt at 15-9—alive along with Isinbayeva and Rogowska.

No further successes ensued, and Isinbayeva suffered the ignominy of only the third no-height of her international career. She blamed “My Mind Was Absent,” Admits Isi it on having the wrong attitude “I have no proper explanation for what happened today,” (see sidebar). said Yelena Isinbayeva, graciously handling her media obligations in the face of the evening’s disaster. “I was The 15-9 she needed to confident and cleared 4.70 [15-5] in warmups. I think it win was a level she had first happened just because it happened. But I also hope I will reached in ’03, and had equaled recover from this.” or surpassed an astonishing Later, when the gravity of the situation had sunk in, she 51 times since (with six other admitted that “my body was there, but my mind was abvaulters contributing only an sent.” She continued, “It can happen to any athlete who aggregate 30). doesn’t have any real rivals.” Complacency suddenly fills That left Rogowska unexpectthe role of a rival. edly with a gold medal, something she found incredulous. “If someone told me in the morning that I to joust with the much-decorated Russian, who was going to win the gold medal, I would was attempting a three-peat gold. have just smiled at them,” she admitted.

Anna Rogowska, jumping ahead of Isin“Maybe I hoped for silver, but the gold bayeva, rattled the favorite with a first-attempt is a big surprise for me.” clearance at 15-7. It was starting to look like a Although not part of the drama at the repeat of the London competition three weeks final bar height, Johnson (see sidebar) quietly earlier in which the 28-year-old Pole beat Isinput together a perfect slate of jumps up through bayeva on the countback. a season-best 15-3 (4.65) which was enough With this recent event fresh in her memory, to gain the silver in a tie with Pyrek. “My aim the WR holder must have felt uncommon pressure as her response to Rogowska’s clearance was a half-hearted miss that had little merit.

Passing to 15-9 was now the only option for If there was one competitor in Berlin who was felt to have had a lock on a gold medal, Yelena Isinbayeva was that athlete. And perhaps even she herself felt that way as she confidently strode up to the official and passed the first four heights to start her evening at a daunting 15-7 (4.75—but still lower than her 15-9/4.80 Osaka starter).

By that time only four others remained alive

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

Rogowska would have been quite content with a silver

The Johnson family likes vaulting in Germany. Father Jan won the Olympic bronze in Munich in ’72. In Berlin the ever-gregarious dad, now 58, saw daughter Chelsea go him one better.

The 25-year-old Californian produced her ’09 seasonal best of 15-3 (4.65)—also the No. 3 leap of her career—to share an unexpected silver.

The first jumper in the order, Johnson helped herself tremendously by making her first three heights on her initial try.

She didn’t miss until she reached the PR setting of 15-7 (4.75).

“It was very important to be clean through the heights,” she said. “That was the mindset coming into Berlin, just like nationals in Eugene: make every bar on first attempt.

“It paid off because it definitely helped me to relax. It was nice to get the heights done and then be able to relax while the

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CHERYL TREWORGY/PRETTY SPORTY

Johnson Sees Dad, Raises Him One

was to make every bar on the first attempt, and that’s what I did,” she said.

“But honestly, I feel bad for Yelena. She is still the greatest pole vaulter of all-time. Everybody has a bad day sometime, and I was able to capitalize on her problems. That’s why this event is so interesting. You never know what is going to happen.”

remains very active in vaulting’s coaching circles, “He has given me good advice over the years. For the final, I just tried to act like it was any other meet and not get too anxious. I just tried to relax and do what I did in practice.”

Johnson acknowledged that circumstances played into her favor, with Yelena Isinbayeva having a rare off-day and AR holder Jenn Stuczynski and former WR holder Svetlana Feofanova not even competing.

“Those things went through my Chelsea now owns a silver while father mind, but I just tried to focus on myself,” she said. “Focus on practice Jan has to make do with bronze. and the things I needed to do and not worry about the rest of the competition.” other girls battled it out.”

She didn’t get to celebrate much with Johnson admitted she went into the final her parents, who had to leave Berlin early aiming for a medal. “I just knew I was going to the next morning to return to their teaching win one,” she said. “Things have gone so great and coaching jobs in California. all year, that was the goal. I didn’t care which For the future, Johnson said, “This really medal. I’ve just been 100% confident this year makes me feel confident and believe that and ready to go, with my eye on the prize.” anything can happen.” /Jon Hendershott/ The UCLA grad said of her father, who

November 2009 — 43

9/17/09 11:15:38 AM

long jump

A World-Leading 23-3½ For Reese

by Brian Russell

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

Even though she possessed the year ’s leading jump at 23-2 (7.06), Brittney Reese didn’t come to town as the favorite, given her lack of consistency and technique that rarely wins many style points.

There was a sense that one of the sport’s wily veterans would strike at the optimal moment.

That never happened, as the 22-year-old Ole Miss alum took the lead in the first round, then responded to their challenges.

A good amount of rain was falling as the event began, but that didn’t stop the competition, as the jumpers were largely protected from the elements by the extended roof that covered the stands.

Still, the competition was foul-plagued, the red flag coming up no fewer than 27 times in 60 attempts.

Reese was the fifth jumper in round 1 and promptly laid down the fourth-best jump of her career, a 22‑8½ (6.92) that gave her a comfortable lead and confidence boost heading into round 2.

It was then defending champion Tatyana Lebedeva’s turn. She had dropped

world lead to 23-3½ (7.10), letting it be known that another WL would be needed for anyone to surpass her.

A mild surprise after three rounds found Turkey’s Melis Mey in 3rd in front of favored Naide Gomes and Olympic champ Maurren Maggi (bothered by a balky knee that held her to just four attempts).

Albeit somewhat anti-climatic, the only real drama that remained was to see if anyone could get a decent jump off while avoiding the foul line.

Lebedeva remained in silver position, but could not get off a fair jump after the second round.

In fact, none of the places changed during the final three rounds.

When asked about her big jump, which made her the No. 3 American ever, Reese recounted, “I went back and worked on my speed more. I brought my last two steps back in, and I popped the big one out.”

She added, “I knew Tatyana could easily go 7 meters with any of her remaining jumps, so it did Reese had the early lead, put a little pressure on me.

I kept my focus and in the lost it, then regained it end she did not jump 7 for good with a big PR meters.”

a 22-3 (6.78) opener, but it was the Russian’s subsequent 22-10½ (6.97) that brought a sense of normalcy back to the event.

The American needed a big jump to take the lead back. She responded by upping her

Reese Reaches Her Number Heading into the long jump final, Brittney Reese had a number in mind that she wanted to reach. “7.10 [23-3½] was it,” she revealed. “I had been thinking about going that distance for a long time. I’m excited that I finally went out and did it.”

The 22-year-old from Gulfport, Mississippi, focused on 7.10, she said, “because I jumped 7.09 [23-3¼] with too much wind at USATF. So I wanted to come out at Worlds and jump 7.10 legally.

“I admit I was surprised when I saw the measurement. I didn’t think I was going to get it, but I’m just glad I did.”

Her effort, a leap that boosted her PR from the 23-2 (7.06) she had spanned in Brazil in

44 — November 2009

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jumped and ran the sprint relay at Ole Miss, as well as an occasional 100.

May, gave the Mississippi grad the global title after she had finished 8th at the ’07 Worlds and 5th last year in the Olympics.

Of those experiences, Reese said, “Both times, I had just finished my college season.

So I had been in a lot of meets, indoors and outdoors. But this year has been my first as a pro and I didn’t have as many meets as when I was in college.

“So I was more relaxed in competitions, more calm. I had less jumps. But I could concentrate on just one thing, jumping. There hasn’t been any schoolwork or obligations to the team.”

Reese, who still trains in Oxford with college mentor Joe Walker, also high jumped, triple

She added, “It was easier to come out this year without having had a college season, which put so much stress on your legs. Competing was easier when I had a smaller number of jumps in meets.”

Reese has proven to be a big-meet jumper, having produced a PR in the ’07 Worlds qualifying (22-5/6.83), a match to win the ’08 NCAA (22-9/6.83) and a best to take the ’08 Trials (22-9¾/6.95). So she welcomed Tatyana Lebedeva taking the Worlds lead in round 2 after Reese led with her opener.

“It was great motivation for me to go out and try to put out the biggest jump I could,” confirmed Reese. “It was great to have competition like that.” /Jon Hendershott/

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:19:19 AM

TRIPLE JUMP

Savigne’s Second Simple

by Phil Minshull Defending champion Yargelis Savigne added a second WC gold medal to the one she won in Osaka. But this time the Cuban took the title with considerably more ease in a surprisingly low-key contest that saw the wind range from +1.3 to –1.5.

For only the second time in WC or OG history (joining the ’99 WC), the winning distance was shorter than 15 meters (49-2½) but instead of Savigne’s having a host of challengers to battle with right up to the very last leap, no one got within a foot of her fifth-round 49-¾ (14.95).

“At the beginning, I lacked coordination and was really nervous,” she said, “but I told myself to stay focused on the result. The 15 meters didn’t matter today, only victory.”

Two of Savigne’s potential rivals didn’t even make it to the final. Unfit Olympic champ Françoise Mbango, who admitted that months of post-Beijing award ceremonies and other activities took its toll on her winter preparations, scratched before the qualifying while Russia’s surprise world leader Nadezhda Alekhina could only manage 44-7½ (13.60).

Once the final got underway, Savigne lead after the first round with 47-5 (14.45) before being briefly removed from the top spot by teammate Mabel Gay, who nailed 47-7 (14.50) with her second effort.

In the third round, Savigne bounded out to 48-10¼ (14.89) after taking off well behind the board, and effectively clinched the competition. Two rounds later, and visibly more relaxed with nobody looking like they were going to pick up the gauntlet, she improved another 2½ inches.

A long, long way behind the 24-year-old Cuban there was a close battle for the silver, with Russian vet Anna Pyatykh improving from 8th to 2nd with her fourth-round 47-10 (14.58), only for Gay to respond immediately and go out to a near-PR 47-11¼ (14.61), finally adding a senior medal to the World Youth and Junior crowns she had won earlier in her career.

Pyatykh held on for the bronze and her record for the last four WC finals is now 4th3rd-4th-3rd.

Two-time champ and Osaka silver medallist Tatyana Lebedeva, her form deserting her due to a slight back problem—although she was to recover and get the long jump silver six days later—was never in serious contention for a medal and finished 6th, competing in her record sixth final.

“My placing is no surprise for me after my injury in Stockholm,” she said. “I hoped to compete well because of my experience but I guess I was hoping for a miracle.”

None of the U.S. trio—Shakeema Welsch, Shani Marks & Erica McLain—made it out of the qualifying despite only 46-4¼ (14.13) being needed to progress. The U.S. hasn’t had a finalist in the event since Cynthea Rhodes finished 11th in ’97.

The Bible Of The Sport

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A fine time was had by all in Berlin. 250 fans went to the World Championships with Track & Field News Tours and of course were thrilled by all the great performances and competition. The weather cooperated for the most part and Berlin was able to put its best foot forward—what a great city for sightseeing, culture and good food. But of course we were all there for track & field, in that beautiful setting of the 1936 Olympic Stadium, and there were few disappointments. It was ten days of fun and games.

The TAFNOT gala luncheon at the Berlin Hilton was a highlight, as usual, and we were graced by the attendance of Sanya Richards, Kerron Clement, Trey Hardee, Lashinda Demus, Chelsea Johnson, and Stacy Dragila, among others. Sanya blew our minds by leading a cheer for Track & Field News! Thank you, Sanya; we love you too.

More than 100 tour members joined us on pre and post extension trips to European hot spots like Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Heidelberg, Lausanne (IOC Museum), and, of course, Zurich, where several of us were fortunate to witness Isinbayeva’s world record and Ritzenhein’s amazing 5000 AR, as well as other great performances.

An earlier tour in June was to Eugene and the USATF Championships/ Worlds Trials, and that was another fine trip, with some outstanding track & field. We have two more trips scheduled to Eugene—in 2011 and 2012, and space is getting tight for both of those tours. Eugene is a popular place these days.

Our two tours next year should be on your radar. In July we’re doing our first-ever World Junior Championships tour. The Juniors will be in the close-by city of Moncton, N.B., Canada. Our greatest current stars made big splashes in the World Juniors in their day, and here’s your chance to see the Bolts and Isinbayevas of the future! In the second half of August, we’ll be touring Europe, taking in the three climactic Diamond League meetings in London, Zurich and Brussels, plus some great sightseeing in Paris and elsewhere. See our website: www.trackandfieldnews.com and click on “tours” to get all the details. And don’t forget the next World Championships in Daegu, South Korea in late August, 2011. That’s a place we haven’t visited before and we’re looking forward to another great Worlds.

