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Lead Stories: Thursday, August 28, 2008

IAAF Meet Preview: Aviva London Super Grand Prix

Posted July 24th, 2008 at 12:01 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The IAAF’s World Athletics Tour comes to London’s Crystal Palace for a Super Grand Prix meet on Friday and Saturday.

TV coverage: Universal Sports, 1-4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday
Web coverage: WCSN.com, 1-4 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday (subscription required)
Note: free coverage will likely be available at BBC.co.uk; watch the comments section for details

Event-by-Event Previews:
Friday’s headline event is the men’s 100 meters, where Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell will face off. Powell showed on Tuesday that he is once again a force to be reckoned with by defeating Usain Bolt, the world record holder. Will Gay be fully recovered from his injury at the Olympic Trials?
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London Marathon to Announce New Title Sponsor

Posted May 12th, 2008 at 2:24 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Beginning in the spring of 2010, it won’t be called the “Flora London Marathon” any longer. But what will be the new name?

Journalists have been asked to assemble at the Tower Hotel on St. Katharine Way in London on Friday, May 16, to find out which company will be the London Marathon’s new title sponsor.

Race Results Weekly (RRW) spoke on background to a high-ranking London Marathon official on the day of the Boston Marathon who said that the London event had been pitched by five well-heeled sponsors all vying for the privilege of bankrolling the world’s top spring marathon.

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London Marathon Champions Return for BUPA London 10,000

Posted May 7th, 2008 at 10:28 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Britain’s two leading organizers of road races have joined forces to launch a new event slated for Monday, May 26. Dubbed the BUPA London 10,000, the event will be jointly produced by the Flora London Marathon and Nova International and will feature Martin Lel (Pictured) and Irina Mikitenko, the 2008 Flora London Marathon champions.

“We are delighted to have such strong elite fields for the first ever BUPA London 10,000,” said David Bedford, race director of the Flora London Marathon. “To have our current Flora London Marathon champions on the start line is a great boost for us in our first year.”
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Ryan Hall: Post-London Recap “It’s Just the Beginning”
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #8)

Posted April 18th, 2008 at 7:00 PM by Ryan Hall

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Ryan Hall

Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Ryan Hall as he begins his quest for Olympic gold! Check back every other Friday for Ryan’s latest entry at http://ryanhall.thefinalsprint.com/

As has become my custom before all my best races, my travel to London was crazy. Before breaking an hour at the Houston Half-Marathon it was a monster snowstorm that left us in a ditch and literally snowed in, before London last year it was nearly missing my flight as I realized that the train from San Diego would not drop me off at LAX like I had thought (although my tardiness did result in me getting the last available seat on the plane…in first class), before the Olympic Trials it was the fires and smoke that made for a juggle in travel arrangements and then an earthquake to shake things up just hours before our flight. So when travel got crazy heading to the London marathon you would think I would be excited to know that a good race was on schedule. However, I had a hard time seeing it that way.
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Ryan Hall returns to Flora London Marathon Sunday

Posted April 11th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Marathons

As the Flora London Marathon marks the opening race of the 2008 World Marathon Majors on Sunday, fans of rising U.S. marathon star Ryan Hall (Big Bear Lake, Calif.) will be watching with great anticipation as he attempts to become only the third American to win the race after Dick Beardsley and Khalid Khannouchi.

At 25, Hall has built a wealth of marathon knowledge in his only two runs at the distance. His debut at the Flora London Marathon in 2007 saw him running with the leaders in the late stages of the race, eventually finishing seventh in an American debut record of 2:08:24. In November, Hall would go on to dominate the U.S. Olympic Trials Marathon in New York. Running an Olympic Trials record of 2:09:02 over a challenging course in Central Park, Hall cruised to the win by more than two minutes, the largest winning margin since the beginning of the Olympic Trials Marathon.
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2008 Olympian Ryan Hall’s Introspective and London Marathon Workout Video

Posted April 9th, 2008 at 1:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Motivation, Movies, Olympics

The video documentary embedded below was released on GodTube and sent to us late last night by producer and elite American distance runner Josh Cox. It features 2008 U.S. Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall as he embarks on a nearly 24 mile marathon simulation run around Big Bear Lake; the most challenging training run in his preparation for this Sunday’s Flora London Marathon.

