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Lead Stories: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Team USA: Day 3 Track Recap

Posted August 17th, 2008 at 3:36 PM by Cheryl Lowe

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

The days of the 2008 Olympic Games are flying by in Beijing, and Team USA is yet to earn a track and field gold medal.

BARRINGER EARNS ANOTHER AMERICAN RECORD, BUT NO MEDAL

In the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase final, Americans Jenny Barringer and Anna Willard competed but did not earn a medal. Barringer, who finished the race in 9:22.26, good for a new American record in the event and 9th place overall. Willard finished behind Barringer in 9:25.63, good for 10th place.

Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS) won the event in 8:58.81, a new World Record. Eunice Jepkorir of Kenya (2nd place) and Yekaterina Volkova of Russia (3rd place) finished in 9:07.41 and 9:07.64 respectively.

LAGAT DOES NOT ADVANCE TO MEN’S 1500M FINALS

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the day, Team USA’s Bernard Lagat failed to advance in the men’s 1500-meter semifinal. Lagat, formerly of Kenya, is competing for the United States this year. Lagat was the first American to finish the race (6th place in heat 2, 3:37.79) but did not qualify for the final.
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Willard Wins Trials Steeple in American Record

Posted July 4th, 2008 at 8:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Anna Willard, the 2007 NCAA steeplechase champion who had to contest last year’s AT&T U.S. Outdoor Championships on an injured ankle, ran the fastest ever 3000m steeplechase by an American woman here last night as the U.S. Olympic Trials resumed after a two-day break. Her winning time of 9:27.59 was also the fastest-ever women’s steeplechase performance on U.S. soil.

“I just felt so fantastic,” an enthusiastic Willard told reporters after the race.

Willard, her short blonde hair accented with a bright red streak she had dyed-in just for the Trials, followed the early lead of reigning NCAA champion, Jenny Barringer of the University of Colorado, her chief rival for last night’s title. They were joined by Lindsey Anderson and Nicole Bush of Michigan State University, and the pace was strong.

“I wanted it to go out fast like it did,” said Anderson who is coached by former City of Los Angeles Marathon champion Paul Pilkington. “That is what we were planning on and I knew if I could stay right with Jenny and Anna that I would be there at the end and be able to finish strong and make the team.”
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Willard Breaks American Record in Women’s Steeplchase Final

Posted July 4th, 2008 at 1:47 AM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Image details: U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials - Day Five served by picapp.com

Fireworks lit the night sky as Anna Willard shattered the American record in the Olympic Trials 3000m Steeplechase. She ran the race in 9:27.59. Lindsey Anderson (9:30.75) and Jenny Barringer (9:33.11) will join her in Beijing.

Going into the race, Willard and Barringer both wanted the record. Willard tried at the American Milers Club meet in Indianapolis and Barringer came close at the NCAA DI Championships, but neither succeeded. This was the day to do it. Barringer was in front until the last 800 meters.

“I wanted to go out and set the stage for an American record,” she said.
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Barringer Breaks Hayward Field Record in 3000m Steeplechase Semifinal

Posted June 30th, 2008 at 11:44 PM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Who will get to run in the first-ever Olympic women’s 3000-meter Steeplechase? Eight women are one step closer to achieving that dream today in the preliminary race of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

The first heat involved Nicole Bush and Kathryn Andersen racing side by side the entire time. In the end it was Bush with the win in 9:49.53 and Andersen in 9:49.71. The battle for third and fourth place was just as competitive. In the end, Lisa Galaviz finished in 9:52.66 followed by Kara June in 9:53.01.

Jenny Barringer broke the Hayward Field record in heat 2 of the 3000-meter Steeplechase with her time of 9:48.50. Anna Willard (9:52.06) got out fast from the start and held Barringer off until the final lap when she made her move. Behind Barringer and Willard were Carrie Strickland (9:53.43) and Carrie Messner-Vickers (9:53.78).
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Cornell and LetsRun.com’s Robert “Rojo” Johnson

Posted June 25th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Interviews, College

The 2008 American Milers Club High Performance Series wrapped up last Saturday, June 14, mostly without a hitch. The weather in Indianapolis was perfect, the crowd was enthusiastic and the races were stacked with talented athletes.

Among the outstanding performances was Anna Willard’s personal record of 4:06.26 in the 1500-meter run. In the men’s 1500-meter run, Steve Sherer also set a personal best with a 3:36.81 that barely beat Andy McClary’s 3:36.91.

