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Nike Press Release: NTN to Become Nike Cross Nationals (NXN), Include Individuals
Posted May 14th, 2008 at 4:26 PM by Martin Kennedy
Section: News & Results, Cross Country, High School
Nike today announced that its Nike Team Nationals (NTN) team cross-country championship will expand this year to include individuals, becoming Nike Cross Nationals (NXN). The Nike Team Nationals event, which began in 2004, featured the 22 best teams of each gender selected via a series of regional qualifying events. This year, the top 22 teams will be joined by the 90 fastest individuals from non-qualifying teams. Nike Cross Nationals is the only national cross-country championship for both teams and individuals.
“Nike Cross Nationals is going to be the ultimate competition for high school cross country,” said Ken Dice, vice president of the Nike USA Brand. “It’s true cross country, and a true national championship. We’re inviting the best runners in the country, whether they compete individually or as part of a team. Nike Cross Nationals is going to take cross country to a whole new level of competition for these elite athletes.”
Bekele to Attempt 10,000m Record at Prefontaine Classic
Posted May 13th, 2008 at 1:30 PM by David Monti
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
He’s already owns the two fastest 10,000m times in history, but reigning world and Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele hopes he can go even faster at next month’s Prefontaine Classic meeting in Eugene, Ore. It would be his first outdoor appearance in the United States.
“The record (26:17.53) is not easy,” said Bekele’s Dutch manager, Jos Hermens, through a media release. “But this is an absolutely serious attempt. His training is going well, and he is 100% ‘go’ for the record.”
The 10,000m race will be held in the morning at 9:30 on June 8, well before the regular meet begins at 12:30. Organizers feel the weather will be good at that time for a record attempt.
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2008 Women’s Collegiate Dual-Meet Rankings
Posted May 7th, 2008 at 3:00 PM by Jesse Squire
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College
On Monday I posted the men’s dual-meet rankings. Here are the women’s rankings, following the same rules and formats:
#1. Southern Cal
The Trojans beat UCLA, and that’s all they needed to be ranked at the top.
#2. Minnesota
The Golden Gophers won the four-team Pepsi Collegiate Challenge by a single point over Oregon.
#3. Oregon
The Ducks took a narrow second at the Pepsi Challenge, defeating Penn State and Washington. (Next year they are expected to join in the revived men’s dual meet with UCLA.)
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Dathan Ritzenehin:
Homeward Bound: New Beginnings and Role Reversals
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #5)
Posted May 6th, 2008 at 4:30 PM by Dathan Ritzenhein
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Elite Athlete Blogs, Dathan Ritzenhein
Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Dathan Ritzenhein! Check back every other Tuesday for Ritz’s latest entry at http://dathanritzenhein.thefinalsprint.com/ as he prepares to represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics!
Sunday night, a night of great races [at the Peyton Jordan Cardinal Invitational], made me want to be out there racing. Even though I was at home, already in my pajamas, I wanted to be there racing. Watching Brent Vaughn grit his teeth down the homestretch, and Shalane [Flanagan]’s American Record was also exciting. I would check the computer intermittently to catch an update of the races. Stanford is such a great place to go if you want great weather and fast times. No other place or meet has the predictability and guarantee that Stanford can offer.
It is always one of the hardest things to do; watching races when you are sitting at home, but I just have to keep my head down and work hard know that I will be ready for August 24th.
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2008 Men’s Collegiate Dual-Meet Rankings
Posted May 5th, 2008 at 9:30 AM by Jesse Squire
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, College
Years ago, the dual meet was the cornerstone of the college schedule, with some schools regularly taking part in half a dozen of them per year. Even into the early 80s they were quite common. But when budgets were slashed and team sized plummeted, the dual meet dropped off the radar screen.
