by Larry EderThe only film shown on the entire US Olympic Trials in the past ten days on ESPN was Tyson Gay’s dnf in the 200 meter round two. Seven times in an hour. So, for inquiring minds, here is the official statement from Mark Wetmore, the manager of Tyson Gay (Global Athletics & Marketing) :
Update on Tyson Gay from his manager:
Tyson Gay underwent an MRI late Saturday afternoon at Slocum Center for Orthopedics and Sports Medicine in Eugene. The MRI showed a mild strain in the semitendinosus muscle. He is expected to engage in “active rest” for up to 12-14 days, with light physical activity increasing through that period, and then resume training. Tyson’s only confirmed pre-Olympic competition is the 100 meters at the Aviva London Grand Prix on July 25, and that is still on the schedule.
That note was released through USATF at 9:53 AM local time in Eugene, Oregon. Tyson Gay went down about 60 meters from his start, when he felt the strain.
This has obviously changed the complexion of the 200 meters. Run Blog Run now picks
Wallace Spearmon, Walter Dix, Shawn Crawford in the 200 meters. Women’s 200 should be Allyson Felix, Muna Lee and third is way open. I am not even trying on the men’s 1,500 meters.
EME NEWS (JULY 5, 2008) UPDATE
US OLYMPIC TRIALS (Day 7): Tyson Gay out of 200 m
EUGENE (USA, July 5): Day seven at US Olympic Trials registered a huge shock. The men’s 200 metres was marred by a tragic injury to double world champion Tyson Gay, who suddenly jerked with pain after 50 metres and fell to the track. The injured sprinter remained prone for almost five minutes until a wheelchair could be obtained to assist him from the track. Medical officials later diagnosed Gay’s injury as a “severe cramp”. “Before I went out on the track I felt a little tightness in my hamstring. So I had kind of a bad feeling. When I came off the curve the first two steps were fine, and then I felt it, sort of a pull, about 40 meters in. Once I was on the ground it didn’t hurt as much as when it happened. It’s just one of those things. I’ll just get it worked on for a few days,” he was quoted afterwards. His next race planned is for Paris Golden League on July 18.
Without Gay, the men’s 200 metres semifinal took on a new look. A 2.2 wind propelled Rodney Martin (20.04), Wallace Spearmon (20.05) and Walter Dix (20.09) to fast times. Defending Olympic 200 champion Shawn Crawford put on a strong display to win the other section in 20.21.
Similarly, former world and Olympic winner Allen Johnson quit his opening round heat in the men’s 110 hurdles after four barriers as a result of a painful ligament condition behind his left shin. Afterwards, he indicated his intention to return to competition next season. Swirling breezes descended on Eugene for the penultimate session of the Olympic Trials with a resulting mélange of head- and tailwinds. David Oliver, with 13.24, had the best time in the opening round of the men’s 110 hurdles, as he caught a 2.1 assisting wind. Similarly, a 3.0 wind propelled Anwar Moore to a 13.28 clocking for the next best performance. In all, only eight of the 32 starting hurdles were eliminated, including Johnson and Jason Richardson, both of whom failed to finish. Oliver’s 13.07 paced the quarterfinal round, easily winning over double Olympic silver medallist Terrence Trammell (13.38). Moore (13.17) and Antwon Hicks (13.28) won the other sections. US record holder Dominique Arnold was disqualified for a false start.
Despite losing his jumping shoes in an automobile break-in earlier in the week, Jesse Williams still was supreme in the men’s high jump with a 2.30 best, the only competitor to clear that height. Three misses at 2.36 concluded the competition. Tying for second place at 2.27 were Jamie Nieto and Andra Manson. Nieto is without the needed A-standard (2.30) and, with Cedric Norman and Keith Moffatt next in the standings at 2.27 but also without the A-norm, the final team place was awarded to world leader Dusty Jonas, who won an administrative jumpoff at 2.27 over Scott Sellers for the final place, although his official height was recorded at 2.24. For the first time the team is finalised after each day of competition, no chasing of standards between Trials and Games is possible.
