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Lead Stories: Sunday, September 7, 2008

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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Track Events That Ought To Exist … the Track Decathlon?

Posted September 8th, 2007 at 6:25 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

There’s an interesting discussion over at the Track & Field News Message Boards about “dream” track events, that is, events that are not currently held but which would be interesting to see. Some, such as the straight-course 200m (world record: 19.4 by Tommie Smith [Pictured], back in 1966), are obsolete events; while others, such as the 100m Dash for shotputters, have never been held in a competition.

My dream event? The track decathlon:

Day One: 100m, 200m, 10000m, 3000m, 1500m.
Day Two: 400m, 1000m, 5000m, 800m, Mile.

What type of runner would win a grueling event like this? A Sprinter? A Middle-Distance runner? A Long-Distance runner?
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Tyson Invitational set to begin tonight at 7pm in Fayetteville

Posted February 9th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Hariz Siddiqui

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Some of the best track and field athletes in the world will be on hand to compete at the 2007 Tyson Invitational at the Randal Tyson Track Center, Fri., Feb. 9, beginning at 8 p.m. Doors will open at 7 p.m.

Former Razorbacks Wallace Spearmon, Alistair Cragg, Josphat Boit and April Steiner will compete along side Xavier Carter, Allyson Felix, Marshevet Hooker, Aries Merritt, Priscilla Lopes and Alan Webb to name a few.

Tyson Foods has upped the ante to athletes competing at the Tyson Invitational by increasing its world-record bonus to $50,000 to any individual or group who accomplish that task. Two world records fell at the event in 2006.
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Collegiate milers to compete against young gun Nick Symmonds at Tyson

Posted February 6th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

Adam Perkins is a fighter; there is no denying that.

After almost losing his junior outdoor season because of an Achilles’ tendon injury, the Liberty, MO native has battled back for his senior campaign.

Now he’s ready to try and take on the top milers on the collegiate and professional scenes at the Tyson Invitational Friday night.
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Alan Webb opts for 3,000m race at Friday night’s Tyson Invitational

Posted February 5th, 2007 at 9:09 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Middle distance superstar Alan Webb has decided to run in the 3,000 meters at the Tyson Invitational on Friday night, February 9, making for an intriguing distance race at the premier indoor track event of the winter.

Webb was originally scheduled to run in the mile, the race that made him a teenage superstar when he broke Jim Ryun’s high school national record, but elected to move to the 3,000-meter run to fit into his training cycle. During his career, Webb has taken one USA Championship and earned a spot at the 2004 Olympic Games in the 1,500-meter run.
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Manson, Manzano, Bolden and Hastings shine at New Balance Collegiate Invitational

Posted February 5th, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Sarah Mandell

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

More than 200 colleges faced off yesterday at the Armory in New York City for the New Balance Collegiate Invitational. Here is a run-down of the most impressive performances from the event:

University of Texas senior Andra Manson added to his already glowing reputation; winning the high jump for the fourth year in a row. Manson is the first athlete in the history of the New Balance Collegiate Invitational to accomplish that feat. He also broke his own record from 2004 by jumping 7 feet and 6.5 inches.

Leonel Manzano won the mile with the fastest time in the country this year (3:59.08). Florida State’s Greg Bolden also left viewers with something to talk about, finishing the 60m in 6.61; the fastest time by a college athlete this year.

South Carolina junior Natasha Hastings ran the fastest time by an American this year in the women’s 400-meter race; finishing in 51.7 seconds. She also was a leading factor in South Carolina’s 1,600-relay team win; running the anchor leg in 51.2 seconds.

For some background and more information, please visit: [Armory Track], [Track Shark], [ESPN], [Statesman]

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“X-Man” Carter to open indoor season at Tyson Invitational

Posted February 3rd, 2007 at 12:08 PM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

USA sprinting sensation Xavier Carter has signed on to race at the Tyson Invitational next Friday night, February 9th, at the Randal Tyson Track Center, joining a growing list of international superstars at what is becoming the biggest indoor track meet in the country.

Carter, one of Team USA’s rising stars, posted the second fastest 200-meter time in the history of the event last spring at the Super Grand Prix meet in Lausanne, Switzerland and chose to begin the quest for his first world record at the Tyson Invitational in the 4×400-meter relay.
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Podcast 7: Interview with running phenom Alan Webb

Posted January 31st, 2007 at 12:00 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: Special Features, Interviews, Podcasts

Today’s edition of The Final Sprint Podcast features my interview with Alan Webb, the young star who broke Jim Ryun’s 36-year old national high school record in the mile in 2001.

After kicking off this season with big wins in NY and Boston, it looks like Alan has really bounced back from the rough few months he experienced at the end of 2006. However, he will still have his work cut out for him at the upcoming Millrose Games and Tyson Foods Invitational, where he’ll be up against many of the world’s best, including Craig Mottram and Bernard Legat.

In the interview, Alan discusses his latest victories, how he stacks up in the upcoming races, plans to win an Olympic medal, and is asked: “Who is the most talented runner from the incredible H.S. class of 2001: Ryan Hall, Dathan Ritzenhein or yourself?”

Download the podcast to hear Alan speak about those topics, how he feels when he is compared to Steve Prefontaine 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 Webb
Producer: Greg Cherniet
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 14.0MB
Length: 00:20:24

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

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Devers, Greene join Webb, Lagat and others for 100th Millrose Games in NYC

Posted January 26th, 2007 at 4:45 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

Gail Devers, a two-time Olympic 100-meter champion, and Maurice Greene, an Olympic gold medalist at 100 meters and a three-time World Champion, have been added to a star-studded field for the 100th Millrose Games, organizers announced today. Devers will compete in the 60-meter hurdles and Greene in the 60-meter dash.

Devers, who is also a three-time World Indoor Champion at 60 meters, has made five Olympic teams spanning back to 1988, and is a 10-time USA hurdles champion. She is the American Record-holder at 12.33 seconds at the 100H and 7.74 at the 60H, as well as the Millrose Games meet record-holder. At 40, she has been at the top of the sport since the mid-1980s.
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Mottram, Cragg set for Reebok Boston Indoor Games

Posted January 26th, 2007 at 10:12 AM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field

It will be Craig v. Cragg at 3000 meters in the Reebok Boston Indoor Games on Jan. 27 when Craig Mottram, the 2005 World Championships bronze medalist, faces off against Alistair Cragg, the 2005 European Indoor Champion at 3000 meters, organizers announced today.

Both athletes have a history here. Mottram, the first non-African to win a medal at 5000 meters in a major championship since 1987, is also a two-time World Cup titleholder at 3000m, where in 2006 he upset Kenenisa Bekele for the victory. Last year in Boston, the gregarious Aussie won at 2 Miles over a deep field that included Cragg, who finished third less than a second behind. Two years ago at this meet, Cragg – Ireland’s national record-holder – won at 3000 meters when he, too, surprised Bekele.

Joining them in the 3000-meter field will be American Jorge Torres, the 2006 USA Champion at 10,000 meters.
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