by Larry EderMary Cain and the Men’s 4 x 800 m relay were two World records this weekend at the 19th Annual NB Indoor GP. Fast times coming around the globe as athletes prepare for the World Indoor Champs in Sopot, Poland. Special thanks to Alfons Juck and his team for the great results and stories from the world of track and field that they find, day in and day out! EME News is the best!
CAIN AND RELAY
BOSTON (USA, Feb 8): Records in the 1000 m by Mary Cain and the 4 x 800m relay by a USA all-star team were the highlights of 19th New Balance Indoor Grand Prix at the Reggie Lewis Track Facility at Roxbury Community College. Cain took charge of the women’s 1000m with about 250 meters to go, breaking her own world indoor junior best of 2:39.25 set earlier this season at a different track at Boston University. The 17 year-old from Bronxville, N.Y., clocked 2:35.80 ahead of Chanelle Price (2:36.63) and Sarah Brown (2:36.90) who both set personal bests. In the 4 x 800m relay, the USA all-star team of Richard Jones (1:51.01), David Torrence (1:47.46), Duane Solomon (1:47.99), and Erik Sowinski (1:46.67) clocked a new world record of 7:13.11, narrowly defeating a team from the New Jersey-New York Track Club (7:13.22). The previous record of 7:13.94 was set on this same Roxbury track by Joey Woody, Karl Paranya, Rich Kenah, and David Krummenacker in 2000. Woody, who stopped competing in 2008, now coaches Sowinski. Ethiopia’s Hagos Gebrhiwet successfully defended his title in the men’s 3000m in 7:34.13 WL, overwhelming compatriot Dejen Gebremeskel (7:34.70) in the last 200m with a 26.3-second closing lap. Americans Ryan Hill (7:34.87) and Garrett Heath (7:37.40) finished third and fourth, respectively, both setting career best times. Every athlete in the 14-man filed broke 7:57. Canada’s Cam Levins finished seventh in 7:41.59 despite losing a shoe during the race. He narrowly missed Kevin Sullivan’s Canadian record of 7:40.17. New Zealand´s Olympic medalist Nick Willis won the mile 3:57.41. Leo Manzano, the 2012 Olympic 1500m silver medalist, had an off day, finishing last in 4:04.92. In the women’s 2000m, Olympian Kim Conley dominated the race, winning in 5:41.10 over Olympic teammate Emma Coburn (5:47.20). In the final event of the meet, the women’s two-mile, Sally Kipyego made a strong comeback from a stress fracture of her foot last fall to win in 9:21.04. Jenny Simpson finished one lap earlier and stopped, thinking she had won the race. After realizing her mistake, she restarted and finished second in 9:26.19, three seconds off of Regina Jacobs’s 2002 USA best of 9:23.38. Marvin Bracy won the 60 m in fast 6.53 ahead of Joe Morris 6.55 and Mike Rodgers 6.56. From top names Nickel Ashmeade was 6th 6.72, Ryan Bailey 7th 6.64 and Ashton Eaton got 6.73 in heats. In Trinidad 500 m duel Jarrin Solomon beat Renny Quow 1:01.84 to 1:01.90. Surprise improvement for Joe Kovacs in shot put with 21.35 as he beat Ryan Whiting 21.18, Cory Martin 20.63 and guest from Poland Tomasz Majewski 20.61. Ashton Eaton achieved 15.05, indoor PB. Relay olympic winner Tianna Bartoletta won 60 m in 7.17, Natasha Hastings the 400 m 52.05, Jenn Suhr pole vault 470 (over Kylie Hutson 460) and Tori Bowie the long jump (667).
KJT 196 NR, DASAOLU 6.50
SHEFFIELD (GBR, Feb 8): Katarina Johnson-Thompson steal the show during first day of Sainsbury´s British Indoor Championships in Sheffield with new national record 196 in third attempt. British indoor record was held previously by Debbie Marti 195 in 1997 and higher than the outdoor British record what is also 1.95, first established in 1982 by Diana Davies then later equaled by Susan Jones & Jessica Ennis. James Dasaolu won the 60 m despite 0.219 reaction time in 6.50. Second Dwain Chambers beat improved Richard Kilty by 0.004 (6.523 to 6.527). Third Chijindu Ujah 6.59. Holly Bleasdale cleared 473 in first attempt, new world lead. Asha Philipp clocked european lead 7.09 (and PB) in women 60 m over Dina Asher-Smith 7.25 and she clocked 7.22 in heats what is national junior indoor record. In the 60 m hurdles a tie for first between Andy Pozzi and William Sharman 7.64, for Sharman a PB. Andy Vernon won the 3000 m 7:56.84 and Jemma Simpson 4:14.68 in the 1500 m. In jumps JJ Jegede 785 and Julian Reid 16.87 PB.
