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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

Team USA women’s 4×100m quartet qualifies for final

Posted September 1st, 2007 at 3:00 AM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

Team USA’s women’s 4×100m relay squad looked solid during Saturday morning’s qualifying round at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Nagai Stadium.

Women’s 100m bronze medalist Carmelita Jeter (Long Beach, Calif.) ran a strong lead leg for Team USA before handing the baton to 2007 Pan Am Games 100m and 4×100m relay silver medalist Mechelle Lewis (Columbia, S.C.), who kept the Americans in the lead.

2007 Pan Am Games 100m gold medalist Miki Barber (Raleigh, N.C.) ran a masterful third leg that gave Team USA a commanding lead before handing the baton to 2005 World 100m champion Lauryn Williams (Miami, Fla.) [Pictured], who sped to the finish, crossing the line in the fastest time in the world this year of 42.24 seconds.
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Relay finals begin; Decathlon and women’s 5000m finals set for Saturday in Osaka

Posted August 31st, 2007 at 12:32 PM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

World Outdoor silver medalist Brad Walker (Mountlake Terrace, Wash.) competes in the men’s pole vault and Team USA’s 4×100m relays go for the medal podium in Saturday competition at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Nagai Stadium.

Competition in the men’s decathlon comes to a close, with 2003 World Outdoor Champion Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) in fifth place after Day 1. American record holder Shalane Flanagan (Pittsboro, N.C.) [Pictured] and two-time Olympian Jen Rhines (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) contest the women’s 5,000m final, and Kevin Eastler (Aurora, Colo.) opens the day by competing in the men’s 50 km race walk.

In addition to the sprint relay finals, the men’s and women’s 4×400m relays compete in first-round action.

Below is a complete listing of USATF entrants for Saturday competition:
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Looking ahead … and Team USA medal count update

Posted August 31st, 2007 at 12:11 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

After five events in the decathlon, 2003 World Outdoor Champion Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) was in fifth place with 4,147 points, posting marks of 10.96 in the 100 (870 points), 7.44m/24-5 in the long jump (920), 16.31m/53-6.25 in the shot put (870), 2.03m/6-8 in the high jump (831) and 49.22 (851) in the 400.

Paul Terek (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) was in 10th with 4,174 points and marks of 10.95 (872), 7.26m/23-10 (876), 14.81m/48-7.25 (778), 2.0m/6-6.75 (803) and 49.34 (845). Jake Arnold (Santa Rosa, Calif.) was in 14th with 4,103 points and marks of 11.14 (830), 6.86m/22-6.25 (781), 14.73m/48-4 (773), 2.06m/6-9 (859) and 49.02 (860).

Defending gold medalist Bryan Clay (Glendora, Calif.) [Pictured] was in second place heading into the high jump, but he suffered an apparent pull of his right quadriceps while attempting to clear 2.0m and withdrew. Although he was in third place after the high jump with 3,558 points, with marks of 10.62 (947), 7.65m/25-1.75 (972), 15.51m/50-10.75 (933), 1.97m/6-5.5 (776), he could not continue.
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Breaux Greer qualifies for
men’s javelin final

Posted August 31st, 2007 at 2:23 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

U.S. men’s javelin record holder Breaux Greer bettered the automatic qualifying mark on his third and final attempt during Friday morning’s qualifying at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Nagai Stadium.

Greer (Scottsdale, Ariz.) failed to surpass the automatic qualifying mark of 82.00 meters/269 feet on his first two throws, but after releasing the javelin on his third attempt, he immediately turned his back on it and pumped his fist believing he had qualified for the final. He was right. Greer’s third throw sailed 86.78 meters/284-8, which was the best of both qualifying groups. The men’s javelin final is Sunday.
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USATF: 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Champs mark phenomenal successes

Posted July 6th, 2007 at 3:20 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

The 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Track& Field Championships last month in Indianapolis were among the most successful in recent history.

The excitement of close finishes in the middle-distances, a packed house that provided loud encouragement to the athletes, and the fastest 100-200 double in history by Tyson Gay tell a compelling story. Television ratings, Website traffic and merchandise sales all saw significant rises over 2006. These were just a few of countless highlights.

In hard numbers, the meet measures up impressively:

0 - Number of stadium evacuations due to weather.

1 - The number of American records set (Breaux Greer, men’s javelin, 91.29m/299-6).

2 - Number of Visa Champions crowned (Tyson Gay and Tiffany Williams)

4 - Number of national television broadcasts of the meet (2 on NBC, 2 on ESPN2). NBC’s live coverage from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, June 24, won its time slot and was the #2 sports program of the day on network television. In aggregate, TV ratings for the meet saw a 144 percent increase over 2006.
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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.
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