In the inspiring and profoundly spiritual documentary, Hall expresses heart-felt sentiments about the purpose of his running, World Vision, what fuels his inner drive, his intense devotion to faith and the desire to encourage and motivate others. There are also a few lighter moments, such as Hall’s conversations with his wife, Sara, about “finally cutting his hair” after London, as well as, several deeply personal dialogues, including a scene where Hall tells his supporters:

“I would really appreciate any of you guys who want to be praying for me to strive together with me as it talks about in Romans 15:30. Strive together with me in your prayers … It’s the way that you can not only watch this video but you can also participate in the race with me.”

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Hall and Wanjiru Added to London Marathon Field

Posted January 7th, 2008 at 12:30 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Race director David Bedford has beefed up his already robust field for the 2008 Flora London Marathon by adding two of the sport’s most promising marathon stars: Ryan Hall (Pictured) of Big Bear Lake, Calif., and Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. The 28th edition of the race is scheduled for Sunday, April 13.

Hall, 25, is coming off of a dramatic victory at the USA Olympic Team Trials - Men’s Marathon held in New York City last November. The former Stanford University star ran a brilliant race, saving his strength during the first half of the hilly, five-loop course in Central Park before unleashing a seemingly effortless 62:45 for the second half. His finish time of 2:09:02 was a Trials record, despite the fact that he lost at least half a minute in the final miles celebrating his victory. Hall also ran 2:08:24 at London in his debut last April, a USA debut record.
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Lel Leads Stacked Elite Field for 2008 London Marathon

Posted December 12th, 2007 at 10:15 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Marathons

Martin Lel, the only man to ever win the Flora London and ING New York City Marathons in the same year, headlines London’s field for next April, race director Dave Bedford announced today.

The 29 year-old Lel, who won both the London and New York races in sprint finishes over Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri, also won London in 2005. He has a personal best time of 2:06:41.

“I am very pleased to be able to defend my title.,” Lel commented through a media release. “I am training hard to make sure I am in top shape for my bid to win a third time. I know it will be tough, but I love running in London and am confident I can win again.”
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IAAF President Praises London 2012 Olympic
Stadium Design

Posted November 12th, 2007 at 11:25 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

The President of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) has praised the designs of the London 2012 Olympic Stadium.

President of the IAAF Mr Lamine Diack said: ‘The designs for the 2012 Olympic stadium indicate a secure future for the Olympics’ number one sport in the British capital.

‘London’s successful bid for the 2012 Games had legacy at its heart, and in particular, the need to provide sustainable venues and projects, as part of a vision of the city’s future development.

‘In turn, the sport of Athletics, whose rules and heritage owe so much to Great Britain, has been in desperate need for a world class competition facility in London, to showcase the sport in the UK, especially for international events such as the annual IAAF Super Grand Prix.

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Defar Leads Top Women’s Field in London 5-K

Posted September 11th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results

Reigning Olympic and world 5000m champion, Meseret Defar, leads a top-notch field at Sunday’s Hydro Active Women’s Challenge in London’s Hyde Park, a 5 km road race. The 23 year-old Ethiopian is also the world record holder for both 5000m on the track (14:16.63) and 5 km on the road (14:46).

“Naturally we are very pleased to have the world and Olympic 5000m champion Meseret Defar, fresh from her victory in Osaka heading up our elite field in London, the UK’s premier 5-k women’s road running event,” said Dave Bedford who directs the race. Bedford is also the race director of the Flora London Marathon.

Bedford has also invited a strong group of challengers to face Defar, led by Australia’s Benita Johnson, America’s Lauren Fleshman, Russia’s Inge Abitova, and Britain’s Jo Pavey and Liz Yelling.

This will be the tenth edition of the Challenge which organizers said had 20,000 entrants last year. The course record of 14:51 was set by Paula Radcliffe in 2003.
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