L. GORDON 45.17 WL
BOSTON (USA, Feb 8): Valentine Invitational saw super fast world leading and personal best 45.17 in the 400 m by Trinidad´s Olympic bronze medalist Lalonde Gordon. With this time he is 11th best performer ever, just 0.02 behind the national record of Deon Lendore from last year. During the day he also won the 200 m in 20.70. Second in the 400 m Gustavo Cuesta of Dominican Republic 45.95 PB and third Donald Sanford with Israeli NR 46.46. Fast 800 m won by Mike Rutt 1:46.71 ahead of Brian Gagnon 1:46.98 and Robby Andrews 1:47.07. Britons Rich Peters 3:57.27 and Chris Gowell 3:57.29 dominated the mile. Maksim Korolev got new Kazakhstan record 7:51.52 in the 3000 m ahead of Will Geoghegan 7:51.57. In women races Amanda Winslow achieved third fastest mile in the world this year 4:26.28 ahead of Lauren Penny 4:31.30. Emilly Sisson 9:00.76 in the 3000 m and Stephanie Charnigo 2:02.15 in the 800 m.
STEELE BEATS BLAKE AND CO.
KINGSTON (JAM, Feb 8): The 10th Camperdown Classic saw World relay silver medalist Edino Steele winning the 400 m in 45.44
. In the field also Yohan Blake returning to competition with 47.20, Kemar Bailey-Cole 47.36 and Warren Weir 47.53. Usain Bolt was not yet competing. Daniel Bailey of Antigua won the 100 m in 10.15. In junior races World Youth champ Michael O´Hara 10.29 (+1.5) and Jevaughn Minzie 10.31 (+1.7). Also olympic medalist Kerron Stewart won the women 400 m in 54.00 and Ristannana Tracey the 800 m in 2:07.98.
BREEN 11.11 NR
CANBERRA (AUS, Feb 9) Melissa Breen is the new Australian 100m record holder after clocking 11.11 (+1.9) to blitz the field in her women’s 100m heat at the ACT Athletics Championships Eclipsing the previous national mark of Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, the performance also smashes Breen’s personal best by 0.14 seconds and ranks her within the top-eight women in the Commonwealth based on 2013 performances. Returning to the track for the final in the early afternoon, Breen, who is coached my Matt Beckenham, edged out the Olympic hurdles champion Sally Pearson (11.27) to win in 11.15 (+1.8). It is her first ever victory over Pearson in theshort sprint from 30 starts. Excited by Breen’s run, Gainsford-Taylor, who has held the record since 1994, was quick to offer praise to the newly crowned fastest ever Australian woman. Kelsey-Lee Roberts threw a personal best of 63.92m to record her first Commonwealth Games ‘A’ Standard in the women’s javelin.
US SATURDAY INDOOR
ALBUQUERQUE: Omo Osaghae comes into hurdles shape with 7.64 win at New Mexico Classic. Jamaican Jermaine Brown clocked fast 46.24 in the 400 m his PB. Also to note fast 60 m by St. Kitts sprinters, 6.62 for Brijesh Lawrence and 6.69 for Paul Williams. Former World youth champion Ryan Crouser improved his indoor PB in shot put to excellent 21.23 (Kole Weldon 20.11 and Eric Werskey 20.01 behind him over 20 meters). In women events Nia Ali won the 60 m hurdles in 8.02 with Canadian combined eventer Jessica Zelinka as second 8.02 PB ahead of 20-years old Letristan Pledger 8.10 with PB 8.07 in heats. Morolake Akinosun (19) 7.23 in the 60 m, Courtney Okolo (19) 52.40 in the 400 m and Kaitlin Petrillose (21) 445 in pole vault were other interesting lifetime bests for young US collegians.
SOUTH BEND: At Meyo Invitational on oversized track Christopher Giesting achieved 46.38 in the 400 m and Canadian Jeremy Rae 3:57.25 in the mile.
