June 2002 Issue

Chasing Mo's Crown

It's not yet trash-talk, but the rhetoric is heating up as rivals think of challenging the World's Fastest Human

by Sieg Lindstrom

Maurice Greene knows the game. And it isn't really even a game to the sprinters who live it. When you're the guy just outside the castle wall, you can't help but announce your plan to storm across the moat, smash down the gate and claim the throne.

To take the crown, you have to want it. Greene knows that. He shed tears for wanting it badly after watching the '96 Olympic 100 final, in which he believed he belonged even if nobody else did.

Now that Mo has failed to prevail in a pair of relay anchors, at Texas and Penn, his hungry rivals are stirring. Swimming laps around that moat, in fact. Like sharks, they smell blood.

So far, Greene is just smiling back, admiring the pointy teeth of three fellow Americans who have already dipped under 10-flat in the 100 this year...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

Suzy Powell Whirls 227-10

La Jolla, California, April 26-27-Question asked, question answered. At the end of last-month's story on the three U.S. women to World Rank in the discus last year, Suzy Powell wondered, "Who will get to it first?"

"It" was the American Record, which had stood at Carol Cady's 216-10 since '86. Powell provided her own resounding reply at the UCSD Open with her booming throw of 227-10 (69.44), the world's longest platter toss since June of '99...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

A Pair of Killer 10Ks

by Sieg Lindstrom

Stanford, California, May 3-The Cardinal Invitational is getting a well-deserved reputation as a 10K haven. Last year Meb Keflezighi smashed the American Record in the meet; this year he fell short, but Deena Drossin didn't on the women's side.

Drossin cut nearly half a minute from the AR in a race in which winner Yoko Shibui lowered the Japanese standard by almost as much. Shibui finished in 30:48.89 as Drossin chased her across the line in 30:50.32.

While Shibui's run was aimed squarely at the 31:09.46 set by Yuko Kawakami in '00, Drossin avoided publicly targeting Lynn Jennings' 31:19.89 from the '92 Olympics, saying, "The conditions are going to have to be perfect, everything's going to have to fall into place... in order for records to be broken, but I am definitely looking for a personal best."

Drossin got her perfect conditions-cool and still-and in the 23-year-old Shibui, a 2:23 marathoner, she found an ideal opponent, whose 31:48.73 PR nearly perfectly matched Drossin's own 31:51.05...

(for more, read the June Issue of Track & Field News)

Relay Big Shows

Mt. SAC: Shifting Into High Gear

by Jon Hendershott

The outdoor season stepped up another notch as some of the nation's biggest names jumped into the fray at the Mt. SAC Relays

WALNUT, California, April 19-21-Every athlete's season has to start somewhere. For two of last year's most prominent Americans, the '02 campaign sped off the starting line at the 44th edition of the Mt. SAC Relays.

For Marion Jones, her by-now-customary opener in a long sprint yielded an unpressed 50.46 victory in the 400. For Alan Webb-whose miling exploits as a prep senior last year captivated the nation-his college track debut produced a 9th-place 1500 of 3:44.74. Neither star was exactly satisfied...

Drake: Many Thrills Despite The Chills

by Dan Lilot

Des Moines, Iowa, April 25-27-Rivalries fuel track & field. And those rivalries need not be among individuals. Take the friendly rivalry that exists between the dueling relay carnivals of Penn and Drake the last weekend of April every year. Fans, coaches and athletes who are lucky to have experienced both meets love to argue which is better.

And while Penn is a manifestation of urban flare and grit, the Drake Relays, at least to an outsider, provides a portrait of Midwestern can-do, you-betcha optimism in the face of adversity. And never was a smile and a positive attitude more useful than on the rain, wind and cold-hampered final day of the 93rd edition of Drake.

And what better embodiment of the Midwestern chipper spirit than Suzy Favor Hamilton? The Wisconsin native hoped to attack her 8:46.16 best in the 3000 from two years ago and was willing to push the pace early...

Penn: Arkansas Storms Back

by Jonathan Berenbom

Philadelphia, April 25-27-Over the past two decades Arkansas has dominated the men's longest baton events at the Penn Relays. After a one-year switch to Drake in '01, the Razorbacks returned in dominant fashion with a pair of impressive wins over arch-rival Stanford.

First up was one of the meet's glamour events, the distance medley. Villanova, which last year had broken a 20-year losing drought in what had once been its signature event, suffered from some early bad luck when leadoff Ryan Hayden dropped the baton in the first 20m.

With the Wildcats struggling, Hog Dan Lincoln pushed the pace, ensuring that the locals would be unable to recover.

After the first leg, three teams battled for the lead: Georgia Tech (Brendan Mahoney 2:52.1), Stanford (Gabe Jennings 2:52.2) and Arkansas (Lincoln 2:52.3).

Tech quickly faded from contention, but evenly matched 400 and 800 carries left Stanford (47.5, 1:50.7) with a slight 0.3 lead over Arkansas (47.2, 1:51.2) at the final exchange.