The regionals format for outdoor track has taken much of the pressure off in terms of getting an NCAA qualifying mark, and in recent years the meet has seen a bit of a resurgence; a few were even carried on regional cable TV. This past weekend saw the end of the dual-meet season with three rather important matchups (USC vs. UCLA, Washington vs. Washington State, and Arizona vs. Arizona State vs. Northern Arizona).
Recognizing this fact, I’m going to reinstate something Track & Field News once did: National Dual-Meet Rankings. Rules for ranking are as follows.
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Jon Rankin:
Somewhere Only We Know
(Elite Athlete Blog - Entry #11)
Posted May 1st, 2008 at 10:30 AM by Jon Rankin
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Elite Athlete Blogs, Jon Rankin
Welcome to the official blog of rising U.S. track & field star Jon Rankin; the inaugural member of The Final Sprint’s Elite Athlete Blog Series. Be sure to check back every other Wednesday for Jon’s latest entry at http://jonrankin.thefinalsprint.com/
It’s the end of April and the weather here in San Diego is getting hotter and hotter. I’m grateful for the warm weather, but boy, anything over 90 degrees makes things a little tough for training. However, as hot as it has been I do believe that it must be a blessing in disguise because I’ve been told that the weather in Beijing, China is particularly warm . . . Well, all of the athletes living here at the ARCO Olympic Training Center here in Chula Vista, California are adjusting and making the most of everyday no matter the weather conditions.
I’ve actually been on the opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to weather conditions. For nearly eight days a small group of track and field athletes from the Chula Vista ARCO Olympic Training Center travelled to Eugene, Oregon for a sneak peek at the Olympic Trials venue at Hayward field on the University of Oregon campus.
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Gatlin Doping Ban Reduced to 4 Years; Ineligible for 2008 Olympic Title Defense
Posted January 1st, 2008 at 3:03 PM by Adam Jacobs
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports
Earlier today The Washington Post reported that American sprinter Justin Gatlin’s doping ban had been reduced by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to four years.
Although the 25-year old sprinter had originally faced a possible eight-year ban, the reduction will not be enough to make him eligible to defend his Olympic 100m gold medal in Beijing.
The USADA announced that the ban, which had been reduced as a result of Gatlin’s help with the federal investigation of former coach Trevor Graham, will expire on May 24, 2010. Gatlin needed the ban reduced to two years in order to compete in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials this June in Eugene, OR.
Dathan Ritzenhein Named
Visa Humanitarian Athlete
of the Year
Posted November 27th, 2007 at 7:45 AM by Martin Kennedy
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
Two-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein has been named Visa Humanitarian Athlete of the Year by USA Track & Field. Ritzenhein will be honored December 1 at the 2007 Jesse Owens Awards and Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony held in conjunction with USA Track & Field’s 2007 Annual Meeting, November 28-December 2, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Ritzenhein, 24, of Eugene, Oregon, earlier this year won the Healthy Kidney 10K in New York on May 19 in 20 minutes 8 seconds, breaking the Central Park course record of 28:10 set by Kenyan Paul Koech in 1997. Following the race Ritzenhein donated his winner’s earnings of $7,500 to the race beneficiary, the National Kidney Foundation. “I made a pact with myself before the race that if I’m fortunate enough to pick up this course record the least I can do is give back the first place prize money seeing as how this is professional athletics, but it’s a race for charity,” said Ritzenhein.
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Kipyego Too Tough To Beat in Women’s NCAA XC Champs
Posted November 19th, 2007 at 6:00 PM by Bob Ramsak
Section: News & Results, Cross Country, College
From gun to tape, the women’s division of today’s NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships had only one leader: Sally Kipyego of Texas Tech. The junior from Kenya ran away from the field to defend her individual title in 19:30.9 (unofficial) over the 6 km course in Terre Haute, Ind.
Last year, Kipyego sprinted to the fore at the gun and never looked back. However, Kipyego was content to run most of the first mile with a lead pack this year that included three others: Colorado’s Jenny Barringer, the 2006 runner-up, Florida State’s Susan Kuijken, and Iowa’s Diana Nukuri.