BLACKSBURG: World junior champion Shaunae Miller of Bahamas in her first 400 m in the indoor season clocked 52.34 at the Doc Hale Elite meet. Dezerea Bryant was timed with world leading 22.82 in the 200 m. From men events Dedric Dukes 20.93 in the 200 m and Mark Hollis cleared 565 in the pole vault.
AKRON: Good throws at Akron Invitational as AG Kruger got world leading 24.00 in the weight throw. Jeneva McCall won shot 18.32 and weight 23.81. Canadian last year junior Shawn Barber went over 566 in the pole vault, national indoor record.
COLLEGE STATION: At Aggie Invitational Trinidad´s Deon Lendore equaled world lead 20.68 in the 200 m with Shavez Hart of Bahamas second 20.72. In the 400 m Aldrich Bailey 46.25 over Vernon Norwood 46.31. In the 60 m Trayvon Bromell 6.65, in the open division not so fast but interesting sub 10 sprinters: Gabriel Mvumvure of Zimbabwe 6.70 with Charles Silmon 6.70 and olympic medalist Richard Thompson of Trinidad 6.72. Texas AM won the relay in 3:06.18. Jamaican Patricia Hall was the fastest in the 200 m 23.11 and won also her race in the 400 m 52.96. Kamaria Brown was faster 52.73.
LINCOLN: Clayton Vaughn improved at Frank Sevigne Invitational in the 60 m to 6.55 and is among top collegians. Second Canadian Andre De Grasse 6.64. Another Canadian Aaron Brown won the 200 m in 20.74. Laura Thweatt (25) improved to two bests during one day 4:38.26 in the mile and 9:15.87 in the 3000 m.
UNIVERSITY PARK: Good races at Sykes and Sabock Challenge Cup with Robert Rhodes 1:17.36 in the 600 m and Brannon Kidder 1:47.45 in the 800 m. For both big PB´s.
BIRMINGHAM: US World Junior champion 2012 Gunnar Nixon scored 6039 points in heptathlon at the Vulcan Invitational with 6.93; 750; 14.42; 212, 8.12; 443 and 2:43.44. Jamaican long jump world finalist Damar Forbes opened the season with 765 cm. In sprints Bahamian star Derrick Atkins won the 60 m in 6.70 ahead of another global medalist Michael Frater 6.72. Ramon Miller of Bahamas won the 400 m in 46.55 ahead of Olympic relay silver winner Manteo Mitchell 46.78.
FLAGSTAFF: Fast 60 m by Canadians at Mountain T Invitational with Gavin Smellie 6.60 and Dontae Richards-Kwok 6.65. Hector Cotto of Puertorico won the hurdles in 7.74 and achieved national record in heats 7.71. 2008 World indoor silver medalist Candice Price returned to indoor racing after 3 years with good 8.00 at 60 m hurdles.
WARRENSBURG: Commonwealth Games winner Lerone Clarke of Jamaica opened with 6.73 win at the 60 m.
NEW YORK: University of Wisconsin Olympian Mo Ahmed timed an impressive 7:55.45 for 3000 meters, leading the University of Wisconsin to a team victory here on the second day of the Armory Collegiate Invitational. Ahmed, 23, earned ten of Wisconsin’s 63 points thanks to a dominant performance.
OTHER INDOOR RESULTS
NICE (FRA, Feb 8): At the final meet of Perche Elite Tour Jerome Clavier cleared excellent 576 ahead of Xue Changrui of China 576 and third Damiel Dossevi 566 and Valentin Lavillenie also 566. Angelica Bengtsson of Sweden topped the women with 462 ahead of Marion Fiack 455 and Vanessa Boslak 448.
OSAKA (JPN, Feb 9): Japanese sprinting talent Yoshihide Kirui clocked at national junior indoor championships 6.59 at 60 m. It is new Asian junior indoor record and second fastest ever by a Japanese runner.
