Jenn Stuczynski, Chaunte Howard, Brittney Reese and Shani Marks lead a strong contingent in the women’s vertical and horizontal jumps at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field, June 27 - July 6 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.
The top three finishers in each race, who have met Olympic performance standards, will earn the ultimate prize of a spot on the Team USA roster for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.
Pole Vault
Two-time U.S. Outdoor champion and 2008 World Indoor silver medalist Jenn Stuczynski leads the field in the women’s pole vault. Already in her short career, Stuczynski has set three American records with the most recent coming at the 2008 adidas Track Classic when she became only the second woman ever to clear 4.90 meters/16 feet 0.75 inches.
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High Jump
1. Yaroslav Rybakov, 56.5
2. Stefan Holm, 56
3. Andrey Silnov, 49.5
4. Ivan Ukhov, 42
5. Andra Manson, 33
6. Jesse Williams, 30
7. Dusty Jonas, 29
8. Kabelo Kgosiemang, 29
9. Linus Thörnblad, 26
10. Kyriakos Ioannou, 23
World Indoor champ Holm and world list leader Rybakov are neck-and-neck. Silnov’s win last Sunday at the Prefontaine Classic tightened his grip on third. As I type this, Nebraska’s Dusty Jonas is competing in the NCAA championships, which would move him into fourth if he wins as expected.
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Continuing with our preview of Sunday’s meet in Eugene, Oregon, here are the tentative start lists for the field events. The IAAF also has a field event preview.
Women’s Hammer Throw
3:10 p.m. EDT (12:10 p.m. local)
Hawyard Field & Pre Classic records: 229′ 1″ / 69.82 meters, Erin Gilreath (USA), 2006
Betty Heidler (Germany)
Superfan World Ranking: #2
PR: 76.55 meters (2006) 2008 best: 72.91 meters
The defending World Champion has thrown over 70 meters five times already this season; her lone loss came at the European Throwing Cup.
Ivana Brkljacic (Croatia)
PR: 74.08 meters (2007) 2008 best: 73.62 meters
Has competed only twice this year (and hence not in my World Rankings), but has put up very big marks both times.
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Politics Rears Its Ugly Head
Political friction between Qatar and Ethioipia has resulted in a boycott by the Ethiopian federation of the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix meet. Indoor world champions Deresse Mekonnen (1500m) and Tariku Bekele (3000m) had been scheduled to run.
More: PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung), Austria
Instead…
of the Ethiopians, look for some superstars at the Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix meet. Jeremy Wariner will run the 200m, Allyson Felix will run the 400m and Blanca Vlasic will compete in the heptathlon. Just kidding, she’s sticking to what she knows - the high jump (with Wariner and Felix branching out from their usual events, I couldn’t resist!).
More: IHT
Where In The World Is…
Tuvalu? It’s a tiny island nation in Oceania located northeast of Australia. It boasts a population of 11,992 and a land area of 10 square miles. “So what?” you ask. Well, it is the newest member country of the IAAF, the world’s governing body of track & field, which now has a membership of 213.
More: Afrique en ligne, France
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Vlasic Aims For Gold, Record At Beijing Olympics
World champion high jumper Blanca Vlasic from Croatia , whose aim is to win the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics high jump, also has her sights on another goal, saying, “I would say it is possible that I could win the gold in Beijing with a world record.”
Read more at: [Reuters]
Michael Johnson “Shocked” By Bolt’s 100m Time
After Jamaica’s fabulous early-season time of 9.76 seconds in the 100m dash at the Jamaica International Invitational, legendary sprinter Michael Johnson said, “Usain said he was shocked. I’m shocked too.” Even so, he advised Bolt “not to get too carried away with the performance.”
Read more at: [Caribbean Net News, Cayman Islands]
Great News From Ann Gaffigan’s Training Camp
Ann Gaffigan, the former American-record holder in the 3000m steeplechase, has published a new blog post that ha some great news for the runner who has had her share of bad news over the past year or two. Despite having a bad race lately (she trained through it) she writes that “my workouts have been better than ever before, yes I felt like my old self at the Mt. SAC Relays, yes my iron levels are high, my heart rate is low, my speed is good and my strength even better.”
Read more at: [Steeplechics]
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2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field: Week 1
The 2008 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field season officially kicks off in fine style this weekend with 38 (count ‘em, 38!) meets throughout the country. The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association has links to all of them on their website. Schedules like this one are truly a track junkie’s dream come true.
Read more at: [USTFCCCA]
ASU Opens Outdoor Season At Home
ASU, the 2008 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Champions, will open their outdoor season at home this weekend at the Baldy Castillo Invitational. Both the men’s team and the women’s team won the NCAA national titles last weekend. The meet will be contested on the Joe Selleh Track at Sun Angel Stadium in Tempe, AZ.
