Jenn Suhr set a new AR of 4.86m (15-11 1/2) and Jill Camarena-Willams broke the shot put record of Ramona Pagel, from way back in 1987, throwing 19.87m! On top of that, Camarena-Williams had the farthest throw of year. On top of that, Nine world leaders!

Jenn Suhr setting AR of 4.86m in pole vault, at 2011 USA Indoor! photo by PhotoRun.net

9 WORLD LEADS, 2 US RECORDS

ALBUQUERQUE (USA, Feb 27): Unbelievable second
day of US Indoor Championships. In total 9 world leading marks and 2 US indoor
records. In both shot puts new world leads for Ryan Whiting (21.35) and Jill
Camarena-Williams, her 19.87 is also new US indoor record (former 19.83 by
Ramona Pagel from 1987). Jenn Suhr cleared in third attempt 486 in the pole vault, new
world lead and US
indoor record. She then tried at 493, overall US record. Places two to four for
455 in
order Becky Holliday, Melinda Owen (PB) and Lacy Janson. Kellie Wells confirmed
her number one position in the world with two 7.79 world leading times (heats
and finals) at 60 m
hurdles. Also Mike Rodgers did the same in the 60 m.  First world lead in heats 6.49 and another
one in the finals 6.48. Second D´Angelo Cherry also fast 6.54. Natasha Hastings
won the 400 m,
another world lead 50.83.  Second DeeDee
Trotter 51.36. And the biggest surprise was the world leading 699 in the long jump by Janay
De Loach (her previous best from early February was 667) beating world champion
Brittney Reese (686) and Funmi Jimoh (666). In other events improvement for Omo
Osaghae at 60 m
hurdles to 7.52 beating Kevin Craddock (7.58). In women 60 m Alexandria Anderson in PB
of 7.12 was able to beat Carmelita Jeter 7.13 and Shalonda Solomon 7.15 (PB).
Michael Courtney won the 400 m
in solid 46.11 (he has only 45.92 outdoor best). In middle distances Jenny
Simpson achieved a double with mile win 4:34.96, Phoebe Wright 2:02.27 and
Duane Solomon 1:48.03 were the finners in the 800 m races and Jeff See got
the mile (4:04.63). The 1555
m altitude was helpful in sprints and jumps, but still
after a relatively average first day, something very special happened also
taking into account how many top stars passed this event due to
non-championships indoor year for US athletes.

KIRANI 44.80, MORE THAN
IMPRESSIVE

FAYETTEVILLE (USA, Feb 27): Superb world junior
indoor all-time best and world leading 44.80 for Grenadan super talent Kirani
James at 400 m.
The world junior and youth champion grows into a talent of Usain Bolt style, he
was never faster outdoors as last Sunday at SEC Conference meet. It is fourth
fastest indoors ever, only Kerron Clement and twice Michael Johnson were ever
faster. In his race second Caleb Williams 46.08 and third Estonian Marek Niit
46.19. But in second race another top mark by Tony McQuay 45.21 over Torrin
Lawrence 45.82 and Ben Skidmore 46.04. McQuay also won the 200 m title in 20.61, in
another race LaShawn Butler 20.79. Jeff Demps won the 60 m in 6.55. Excellent triple
jump battle was won by Christian Taylor 17.36 over Will Claye 17.17. Kimberly
Duncan (19, but will be 20 this year) was unexpected 200 m winner in world leader
22.78, while Semoy Hackett clocked new national record for Trinidad
22.84 in
the second final. Lakya Brookins won the 60 m (7.14) and Shelise Williams the 400 m (52.20). Tina Sutej
cleared 454 in
pole vault, overall Slovenian record.

