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Lead Stories: Saturday, November 22, 2008

Walker breaks AR, Mutola wins for 16th time at Nike Prefontaine Classic

Posted June 8th, 2008 at 11:34 PM by thefinalsprint.com

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Meet records fell across all event groups, none bigger than Brad Walker’s American record in the pole vault, and Maria Mutola had a historic exit Sunday at the Nike Prefontaine Classic.

The fourth event of USATF’s Visa Championship Series, the Nike Prefontaine Classic drew a meet-record 14,221 fans to Hayward Field, site of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field June 27-July 6. They were treated to a formidable show, including no fewer than eight meet records and Walker’s AR.

The 2007 world champion, Walker looked magnificent throughout the competition. He had just one miss, at his opening height of 5.70m/18-8.25, then passed to 5.90m/19-4.25, which he cleared on his first attempt and which won the competition for him. Walker then elevated the bar to 6.04m/19-9.75. On his very first attempt, he cleared, brushing the bar just a bit, but leaving it up.
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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.
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Bekele wins 3000m and a diamond at DN Galan

Posted August 7th, 2007 at 3:52 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Kenenisa Bekele ran a time of 7 minutes, 25.79 seconds at the DN Galan meet in Stockholm, Sweden, demolishing a world-class field by nearly 10 seconds in the process. Bekele’s time is the 8th fastest 3000m ever run and makes him the 6th fastest 3000m runner of all time, just 5.12 seconds behind Daniel Komen’s world record of 7:20.67 set in 1996. His time was also good enough for a DN Galan diamond, breaking Isaac Songok’s meet record of 7.35.84 by nearly 10 seconds. Three other runners also broke the stadium record.

1 Bekele Kenenisa ETH 7:25.79
2 Cheruiyot Jonas KEN 7:35.44
3 Longosiwa Thomas Pkemei KEN 7:35.64
4 Tegenkamp Matthew USA 7:35.68
5 Maataoui Ali MAR 7:36.70

For complete meet results: [DN Galan]

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Alan Webb Breaks Steve Scott’s American Mile Record

Posted July 23rd, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Three-time U.S. 1,500m champion Alan Webb on Saturday broke the American record in the mile, clocking 3:46.91 at the Atletiek Vlaanderenmeet in Brasschaa, Belgium. The mark breaks the record of 3:47.69 set by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Steve Scott in 1982 and makes Webb the eighth-fastest man in history, behind Hicham El Guerrouj, Noah Ngeny, Noureddine Morceli, Steve Cram, Daniel Komen, Venuste Niyongabo and Said Aouita.

Webb’s agent, Ray Flynn, reports unofficial quarter-mile splits for Webb during the race as 56.1, 57.4, 56.8 and 56.2.

Held on a 6-lane track, Saturday’s race is part of a career-best year for Webb. In February, he won his first U.S. indoor title in the mile before going on a tear during the outdoor season. On April 28, he ran 3:51.71 to break Scott’s mile record at the Drake Relays in Des Moines, Iowa. On June 24 in Indianapolis, he ran 3:34.82 in the 1,500 to break Scott’s meet record at the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships, where Webb won his third career national title.
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Webb Breaks American Record in the Mile

Posted July 21st, 2007 at 5:18 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Alan Webb of Reston, Va., broke one of America’s most venerated sports records today when he scorched a 3:46.91 mile in a low-key meet in Brasschaat, Belgium tonight, breaking Steve Scott’s 25 year-old record of 3:47.69 set in Oslo in 1982.

“It was awesome,” said Webb by telephone just after setting the record. Then he joked, “I think I have the world record for the least number of spectators.”

His manager, Ray Flynn, estimated that there were between 500 and 1000 people at the track which is set in a forest, bordered by tall trees.

Running in windless and comfortably warm conditions, Webb knocked off approximate quarters of 56.1, 57.4, 56.8 and 56.2, according to Flynn.

“It’s just really been a tremendous year,” Webb continued, pointing out that he still has a long career in front of him. “I’m not done. I’m only 24.”
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As Golden League kicks off, Dream Mile, Defar the focus of attention

Posted June 14th, 2007 at 6:03 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

A strong field in the men’s Dream Mile and a possible world record assault by Meseret Defar will steal the focus of attention as the 2007 IAAF Golden League kicks off at the ExxonMobil Bislett Games on Friday.

The Dream Mile, the meeting’s signature event, annually lures many of the world’s top milers, and this year’s is no exception. This year’s field includes an intriguing match-up between a pair of runners who brought some impressive momentum to the Norwegian capital: Daniel Kipchirchir Komen of Kenya and Australia’s Craig Mottram.

At last Sunday’s Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., Komen took down a solid field in the mile with a blazing 3:48.28, the year’s fastest. Mottram also dispensed with an all-star field over two miles, clocking a national record 8:03.50. Only Daniel Komen and Haile Gebrselassie have ever covered the distance faster.
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Bowerman Mile features fast field at Pre Classic

Posted June 4th, 2007 at 7:30 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Four of the world’s top ten men’s milers will toe the line June 10 at the 2007 Prefontaine Classic at the University of Oregon’s historic Hayward Field in Eugene.

The fourth event of USA Track & Field’s 2007 Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the Prefontaine Classic will be televised live on NBC, Sunday, June 10, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

The field includes nine runners with lifetime mile bests under 4-minutes, which could jeopardize the Hayward Field and Prefontaine Classic record of 3 minutes 49.92 seconds set six years ago by Hicham El Guerrouj.

Americans leading the way include two-time Olympic medalist and defending Bowerman Mile champion Bernard Lagat, who ended the 2006 season ranked #3 in the world in the 1,500/mile by Track & Field News. Two-time U.S. Outdoor champion and reigning national indoor titlist Alan Webb returns to The Bowerman Mile, where he ran a 3:53.43 at the 2001 Pre Classic to set the national high school record.
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