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Lead Stories: Monday, December 1, 2008

2008 Track & Field Previews & Prediction: Women’s Sprints

Posted January 25th, 2008 at 1:05 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

If you take a peek at the top women sprinters so far in this early 2008 indoor season, you’ll see that the lists are dominated by the Russians in the 60m, 200m and 400m dashes.

That will soon change, for the Americans and Jamaicans are sprinting juggernauts. Veronica Campbell and Torri Edwards dominated the 100m in 2007 with 8 out of the top 10 times. Campbell led the way with a 10.89 clocking in Kingston, Jamaica last June.

That’s a long way off from Florence Griffith-Joyner’s incredible (incredulous?) world record of 10.49 way back in 1988,and the slowest “fastest” time of the year since 1981 when Evelyn Ashford ran a 10.90, but certainly not too far off the mark when compared to the fastest times of recent years.
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TFS News Briefs: 12/14/07

Posted December 14th, 2007 at 12:38 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs, Masters

British 400m Runner Admits To Missing Tests, Accepts ‘Very Strict System’
British 400m Runner Tim Benjamin revealed that, like fellow one-lapper Christine Ohuruogu, he missed some drug tests in 2005 due to the “very strict [drug-testing] system” in Great Britain, but he also said that he thinks it is needed. Read more at: [SportingLife.com]

Des Moines Wins Right To Host 2010 Nat’l T&F Championships
Drake Stadium in Des Moines, IA has been selected by the USATF to host the 2010 US National Championships in Track & Field. USATF president Craig Masback, interestingly enough, stated that, “We’ve shown in recent years we do have a preference for cities that are willing to host multiple years consecutively.” Read more at: [DesMoinesRegister.com]

Highlights of Team Running USA’s Steller 2007 Season
Running USA features a story that highlights Team Running USA’s Steller 2007 Season, including 3 American records and Ryan Hall’s victory at the US Olympic Trials men’s marathon.
Read more at: [Running USA Wire]

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TFS News Briefs: 12/05/07

Posted December 5th, 2007 at 11:54 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Cross Country, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

Paula Radcliffe “disturbed and disappointed” by Ohuruogu’s admission
British marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe, known for her strong stance against doping, has said that she is “disturbed and disappointed” by sprinter Christine Ohuruogu’s recent statements about her failure to make a doping test. Read more at: [Citizen, South Africa]

Winning Streaks of World’s Best Athletes on the Line
With the new year right around the corner, we “trackies” can begin to get excited about the 2008 track & field season. Some of the best athletes in the world will be laying their winning streaks on the line as they begin their ‘08 campaigns that will culminate with the best track meet of them all: the Olympic Games. Among those laying it all on the line are pole vault star Yelena Isinbayeva, steeplechaser Saif Saaeed Shaheen and multi-event queen Carolina Klüft, each of whom has a winning streak of at least 15 competitions. Read more at: [IAAF]

Muggy Honolulu Marathon Expected
The weather forecast for Honolulu this Sunday, December 9th, 2007, looks grim for the 26,286 runners who have registered for the Honolulu Marathon. They can expect scattered showers, a high temperature of 81°F, 70% humidity and north winds of 10 MPH. The only good thing about this forecast is the rain. Read more at: [The Weather Channel]
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5 Minutes With 400m World Champion Christine Ohuruogu

Posted December 2nd, 2007 at 7:30 PM by J. R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

European Athletics recently spent 5 minutes with British 400m runner Christine Ohuruogu. Although no stranger to public scrutiny, this soulful 23-year-old sprinter has proven she can be tough in the face of adversity, learning from her past mistakes and rising again to tackle new challenges.

If hanging on to faith doesn’t work for this British World Champion then there is always the pizza/ chips/ kebab combo to keep her on track!

Yes ladies and gentlemen, it is the weekend again, so get yourselves comfortable, and prepare to spend the next 5 minutes with Osaka’s shock 400m Champion. Britain’s quietly confident, yet controversial Sprint-star, a young lady with a deep faith, a love of music and a longing to teach…

EA:If I wasn’t doing this now I’d be…

CO:Teaching.

EA:A phrase I use too often is…

CO:I will sort something out.

EA:My ideal night out is …

CO:Dressing up and going out with my friends.

EA:In moments of weakness I …

CO:Pray silently.

EA:The best age to be is …

CO:The age that you are.

EA:The best bit of my body is…

CO:I try to like every part! I am thankful everything works okay.

EA:The worst bit is…

CO:None.

EA:My most disgusting habit is…

CO:Pick at my nails.

EA:I drive…

CO:A Toyota Yaris.

EA:A book that changed me was…

CO:Lots of books have helped me out.

EA:The person who influenced me most is…

CO:My coaches.

EA:Last piece of good advice someone gave me was…

CO:Hang to faith.

EA:When comfort eating I choose…

CO:Pizza, chips and kebabs!!

EA:When I was a child I wanted to be…

CO:A teacher.

EA:The soundtrack to my life is…

CO:I am more than a conqueror - Four Cornerz.

EA:The best invention ever is…

CO:Mp3 players.

EA:All my money goes on…

CO:Bills and debts.

EA:My most embarrassing moment was…

CO:It’s too embarrassing to say!!

EA:My biggest rival is…

CO:Everyone!

EA:Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenalin junkie?

CO:Culture vulture.

EA:What have you learned from your travels?

CO:Expect that it will be different when you travel and most of the time very much unlike home.

EA:Who is your ideal traveling companion?

CO:Anyika Onoura.

EA:What’s the first thing you do when you arrive somewhere new?