Anthony Famiglietti led the men’s steeplechase final from gun to tape to win in 8:20.24. Kicking hard behind Famiglietti and closing the gap which had been at times as much as twenty-five metres, were Billy Nelson (8:21.47) and last year’s national champion Josh McAdams (8:21.99). No other runners were within twelve seconds of the top three.
Former world junior champion Michelle Carter lead the women’s shot put final with a PB 18.85, followed by Kristin Heaston (18.34) and Jill Camarena (18.12). The winner´s father is Michael Carter, the shot put silver medallist at the LA Olympics.
The women’s hammer title was taken by Jessica Cosby with 70.72, only six centimetres off her own PB (also a meet record). Amber Campbell (69.24) and Sarah Veress (68.60) were in the next two places, but as Veress failed to achieve the A-standard of 69.50, the last team place went to fourth-place Loree Smith (67.11).
The reigning world champion in the women’s 200 metres, Allyson Felix, ran a relaxed 22.22 to lead all competitors into the final. Muna Lee (22.33) and Shalonda Solomon (22.48) followed Felix strongly into the finish. The first heat was won by Bianca Knight in 22.53.
The opening round of the women’s 100 hurdles pared only three competitors from the quarterfinals. World indoor champion Lolo Jones had the best time with 12.68, followed in the same heat by defending Olympic champion Joanna Hayes (12.74). Other heat winners were Damu Cherry and Candice Davis, both in 12.92, plus Kellie Wells, whose 13.02 was hampered by a headwind of 2.6. No significant competitors failed to advance.
Jones led the group of sixteen into tomorrow’s semifinal round with 12.59, as Hayes (12.65) and Wells (12.82) won the other sections. Others moving forward included Valencia silver medallist Candice Davis (12.87) and two-time world champion Michelle Perry (12.92, taped left thigh). In all, twelve competitors ran under 13 seconds, pointing to a keen battle on Sunday for the three team positions. Again, none of the leading candidates were eliminated.
Kevin Eastler, who was third in the 2004 Olympic Trials in the men’s 20km walk, won that event today with a time of 1:27:07:1. Matt Boyles (1:28:19.1) and Patrick Stroupe (1:29:17.0) finished ahead of John Nunn (1:30:34.9), second in the 2004 Trials, who finished fourth. Only winning Eastler has the standard and will be a olympian.
Vlasic continues: again 206 and win number 31
MADRID (ESP, July 5): Croatian World Champion Blanka Vlasic continued her winning streak after Madrid IAAF Grand Prix meet and equalled her world lead 206 cm in third jump. Three misses at 210 followed. The winning series is now at number 31. Spanish record holder Ruth Beitia and olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko of Russia were second and third, both with 201 cm. “During the competition I didn’t feel very well. I expected to jump over 2,03 metres at least but as I’m a very competitive athlete I had to jump higher. Sometimes it’s even better not to jump the measure in the first attempt as it’s a good opportunity to compete with yourself and grow throughout the competition,” she was quoted. Her next meet is Rome Golden Gala (and then three more in plan before Olympic Games Paris, Stockholm and London). Some 2500 spectators in Mortalaz Stadium saw except of this also four other meet records (twice 100 m men, 800 m men and steeple).