The main attraction of the night, however, was Alan Webb in the 800-meter run. When word got out earlier in the week that he would race, fans expected to see him redeem himself for his sub par 1500-meter performance at the June 8 Prefontaine Classic. Instead, Webb placed fifth with a time of 1:47.41, far from his 1:43.84 personal best. With the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials just days away, what do these races mean for Webb’s chance to make the team? Will the number-one 1500 and 800-meter runner in the nation not go to the Beijing Olympics? While many of Webb’s fans remain optimistic, others are concerned.
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Last Chance: AMC High Performace Track and Field Series

Posted June 13th, 2008 at 1:00 PM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Four years of preparation boil down to one weekend for athletes on the verge of making the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene. This Sunday, June 15, is the last day to qualify.

A highly competitive last chance meet takes place Saturday night at the IUPUI track in Indianapolis. It is the final meet of the 2008 American Milers Club High Performance Track and Field Series created by Indiana Invaders coach Greg Harger. The series began May 31 and continued June 9 and 11. The AMC meet on June 14 features 800-meter, 1500-meter and 3000-meter steeplechase races.

The rabbitted races are run with on the Mondo track after 9:30 p.m. when weather conditions are calm. The goal of the AMC meet is to provide an ideal environment for running fast times since most of the athletes want to hit Olympic Trials standard times.
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2008 Track & Field
Previews & Predictions:
Women’s Middle-Distance

Posted January 25th, 2008 at 5:25 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Maria Mutola recently announced that she will retire at the end of the 2008 season. That’s a shame because she has been the ambassador of women’s 800m running ever since she broke on the world-class middle-distance running scene in 1991 with a time of 1:57.63. Since then she’s run between 1:55.19 and 1:58.98 a staggering 108 times. The only other woman to come even close to running that many world-class times in the 800m has been the great Cuban runner Ana Quirot, who ran between 1:54.44 and 1:58.95 a total of 72 times between 1986 and 1997. The 800m event will truly be diminished when Mutola retires.
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Podcast 108: ANNA WILLARD Olympic Steeplechase Hopeful

Posted December 10th, 2007 at 12:32 PM by Adam Jacobs

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

Episode 108 of The Final Sprint Podcast,
the most listened to running podcast in North America, features my interview with ANNA WILLARD; a standout at Brown and then the University of Michigan as well as one of the U.S. favorites for the first ever women’s Olympic steeplechase.

In the interview Anna talks about her exceptional year, record-setting performances at the Penn Relays, her first IAAF World Championships and the fatigue caused by the spring track season at Michigan.

Download the podcast to hear Anna discuss these topics, as well as, why she believes winning the steeplechase at the U.S. Trials may require an American record, how special it would be to compete in the first ever Olympic women’s steeplechase, waiting until to March to begin her 2008 season, and much more!

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

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Host: Adam Jacobs | Guest: Anna Willard
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Musicians: Ryan Ahlwardt, Darnell Perkins
File Size: 13.7 MB | Length: 20:02 MIN

Episode Sponsored By: Nike +

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Three-Peat for Clement at U.S. Championships

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The key action on the pentultimate day of the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships here was at the 1500m distance, where Treniere Clement won her third consecutive title and Jordan Hasay, competing in the Finish Line Junior Track & Field Championshps, won her first junior title.

Clement, the former Georgetown star, followed the early pace set by Tiffany McWilliams, sitting comfortably in third place through 400m (1:06:06) and 800m (2:12.15). Christin Wurth-Thomas was sitting in second, and she was getting ready to break the race open.
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AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Saturday event previews

Posted June 23rd, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

HEPTATHLON, Day Two

Key Athletes: GiGi Johnson, Hyleas Fountain, Diana Pickler, Jacquelyn Johnson

The past two USATF champions are in the field with GiGi Johnson (2006) and Fountain (2005), but it is US list leader Pickler who topped the standings with 3,636 points after the first day. Fountain is 18 points adrift, with Johnson two more behind her. NCAA champ Johnson is fifth at 3,495.

DECATHLON, Day Two

Key Athletes: Tom Pappas, Paul Terek, Jake Arnold

Four-time U.S. winner Pappas, who leads with 4,394 points, is the defending champion and could tie Bill Toomey and Dan O’Brien for most U.S. titles in the event after the withdrawal of ‘05 world champion Bryan Clay. Arnold recently claimed his second NCAA title, scoring 8,215 for the victory, and is sxth after five events. Terek scored 8,134 to win at Desenzano on May 6 and is seeking his third Worlds team berth.
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