TWO NAMES FOR EA PRESIDENT VOTE
CONFIRMED

LAUSANNE (SUI): At the European Athletics Congress on
April 16 in
London two candidates will fight for the top
position in Europe. Current president Hansjorg
Wirz and current vice-president Svein Arne Hansen of Norway. That was confirmed by EA
after the closing date for submitting candidatures. For three vice-president
posts 6 candidates are registered. Two current ones (Jose Luis de Carlos of
Spain and Svein Arne Hansen), they are added by Jean Gracia of France, German
Frank Hensel, Toralf Nilsson of Sweden and current treasurer Karel Pilny of
Czech Republic. For 13 council places in total 25 candidates will be fighting
for the votes. Among them former top athletes like Poland´s multiple olympic
walking winner Robert Korzeniowski, Romanian olympic gold medalist at 5000 m Gabriela Szabo and
Estonian olympic decathlon winner Erki Nool. Interesting to note also the
candidature of Marton Gyulai of Hungary,
who is the son of the former IAAF General Secretary Istvan Gyulai. From current
EA council members no bid from triple jump world record holder Jonathan
Edwards. UK Athletics is proposing Ed Warner instead. There are 15 and 14
candidates, respectively, for the four posts on the Competition and Development
Committees. In total, 34 Member Federations have put forward candidates for the
period 2011-2015.

KITWARA AND EJIGU

SAN JUAN (PUR, Feb 27): Sammy Kitwara won the 10 km road race in San Juan clocking fast
27:35. After the Kenyan second and third Ethiopians Dejen Gebremeskel 27:45 and
Lelisa Desisa 28:02. Fourth Leonard Komon 28:05 (he was deleted because of this
race from the World CC Team) ahead of World CC winner 2010 Joseph Ebuya (28:07)
and world track medalist Moses Masai (28:28). Ethiopian Sentayehu Ejigu who
clocked world leading 3000 m
in Birmingham last weekend switched to road and won in 31:50 in close race
before marathon specialist Dire Tune (31:51) and another Ethiopian Habtamu
Atedese 31:54. Best Kenyan as fourth Grace Momanyi (32:05).

SINCLAIR VS. T. LEWIS

MELBOURNE (AUS): Latest addition for the IAAF World Challenge Melbourne
Track Classic on March 3 is the Jamaican 800 m record holder Kenia Sinclair. She will
face world indoor champion from Valencia 2008 Tamsyn Lewis who is returning to
the two laps after trying the hurdles last year. The IAAF Melbourne Track
Classic, an IAAF World Challenge meet, will feature an all-star line-up of
Australian track and field stars including Australian Flame Sally Pearson, Sean
Wroe, Jeff Riseley, Matt Davies and Collis Birmingham competing alongside
international guests David Rudisha (Kenya, 800 m), Valerie Vili (New
Zealand, shot put) Bernard Lagat (USA, 5000m), Chris Solinsky (USA, 5000m),
Matt Tegenkamp (USA, 5000m), Isaac Songok (Kenya, 5000m) and Mikele Barber
(USA, 100m/200m) amongst others.

OTHER NEWS

BEOGRAD (SRB): Serbian running quarttet returned from one month training
camp in Iten, Kenya. Best Serbian female marathon
runner Olivera Jevtic with talented boys Mirko Petrovic and Nemanja Cerovac
spend the time in the Lornah Kiplagat camp at 2100 m altitude. Their main
helper and pacemaker was Gilbert Kibet a 3:45 runner.

LONDON (GBR): Barry Hearn, the chairman of Leyton
Orient, has revealed he will be requesting the assistance of West Ham United
and the Premier League to help his club build a new 15,000-seater stadium at
nearby Eton Manor on the Olympic Park, in return for not disrupting the
handover of the London 2012 Stadium with legal challenges. Hearn has appointed
leading London
law firm Mishcon de Reya and is threatening a judicial review after the Olympic
Park Legacy Company (OPLC) announced earlier this month they will be
recommending West Ham move into the Olympic Stadium after the London 2012
Games, despite Leyton Orient being based closer to the venue. Writes
insidethegames.

EMBU (KEN): Kenya
has taken Leonard Komon out of Punta Umbria World CC team because he competed
at San Juan 10 km
road race (4th in 28:05). He is replaced by Paul Tanui who was 7th at the
recent trials. The teams selected for the championships are training in Embu at
the foot of Mount Kenya some 190
km north east of Nairobi.

BRIGHTON (GBR): The organisers of the Brighton
Marathon, The Grounded Events Company, has launched an online store as the
exclusive outlet for the Brighton Marathon clothing range. From shoes to
heart-rate monitors to bottles and books, the store has all the latest products
to keep the runner equipped and ready to meet all challenges reports
Insidethegames.