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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

Meseret Defar Smashes Through 9 Minute Barrier
in 2 Mile

Posted September 14th, 2007 at 2:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Ethiopian Meseret Defar, current Olympic and World Champion in the women’s 5000m Run, obliterated her world record in the 2-Mile Run at the Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels, Belgium. She ran 8:58.58, besting her previous world record of 9:10.47 by a whopping 11.89 seconds. Her mile splits were 4:33.07 and 4:25.51. Priscah Ngetich of Kenya ran the 3rd fastest time ever, finishing second in 9:14.09. Five of the eight fastest times ever run in the women’s 2 Mile Run were posted in today’s race.

1. Meseret Defar (ETH) 8:58.58 (World Record)
2. Priscah Ngetich (KEN) 9:14.09 (National Record)
3. Silvia Kibet (KEN) 9:16.62
4. Viola Kibiwot (KEN) 9:18.26
5. Jessica Augusto (POR) 9:22.89 (National Record)
6. Helen Clitheroe (GBR) 9:38.39
7. Veerle Dejaeghere (BEL) 9:49.93 (National Record)
8. Mimi Belete (ETH) 10:06.60
9. Bizunesh Urgesa (ETH) 10:08.10
10. Mahlet Melese (ETH) 10:15.25
DNF Olga Komyagina (RUS)

Source: [alltime-athletics.com]

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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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Van Damme Memorial:
Key Match-ups in Brussels

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

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

kenenisa bekele agent hermens brussels memorial van damme september 2007 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

memorial van damme logo 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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Bekele’s 10,000m W.R. Assault Tops the Bill in Brussels

Posted September 13th, 2007 at 3:00 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

kenenisa bekele winning 10,000m gold medal at 2007 iaaf world championships in athletics Kenenisa Bekele’s assault on his own 10,000m world record is set to take center stage when the Golden League series resumes at the 31st edition of the Memorial Van Damme in the Belgian capital on Friday night.

At this competition two years ago, Bekele lowered his own record in the event to 26:17.53. Then, he was paced by his brother Tariku, who took him through the first half in just over 13:09, before he eventually lowered the mark with a 57-second closing lap.

“A record is not easy every time,” said Bekele, who’ll be making his first start since winning his third consecutive world title over the distance late last month. “You can have it if you work hard, and if the conditions are right, but it’s not easy.”
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On the Road & Around the Track: TFS News Briefs 9/12/07

Posted September 12th, 2007 at 1:30 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

Iona College Cross Country X-C: 3rd Ranked Iona College Wins Stony Brook Invitational
The Iona College men’s cross-country team, ranked 3rd in the USTFCCCA Cross-Country polls behind Wisconsin and Colorado, won the Stony Brook Invitaional. Iona’s men placed 2nd, 5th, 8th, 10th and 11th for a total score of 32 points, nearly half of the 70 points scored by second place finisher Quinnipiac. All five men averaged under 5:00 per mile for the 6K course.Read more at: [NCAA]

No Showdown Between Gay and Powell
Tyson Gay has pulled out of the Memorial Van Damme meet in Brussels, Belgium this coming Friday. It was to be a showdown between the world champion and the world record holder. Read more at: [BBC Sport | Athletics]
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World Records Possible at Brussels, Berlin Meets

Posted September 11th, 2007 at 5:13 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

If you’re the sort of track & field fan who likes to see assaults on world records, you’re not likely to be disappointed at either of the upcoming IAAF Golden League meets. The Memorial Van Damme meet (Friday, 9/14/2007 in Brussels, Belgium) and the DKB-ISTAF meet (Sunday, 9/16/2007 in Berlin, Germany) are historically two of the best meets in the world.

A total of 14 world records have been set at the Stade Roi Baudouin in Brussels, Belgium ever since the inception of the Memorial Van Damme meet, including Kenenisa Bekele’s remarkable 26:17.53 at 10,000m, a pace of 4:14 per mile. The Memorial van Damme meet honors Ivo Van Damme a Belgian middle-distance athlete who won two silver medals (800m and 1500m) at Montreal’s 1976 Olympic Games but whose life was tragically cut short in a car accident in December of that year.
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On the Road & Around the Track: TFS News Briefs
September 11, 2007

Posted September 11th, 2007 at 1:18 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

Live Internet Video Broadcasts of Brussels and Berlin Golden League Meets
Sportnet will have live video broadcasts of the Memorial Van Damme meet (Brussels, Belgium) on 9/14/2007 and the DKB-ISTAF meet (Berlin, Germany) on 9/16/2007. Both meets have storied histories so new world records are not out of the question. Watch the meets and read more at: [Sportnet][Memorial Van Damme][DKB-ISTAF]

Bergqvist Calls it Quits for ‘07; Sets Sights on Beijing
Kajsa Bergqvist, ‘05 world champ in the high jump, has ended her ‘07 season saying, “it does not seem meaningful or fun to carry on competing the way things feel right now.” Having missed the ‘04 Olympics in Athens, she is now focusing on the ‘08 Olympics in Beijing. Read more at: [Guardian Unlimited]
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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

letzigrund stadium september 2007 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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SportNet.com to Broadcast Three More Golden League Events on the Web

Posted July 30th, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

USA Track & Field announced last week that Sportnet.com would broadcast four more track meets live in 2007, including the final three meets of the IAAF Golden League series. Sportnet will also broadcast the the 2007 USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships from Orono, Me. There is no charge to view the meets.