TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

TFS Running Podcast 142: German Fernandez on His Historic, Record-Setting Double

Posted June 10th, 2008 at 4:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, High School

Today on Episode 142 I had a chance to speak with German Fernandez of Riverbank High School in Riverbank, California where he was preparing to run the 2 mile at the Nike Outdoor Nationals which will be held in Greensboro, North Carolina from June 19th through the 21st, 2008.

German recently broke Ryan Hall’s state record in the 1600m run by winning in 4 minutes, 0.29 seconds and then followed that by eclipsing Dathan Ritzenhein’s National High School Federation 3200m Record by winning in 8:34.23. He is headed to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where he will major in Criminal Justice and run track with Colby Lowe, another outstanding member of the class of 2008 runners.

In the interview German talks about Colby and fellow seniors Michael Fout, Luke Puskedra and Chris Derrick and compares them to the outstanding class of 2001 (Hall, Ritzenhein and Alan Webb). He explains why he decided not to run the 2 mile at the Prefontaine Classic. Download the podcast to hear German discuss these topics, as well as, his outstanding double, the type of training he does, his plans for the rest of 2008 and for the long-term, and to check out his answers to our rapid-fire questions segment.

TO DOWNLOAD: Right click here and select “Save As”

Host: Jimmie Markham | Guest: German Fernandez
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 10.7 MB | Length: 00:15:35

Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

2 Mile World Best for Bekele in Birmingham

Posted February 16th, 2008 at 3:09 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Kenenisa Bekele set a new world best over 2 miles at the Norwich Union Grand Prix in Birmingham, England, today, clocking 8:04.35.

His performance knocked 0.34 seconds from the previous mark of 8:04.69 set by his compatriot Haile Gebrselassie in 2003 on the same track at the National Indoor Arena. Bekele, the world record holder outdoors in the 5000 and 10,000m, now owns the world record or world best indoors at 2000m, 2 miles and 5000m. Only Daniel Komen’s indoor mark of 7:24.90 in the 3000m, considered the strongest of indoor world records on the track, has eluded the 25-year-old Ethiopian.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

TFS Podcast 125: High School Running Phenom Colby Lowe

Posted February 5th, 2008 at 2:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, High School

Episode 125 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast features my interview with Colby Lowe, who recently ran in the prestigious Reebok Boston Indoor Games’ Boys’ Junior Invitational Mile, finishing 2nd with a time of 4:08.99, just 0.22 seconds behind Luke Puskedra. Colby’s long list of accomplishments in his young career include:

Colby’s impressive accomplishments in his young career include being only the 5th boy in Texas high school history to win back-to-back Class 5A state titles in cross country and winning back-to-back 3200m Texas State 5A Cross Country Championships in 2006 and 2007. He also doubled as the 2007 1600m state champion.

In the interview, Colby talks about how the race in Boston played out, what his goals are for the 2008 (including running a 4:05 mile and a sub 8:50 2 mile), the reasons behind his decision to commit to OSU and his future goals for running, his college major and his future career.

Download the podcast to hear Colby discuss his current training leading into the 2008 season, what meets he will be running, what he does in his spare time and much, much more!

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Jimmie R. Markham | Guest: Colby Lowe
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 13.8 MB | Length: 20:08 MIN

Episode Sponsored By: Nike +

Long Live Running!
Nike Plus will improve the way you run. Get feedback from your iPod on pace, time, distance and calories burned.

Log into Nikeplus.com to track your progress,
set goals and challenge friends.

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

Read the rest of this entry »

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 1/31/08

Posted January 31st, 2008 at 12:07 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics, TFS News Briefs

Michael Johnson: I Played No Part in Wariner’s Decision
World-record holder Michael Johnson says he played no role in Jeremy Wariner’s decision to split with long-time coach Clyde Hart. He also said that it won’t affect Wariner’s chances of winning the 400m gold medal in the Beijing Olympics.
Read more at: [Guardian Unlimited]

Defar To Try For 3000m WR in Stuttgart
Coming off a world-best in the unofficial 2-Mile Run in Boston, Meseret Defar is gunning for a world record in the 3000m at the Sparkassen Cup meet in Stuttgart this weekend. She holds the current record of 8:23.72. Her 2-Mile time of 9:10.50 in Boston was equivalent to a 8:29.8 in the 3000m.
Read more at: [IAAF]

IAAF Preview of 101st Millrose Games
The IAAF Valencia ‘08 site (the home of the 2008 Indoor Track & Field Championships) is featuring a preview of the 101st Millrose Games. The meet will be held in New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Friday night.
Read more at: [IAAF]
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Meseret Defar Smashes Through 9 Minute Barrier
in 2 Mile

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Ethiopian Meseret Defar, current Olympic and World Champion in the women’s 5000m Run, obliterated her world record in the 2-Mile Run at the Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels, Belgium. She ran 8:58.58, besting her previous world record of 9:10.47 by a whopping 11.89 seconds. Her mile splits were 4:33.07 and 4:25.51. Priscah Ngetich of Kenya ran the 3rd fastest time ever, finishing second in 9:14.09. Five of the eight fastest times ever run in the women’s 2 Mile Run were posted in today’s race.