Read more at: [Sun Devils]
Oregon Host First Meet At Revamped Hayward Field
The University of Oregon’s historic Hayward Field has had an $8 Million facelift in preparation for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, and now the Ducks want to show her off to the world. Folks will get their first look at the freshly-reminted stadium by hosting the Oregon Preview on Saturday, March 22nd, 2008. Over 550 athletes from throughout the Northwest will be competing in the meet.
Read more at: [Go Ducks][Hayward Field]
Image courtesy of GoDucks.com.
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New Balance Collegiate Invitational Producing Fast Times
The New Balance Collegiate Invitational, being held this weekend at the Armory in New York City, is producing some solid collegiate marks in the build-up to the NCAA Championships.
Read more at: [Google News][Results at Milesplit]
Bekele Going For 300m Indoor WR
Kenenisa Bekele, the current track and field distance king, is going for the 3000m World record in Valencia, Spain today. Stay tuned for the results of the Ethiopian great’s attempt.
Read more at: [IAAF][Google News]
A Peek At the 2008 Track & Field Season
A peek into the future reveals 51 world-class track meets: 6 Golden League meets, 5 Super Grand Prix events, 14 Grand Prix venues, 1 World Athletics Final, 25 Area Permit meets. The best track meet of the year isn’t on the list. It’s going to be held in a town in Eastern China.
Read more at: [IAAF]
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IAAF Overrides British Governing Body Ruling
British sprinter Dwain Chambers got support from the IAAF when UK Athletics ruled him ineligible for a “comeback” because of a 2003 positive test for steroids. In a messy dispute that could end up in court, UKA is sticking to a ruling stating that retired athletes must undergo a year of negative tests. The IAAF, however, is stating that they never received an official retirement letter, so the rule does not apply to him unless UKA can produce such a letter.
Read more at: [Times Online, UK][Athletics Weekly][More]
Michael Johnson Backs IAAF’s Pistorius Ban
Michael Johnson, the retired 400m world-record holder, agrees with the IAAF’s decision to ban double-amputee Oscar Pistorius because his prosthetic legs (dubbed “Cheetahs”) offer him an “unfair advantage” over other athletes. “If he was racing at the same time as me,” Johnson said, “I would also think the same thing.”
Read more at: [The Tide]
Wariner and Legendary Coach Hart Ways
Clyde Hart, Baylor’s legendary coach who trained Michael Johnson, has parted ways with current 400m world champion Jeremy Wariner after a contract dispute in which Wariner sought to reduce the coach’s percentage. Sanya Richards will continue to train under Hart.
Read more at: [Waco Tribune]
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Elite Men Planning a 2:06 Time in Amsterdam Marathon
Kenyans Jason Mbote (2:08:13) and Paul Kiprop Kirui (PB: 2:06:44) both plan to run new personal bests this Sunday, October 21st, 2007 at the ING Amsterdam Marathon. Mbote said he wants to run between 2:06 and 2:07. The women’s race is expected to be around 2:26. Read more at: [IAAF]
Bulgarian High-Jump Record Holder Says Her 20-Year-Old Record is Legit
High-Jump World Record Holder Stefka Kostadinova, known at home in Bulgaria as “queen of the high-jump,” expects Blanka Vlašić (pictured at right) to break her 20-year-old record next year and is happy that so many women are making an assault on it. She said that it “proves that my achievement is truly feminine and perfectly within human reach.” Read more at: [Yahoo! Sport]
“Pick the Olympic Trials Winners” Contest at Runner’s World
Runner’s World is conducting a contest in which you can pick who you expect will be the top 3 finishers in the U.S. Men’s Olympic Trials Marathon next month in NY City. The contest winner receives a T-shirt autographed by the trials winners. Enter the contest at: [Runner’s World]
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Isinbayeva Predicts World Record to Come Soon
Russian Pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva (right) confidently predicted a new world record will come soon. With a confidence that borders on arrogance, the world-record holder said about tomorrow’s DKB-ISTAF meet in Berlin, “it doesn’t matter who is there, I will only concentrate on myself. Because I am Isinbayeva!” Read more at: [IAAF]
$1 Million Payday Tomorrow at Berlin
The 2007 Golden League concludes tomorrow in Berlin, Germany at the DKB-ISTAF meet. Although Yelena Isinbayeva and Sanya Richards are the only remaining contenders for the $1 Million jackpot, there are still 4 scenarios, including a couple in which Croatian high-jumper Blanka Vlašić plays a role. Read more at: [IAAF]
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