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Lead Stories: Monday, December 1, 2008

Team USA: Day 3 Track Recap

Posted August 17th, 2008 at 3:36 PM by Cheryl Lowe

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

The days of the 2008 Olympic Games are flying by in Beijing, and Team USA is yet to earn a track and field gold medal.

BARRINGER EARNS ANOTHER AMERICAN RECORD, BUT NO MEDAL

In the women’s 3000-meter steeplechase final, Americans Jenny Barringer and Anna Willard competed but did not earn a medal. Barringer, who finished the race in 9:22.26, good for a new American record in the event and 9th place overall. Willard finished behind Barringer in 9:25.63, good for 10th place.

Gulnara Samitova-Galkina (RUS) won the event in 8:58.81, a new World Record. Eunice Jepkorir of Kenya (2nd place) and Yekaterina Volkova of Russia (3rd place) finished in 9:07.41 and 9:07.64 respectively.

LAGAT DOES NOT ADVANCE TO MEN’S 1500M FINALS

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the day, Team USA’s Bernard Lagat failed to advance in the men’s 1500-meter semifinal. Lagat, formerly of Kenya, is competing for the United States this year. Lagat was the first American to finish the race (6th place in heat 2, 3:37.79) but did not qualify for the final.
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Lagat Wins 1500m Final; Webb Misses Out on Beijing

Posted July 6th, 2008 at 10:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Image details: U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials - Day Eight served by picapp.com

The Men’s 1500m at the 2008 US Olympic Trials was billed as a showdown of America’s finest milers and certainly didn’t disappoint. Much of the attention leading up to the race was given to reigning World Champion Bernard Lagat, Alan Webb (the American Record holder in the mile), and former national champion Gabe Jennings. Five runners (Webb, Lagat, Leonel Manzano, Lopez Lomong, and Jon Rankin) achieved the Olympic A standard in previous races, while the rest of the field needed it in this meet to get to Beijing. The US team in each event is made up of the top three Trials finishers who have attained the A standard in the Trials or in a previous race, meaning that the five runners mentioned above could focus on place while the rest of the field needed to watch the clock as well.

The race got out to a fast start in the first 100m with double World Champion Bernard Lagat reaching the pole first. Lagat immediately slowed the pace, bunching up the field and causing a lot of pushing and jostling right behind him. With the A standard already slipping away, Gabe Jennings took the lead at the 300m mark (reached in 47s) and picked up the pace. The field reached the 400m mark in 1:01 and the 800m mark in 2:00.70 as Jennings continued to lead but wasn’t able to make up time on the standard.
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Webb is Back, Back Again

Posted July 4th, 2008 at 12:31 AM by Stephanie Lowe

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Image details: U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials - Day Five served by picapp.com

The much-anticipated U.S. Olympic Trials men’s 1500 meters finally started today with three action-packed qualifying races.

Jordan McNamara of the University of Oregon led the first heat, with Steve Sherer close behind. McNamara stumbled in the third lap, but reacted quickly to hold his front position. However, he did not have enough gas left in the end as he ended up last. Sherer finished strongly in second-place (3:44.71) after Gabe Jennings‘ outstanding kick for first (3:44.39).

The second heat had Lopez Lomong (3:43.38) and Leonel Manzano (3:48.41), who finished first and second. The most exciting moment was Andrew Acosta’s fall. He fell hard, did a back flip and got back up to finish the last laps despite having no chance to catch the rest of the field.

In case you were worried, Webb is back. Alan Webb had a lot to prove after recent performances, but he did well tonight with a 3:41.27, the fastest time of the quarterfinals. Behind Webb were Said Ahmed (3:41.92) and Christopher Lukezic (3:42.10). Bernard Lagat, who already made the Olympic team in the 5000 meters, looked relaxed in the back for most of the race, but eventually finished fourth (3:42.11).
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The Week in the Rear View: Racing News June 9 - June 15

Posted June 16th, 2008 at 4:11 PM by Jay Hicks

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Columns, College, Week in Rear View

The Week In the Rear View is a weekly column wrapping up the week’s events in running and track & field. I am normally found at PreraceJitters.com, writing about the fast life of track and field.

The week in track and field was a wild and exciting one. The NCAA Track and Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa provided a sneak peek of the next set of runners who just forged their name into the history books of this sport and hope to achieve the same kind of success at the next level.

Is LSU ready to be crowned the new collegiate sprint capital? Both the women’s and men’s 100-meter champions hail from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Richard Thompson (10.04) and Kelly-Ann Baptiste (11.20) scored major points for the Tigers this past weekend.

Things certainly did not go as planned for Florida State University’s Walter Dix, but he still found a moment to shine. After a disappointing fourth place finish in the 100-meters, Dix looked like he was shot out of a cannon as he won (20.04) the men’s 200 over Richard Thompson. The Seminole now has his eyes laid squarely on the monumental task of the making the Olympic Team.

