by Larry Eder
Ryan Bailey, Mike Rodgers, Marvin Bracy, in Men’s 60 meters, photo by PhotoRun.net
The 19th version of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix was a combination of fast races, gutty finishes, and enough spills and chills to keep the sell out crowd (for the past twelve years) screaming and knowing, to the bottom of their feet, that they were at a great indoor track meet.
There was a World Junior Record from a very on form Mary Cain. Cain ran, in second or third most of the race, as a variety of athletes, led, from 29.2 at the 200 meters, to 60.1 at the 400 meters, 1:32 for 600 meters and the 800 meters was hit at 2:03. And this was when, Mary Cain showed her guts. Can covered the last 200 meters in just over 32 seconds, running a 2:35.80, breaking her current WJR of 2:39.25.
There was a nice pole vault from Jenn Suhr, who cleared 4.70m. She had nice jump at 4.76m, but complained of being tired after the meet. “I have about three good jumps in me right now, I wonder if it is the altitude”, Jenn told us after the meet, reconsidering her move to Colorado Springs.
Jenn Suhr, photo by PhotoRun.net
Joe Kovacs won the shot put in 21.28m, a nice throw and win over Ryan Whiting, the 2013 World silver medalist and 2012 World Indoor Champ gold medalist, who threw 21.18m. ” I am happy with my throwing, and I know what I need to do to make the SOPOT team. That is my goal. After that, I want to win the Diamond League.”
The men’s mile became a tactical affair. As the crowd bunched up, with about 500 meters to go, Nick Willis was in the lead, with Nate Brannen, Galen Rupp and Lopez Lomong were there. Just after the 1,100 meter point, Galen Rupp winced and pulled off the track. Galen Rupp told media that he had a problem with his leg. Hours later, Alberto Salazar, Galen’s coach, told us that Galen had an issue with a cuboid bone, that had to be adjusted. Once the adjustment was done, Galen Rupp, under the watchful eye of Alberto Salzar, did “8k of intense intervals” .
Nick Willis, photo by PhotoRun.net
Nick Willis went on to win the mile, his third win at the Reggie Lewis Center.
The Mens’ 4 x 800 meters had five teams going for the 7:13.94 WIR, owned for fourteen years by Global Athletics (Joe Woody, Karl Paranya, Rich Kenah, David Krummenacker), who had then broken the former record set by the Soviet Union in 1971.
Solomon, Torrence, Sowinski, Jones, the U.S. All-Stars,
photo by PhotoRun.net
With five teams fighting it out, the All Star team (Richard Jones, David Torrence, Duane Solomon and Eric Sowinski) dueled with NJ/NY All Stars, coached by Frank Gagliano. Both teams broke the current World record, to the delight of the crowd, with times of 7:13.11 and 7:13.22. The All Stars get the WIR distinction, and the NJ/NY All Stars, as one club, get the American record! The Brooks Beasts were in third, and Nick Symmonds told us that he had a problem with his knee, which bothers him when he does long work. He is seeking some help on his knee in Orlando this week before Millrose.
Kim Conley,
photo by PhotoRun.net
Kim Conley, the 2012 Olympic Trials third placer in the 5,000 meters, ran a fast mile of 4:24.5 at the recent New Balance Games. The UC Davis assistant coach cranked off lap after lap, leading the 2,000 meters from the start, and winning the race in 5:41.10. With pbs of 4:24.5 for the mile, and 15:09 for the 5,000m, watch Kim Conley run a sweet 10,000m this coming spring.
Sally Kipyego, photo by PhotoRun.net
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font size="3">The women’s two mile ended the evening, with a fascinating race, showing present fitness and suggesting what could happen in the feature. Sally Kipyego had lead from just about the mile, in 4:43, with Jordan Hasay in second, and Jenny Simpson in third. With three laps to go, Jenny pushed hard to regain her position and went by Jordan Hasay, battling back to Sally Kipyego. Simpson went by Kipyego with just about 500 meters to go. Kipyego did not fight, as Simpson went by, and then, to the surprise of all, stopped at the finish with one lap to go. Sally Kipyego kept running, knowing she had a lap to go. Simpson regained her composure and started running, having lost five seconds, and finished second to Sally Kipyego’s 9:21.04. Jenny Simpson finished second in 9:26.19, just three seconds off the AR!