November 2009 — 45

9/17/09 11:41:07 AM

shot

Vili’s Streak Continues

by Kevin Saylors

shot (August 16) 1. Valerie Vili (New Zealand).... 67-¾ (20.44) (63-7¾, f, 66-5¼, 66-1¾, 67-¾, 66-5¼)

2. Nadine Kleinert (Ger).. 66-3¼ (20.20) PR (65-9¾, 64-½, 66-3¼, 64-4, f, f)

3. Lijiao Gong (China)..... 65-3¼ (19.89) PR (64-7¼, 65-3¼, 64-6¾, 64-9¾, f, f) 4. Natalya Mikhnevich (Blr) 64-6 (19.66) (64-6, f, 63‑2¾, 64‑¼, f, f); 5. Anna Avdeeva (Rus) 64-6 (19.66) ; 6. Michelle Carter (US) 62-2½ (18.96); 7. Meiju Li (Chn) 61-6¾ (18.76); 8. Misleydis González (Cub) 61-5¾ (18.74); 9. Mailín Vargas (Cub) 61-3 (18.67); 10. Xiangrong Liu (Chn) 60-9¼ (18.52); 11. Denise Hinrichs (Ger) 60-4 (18.39); 12. Christina Schwanitz (Ger) 58-6½ (17.84). qualifying (August 16) Notable non-qualifiers (59-4¾/18.10 qualified): BorelBrown (Tri) 59-¼ (17.99), Kevkhishvili (Geo) 58-10¾ (17.95), Camarena (US) 55-6¼, Heaston (US) 49-1¾ (14.98).

discus (August 21) 1. Dani Samuels (Aus)...... 214-8 (65.44) PR (f, 193-8, 205-9, 212-5 PR, 214-8, f)

2. Yarelis Barrios (Cuba)........ 214-3 (65.31) (211-5, 209-6, 200-8, f, f, 214-3)

3. Nicoleta Grasu (Rom)....... 213-11 (65.20) (f, 213-11, 204-8, 199-1, 208-0, f) 4. Żaneta Glanc (Pol) 205-7 (62.66) (192-6, 196-3, 205-7, f, 189-4, f); 5. Aimin Song (Chn) 204-9 (62.42) ; 6. Nadine Müller (Ger) 203-6 (62.04); 7. Natalya Sadova (Rus) 202-8 (61.78); 8. Mélina Robert-Michon (Fra) 199-10 (60.92); 9. Sandra Perković (Cro) 199-4 (60.77); 10. Aretha Thurmond (US) 196-6 (59.89); 11. Xuejun Ma (Chn) 192-10 (58.79); 12.

Stephanie Brown Trafton (US) 192-0 (58.53). qualifying (August 19) Notable non-qualifiers (200-5/61.08 qualified): Xu (Chn) 200-2 (61.02), Collado (Cub) 198-0 (60.37), Breisch (US) 191-11 (58.50), Dietzsch (Ger) 191-9 (58.44), Ferrales (Cub) 191-1 (58.24); … 3f—Yatchenko (Blr), Zvereva (Blr).

46 — November 2009

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discus

Old Guard Is Gone

by Garry Hill

At 5 inches, Samuels had the smallest discus margin ever

There was a sea change in the women’s discus in Beijing last year when Stephanie Brown Trafton became the first American in three-quarters of a century to win Olympic gold.

The housecleaning continued in Berlin, with SBT herself being a partial victim.

The list of those who failed to advance from qualifying was stunning, including as it did three throwers—Franka Dietzsch, Irina Yatchenko, Ellina Zvereva—who among them own every WC gold awarded starting with ’99, as well as ’95.

Overall, the carnage was four former medalists with 10 medals among them not winning any this time.

The T&FN formchart was blown all to hell as the favored SBT ended up a never-really-in-it last in the final and winner Dani Samuels somehow didn’t even make our top 10.

The 21-year-old Aussie did the throwing of her life, coming within 9 inches of her PR in round 3 with a 205-9 (62.71) to stand in the bronze position behind Nicoleta Grasu (213-11/65.20) and Yarelis Barrios (211-5/64.44) at the cutdown.

She improved to silver standing with a PR 212-5 (64.76) in stanza 4 and then jumped up to gold with another lifetime best on her fifth, 214-8 (65.44).

Barrios gave Samuels a good scare in the last round, but her 214-3 (65.31) fell just inches shy and Samuels, predictably, erupted in joy.

“I expect this will be a big story in Australia once they wake up,” Samuels told reporters. “It was about 5 a.m. in Australia, but I know that my family were definitely all up and watching my competition on TV.” Said the disappointed Brown Trafton, “It’s been a rough go these last two days. The ring was fine. If anything, it was warming up, then having to sit there. There’s nothing I can really point to. Physically, I’m kind of worn out.”

VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN

Favored Valerie Vili came to Berlin with the year’s best mark and a 21-meet winning streak, dating back to late ’07. Before she could leave Berlin, New Zealand’s Olympic champ would have to combat the challenge of 3-time medalist Nadine Kleinert of Germany.

At 33 the oldest in the field of 12 gliders, Kleinert got the crowd into it early, equaling her PR at 65-9¾ (20.06) on her first effort. Vili had temporarily led at 63-7¾ (19.40) before China’s Lijao Gong (64-7¼/19.69) and Kleinert passed her.

In the second round, defending champ Vili fouled, but Gong improved with a PR 65-3¼ (19.89) to edge closer to Kleinert, who did not improve.

But with a 66-5¼ (20.25) third put, Vili put her stamp on the competition, jumping from 5th to 1st, with a mark that only one other competitor—Natalya Mikhnevich—had ever surpassed. But Kleinert, with the help of her enthusiastic supporters, improved her PR to 66-3¼ (20.20), just 2 inches behind the leader.

The fourth stanza, as is so often the case, produced no fireworks, but the fifth did: Gong released a massive put, in the 67-foot (20.50) range, but fouled.

Vili responded to the challenge with her best of the day, 67-¾ (20.44), increasing her lead over

Kleinert to almost a foot.

The anticlimactic final round saw 6 consecutive fouls, including Kleinert and Gong, before Vili concluded the competition with another 66-5¼ (20.25) which would have won by itself.

Vili, 24, admitted she was challenged, saying, “Tonight, Kleinert pushed me a lot, but I wasn’t worried. I’m satisfied I could defend my title.”

Hammer (August 22) 1. Anita Włodarczyk (Pol).255-9 (77.96) WR (old WR 255-3/77.80 Lysenko [Rus] ’06) (245-7, 255-9, p, p, p, f)

2. Betty Heidler (Ger)........ 253-0 (77.12) NR (5, 8 W) (246-5, 247-4, 248-5, 240-11, 250-9, 253‑0)

3. Martina Hrasnová (Svk)...... 245-4 (74.79) (222-7, 238-7, 239-8, 228-0, 245-4, 215-4) 4. Kathrin Klaas (Ger) 243-6 (74.23) PR (236-3, f, 243-6, 217-5, f, f); 5. Wenxiu Zhang (Chn) 238-1 (72.57); 6. Tatyana Lysenko (Rus) 236-11 (72.22); 7. Jessica Cosby (US) 236-9 (72.17) (x, 7 A); 8. Clarissa Claretti (Ita) 234-9 (71.56); 9. Stéphanie Falzon (Fra) 234-3 (71.40); 10. Sultana Frizell (Can) 232-6 (70.88); 11. Amber Campbell (US) 229-11 (70.08) (212-0, 229-11, f); 12. Manuela Montebrun (Fra) 229-5 (69.92). (best-ever mark-for-place: 1, 3–4, =5, 7–10) QUALIFYING (August 20) Qualifiers: Heidler 246-11 (75.27) (MR), Cosby 236-11 (72.21) PR (AL) (3, 5 A). (best-ever mark-for-place: 11–12) Notable non-qualifiers (229-8/70.01 qualified): Menkova (Blr) 228‑3 (69.58), Orbán (Hun) 227-8 (69.39), Pchelnik (Blr) 227-4 (69.30), Thondike (Cub) 226-3 (68.97), Gilreath (US) 218-11 (66.72), Sekachova (Ukr) 218-9 (66.69).

Javelin (August 18) 1. Steffi Nerius (Germany)...... 220-9 (67.30) (220-9, 206-0, 215-11, f, 204-3, f)

2. Barbora Spotáková (CzR) ...217-11 (66.42) (213-1, 210-10, 217-11, 201-1, 204-2, 196‑0)

3. Maria Abakumova (Rus)..... 216-9 (66.06) (206-8, f, 214-6, f, 195-10, 216-9) 4. Monica Stoian (Rom) 211-7 (64.51) PR (211-7, f, 203-1, 195-7, 202-11, 201-10); 5. Christina Obergföll (Ger) 211-1 (64.34) (f, 198-0, 211-1, f, 206-9, f); 6. Linda Stahl (Ger) 207-5 (63.23); 7. Osleidys Menéndez (Cub) 207-0 (63.11); 8. Sávva Líka (Gre) 197-9 (60.29); 9. Vira Rebryk (Ukr) 191-1 (58.25); 10. Maria Negoita (Rom) 189-1 (57.65); 11.

Martina Ratej (Slo) 188-10 (57.57); 12. Rachel Yurkovich (US) 167-9 (51.15).

Qualifying (August 16) Qualifiers: Abakumova 226-1 (68.92) (WL) (WCQR).

Notable non-qualifiers (195-1/59.46 qualified): Sayers (GB) 193-6 (58.98), Ingberg (Fin) 189-11 (57.88), Mickle (Aus) 188-6 (57.46), Patterson (US) 172-11 (52.71).

Track & Field News

9/17/09 11:46:41 AM

hammer

A WR For Wlodarczyk

The ball & chain came to earth 255-9 away

in every round but one, concluding with a 253-0 (77.12) that broke her own NR. Martina Hrasnová took the bronze at 245‑4 (74.79) while Cosby threw 236-9 (72.17) for a respectable 7th that equaled the best ever U.S. placing.

Włodarczyk’s injury did not affect her jubilation. “When I entered the stadium and saw this great audience I sensed that this could become a great and important day for the women’s hammer,” she said.

“This is the happiest day of my life.”

javelin

At Long Last Nerius

VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN

by Kevin Saylors

by Bob Hersh

Cosby, who added 7 inches to her PR with a 236-11 (72.21) that tightened her hold as the No. 3 American ever.

In the final, Heidler took the first-round lead at 245-7 (75.10), but Włodarczyk led off round 2 with a 255-9 (77.96) that broke Tatyana Lysenko’s WR by 6 inches.

It might have been the least noticed World Record ever set in a major meet, as it coincided not only with the exciting conclusion of the women’s 5000 final, but also crucial moments in both the men’s long jump and pole vault finals, which combined to divert the attention of nearly every spectator.

Unfortunately, Włodarczyk managed to injure herself during When A Record Celebration Goes Awry her victory celebration (see sidebar).

After Anita Włodarczyk saw her second throw flashed as a WR, As a result, she had to pass and she ran across the track, hopping up and down in glee. On watch while Heidler attempted to one of the bounds she appeared to come down on the side of retain her title. her foot, severely turning her ankle. She spent the rest of the As it happened, Heidler, the competition sitting with an icebag on it, except for one cursory focus of excited attention by the standing-throw foul to wrap up the competition. home crowd, ended up with the Post-meet analysis revealed severe damage to structural tissue five best throws of the competition, that required surgery that ended her season prematurely. other than the WR. She improved

Anita Włodarczyk had had a strong season, with three throws over 250 (c76m), including a world-leading 253-3 (77.20) on the eve of the meet which confirmed her as the favorite. It did not, however, lead many people to expect what happened.

The qualifying round was eventful, as defender Betty Heidler broke the meet record with a toss of 246-11 (75.27). Olympic champ Oksana Menkova ended up with the dubious distinction of having the longest non-qualifying throw ever, a 228-3 (69.58) that left her in 13th.

A happier achievement was that of Jessica

The Bible Of The Sport

p47 (wHT-JT).indd 47

Steffi Nerius could be forgiven if she had ambivalent feelings concerning her long World Championships career; in the prior three editions she had medaled, but always bronze. In the two before that she had been 5th and a dnq, preceded by an 11th back in ’95 and a 9th in ’93.

The 37-year-old German, throwing in front of the home crowd, would medal for a record fourth time, but it took a long— and exciting—competition to determine its composition.

Russian Maria Abakumova was the star of the Q-round, raising the yearly lead to 226-1 (68.92). In the final, Romania’s Monica Stoian started the competition with a PR 211-7 (64.51).

Three throwers later, Nerius stood at the head of the runway, fidgeting, adjusting her grip, rehearsing her throw.

Throwing in her traditional headband, she bounded towards the line and released the spear at a perfect angle, nearly fouling. It flew beyond the 65 meter (213-3) line and Nerius knew it was a good one: 220-9 (67.30), the No. 2 throw of her illustrious career.

One by one, the challengers would attempt to better her effort. Two-time gold medalist and former WR holder Osleidys Menéndez of Cuba produced her best of the year 207-0 (63.11), but finished 7th.

German recordholder Christina Obergföll, history’s No. 4 thrower, had three 60-meter throws, but none over 65 and would finish 5th at 211-1 64.34). Abakumova topped out at 216-9 (66.06) with her final throw.

The final challenge would come from WR holder and reigning World/Olympic champ Barbora Špotáková, who had been displaying visible displeasure with her throws all day.

In Beijing, the Czech had won the title with her last throw; could she replicate that feat?

