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.
Jordan Hasay Shows No Fear in Women’s 1500m
Posted July 3rd, 2008 at 11:50 PM by Stephanie Lowe
Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics
After two days of rest, the Olympic Trials are back in action tonight. The women’s 1500 meters kicked off with the quarterfinals.
Christin Wurth-Thomas won the first and fastest heat with a time of 4:16.13, followed by Tiffany McWilliams (4:13.54) and Mary Jane Reeves of the Oregon Track Club (4:13.89).
Jordan Hasay is only 16 years old, but she was not afraid to take charge of the second heat. She stayed in front until 1200 meters when Shannon Rowbury passed her. In the end, Rowbury won in 4:16.13. Hasay faded to seventh, but her 4:18.39 qualifies her for the semifinals tomorrow.
The third heat was slower with Lindsey Gallo (4:17.01), Treniere Clement (4:17.33), and Tennessee’s Sarah Bowman (4:17.48) in the top three.
Read the rest of this entry »
Great Line-Ups for Sunday’s adidas Track Classic
Posted May 15th, 2008 at 9:00 AM by David Monti
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
Organizers have secured great line-ups for Sunday’s adidas Track Classic at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., and that includes the middle and long distance events.
The men’s 1500m is shaping up to the the top event, led by double world champion and two-time Olympic medalist, Bernard Lagat. Commonwealth Games medalists Nick Willis of Australia and Nate Brannen of Canada are also in the field, along with perennial Canadia star Kevin Sullivan and former NCAA ace Lopez Lomong. Nick Symmonds will be moving up from his usual specialty, the 800m, while 5000m man Adam Goucher will be moving down for a speed workout.
Read the rest of this entry »
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 »
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.
Read the rest of this entry »
Wins by Jamal, Sinclair the highlights in chilly Lausanne
Posted July 11th, 2007 at 7:55 AM by Martin Kennedy
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
Running in chilly conditions that dipped below 50 degrees F (9 C.), Maryam Yusuf Jamal and Jamaican Kenia Sinclair produced the chief highlights at the Athletissima Super Grand Prix in Lausanne tonight.
After a dismal 13th place finish in Paris last Friday, Jamal was clearly trying to illustrate a point 1500. Running before a supportive hometown crowd –the 22-year-old Ethiopian-born Bahraini has been based in Lausanne since fleeing Ethiopia in 2002– Jamal cruised to a front-running victory in 4:03.61. Never seriously challenged –she had a near four second lead at the bell– Jamal easily held off the late race charge of Ukraine’s Iryna Lishchynska (4:04.27) and Russians Olga Yegorova (4:04.64) and two-time world champion Tatyana Tomashova (4:05.48).
U.S. champion Treniere Clement briefly followed Jamal and pacesetter Olga Komyagina’s solid tempo, but paid for it dearly 800 meters into the race. Fading badly over the final lap and a half, she finished 22nd in the 23 woman field.
Read the rest of this entry »
Three-Peat for Clement at U.S. Championships
Posted June 24th, 2007 at 11:00 AM by David Monti
Section: News & Results, Track & Field
The key action on the pentultimate day of the AT&T USA Outdoor Championships here was at the 1500m distance, where Treniere Clement won her third consecutive title and Jordan Hasay, competing in the Finish Line Junior Track & Field Championshps, won her first junior title.
Clement, the former Georgetown star, followed the early pace set by Tiffany McWilliams, sitting comfortably in third place through 400m (1:06:06) and 800m (2:12.15). Christin Wurth-Thomas was sitting in second, and she was getting ready to break the race open.
Read the rest of this entry »
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 »
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 »
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 »
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 »



The Final Sprint
On October 14, 2008
Marion Jones said:
This woman is psychotic. This is a freight train coming through the passenger car. Its not...