The 2011 Nike Pre Classic and the 2011 adidas Grand Prix NY are the two major elite outdoor meetings in North America. That is a fact. Less than two weeks later, the USA Outdoor Champs will determine who makes the US team to Daegu, Korea for the World Outdoor Champs (August 27-Sept 5).

I have journeyed to the Compeed Rome Golden Gala and FBK Hengelo in the past two weeks. Add onto that, the 2011 Payton Jordan Invite, and I have been lucky enough to see most of the major elite athletes open their seasons so far, and should see the remainder at the 2011 adidas Grand Prix this coming weekend.

Here is what I want to see in our sport: Road races and track meets co promoting. Track & Field and Road running coming up with a solid program to encourage activity to reverse the trends to obesity in young people. Besides T&F and Road racing encouraging physical activity, I would love to see some elite athletes support a read a book a month club. We have so much talent and creativity in the members of this sport, yet, we have not harnessed it.

I love what Runnerspace & Flotrack, as well as others are doing in promoting our sport. From the tweets on how frustrating the NBC broadcast was to watch, I would say that our TV model needs to be shaken up. I like it that Ato Boldon tweets and stirs it up. The best broadcast of track for the year, in my mind, in the US, was the New Balance Indoor GP in Boston.

Athletics has many disciplines. We are a bit complicated, but, we shoot ourselves in the foot when athletes do not show up to a promoted event, when athletes avoid racing other athletes, and most importantly, when we do not appreciate that we are part of this bigger force, the global sport of athletics.

Andy Turner, David Oliver, Liu Xiang, 2011 Nike Pre Classic, 110 m hurdles, photo by PhotoRun.net

How we answer these challenges will determine if the elite part of our sport grows, is recognized for the good it engenders, or sits behind professional walleye fishing on the sports marketing money food chain. In sports marketing, perception is reality.

We need more highlights in our sport in North America than Nike Pre, adidas NY and USA Outdoor.  

P. LIMO AND TUNE

BANGALORE (IND, Jun 5):
New champions emerged while favourites took backstage in the 4th edition of
World 10K at Bangalore.  Kenyan Philemon Limo and Ethiopian Dire Tune
took the top spots in the TCS World 10K, the IAAF Gold Label Race with 28:01
and 33:19. In men´s race second Leonard Langat 28:09 and third best Ethiopian
Lelisa Desisa 28:13. In close finish of the women race young Merima Mohammed as
second was timed with the 33:20 and third Belaynesh Oljira 33:20. Best Kenyan
Fyles Ongori was fifth 33:22 ahead of Doris Changeiywo 33:25, Aselefech Mergia
33:27, Edna Kiplagat 33:35 and Dutch Hilda Kibet 33:40. Informs Murali
Krishnan.

FOUR GOLD MEDALS FOR COLOMBIA

BUENOS AIRES (ARG, Jun 4): Third day of South American Championships
registered wins for Colombia as triple jump favorite Caterine Ibarguen got
windy 14.59 (+2.2) and legal 14.48 (+0.2). Daniel Grueso was another Colombian
winner at 200 m
in 20.90 (+1.7 and faster 20.84 +0.6
in heats) as was Rosibel Garcia in the 800 m 2:04.76 and Angela
Figueroa 9:58.00 in the steeple. Maximiliano Diaz won the triple jump for the
home country and leaped to national record 16.51 (+1.2). Favorites from Brazil remained
behind him, second Jonathan Henrique Silva (16.45) and third Jefferson Sabino
(16.45). But otherwise Brazil
won four gold medals. Hudson de Souza in steeple 8:35.63, Ronald Odair in
discus 62.72, Ana Claudia the 200
m in 23.18 (+0.4) and Andressa Morais discus (57.54).

