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Lead Stories: Thursday, November 20, 2008

Star-Studded Meet At Stanford Tomorrow Night

Posted May 4th, 2008 at 11:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Just 18 miles north of this San Jose suburb, one of the most important meets for distance runners held in the United States will take place at Stanford University. Packed with talent, the Peyton Jordan Cardinal Invitational turns the running industry on its head: top stars actually pay entry fees to compete and there are no appearance fees or cash prizes.

So what’s the draw? Perfect weather for achieving all-important Olympic Games qualifying times. When the sun sets at this time of year in Palo Alto, the winds calm down and the temperature drops, becoming comfortably cool. There is already very low humidity.

The key races are the top sections of the men’s and women’s 5000m and 10,000m, led by double world champion Bernard Lagat. Although he won the world titles last summer at both the 1500m and the 5000m, he doesn’t have an Olympic Games “A” standard time in the longer distance: 13:21.50. Working with other coaches, managers and the New York Road Runners, the men’s 5-K will be set-up by pacemaker Christian Hesch for a 13:10 to 13:20 finish time.
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TFS News Briefs: 3/28/08

Posted March 28th, 2008 at 4:27 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, TFS News Briefs

TFS News Briefs
Cragg Out-Psyching Himself Or Others?
Here’s a head scratcher: Going into Sunday’s IAAF World Cross County Championships, Ireland’s Alistair Cragg says he’s “in shape” but he “admits that he hasn’t a snowball’s hope in hell” of winning. Since any fan of Craig Mottram knows that the Aussie believes one shouldn’t bother entering a race unless he believes he can win, Cragg is either attempting some over-the-top psyching out of his opponents, or else he’s already lost and might as well DNS. We’ll find out which one it was on Sunday. (See the next news brief for what is perhaps the larger issue.)
Read more at: [Irish Independent]

Europe Africa Pundit Rants About the “Emasculation” Of European Distance Runners
Where have all the good times gone? It seems that the glory days of European world domination in cross-country are long behind that continent. Long-gone are the days when Pekka Päivärinta (FIN, 1973), Erik De Beck (BEL, 1974), Ian Stewart (SCO, 1975), Carlos Lopes (POR, 1976), Léon Schots (BEL, 1977), John Treacy (IRL, 1978-1979) allowed Europe to dominate at the worlds. What happened? The Africans, that’s what. A Kenyan, an Ethiopian or a Moroccan has won the world championship in cross-country for 21 years running.
Read more at: [The Herald, UK][GBAthletics]

Some More Mind Games, This Time From Kipsiro
Ugandan harrier Moses Kipsiro, regarded as the favorite going into Sunday’s IAAF World Cross County Championships, is playing his own mind games, saying, “I will try my best. I pray to God that I get a good result.” Attaboy, Moses! Be that little train that could!. I’ll bet your best will be much better than you’re making it out to be.
Read more at: [AllAfrica.com]
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adidas Track Classic: Willis out runs Cragg for 1500m win

Posted May 20th, 2007 at 4:47 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

In a race that featured Adam Goucher, Gabe Jennings and Alistair Craig; Nick Willis was able to come out on top in the men’s 1,500 meter at today’s adidas Track Classic. Willis’ time was the eighth fastest at the distance this year.

The pack, following a pace setter, hit the 800m mark in 1:57 with Cragg in third place and Goucher in fifth.

After 1,000 meters Said Ahmed, who had been holding the lead, was topped by New Zealand’s Nick Willis and Ireland’s AliStair Cragg.

Willis, who was returning from injury, has to be pleased with a win to start this Wolrd Championship season. He was followed by Cragg (3:36:18) and Rob Myers (3:36:49).

Complete results:
1 NICK WILLIS NZL 3:35.85
2 ALISTAIR CRAGG IRL 3:36.18
3 ROB MYERS USA 3:36.49
4 CHRIS LUKEZIC USA 3:37.06
5 ADAM GOUCHER USA 3:37.13
6 SAID AHMED USA 3:39.00
7 MING GU CHN 3:39.35
8 DAVID KRUMMENACKER USA 3:40.11
9 IAN DOBSON USA 3:41.63
10 ANDY MCCLARY USA 3:42.04
11 GABE JENNINGS USA 3:47.39
12 NICK BROMLEY AUS 3:51.38
— SAM BURLEY USA DNF

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

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Defar to chase 2 mile world best in Carson on May 20th

Posted April 27th, 2007 at 7:45 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Meseret Defar, the world record holder in the 5000m, will be looking to add the world best over the 2 Mile to her growing list of achievements at the adidas Track Classic in Carson, Calif., on May 20.