CO:Test the bed.

EA:When did you last cry and why?

CO:I cry all the time over the smallest things.

EA:Cat or dog?

CO:Cat.

EA:Skinny or curvy?

CO:Curvy.

EA:Kisses or cuddles?

CO:Cuddles.

EA:Salty or sweet?

CO:Sweet.

EA:Night in or party?

CO:Party.

EA:Cool or geeky?

CO:Cool.

EA:Give or receive?

CO:Give.

EA:Tattoos or piercings?

CO:Piercings.

EA:Tracksuit or jeans?

CO:Jeans.

EA:Winter or Summer?

CO:Summer.

EA:What song would you like played as you cross the finish line in a big race?

CO:Ha Ha! Eye of the Tiger.

EA:Will you stay involved in athletics when you retire?

CO:I would hope so.

EA:What’s the best after race / championship party you’ve ever been to?

CO:World Champs 2007.

Source: [European Athletics]

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TFS News Briefs: 11/28/07

Posted November 28th, 2007 at 1:04 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

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

Hayward Field Track “Fastest in the world”
Hayward Field, the site of next year’s Olympic Track & Field Trials, has a new track surface, one that has been “designed to be the fastest track surface in the world.” Some specs of the new Benyon BSS 2000 surface: “It features maximum return of energy and superior shock absorption, courtesy of a bio-engineered force reduction layer of butyl rubber and full-depth color polyurethane, which allows for daily training without stress injuries. The track is finished with a custom-made surface consisting of embedded Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) granules, which allow for advanced traction.”
Read more at: [Product Design & Development]

Mysteries of Trail and Track Etiquette Revealed
An article in the Tallahassee Democrat (FL) reveals some of the mysteries of track and trail etiquette. Apparently, running newbies have not learned some of the basics, such as jogging in the outside lanes so that faster runners can have the inside lanes for interval training. If you are new to running, this is a good primer. Read more at: [Tallahassee Democrat]

Excerpt from Again to Carthage, John L. Parker’s sequel to Once a Runner
Runner’s World is featuring an excerpt from Again to Carthage, the long-awaited (29 years) sequel to the classic track and field novel by John L. Parker, Jr., Once a Runner. Again to Carthage is now available in bookstores. Read more at: [Runner’s World 1][Runner’s World 2]
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TFS News Briefs: 10/30/07

Posted October 30th, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

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

Healthy Ritzenhein Expects Fast War of Attrition at Oly Trials
Dathan Ritzenhein has relocated from Boulder, CO to Eugene, OR. By doing so, he has eliminated his injuries which may have been caused by altitude and Boulder’s hard-packed trails. Proclaiming himself ready (”Everything seems to be coming together just at the right moment”) for the Olympic Trials in New York City’s Central Park, Ritzenhein says, “I think it’s going to be fast… I think it’s going to be a race of attrition - it’s a hard course. At some point there’s going to be that big break and I’m going to be with it. There’s going to be some really good people walking away in 10th place. I’m going to plan to not be one of them.” Read more at: [Denver Post]

World 400m champion Gains Hearing With British Olympic Association
Osaka world 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu, banned for life by the British Olympic Association from competing in the Olympic Games, has been granted a hearing to plead her case for reinstatement. Read more at: [BBC Sport | Athletics]

New York Marathon Will Generate Record $220 Million for City
According to a study sponsored by the NY city commision and the NYRR club, the ING New York City Marathon is expected to generate $200 Million for the city. Here’s how the spending will break down: $71M on hotels, $45M on food and drink, $42M on retail merchandise, $16M on entertainment, $14M on transportation, $11M on running and fitness gear. Read more at: [Crain’s New York Business]
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On the Road & Around the Track: TFS News Briefs 9/12/07

Posted September 12th, 2007 at 1:30 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

X-C: 3rd Ranked Iona College Wins Stony Brook Invitational
The Iona College men’s cross-country team, ranked 3rd in the USTFCCCA Cross-Country polls behind Wisconsin and Colorado, won the Stony Brook Invitaional. Iona’s men placed 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th and 11th for a total score of 32 points, nearly half of the 70 points scored by second place finisher Quinnipiac. All five men averaged under 5:00 per mile for the 6K course.Read more at: [NCAA]

No Showdown Between Gay and Powell
Tyson Gay has pulled out of the Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels, Belgium this coming Friday. It was to be a showdown between the world champion and the world record holder. Read more at: [BBC Sport | Athletics]
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Richards, Carter, Lagat
win in Zurich

Posted September 7th, 2007 at 7:27 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The 2006 IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Sanya Richards is now the only American alive in the hunt for the Golden League Jackpot after winning the women’s 400 meters Friday at the fourth meeting of the six fixture series, the Weltklasse Zürich in Switzerland. Athletes must win at all six meetings of the IAAF Golden League series to claim a share of the $1,000,000 Jackpot.

2005 World Outdoor silver medalist Sanya Richards destroyed the field in the women’s 400m, winning in a world-leading 49.36 seconds. Novlene Williams of Jamaica was a distant second in 50.85 while reigning World champion Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain was fourth in 51.32 and Mary Wineberg was sixth in 51.53.

2006 NCAA 100m and 400m champion Xavier Carter (Pictured) stole the show in the men’s 200m, winning in 19.92 seconds ahead of 2007 World Outdoor silver medalist Usain Bolt of Jamaice, who took second in 20.19. J.J. Johnson finished fourth in 20.49 while Rodney Martin was fifth in 20.53.

Reigning World Outdoor 1,500m and 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat continued his winning ways today in the men’s 3,000m.
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