With a best of 217-11 (66.42), she stood about a meter behind Nerius’s mark. This time, her release angle was too great, the spear landed harmlessly just under 200-feet, and Germany had her first gold of the championships.

Said Nerius, “When my first throw landed, I thought it will give me a medal but not the gold. I could not have even dreamt of a better finish than this. Nothing could ever be as good as this.”

November 2009 — 47

9/17/09 12:22:06 PM

heptathlon

Ennis Puts It All Together

1. Ennis 3070; 2. Dobrynska 2932; 3. Oeser 2862; 4. Day 2841; 5. Melnychenko 2826; 6. Chudzik 2821; 7. Mächtig 2814; 8. Yosypenko 2812; 9. Djimou 2797; 10. Pickler 2679.

200 Meters: The leader extended her margin with a 23.25, ending Day 1 with a 307-point gap over Dobrynska and Oeser just another 3 points back.

1. Ennis 4124; 2. Dobrynska 3817; 3. Oeser 3814; 4. Yosypenko 3806; 5. Melnychenko 3796; 6. Chudzik 3770; 7. Mächtig 3758; 8. Day 3714; 9. Djimou 3699; 10. Tymińska 3663.

Long Jump: Ennis logged a steady 2 0‑ 7 ¾ ( 6 . 2 9 ) , b ehind both Oeser (21‑¾/6.42) and Dobrynska (21-½/6.41), but still good enough for a 269-point pad.

Poland’s Kamila Chudzik continued her steady rise up the chart moving to 4th, just 2 points back of Oeser.

1. Ennis 5064; 2. Oeser 4795; 3. Dobrynska 4795; 4.

Chudzik 4793; 5. Melnychenko 4781; 6. Mächtig 4720; 7. Yosypenko 4718; 8. Djimou 4648; 9. Chernova 4607; 10. Pickler 4513.

Javelin: Chudzik’s pivotal 159-10 (48.72) toss thrust her into the medal picture and put Dobrynska 65 points out of it. Ennis kept a 171-point lead with her 142-10 (43.54).

1. Ennis 5799; 2. Chudzik 5628; 3. Oeser 5591; 4.

Dobrynska 5526; 5. Yosypenko 5518; 6. Melnychenko 5491; 7. Djimou 5468; 8. Mächtig 5401; 9. Chernova 5310; 10. Day 5217.

The consistent Ennis notched a PR total despite having only one individual PR en route MARK SHEARMAN

by Brian Russell Last year medal contender Jessica Ennis’s season came to an abrupt halt after she developed a triple stress fracture in her right ankle just weeks before the Olympics.

After months of intensive rehab, the versatile Brit made up for the disappointment of ’08 with a world-leading 6731, a PR by 144 points even though she only PRed in one of the individual events, to win by 258 from the 6493 lifetime high by Germany’s Jennifer Oeser.

Even though Ennis came into Berlin with the world’s leading score, a career best 6587 from Desenzano in mid-May, Ukraine’s Olympic champion Nataliya Dobrynska began the proceedings as the favorite, particularly with 3-time champ Carolina Klüft no longer in the event and injured Beijing silver winner Hyleas Fountain not making the U.S. team.

100 Hurdles: To no one’s surprise, Ennis took an immediate lead in perhaps her best event. Her 12.93 was a massive 0.51 faster than the next best and only 0.12 off her PR. 1. Ennis 1135; 2. Djimou 1059; 3. Aerts 1058; 4. tie Pickler & Chudzik 1050; 6. Chernova 1039; 7. tie Melnychenko & Hazel 1036; 9. Oeser 1033;… 19. Dobrynska 1000.

48 — November 2009

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High Jump: Ennis again led the field with her 6-3½ (1.92), 181 points up on American Sharon Day (6-2¼/1.89), who was also entered in the open HJ. Oeser stood 5th, 218 back, with Dobrynska next 251 behind.

1. Ennis 2267; 2. Day 2086; 3. Yosypenko 2084; 4.

Melnychenko 2052; 5. Oeser 2049; 6. Dobrynska 2016; 7. Djimou 2000; 8. Pickler 1991; 9. Wade 1986; 10. Theisen 1964; 11. Chudzik 1953.

Shot: This is one of Ennis’s weakest events and a poor effort in Osaka held her to 4th, and it is one of Dobrynska’s best events so she hoped to make up substantial ground. So a solid performance here was paramount.

Yet Dobrynska could muster only a 51-11 (15.82) best, while Ennis put it all together on her third throw, hitting a PR 46-4¾ (14.14) to lead Dobrynska by 138 with Oeser another 70 back.

“The crucial moment for me was the shot,” said Ennis, “because that’s where I messed up in Osaka. But after two frustrating throws, I pulled out my third. That was the real turning point.”

800 Meters: Ennis’s pursuers needed to run considerable PRs to catch her but a 2:12.22 kept her comfortably in front.

Oeser ’s 4-second gap over Chudzik gave her the silver by 22 points, to the home crowd’s delight, with Dobrynska ending up 4th. “I ran for my life in that 800,” said Ennis.

Americans Day (6126) and Diana Pickler (6086) finished 10th and 11th, but teammate Bettie Wade fell to 24th (5134) after not registering a mark in the shot.

Heptathlon (August 15–16) 1. Jessica Ennis (G Britain)..6731 PR (WL) (20, x W) (12.93, 6-3½/1.92, 46-4¾/14.14 PR, 23.25 [4124—1]), 20-7¾/6.29, 142-10/43.54, 2:12.22 [2607]);

2. Jennifer Oeser (Germany)......... 6493 PR (13.62, 6-0/1.83, 46-10¾/14.29, 24.30 [3814—3]), 21-¾/6.42, 153-2/46.70, 2:14.34 [2679]);

3. Kamila Chudzik (Poland)................. 6471 (13.50, 5-8½/1.74, 49-6½/15.10, 24.33 [3770—6]), 21-6/6.55, 159-10/48.72, 2:18.58 [2701]); 4. Nataliya Dobrynska (Ukr) 6444 (13.85, 6-0/1.83, 51‑11/ 15.82, 25.02 [3817—2]), 21-½/6.41, 142-0/43.29, 2:13.22 [2627]); 5. Lyudmila Yosypenko (Ukr) 6416 PR (13.64, 6-1¼/1.86, 42-8¼/13.01, 23.86 [3806—4]), 20-4¼/6.20, 153‑9/46.87, 2:14.64 [2610]); 6. Hanna Melnychenko (Ukr) 6414 (13.60, 6-0/1.83, 44‑11½/ 13.70, 24.11 [3796—5]), 21-1¼/6.43, 138-7/42.24, 2:12.85 [2618]); 7. Ida Antoinette Nana Djimou (Fra) 6323 PR; 8. Tatyana Chernova (Rus) 6288; 9. Julia Mächtig (Ger) 6265; 10. Sharon Day (US) 6126; 11. Diana Pickler (US) 6086; 12. Marisa De Aniceto (Fra) 6049; 13. Aiga Grabuste (Lat) 6033; 14. Hazel (GB) 6008; 15. Theisen (Can) 5949; 16. Züblin (Swi) 5934; 17. Samuelsson (Swe) 5885; 18. Kand (Est) 5760; 19. Stratáki (Gre) 5748; 20. Wisse (Hol) 5704;…24. Wade (US) 5134;… dnf—Tymińska (Pol), Schwarzkopf (Ger).

(29 started, 26 finished)

Track & Field News

9/17/09 12:21:19 PM

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9/3/09 1:05:29 PM

BERLIN NOTEBOOK It’s About Those Relays (Again)

Berlin looked almost like a replay of Beijing in the 4 x 100s. Neither U.S. team made it out of its heat. The women’s race ended when third leg Muna Lee went down with a hamstring injury, exacerbated, some felt, by Lee’s awkward body position as Alex Anderson struggled to pass the baton (see picture).

The men’s DQ was more curious. Officials saw nothing amiss in Shawn Crawford’s pass to Doc Patton, but a BBC broadcast crew alerted the British federation, to video footage of possible interest concerning the exchange. UK Athletics passed the footage on to the IAAF. Although a UKA spokeswoman insisted no formal protest was filed, officials checked the video and disqualified the U.S. for having passed too early.

USATF head Doug Logan, whose most high-profile initiative, Project 30, is supposed

No-False-Start Rule Passes Although a public-opinion poll on the IAAF’s website showed a narrow majority against the proposition, the IAAF Congress voted to change to a no-false-start rule in Berlin.The count was 97–55, with 6 abstentions.

Speaking in favor of the new rule, president Lamine Diack cited the NCAA’s long success with the methodology and decried athletes who had purposely been false-starting. to improve preparedness at championships, reacted by saying, “I think, No. 1, we got in a position where we’re pressing a little hard…

We have to figure out a way of taking that pressure off.”

Semenya Furor Still Not Solved

Halfmiler Caster Semenya caused a stir, progressing from 2:04.23 in ’08 to 1:56.72 in July at age 18. Before she won the gold medal in a world-leading 1:55.45, though, the spotlight on the powerfully-built South African flashed hot with the leaked report that the IAAF had conducted tests in Berlin to determine if she was really a woman.

After winning gold, Semenya avoided the press until her return home as speculation swirled. Semenya’s parents insisted their child was a girl, and South African officials lobbed invective, including charges of racism, at the IAAF. South Africa’s federation head Leonard Chuene resigned from the IAAF Council in protest, then later changed his mind.

When, three weeks after Berlin, the Sydney Daily Telegraph cited an unnamed IAAF source in a report that testing revealed Semenya has 50 — November 2009

p50-51 (WCnotebook).indd 50

internal testes and no uterus or ovaries, the controversy grew. Reports claim her testosterone levels are three times higher than average, which would provide an athletic advantage.

Semenya’s plight has raised awareness that modern science is clarifying the male/female divide is not always an either-or line.

By one oft-cited estimate 1.7% of all children are born with an intersex condition—really multiple conditions that may involve unusual chromosomal makeup and/or ambiguous genital and gonadal anatomy.

Although the rules lack full clarity as to how cases of suspected sexual ambiguity should be handled, the IAAF has guidelines.

When Semenya’s breakthrough sparked innuendo, IAAF spokesman Nick Davies said the IAAF asked the South African federation (ASA) “if they could demonstrate gender verification documentation and, if not, that they should start to provide something.”

South African officials tell conflicting tales.

Chuene denied the ASA conducted gender tests before Berlin, yet other reports refute that claim and cite an alleged e-mail exchange between a team doctor and ASA officials.

Semenya is reported to be humiliated. IAAF President Lamine Diack concedes the case was handled insensitively, but the IAAF will not rule on Semenya’s status until its Council meets on November 21.

CLAUS ANDERSEN

A QUICK LOOK at how off-the-track events shaped much of what happened at World Championships XII:

the meet began, “For me, I have no problem. I never false started yet. It will be better for the sport. It will be a problem for some people, but not for me.”

Yet in his semi, who jumped early on the initial start but Bolt. He said he had been joking with training mate Daniel Bailey from Antigua. “I told him I was going to beat him out of the blocks because in training he always beats me,” Bolt explained. “I guess I got just a little bit too excited.”

Anderson got the stick to Lee, but the race ended prematurely anway

Gay Against New Rule

Usain Bolt and Tyson Gay not only are opponents on the sprint paths, they also have differing opinions about the new no-false-start rule enacted by the IAAF. “I don’t think it’s an improvement,” said Gay. “People will have to sit more and wait and not react like they want to; people will be more cautious.

“You move, you are out.

It will leave certain people out. People train hard all year and then one false start [and] you are gone.”

Countered Bolt before Track & Field News

11/30/09 12:34:19 PM

Richards Wants Trials Change

Reigning men’s champion Brad Walker suffered an injury at the lateEven before she finally won the world 400 July Monaco GP meet when he landed title, Sanya Richards called for a change in partially out of the pit and his hips hit the selection procedures so that leading U.S. medal ground. The fall caused trauma to Walkhopes aren’t left off future Worlds. er ’s pubic symBlogging for Uniphysis joint. versal Sports, the Are you bored between issues When he tried four-time Worlds of the magazine? to run followsprinter said of the ing the fall, the www.trackandfieldnews.com American top-3 joint moved and policy, “I’m all for caused extreme someone getting [a pain. So he had to withdraw. chance] to represent our country and I know Jenn Stuczynski pulled out due to the that one man’s misfortune is another man’s season-long tendinitis in her left Achiltreasure. But shouldn’t our goal always be to les tendon. The Olympic silver medalist send our best team?” said, “Despite my focused efforts for She noted, “Twice a year, we have a do-orthe last five weeks to get 100% healthy, die meet… To be in peak shape I made the decision… that I just can’t be two months before the big show is ready in time to compete in Berlin. potentially costly… I believe that “The doctors treating me say my the top 2 should automatically get Achilles injury isn’t serious, but it just a spot on the team and the third hasn’t improved enough for me to spot should be left open until the vault… I think I just ran out of time.” team roster has to be declared.

“There should be a clear list of criteria or a non-biased (if possible) committee that reviews each event to make the final decision.

Most of the time, the top 3 will be our best contenders, but in the rare occasion that they aren’t, we should have the flexibility to send the ones that are.”

Radcliffe Pulls Out

Paula Radcliffe took the unorthodox step of running the New York half-marathon just seven days before the World Championships 26-miler, using the Big Apple contest as a gauge of her fitness.

While she won the New York contest in 1:09:45 in her first race in nearly 10 months, Radcliffe ultimately decided against running in Berlin.

“I’m devastated that I wasn’t able to represent Britain in Berlin,” said the 35-year-old WR holder, “especially having got so close in such a short time frame.”

Radcliffe has battled injuries the last three years; she had surgeries this spring on a bunion and then a broken toe on her right foot.

She hoped her post-surgery training would be enough to ready her for Berlin, but after the New York race, she decided against it.

She has been named to Britain’s team for the IAAF Half-Marathon Champs to be run in Birmingham, England, in mid-October.

U.S. Vaulters Sidelined

Both American Record holders in the vault were forced by injuries to withdraw shortly before the Worlds began.

The Bible Of The Sport

p50-51 (WCnotebook).indd 51

When Testing Gets Out Of Hand

Status Quo INJURIES/AILMENTS that hampered athletes in Berlin, or kept them out altogether: Kevin Borlée (Belgium 400): left foot stress fracture; Meseret Defar (Ethiopia distances): stomach upset and a cold; Tirunesh Dibaba (Ethiopia distances): toe; Gulnara Galkina (Russia steeple): knee; Pamela Jelimo (Kenya 800): knee; Abubaker Kaki (Sudan 800): hip, knee; Haron Keitany (Kenya 1500): ankle stress fracture; Muna Lee (U.S. sprints): hamstring pull; Maurren Maggi (Brazil LJ): knee tendon (had surgery post-Berlin, may miss a year); Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabaad (France steeple): groin injury in heat; Aries Merritt (U.S. 110H): ankle; Sally McLellan (Australia 100H): back; Irina Mikitenko (Germany marathon): lack of fitness after death of father; Koji Murofushi (Japan HT): hip, back; Yuliya Pechonkina (Russia 400H): sinusitis; Michelle Perry (U.S. 100H): right knee tendon (surgery at end of August); Dorian Scott (Jamaica SP): Achilles surgery; Sileshi Sihine (Ethiopia distances): leg; Angelo Taylor (U.S. 4000H): hamstring; Jeremy Wariner (U.S. 400): sore left ankle; Anita Włodarczyk (Poland HT): turned ankle severely celebrating WR. Unspecified injuries affected Wilfried Bungei (Kenya 800), Paul Burgess (Australia PV), Constantina Dita (Romania marathon), Andrew Howe (Italy LJ) and Nadezhda Ostapchuk (Belarus SP).

Canada’s Priscilla Lopes-Schliep ran three races on the evening she took 100 hurdles silver in Berlin: a semifinal and final, of course, but in between those competitions she was pulled into doping control for a drug test.

“I was called to doping control right before my race,” Lopes-Schliep told Paul Gains of CBC Sports, remarkably unfazed by the interruption to her warmup. “We were running up and down stairwells and elevators. It was a fiasco right before my race.” The Nebraska alum produced her sample—frequently not an easy task—only 8 minutes before the final’s start and then raced through the innards of the stadium to the call room with just 5 minutes to spare.

An IAAF spokesman admitted the betweenraces test for Lopes-Schliep was “a cockup.” On the bright side, Lopes-Schliep did not have to deliver another sample after the final.

erated before adding a cryptic, “I will go if I have prepared some people to take over.”

Jamaican Club Fights Federation

The Jamaican federation played some hardball with the stars of the MVP Track Club in a dispute over mandatory athlete attendance at Diack To Stay On Board? a team training camp.

IAAF President Lamine Diack, widely The contretemps erupted when MVP coach expected to announce at the Congress that Stephen Francis opted to direct his athletes’ he would step down from the top post in ’11, preparation at a site in Italy rather than join the instead hinted he might stand for re-election. rest of the Jamaican team in Germany.

“It’s possible, if I’m in good shape,” said Angry federation officials eventually told the 76-year-old Senegalese. the IAAF it wanted to drop six MVP athletes— Smart money expected former Olympic including Asafa Powell and Olympic champichampions Seb Coe and Sergey Bubka, both ons Shelly-Ann Fraser and Melaine Walker— federation VPs, to spar for the job at the next from the team roster as punishment. election, but now there may not even be a Would the federation really have bitten off contest. its team’s nose to spite its face? Unclear, as There hasn’t been a contested election since the image-conscious ’81 when Primo IAAF intervened.

Nebiolo unseated The Meet Drew Good Crowds “We asked Jamaica then-president Stadium capacity was listed as “56,000 plus the to reconsider in the Adriaan Paulen.

IAAF Family”; there were no morning sessions on 8/17 or 8/21–23. 8/15—25,300/42,546; 8/16— interest of the sport,” “Many people 23,300/51,113; 8/17—30,496; 8/18—19,951/29,897; explained IAAF Genare asking me, de8/19—20,312/32,158; 8/20—32,514/57,937; 8/21— eral-Secretary Pierre pending on my 42,378; 8/22—59,926 (sellout); 8/23—50,754.

Weiss. health,” Diack reitNovember 2009 — 51

11/30/09 12:34:27 PM

zürich golden league kicks off post-wc season

Isi Bounces Back With World Record

by Jon Hendershott

Murer were left.

All three cleared initially. Rogowska needed two at 15-7¼ (4.76), while Murer went out at 15‑9¼ (4.81). Isi made the 4.81, again on her first; Rogowska missed and passed to 15-11¼ (4.86) where she missed her last two tries. So the WR holder was alone and she had bar boosted right up to the record height of 5.06 (16-7¼).

The 27-year-old Russian stared intently at the bar, silently repeating her secret pre-jump mantra. Then she sprinted down the approach, planted and soared over. A slight brush with a knee on the way up didn’t nudge the bar and she fell into the pit with her 17th absolute global mark. She now trails men’s leader Sergey Bubka by just one.

Isi bounded off the pad and dashed to trackside for a long hug from coach Vitaly Petrov.

Later she said, “I felt no pressure tonight. I felt in about the same shape as at the World Championships. I just gave it everything I had.

“I was overconfident going into Berlin, so I didn’t want to As Yelena Isinbayeva took a prolonged victory promise too much lap in the raucous stadium, the men’s 5000 field here. So, honestly, this toed the line and barely got started before Isi and is like a dream.” a horde of photographers reached them. Kenenisa For U.S. fans, perBekele immediately tucked into 2nd behind two pachaps bigger news than ers, while American Dathan Ritzenhein dropped to the exploits of either the end of the 15-man field, giving no clue he was Isinbayeva or Bolt about to enter record territory (see p. 53). was Dathan RitzenThe rabbits set a brisk 2:30.67/5:04.98 pace for hein’s unlooked-for the first 2K with Bekele a stride back. The EthioA m e r i c a n R e c o rd pian was the same distance behind pacer Thomas 5K of 12:56.27 (see Longosiwa at 3000 (7:40.73). The rabbit swung box) behind Kenenisa wide and Bekele was on his own as Ritzenhein Bekele. came through in 7:47.4.

Isinbayeva and At 4K (10:17.27), Bekele led by perhaps 15 meBekele thus both ters from Kenyans Edwin Soi, Vincent Chepkok stayed alive in the and Silas Kirpruto. Ritz, meanwhile, started to Golden League Jackmove through the pack, picking off runner after pot hunt, as did Sanya Richards. runner.

A strong homestretch gave her the With about 700 left, Ritz was 6th; with 600 to go, year’s first sub-49, 48.94 (the No. 4 he was 4th, then moved to 3rd with 500 to go. Ritz U.S. performance ever), to turn back began making a run at Soi and with 250 to go, he the 49.83 of Allyson Felix. took 2nd. But the Kenyan stayed close and regained LaShawn Merritt again showed 2nd on the final curve. superior homestretch strength over Bekele’s 60-flat last lap finished his 12:52.32 Jeremy Wariner to win the men’s winner ahead of Soi (12:55.03), Ritz’s American 1-lapper, 44.21–44.62.

Record 12:56.27 and Chepkok’s PR 12:58.17 .

Carmelita Jeter’s sharp start car“I don’t know what I expected in this race. But ried her to a 10.86 triumph (wind I’ll take this,” laughed Ritzenhein, who had spent +0.7) ahead of Kerron Stewart and time since Berlin training at altitude in St. Moritz.

Berlin champ Shelly-Ann Fraser “But everything has felt so quick and so good.”

It wasn’t easy, but Yelena Isinbayeva actually succeeded in upstaging Usain Bolt as Zürich’s Golden League meet kicked off the post-World Champs portion of the season, bouncing back from her World Champs disappointment (see p. 43) to claim yet another World Record.

As usual, Weltklasse meet director Patrick Magyar assembled fields studded from top to bottom with WR holders, Olympic champions and winners from Berlin. Not surprisingly, Bolt was the überstar and the Jamaican came through twice.

First, he overcame an abysmal start in the 100 to collar countryman Asafa Powell around 80 meters. Then Bolt’s long legs carried him to a 9.81 victory (wind 0.0mps), 0.07 ahead of his visibly backing-off countryman.

In the meet-closing 4x1, Bolt displayed a mind-boggling turn of speed, coming from behind as he anchored a Jamaican foursome to a 37.70 win, 0.03 in front of a U.S. squad finished off by Wallace Spearmon.

Isinbayeva followed her usual wait-forthe-others routine as the field winnowed itself down. When the bar reached her 15-5½ (4.71) opener, only newly crowned world champ Anna Rogowska of Poland and Brazil’s Fabiana

(both 11.04).

World champ Brigitte Foster-Hylton barely held off the closing rush by American Dawn Harper, the Jamaican clocking a season-leading 12.46 while Harper matched her 12.48 PR. U.S. leader Lolo Jones reinjured a right calf

Isinbayeva got to take the victory lap she was denied in Berlin

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

Ritz Shocks With 5K AR

52 — November 2009

p52 (Zu�rich).indd 52

muscle after hurdle 9 and crow-hopped No. 10 to finish 8th (13.06) before being helped off the track by medics.

On the field, world champion Andreas Thorkildsen opened with a big 289-1 (88.13) javelin cast, but then erupted on his second heave with a massive season-pacing 299-6 (91.28).

Berlin high jump champ Blanka Vlašić cleared four heights on first try, including her winning 6-7 (2.01), to best Anna Chicherova with Chaunté Howard 3rd, both at 6-6 (1.98).

World leader Ariane Friedrich made 6-4¼ (1.94) before missing three at 6-8 to end up 4th.

Track & Field News

9/17/09 12:27:31 PM

Ritz Finds Some Speed Michigan native Dathan Ritzenhein stayed patient in the Zürich 5000, working his way through the field and actually moving to 2nd on the final lap before coming home 3rd with his AR 12:56.27.

The time by the 26-year-old Colorado grad broke Bob Kennedy’s 12:58.21 U.S. record, set in Zürich in ’96. Ritz absolutely blew away his former best, 13:16.61, set in ’06.

“I really didn’t know what to expect,” said Ritzenhein after the contest, bathed in sweat and wearing a grin of pleasure and amazement.

He had performed admirably in Berlin, finishing 6th in the 10,000 with a 13-second PR of 27:22.28, the highest title-meet place by an American since Frank Shorter’s 5th at the ’72 Olympics. Then he spent time training at altitude, accompanied by wife Kalin and daughter Addy.

“I was banged up a little after the London Marathon [2:10:00 PR in April],” he continued.

“But after that, everything started coming together. I’ve had three months of just amazing stuff. Sometimes words can’t describe when things happen like this.”

He admitted to some nerves before the Zürich race: “They talked about a fast pace. Alberto [coach Salazar] told me I couldn’t go out in a 4:02 first mile. But I couldn’t get dropped either.

“When they went out at 2:30 for the first kilometer, I had to make a choice. I knew that

wasn’t going to work for me. I just had to hold on at the back. It was so fast, I had to really stay focused, bring it back slowly and try to run a fairly even pace.

“I tried to just stay steady and do 62s all the way. That’s the way I have to run because I don’t have a fast miler gear. I just had to put the pedal down at the end.”

He added, “A big thing was to have someone to pull off of late in the race.

“That’s I tried to use [Edwin] Soi late. I wasn’t thinking about time at that point—I was the just trying to go all out.” bottom On the last backstretch, Ritz actually took over 2nd—leaving none other than end Kenenisa Bekele in front of him. “Oh of my man!” he laughed. “I thought, ‘If I can beat Bekele, I’d rob him of a million dolgears” lars. He’s probably put out a hit on me!’

I was closing on the greatest runner in history. I just ran as well as I could and I think I ran an awesome race.”

Ritz said he isn’t likely to race again until the mid-October World HalfMarathon Championships in England.