The Olympic 5000m champion, Defar, still just 23, will be chasing the 9:11.97 best set by Regina Jacobs in 1999. The mark by Jacobs equates roughly to an 8:31.00 performance over 3000m, well within the capabilities of the young Ethiopian, who earlier this year lowered the world record indoors to 8:23.72, while her outdoor best over that distance is 8:24.66 set last summer in Stockholm.

The men’s 3000 field is filling as well, currently featuring Irishman and University of Arkansas alum Alistair Cragg, the 2005 European indoor champion, and American Anthony Famiglietti, a 2004 Olympian in the steeplechase and this year’s national 8-K champion.
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Who is Cosimo Caliandro?

Posted March 4th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

When he crossed the finish line with his arms raised up, almost everybody in the National Indoor Arena asked: “Who’s he?”

Italy’s Cosimo Caliandro was a stunning surprise winner yesterday at the 29th European Indoor Championships, taking the gold medal in the 3000m ahead of pre-race favourites Bob Tahri, Jesus Jesus España, Halil Akkas, Mo Farah, Alistair Cragg, and Gunther Wedlinger.
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Chojecka poised for historic double at Euro Champs

Posted March 3rd, 2007 at 9:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

With her convincing victory in today’s 1500m final at the 29th European Indoor Championships here, Poland’s Lidia Chojecka is poised to complete a historic double victory should she also win the gold medal in tomorrow’s 3000m. She is the defending champion in that event, winning gold in Madrid in 2005, and is definitely the favorite again this year for gold.

In today’s race, Chojecka (who pronounces her name Hoy-ET-ska), bided her time while Britain’s Helen Clitheroe set the pace for most of the race.

Indeed, Clitheroe led for the first five laps and ensured a relatively quick pace, passing the 1000m point in 2:46.02.
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Despite fall, Farah advances to 3000m Euro Champs

Posted March 2nd, 2007 at 7:51 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

One of Britain’s top medal hopes at these 29th European Indoor Championships, Mo Farah, survived a big scare today when he was tripped and fell during the first heat of the 3000m.

Farah, the reigning European cross country champion, was accidentally tripped from behind by Austria’s Günther Weidlinger in the seventh lap of the 15-lap race. Tumbling hard to the track, Farah became disoriented and actually began to run in the opposite direction after getting up, before turning around to rejoin the race.

“This guy clipped my leg and I went down,” said Farah after the race. “When I went down the Spanish guy (European 5000m champion Jesus España) picked up the pace.” He added: “I don’t know what happened, personally.”

España won the heat in 7:52.50, with Weidlinger second in 7:53.04 and defending champion Alistair Cragg of Ireland in third in 7:53.18. Farah, lifted by the cheers of the British crowd in the National Indoor Arena, fought his way back to finish sixth in 7:55.36, getting the second of four time qualifiers (the first four in each heat advanced automatically). He was relieved to advance to tomorrow’s final, but his come-from-behind effort today had taken its toll, physically.
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Cragg faces big challenges in 3,000 meter title defense

Posted March 2nd, 2007 at 2:53 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

At the last European Indoor Championships in Madrid in 2005, Irishman Alistair Cragg romped to victory in the 3000m, beating his nearest opponent, Briton John Mayock, by more than five seconds.

But here in Birmingham, as the 29th European Indoor Championships opens this morning, he is admittedly not sharp, and will be facing strong challenges from European Cross Country champion Mo Farah of Britain; European 5000m champion, Jesus España of Spain; and one of the continent’s top steeplechasers, Bob Bahri of France.
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Tyson: Sullivan breaks own 3000m record; Symmonds falls to Fountain in mile

Posted February 10th, 2007 at 10:30 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Canadian Kevin Sullivan broke his own national record over 3000m at the Tyson Invitational last night in Fayetteville, Ark., edging American Matt Tegenkamp to win the race.

Sullivan, 32, the Canadian record holder for 1500m (3:31.71), clocked 7:40.17 at the Tyson meet, lowering his record by exactly two seconds. Tegankamp was just fractions behind, clocking a personal best 7:40.25, a U.S. leader for 2007. Alistair Cragg of Ireland was third in 7:43.30.

With Alan Webb sidelined by a head cold, Australian Mark Fountain easily defeated American Nick Symmonds in the mile, 3:55.58 to 4:01.21.
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Alan Webb opts for 3,000m race at Friday night’s Tyson Invitational

Posted February 5th, 2007 at 9:09 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Middle distance superstar Alan Webb has decided to run in the 3,000 meters at the Tyson Invitational on Friday night, February 9, making for an intriguing distance race at the premier indoor track event of the winter.

Webb was originally scheduled to run in the mile, the race that made him a teenage superstar when he broke Jim Ryun’s high school national record, but elected to move to the 3,000-meter run to fit into his training cycle. During his career, Webb has taken one USA Championship and earned a spot at the 2004 Olympic Games in the 1,500-meter run.
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