by Larry EderFor most of the past week I have been in Boston, as part of the lead up to the 2009 Boston Marathon. And now, the time is almost here! Tomorrow morning, the womens’ elite race goes off at 9:32 AM and the elite men’s race starts at 10 AM.
We will begin coverage about 9 AM EST and cover until 1 PM EST when I have to leave for the airport. My final thoughts on Boston 2009:
Ryan Hall-well prepared, very fit. His achilles heel is his supposed lack of patience. I think Ryan, to beat Robert Cheruyiot, Ryan will have to burn Robert off before the final hills. Hall can win this race, he has to, as Coach Squires, Greg Meyer and Bill Rodgers all said-stay out of trouble with the first fifteen miles. Rodgers once told me that he hever felt good on Boston until after fifteen miles, when he flew through the hills.
Kara Goucher-is well prepared. She believes that she has done well with her training. In fact, she has complete confidence in Alberto Salazar, her coach. Goucher should stay of trouble until the hllls. I believe that she will stay in control through the start of the hills and then begin probing for weaknesses. Grigoryeva will move with a 5k or a 3k, as she does not want it to linger. Goucher can win if she stays focused, makes her move, not someone elses and realizes, the later she moves, the better she will do.
US men have not won here since 1983, and US women started their drought after1985. Goucher and Hall can remedy that! We wish them much luck!
TRACK
JETER WORLD LEADING 10.96, THE SAME 455 FOR CHELSEA JOHNSON
WALNUT (USA, Apr 18): Chelsea Johnson won her third competition of 2009 and increased her world leading mark to 455 at 51st MtSAC Relays in Walnut. She cleared 4.55 on her first attempt. Japanese record holder, Daichi Sawano won the men‘s vault with a clearance of 570. Mexico‘s, Giovanni Lanaro finished second with 560. Allyson Felix and her sprint medley team with Dawn Harper, Michelle Perry and Ginnie Powell finished in 1 minute, 38.77 seconds. In the 4×100, Felix teamed with Perry, Powell and Natasha Hastings to finish in 43.98. Carmelita Jeter achieved the fastest time in the world this year in the 100 meters (10.96 seconds). The mark also propelled Jeter into third on the all-time list in the 51st annual meet with the fastest time since 1992. „This is always a meet that shows me where I am at in the year,“ Jeter said for local media. It seems to be on an upward curve since she started training with John Smith. Lionel Larry, the 2007 and 2008 NCAA runner-up from USC in his first full season as a professional won the 200 meters in 20.37 despite running out of the first lane. Dwain Chambers finished a close second in 20.51.Slovak hammer world bronze medallist Libor Charfreitag took his 9th record MtSAC Relays crown with 77.49 m win. “I was not satisfied with my mark, I still must work on my technique,†he was quoted, his next meets will be in Europe. Briton Nicola Sanders won an 800m in 2:03.41. In the men’s 4 x 100m, a team of Rodney Martin, Kerron Clement, Craig Everhart and Shawn Crawford won in 39.50 after a strong challenge from Waseda (JAP), which finished second in 39.80. A team with Dwain Chambers (GBR) on the lead-off leg was third in 39.90. Charonda Williams of Arizona State won the women’s 200m in 22.84 and placed second in the 100m to Jeter in 11.29. Victoria Barr (GBR) won the women’s 400m in 52.92. Britain’s Tyrone Edgar outduelled Rubin Williams in the 100m, 10.20 to 10.22. Ireland’s European Indoor Champion David Gillick won the men’s 400m in 45.80. Akiba McKinney won the women’s Long Jump for the third time in four years at Mt. SAC with a first-round jump of 6.75m to beat 2005 World champion Tianna Madison (6.48m). In the men’s Long Jump, JaRod Tobler jumped 8.01m on his final jump to overtake Matt Turner (7.90m). Brandon Roulhac bounded 16.97m in the Triple Jump. Amy Acuff won her sixth title in the women’s High Jump in a jump-off with Romary Rifka (MEX) in her final Mt. SAC appearance before retiring at the conclusion of the season. Acuff, Rifka and Chaunte Howard all cleared 1.90m. Howard placing third on misses. Jaime Nieto won the men’s High Jump at 2.25m on the count-back over Trent Arrivey of Washington State. Informs IAAF.
MERRITT WORLD LEADING 20.17 AT 200 m
GREENSBORO (USA, Apr 18): At Friendship and Freedom Games Olympic medalist David Oliver achieved 13.30 (+0.1) at 110 m Hurdles. But the best result came from 400 m Olympic winner LaShawn Merritt who achieved world leading 20.17 (+0.7) at 200 m ahead of Greg Nixon (20.39). Xavier Carter achieved in another race windy 20.33 (+2.3). Jason Smoots was the fastest at 100 m with 10.28 (-1.1) in heats and 10.30 (-0.1) in finals. Travis Padgett won the other race in 10.39 (+0.5). Bahamian veteran Chandra Sturrup won the 100 m in 11.32 (-1.0). Shalonda Solomon was also quick at 200 m (22.74, +1.0) ahead of Marshevet Hooker (22.93). Danielle Carruthers false started in 100 m Hurdles final after she was fastest in heats (13.14, +0.2). Tiffany Ross-Williams was the best at 400 m Hurdles (56.63).