PIREÃS (GRE, Feb 8): Despite initial fears that he would miss the entire indoor season, Loúis Tsátoumas’ speedy recovery from his biceps fracture not only allowed him to return to action, but he even went so far as to break his own Greek indoor record with 823 in his first 2014 competition. That was the highlight of 1st day of 28th Greek Indoor Championships. MihaÃl MertzanÃdis-Despotéris was second with indoor pb 786. Season’s best for KonstadÃnos FilippÃdis who cleared convincingly 577 in his second attempt and then failed three times at 584. Behind him, Cypriot Nikandros Stylianou finally broke the national indoor record with 545. Fast times in the women’s 60m, only 0.005 sec separated winner MarÃa Gátou from Cypriot Ramona-Anna Papaioannou, as both were credited with 7.33. Papaioannou clocked 7.33 in heats what was new national indoor record for Cyprus. She equaled it in the final. Also in the heats GÃ
¡tou was even faster and achieved the Sopot standard with 7.29. In the men’s 60m final EfthÃmios Steryioúlis with 6.72 beat clearly Likoúrgos-Stéfanos Tsákonas (6.78) and KonstadÃnos DouvalÃdis (6.78 pb), but was far from the Sopot ticket. Easy victories in the men’s events: high jump for Adónios Mástoras with 222, the 1500m for Andréas Dimitrákis with 3:46.59 and the 5000m walk for Aléxandros PapamihaÃl with 19:26.68 (no record this time). Two more women’s national records were recorded, first by Déspina ZapounÃdou in the 3000m walk, who smashed her own Greek mark with 12:35.16, and towards the end of the evening session by Cypriot Natalia Evangelidou in the 1500m (competing as guest) with 4:26.12. Informs Thomas Konstas.
BUDAPEST (HUN, Feb 8): New Croatian 60 m hurdles record 8.16 by Andrea Ivancevic in heats of MASZ Open meet highlighted the competition. She achieved in finals 8.19. World medalist at 400 m hurdles Serbian Emir Bekric was timed with 47.49 at the 400 m, his indoor best.
VOLGOGRAD (RUS, Feb 8-9): During second day of Russian junior indoor champs European junior bronze medallist Mikhail Akimenko improved his overall personal best by 4 cm and won the high jump with 224 cm. Fyodor Kiselkov leaped PB in long jump 774. European junior medallist Leonid Kobelev improved indoor PB in pole vault to 520. Yana Glotova and 4×400 European junior champion Danyil Peremetov topped 400m finals with 53.80 and 48.30 respectively. Then on 3rd day Valeriya Fyodorova (still 17) improved her PB in triple jump to 13.56. Mariya Suntsova was second with 13.25. Vitaliy Pavlov landed at 16.00 to win boys triple. Both Margarita Mazina and Sofiya Voronina cleared 184 in high jump.
SPALA (POL, Feb 8): At the open meet some interesting personal bests by Polish athletes, it shows they are getting ready for the World indoors at home soil. Piotr Lisek cleared 575 in the pole vault, Dominik Bochenek 7.63 at 60 m hurdles. Also sub 47 in the 400 m by Jakub Krzewina 46.65 and Patryk Dobek 46.99 in different races. Also Remigius Olszewski clocked PB 6.69 in the 60 m.
SINDELFINGEN (GER, Feb 8): Alex Schaf clocked here 6.59 Sopot standard in the 60 m.
AUBIERE (FRA, Feb 8): European champion Christophe Lemaitre won the regional championships in 6.63 at 60 m.
LEIPZIG (GER, Feb 8): Sebastian Ernst achieved here European leading 20.73 in the 200 m. Maike Dix got 23.27 and World champion David Storl with 8.5 kg shot 19.07 m.
GENOVA (ITA, Feb 8): Former Moroccan Abdellah Haidane who now runs for Italy clocked here excellent PB in the 3000 m 7:48.60.
WIEN (AUT, Feb 8): At Vienna Indoor Czech Jan Veleba achieved 6.67 in the 60 m ahead of Francis Obikwelu 6.68. Another Portugal athlete Rasul Dabo won the hurdles in 7.79. Poland´s Justyna Swiety won the 400 m in indoor PB 52.84. Yekaterina Kuntsevich cleared 190 in the high jump.
TAMPERE (FIN, Feb 8): Sweden won the Nordic indoor match in the men category with 116 points ahead of Finland 95 and Norway 65. In women score Finland and Sweden 102 and Norway 70 points. From individual results Minna Nikkanen 455 in the pole vault, Sanna Hamarainen national record in women indoor discus 60.67. Hanna-Mari Latvala scored sprinting double for home team 7.37 and 23.61. Meraf Bahta won the 1500 m in first start for Sweden 4:23.49. In men events Daniel Stahl 60.09 in indoor discuss. Kristoffer Nilsen of Norway won the high jump with 221 PB.