BLEDMAN LEGAL 9.93 IN THE FINALS

CLERMONT (USA,
Jun 4): More details from the Last Chance meet where Tyson Gay clocked 9.79 in heats. In the
finals Keston Bledman of Trinidad improved to
9.93 (+1.0) beating Travis Padgett 10.02 and Jamaicans Oshane Bailey 10.15 and
Nickel Ashmeade 10.17 (he run sub 10
in heats behind Gay). Fifth Ireland´s visually impaired
Jason Smyth in fast 10.29. Gay was not running the finals. Women 100 m were not that lucky
with wind. Murielle Ahoure won in 10.86 but was aided by +2.9 ahead of Shalonda
Solomon 10.90 and Tahesia Harrigan of British Virgin
Islands 10.97. In the heats even faster windy 10.89 +4.6 by
Harrigan over Solomon 10.90. But in second heat Ahoure legal 11.21 (+1.1).
Loreal Smith won the 100 m
hurdles in 12.80 (+4.2 and the same 12.80 in heats +2.3). Ronald Forbes improved
the Cayman Islands national 110 m hurdles record in heats
to 13.50 +1.8 and got even faster but windy 13.24 (+2.8) in the finals. Aileen
Bailey of Jamaica
was the best in the 200 m
(22.89, +2.0) and Canadian Bryan Barnett in men´s race 20.58 (+1.9). In the
400m Calvin Smith posted 45.39 (with Ireland´s David Gillick 6th 46.80) and
Deedee Trotter 51.88. Michael Tinsley was the best in the 400 m hurdles (49.65).

OTHER RESULTS

LEVERKUSEN (GER, Jun 4) At Nerius Cup in javelin throwing
organised by 2009 World Champion Steffi Nerius Mark Frank was the best in men
competition with 80.25. Young Till Woschler with 80.18 beat Matthias De Zordo
79.03. In women competition Katarina Molitor achieved 62.93 over European
champion Linda Stahl 59.55.

KINGSTON (JAM, Jun 4): Carrie Russell clocked good
11.22 (-0.4) at Jamaican All Comers fourth meet of the season. In the 100 m Rasheed Dwyer was the
fastest in 10.31 (+0.8).

GOLD COAST (AUS, Jun 4): At the first Winter Series meet Chris Troode
won the 400m in 46.04 from Chris Boylett 46.87 and Joel Milburn also back from
injury in 47.44. Sally Pearson ran 53.86 in a mixed 400m. Troode clocked week
before in Canberra
hand timed 45.7.

SYDNEY (AUS, Jun 4):  Martin Dent
won the NSW 10km Road Championships in 29:31 with Lara Tamsett winning the
women’s section in 32:27.

ISTANBUL (TUR, Jun 4): The 16th Yilmaz Sazak
international junior competition had also 4 senior events. In men´s 300 m Tamac Serdar clocked
33.27 and in the 2000 m
Hayle Ibrahimov of Azerbaijan
5:15.08. In women´s 300 m
Birsen Engin achieved 37.83 and in the mile Layes Abdullayeva of Azerbaijan
4:40.29. Both Azerbaijan
marks are national records.

NAIROBI (KEN, Jun 4): Commonwealth and Africa steeple champion Richard Mateelong beat a strong
field of elite athletes to win the 5000 m race at the Kenya Police athletics
championships in 13:47.90. Second Cyrus Kipruto 13:49.46 ahead of road
specialist Sammy Kitwara 13:49.74 and Boston Marathon winner Geoffrey Mutai was
fifth in 13:52.11. In the 800
m women race, Sheila Chesang flourished in the absence
of former world champion Janeth Jepkosgei and Olympic champion Pamela Jelimo in
2:03.62. Cherono Koech was second in 2:04.10 and steeple specialist Milcah
Chemos third 2:04.35. Pauline Njeri won women´s 5000 m in 15:42.4. In the
steeple races Lydia Rotich 9:51.6 and Paul Kimugul 8:38.8 over Philip Yego
8:39.1 and Willy Komen 8:39.6.

JINAN (CHN, Jun 4): Best result of Saturday at
Chinese Junior Championships was the 20.94 at 200 m for Zu Shangbin (18) in
the 200 m
(+0.9).

ADDITIONS

EUGENE (USA): The capacity crowd in Eugene was 12 188 and the number of
WL needs to be one less due to 100
m Tyson Gay 9.79 in Florida, that means 10 in total of all events.
The points score of All-Athletics.com is the best so far this season with 94
377 with world record bonus and more events than any other previous DL meet. It
is the best score ever for Prefontaine Classic and would be enough for end of
season number one spot in this ranking in 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005 and 2004 since
the period starting with 2001.

EUGENE (USA): Also Josphat Bett became the
35th runner to break 27min for 10000m, Paul Tanui 36th, Matthew Kisorio 37th,
Mark Kiptoo 38th. Alson Leonard Komon and Josphat Bett are now included in the
group of runners having bests sub 27 and sub 13 in the 10/5 combination.

FLORO (NOR): Times at 1000
m were corrected to hand times for Maracheva 2:35.3 WL,
Arzamasava 2:36.0 and Ingvill Makestad Bovim third with national record for Norway
2:36.7.