byLarry EderLukas Verzibicas is one of the most talented prep athletes in the U.S. That is a fact. Lukas also won the 2010 FootLocker Cross country and the 2010 Nike NXN title as well, making him the most recognized prep cross country. He is also a junior triathlon champion. Verzbicas is coached by his father, and his mother was a world class runner over 3k.
I tried to speak with his father at the adidas Grand Prix about his training and really just got generalities. Lukas was much more conversational, he was amazing running his 4:04 mile that day.
Lukas Verzbicas winning the 2010 NXN Champs, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Well, seems that Lukas was considering Stanford, University of Portland and Oregon. World from our friends at EME News and Oregon LIVE is that, the worst kept secret of the week, was the Lukas would announce that he will matriculate at Oregon next fall!
This young man has wheels. He has been compared to the late Steve Prefontaine. His stature and racing style remind me of, however, Jim Ryun. Tall, thin, aggressive, and fast, Verzbicas loves the triathlon scene as well as running. It actually may be why he does so well. Stay tuned on this one!
And on the 2012 Decathlon wars, Ashton Eaton won the first round, with a strong victory at Millrose this past weekend. The meet had a new production team for the TV, with a strong commentary by 1984 5,000m fourth placer Tim Hutchings. The issue has been that the crowd was the smallest in many years, and with little or no promotion before the event, one should not be surprised. Time to move the Millrose Games to the Armory.
CARTER 6.52, EATON BEATS HARDEE AND CLAY
NEW YORK (USA, Jan 28): Defending champion Bernard Lagat
fell to the sword of Deresse Mekonnen when losing his Wanamaker Mile title at
the 104th Millrose Games, the inaugural IAAF Indoor Permit meet of the season.
Lagat an eight time record winner of the event was beaten in a sprint finish by
Ethiopia’s two-time World Indoor champion who covered the last 440 yards in
55sec and clocked 3:58.58. Mekonnen’s mark was not a world leading performance
(Andrew Beyer under 3:58 see under) but still enough to beat Lagat 3:59.01.
Jamaica’s double Olympic 200m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown won the 60 m in
seasons fastest 7.11 with former World Outdoor 100m title holder Lauryn
Williams second in 7.22 and Lisa Barber third 7.23. Jamaican Vonette Dixon
achieved the world’s fastest 80m hurdles of 2011 winning in 8.00 from Danielle
Carruthers (8.03) with Canada’s world
indoor medalist Perdita Felicien third 8.05. Co world leader of last outdoor
season Nesta Carter posted a 2011 best of 6.52
in winning the Visa Men’s 60 m ahead of Michael Rodgers (6.56), Trell
Kimmons (6.57) and Lerone Clarke (6.67). Reigning World Indoor champion Fabiana
Murer of Brazil posted a world lead when lifting the pole vault with a
clearance of 474 cm. Olympic silver
medallist Jen Suhr claimed second with a leap of 464 in her return to action
after an injury. Ryan Whiting surprised his older and more experienced
opponents winning the shot put with a final effort of 21.31. The youngster
defeated world champions Christian Cantwell (21.14) and Reese Hoffa (20.52).
Two-time Olympic Games silver medalist Adam Nelson fouled with all four
attempts. In special triathlon of multieventers the worlds elite competed.
World indoor record holder Ashton Eaton beat with two personal bests and 2666
points reigning world champion Trey Hardee 2640 and reigning olympic winner
Bryan Clay 2609, fourth Jake Arnold 2491. In shot put Hardee prevailed (15.94 PB) over Clay (15.24)
and Eaton (14.22, PB) but in the hurdles Eaton improved his best to 7.64 and
clearly beat Clay (7.78) and Hardee (7.83). He was also the best in high jump
(205) as both champions cleared 196 cm. Trinidad´s Renny Quow won the 600 y in
1:11.82. In other women races Natasha Hastings dominated the 400 m in 53.60 and
Sara Hall in the 1500 m in 4:15.35. Amber Campbell got world lead in women
weight throw 24.10 and Jacob Freeman registered US leader of the season 24.16.
With help of David Martin.
OTHER
RESULTS
NEW YORK (USA, Jan 28): USATF informs that former NFL
standout Jacoby Jones ended the suspense early in the Super 60 II, which is a
proving ground for stars among an eclectic group of accomplished professional
and Olympic athletes. The event showcases the universal component of speed in
all sports, and helps determine which sport has the most potent combination of
power, speed and acceleration.Jones got out of the blocks well at the gun and
had the race in his hip pocket with 20 meters to go. From that point on he resembled Tommie Smith
winning the Olympic 200m gold medal in 1968 with his arm in the air the last 20
meters of the race. Jones crossed the finish line in 7.00 for the win, with
2010 Super 60 champion and former NFL standout Anthony Dorsett, Jr., finishing
as the runner-up in 7.14. Olympic gold
medalist bobsledder Steve Mesler was third in 7.24, with L.A. Galaxy forward
Bryan Jordan fourth in 7.33.
