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Lead Stories: Monday, October 13, 2008

World Points Standings: Men’s Middle and Long Distance

Posted June 12th, 2008 at 10:23 AM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Rankings, World Standings

Yesterday I posted the first edition of my World Points Standings, the men’s sprints. Today I continue with the men’s distance events.

800 meters
1. Abuber Kaki Khamis, 75
2. David Lekuta Rudisha, 63
3. Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, 59
4. Abraham Chepkirwok, 53
5. Yusuf Saad Kamel, 46
5. Alfred Kirwa Yego, 46
7. Dmitrijs Milkevics, 35
8. Khadevis Robinson, 32
9. Richard Kiplagat, 30
10. Dmitriy Bogdanov, 29

Our two great newcomers, Kaki and Rudisha, are head and shoulders above the rest.
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Who Is the Greatest Male Runner Of All Time?

Posted April 16th, 2008 at 9:45 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, SoundOFF, Columns

Who is the greatest male runner of all time? If you ask ten different track aficionados, you’ll probably get ten different answers, but I thought I’d take a look at some statistics to try and arrive at my own conclusion. I based my analysis on the fastest 50 performances of all time in every Olympic running event from 100 meters all the way up to the marathon. I tallied the number of times each name appeared in any of the events (100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 10000m, Marathon, 110mH, 400mH, 3000mSC) and then added the totals if any athlete had top 50 performances in more than one event. Most of the athletes who had 10 or more top-50-alltime performances have done so in more than one event.

Of all the runners who had 10 or more top-50 performances, which nations were most represented? Not surprisingly, the United States was represented by the most with 6 athletes, followed by Ethiopia with 2 and then 6 countries with 1 athlete each: Denmark, Jamaica, Kenya, Morocco, Qatar, and Trinidad. Based on that information alone, you can probably guess some of the names on the list.
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Robles’ 12.92 Caps Stellar Day Two in Stuttgart

Posted September 23rd, 2007 at 3:18 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

A slew of sensational performances, topped by Dayron Robles’ 12.92 victory in the 110m hurdles, highlighted a thoroughly entertaining second and final day of the 5th IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final in Stuttgart this afternoon.

Continuing his impressive late season campaign, the 20-year-old Cuban slashed the year-old meet record set by Liu Xiang, leaving thoughts of “what might have been” had the Chinese world record been here to defend his title. It was also a personal best and national record for Robles –he ran 13.00 here last year– in this his fifth victory in as many races since his disappointing fourth place showing at the World Championships in Osaka. Robles is now tied as the fourth fastest hurdler in history.

American David Payne, the Osaka bronze medallist, was second in 13.08, ahead of Osaka silver medallist Terrence Trammell (13.15).
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Defar Impresses, Soi Completes Double in Stuttgart

Posted September 23rd, 2007 at 2:53 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Meseret Defar produced an impressive front-running victory in the 3000 while Edwin Soi became the first man to capture the 300/5000m double to highlight the second and concluding day of the 5th IAAF/VTB Bank World Athletics Final.

After a slew of world records and bests, her first world title and an undefeated season, Defar raced as though she wanted to get her 2007 campaign over as quickly as possible. And that’s precisely what the 23-year-old Ethiopian did with her captivating 8:27.24 gun-to-tape victory.

Taking control of the race from the gun, she upped the tempo throughout before covering the second half in just over 4:10 and the final kilometre in 2:45.22. But in Defar’s personal universe, the year’s second fastest performance wasn’t all that fast.
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IAAF World Athletics Final: Men’s 3000m Steeplechase

Posted September 23rd, 2007 at 8:55 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Paul Kipsiele Koech, the only man to break eight minutes for the 3000m Steeplechase in 2007, was going to have to treat the 3000m steeplechase at the 2007 IAAF World Athletics Final as his championships, having failed to make the Kenyan Osaka team. going into the race in Stuttgart, Germany Koech had the three fastest times and four of the 13th fastest times in the world in 2007.

He took the lead from the gun and went through 1000m in 2:42.30, on pace for a 8:06.90 time. He ratcheted up the pace a bit and opened up a lead. going through 2000m in 5:22.54 (1000m split: 2:40.24). Read the rest of this entry »

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On the Road & Around the Track:
TFS News Briefs 9/20/07

Posted September 20th, 2007 at 1:00 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, TFS News Briefs

World Athletics Final Middle- and Long-Distance Preview
In the latest WAF preview there are speculations about who will run the middle- and long-distance events this late in the season and why they will do it. Runners to watch (men): Mbulaeni Mulaudzi (800m), Daniel Kipchirchir Komen (1500m), Craig Mottram (3000m), Paul Kipsiele Koech (3000m SC), Sileshi Sihine (5000m). Women: Janeth Jepkosgei (800m), Maryam Yusuf Jamal and Yelena Soboleva (1500m), Yekaterina Volkova (3000m SC), Meseret Defar (pictured at right, 5000m). Also, an explanation of the WAF points system and the current standings. Read more at: [IAAF WAF2007]

World Marathon Majors Conference Call with Race Directors
Race Directors Dave Bedford (London), Carey Pinkowski (Chicago), Mark Milde (Berlin), Mary Wittenberg (New York City) and Guy Morse (Boston) talk about a range of questions regarding their races and the sport in general. Read the complete transcript at: [Track & Field News]
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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’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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Distance stars shine in Stockholm

Posted August 8th, 2007 at 7:40 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Many of the sport’s middle and long distance stars shined at last night’s DN Galan meeting in Stockholm, an IAAF Super Grand Prix event.

Kenenisa Bekele dominated the men’s 3000m, running the fastest time of the year and winning by about ten seconds. The Ethiopian’s 7:25.79 clocking made him the #6 performer of all-time, and he has run the three fastest times in the world this year at this distance. He is gearing up for his title defense at 10,000m at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka, the only event he will contest at those championships according to his manager, Valentijn Trouw. Second place went to Jonas Cheruiyot of Kenya in 7:35.44. American Matt Tegenkamp ran his fastest 3000m of the season, finishing fourth in 7:35.68.

American Deena Kastor won the women’s 5000m in 14:52.21, perhaps a birthday gift to husband Andrew who turned 30 yesterday. Her time was only slightly off of her personal best of 14:51.62 set on the same track back in 2000. Like Bekele, Kastor will contest the 10,000m in Osaka.
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Wariner, Vlasic move up to
No. 3 All-Time in Stockholm

Posted August 7th, 2007 at 5:00 PM by Bob Ramsak

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Jeremy Wariner underscored his dominance in the men’s 400m after his blistering 43.50 victory at the DN Galan Super Grand Prix in Stockholm tonight.

Wariner, the reigning world and Olympic champion and still just 23, won by nearly a full second over fellow American Kerron Clement (44.48, personal best), to move up a notch on the all-time world list, tying American Quincy Watts as the third fastest in history. Only world record holders Michael Johnson (43.18) and Butch Reynolds (43.29) have run faster.

Wariner’s effort was one of several outstanding performances at what was the finest single-day meet of the season.
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Allyson Felix upsets Richards; Sets stadium record and earns some bling

Posted August 7th, 2007 at 4:49 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Sanya Richards was hoping to get a DN Galan diamond by breaking the stadium record of 50.13 seconds in the 400m dash. She did break the stadium record with a time of 49.72 seconds; unfortunately for her, Allyson Felix was ahead of her at the finish line.

Felix, just overtaking Richards in the closing seconds of the race with a huge PB of 49.70 seconds (her previous PB was 50.40), proved that she is indeed a triple threat in the 100m, 200m and 400m.
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