Asked how it felt to set the AR, he smiled again and replied, “I can’t believe it. I’m ecstatic. But I never thought it would be at 5K. “That’s the crazy part. I thought maybe an AR could happen in the 10, but not the 5. That’s the bottom end of my gears. But I’m just really happy with it.” /Jon Hendershott/

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The Bible Of The Sport

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November 2009 — 53

9/17/09 12:28:08 PM

zagreb gp

Vlašic Climbs Over PR 6-9¾

Hometown hero Blanka Vlašić gave a standing-room-only crowd plenty to cheer about as the two-time world champion high jumper skyed over a season-leading 6-9¾ (2.08) at the Zagreb GP. The 25-year-old Croatian was hot all day as she cleared each of her five heights on first attempt. She didn’t miss until the World Record setting of 6-10¾ (2.10). “I really didn’t expect to clear 2.08 on my first attempt,” she said.

Although she was unable to break Stefka Kostadinova’s venerable ’87 WR, Vlašić now trails only the Bulgarian on the all-time list (and is equal with Kajsa Bergqvist).

Both men’s throws winners hurled season-leading efforts. Christian Cantwell punched the shot out to 72‑8½ (22.16) and had two other heaves longer than the 70-5¼ (21.47) best by Pole Tomasz Majewski.

Primož Kozmus whirled the ball an ’09-pacing 268-3 (81.77), more than 8 feet ahead of Krisztián Pars (259-9/79.18). Two days later in Celje, Kozmus extended his yearly leader to 270-11 (82.58).

winning the race,” he said.

Following the AR holder’s example, other U.S. wins went to Shawn Crawford (20.80, wind -1.7), LaShawn Merritt (45.10), Nick Symmonds (1:47.30), Leo Manzano (3:41.10) and David Payne (13.60, wind -2.8).

The U.S. men also picked up a pair of field wins from Andra Manson (7-7¾/2.33) and Dwight Phillips (27-6½/8.39).

U.S. women victors included Carmelita Jeter (11.07, wind -0.9), Allyson Felix (23.12, wind -3.4) and Christin Wurth-Thomas (2:01.22).

rieti gp

Rudisha Red-Hot In 800

One of the Berlin 800 favorites, David Rudisha just missed making the World Champs final with the fastest non-advancing time in the nasty 2+2 semis.

But the 20-year-old from Kenya’s Rift Valley, who ranked No. 1 in the world in ’07, made amends in a huge way at the Rieti GP by blazing over two circuits of the Stadio Raul Guidobaldi oval in a stunning 1:42.01, the fastest 800 since

gateshed gp

U.S. Runners Dominant

Typically cool, damp weather at the Gateshead GP didn’t hold back U.S. men runners, who scored wins in six of the seven track events.

Leading the way, Tyson Gay sped 10.15 to take the 100, bucking a 2.0mps wind. “It wasn’t about times today, just

Three big post-WC wins put Rudisha on top of the 800 world giancarlo colombo/photo run photos

Biwott (r) won the Rieti 1500, but Manzano (l) got a big PR 54 — November 2009

p54 (Zag-gates-riet).indd 54

two WRs in ’97 by Wilson Kipketer.

Rudisha’s time moved him to No. 4 performer in history, trailing only Kipketer (1:41.11 ’97), Seb Coe (1:41.73 ’81) and Joaquim Cruz (1:41.77 ’84).

Rudisha wasn’t even entered until two days before Rieti and after he had won in Brussels (following an earlier big win in Zürich). But he came home ahead of PRs by the last two world champs, Alfred Kirwa Yego (1:42.67) and Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (1:42.86).

“I knew I was in good shape and ready to run 1:42,” said Rudisha, son of ’68 Olympic 4x4 silver medalist Daniel Rudisha. “I’m happy because I have bounced back after missing the final in Berlin.” He has also made the World Rankings very interesting.

In the 1500, Kenyan William Biwott won in 3:33.00, just ahead of a PR 3:33.33

by Leo Manzano which made him the No. 10 American ever.

Britain’s Lisa Dobriskey took a close women’s 1500 at 4:01.23, 0.06 ahead of world champ Maryam Jamal, with American Shannon Rowbury 3rd (4:03.46).

Track & Field News

11/30/09 12:37:10 pm

brussels golden league finale

Isi, Bekele & Richards Share The Final Million

by Brian Russell

Kenya Takes Down Ancient 4 x 1500 WR In a race that included teams from the U.S., Australia, England, Belgium and a mixed team of all-stars, Kenya’s 4 x 1500 quartet of William Biwott, Gideon Gathimba, Geoffrey Rono and Augustine Choge bettered the oldest of all official IAAF World Records.

The record assault would be both a different task for the runners in this rarely run event. For one, all teams were running without the help of rabbits. Meet director Wilfried Meert, noting that even though countries like Kenya routinely churn out world-class 1500 runners, said, “We have made a generation of guys who are used to running only behind pacemakers.”

At the first exchange, Biwott (3:38.5) was slightly behind the mixed team’s Belal Mansoor Ali (3:38.1). Gathimba’s 3:39.5 gave the Kenyans a comfortable lead and by the time Rono (3:41.4) handed off to Choge, all eyes were glued to the clock.

Choge, inspired by the enthusiastic crowd and the thought of a record, finished his leg in 3:36.9 for a WR 14:36.23, bettering West Germany’s ’77 mark by more than 2.5 seconds.

An odd event it may have been, but the sellout crowd couldn’t have been happier, since in addition to witnessing a World Record, adult spectators were rewarded with a fine Belgian beer. Three cheers for Kenya!

The Bible Of The Sport

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Next year’s season-ending prizes will be a bit easier to carry

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

Edition 33 of the Van Damme Memorial marked not only the conclusion of the ’09 Golden League, but also the end of the Golden League series itself.

Next year, the IAAF’s new Diamond League—with each overall event winner picking up a 4-carat diamond—will be in effect, with the first of the 14 meetings slated to take place May 14 in Doha.

The sellout Brussels crowd of 47,000 was eager to see Jackpot contenders Sanya Richards, Yelena Isinbayeva and Kenenisa Bekele, but by far the loudest ovation was reserved for Usain Bolt, who would delight them with another superb demonstration of his unparalleled 200 talent.

With damp and breezy conditions and temperatures hovering around 60 (15C), it was Richards who was first to lay claim to at least a share of the million-dollar jackpot.

The world champion took off quickly and

had a commanding lead as she came off the second turn. No one was near as she powered toward the finish line, looking like she had much more in reserve if need be. She crossed in a world-leading 48.83, nearly a second and a half ahead of Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain (50.43).

Asked how the season as a whole had gone for her, Richards responded humbly, “This year, to win a world title first and then be able to come back and win the jackpot was just very special for me.”

Her time set a new meet record and equaled the No. 2 time in U.S. history, just 0.13 off her own AR. Next in line was Isi. She entered the vault at 15-5 (4.70), clearing that height on her first attempt, leaving her soundly in 1st.

Three others—Poland’s Monika Pyrek, Germany’s Silke Spiegelburg and Brazilian Fabiana Murer—cleared the height, but they all had misses on their card.

Thus, after the Russian passed at 15-7, no one else could make a clearance and the WR holder was guaranteed a share of the jackpot. She tried to add to her coffers with a World Record attempt of 16-7½ (5.07), but came up short on her three tries.

Coincidentally enough, as Isinbayeva was in the middle of her record attempts, Bekele had his hands full in the men’s 5000.

The double world champion had followed Kenyan pacesetter Benson Esho through 2000 meters before taking the reins himself, cruising past 3000 in

7:45.51. Soon he had a 7-meter gap on a pack that included countrymen Imane Merga, Ali Abdosh, Kenyans Vincent Chepkok, Josphat Bett and Joseph Ebuya and American Matt Tegenkamp.

With four laps remaining Bekele slowed his pace, allowing his pursuers to close and with a lap to go there was wonder whether this could be the time he would be run down.

Challenge they did, but Bekele simply bided his time before upping the tempo and sprinting home in 12:55.31, covering the last 400 in 55-flat, 0.35 ahead of Merga and 0.67 in front of Chepkok.

Finishing in a very respectable 7th was Tegenkamp, whose PR 12:58.56 moved him to No. 3 on the all-time U.S. list behind Dathan Ritzenhein and Bob Kennedy.

Sandwiched in between all of this was a WR by Kenya in the men’s 4 x 1500 (see box) and Bolt’s mad dash in the 200.

As one would expect, the half-lapper was placed near the end of the meeting and weather conditions had not improved much. Bolt— who ran in a variety of adverse conditions throughout the summer—wasn’t bothered in the slightest. In lane 6, he had American Wallace Spearman (7) to his immediate right.

That stagger was eclipsed after 50 meters and he was already clear of the field by 5 meters as he entered the straight. He glided to the finish in history’s No. 4 time, 19.57, bettering Tyson Gay’s meet record by 0.22.

Gay, in the meantime, lost his duel in the 100 against former WR holder Asafa Powell. The Jamaican got the jump on the field and ran away from everyone as he crossed the line in 9.90, a full 10th ahead of his American rival.

November 2009 — 55

9/17/09 3:34:21 PM

— IAAF Grand Prix Results — ZÜRICH GOLDEN LEAGUE

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

Zürich, Switzerland, August 28— 100(0.0): 1. Bolt (Jam) 9.81; 2. Powell (Jam) 9.88; 3.

Patton (US) 9.95; 4. Rodgers (US) 9.98.

400: 1. Merritt (US) 44.21; 2. Wariner (US) 44.62; 3.

Quow (Tri) 44.77; 4. Gillick (Ire) 45.25.

800: 1. Rudisha (Ken) 1:43.52 PR; 2. Kirwa Yego (Ken) 1:43.66 PR; 3. Mulaudzi (SA) 1:44.03.

1500: 1. Choge (Ken) 3:33.38; 2. Ali (Bhr) 3:33.74; 3.

Kiprop (Ken) 3:34.09.

3:59.50 PR; 4. Rowbury (US) 4:00.81; 5. Wurth-Thomas (US) 4:01.01; 6. Alminova (Rus) 4:01.15.

100H(-0.4): 1. Foster-Hylton (Jam) 12.46 (WL); 2. Harper (US) 12.48 =PR (=8, x A); 3. Felicien (Can) 12.61.

HJ: 1. Vlašić (Cro) 6-7 (2.01) (6-2¾, 6-4¼, 6-6, 6-7, 6-8¾ [xxx]) (1.90, 1.94, 1.98, 2.01, 2.05 [xxx]); 2. Chicherova (Rus) 6-6 (1.98); 3. Howard (US) 6-6 (=AL); 4. Friedrich (Ger) 6-4¼ (1.94).

PV: 1. Isinbayeva (Rus) 16-7¼ (5.06) WR (15-9¼, 16‑7¼); 2.

Rogowska (Pol) 15-7¼ (4.76); 3. Murer (Bra) 15-5½ (4.71).

100H(-1.9): 1. Foster-Hylton 12.88. 400H: 1. Morosanu (Rom) 55.26. JT: 1. Špotáková (CzR) 215-1 (65.57).

BRUSSELS GOLDEN LEAGUE Brussels, Belgium, September 4 (attendance 47,000 sellout; damp & cool)— 100(-0.4): 1. Powell 9.90; 2. Gay 10.00; 3. Patton 10.08.

200(0.0): 1. Bolt 19.57 (x, 4 A) (MR); 2. Spearmon (US) 20.19; 3. Guliyev (Aze) 20.47.

400: 1. Wariner 44.94; 2. Quow 45.55; 3. Bingham (GB) 45.70.

800: 1. Rudisha 1:45.80 (1:19.32); 2. Kirwa Yego 1:46.36; 3. Reed (Can) 1:46.82.

St: 1. Koech 8:04.05 (5:23.67); 2. Matelong (Ken) 8:06.92; 3. Keskisalo (Fin) 8:13.34.

5000: 1. Bekele 12:55.31 (7:45.51, 10:24.22); 2. Merga (Eth) 12:55.66 PR; 3. Chepkok (Ken) 12:55.98 PR;…7.

Tegenkamp (US) 12:58.56 PR (3, 3 A).

110H(-1.3): 1. Brathwaite 13.30; 2. Thomas 13.38; 3.

Brown (US) 13.39.

4 x 1500: 1. Kenya 14:36.23 WR (old WR 14:38.8 West Germany ’77) (W. Biwott 3:38.5, Gathimba 3:39.5, G. Rono 3:41.4, Choge 3:36.9—avg.

3:39.06); 2. All-Stars 14:44.31 (4 W) (Ali [Bhr] 3:38.1, Birgen [Ken] 3:43.3, Kemboi [Ken] 3:40.0, Campbell [Aus] 3:43.0); 3. Australia 14:46.92 (8 W) (Birmingham 3:39.2, Gregson 3:44.2, Kealey 3:43.3, Bromley 3:40.3).

JT: 1. Pitkämäki (Fin) 282‑11 (86.23) (282‑11, 265‑9, 270-0, 274-0, f, 274-1); 2.

Thorkildsen 271-0 (82.61); 3. Vasilevskis (Lat) 270-5 (82.42).

Kenya’s recordsetting 4x15 (l–r): Choge, Rono, Gathimba, Biwott

St: 1. Kemboi (Ken) 8:04.44; 2. Tahri (Fra) 8:05.29; 3.

Koech (Ken) 8:06.10.

5000: 1. Bekele (Eth) 12:52.32 (WL) (2:31.2, 2:34.3 [5:05.5], 2:35.4 [7:40.9], 2:36.4 [10:17.3], 2:35.0) (59.3, 2:03.0, 3:06.9, 4:10.2); 2. Soi (Ken) 12:55.03 (59.7, 2:03.2); 3. Ritzenhein (US) 12:56.27 AR (old AR 12:58.21 Kennedy [Nike] ’96) (30.9 [15th], 61.8 [1:32.7] [15th], 61.8 [2:34.5] [15th], 61.3 [3:35.8] [15th], 62.7 [4:38.5] [15th], 62.2 [5:40.7] [14th], 62.8 [6:43.5] [12th], 63.9 [7:47.4] [11th], 62.9 [8:50.3] [9th], 62.9 [9:53.2] [8th], 62.5 [10:55.7] [7th], 60.4 [11:56.1] [3rd], 60.2 [3rd]) (kilos: 2:34.5, 2:34.9 [5:09.4], 2:38.0 [7:47.4], 2:37.2 [10:24.6], 2:31.7) (finish: 60.2, 2:00.6, 3:03.1, 4:06.0).

110H(0.2): 1. Thomas (Jam) 13.16 NR; 2. Trammell (US) 13.17; 3. Brathwaite (Bar) 13.27.

4 x 100: 1. Jamaica 37.70 (Clarke, Frater, Mullings, Bolt); 2. United States 37.73 (AL) (10 A) (Trammell, Rodgers, Patton, Spearmon); 3. Trinidad 38.20 (Bledman, Burns, Callender, Thompson).

TJ: 1. Évora (Por) 57-¼ (17.38); 2. Giralt (Cub) 56-9½ (17.31); 3. Sands (Bah) 56-1¼ (17.10).

JT: 1. Thorkildsen (Nor) 299-6 (91.28) (WL) (289-1, 299-6, p, p, p, p); 2. Ruuskanen (Fin) 280-2 (85.39); 3.

Mannio (Fin) 268-5 (81.82).

Zürich Women 100(0.7): 1. Jeter (US) 10.86; 2. Stewart (Jam) 11.04; 3. Ferguson McKenzie (Bah) 11.04.

400: 1. Richards (US) 48.94 (WL, AL) (x, 4 A); 2. Felix (US) 49.83; 3. S. Williams (Jam) 50.40.

1500: 1. Jamal (Bhr) 3:59.15; 2. Willard (US) 3:59.38 PR (AL) (3, 8 A; non-Slaney: 2, 4 A); 3. Dobriskey (GB)

56 — November 2009

p56 (GPmagate).indd 56

ZAGREB GP Zagreb, Croatia, August 31— 100(0.6): 1. Patton 9.94. 1500: 1. Ali 3:36.20. 110H(0.0): 1.

Brathwaite 13.35. 400H: 1. Phillips (Jam) 48.51.

LJ: 1. Berrabah (Mor) 26-9 (8.15). SP: 1. Cantwell (US) 72-8½ (22.16) (WL, AL) (68-2¼, 71-2, 69-9¾, 70‑6¼, 69-2, 72-8½). HT: 1. Kozmus (Slo) 268-3 (81.77) (WL) (f, 263-7, 257-6, 268-3, 264-9, 267-5).

Zagreb Women 100(0.6): 1. Campbell-Brown (Jam) 11.15. 400: 1. Firova (Rus) 50.80. 800: 1. Savinova (Rus) 1:59.38. 3000: 1. Ayalew (Eth) 8:37.12. 100H(-0.4): 1. Harper 12.67. 400H: 1. Spencer (Jam) 54.69.

HJ: 1. Vlašić 6-9¾ (2.08) (WL) (=2, =2 W) (6-2¾, 6-4¼, 6-6¾, 6-8¾, 6-9¾, 6-10¾ WR [xxx]). TJ: 1. Gay (Cub) 47-10 (14.58). DT: 1. Barrios (Cub) 208-5 (63.53).

GATESHEAD GP Gateshead, England, August 31— 100(-2.0): 1. Gay (US) 10.15. 200(-1.7): 1. Crawford (US) 20.80. 400: 1. Merritt 45.10. 800: 1. Symmonds (US) 1:47.30.

1500: 1. Manzano (US) 3:41.10. 3000: 1. Kipsiro (Uga) 7:35.69.

110H(-2.8): 1. Payne (US) 13.60.

HJ: 1. Manson (US) 7-7¾ (2.33). PV: 1. tie, Chistiakov (Rus) & Miles (US) 18-8¼ (5.70). LJ: 1. Phillips (US) 27-6½ (8.39). TJ: 1. Idowu (GB) 56-10 (17.32).

Gateshead Women 100(-0.9): 1. Jeter 11.07. 200(-3.4): 1. Felix 23.13. 400: 1.

Ohuruogu (GB) 50.94.800: 1. Wurth-Thomas (US) 2:01.22.

1500: 1. Dobriskey 4:13.60. 3000: 1. Cheruiyot (Ken) 8:53.04.

Brussels Women 100(0.5): 1. Jeter 10.88; 2. Fraser (Jam) 10.98; 3.

Stewart 11.05.

400: 1. Richards 48.83 (WL, AL) (x, =2 A) (MR); 2.

Ohuruogu 50.43; 3. S. Williams 50.55.

800: 1. Willard 1:59.14; 2. Simpson (GB) 1:59.40; 3.

Savinova 1:59.49.

2000: 1. Burka (Eth) 5:30.19 PR (WL) (=6, =7 W) (4:23.70) (MR); 2. Cheruiyot 5:35.46; 3. Cherono (Ken) 5:35.65 PR. 100H(1.0): 1. Foster-Hylton 12.48; 2. Lopes-Schliep (Can) 12.49 PR; 3. Ennis-London (Jam) 12.71.

Field Events HJ: 1. Vlašić 6-6¾ (2.00); 2. Chicherova 6-6¾; 3.

Howard 6-5½ (1.97).

PV: 1. Isinbayeva 15-5 (4.70) (15-5, 16-7½ WR [xxx]); 2. Pyrek (Pol) 15-5; 3. Spiegelburg (Ger) 15-5.

TJ: 1. Aldama (Sud) 46-10 (14.27); 2. Smith (Jam) 46‑8¼ (14.23); 3. Alekhina (Rus) 46‑5½ (14.16).

RIETI GP Rieti, Italy, September 6 (altitude 402m)— 100(-1.5): 1. Powell 9.99. 200(-0.9): 1. Spearmon 20.27.

400: 1. Tobin (GB) 45.30.

800: 1. Rudisha 1:42.01 NR (WL) (4, 7 W) (fastest in world since ’97) (1:15.76); 2. Kirwa Yego 1:42.67 PR (12, x W); 3. Mulaudzi 1:42.86 PR (18, x W).1500: 1. W. Biwott (Ken) 3:33.00. 3000: 1. Kiplimo (Ken) 7:31.20 PR. PV: 1. tie, Mazuryk (Ukr) & Chistiakov 18-1¼ (5.52).

Rieti Women 100(-2.4): 1. Fraser 11.18. 200(-2.0): 1. Stewart 22.62. 1500: 1. Dobriskey 4:01.23. St: 1. Bisibori (Ken) 9:13.92. 3000: 1. Kibet 8:43.93. 100H(-2.5): 1. FosterHylton 12.78.

HJ: 1. Gordeyeva (Rus) 6-5½ (1.97). LJ: 1. Meleshina (Rus) 22-8 (6.91). DT: 1. Barrios 213-1 (64.95).

Track & Field News

9/17/09 3:51:16 PM

pan-am junior championships

Davis In Prep AOY Hunt

hurdles coming up too fast, crowding his stride.

Nor did he expect to pull away from Nunley after the eighth obstacle. “Then all the internal pressure I had built up was released,” he said.

“I was happy, but I had to celebrate and release

by Roy Conrad

GREG ARMSTRONG

Wouldn’t you know it? In our October edition, we lauded four super-senior candidates for having high-end nationalrecord credentials supporting their position for High School Boys Athlete Of The Year.

No sooner did we do that than along came another mainstream record breaker to throw his well-qualified hat into the ring.

At the Pan-Am Junior Championships, Wayne Davis (Southeast, Raleigh) twice flew over the 39-inch highs faster than any high schooler before him.

In his heat, the prize Texas A&M recruit rolled to a 13.19 (wind +1.5mps) to cut the WJR (13.23 by Poland’s Artur Noga in ’06) as well as the combined AJR/HSR (13.30 by Ohioan Chris Nelloms back in ’90).

Then in the final, with an exactly-legal 2.0mps of Caribbean breeze at his back, Davis bore down to slash a big 0.11 off his mark with a 13.08, well ahead of teammate Booker Nunley’s 13.32.

After many long years, the auto-time record is at last intrinsically superior to Renaldo Nehemiah’s famed hand-timed 12.9 of ’77.

The 5-11/156 Davis did it all while still 17 years old. He turned 18 three weeks later.

Davis finally brought the hurdle record down into Nehemiah territory

Davis coped with a right ankle severely the tension. It was an amazing feeling. But I turned in a pickup basketball game in Februknow I could still do better. I’m always workary, yet he sped a flurry of PRs in major meets ing on things, trying to fix things.” starting in mid-May: 13.58 State, 13.56 Golden Another of the original AOY leaders conWest, 13.33 Nike Outdoor heat (13.37 to win tinued his record assault, picking up a pair of final) and 13.31 U.S. Juniors heat (windy 13.16 gold medals. to take final).

Mason Finley (Buena Vista, Colorado) With Heading to the Pan-Ams, Davis said, the Junior disc (1.75kg/3.86lb), Finley set no “I knew it was my last chance to do fewer than three AJR/HSR marks: 207-1, 208-5 — Men’s Winners — something big at the 39-inch hurdles. and finally 214-4.

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad, July 31–August 2— My goal was to run below 13.1; a 13-oh 100(0.7): 1. Rowland (US) 10.03 (3, 3 WJ; 2, 2 AJ). 200(1.4): He also moved to No. 2 on the all-time prep 1. Ashmeade (Jam) 20.40 PR. 400: 1. James (Grn) 45.43; 2. or maybe even a 12.9.” list with the junior shot, reaching 66-9¾.

Tate (US) 45.50 (l-a HSL).

But he got to Trinidad not feeling all The big star on the women’s side was 800: 1. Acea (Cub) 1:48.09. 1500: 1. Fleet (US) 3:48.04. St: that well. “My stomach bothered me, but sprinter Chalonda Goodman (Newnan, Geor1. Wolter (Can) 9:05.28 PR. 5000: 1. Ahmed (Can) 14:12.11.

I don’t know what the problem was,” 10,000: 1. Aravena (Chl) 31:01.70. gia), who took the 100 at a PR and yearly prep 110H(39in)(2.0): 1. Davis (US) 13.08 WJR, AJR, HSR (old he recalled. leading 11.22, the 200 in 23.08 and anchored records 13.19 Davis in heats; also faster than 42-inch 13.12 Liu “I felt slow in practice, but my coach the U.S. to a 44.09 4x1 victory.

[Chn] ’02); 2. Nunley (US) 13.32 (=9, x WJ; =5, x AJ).

Steve McGill has told me that feelHeats: I(1.5)–1. Davis 13.19 WJR, AJR, HSR (old WJR 13.23 ing slow doesn’t mean you can’t Noga [Pol] ’06) (old AJR, HSR 13.30 Nelloms [OhHS] ’90).

400H: 1. Wynne (US) 49.31 PR. 10W: 1. Gómez (Mex) run fast. I decided to just go out — Women’s Winners — 42:19.56 PR. and run.”

100(0.8): 1. Goodman (US) 11.22 (HSL) (10, x HS). 200(1.3): 4 x 100: 1. 39.06 (Talley, Cherry, Rhodes, Rowland). 4 x 400: 1. Goodman (US) 23.08. 400: 1. Padilla (Col) 53.60.

In his heat, Davis said, “I shut it 1. United States 3:03.25 (Parros, Walker, Hughes, Tate).

800: 1. Almanza (Cub) 2:03.83. 1500: 1. Hasay (US) 4:26.26. down with two hurdles to go and HJ: 1. Drouin (Can) 7-5¼ (2.27) NJR. PV: 1. Whitt (US) St: 1. Ocampo (Cub) 10:32.38 PR. 3000: 1. Galván (Mex) 17-¾ (5.20). LJ: 1. Bowen (Pan) 25-10¾ (7.89). TJ: 1. Claye yet it was a 13.19. It was the easiest 10:02.32 PR. 5000: 1. Andrews (US) 16:42.38 PR. (US) 54-4½ (16.57). race I ever ran—even if I felt really 100H(2.2): 1. Williams (Jam) 13.22w. 400H: 1. Tracey (Jam) JrSP(6kg): 1. Finley (US) 66-9¾ (20.36) (5, 9 AJ; 2, 2 HS) 57.82. 10W: 1. Uribe (Mex) 50:07.00. 4 x 100: 1. United States slow. I knew if I ran hard in the (61-8½, 66-3¼ [=5, x AJ; 2, 5 HS], 66-8½ [5, 10 AJ; 2, 2 HS], 44.09 (J. Davis, Am. Purvis, Allen, Goodman). 4 x 400: 1. United final, I could do a lot better.”

