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Lead Stories: Sunday, November 23, 2008

U.S. stars invade Shanghai

Posted September 27th, 2007 at 3:30 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Team USA standouts Tyson Gay, Sanya Richards, Jeremy Wariner, Michelle Perry, Allen Johnson and Lauryn Williams will lead an accomplished group of U.S. stars Friday at the 2007 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix in China.

This third edition of the Golden Grand Prix in Shanghai has been designated as a qualifying event for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final 2008. Competing athletes at the meet will have the opportunity to get an early start on qualifying for next year’s final, to be held September 13-14.

Current world and U.S. men’s 100m and 200m champion Tyson Gay will compete in the 100 meters in a field that includes fellow Americans JJ Johnson and Marcus Brunson. The men’s 110m hurdles also should prove interesting as four-time world champion Allen Johnson and 2007 World Outdoor Championships bronze medalist David Payne do battle with world record holder and reigning world and Olympic champion Liu Xiang, who will compete in front of an enthusiastic hometown audience.
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Richards, Walker and Jeter win at World Athletics Final

Posted September 24th, 2007 at 8:30 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Sanya Richards closed out her European season in style Sunday, winning the women’s 400 in the second and final day of competition at the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart, Germany.

Richards continued in her impressive string of world-leading wins in the women’s 400. Coming off world leaders in the last three Golden League meets, Richards dropped another WL on Sunday with her time of 49.27, tying her winning time from Berlin last Sunday. Novlene Williams of Jamaica was second in 50.12; American Mary Wineberg was seventh in 50.73.

World champion Brad Walker continued his excellence in the men’s pole vault. As the only person in the field to clear 5.91m/19-5.75, Walker topped the rest of the field by 5 cm. American Jeff Hartwig placed sixth in the field with 5.70m/18-8.25.

World Outdoor bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter posted her second big win of the season, taking the women’s 100 in 11.10, with Osaka 200m gold medalist Allyson Felix second in 11.15 and World Outdoor 100m silver medalist Lauryn Williams fifth in 11.31. Jeter also won the 100 in Berlin last Sunday.
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AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Stuczynski wins Gill pole vault; Dilling earns surprise victory in high jump

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 4:29 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Slick conditions and swirling winds played havoc with the jumping events, but American record holder Jenn Stuczynski still was able to come out on top in the Gill women’s pole vault, clearing 4.45m/14-7.25. Nikole McEwen was second at the same height, clearing on her second attempt, with Lacy Janson third at 4.35m/14-3.25.

The Gill men’s high jump was more unpredictable. NCAA Division II champion Jim Dilling of Minnesota-Mankato was a surprise winner at a height of 2.27m/7-5.25. Two-time national champion Jamie Nieto tied for second with Adam Shunk as both men had no misses up to and including clearances at 2.24m/7-4.25. Neither Nieto nor Shunk has the A standard at the moment, but fourth-place Jesse Williams and fifth-place Keith Moffatt do.
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AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Sunday event previews

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Allyson Rosen

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

WOMEN’S 20K RACEWALK FINAL

Key Athletes: Teresa Vaill, Sam Cohen, Jolene Moore

Vaill won two in a row before yielding to Joanne Dow last year. Dow is not competing this time, so look for the 44-year-old Vaill to win here based on her victory at the Pan Am Cup Trials in March.

GILL WOMEN’S POLE VAULT FINAL, 12:00 p.m.

Key Athletes: Jenn Stuczynski, Jillian Schwartz, Niki McEwen

Stuczynski has been the dominant US vaulter since bursting onto the scene in 2005, setting her latest American record with the nation’s first 16-0 clearance at the Reebok meet June 2. She is best in the world so far this year. Schwartz was the USA runner-up 2006, and McEwen was third at the Reebok meet with a 14-10 3/4 vault.

AT&T MEN’S 200 SEMIFINAL & FINAL, 12:00 p.m. & 2:20 p.m.

Key Athletes: Tyson Gay, Wallace Spearmon, Xavier Carter

All of the major players who showed up for the prelims advanced easily to the next round, led by Gay’s 20.66 in the fourth heat. Spearmon won last year and went on to record the third-fastest time ever at 19.65. Carter zipped to the #2 time ever at Lausanne in ‘06, clocking 19.63, and he won this year’s Pre Classic with a season-best 20.23.
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