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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

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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Richards, Isinbayeva Split $1 Million Jackpot as Golden League Series Concludes

Posted September 17th, 2007 at 8:32 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Sanya Richards and Yelena Isinbayeva each won a $500,000 share of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot after their respective victories at the ISTAF meeting in Berlin today, the final meet of the six-meet Golden League series.

In front of a near-capacity crowd of 70,000 –the third consecutive announced Golden League sell-out – Richards yet again crushed all opposition en route to a 49.27 dash, another world-leading performance for the 22-year-old American.

“Nobody knows how hard this year has been for me,” said Richards, who after early-season illness, finished fourth at the U.S. championships in June and missed a spot on the world championships squad. “I feel much stronger now than I did two months ago.”

It was the second perfect six-for-six Golden League campaign for Richards, who last year took a smaller share of the prize pot. But for Isinbayeva, the world record holder in the pole vault and one of the sport’s biggest stars, it was the first time her event was given GL status, and she took full advantage over the three month campaign to share half of the sport’s biggest prize. Next up for the 25-year-old Russian, she said, was an assault on her own 5.02m world record which has stood for more than two years.
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Van Damme Memorial:
Key Match-ups in Brussels

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 12:45 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The IAAF Golden League series continues tonight in the Belgian capital. Kenenisa Bekele’s assault on his own 10,000m world record is set to take center stage, while American Sanya Richards and Russian Pole Vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva continue in their chase for the $1 million Golden League Jackpot. A crowd of 47,000 will be on hand for the meet’s 31st edition, the 11th consecutive sell-out.

An event-by-event breakdown:

MEN – 100m:

While some initial speculation built this as a possible match between world champion Tyson Gay and world record holder Asafa Powell, in reality the face-off was never in the cards; the most likely scenario was that Powell would contest the 100, and Gay the 200. The morning after last Friday’s Zurich meet, Gay told meet director Wilfried Meert that he felt “miserable”, and eventually went home to see his personal physician, bowing out of the meet altogether.
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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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On the Road & Around the Track: TFS News Briefs 9/10/07

Posted September 10th, 2007 at 2:02 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

Asafa Powell:
“I Can Do 9.68 Seconds”
Asafa Powell, after running a new world record of 9.74 seconds at a minor meet in Italy on Sunday, said, “This means that I can do even 9.68 secs, I’m worth that time, I know it.” Read more at: [SportingLife.com]

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New World Record in Women’s 100K
Norimi Sakurai of Japan set a new women’s 100K world record Saturday at the Stichting Ultraloop Winschoten in Holland. Her time of 7:00:27 broke the previous record set by American Ann Trason at the same race in 1995. Read more at: [Runnersweb.com]
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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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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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Despite Unprecedented World Double, Some Unfinished Business for Lagat

Posted September 7th, 2007 at 10:27 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Bernard Lagat readily admits that the physical and psychological efforts of his five race visit to Osaka, and an unprecedented 1500/5000m double, have taken their toll. That doesn’t mean though, that the 32-year-old still doesn’t have a few goals remaining for this season.

“I’ve achieved so much in those nine days,” Lagat said of his historical double victory at the World Championships, one which ended a 99-year American gold medal drought in the middle distances. “In nine days running those five events took a lot out of me. I just wanted to conserve my energy for a few more races.”

Most immediately on his calendar is the 3000 tonight at Zurich’s Weltklasse, where he’ll compete for the ninth consecutive year. Although his race, like all other middle and long distance events, won’t be paced, Lagat doesn’t think that precludes fast performances.

“I’m really willing to run fast,” he said. “I really respect the Weltklasse. I’ve run here non-stop since 1999. And I feel like a have a duty here, and really want to make the 3000 meters here the most exciting race to watch.”
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Nixing Pacemakers and Increasing Prize pot, Zurich Introduces new one-day Meet Approach

Posted September 6th, 2007 at 4:39 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

When the IAAF Golden Series resumes on Friday night, Zurich’s rebuilt state-of-the-art Letzigrund Stadium won’t be the only new development at one of the world’s richest single-day meetings. For the first time in the sport’s professional era, the annual Weltklasse competition will not employ the services of pacemakers.

And that suits Bernard Lagat, the recently minted world champion at 1500 and 5000 meters, just fine.

“It’s fantastic,” said Lagat, who will contest the 3000 on Friday. “People always run fast and they get personal bests with pacemakers, but then again it’s so important that the race becomes tactical.”
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Wariner, Vlasic move up to
No. 3 All-Time in Stockholm

Posted August 7th, 2007 at 5:00 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Jeremy Wariner underscored his dominance in the men’s 400m after his blistering 43.50 victory at the DN Galan Super Grand Prix in Stockholm tonight.

Wariner, the reigning world and Olympic champion and still just 23, won by nearly a full second over fellow American Kerron Clement (44.48, personal best), to move up a notch on the all-time world list, tying American Quincy Watts as the third fastest in history. Only world record holders Michael Johnson (43.18) and Butch Reynolds (43.29) have run faster.

Wariner’s effort was one of several outstanding performances at what was the finest single-day meet of the season.
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