Jenny Simpson, photo by PhotoRun.net
Jenny Simpson told us afterwards that she was mortified. She had nothing to be mortified about. The 2011 gold and 2013 silver medalist in the Worlds at 1,500m had just miscounted laps in an event she seldom runs. She was godsmacked that she had missed the AR for two miles by three seconds. I noted that it just shows her how fit she is and how fast she will run this spring.
Hagos Gebrhiwet, photo by PhotoRun.net
Then, there was the 3,000 meter men’s race. Hagos Gebrhiwet the WJR at 3,000 meters, and Dejan Gebremeskel represented winners of two of past three years of 3,000m winners. The pack hit the 1,600 meters in 4:06, and Gebrhiwet, Gebremeskel, Cam Levins, Ryan Hill, Andy Bumbalough, were all up there, with Will Leer chasing.
Cam Levins lost a shoe, and finished, running a huge PB. Hagos Gebrhiwet held off Dejan Gebremeskel for the win, with Ryan Hill, running a huge race, and taking third in the race! The 3,000 meters was a revelation for many. Garrett Heath, a new Brooks Beasts, screamed to the finish, getting an 8 second pb and giving him another solid race after his 4k xc win over Asbel Kiprop in Edinburgh. Andy Bumbalough finished fifth, in another PB.
For the crowd of five thousand, the 2014 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix had events for everyone. The 2014 season is on, and there will be some surprises and some revelations.
Some were revealed tonight.
08/02/2014
New Balance Indoor Grand Prix
Boston (Roxbury), MA, 08/02/2014
Men’ results
60 Metres – Men Final
1 Bracy , Marvin USA 6.53
2 Morris , Joseph USA 6.55
3 Rodgers , Mike USA 6.56
4 Ricks , Keith USA 6.59
5 Cherry , D’Angelo USA 6.61
6 Ashmeade , Nickel JAM 6.62
7 Bailey , Ryan USA 6.64
8 Fraser , Warren BAH 6.65
60 Metres – Men Heats Race 1
1 Rodgers , Mike USA 6.61
2 Morris , Joseph USA 6.61
3 Cherry , D’Angelo USA 6.62
4 Ashmeade , Nickel JAM 6.63
5 Ricks , Keith USA 6.64
6 Williams , Ivory USA 6.74
7 Edwards , Monzavous USA 6.75
8 Newman , Calesio USA 6.75
60 Metres – Men Heats Race 2
1 Bracy , Marvin USA 6.58
2 Bailey , Ryan USA 6.64
3 Fraser , Warren BAH 6.66
4 Kimmons , Trell USA 6.67
5 Roach , Kimmari JAM 6.69
6 Eaton , Ashton USA 6.73
7 Webb , Ameer USA 6.82
500 Metres – Men
1 Solomon , Jarrin TTO 1:01.84
2 Quow , Renny TTO 1:01.90
3 Smith , Calvin USA 1:03.78
One Mile – Men
1 Willis , Nicholas NZL 3:57.41
2 Casey , Patrick USA 3:58.18
3 Brannen , Nathan CAN 3:58.37
4 Lomong , Lopez USA 3:58.52
5 Bolas , Jack USA 3:59.35
6 See , Jeff USA 4:00.00
7 Manzano , Leonel USA 4:04.92