FAYETTEVILLE (USA, Jan 28): Marquise Goodwin got
excellent 814 during first day of Razorback Invitational in long jump. Maurice
Mitchell was the best in 60 m heats (6.64) and Brandon Byram in the 200 m heats
(20.73). In women jumps Brigetta Barrett cleared 191 and Chantel Malone
improved in long jump to 665 cm (new national indoor record for British Virgin
Islands). Julie Labonte with 17.09 in shot put achieved new Canadian indoor
record. Semoy Hackett of Trinidad (23.14) and Tiffany Townsend (23.21) were
pretty fast in women´s 200 m heats.
BLOOMINGTON (USA, Jan 28): Andrew Bayer after world
leading 3000 m last weekend achieved another global mark of 2011 when winning
the mile here in 3:57.75.
ALBUQUERQUE (USA, Jan 28): Brianna Glenn achieved in long
jump seasons best mark of 674 cm. Jasmine Chaney posted in 200 m heats 23.32
and John Kline clocked solid 1:17.59 at 600 m.
UNIVERSITY PARK (USA, Jan 28): Reggie Dixon posted fast
6.58 to win the 60 m here ahead of James Taylor 6.66. Speedy 6.61 for Chris
Davis in heats. Hurdles improvement for Jaret Eaton with 7.58. Justin Hunter
leaped to 796 in long jump. In women sprints Dominique Booker got 7.27 in semis
of 60 m and Kristi Castlin won the 60 m hurdles in 8.05.
SEATTLE (USA, Jan 28): Kara Goucher in her indoor outing
at 5000 m clocked 16:11.50 and Luke Puskedra was timed at 13:46.70. World
leading pentathlon for Canada´s Brianne Theisen with solid 4507 points
(8.45-183-12.70-602-2:14.50).
RENO (USA, Jan 28): Kylie Hutson won the Pole Vault
Summitt with 440 clearance. Jack Whitt was the youngest male winner with 550 on
count-back with Jordan Scott and Mark Hollis.
DRESDEN (GER, Jan 28): Czech Jirina Ptacnikova cleared
450 and won the women pole vault at international jumping meeting in Dreseden.
Supported by 1500 spectators she tried afterwards at new meet record height and
personal best of 467 cm. Her next meet is Russian Winter in Moscow. Home
jumpers Kristina Gadschiew and Julia Hutter could go only over 430 and tied for
third with another Czech Romana Malacova and Sweden´s Malia Dahlstrom. Belarus
record holder Anastasiya Shvedova was second (440). World indoor medalist 2006
Andrey Tereshin was the best in men´s high jump with 225 third attempt
clearance. Second was another Russian Mikhail Tsvetkov ahead of Italian Silvano
Chesani (both 222).
SPALA (POL, Jan 28): Youth Olympic Shot put winner
Krzysztof Brzozowski improved at National junior championships with 6 kg
implement to 20.41 m.
MOGILYOV (BLR, Jan 28): Yana Maksimava won the national
pentathlon indoor title with 4170 score.
POTCHEFSTROOM (RSA, Jan 26): In a throwing competition in
the training camp Hungarian Krisztián Pars started the season with 76.50 in
hammer. The young talent, Bence Pásztor (95) threw personal best 76.60 with 5
kg implement.
WELLINGTON (NZL, Jan 28): Talented last year junior Mike
Cochrane improved again at 400 m hurdles with 50.62. Nikki Hamblin won the
national 3000 m title in 9:32.44.
OTHER
NEWS
INDIANAPOLIS (USA): Reuters reports that USATF is
considering a request to bend its own rules and allow disgraced Olympic and
world 400 metres champion LaShawn Merritt compete in this year’s world
championships. Merritt is scheduled to complete his 21-month doping suspension
on July 27, a month ahead of the world championships in Daegu, South Korea, but
a month after the U.S. trials in Eugene, Oregon. As reigning world champion he
has IAAF wild-card but USATF bylaws require all athletes to compete in the trials
to be considered for the American team. “Our question is, do we want to
set ourselves up to create a precedent by allowing him to run,” USATF
president Stephanie Hightower told Reuters in a telephone interview. IAAF will
accept the USATF decision.
ATHENS (GRE): More than six years after successfully
organizing the 2004 Athens Olympics, Greece has reportedly lost the right to
host the 2013 Mediterranean Games after its financial crisis and savage budget
cuts wreaked havoc on the country. Local media are informing. In an
extraordinary meeting in Paris, the governing body of the International
Committee for the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) voted 12 to 1 in favor of taking
the 2013 event away from the Greek cities it had awarded it to in 2007. A new
host was not named.
EUGENE (USA): Oregon live informs that Lukas Verzbicas,
winner of the Gatorade national boys cross country runner of the year for the
past two seasons, has orally committed to Oregon. Verzbicas made the
announcement Thursday in suburban Chicago, where he attends high school. He has
been compared to to U.S. distance legends Steve Prefontaine, Gerry Lindgren and
Dathan Ritzenhein. Verzbicas also had been considering the University of
Portland, Colorado and Stanford.