That set up a thrilling anchor matchup between the reigning NCAA Indoor (Alistair Cragg of Arkansas) and Outdoor (Jonathon Riley of Stanford) 5K champions.

Riley led for 1300m at a moderate pace, then...

(for more, read the June Issue of Track & Field News)

Barriers Keep Tumbling

by Jon Hendershott

"At one time, my life's goal was to hit 70-feet just once," admits Christian Cantwell. "I've been fortunate now to throw it several times-but I'll tell you one thing: 70-4 isn't going to be my farthest throw this year."

A 70-41/2 explosion in Iowa City two weeks after he joined the 70-foot club at the Kansas Relays is the longest heave in a blitz by the 21-year-old Missouri junior that has lit up the event this year, indoors and out. While pummeling his '01 best of 64-8, the 6-7/290 Cantwell hasn't lost outdoors and has beaten some big names along the way...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

U.S. 5K Scene Changing?

by Sieg Lindstrom

The 10Ks may have been in the spotlight at the Cardinal Invitational, but the men's 5K made collegiate history as Jorge Torres (13:26.00) led Colorado teammate Dathan Ritzenhein (13:27.77) and Stanford's Jonathon Riley (13:29.15) to the first-ever trio of sub-13:30 clockings by U.S. collegians in a single season (see box). Their ages: 21, 19 and 23. And Riley is already the reigning NCAA champion in the event.

Says Buff coach Mark Wetmore of his pair of Torres and Ritzenhein, who became the first college teammates ever to break 13:30 in the same competition, "Judging by their races in the winter, and out in Ireland [at World Cross], we were pretty sure they could run in the mid 13:20s. But guessing it and watching it are two different things. It was exciting.

"People keep commenting to me about how close they usually finish, and in the same order: 'Is Ritz holding back?' If you know him, you know that he doesn't hold back. And you know that Jorge won't wave him by."

The other American under 13:30 for the season is 27-year-old Clint Wells, a versatile Colorado alum who...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

Dragila Challenging Again

by Jon Hendershott

Modesto, California, May 11-In her previous appearance at the Coca-Cola Modesto Relays, Stacy Dragila upped her own pole vault World Record to 15-1. Between that Olympic-year leap and now, she raised the record to 15-91/4 and won all the titles while becoming the world's preeminent woman vaulter.

The superstar leaper topped 15-13/4 at Modesto's 61st edition before missing out at a record 15-93/4, but Dragila still was satisfied with her effort.

"I'm pleased," said the 31-year-old California native. "There are a lot of really great U.S. competitors biting at my heels-not to mention Svetlana Feofanova on the world stage. So I know I have to be on my game every time out. But that's what I love, to compete. I wanted to come here and show what I have, at least right now."

Dragila's final reference was a pointed one...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

All Gatlin, All The Time At SEC

by Scott S. Davis

STARKVILLE, Mississippi, May 9--As always, there were plenty of great fireworks to go around at the SEC Championships. At the end of the last day, following a performance for the ages by Justin Gatlin (see sidebar), the Arkansas men threw the kitchen sink at Tennessee in the 5000 in a valiant attempt to win, but came up just short.

The Hogs went 1-2-4-5-6, with Daniel Lincoln capturing his third victory in three days (8:44.07, 14:07.64, 29:24.55), but it wasn't enough to withstand the Vols' incredible speed onslaught, which generated 711/2 points in the sprints, short relay and hurdle events.

On the final day Gatlin had, quite simply, one of the great meets ever, running on the winning 4x1 (a collegiate-leading 38.66), taking 2nd in the hurdles (13.41), winning the 100 (10.11) and, finally, claiming the Collegiate Record in the 200 at 19.86...

(for more on the SEC and other Conference showdowns, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

NCAA Regionals A Go

IN AN ACTION that surprised proponents and opponents alike, the NCAA Div. I Board of Directors has given final approval to a Regionals system for qualifying to the Nationals. Last year, when the Board's approval seemed to be a rubber-stamp formality, it surprisingly embargoed the required funds.

But in late April the Board released the $363,000 it had embargoed for the past year, paving the way to holding Regional meets starting next year-and at the same time raising the maximum size of the Nationals fields for men and women from 388 to 544 athletes each. That's a hefty 40% boost.

Rather than chase automatic and provisional qualifiers to the NCs, most athletes will get to the dance by placing in the top 5 in their event at one of four new Regional meets to be held the last weekend in May. (See map for the proposed boundaries.) The NCAA will be held two weeks later-a week later than currently...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

High School News

BIG MARKS came fast and furious as the end of the relay campaign blended in with the start of the state-meet season. The only record action since the last issue came from a not-unexpected source as Brooklyn's Boys & Girls continued to set all-time standards.

MT. SAC RELAYS: Felix Hints At 400 Future

Walnut, California, April 19-20-Junior Allyson Felix (Los Angeles Baptist, North Hills) did as she pleased-and as was expected-in the 200 at the Mt. SAC Relays, but it was in the 4x4 where she gave the fans a glimpse of what she might have in store for the future.