Reigning world champion Nelson Evora defeated Cuba’s Osniel Tosca thanks to his second best in the triple jump as both athletes landed at 17.40m. Evora had 17.24 and Tosca 17.10 (all wind assisted). Italy’s Fabrizio Donato was third with 17.29m but strong tailwind blew throughout the event invalidating most of the marks for statistical purposes. The best regular mark was Cuban’s David Giralt’s 17.24m/+0/5. The women’s long jump was also highly disputed between Brazil’s Maurren Higa Maggi who didn’t have a jump below 6.80m, while Portugal Naidi Gomes didn’t have any below 6.77m but Maggi prevailed with a best of 6.95m/+1.5 while Naide Gomes recorded a wind assisted 6.93m/+2.3m (best regular mark 6.80m). In the pole vault Svetlana Feofanova moved to third in the 2008 top lists after clearing 475 on her second attempt before failing at 480 to finish ahead of fellow countrywomen Tatyana Polnova (465) and Yuliya Golubchikova (460). Churandy Martina from the Netherlands Antilles was the strongest in the 100m clocking 10.03 into a 1.1/s headwind but the clash with Jaysuma Saidy Ndure didn’t take place after the Norwegian was disqualified for a second false start. Portugal’s Francis Obikwelu was second in 10.08 and 2003 world champion Kim Collins third in 10.16. Martina´s time was meet record, but already in heats Obikwelu clocked 10.09 (-2.0) to improve the mark of 10.12 (set by Carl Lewis in 1987 and Dennis Mitchell in 1994). Laverne Jones of the US Virgin Islands dominated the women’s race in 11.28m/-1.1. The men’s 800m provided an exciting race as South African Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (1:43.64, meet record) just managed to contain 20 year old Ugandan Abraham Chepkirwok who improved his national record in the process, dipping for the first time below 1:44 (1:43.72). Third placeed Ahmed Ismail of Sudan got 1:44.47 while Manuel Olmedo Villar was the first European in 1:45.20. European Champion Bram Som of Netherlands was only 9th (1:46.84). Morocco’s Hasna Benhassi recorded a season’s best of 1:58.54 to win the women’s race 800m, ahead of Great-Britain’s Marylin Okoro (1:59.02) and Cuban Zulia Calatayud (1:59.74) who edged Maria Mutola on the finish line (1:59.75). World indoor champion Deresse Mekonnen won the 1500m in 3:33.99 while Ukraine’s Iryna Lishchynska dominated the women’s race in 4:05.94. There were three wins for Spain as discus thrower Mario Pestano finished just one centimetre ahead of Lithuania’s Olympic winner Virgilijus Alekna (67.01 to 67.00) in the discus, Josephine Onyia won the 100m hurdles in 12.94 into a 2.6 headwind and Jackson Quinonez won the 110m hurdles in 13.57 (-0.5). Belgium Cedric van Branteghem is now just short of one tenth of a second of his national record from 2003 after winning the 400m in 45.13, edging Trinidad’s Ato Stephens by 2 hundredths (45.15). South African Alwyn Myburgh tied his season’s best of 48.99 ot win the men’s 400m hurdles ahead of LaRon Bennett (49.18) who was eighth at the recent American Trials. Kenyan Wesley Kiprotich had an easy win in the men’s 3000m steeple, clocking 8:21.94.
Cuba’s Osleidis Menendez easily won the javelin with 63.84m, her second best result this year. She only had one valid attempts above 60m, fouled three of them, before passing the last one. Polish Tomasz Majewski was the best in the shot put with his first attempt measured at 20.44. In the relays, Switzerland (38.99) and Lithuania (43.95) set new national records en route to victory in the men’s and women’s 4x100m.
Christopher 45.03 at 400 m
WINDSOR (CAN, July 5): World indoor champion Tyler Christopher clocked 45.03 to claim the 400m Canadian title in a solo race on the third day of the Canadian championships, saturday afternoon in Windsor. Priscilla Lopes-Schliep achieved a season’s best of 12.78/+1.9, taking first place in the 100m hurdles ahead of Angela Whyte (12.96). Lopes-Schliep carried on with a third place in the 100m (11.52), in a race dominated by Toyin Olupona (11.38). Pierre Browne claimed the men’s title in 10.19, as Quebec’s Hank Palmer lowered his PB from 10.28 (2005) to 10.22 to finish second. Sultana Frizell improved her national record in the hammer with a performance of 70.94m, while Jennifer Joyce was second (68.73m). James Steacy won the men’s event with a best throw of 78.52m. Pole vaulter Kelsie Hendry managed to cope with pressure, clearing the 4.30m she was required to qualify for the Olympics. Taylor Milne claimed the 1500m in 3:38.03 while Hilary Stellingwerff dominated the women’s race in 4:08.56 but failed to reach the qualifying standard, as well as Ruky Abdulai who couldn’t go further than 6.48m in the long jump.
