Flanagan Earns Bronze & American Record in 10,000-meters

-Beijing, China-Day 1 Analysis

Competition on the track opened up with a couple surprises.

It was a historical night in Beijing and a moment that signals progress tof American distance running on the international scene.

American Shalane Flanagan’s third place finish in the women’s 10,000-meters on Friday, marks only the second time in U.S. history that the country has medaled in this event. Her time of 30:22.22 established a new American record.

The winner, Ethopia’s Tirunesha Dibaba won gold, setting an Olympic record in 29:54.66, and Elvan Abeylegesse of Turkey captured the silver.

The unpredictable nature of the Olympic Games was on display Friday in Beijing. Proving that nothing is guaranteed and anything is possible at the Olympic Games.

The Americans were heavily favored coming into Beijing and many thought that Reese Hoffa, Christian Cantwell, and Adam Nelson would pull off a 1-2-3 sweep of the event.

With that, Tomasz Majewski of Polland won an upset victory by throwing a career best 70 feet, 61/2 inches.

Christian Cantwell (61 feet, 2 ½ inches) was the lone U.S. athlete to medal in the event, walking away with a silver medal.

The favorite Reese Hoffa, the reigning World champion finished in a distant seventh place at 67 feet, 4 ¼ inches. Adam Nelson, did not register a mark in the final after three fouls.

By Jay Hicks.

We Have Major News!

I am going with media credentials to the U.S. Olympics Trials in Eugene, Oregon with from June 27 to July 6!!!

In a deal with TheFinalsprint.com, I will provide live event coverage from Eugene on the TFS Media Network. The coverage provided on PreraceJitters.com will be news and opinions about goings on during the meet.

If that isn't enough news, I have been invited to participate in the first ever Running Film Festival taking place in Eugene. It's a huge honor and it would not be possible without our readers.

Thank you to all the faithful readers that make PreraceJitters.com part of your daily life.

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By Jay Hicks.

The Final Lap: Around the Globe in 60 seconds

With all of the excitement and preparation for this week’s upcoming U.S. indoor national championship meet. Let’s not forget about the great week that was had in track & field.

Athletes will compete at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday to win a national title and a roster spots for Team USA roster spots for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 7-9 in Valencia, Spain.

You can tell it’s an Olympic year because no one wants to get left at home. This last week in track & field has produced a lot of impressive performances.

• Steven Spielberg rolled out! The Chinese are looking to save face after the maker of Schindler’s List resigned his Olympic duties in protest of the China's support of the human rights abuses in Darfur.

• Watch out Stuczynksi! American outdoor record holder Jenn Stuczynski has been served notice. Russian Yelena Isinbayeva improved her own world indoor record in the pole vault to 4.95m (16-2 3/4) in Donetsk, Ukraine.

• I won’t say I Told You So but..Carmelita Jeter, one of PRJ’s preseason picks to watch closed another big race in 60-meters at Tyson Invitational. That’s three major wins indoors, but who is counting, right?

• Big Poppy gets crazy! Adam Nelson is adding mad sportsmanship and attention to the men’s shot put. Oh, by the way, he’s number three all-time indoors after belting a throw of 73 feet, 6 inches.

• Who said distance runners can’t sprint? Kenenisa Bekele ran a smoking last 200-meters in 27.9 seconds to break the world 2mile record in Birmingham. Bet that bonus check spends nicely!

  
  

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist

2008 Millrose Games Wrap-Up: Lagat & Nelson Win Big

World-leading 72 feet, 5 inches for Adam Nelson at Millrose

Lagat leaves field in dust.

They say timing is everything. So far in 2008 – and specifically Friday at Madison Square Garden – that adage held true for Bernard Lagat.

Lagat was off to a slow start in the race before Craig Mottram took the lead at mid-race point fearing the pace was too slow. Bernard took the lead with one and a half laps to go and blistered the field to win his 6th Wanamaker Mile in 3:57.51 over Mottram, Nick Willis and Galen Rupp.

After the race Lagat said, “It might have looked easy. Like always, I have to prepare myself for a great race. I have run with him [Mottram] several times and stick to my strategy that I had prepared coming into the race. Before I came to the arena, I had envisioned the race as it happened. I passed him with two laps to go.”

Other Millrose highlights

Women’s 60-meter: Carmelita Jeter has been putting together solid finishes lately. She surged at Osaka to place third in the 100-meter world final. At Fresno State, she sealed the deal at the finish line. On Friday at Millrose, she continued her streak to win in 7.29 seconds at the finish line over Miki Barber (7.30) and Daigel-Bowen(7.32).

Men’s 60-meter: Reigning World Indoor 60-meter champion Leonard Scott demonstrated his indoor dominance again in winning the Metro men's 60-meters in 6.59 seconds.

Women’s high jump: Amy Acuff showed why she’s a three-time Olympian with a first-place finish of 6 feet, 3.50 inches.

Women’s pole vault: Jenn Stuczynski will have to wait another year for a Millrose victory. Both Jenn and 2004 Olympian Jillian Schwartz cleared 15 feet, 2¼ inches, but Schwartz won because she had fewer misses.

Men’s shot put: Men’s shot put was a highlight of the Millrose events with an energetic performance by Adam Nelson. Nelson stole the show heaving a massive 72 feet, 5 inches throw while setting a MSG record in front of 12,647 screaming fans. Christian Cantwell took second with 69 feet, 11 inches in front of reigning world champ Reese Hoffa’s 69 feet, 4 inches. For his sick performance, Nelson has the world’s top throw and was named the Millrose Games Athlete of the meet.

The women’s mile came down to sprinting power. Sarah Hall swung wide coming down the homestretch giving 10,000-meter runner, Kara Goucher, enough room to slide inside to narrowly win in 4:36.03.

600 yards is a difficult event. Quarter mile runners find the distance too long and 800 meter runs have found the race too short to get going. Bershawn Jackson found the race to be the perfect length in a narrow victory over two lap star Khadevis Robinson. Jackson took the early lead and finished in 1:10.34 over Robinson’s 1:10.53.

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist