by Larry Eder
Allyson Felix, running in adidas Outdoor 2009, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Some great results this morning or last night. Amane Gobena wins the Osaka Ladies Marathon today, with the Ethiopian running 2:25:14. Galen Rupp had a nifty double, finishing second in a pb 3:56 mile and also winning a tight 3,000m in 7:51 at the UW Invitational. (Note that Molly Huddle ran 15:20 there for 5,000m on Friday night).
But the one that caught our eye was on Allyson Felix. Allyson ran in Albequerque, and blasted a 52.05, for a personal best for her 400 meter indoors! Hmmm, why was she racing there?
GOBENA WINS
OSAKA (JPN, Jan 31): Surging away from Portugal´s Marisa Barros, who was sixth in the World Championships in Berlin, with less than 4 km to go in the race, Amane Gobena of Ethiopia won the 2010 Osaka Ladies Marathon with 2:25:14. It was first victory for Ethiopian in the Osaka Ladies marathon which started in 1982. „First of all thank you for inviting me to this wonderful city. It was very tough and the race was very competitive. I am very glad to win the race,“ said Gobena after the race. It was a personal best for Gobena, whose previous best was 2:26:53 from 2009 Los Angeles Marathon. Barros of Portugal was second later 30 seconds (2:25:45) behind Gobena, while Mari Ozaki, in her fourth Osaka Ladies Marathon, was third with 2:26:27. Barros also recorded the personal best. Her previous best was 2:26:03 from Sevilla marathon in February of 2009. Ozaki never run a bad race in Osaka and today was no exception. Former world champion Lidia Simon of Romania fell behind the pace at 22 km, but then she ran her own race and started to pick off the runners in front of her in the last part of the race to finish very respectable fourth in 2:27:11. Kayoko Obata, running her final marathon of her long career (26 marathon starts with no DNF) was fifth in 2:27:19. Ryoko Kizaki debuted with 2:27:34 as sixth.
CARTER 10.15
KINGSTON (JAM, Jan 30): Relay olympic gold medalist Nesta Carter clocked fast 100 m at the Grace Jackson/Queen‘s Invitational meet. His 10.15 (+1.8) shows he can be a force later during the indoor season as he wants to qualify for World Indoors in Doha. „The execution was pretty good,“ he said, but added „I need to see the replay to analyze it more…“ He was quoted by www.trackalerts.com. Oshane Bailey who is world junior 2008 relay medalist ran 10.25 for second and lifetime best..
SANCHEZ 7:42.71
VALENCIA (ESP, Jan 30): Men of FC Barcelona and women of Valencia Terra i Mar won Spanish national club titles. Sergio Sanchez after 2000 m european best again confirmed excellent shape with world leading 7:42.71 at 3000 m. National record holder in high jump Ruth Beitia cleared 196 to win.
US SATURDAY INDOOR ROUND UP
UNIVERSITY PARK: Tasmanian track star Ryan Foster has broken Australian Ralph Doubell‘s 41 year old national and Oceania area indoor record for 800 meters with 1:47.48 at Penn State Invitational. Second Moise Joseph of Haiti got 1:47.57 and fourth junior Casimir Loxsom 1:47.98 (missed US junior indoor best by 0.14). Jamaican Allodin Fothergill clocked 46.52 at 400 m and Sheldon Battle achieved 20.31 in shot put. In women events Shana Cox improved US 500 m record by 0.01 to 1:08.70 (previous mark of Jearl Miles-Clark 1:08.71 in 2004). She is also now 8th best performer ever. Shavon Greaves posted 23.16 at 200 m.
LEXINGTON: 2007 world relay champion Dee Dee Trotter used the oversized track (290 m) here during McCravy Memorial meet to good 52.13 meet record at 400 m (she also won the 200 m in 24.10). Excellent also the 20.77 at 200 m by Trinidad´s Rondell Sorillo. Antonio McKay jr. won the 400 m in 46.53. Guayana´s Adam Harris won the 60 m in 6.65 ahead of Evander Wells (6.66).Good quality shot put 20.52 by Cory Martin.