OTHER RESULTS
LONG BEACH (USA, Apr 18): Christine Ohuruogu‘s 100m at was 11.37 (+ 2.7) and not 11.10. She also clocked 23.72 (+2.8) at 200 m. Another Briton Christian Malcolm posted 10.41 (+2.2) to win the 100 m. Austrian Ryan Moseley achieved 10.51 (+3.8) in winning his race.
AUSTIN (USA, Apr 18): Antiguan Brendan Christian achieved 10.25 (+0.5) at Texas Twilight meet ahead of Aaron Armstrong of Trinidad (10.27). Jamaican veteran Michael Blackwood got good 45.93 at 400 m. Laverne Jones of Virgin Islands achieved 11.27 (-0.5) at 100 m.
SAO PAULO (BRA, Apr 18): Mauro Vinicio leaped to 806 (+3.1) at a local meet here ahead of Erivaldo Vieira who had legal 805 (+0.8). Gisele de Oliveira achieved 14.05 (0.0) in women triple jump.
TRENTO (ITA, Apr 18): Italian Marco Lingua confirmed good hammer shape with 76.34 result.
WAKAYAMA (JPN, Apr 18-19): Japanese record holder Naoyuki Daigo cleared 228 in High Jump at a meet here. Naohiro Kawakita clocked 50.21 at 400 m Hurdles and experienced javelin thrower Yukifumi Murakami achieved for third time in his career 80+ with 80.10 m.
IZUMO (JPN, Apr 19): Olympic relay bronze winner Naoki Tsukahara posted fast 10.24 (+1.0) and Yuzo Kanemaru achieved new national record at unusual 300 m with 32.29. The same happened in women 300 m by Satomi Kubokura achieving 37.80.
KINGSTON (JAM, Apr 18): Relay Olympic winner Asafa Powell withdrew late on coach´s instructions from the UTech Track and Field Classic on Saturday at National Stadium in Kingston. Powell should do the 100 m at Penn Relays next week in case of being totally fit. But MVP‘s men‘s sprint relay team was among four early record breakers anyway. The team composed of Barbadian Andrew Hinds, Michael Frater and Nesta Carter, both members of Jamaica‘s record-breaking 4x100m team at the Beijing Olympics, and Ainsley Waugh clocked 38.46 seconds. Manuel Fajardo of Cuba also went under the previous record, with its 38.61 for second, while UTech finished third in 39.26. Roberto Perez of Manuel Fajardo in Cuba produced an impressive 20.38 (+0.5) to equal the meet record. Yunier Romero, also of Cuba (20.66), and Olympic sprint relay gold medallist Carter (20.69) were second and third.The women‘s equivalent went to Olympic 400m finalist Rosemarie Whyte (23.01), followed by Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser (23.44). Olympic mile relay bronze medallist Bobby Gaye Wilkins was the top performer in the women‘s 400m, posting a season best and meet record 52.08. The women‘s invitational 400m went to Anastacia Leroy in 52.90. Sonia Sutherland (52.93) and Olympic 400m hurdles gold medallist Melanie Walker (53.23) were second and third. Briton Richard Buck of Leeds University clocked a meet record 46.82 to win the men‘s Invitational 400 m. Olympic finalist Markino Buckley of MVP was second in the College and Invitational men‘s 400m hurdles in 50.86 behind Ramon Cooper of UTech, who won in a meet record and PR 50.77. Kaleise Spencer, the 2006 World Junior gold medallist and National Junior record holder, produced 56.32 to win the women‘s 400 m Hurdles. Daniel Bailey of Antigua clocked 10.22 (+0.4) to win the 100 m. 20-years old Schillone Calvert won the 100 m in in PB 11.19 (+1.2) with former world medalist in hurdles Brigitte Foster-Hylton beeing fourth (11.52).
KAKAMEGA (KEN, Apr 17-18): 800m Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo and 5000 metres silver medallist Vivian Cheruiyot were the top attraction of the fourth KCC/Athletics Kenya week-end meet in Kakamega. Both athletes took part to the 1500m heats on Friday, claiming their respective race in 4:19.4 for Jelimo and 4.17 for Cheruiyot. The latter cruised to a solo victory on Saturday in 4:12.1 while Jelimo preferred to work on her spead and competed in the 200m final where she finished fourth in 26.1. Elijah Chelimo won the men’s 3000m steeple in 8:21.6. Meanwhile top steeplechaser Paul Kispsiele Koech came to the defense of elite athletes failing to run finals in previous AK meets “They (organisers of the last meeting in Nakuru two weeks ago) brought in sacks of sand which was placed at the steeplechase barriers and water poured on top of it. That is not what is expected, someone could easily be injured and that is why I opted out,†said Koech, IAAF informs.
ROAD
LEIPZIG (GER): Winner of the 33th edition of the Leipzig Marathon was Maksym Salii from Ukraine clocking 2:31:14. Carina Schipp from Germany was able to repeat her victory from last year and improve her time to 3:01:52.