The World Youth 100 champ passed on the century and concentrated on the half-lap, where she ran a controlled turn and then blasted down the home straight to record a nation-leading 23.05 into a slight wind.

Three and a half hours later Felix returned to run the third leg of the 4x4. Taking the baton in 5th she began to slowly build, passing the 200 in 24.2...

BIG DECATHLON: Kilmartin Scores 7131

Arizona, April 26-27-Burgeoning decathlon star Donovan Kilmartin (Eagle, Idaho) scored 6687 points as a frosh and 7405 as a soph. In the Arizona Prep Decathlon-oddly, contested at two sites: Cactus Shadows High in Cave Spring and Paradise Valley CC in Phoenix-he produced a 7131-point total to open his junior campaign.

A very nice score... until it was learned from meet director Clyde Volz that the 17-year-old Kilmartin had actually used the international implements/hurdles while the rest of the field stayed with the prep tools. His marks...

LOUISIANA STATE: Wade Dashes 10.21 & 20.58

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, May 4-In what is becoming a great year for men's sprinters, Jonathan Wade (Evangel Christian, Shreveport) continued to prove he is one of the greatest at the Louisiana State Meet.

In the 100 he powered away from the field to win by 4m and when the time of 10.21 was announced, the sellout crowd at Bernie Moore Stadium roared its approval...

PENN RELAYS WOMEN: Another Record For B&G

Philadelphia, April 25-26-Indoors, Brooklyn's Boys & Girls clocked 8:53.67 to crush its 4 x 800 HSR by more than 13 seconds. At Penn, the same squad aimed at its own 8:51.60 outdoor best...

(for more on these and other invitational and State meets, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

Solinsky Tops Distance Ranks

by Sean Hartnett

The sight of Wisconsin's Chris Solinsky sprinting to a list-leading 8:48.44 in the Arcadia Invitational 3200 in April left a lasting impression of a strong, competitive junior with a powerful closing gear-and he was wearing that SPASH (Stevens Point Area Senior High) uniform made famous by Suzy Favor Hamilton more than a decade ago.

Solinsky acknowledges that his success is most inextricably linked to another SPASH legend, Donn Behnke, the boys cross country coach since '76 whose teams have won seven state titles.

Solinsky was an exceptional youth soccer player who...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

McMullen To Try 800

by Toby Cook

Conventional wisdom suggests that runners move upward in distance as their careers progress. Normally you won't see, say, a miler moving south to the 2-lapper after a half-dozen years on the circuit.

But Paul McMullen's career has been far from ordinary. Since bursting on the scene in '93 as an Eastern Michigan soph who finished 8th in the NCAA, the Cadillac, Michigan, native has been the subject of a plethora of discussions on a number of topics:

•His imposing size, nominally 6-2/175, but larger at some times than others;

•His long, gangly stride;

•His making the '96 Olympic team, but the next year bringing the well-documented lawn mower incident where he lost parts of two toes on his right foot;

•His impressive race-into-shape campaign of '01 that resulted in two large PRs and a 10th in the World Champs final;

•Rumors that he has given up track in favor of competitive cycling.

So, what's the next topic, conversationalists? McMullen moves down to concentrate on the 800. That's right, turn 30, sharpen the speed element and come out swingin'. Says McMullen, "Most of the time it's harder to add speed as you get older, but...

(for more, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

From The Editor

THE PENN RELAYS just set a record for its highest overall attendance ever: 112,277. That came from individual days of 22,346, a meet record 39,104 and a meet record 50,827. The last-day record moved into the all-time top 10 U.S. attendances (see "Stat Corner," p. 50).

Drake just sold out its Saturday session for the 37th year in a row.

The Texas State Meet just drew 19,000 the first day, 16,000 the second.

The USC-UCLA dual meet just attracted more than 8000.

It would be easy for a casual observer to look at these numbers-which go with the news stories in this month's edition-and come to the conclusion that track is becoming quite the spectator sport in the U.S.

Unfortunately, nothing could be farther from the truth. Those affairs are exceptions. They're glowing chunks of diamond floating in a sea of dark coal. The reality is that convincing the general public to attend a track meet remains an elusive goal in all but a handful of instances. Fans aren't exactly camping out a week ahead of time to buy tickets in Attack Of The Clones mode.

So why is it that a select handful of meets are so successful? Why can they in one day draw more-in some cases many times more-fans than the NCAA or USATF Championships can in a 3- or 4-day run, even though the talent level is so much higher at the two nationals, and so much more is at stake?...

(for the full opinion, read the June issue of Track & Field News)

And in the July issue...

IF TENNESSEE is to successfully defend its NCAA men's team title against a tough LSU squad with home-field advantage, the Vols need another big performance from '01 hero Justin Gatlin (l).

The best way to find out all the details on how all the NCAA heroics play out? The July issue of Track & Field News, of course!

As always, T&FN will have the biggest-and best, we might add-collection of writers and photographers on hand at the NCs, giving you in-depth coverage you simply won't find anywhere else.

Add in the coverage of the U.S. part of the Grand Prix season, and it will be an issue to remember. Don't miss it!