byLarry Eder
Bernard Lagat, Stuttgart 2009, photo by Bob Ramsak
The meet was ” better crowd in the past few years, ” noted several of our observers at Madison Square Gardens last night. The key for the meet was that Bernard Lagat took the lead over Olympic champ Asbel Kiprop and took the win in 3:56.34, taking the lead 1 1/2 laps to go! Bernard Lagat met with Eamonn Coghlan and saluted Eamonn as the Chairman of the board, ” I want to be President of the boards!” Kiprop took second in 3:58.03 and Andy Baddeley took third in 3:58.09 (one week after his 3:55 mile last weekend).
Christian Cantwell had an excellent eventing too, throwing 70-4 1/4, 70-1, 70-4 1/2,
72-4/21.95m, with three world leaders out of four throws! Terrance Trammell used his great start, and kept the lead, hitting 7.49 for world leader! Chelsea Johnson, WC silver medalist, pole vault, won the Millrose Games women’s pv in 14-9 1/4.
Bernard Lagat showed his class by donating his Millrose winnings to Haiti!
Sorry, for no photo gallery on Millrose, Victah Sailer of PhotoRun.net had the flu. We hope he and Lisa get better soon!
TRAMMELL 7.49, CANTWELL 21.95, LAGAT 8TH WIN
NEW YORK (USA, Jan 29): Five world leading marks and record 8th win of Bernard Lagat were the highlights of 103rd Millrose Games, the oldest international indoor meeting (IAAF indoor permit). Lagat clocked 3:56.34 over olympic winner Asbel Kiprop who debuted indoors with 3:58.03 over Briton Andy Baddeley (3:58.09). „It‘s just that speed that I‘ve been working on, and I knew exactly when to make a move“ he told reporters. „I wasn‘t going to wait until at the bell like that to make that move, but I wanted to make it a little earlier than I made today, but I was happy with that. I increased the pace as I went through two corners, and I knew by the time I turned back, I knew the victory was mine,†Lagat was quoted by RRW. World champion Christian Cantwell achieved season best in shot put with excellent 21.95 in fourth out of four rounds. Way back other former champions Reese Hoffa (20.59) and Adam Nelson (20.51). World silver medalist Terrence Trammell clocked another world lead at 60 m hurdles in fast 7.49 over world champion Ryan Brathwaite (7.61) and decathlon world champion Trey Hardee (7.78). Ivory Williams equaled his own world lead to win the 60 m in 6.59 over bigger names Mike Rodgers (6.60), Travis Padgett (6.62) and Antiguan Daniel Bailey (6.63). Canadian Priscilla Lopes-Schliep won her third straight Millrose win with world leading 8.01 beating Tiffany Ofili (8.04), Virginia Powell (8.07) and Perdita Felicien (8.10). Amber Campbell achieved season´s best in weight throw with 24.20 m. Olympic winner Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica lost the 60 m to Lisa Barber by 0.003 (7.237-7.240). Third Muna Lee was close third in 7.25. In other action Boaz Lalang of Kenya won the 800 m in 1:50.51, 400 m hurdles world medalist Bershawn Jackson won the 600 yards (1:11.26), Briton Hannah England the mile in 4:31.48, Monica Hargrove 55.07 at 400 m. Mike Hollis won the pole vault with 560 first attempt clearance (European indoor champion Renaud Lavillenie was fourth 550) and Jamaican Sheree Francis was the best in high jump (188). In the special 60 m by NFL players Anthony Dorsett jr. clocked 7.01 to win.
LAGAT FOR HAITI
NEW YORK (USA): Double world champion 2007 Bernard Lagat made a special gesture after winning the record 8th win at Millrose Games. The Berlin double medalist Lagat collected Team USA Athlete of the Meet, presented by Visa, which comes with a 2500 USD bonus. Lagat has decided to donate this, and all bonus monies he might earn this indoor season, to the Haiti Relief Fund.
