TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Sunday, November 23, 2008

2008 Track & Field
Previews & Predictions:
Women’s Middle-Distance

Posted January 25th, 2008 at 5:25 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics

Maria Mutola recently announced that she will retire at the end of the 2008 season. That’s a shame because she has been the ambassador of women’s 800m running ever since she broke on the world-class middle-distance running scene in 1991 with a time of 1:57.63. Since then she’s run between 1:55.19 and 1:58.98 a staggering 108 times. The only other woman to come even close to running that many world-class times in the 800m has been the great Cuban runner Ana Quirot, who ran between 1:54.44 and 1:58.95 a total of 72 times between 1986 and 1997. The 800m event will truly be diminished when Mutola retires.
Read the rest of this entry »

2 comments, add yours | Permalink

AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Clement makes late surge; wins 1500m final

Posted June 23rd, 2007 at 2:27 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Without the benefit of a rabbit, the women had to set their own pace in the 1500m on this wet and gloomy day in Indi9anapolis.

Tiffany McWilliams took the lead after about 45 seconds, followwed by Treniere Clement who has done very well thus far in 2007 in both tthe 800 and 1500m.

McWilliams continued to maintain her lead, doing all the work in this effort, but Sara Hall joined the lead pack and Treniere Clement, Erin Donahue and Shayne Culpepper all remained close; waiting to see who would make the expected surge.

On the final lap, McWilliams immediately showed signs of fatigue and passed back. Clement made her move after Wurth and most expected Clement to catch her with the great kick from her 800 racing experience. Then on the final straightaway Clement really turned it on; taking and maintaining the lead.

With this victory, Clement has successfully won the a national title on each of the past three years. Clement, Wurth and Donohue all earned a sport for the world champs in Osaka. Culpepper finished a disappointing 11th and Hall finished 5th.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Saturday event previews

Posted June 23rd, 2007 at 9:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

HEPTATHLON, Day Two

Key Athletes: GiGi Johnson, Hyleas Fountain, Diana Pickler, Jacquelyn Johnson

The past two USATF champions are in the field with GiGi Johnson (2006) and Fountain (2005), but it is US list leader Pickler who topped the standings with 3,636 points after the first day. Fountain is 18 points adrift, with Johnson two more behind her. NCAA champ Johnson is fifth at 3,495.

DECATHLON, Day Two

Key Athletes: Tom Pappas, Paul Terek, Jake Arnold

Four-time U.S. winner Pappas, who leads with 4,394 points, is the defending champion and could tie Bill Toomey and Dan O’Brien for most U.S. titles in the event after the withdrawal of ‘05 world champion Bryan Clay. Arnold recently claimed his second NCAA title, scoring 8,215 for the victory, and is sxth after five events. Terek scored 8,134 to win at Desenzano on May 6 and is seeking his third Worlds team berth.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Favorites advance in qualifying rounds

Posted June 22nd, 2007 at 10:00 AM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

There were few surprises in today’s qualifying rounds. In the women’s 800m, Hazel Clark, Nikeya Green, Alice Schmidt, Alysia Johnson and Nicole Teter all advanced, while Nick Symmonds, Khadevis Robinson, and Jonathan Johnson also moved to the next round on the men’s side at the same distance.

NCAA women’s steeplechase champion Anna Willard won the second heat of her event here, and made it look easy.

“It was good,” said Willard of her heat. “I’m just hoping to go out strong. I like to not have a right plan going int the finals. I feel like in the steeple you can’t rule anybody out.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

AT&T USA Outdoor T&F Champs: Thursday event previews

Posted June 21st, 2007 at 11:21 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

WOMEN’S STEEPLECHASE 1st ROUND, 4:15 p.m.

Key Athletes: Lisa Galaviz, Anna Willard, Lindsey Anderson

Galaviz, the defending champion, won the Belem GP race in May. Willard and Anderson recently placed first and second at the NCAA Championships. Willard won in 9:38.08, the current U.S. leader.

WOMEN’S 800 METERS 1st ROUND, 4:45 p.m.

Key Athletes: Alice Schmidt, Hazel Clark, Alysia Johnson

Two-time defending champion Clark, who has three USATF titles, headlines a talented field. Clark recently claimed the Reebok GP in 1:59.07. Schmidt is the current US leader at 1:58.75. Johnson won the NCAA title with the second-fastest collegiate time ever, 1:59.29. Another win for Clark would tie her with sister Joetta for most consecutive wins in this event.

TYSON MEN’S 800 METERS 1st ROUND, 5:05 p.m.