66-9¾, f, 65-11¾).

States 3:36.34 (Usery, Cooper, Schueler, Richardson).

JrDT(1.75kg): 1. Finley (US) 214-4 (65.34) AJR, HSR (old Davis is hypercritical of his HJ: 1. Pressley (US) 5-9¼ (1.76). PV: 1. Willer (US) 14-1¼ records 208-5/63.54 Finley in series) (9, x WJ) (207-1 HSR [old racing and said of the record ef(4.30) (x, =6 AJ). LJ: 1. Boyd (US) 19-11½ (6.08). TJ: 1. Alcántara HSR 204-3/66.26 Finley ’09] [2, 2 AJ], 198-10, f, 208-5 AJR, (Cub) 43-2½ (13.17). fort, “I made a few mistakes that HSR [old AJR 207-5/63.22 Milne [PennSt] ’92], f, 214-4). JrHT: SP: 1. Jelmini (US) 53-8½ (16.37). DT: 1. de Morais (Bra) nobody else would notice. But it 1. Cabrera (Cub) 257-2 (78.38);… 3. Welch 223-10 (68.22) (4, 181-4 (55.28) NJR. HT: 1. Ford (Cub) 209-8 (63.92). JT: 1. x AJ; 3, x HS) (212-5, 219-10 [9, x AJ; 5, x HS], f, f, f, 223-10). didn’t feel right to me from about Murillo (Col) 169-10 (51.76).

JT: 1. Toledo (Arg) 229-1 (69.84) NJR. the seventh hurdle on.”

Hept: 1. Spínola (Bra) 5574.

Dec: 1. Beach (US) 7377 (x, 6 HS).

Yet he also didn’t feel the

The Bible Of The Sport

p57 (Pan-AmJr).indd 57

November 2009 — 57

9/17/09 3:33:32 PM

LAST LAP years, as a star high schooler and then after the Rudisha Now A WR Threat? runner’s one college year at Michigan.

In his first decathlon in more than a year, After David Rudisha impressed with his After setting a 3:46.91 AR in ’07 Webb overthree-time Olympian Tom Pappas scored 8569 1:42.01 in Rieti (see p. 54)—the world’s fastest trained in ’08, then and suffered from hamstring points to win the early-August Thorpe Cup in 800 since ’97—the runner’s noted coach said the and Achilles problems this season.

Marburg, Germany.

20-year-old could threaten the World Record.

Salazar told Dick Patrick of USA Today that It was the highest total for the ’03 world Brother Colm O’Connell, who has menhe was “completely surprised” by Webb’s call champ since he scored tored many Kenyan greats for asking to join the group coached by Salazar 8732 at the ’04 Götzis more than three decades, told and Jerry Schumacher. meet. the Nairobi Daily Nation, “Many Webb’s agent Ray Flynn told Patrick, “It’s “The Thorpe meet top athletes tried to break the an amicable decision between Alan and Scott. was a lot of fun,” says record. People like Billy the 33-year-old Pappas, Konchellah, Paul Ereng World Indoor Medals Change Hands an assistant at Kansas and Japheth Kimutai have State. “Being a team made their mark. But their With the drug DQs ofYelena Soboleva andYuliya Fomenko (T&FN, October), the IAAF has recast the medals from meet, you’re not focused efforts were never sucthe ’08 World Indoor Championships, where the Rusjust on yourself. You cessful.” sian pair finished 1–2. want to try to help your O’Connell feels that Ethiopia’s Gelete Burka will now get the gold, Bahrain’s team win.”

Rudisha has been held Maryam Jamal the silver medal and Bulgaria’s DanPappas’ score includback only by injuries. “This iela Yordanova the bronze. The revised finishers are ed efforts of 10.86, 25-½ is only his third year [in the also expected to receive the prize money awarded (7.63), 55-2¼ (16.82), 6-9½ 800],” the coach said of the for their places.

(2.07), 49.49, 14.19, 169-2 one-time 400 sprinter and (51.57), 16-6¾ (5.05), 202‑5 even decathlete.

Tom Pappas [Alan] likes the resources and infrastructure (61.70) and 5:00.77.

“He needs to gain experience of the Oregon project.”

Pappas has battled foot injuries since ’04, and next year provides the best chance for mainly plantar fascia problems that caused him to break the record as there will be no Crawford Gets USATF Coach Job him to DNF the last two Olympics as well as serious competitions… He is developing by Veteran Terry Crawford is USATF’s first the ’07 Worlds. He also had a stress fracture the day.”

Director of Coaching. The ’88 Olympic women’s in a foot this spring. head was named to the new position by CEO Webb Heads West He says, “I was in decent shape at the time Doug Logan in mid-August.

American Record-holding miler Alan Webb of USATF, but my foot wasn’t 100%. So I didn’t Crawford will serve as liaison to coaches has decided to move from his Virginia home compete. It was hard to sit and watch in Eugene, and the coaching community, oversee USATF’s (and longtime coach Scott Raczko) to Oregon to but I just needed a little more time.

Coaching Education program, develop a join the Portland-based training group directed “Everything started clicking after nationals, coaching certification procedure, oversee by Alberto Salazar.

Raczko coached Webb for 10 so the timing for the Thorpe Cup GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY

Pappas Comes Back Big

was fortunate. I went into the meet the healthiest I’ve been in years.

Now I’ve learned to take care of any small injury right away.”

Kennedy OK With AR Loss

Bob Kennedy really didn’t mind surrendering his American Record in the 5000 to Dathan Ritzenhein (see p. 52). Ritz’s 12:56.27 in Zürich lowered Kennedy’s ’96 mark of 12:58.21, also run in the Swiss city.

“If you’re not breaking American Records more frequently than that,” the retired Indiana grad told the Indianapolis Star’s David Woods of the 13-year reign of his mark, “then you’re not progressing as a nation in that sport. It’s time to move on and get better.”

Kennedy, 39, admitted he doesn’t follow track as closely as he once did. The day his record fell, Kennedy’s wife Melina filed paperwork for a possible Indy mayoral bid in ’11. “It’s the closing of one chapter and the opening of another,” he said.

58 — November 2009

p58-59 (LL-staff).indd 58

FOR THE RECORD Record alterations reported since the October issue. W=World; A=American; J=Junior; HS=High School; + = event not recognized by ratifying body.

MEN TRACK 100

9.58

W

Usain Bolt (Jamaica).......................................................Berlin, Germany............................August 16

9.71

A

Tyson Gay (adidas).........................................................Berlin, Germany............................August 16

200

19.19

W

Usain Bolt (Jamaica).......................................................Berlin, Germany............................August 20

5000

12:56.27

A

Dathan Ritzenhein (Nike)................................................Zürich, Switzerland........................August 28

Jr110H

13.19 WJ, AJ, HS

Wayne Davis (Southeast, Raleigh, North Carolina).........Port-of-Spain, Trinidad...................... July 31

13.08 WJ, AJ, HS

Wayne Davis (Southeast, Raleigh, North Carolina).........Port-of-Spain, Trinidad...................... July 31

4 x 1500

14:36.23

Kenya..............................................................................Brussels, Belgium................... September 04

W

(William Biwott 3:38.5, Gideon Gathimba 3:39.5, Geoffrey Rono 3:41.4, Augustine Choge 3:36.9)

MEN FIELD JrDT

63.12 207-1

HS

Mason Finley (Buena Vista, Colorado)........................ Port-of-Spain, Trinidad..................... July 31

63.54 208-5

AJ, HS

Mason Finley (Buena Vista, Colorado)........................ Port-of-Spain, Trinidad..................... July 31

65.34 214-4

AJ, HS

Mason Finley (Buena Vista, Colorado)........................ Port-of-Spain, Trinidad..................... July 31

A

Jenny Barringer (Colorado).............................................Berlin, Germany............................August 17

WOMEN track St

9:12.50

woMEN FIELD PV

5.06

HT

77.96 255-9

16-7¼ W W

Yelena Isinbayeva (Russia)......................................... Zürich, Switzerland..................... August 28 Anita Włodarczyk (Poland).......................................... Berlin, Germany.......................... August 22

World records set earlier in ’09 Men: 150+—15.30 Usain Bolt (Jamaica); 300(l-a)+—31.30 LaShawn Merritt (US); 10K road—27:01 Micah Kogo (Kenya); 15K road—41:29= Deribe Merga (Ethiopia). Women: SpMed+—3:34.56 Jamaica.

Track & Field News

9/21/09 11:22:53 AM

STAT CORNER

All-Time Golden League Jackpot Winners When the old Golden 4 was terminated after the ’97 season and the IAAF launched its Golden League, one of the big selling points of the new setup was the million dollars—graphically represented with gold bars—jackpot awarded to those winning a certain number of competitions during the year (the number varied).

With this year’s Brussels meet (see p. 55), the Golden League has come to the end of its lifespan, to be replaced in ’10 by the new Diamond League. With her share of the booty this year, Sanya Richards became the first woman ever to win three times (Hicham El Guerrouj won four on the men’s side). The all-time winners: 1998—Hicham El Guerrouj & Haile Gebrselassie; Marion Jones 1999—Wilson Kipketer, Gabriela Szabo 2000—El Guerrouj & Maurice Greene; Gail Devers,Trine Hattestad & Tatyana Kotova 2001—André Bucher, El Guerrouj & Allen Johnson; Violeta Szekely & Olga Yegorova 2002—El Guerrouj & Félix Sánchez; Ana Guevara & Jones 2003—no men; Maria Mutola 2004—Christian Olsson; Tonique Williams-Darling 2005—no men; Tatyana Lebedeva 2006—Asafa Powell & Jeremy Wariner; Sanya Richards 2007—no men; Yelena Isinbayeva & Richards 2008—no men; Pamela Jelimo 2009—Kenenisa Bekele; Isinbayeva & Richards

national-team coaching selection and direct track’s residence program at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center.

That’s a hefty laundry list of tasks, but former Tennessee and Texas and current Cal Poly SLO coach Crawford said, “To be able to elevate USATF’s service to coaches and, by extension, to athletes, is something I couldn’t pass up. I’m looking forward to being part of this new era.”

Usain Bolt, Long Jumper?

in the Commonwealth Games, set for New Delhi in October ’10. And he doesn’t expect to compete indoors. “I’ll see what my coach has in store for me and then decide,” Bolt said of those topics.

’09 Coaching Hall Of Fame

A half-dozen premier coaches of U.S. collegiate track comprise the ’09 class for induction into the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame.

•Art Gulden directed Bucknell to 68 Patriot League titles, 18 in cross country.

•Pitch Johnson coached at Stanford, then Drake for 12 seasons and directed the Drake Relays for 7 years.

•Oscar Moore led Rowan (formerly Glassboro State) to five NCAA III team titles and 19 straight New Jersey Conference crowns.

•Chuck Rohe directed Tennessee’s men’s squad to 21 straight SEC track and cross country titles.

•Duane Vandenbusche guided the men’s and women’s teams from Colorado’s Western State to 12 national cross country victories (10 NCAA II, 2 NAIA).

•Gary Winckler led Florida State’s women to the ’84 NCAA team win before directing lllinois to 11 Big 10 titles.

Jamaicans Suspended

Four of the five Jamaican athletes whose samples from the Jamaican Championships tested positive for a stimulant (T&FN, October) have been handed 3-month suspensions.

Sprinters Marvin Anderson, Yohan Blake, Allodin Fothergill and Lansford Spence all admitted to ingesting the drug and were suspended by the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission.

Fifth athlete Sheri-Ann Brooks escaped sanction because testers violated protocol with respect to the handling of her B sample.

The substance in question, 4-methyl2-hexanamine is not specifically listed on WADA’s banned list but is proscribed as one of a wide variety of drugs “chemically related.”

All five athletes, Racers TC clubmates of Usain Bolt, were pulled off Jamaica’s Berlin team because of the pending tests.

Almost from Usain Bolt’s first WR in ’08, fans speculated on how fast he might run the 400. But he has deflected making any definitive 2-Regionals Confirmed For 2010 statements about moving up.

Although there was some speculation that Similarly, some media members in Berlin the NCAA’s proposed new 2-Regional setup and Zürich seemed eager to turn Bolt into Jesse would be so cumbersome Owens or Carl Lewis, that the whole concept pressing the Jamaican Relay Rankings Modified would just be stripped, superstar on whether National Relay Rankings compiler Walt the best collegians will he might try the long Murphy has amended his rating for the indeed be split into East jump. women’s 4 x 100H (T&FN, October). and West for next year’s “I said that I wantThe initial rankings put Alabama No. NCAA Championships. ed to do the long jump, 1 and Central Florida No. 2. But in reTexas will host the but not anytime soon,” examining some confusing multi-section West meet, with the East results, Murphy realized that two should Bolt said on returnbe reversed, so Central Florida earns its at North Carolina A&T ing home to Kingston first-ever No. 1.