US INDOOR FRIDAY ROUND-UP
UNIVERSITY PARK: Olympic medalist Hyleas Fountain scored world leading and second best US ever 4731 points at Penn State Invitational. Her marks 8.04-181-13.83-668-2:23.89. The long jump mark and 60 m hurdles were at the time of registering world leads (hurdles were bettered later by Lopes-Schliep at Millrose). She missed the US record by DeDee Nathan by 22 points (4753 in 1999). This mark also means she will be most probably invited to world indoors within the top 3 of 2010 as she is now number one. In other action Haiti´s sprinter Barbara Pierre improved her national indoor record at 60 m in semifinals to 7.18 and won also the finals in 7.21. Queen Harrison posted 8.10 60 m hurdles win (was faster in semis with 8.08). Brian Mondschein who represents now Israel cleared 550 in pole vault and Cadeau Kelley improved his own national indoor long jump record of Liberia by 1 cm to 787.
COLLEGE STATION: NCAA champion and Berlin participant Ashton Eaton started heptathlon at TxAM Challenge with 3445 first day score. That is more than Bryan Clay at Harvard multis and could well attack the US College record of 6208 points. His marks: 6.78-766-12.56-207.
BLOOMINGTON: During first day of Indiana Relays D´Angelo Cherry posted 6.65 in 60 m heats. Briton Lee Emanuel improved his overall mile PB to 3:57.62 win.
SEATTLE: World CC participant Molly Huddle improved her indoor PB at UW Invitational clocking season fastest 15:20.05 at 5000 m. It should be noted that the track here is oversized with 307 m.
CLEMSON: Fast 6.61 by Marcus Rowland while winning the 60 m during first day of Clemson Invitational. Only 18 years old Briana Rollins improved to 8.17 at 60 m hurdles. Bahamain world relay medalist Sheniqua Ferguson bettered her lifetime best to 7.22 at 60 m.
ALBUQUERQUE: WAC high jump champion Amber Kaufman improved her indoor PB to 191 at Lobo Invitational.
RENO: Pole Vault summit winners were Scott Roth 550 (tried at 571 PB) and Lacy Janson with 450 (tried at 466).
OTHER RESULTS
CANBERRA (AUS, Jan 30): Long jump world bronze winner Mitchell Watt opened his season at Australia Cup meet with 813 (+1.4) leap. That was his only reasonable jump of the day. “It was my first jump since Berlin, so it felt little bit rusty. I´ve been training well with lots of pb´s. Now I must compete to jump better,†he was quoted. Great improvement for Ben Offereins at 400 m to 45.32. “I was in lane seven and needed to run my own race,†was his comment. Second Clay Watkins improved to 45.95. World indoor champion Tamsyn Lewis posted a 52.41 400 m win. “I m surprised with the time as I m still in heavy training,†she said. In hot and blustery conditions New Zealand´s Universiade medalist Stuart Farquhar achieved nice 81.11 in javelin. Sprinters competed against the wind so Bola Lawal was able to clock only 10.46 against -1.8. Tallent family ruled the walking. Olympic medalist Jared won the men´s 5000 m in 19:08.81 and Claire the women´s 5000 m in 22:22.58. Victoria was the team winner.
HASTINGS (NZL, Jan 29): 1997 discus world champion Beatrice Faumuina posted another 60+ mark at Potts Classic meet with 60.19 m.
OTHER NEWS
COLORADO SPRINGS (USA): New name banned by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). It is female sprinter Crystal Cox world indoor 2004 participant with 50.52 400 m and 22.58 200 m bests from 2004. Cox has accepted a four-year suspension and disqualification of her athletic results, beginning on November 3, 2001, for using anabolic agents and hormones over a period from 2001 through 2004 in violation of the International Association of Athletics Federations Anti-Doping Rules. As USADA writes, Cox’s acceptance of sanction resulted from information recently received by USADA during separate investigations arising from information obtained during the BALCO doping conspiracy. In addition to her suspension, which began on January 26, 2010, all of Cox’s competitive results will be disqualified, including forfeiture of all medals, points, and prizes since November 3, 2001. That means her results from World Indoors 2004 and Pan-Am Games 2003 will be canceled.
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