Kipyego started to edge ahead on a long downhill just past the mile passing the 2 km in 6:26. Barringer, Kuijken, and Nukuri were only a second behind at the split before the field made their way up the course’s second long incline.
From that point on, Kipyego simply extended her lead over the chase pack — passing 4 km in 13:01, 11 seconds ahead of Barringer, Kuijken, and Nukuri.
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Teresa McWalters named USATF Athlete of the Week
Posted November 14th, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
Teresa McWalters has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after winning the women’s NCAA West Regional title Saturday in Eugene, Ore.
A senior at Stanford, McWalters won the individual title, covering the 6 km course in19 minutes 57.30 seconds. Her victory led the Stanford women to the team title with 33 points over Oregon, who came in a distant second with 76 points.
Now in its sixth year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
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- West Coast Bank to sponsor Portland Marathon
West Coast Bank (Nasdaq: WCBO) is the exclusive bank sponsor of the 36th Annual Portland Marathon on October 7, 2007. West Coast Bank employees, as volunteers, will also provide support for runners and walkers in the event, heading up the West Coast Bank Aid Station located near mile 25 of the course.
President and CEO Robert […] - Quote of the Day: 9/12/07
“Running, one might say, is basically an absurd pastime upon which to be exhausting ourselves. But if you can find meaning in the type of running you need to do … chances are you’ll be able to find meaning in that other absurd pastime … LIFE”
- Bill Bowerman in “Without Limits” - Stanford #1 In 2007 Pre-Season Women’s Cross Country Rankings
Two-time defending NCAA champion Stanford opens the 2007 cross country season ranked first in the country among Division I women’s teams, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced today.
Stanford received nine of the 13 first-place votes in the initial poll. Michigan is ranked second. Third-ranked Colorado received the remaining four first-place […] - Wisconsin #1 In 2007 Pre-Season Men’s Cross Country Rankings
If the first Division I men’s poll of the season is a reliable indicator; this should be a very interesting cross country season at the national level.
Wisconsin claimed the top spot in the poll released Tuesday by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. The Badgers received five first-place votes to […] - Podcast 77: 2004 Olympian DAN BROWNE on his third 20km U.S. title and more!
Episode sponsored by: Bill Rodgers Sportswear
After 21 years Bill Rodgers Sportswear is closing out their line of high-quality running apparel. Visit shopfest.com to take advantage of an unprecedented 50% discount on all in-stock items!
Episode 77 of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with DAN BROWNE, a 2004 Olympian, on earning his third 20km […] - Oregon Farmers At Odds With “Elitist Athletes”
Oregon’s grass-seed farmers are taking issue with a possible ban on agricultural field burning during next year’s Olympic Trials, set to be held at Eugene’s historic Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus from June 27 to July 6, 2008.
Agricultural field burning, or controlled burning, as it is sometimes called, is the […] - Quote of the Day: 8/17/07
“There is no such thing as bad weather, just soft people.”
- Bill Bowerman - Salazar remains hospitalized
Three-time ING New York City Marathon champion Alberto Salazar remains hospitalized in serious condition after collapsing on Saturday on the Nike campus in Beaverton, Ore., the Associated Press reported today.
He suffered from a “heart event” the report said.
For more information please check out this detailed story from: [USA Today] - Fast times take Webb, Robinson & Johnson to
U.S. Outdoor T&F TitlesThe 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 […] - Famed Hayward Field prepares to continue legacy at 2008 Olympic Trials
Ground was broken on Monday at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field, which hosted the legendary Prefontaine Classic last weekend in Eugene, OR; initiating the venues’ transformation as it prepares to host the fast-approaching 2008 Olympic Trials.
The first phase of renovations that will, when completed, amount to $7.39 million began with the excavation of the […]
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On May 16, 2008
Jeremy said:
His only real advantage is his limitless desire to compete. He's definitely an inspiration.