2011 USA Outdoor, Day 2: Huddle, Lagat take 5,000m titles, by Alfons Juck, note by Larry Eder

Molly Huddle, USA Outdoor, 5,000m, photo by PhotoRun.net

Molly Huddle showed her AR strength and confidence tonight, taking on a very tough field. Desi Davila and Jenn Rhines, both coming back from the 10,000m the night before, with Amy Hastings, Angela Bizzari were all in the fight.

Huddle lead much of the race, with Amy Hastings taking over and Angela Bizzari right there. In the end Molly Huddle broke the race open over the last three laps, winning in 15:10.01, with Amy Hastings in second and Angela Bizzari in third, running 15:14.31 and 15:16.64. Jenn Rhines was fourth in 15:19.92.

In the end, it was Huddle’s race to win or loose, and she showed her championship form.

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Chris Solinsky, Matt Tegenkamp, Galen Rupp, Bernard Lagat (near Solinsky), USA Outdoor, 5,000m, photo by PhotoRun.net

So, here is the mile breaks; 4:40 for the first mile, 4;14 for the second mile (8:54), then a 3:57 last mile with a 1:55 last half mile. Those are the stats for the 5,000 meter, and here is the story: Lagat is in fine form, Tegenkamp and Rupp had made the 10,000m the night before, and Chris Solinsky is still banged up, a bit, and recovering, and focused on the 10,000 meters.
Tegenkamp made the first significant move, taking the lead at six laps and pushing for two laps, dropping it to 63s. Then Chris Solinsky made the long run home: 62, 61, then 59 and Solinsky lead until 50 to go, when Bernard Lagat, the best kicker in the world in my mind, went by and won his fifth title. Chris held on to second, making his second World team and Rupp was third, doing the double.
A great race with some fantastic racing and a great team! Nice job to both the men and women’s 5,000m team!

Bernard Lagat takes his fifth title! USA Outdoor Champs, 5,000m, photo by PhotoRun.net

OTHER FINALS: LAGAT 5TH TITLE

EUGENE (USA, Jun 24): Bernard Lagat got his
5th national title in the 5000
m (13:23.06) ahead of Chris Solinsky 13:23.65 and Galen
Rupp 13.25.52. This trio separated clearly from the rest. Lagat still runs the 1500 m and Rupp qualified
already for his second event for Daegu after winning the 10 000 m. WomenÂ´s 5000 m saw clear win for US record
holder Moly Huddle 15:10.01. Second Amy Hastings 15:14.31 and third Angela
Bizzarri 15:16.64 are having only B-standards and one of them needs the A one.
Jenn Rhines who is 10k qualifier was fourth 15:19.92. Solid number of good
runners were non-starters here (Flanagan, Goucher, Simpson, Rowbury). Also
fifth title for Mike Hazle in javelin (78.22) over Sean Furey (77.99), no one
from them has the A qualifier 82.00 so for the moment only Hazle is Daegu
bound. Even worse situation in womenÂ´s triple jump, winner Amanda Smock (14.07,
+1.2), here nobody has even the B-standard (14.10). Brigetta Barrett won the
high jump with lifetime best 195 and is the only one with A or B qualifiers.
National record holder Chaunte Lowe returned quickly after giving birth in
April and managed 9th (178). In prelims no major casualties in men and women 800 m semis (best times for
Charles Jock 1:45.80 and Alysia Montano 2:01.37). Lashinda Demus was the best
in 400 m
hurdles semifinals (55.35) with olympic finalist Tiffany Williams being a
non-qualifier (57.24). Francena McCorory (50.77) and Allyson Felix (51.52) were
the 400 m
semifinals winners, Sanya Richards-Ross as announced was a non-starter (goes
for 200 m).
In menÂ´s 400 m
semis student Tony McQuay clocked US leading 44.79, title defender Greg Nixon
won the second race (45.24). Olympic medalist David Neville was out (45.85).
Jeshua Anderson was the fastest in 400 m hurdles first round (49.53) when all
favorites advanced. Fast times in 110
m hurdles first round. David Oliver clocked 13.08 (+1.0)
and took Jason Richardson to 13.15 PB. Ronnie Ash (13.25, +1.5), Ty Akins
(13.31, +0.6) and Aries Merritt (13.27, +2.1) were the other heat winners.

Author

Larry Eder
Larry Eder has had a 52-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."
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