1. Meseret Defar (ETH) 8:58.58 (World Record)
2. Priscah Ngetich (KEN) 9:14.09 (National Record)
3. Silvia Kibet (KEN) 9:16.62
4. Viola Kibiwot (KEN) 9:18.26
5. Jessica Augusto (POR) 9:22.89 (National Record)
6. Helen Clitheroe (GBR) 9:38.39
7. Veerle Dejaeghere (BEL) 9:49.93 (National Record)
8. Mimi Belete (ETH) 10:06.60
9. Bizunesh Urgesa (ETH) 10:08.10
10. Mahlet Melese (ETH) 10:15.25
DNF Olga Komyagina (RUS)

Source: [alltime-athletics.com]

Comment on this post | Permalink

Podcast 61: Two-mile American record holder
MATT TEGENKAMP

Posted June 26th, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Episode 61 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with MATT TEGENKAMP; the newly-crowned two-mile American record holder.

Matt was able to harness the momentum he created when he broke Alan Webb’s two-mile record at the June 10th Prefontaine Classic and continued his recent success with an impressive and gutsy performance at the USA Outdoor T&F Championships; finishing second in the 5000m and earning the right to compete for the United States at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka.

In the interview, Matt talks about his excellent performances at Prefontaine and Nationals, the U.S.’s prospects for success in Osaka, the compliments offered by Bernard Lagat at Nationals, and how he feels when some of the major, broadcast media outlets portray him as being on a “lower level” than other young stars like Webb and Ryan Hall.

Download the podcast to hear Matt discuss these topics, as well as, why he is uninterested in altitude training, the decision to stay in Madison, the “brother-like” relationship among his training partners, the dynamic that has developed between himself and Coach Jerry Schumacher, trying to set an example for younger generations of runners, and much more!

Listen In
[PLAY] (To Download: Right click and select “save as”)

[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Matt Tegenkamp
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 14.4 MB
Length: 21:00

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Webb to run 2-mile instead at Nike Prefontaine Classic

Posted June 7th, 2007 at 1:19 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Despite having recently run one of the fastest miles in the world this year (3 minutes 52.94 seconds), Alan Webb has elected to participate in the two-mile instead of the Bowerman Mile at Sunday’s Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore.

Webb is a two-time U.S. Outdoor 1,500 meter champion and the 2007 U.S. Indoor champion in the mile, but has decided to pursue the two-mile where he also currently holds the American record. His record time of 8:11.48 was set two years ago at the Prefontaine Classic.

Webb drops out of an event that has been very kind to him in the past. His 3:53.43 in the 2001 Bowerman Mile remains the national high school record. Despite Webb’s scratch, the current record in the Bowerman Mile of 3:49.92 set by Hicham El Guerrouj may be in danger with defending champion Bernard Lagat and 2005 champion and owner of the fastest time in the world this year Alex Kipchirchir remaining in the field.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

adidas Track Classic: Defar sets new 2-mile world record

Posted May 20th, 2007 at 5:33 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar, who set a new 5,000m world record last year, torched the rest of the field in today’s 2 mile race at the adidas Track Classic.

Her time of 9:10:47, although it will still need be ratified by the IAAF, broke the world record set in 1999 of 9:11.97 that had been held by suspected drug user Regina Jacobs.

Defar continued to pick up the pace but had to run the final lap in under 63 seconds to break the record. She was ultimately successfully, running it in about 62 seconds to set the new world record.

Megan Metcalf finsihed second, although that was about 27 seconds after Defar crossed the finished line, and Kara Goucher, who just set a P.R. in the 1500 meter, finished third. Sara Slattery was unable to finish.

Complete results:

1 MESERET DEFAR ETH 9:10.47B
2 MEGAN METCALF CAN 9:37.04
3 KARA GOUCHER USA 9:41.32
4 GEORGIE CLARKE AUS 9:43.53
5 AMY RUDOLPH USA 9:47.88
6 YUAN JIN CHN 9:49.33
7 DESIRAYE OSBURN USA 9:57.26
8 DEIRDRE BYRNE IRL 10:08.40
9 AMY YODER-BEGLEY USA 10:14.23
— MARINA MUNCAN SRB DNF
— RENEE METIVIER-BAILLIE USA DNF
— SARA SLATTERY USA DNF
— KORENE HINDS JAM DNF

For more information, please visit: www.adidastrackclassic.com

2 comments, add yours | Permalink