Leonel Manzano (Pictured) of the University of Texas showed that Bernard Lagat is not the only 1500 meter runner with a vicious kick. Manzano led wire to wire in wearing out the field in his NCAA championship run while showing incredible heart.

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Stadium Record & NCAA 10,000m Title for Koll

Posted June 13th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College

Hometown favorite Lisa Koll, the American collegiate 10,000m record holder from Iowa State University, shattered the Drake Stadium record here tonight to win the NCAA women’s 10,000m, while Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior Shadrack Songok successfully defended his NCAA men’s 10,000 crown. Both athletes had to contend with warm and humid conditions as the NCAA Division I Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field Championships concluded its second day.

Koll, who earlier this spring shattered the American Collegiate 10,000m record with a 32:11.13 at Stanford University, charged into the lead less than a lap into the race and proceeded to run away from the field, covering the first 1600m in 5:13 and 3200m in 10:25.

Behind her, a tightly bunched pack that included Stanford frosh Alex Gits, Providence’s Danette Doetzel, Boston University’s Marisa Ryan, Iowa’s Diane Nukuri, Arkansas’ Denise Bargiachi, Wisconsin’s Katrina Rundhaug, and several others battled for the medals and critical team points. At 3200, the chase pack was almost 30 seconds behind Koll.
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TFS Podcast 141: Leo Manzano Ready for Des Moines, Drake and Beyond!

Posted June 5th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts, College

Episode 141 of TheFinalSprint.com Podcast features University of Texas senior Leo Manzano, who just won an unprecedented 4th NCAA Midwest Regional Championship in the 1500m. Now Manzano is headed to Des Moines, Iowa to compete in the NCAA National Championships from June 11th through June 14th, 2008, where he is hoping to win his 3rd NCAA National title in the 1500m run.

In the interview Leo talks about his experience at the 2007 Osaka World Championships and how the timing of that experience couldn’t have been better. He also discusses his upcoming race at the US Olympic Trials, whether or not he will turn pro and how the 90 degree heat he’s experienced all spring while training will help him.

Download the podcast to listen to Leo talk about his long-term goals, both running and otherwise, the favorite race of his distinguished career and his advice to young runners.

TO DOWNLOAD: Right click here and select “Save As”

Host: Jimmie Markham | Guest: Leo Manzano
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 9.15 MB | Length: 00:13:20

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

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New Balance Collegiate Invitational Begins Today; Manzano Ready to Compete

Posted February 8th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College

New York City’s most important collegiate track meet, the New Balance Collegiate Invitational, begins today at the New Balance Track & Field Center at the Armory. It will be the eighth annual edition of this mega-meet which encompasses both high school and university athletes. Teams from over 100 colleges are expected to take part.

The nation’s top middle-distance collegiate runner, Leonel Manzano of the University of Texas, will be opening his 2008 season at this meet, running both the distance medley relay today and the mile tomorrow. “Leo,” as he is known to his friends seemed itchy to get on the fast Armory track again when he spoke to the New York Track Writers luncheon last Monday via telephone from Austin.
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Fast times take Webb, Robinson & Johnson to
U.S. Outdoor T&F Titles

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 7:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The air was warm and definitely sticky, but that didn’t prevent Alysia Johnson, Khadevis Robinson and Alan Webb from posting fast times as they each won their respective events on the final day of the AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at the Michael A. Carroll Stadium at Indiana University-Purdue University.

Johnson, the University of California star who won the NCAA 800m title on June 9, needed to run nearly the same fast time here to beat back the challenges of Hazel Clark, three-time USA 800m champion, and Alice Schmidt, the 2006 USA indoor champion.
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AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Webb edges Lagat; breaks Scott’s meet record

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 6:09 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Alan Webb has long spoke about wanting to break Steve Scott’s records, and he got one of them Sunday in a thrilling Nike men’s 1,500m. Webb ran in the style that suits him best, taking the lead and pushing the pace. Webb towed the pack through quick splits of 57.56 for 400m and 1:56.23 for 800, when defending champion Bernard Lagat took the lead.

Webb and company stayed right with Lagat, however, with Said Ahmed, Chris Lukezic and Leonel Manzano also tailing the leader. Lagat passed 1,200 in 2:53.8 as the race continued to escalate. Coming off the final curve, Lagat, Webb, Lukezic and Manzano all were in the running, and it came down to a final sprint.
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Gay doubles at USA Champs, Takes 200M title on final day

Posted June 24th, 2007 at 4:15 PM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Former Hogs Tyson Gay and Wallace Spearmon, Jr. took first and second place, respectively, in the 200-meter finals on day four of competition at the AT&T USA Championships at Indianapolis’ Michael A. Carroll Stadium on the campus of IUPUI.

With a personal best and the fastest time run in the world this year, Gay won the event with a clocking of 19.62 into a headwind. The clocking moves him to No. 2 on the all-time list behind Michael Johnson’s 19.32. Before today’s race he sat at No. 5 with his former PR of 19.68.
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