(Indiana had originally in mid-September. bid but may have facility“Maybe five years construction issues). from now.”

The 6 BCS conferences had asked for a cesBolt, who has a PR of 45.28, added with a sation of the Regionals but the NCAA Cabinet laugh, “As for the 400, that’s out.” denied the proposal.

He also said he is uncertain about competing The Bible Of The Sport

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Track & Field News The Bible Of The Sport Since 1948 Founded by Bert & Cordner Nelson

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Track & Field News

9/9/09 11:11:10 AM

LETTERS @$#%@#$%!

Not only was the USA women’s 4x1 effort terrible, the reaction/response was to me, maddening!

The three women who could still jog after the “screw up” had the arrogance/ignorance to parade around part of the track waving to the crowd. What were they looking for, flowers, autographs, cheers and medals? What rude fantasy world do they live in?

They then continued their make-believe world during the trackside TV interviews.

Never did reality cross their lips concerning the botched pass. Where was the virtue of answering for one’s actions and acceptance of blame?

If Anderson had put the baton in Lee’s outstretched hand on the first try (which she should have done—it was there), Muna would still be running!

C.J. Stefanowicz—Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania

Easy Solution to Disasters All you have to do is take the winning NCAA 4 x 100 teams (Florida 38.58 + Texas A&M 42.36) and work in the 100 meter 1st- or 2nd-place finishers to form an All-Star Team.

You then have six experienced relay runners that will only be responsible for the event.

There will be no older-professional sprinters

Got something you’d like to share?

Send us a snail-mail or just e to editorial@trackandfieldnews.com

it’s about those U.S. relays!

approaches occur in the hurdles, pole vault, high jump, javelin, long and triple jumps, and in the shot and discus. A specific number of steps or movements are required for each of these events if the athlete is to maximize their performance.

I addressed this very issue of successfully passing the baton in an article appearing in the August 1999 issue of Scholastic Coach and Athletic Director. The title, “A Silent Treatment For Your Relay Teams,” was an introduction to a non-verbal, non-visual sprint relay pass. Later, as a clinician, I conducted a series of “learn-by-doing” sessions to demonstrate the “silent” baton exchange.

Richard H. Tucker—Rushville, Illinois

underhand, not over!

After watching the United States’ 400-meter relay teams botch/ muff/bungle two more passes at the World Championships in Berlin, now would be a good time for American relay runners to learn the underhand upward sweep passing technique.

This technique was instrumental in France setting a stunning World Record of 37.79 seconds in the men’s 400 relay in 1990 and several coaches whom I respect greatly have told me it’s a simpler, more efficient and lowerrisk way to get the baton around the track.

John Ortega—Spring Arbor, Michigan

he said it last year like Muna Lee or Tyson Gay that break down after many all-out multiple races.

Ken Kotler—New City, New York

a bad exchange Sorry about Muna Lee pulling up lame. However, let us not lose sight of the fact that she pulled up due to a bad exchange.

Anderson ran right up on Muna (maybe Muna took off late). Regardless, the bad exchange caused Muna to be injured. Yet another 4x100 miscue. How do we end it?

John Deardorff—Wichita, Kansas

A Silent Exchange Following the disastrous past two years of our 4 x 100 relay teams in world competition, it is time for the USA to choreograph their baton exchanges. America must prepare to regain their dominance in the sprint relays for the future World competition.

One might question choreographing a baton exchange. After all, we associate choreographing with marching bands, ballet dancing, and cheerleaders routines.

Planned movements have been used in T&F since its conceptions. Specific steps or planned The Bible Of The Sport

p61 (296-WT).indd 61

Right after the debacle at Beijing, the editors published my letter recommending selection criteria for the 4x1. It is past time to dust off and republish my letter—it’s even more timely following the Berlin debacle.

When will the selectors accept and exploit that well-trained, well-oiled stick-passers will consistently defeat untrained runners even if a few hundredths slower on the flat? Let 100-meter finishers 4 though 8 be our sprint relay team—including a spare.

Mitchell Orfuss—New York, New York

and let them practice. No substitutions, unless there is an injury.

Ivan Stanko—Rothschild, Wisconsin

bad form by brits?

Do you agree that it was a lack of sportsmanship for Great Britain to object in a prelim when they were advancing anyhow?

[Ed: No.] Neither Doc Patton nor Shawn Crawford

WE THINK

World Champs Fields Need Tightening

Making the World Championships as allencompassing as possible is a wonderful concept, but we think the IAAF is letting too many people into the tent in some events.

At a time when the sport desperately needs to present a professional image at the top end, a smoother, more efficient meet should be a top priority.

On 4 of the 9 days of competition in Berlin, the meet ended later than planned because the size of the decathlon and heptathlon fields was such that the schedule needed to be tweaked.

A total of 29 athletes in the heptathlon wasn’t too far out of whack, but a whopping 38 starters in the decathlon was just plain crazy.

Virtually all the jumps and throws had too many entrants, with the posterkids for wretched excess being topped by the men’s javelin (47), men’s triple jump (45) and the women’s hammer (41).

In addition to long drawn-out competitions that are greatly reduced in spectator appeal, the length of time required between jumps/throws is such that it’s simply not fair to the athletes.

A rethinking of the entry-standards formula is in order, making it tougher to get in. Furthermore, if a standard proves inadequate, a provision should be made to allow the tightening of loose numbers 6–8 months out. Even if it means that some people who previously thought they had qualified now need to up the ante.

This is the World Championships, not the intramurals.

[Ed: Do you think that even with all the oiling in the world a team made up of the USATF 4th–8th finishers would have a prayer against a team with Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell on it?

Your method might guarantee a medal, but it would probably equally guarantee it would not be gold.]

pick the team early After so many instances of poor baton exchanges on both 4 x 100 relays, when is USATF going to adopt the only sensible solution?

Pick the team at least one month in advance

were responsible for the USA dq, a total lack of sportsmanship by the British Federation and a spineless IAAF worlds appeals board are.

If the four runners had run the exact same race but they had yellow bibs reading Jamaica instead of USA, that gang of four would not have been DQed and the Brits showed their true colors winning the bronze in the final, knowing they woulda gone home medal-less had they not gotten the USA DQed. Scott C. Martineau—via e-mail November 2009 — 61

9/21/09 8:34:16 AM

Next Month In T&FN kirby lee/image of sport

2009 High School Annual

YOU’VE GOT HIGH SCHOOL QUESTIONS: T&FN has high school answers, and they will all be provided in the December issue. How did we sort out all those great candidates for Boys Athlete Of The Year? Which superstars comprise the All-America teams? Where can I find deep yearly lists? That’s all taken care of in the next edition.

The youngsters won’t be the only ones on parade in the next issue as we’ll also bring you the definitive scoop on the end of the pro track season, dip into the start of the collegiate cross campaign and hit the roads at the Berlin and Chicago Marathons.

And you don’t want to miss our in-depth look at the hottest woman sprinter going, Carmelita Jeter, learn about Dwight Phillips’ super comeback and explore the U.S.’s emergence as a women’s miling power.

The back-to-high-school December edition will be mailed by October 23. If you aren’t currently a subscriber, just call us at our toll-free 800 number and we’ll take care of your order promptly. A regular 1-year U.S. subscription (including our free on-line results service) is still $43.95; other rates available on request.

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CROSS COUNTRY SCHEDULE October 10..............................New Englands; Boston, Massachusetts 17................ Chile Pepper Invitational; Fayetteville, Arkansas .............................................Pre-NCAA; Terre Haute, Indiana 24............................... Lone Star Conference; Canyon, Texas ............................................MEAC; Princess Anne, Maryland 26......................................... SWAC; Baton Rouge, Louisiana 30.......................................................Heps; Bronx, New York .......................... Metro Atlantic Conference; Bronx, New York ...........................Pac-10 Conference; Long Beach, California 31...................................................ACC; Cary, North Carolina ......................America East Conference; Burlington, Vermont .................................................. Atlantic Sun; Deland, Florida ............................ Atlantic 10 Conference; St. Louis, Missouri ................................................ Big East; Kenosha, Wisconsin ..................................Big 12 Conference; Columbia, Missouri ................................. Big Sky Conference; Greeley, Colorado ............................ Big West Conference; Riverside, California ............................ Colonial Conference; New Market, Virginia .......................................... Conference USA; Houston, Texas ......................................... Horizon League; Milford, Michigan ................................Mid-American Conference; Athens, Ohio ............................ Missouri Valley Conference; Peoria, Illinois ................................Mountain West Conference; Provo, Utah ...................... Ohio Valley Conference; Nashville, Tennessee ....................................... Patriot League; Hamilton, New York ........................................................ SEC; Oxford, Mississippi ........................... Southern Conference; Elon, North Carolina ........................ Southland Conference; Corpus Christi, Texas .......................................... Summit League; Cedar City, Utah ............................... Sun Belt Conference; Monroe, Louisiana .............................................. WAC; Las Cruces, New Mexico ..........................West Coast Conference; Belmont, California

November 1................Big 10 Conference; University Park, Pennsylvania 7.................................................. NCAA II Regionals (8 sites) .................................. JUCO I Championships; Peoria, Illinois .................JUCO III Championships; Finger Lakes, New York 14............................................... NCAA III Regionals (8 sites) ................................................................... NCAA I Regionals Great Lakes—Bloomington, Indiana Mid-Atlantic—Princess Anne, Maryland Midwest—Springfield, Missouri Mountain—Provo, Utah Northeast—Boston, Massachusetts Southeast—Louisville, Kentucky South Central—Waco, Texas South—Tuscaloosa, Alabama West—Eugene, Oregon ..............NTN Heartland Regional; Sioux Falls, South Dakota .........................NTN Midwest Regional, Terre Haute, Indiana .................................. NTN Northwest Regional; Boise, Idaho 21............................................ IC4A/ECAC; Bronx, New York .......................NAIA Championships; Vancouver, Washington ..........................NCAA II Championships; Evansville, Indiana ............................. NCAA III Championships; Cleveland, Ohio .........................NTN South Regional; The Woodlands, Texas ............................. NTN Southwest Regional; Tempe, Arizona 23...................... NCAA Championships; Terre Haute, Indiana 28...................NTN NE Regional; Wappinger Falls, New York ......................NTN Southeast Regional; Cary, North Carolina ...................... Foot Locker Midwest HS; Kenosha, Wisconsin .......................... Foot Locker Northeast HS; Bronx, New York 29..........Foot Locker Southern HS; Charlotte, North Carolina

December 5............... Nike HS Team Nationals (NTN); Portland, Oregon .......................... AAU Youth Championships; Joplin, Missouri ................................Foot Locker West HS; Walnut, California 12..... Foot Locker HS Championships; San Diego, California ................................. USATF Junior Olympics; Reno, Nevada ................ USATF Club Championships; Lexington, Kentucky 12......................... European Championships; Dublin, Ireland

February 2010 13..................USATF Championships; Spokane, Washington

March 2010 27..........................World Championships; Bydgoszcz, Poland always check with the hosts before traveling to any meet, be it domestic or international

Track & Field News

11/30/09 12:39:03 pm

A World Awaits You.

A world of exciting track and field and memorable travel experiences is yours for the taking. Join Track & Field News for one (or more) of these great trips.

■ 2010 VANCOUVER. The Winter Games will take place in Vancouver, Canada, February 1228, 2010, and we’re offering 6, 12, and 18-night packages.

DA E

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LONDON TON

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■ 2010 WORLD JUNIORS, MONCTON. The 2010 World Junior Championships will be held in Moncton, N.B., Canada, July 19-25. We’re currently planning a tour to include Moncton 7 nights, plus optional extended travel to Halifax, Prince Edward Island, Maine, Boston (an additional 7 nights). So, you can do Moncton only for the track meet, or do Moncton and the tour extension. $75 is the current per person deposit.

■ EUROPEAN CIRCUIT 2010. We’ll operate one of our popular European summer tours, in August for London, Zurich, Brussels, etc., with a stay in Paris in between. August 12-28. $75 deposit. See web site for full itinerary.

■ 2011 USATF NATIONALS/WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TRIALS. Again Eugene is the host, as the U.S. team for Daegu is selected at historic Hayward Field. Again, probably third week in June (Wed.-Sun.), your choice of four

or five days. Accommodation within walking distance. $75/person deposit.

■ 2011 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS XIII will be held in Daegu, South Korea. Dates are August 27-September 4. This gives us a chance to visit a part of the world not in the general tourism mainstream, and, of course, witness track & field competition at its best. $75 deposit.

■ 2012 OLYMPIC TRIALS. Eugene—where else? Track Town USA again is the venue and we’ll reconvene for another great Trials experience with a large group of eager fans. Dates will probably be similar—end of June, beginning of July. 11 nights. $75/person deposit.

■ 2012 LONDON. More than 600 fans have already signed up for our tour the the Games in 2012. The British capital hosts and it promises to be a memorable time. $500 deposit.

TRACK & FIELD NEWS TOURS 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 606 Mountain View, CA 94040 Phone 650-948-8188 Fax 650/948-9445 E-mail: tours@trackandfieldnews.com www.trackandfieldnews.com

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