Tejeda gets 12.61 – new Cuban record
CALI (COL, July 5): New Cuban record for Anay Tejeda was the highlight of second day of 21st Central American and Caribbean Championships. She clocked 12.61 (also meet record, +1.4) to win the 100 m Hurdles and bettered the mark of Aliuska Lopez 12.67 back at Atlanta Games 1996. Tejeda was even faster in heats but her 12.60 had wind aid of +2.3. Other three runners clocked sub 13 with Cuban Yerima Arencibia (12.95), Aleesha Barber of Trinidad (12.98) and Haiti´s Nadine Faustine-Parker (12.99). Other Cuban expected win for discus thrower Yarelis Barrios (62.87). Bahamas got two female golds in javelin (Laverne Eve 56.36) and in Long Jump (Bianca Stuart 654). Trinidad also two with Cleopatra Borel-Brown in Shot Put (18.39 and beating Olympic winner Yumileidi Cumba of Cuba 18.10) and 4×100 m relay clocking new national record 43.44 ahead of Colombia (43.56), Brazil (43.69) and Bahamas (44.03). Home gold for Rosibel Garcia at 1500 m (4:24.62) and for St. Lucia in High Jump (Lavern Spencer 191).
In the men competition great 38.54 for Trinidad 4×100 m relay (Bledman-Burns-Armstrong-Thompson) without 100 m winner here Darrel Brown. It is third fastest time of the year. Bahamas with Derrick Atkins ended second (39.22). Two great wins for Bahamas and for names Sands. Triple jumper Leevan was the best in triple jump and achieved meet record 17.29 (-0.8). Cuban Hector Fuentes improved to 17.23 (-1.2) as second. And Shamar Sands celebrated the gold at 110 m Hurdles, but not new national record as his 13.32 were supported by +2.3. The Championships are ending on Sunday.
OTHER RESULTS
ETON (GBR, July 5): At National Club meeting Ryan Scott clocked 100 m season best 10.28 (+0.9) and in 200 m fastest British time for former top junior Alex Nelson with 20.49 (0.8) what means for him PB and olympic qualifier.
VESZPREM (HUN, July 5): At Balaton Championships Daniel Kiss clocked windy 13.67 (+2.1) at 110 m Hurdles.
NEWS
BYDGOSZCZ (POL): World leader and world junior record holder at 800 m Abubaker Kaki of Sudan will be one of the brightest stars of coming IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz. Not all top juniors who are having the senior level of results will be there, some of them instead are concentrating on Olympics like Kenyan stars Pamela Jelimo, Linet Masai or Asbel Kiprop. In total 1727 athletes from 184 countries are expected. As IAAF Ambassadors are engaged Wilson Kipketer, Mike Powell and Maurice Greene.
LUZERN (SUI): The European Athletics Premium meeting “Spitzen Leichtathletik” in Luzern, Switzerland (July 16) announced participation of two world champions from Osaka. Briton Christine Ohuruogu goes at 400 m and Australian Jana Rawlinson at 400 m Hurdles. Luzern is the third best Swiss one day meet behind Zurich and Lausanne.
PRAGUE (CZE): Osaka Pole Vault silver holder Katerina Badurova is continuing to add every day more in her training after winter surgery and hopes to attack the olympic standard on July 17 at local meet in Usti nad Labem. She needs to jump at least 445 cm to travel to Beijing.
MADRID (ESP): Alemayhu Bezabeh Desta, born on September 22nd 1986 in Ethiopia, got Spanish citizenship on July 4th. He has shown excellent results from cross country to road races and also improved on the track to 7:46.49 at 3000 m and 13:20.46 at 5000 m.
ADDITIONS
SZCZECIN (POL, July 4): To second day of Polish Championships to add that the 39.16 for AWF Krakow at men´s 4×100 m is new national record for clubs. 100 m winner Daria Korczynska clocked new PB of 23.17 (+0.7) in heats of 200 m.
Used with permission of Alfons Juck, publisher of EME News.