NICE (FRA, Apr 19): The 18th Nice half-marathon produced very fast times (13 degrees, no wind) with no fewer than three athletes below the 60:54 course record set by Dennis Ndiso in 2008. Winner Titus Masai of Kenya clocked 60:00 flat, finishing ahead Ugandan Nicholas Kiprono (1:00:25) who slashed 32 seconds off his previous national record set at the 2007 half-marathon world championships in Udine, while Stephen Kibet was third in 1:00:34. Pre-race favourite Qatari-Kenyan born 2007 marathon silver medallist Mubarak Shami was 8th in 1:02:06. Kenyan women also dominated the women race with Helah Kiprop and Sylvia Kibet both under 1:10 (1:09:29 and 1:09:51) but Edith Masai’s record of 1:07:53 didn’t come under threat. Hungary’s Tenke Zoltani was third in 1:20:44.
ANNECY (FRA, Apr 19): Kenyan Julius Maritim won the 30th Annecy marathon in 2:19:11 while Uganda’s Jane Suuto clinched the women’s race in a new national record time of 2:40:31. Kenyan Mc Donald Ondara and Emily Rotich had no competition in the half-marathon, claiming their races in 63:46 and 72:44.
VANCOUVER (CAN, Apr 19): Willy Kimosop, a 22-year Kenyan currently studying at Lethbridge College in Alberta, won Vancouver Sun Run’s 10km 29:04, eight seconds head of Canadian’s Dylan Wykes. Ethiopian Abebu Gelan, current junior world record holder in the half marathon, won the women‘s event in 34:04, the Vancouver Sun informs.
MONTREAL (CAN, Apr 19): Ethiopia’s Asamenew Yeshanew claimed victory at Montreal half-marathon with a time of 1:03:55. Second-place Matt Loiselle was crowned Canadian champion in 1:04:09. Tara Quinn-Smith won the women’s race in 1:12:08, improving the 14 years old Canadian record in the process by 18 seconds in the process.
BOSTON (USA, Apr 19): Darren Brown and Anna Willard won the elite divisions of the inaugural B.A.A. Mile here today, thrilling a sizable crowd which filled the Boston Marathon finish line bleachers on Boyleston Street. The mile, which also had high school divisions, was part of a new Sunday morning event program created by the Marathon‘s organizer, the Boston Athletic Association, and also included a 5 kilometer run. Making the final left-hand turn off of Exeter Street back on Boyleston with about 100 meters to go, Brown had a three-step lead then broke the finish tape about two strides ahead of the sprinting Dobson in 4:11.6 to Dobson‘s 4:12.1. Cragg was able to hold off a surging Rob Myers to take third, six-tenths of a second behind Dobson.
Willard‘s victory was less of a surprise. Drafting U.S. 5000m and 10,000m national record holder Shalane Flanagan for the first two laps, the 2009 USA indoor 1500m champion was well-positioned to surge past her Nike teammate in the final quarter to get the win. Knowing Flanagan‘s capabilities, Willard said she wasn‘t sure she had the race won until she hit the finish tape. Willard clocked 4:38.6 to Flanagan‘s 4:40.2, reasonable times given the strong winds and the course‘s tight turns. Amy Mortimer, who was in third place on the second lap, held her position to the finish and was timed in 4:42-flat.
CANBERRA (AUS, Apr 19): The oldest city marathon in Australia (since 1976) has a home athletes on the first places this year. David Criniti became a winner of men´s category with 2:26:09 ahead of Tim Rowe in 2:27:00. Criniti also became the victor of 50k clocking 2:57:42. The fastest from women running in Australian capital city was Australian Magda Karimlali-Poulos in 2:43:19. Verity Tolhurst was the leader of women´s field on the 50k track finishing in 3:39:00.
TORINO (ITA, Apr 19): 29-year-old Kenyan Benson Barus, who was able to run 2:08:34 in Milano 2006 became a winner of Turin marathon today clocking 2:09:07. Two athletes were able to go sub 2:10.00 in the city of this year´s European indoor championships. Italian from Padua Ruggero Pertile took silver for 2:09:53 and third place went to another Kenyan Paul Samoei clocking 2:11:37. His next compatriot, Agnes Kiprop won the women´s category achieving 2:26:22 ahead of Ethiopian Tirfi Beyene in 2:29:04. Pertile is first this year European with sub 2:10.
WUXI (CHN, Apr 19): After double Russian success over the 20 km races at IAAF Race Walking Challenge fixture in China the 50 km ended with home triumph. The weather in Wuxi today was dry but cloudy for the first 3 hours of the race, informs IAAF. Zhao Chengliang, who was fifth at the distance at the 2005 World Championships and has a personal best 3:36:13 from his second place in the 2005 National Games, claimed the win in a time of 3:45:16. Luke Adams led the walkers in the first half but dropped out of the race after the 13th lap, and from that point Zhao Chengliang dominated until the end. The race saw a Chinese sweep, with Xu Faguang taking second in 3:55:04 and Li Lei, who has recently won two titles in Baoji at China’s National Race Walking Grand Prix in late March, placed third with a time of 3:58:39.
Special thanks to Alfons Juck, EME News.
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