SEATTLE: As usual good distances at UW Invitational (oversized track 307 m). 10 000 m specialist Galen Rupp clocked 7:51.48 to win the 3000 m ahead of Scott Bauhs (7:51.65) and Aaron Braun (7:51.68, PB). Rupp was also second in the mile (3:56.22, lifetime best) beaten by Chris Solinsky (3:55.75, facility record). 21-years old Jessica Pixler improved on the mile to 4:33.67. Another top race women´s 3000 m as Amy Hastings in 8:58.45 (PB) beat by 0.02 Jenn Rhines (8:58.47, indoor PB). Ryan Bailey won the 60 m in 6.67, but faster in heats (6.63). Canadian Mike Mason cleared 225 in high jump and Michael Morrison collected 5710 points in heptathlon.
COLLEGE STATION: US Virgin Islands Tabarie Henry confirmed the quality of 200 m oval here with world leading and national record 45.81 at 400 m. Calvin Smith won the other race in 46.48. Another world lead at 200 m by Curtis Mitchell who improved his indoor PB to 20.69. He is world junior 2008 fourth placer at 200 m and has outdoor PB of 20.58. Jessica Beard won the women´s 200 m in 23.34. Jamaican Natasha Ruddock clocked 8.16 to win the 60 m hurdles and Gerald Phiri of Zambia achieved 6.66 at 60 m. In distances Jordan Hasay the youth super talent (now 18 years old) for first time dipped under 4:40 at the mile with 4:38.48. Dorian Ulrey won the 3000 m in 7:55.23 and Shara Proctor improved long jump indoor record for Anguilla to 660 cm.
FLAGSTAFF: Ryan Whiting achieved in shot put collegiate leading 20.57 here. Lawrence Trice won the 60 m in 6.66 and equaled his career best.
AMES: South African Lehann Fourie won the 60 m hurdles here with PR 7.70.
ALBUQUERQUE: Unexpected outing of world champion Allyson Felix at New Mexico Invitational with 52.05 at 400 m. It was her only second ever indoor 400 m race and new indoor personal best. Trevell Quinley leaped to 799 in long jump and Rubin Williams clocked 21.05 at 200 m.
HOUSTON: Sprinter Carey LaCour improved to fast 6.59 60 m win ahead of Trell Kimmons (6.62) at Houston Invitational. World class long jumper Funmi Jimoh achieved 652 win.
BLOOMINGTON: Even faster unheralded Jamaican sprinter Ryan Shields (26) with world leading 60 m 6.58 at Indiana Relays. In semis he achieved his first career best of 6.73 as his previous best was 6.83 from 2006. The 100 m PB of Shields is 10.34 back in 2005.
NEW YORK: Solid 1:01.70 500 m by 20-years Russell Dinkins at Armory.
FINDLAY: Sprinter Kendall Stevens posted 6.60 60 m at Findlay Classic meet.
OTHER NEWS
BUDAPEST (HUN): All-Athletics.com published the best meets in combined events section of 2009. Gotzis leads ahead of Talence and Sczczecin European Cup Super League. When taking into account also overall championships then Berlin Worlds are the number one. In walking section number one are tied Krakow IAAF Challenge meet with Saransk IAAF Challenge final. In the top 100 best combined events competitions USA has 9, Germany 6 and France 4. In top 50 walking competitions Spain and Italy have 6 ahead of Russia, China and Ukraine with 4.
ST. GEORGE‘S (GRN): TrackAlerts.com informs that world youth champion at 200 m and 400 m Kirani James copped Grenada‘s 2009 sportspersonality of the year award. The announcement was made during Saturday night . James had an impressive year in 2009 and despite competing as a junior; he did enough to beat all his senior counterparts from the various sports.
CORRECTION
NAIROBI (KEN): In EME NEWS (JAN 30, 2010) UPDATE please correct the winning time of John Mwangangi to 37:12.
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