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Pearson 12.49 Highlights Quiet Weekend
This was one of those pre championships, lull weekends, with only a little action taking place ahead of the upcoming NCAA and World Indoor Championships. On the collegiate level the top athletes were getting a bit of rest and relaxation ahead of the upcoming championship meet. That left athletes that hadn’t qualified for the meet, out giving it their final shot at obtaining a qualifying mark at what are traditionally called “Last Chance Meets” all over the country. Of course collegiate athletes weren’t the only ones running in these meets as many elite/open athletes not entered in the World Championships took the opportunity to get in some low key competition…
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Hot Marks Indoors AND Outdoors
With the indoor season getting ready to wind down with various championships, some athletes are beginning to test themselves outdoors under the Australian sun. The result this weekend has been a combination of sterling marks both indoors AND outdoors, as the year looks ready to shift into Olympic Preparation Mode. The big indoor meeting of the week was the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham England, and it didn’t disappoint as several athletes left with world leading performances. Perhaps the most surprising being Jessica Ennis’ 7.87 60HH victory. Surprising because Ennis is foremost a Heptathlete, but clearly the hurdles are one of her strengths. She’s good enough to edge World silver…
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Adam Kszczot – A New 800 Challenger
Last week Adam Kszczot (POL) took the indoor world lead in the 800 with a 1:45.44 run in Dusseldorf – fast enough to prompt me to suggest that we get used to spelling his name. Yesterday he dropped his PR, and the world lead, down to 1:44.57 – in the process becoming the 3rd fastest indoor half miler in history! Only Yuriy Borzakovskiy (RUS, 1:44.15) and former outdoor WR holder Wilson Kipketer (DEN, 1:42.67) have run faster indoors. Combine that with his outdoor best of 1:43.30 from last year, and at 22 years old, the question I now ask is: can he provide WR holder David Rudisha with a challenge…
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My Heroes of 2011
Wow, it’s December already, and there’s still so much left to talk about regarding the 2011 season. Several events left to review and some outstanding performances to look at. And I’m going to try to get to as much as I can before the clock turns to 2012. One thing that I don’t want to overlook is what I’m going to call my heroes of 2011 – a group of athletes that in my opinion were tremendous competitors in 2011. They were entertaining and competitive all year long – and I’m looking forward to following during 2012. With that, here are my heroes of 2011: Carmelita Jeter (USA) –…
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2011 in Review – Men’s 800 Meters
Just as in 2010, David Rudisha (KEN) was the story of the 800 in 2011 – this time carrying the heavy mantle of WR holder. And, just as in 2010, the question on the table was whether or not Abubaker Kaki (SUD) would find a way to upset his rival. Rudisha wasted no time putting the target squarely on his back as he went out during the Australian summer season and scorched a 1:43.88 WL in Melbourne on Mar 3rd – a mark that only 5 men would get under the rest of the year! Another quick 1:44.80 in Sydney on Mar 19thand we wouldn’t see Rudisha again until the…
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Brussels Will End Season with Few Big Match Ups
We were told that the Diamond League was going to bring the best of the best together on a regular basis. That all of those key match ups that had been missing in the sport were going to become reality by the Diamond League contracting with all the main characters to put them together in multiple venues. And that the “piece de resitance” would be Zurich and Brussels, as the season would come to a climactic end with athletes vying for Diamond League titles. So, how’s that working out? Well if the season ending Brussels meet is a guide, not so good. Take the men’s 100 meters for example. The…
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Rudisha 1:41.33 in Rieti !
With World gold in his pocket, David Rudisha (KEN) went to Rieti in search of a shot at his own WR. While he came up just a hair short – 1:41.33, #5 all time – it was his 4th foray under 1:42.00 in the last two seasons. He now owns the #1, #2, #5 & #6 times in history. And the only marks better than today’s run were all WR’s at the time they were run. The scary thing is the ease with which he churns out these marks – as no one other than the first lap rabbits are able to stay with his long flowing stride. If ever…
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Worlds Day Four – New Stars Crowned
Just as the opening day was clearly the day of the Kenyans, today was the day for new stars of the sport to get crowned! As we saw several new faces take on some old ones and emerge victorious. The most exciting event of the day was the last event of the day as the men’s 400 meter runners took to the track. Defending champion LaShawn Merritt (USA) lined up in lane four flanked by Jermaine Gonzalez (JAM) inside him and Kirani James (GRN) to his outside. Having run a WL leading 44.35 in the opening round and following it up with another 44.76 in his semi, one had to…