Key Athletes: Khadevis Robinson, Derrick Peterson, Nick Symmonds

Robinson and Peterson are both three-time USATF champions, with Robinson winning the past two titles. A three-time NCAA Division III champion and the 2006 USA runner-up, Symmonds posted a U.S.-leading time of 1:44.54 to win the Nike Prefontaine Classic while Robinson, who won the Reebok GP, was third in 1:44.99.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

World’s best to compete at 33rd Nike Prefontaine Classic

Posted June 7th, 2007 at 7:00 AM by Martin Kennedy

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Many of the world’s finest track and field athletes, including Jeremy Wariner, Allen Johnson, Asafa Powell, Michelle Perry, Bryan Clay, Reese Hoffa, Walter Davis, Maria Mutola, Bernard Lagat, Kenenisa Bekele and Liu Xiang, among many others, will compete Sunday at the 2007 Nike Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

The fourth event of USA Track & Field’s 2007 Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the Nike Prefontaine Classic will be televised live on NBC, Sunday, June 10, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Lagat, Webb to continue rivalry in Bowerman Mile

As always, the headline event of the Nike Prefontaine Classic is the Bowerman Mile, which this year features nine runners with lifetime mile bests under 4-minutes. The Hayward Field and Prefontaine Classic record of 3 minutes 49.92 seconds set six years ago by Hicham El Guerrouj could be in jeopardy.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

adidas Track Classic: Culpepper breaks too early; Topped by Sinclair in the 1500m

Posted May 20th, 2007 at 5:05 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The women’s 1,500 meter field featured 18 runners. Four of the top 5 American female milers were in the field that included notables Shayne Culpepper, Sara Hall and Jen Rhines.

However, Treniere Clement, a star in the mile, was able to follow closely behind the pacesetter to take the lead quickly and maintain it for the first half of the race.

Then, after about 1,000m Culpepper made her move and really took off down the home stretch. However, she began too early as Kenia Sinclair was able to really show off her 800m speed to pass her over the final 400m to claim the win. Sinclair’s time was the third fastest of the year.
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Tegankamp gets first U.S. Open Title at Indoor Championships

Posted February 24th, 2007 at 11:09 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Matt Tegenkamp filled a major hole in is résumé today when he ran away from the field to win his first U.S. open title at the AT&T USA Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center here today.

The 25 year-old former University of Wisconsin star got his only serious challenge from three-time U.S. indoor champion Jonathon Riley, who was able to keep close to the tall redhead through 2400m (6:16.89). But with a strong acceleration with three laps to go, Riley was left behind by Tegenkamp, who managed a sub-30 second final lap, to finish in 7:46.08. Riley held his position to finish in 7:49.73, and a resurgent Sean Graham got third in 7:52.31.

Of winning his first national title since winning the U.S. Junior Cross Country Championships in 2001, Tegenkamp said, “It’s great. With a national championship, no matter what it is, is’s a big thing.”
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Podcast 15: Interview with 2007 USA Cross Country Champ Alan Culpepper

Posted February 15th, 2007 at 3:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Today’s podcast features my interview with Alan Culpepper, a 2-time Olympian, who earned his third USA Cross Country Championship with a spectacular come from behind win last weekend in Boulder.

His previous achievements include tying Alberto Salazar for the fastest debut marathon by an American, three U.S.A track titles and a top finish in the 2004 US Olympic Trials marathon. During the interview Alan discusses how he bounced back from a disappointing 2006 and defeated such a talented (and largely younger) field of competitors at the XC Champs.

Download the podcast to hear Alan speak about these topics, his plans for the future, how he and Shayne compare to the other U.S. distance running power (such as Ryan & Sarah Hall and Adam & Kara Goucher) and much more!

Listen In
[MP3] Direct Download (Right click, select “save as”).
[RSS] Add The Final Sprint Podcast RSS feed to your RSS reader to have the show delivered to you

Host: Adam Jacobs
Guest: Alan Culpepper
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 16.1MB
Length: 00:23:35

Interested in featuring The Final Sprint Podcast on your site, blog or My Space page? Click here to learn how!

Read the rest of this entry »

3 comments, add yours | Permalink

Big crowds cheer Culpepper & Kastor to U.S. XC Titles

Posted February 10th, 2007 at 7:12 PM by David Monti

Section: News & Results, Cross Country

Alan Culpepper and Deena Kastor scored convincing victories here at the U.S. Cross Country Championships presented by Gleukos, carried home by the biggest crowds these championships have seen in years. Some 10,000 fans lined the 2 km circuit at the Flatirons Golf Course, undetered by pools of slushy melting snow and thick mud.

Culpepper who went to the University of Colorado here and now lives in nearby Lousiville, said:

“Honestly, I mean, I almost came to tears coming down the homestraight. Boulder is my home … This is a special place.”

It is also special to Adam Goucher, Dathan Ritzenhein, and Jorge Torres, all of whom ran for Colorado in their university days. Like Culpepper, they enjoyed exceptional local fan support which helped them to finish 2-3-4, respectively, behind Culpepper.
Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink