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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

TFS News Briefs: 12/19/07

Posted December 19th, 2007 at 3:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

Pistorius Report Sent To IAAF, To Be Made Public on January 10th
The IAAF, who commissioned a biomechanical analysis on Oscar Pistorius’ prosthetics, has received the results but will not make the report public until January 10th, 2008. Pistorius, a double amputee, is hoping to be cleared by the IAAF to try and qualify for the Beijing Olympics.Read more at: [IAAF]

IAAF Road-Running TV Show Set for 2008
The IAAF, along with Fox Sports International, will be broadcasting a weekly road-running show in 2008 title “Running Road Show.” According to the IAAF, the shows will cover “a variety of topics from lifestyle to competition updates and runner profiles, meeting the world’s greatest runners and reliving the world’s greatest road races.” A total of 50 shows are slotted for 2008 with an option for renewal. Read more at: [IAAF]

Kayoko Fukushi to Make Marathon Debut in Osaka
Kayoko Fukushi, Japan’s record holder for the 5000m and the half-marathon, is set to make her marathon debut at the Osaka International Ladies Marathon on January 27th, 2008. Her motivation in doing so is to qualify for Beijing in the marathon. Read more at: [The Daily Yomiuri, Japan]
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On the Road & Around the Track: TFS News Briefs September 14, 2007

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 12:55 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

Live Video Broadcast of IAAF Golden League Memorial Van Damme
Sportnet will host a live video broadcast the IAAF Golden League Memorial Van Damme meet. Live coverage runs from 2:00 PM to 5:30 PM (ET). For more information and to view the broadcast: [Sportnet]

Event-By-Event Breakdown of Brussels Meet
Runnersweb.com has a detailed breakdown of every event in the Memorial Van Damme meet, part of the IAAF Golden League. Included in the event summaries is some breaking news about top middle-distance runners Mehdi Baala and Alan Webb. 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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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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Despite attempted coup Bekele retains 10,000m throne

Posted August 27th, 2007 at 8:57 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The prince saw an opportunity to take the throne, but in the end the king’s reign would continue, at least for another two years.

That was the basic scenario which played out in tonight’s much-anticipated men’s 10,000m final which capped an exciting evening of middle and long distance running at the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics at Nagai Stadium.

Sileshi Sihine, the Ethiopian who took the silver medal behind compatriot Kenenisa Bekele at both the 2004 Olympic Games and the 2005 World Championships, saw a chance to move up to the top step of the podium when Bekele fell to third place late in the race and appeared to be struggling.

A fast pace set by world cross country champion Zersenay Tadesse of Eritrea followed by an attack with three laps to go by Kenyan Martin Irungu Mathathi, set the stage for Sihine’s bid for victory. He shot ahead, opening a big gap and it looked like a gold medal move.
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Greatest Combined 800m/1500m Runners of All-Time?

Posted July 30th, 2007 at 2:52 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

With Alan Webb’s noteworthy 800m and 1500m times this season, I thought it’d be interesting to find out how he ranked on the all-time list of combined 800m/1500m times.

To be considered for inclusion on this list, a runner must have run both a sub-1:45 outdoor 800m and a sub-3:35 outdoor 1500m. I did an analysis and discovered that only 41 runners in history belong to this elite club, including Webb, who ranks 12th. Included in this club are 14 Kenyans, 5 Brits, 4 Americans, 3 Bahrainis, 3 Frenchmen and 2 Sudanese. Here they are, in order:

Rank. Name (Country) Combined 800m/1500m Time
1. Sebastian Coe (GBR) 5:11.50
2. Mehdi Baala (FRA) 5:12.13
3. Noureddine Morceli (ALG) 5:12.16
4. Steve Cram (GBR) 5:12.55
5. Noah Ngeny (KEN) 5:12.61
6. William Chirchir (KEN) 5:12.62
7. Rachid Ramzi (BRN) 5:13.19
8. Saïd Aouita (MAR) 5:13.32
9. Laban Rotich (KEN) 5:13.56
10. William Tanui (KEN) 5:13.88
11. Abdi Bile (SOM) 5:14.15
12. Alan Webb (USA) 5:14.38
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Webb’s 1500m win the Highlight in Paris

Posted July 8th, 2007 at 6:00 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

With a brilliant display of assertive racing, Alan Webb powered to a 3:30.54 victory in the 1500 this weekend to highlight the Meeting Gaz de France Paris-St. Denis; the second stop on the six-meet IAAF Golden League series.

Running aggressively from the outset, the 24-year-old three-time American champion never lost control of the race, despite the relatively brisk pace.

“I knew it was going to be hard,” Webb said, explaining his decision to run near the front from the gun despite the pre-race plan for a 2:47 split through 1200 meters. “I could have been in fifth place and it would have been hard.”
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Men’s 1500 the key attraction as IAAF Golden League resumes in Paris

Posted July 6th, 2007 at 11:17 AM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

For the crowd of 65,000 that is expected to turn out for tonight’s Meeting Gaz de France, one event will stand head and shoulders above the rest –the men’s 1500, which features French star Mehdi Baala squaring off against American Bernard Lagat.

Baala, the world leader after his solo 3:31.05 in Strasbourg last week, apparently doesn’t mind the pressure. In fact, he added to it yesterday when declaring that he’ll be chasing his own national record of 3:28.98 set in 2003.

Lagat, who will be making his ninth straight appearance here, is pleased that the spotlight will be focused elsewhere.
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