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Although sprinters are known for
relishing hot and dry conditions, the cool and wet
conditions Saturday at the Reebok Grand Prix did
nothing to dampen the excitement of the meet's
shortest races. And it seemed to do plenty to make a
sprinter out of Meseret Defar in the women's 5,000
meters. The Olympic gold medalist from Ethiopia,
Defar was off world record pace throughout her race
at Icahn Stadium in the final event of the meet. But
the diminutive Defar unleashed a sprinter's speed in
the final 400 meters, closing in 61 seconds to run
14:24.53, breaking the record of 12:24.68 held by
Elvan Abeylegesse since 2004.
More magic from Gatlin
Olympic gold medalist, world
champion and co-world record holder Justin Gatlin
was brilliant once again in the Reebok men's 100
meters. Undeterred by the sprinter-unfriendly
conditions, the Brooklyn native looked powerful and
controlled in burying the field. Gatlin ran a very
swift 9.87 seconds into a 0.1 mps headwind, posting
the fastest time ever run by an American on U.S.
soil. Tyson Gay was a distant second in 10.04
seconds, with 2006 world indoor gold medalist
Leonard Scott third in 10.07.
Running just her third race in nearly a year,
Marion Jones defeated a very strong field in the
Reebok women's 100 meters. She was in control of the
race by 50 meters, finishing in 11.06 into a
headwind of 0.5mps. World outdoor silver medalist
Veronica Campbell of Jamaica was second in 11.11,
with 2003 world outdoor champ Torri Edwards third in
11.23. Recovering from illness, world champion
Lauryn Williams was fifth in 11.44, behind
Sherri-Ann Brooks' fourth-place 11.34.
Wallace Spearmon stayed perfect in the Visa
Championship Series, winning for the third week in
the men's 200 in 20.09 (+0.4 mps), the third-fastest
time in the world this year. Jamaica's Usain Bolt
held an early lead but was overtaken by Spearmon in
the final 150 meters, placing second in 20.25.
Stepping down in distance, 400m runner Tyree
Washington was third in 20.32.
Men's distance races feature
speed, depth
A U.S. all-comers record fell
Saturday, as Abraham Chebii of Kenya ran 13:04.55 in
the men's 5,000 meters to break Said Aouita's
all-comers mark of 13:05.59, set at the 1984 Olympic
Games. Kenya swept the top four places, with Micah
Kogo second in 13:06.18, Benjamin Limo third in
13:07.14 and Jonas Cheruiyot fourth in 13:08.58.
Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain won a brisk men's mile,
running 3:53.55 to prevail over Nick Willis of New
Zealand (3:55.56) and Anthony Famiglietti (3:55.51)
as an astonishing 10 men dipped under 4 minutes.
Christian Cantwell posted his second Visa
Championship Series win in as many weeks in the
men's shot put with a throw of 21.58m/71-1.5. Dan
Taylor was second with a personal-best throw of
21.59m/70-10, and 2006 world indoor gold medalist
Reese Hoffa was third at 21.05m/69-0.5.
Australia's Sarah Jamieson won her second Visa
Championship Series event, taking the Mount Sinai
Hospital Women's 1,500 meters easily in 4:04.57. The
2004 Olympic Trials champion, Carrie Tollefson
placed second, just missing her personal best with
4:06.50. USA 10,000-meter runner-up Blake Russell
dropped down in distance, smashing her personal best
with a third-place time of 4:06.71.
More sprints
The one-lap races saw convincing
victories, with Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist
Monique Henderson taking the women's race in 50.51
seconds, well up on Mary Danner in second (51.41).
In the Visa men's 400 meters, 2005 Visa Champion
Kerron Clement held off the final-stretch charge of
world outdoor silver medalist Andrew Rock, posting a
time of 44.71 to Rock's 44.82.
In other events, Danny McFarlane pleased the
Jamaican fans on hand with his win in the 400-meter
hurdles, running 49.27, while Damu Cherry held a
strong lead from the gun and easily won the women's
100m hurdles in 12.70 seconds (-0.4 mps). USA
Outdoor champion Khadevis Robinson won the American
Track & Field men's 800m in 1:45.66, and 2004
Olympian LaShaunte'a Moore won the women's 200 in
22.89 (-1.2mps).
Visa Championship Series
standings
Entering the AT&T USA Outdoor
Track & Field Championships in Indianapolis June
21-26, Gatlin leads the men's standings with the
1263 points he scored with Saturday's victory, while
Michelle Perry retains the women's lead with 1194.
The remainder of the men's standings remain
unchanged, while the women's standings saw a
significant re-ordering. With their wins, Damu
Cherry moved into second, one point behind Perry
with 1193; Marion Jones was close behind with 1189;
and Monique Henderson moved into fourth with 1184,
bumping 2005 Visa Champion Sanya Richards to fifth
with 1183 points.
The winner of the men's and women's Visa
Championship Series each will win $100,000. To score
points, athletes must win their event during Visa
Championship Series meets. To be eligible for the
cash bonuses, athletes also must win their events at
the AT&T USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. |