Rupp , Galen USA DNF
Stockberger , Daniel USA DNF
3000 Metres – Men
1 Gebrhiwet , Hagos ETH 7:34.13 &nbs
p;
p;
2 Gebremeskel , Dejen ETH 7:34.70
3 Hill , Ryan USA 7:34.87
4 Heath , Garrett USA 7:37.40
5 Bumbalough , Andrew USA 7:37.62
6 Ibrahimov , Hayle AZE 7:39.73
7 Levins , Cameron CAN 7:41.59
8 Leer , Will USA 7:42.95
9 Mead , Hassan USA 7:44.88
10 Chelanga , Samuel KEN 7:45.21
11 Blankenship , Ben USA 7:46.55
12 Miller , Craig USA 7:49.05
13 Cabral , Donald USA 7:51.47
14 Bruchet , Lucas CAN 7:56.33
Turner , De’Sean USA DNF
Shot Put – Men
1 Kovacs , Joe USA 21.35
2 Whiting , Ryan USA 21.18
3 Martin , Cory USA 20.63
4 Majewski , Tomasz POL 20.61
5 Clarke , Jordan USA 19.66
6 Eaton , Ashton USA 15.05
Rodhe , Justin CAN NM
4×800 Metres Relay – Men
1 USA All Stars USA 7:13.11 WIR
2 NJ/NY Blue UND 7:13.22
3 Brooks Beasts UND 7:18.52
4 NJ/NY Red UND 7:20.41
5 SMTC UND 7:22.24
Women’ results
60 Metres – Women
1 Bartoletta , Tianna USA 7.17
2 Knight , Bianca USA 7.22
3 Young , Jessica USA 7.25
4 Lawson , LaKeisha USA 7.28
5 Bayne , Chauntae USA 7.29
6 Asumnu , Gloria NGR 7.34
7 Solomon , Shalonda USA 7.38
8 Barber , Mikele USA 7.42
400 Metres – Women
1 Hastings , Natasha USA 52.05
2 George , Regina NGR 52.20
3 Beard , Jessica USA 53.19 &nbs
p;
p;
4 Hargrove , Monica USA 53.34
5 Smith , Stacey-Ann USA 54.34
6 Dorr , Wendy Fawn CAN 54.72
1000 Metres – Women
1 Cain , Mary USA 2:35.80
2 Price , Chanelle USA 2:36.63
3 Brown , Sarah USA 2:36.90
4 Beckwith-Ludlow , Molly USA 2:37.19
5 Moser , Treniere USA 2:37.88
6 Bishop , Melissa CAN 2:39.77
7 Lagat , Viola KEN 2:40.72
8 Kampf , Heather USA 2:40.90
9 Edao , Dureti ETH 2:48.13
10 Wilson , Ajee USA 2:48.88
Theisen Eaton , Brianne CAN DNF
2000 Metres – Women
1 Conley , Kim USA 5:41.10
2 Coburn , Emma USA 5:47.20
3 Van Dalen , Lucy NZL 5:47.62
4 Garcia , Stephanie USA 5:48.25
5 Bush , Nicole USA 5:49.29
6 Uceny , Morgan USA 5:49.97
7 Wilson , Heather USA 5:50.35
Gregson , Heidi AUS DNF
Two Miles – Women
1 Kipyego , Sally Jepkosgei KEN 9:21.04
2 Simpson , Jennifer USA 9:26.19
3 Hasay , Jordan USA 9:36.00
4 Gebreslase , Gotytom ETH 9:49.08
5 Rowbury , Shannon USA 9:52.16
6 Anderson , Gabrielle USA 9:55.21
Browning , Charlotte GBR DNF
Charnigo , Stephanie USA DNF
Pole Vault – Women
1 Suhr , Jennifer USA 4.70
2 Hutson , Kylie USA 4.60
3 Saxer , Mary USA 4.50
4 Stefanídi , Ekateríni GRE 4.50
5 Steiner Bennett , April USA 4.30
Long Jump – Women
1 Bowie , Tori USA 6.67
2 Nettey , Christabel CAN &nb
sp; 6.49
sp; 6.49
3 Hayes , Chelsea USA 6.33
4 King , Arantxa BER 6.17
5 Howard , Nia USA 5.84
