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Lead Stories: Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Hartford to Join ING Sponsored Family of Marathons

Posted November 20th, 2007 at 5:44 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

ING, the Dutch financial giant which already sponsors marathons from Amsterdam to Taipei, has added Hartford, Conn., to its stable of races, organizers announced today. The event, held every October, will now be known as the ING Hartford Marathon and Half-Marathon.

“When ING gets behind a race, we know they’re serious about creating an exceptional experience for runners, spectators and everyone involved,” said Beth Shluger, race director and marathon founder through a media release. “We’re thrilled to have ING as our new title sponsor, helping to make this event even better by drawing elite runners from around the world and offering tremendous value to the region.”
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Best Track & Field City in the World?

Posted November 10th, 2007 at 8:30 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The Track & Field off-season is a little rough on us trackies. At least we can console ourselves with the fact that the indoor season is just a couple of months away. We can also take comfort in knowing that the statistics for the current season are just sitting there, waiting to be analyzed. Middle-distance is my specialty, so I will be crunching the numbers for those event over the next few weeks.

I was curious to know what city in the world is the “best” city for watching a world-class middle-distance event. I’m sure the readers of The Final Sprint will also want to know about the long distance track events, too, so I have also included those in this analysis. I went to my favorite statistics site, alltime-athletics.com, for the facts.
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Sanya Richards named USATF Athlete of the Week

Posted September 19th, 2007 at 3:00 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Sanya Richards has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after winning the women’s 400 meters Sunday at the 2007 ISTAF Meeting in Berlin, Germany to earn her second consecutive share of the Golden League Jackpot.

The 2006 IAAF Athlete of the Year, Richards earned half of the million-dollar jackpot by going undefeated in the women’s 400 in Golden League competition. In the last meet of the series, she streaked to victory in the women’s 400m in a world-leading 49.27 seconds. Richards’ other Golden League wins came in Oslo June 15, Paris July 6, Rome July 13, Zurich September 7 and Brussels last Friday.
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Defar Delivers on 2 Mile World Best

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 7:43 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

In a stunning display of powerful solo running, Meseret Defar crushed her own world best in the 2 miles to highlight the 31st edition of the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels tonight.

Defar, the reigning world and Olympic champion in the 5000m, broke from Kenyan Priscah Jepleting with three laps to go to cross the line in 8:58.58, nearly 12 second under the previous best she ran at the adidas Track Classic in Carson, Calif., in May.

“My plan was for 8:55,” said Defar, not in the least bit surprised by her fleet footedness before a wildly enthusiastic crowd of 47,500 at the Belgian capital’s King Baudouin Stadium.

Underscoring her impressive performance, the 23-year-old clocked 8:24.81 for 3000m en route to her win, an Ethiopian national record and the fastest performance over the distance this year.
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Brussels sprouts outstanding field for Memorial Van Damme

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 12:30 PM by Matt Kappel

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The women’s 400 meters and men’s 200m will be the events to see Friday, September 14, at the fifth event of the IAAF Golden League, the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium. The IAAF Golden League 2007 offers a $1 Million Jackpot, which represents international athletics’ biggest annual payday. Athletes must win at all six meetings to acquire at least a share.

2006 IAAF Athlete of the Year Sanya Richards will run the women’s 400m Friday in a field that includes 2007 U.S. third-place finisher Mary Wineberg, 2007 World Outdoor silver medalist Nicola Sanders of Great Britain and bronze medalist Novlene Williams of Jamaica. Richards is the only American left standing in the hunt for the Jackpot.

Richards’ only competition in the hunt for the Jackpot is the world-record holder in the women’s pole vault, Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia. They are the only athletes to have taken victories at all four meetings of 2007 - Oslo, Norway (15 Jun), Paris, France (6 Jul), Rome, Italy (13 Jul), Zürich, Switzerland (7 Sep).
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Bekele’s 10,000m W.R. Assault Tops the Bill in Brussels

Posted September 13th, 2007 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Kenenisa Bekele’s assault on his own 10,000m world record is set to take center stage when the Golden League series resumes at the 31st edition of the Memorial Van Damme in the Belgian capital on Friday night.

At this competition two years ago, Bekele lowered his own record in the event to 26:17.53. Then, he was paced by his brother Tariku, who took him through the first half in just over 13:09, before he eventually lowered the mark with a 57-second closing lap.

“A record is not easy every time,” said Bekele, who’ll be making his first start since winning his third consecutive world title over the distance late last month. “You can have it if you work hard, and if the conditions are right, but it’s not easy.”
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World Records Possible at Brussels, Berlin Meets

Posted September 11th, 2007 at 5:13 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

If you’re the sort of track & field fan who likes to see assaults on world records, you’re not likely to be disappointed at either of the upcoming IAAF Golden League meets. The Memorial Van Damme meet (Friday, 9/14/2007 in Brussels, Belgium) and the DKB-ISTAF meet (Sunday, 9/16/2007 in Berlin, Germany) are historically two of the best meets in the world.

A total of 14 world records have been set at the Stade Roi Baudouin in Brussels, Belgium ever since the inception of the Memorial Van Damme meet, including Kenenisa Bekele’s remarkable 26:17.53 at 10,000m, a pace of 4:14 per mile. The Memorial van Damme meet honors Ivo Van Damme a Belgian middle-distance athlete who won two silver medals (800m and 1500m) at Montreal’s 1976 Olympic Games but whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident in December of that year.
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Encore Performances by Lagat, Jepkosgei and Jamal in Zurich

Posted September 8th, 2007 at 10:18 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

A trio of recently-minted world champions turned in impressive encore performances at Zurich’s Weltklasse, as the IAAF Golden League series resumed here tonight.

Competing in unseasonably chilly conditions before an energetic capacity crowd of 26,500 at the rebuilt Letzigrund stadium, Bernard Lagat, Janeth Jepkosgei and Maryam Yusef Jamal produced victories quite similar to those which brought them their respective world titles in the 5000, 800 and 1500 meters, respectively, in Osaka last week.

Contesting the 3000 just five days after completing his 1500/5000 double at the world championships, it was no contest from the moment Lagat took the lead for good coming off the final bend. Passing Kenyan Edwin Soi, the American crossed the line unchallenged in 7:38.77.
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Four alive in $1 million Golden League Jackpot chase

Posted July 9th, 2007 at 10:15 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Following their victories in Paris on Friday night, four athletes remained alive in the chase for the $1 million IAAF Golden League Jackpot.

Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia, Americans Sanya Richards (400m) and Michelle Perry (100m hurdles) and javelin thrower Tero Pitkamaki of Finland are still in the hunt for a share of the $1 million prize pot, with continues on Friday night at the Golden Gala Kinder+Sport meeting in Rome.
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Chepkok and Erkesso score XC victories in Brussels, Belgium

Posted December 17th, 2006 at 10:00 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

More than 3,000 elite athletes were on hand in Brussel’s Osseghem Park; all of whom had the opportunity to see a fierce cross country competition. Bernard Chepkok, the 22-yr old Kenyan, dominated the men’s field and beat out fellow Kenyan, and runner-up, Moses Kigen by 19 seconds.

Ehtiopian Teyiba Erkesso put everything she had into today’s win and was exhausted after crossing the finish line. Erkesso was able to hold off Hungary’s Aniko Kalovics who had started off at a torried pace and ultimaltey finished just behind Erkesso.
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