June 2003 Issue

Filling The Marion Void

by Jon Hendershott

Even though there will be eight competitors in all major women’s sprint finals this season, every race still will have an empty lane—even if only figuratively.

The maternity-enforced absence of Marion Jones will be felt in every dash of consequence this year, but especially on U.S. soil, where she hasn’t lost a sprint race since she emerged as a world-force in ’97. And the only American to beat her since she returned from her stint as a collegiate basketball star is Gail Devers, who did it once in Europe that summer. Two-time Olympic champ Devers has given up sprinting for hurdling, so who will fill the void created in Marion’s absence?…

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

She’s Only 17, But…

by Jon Hendershott

What about Allyson Felix? Can the California high school phenom make an impact at the outdoor nationals this year, just as she did at the indoor version in March?

“There’s no doubt in my mind that she could make the U.S. team,” says Chryste Gaines.…

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

USATF Champs Formchart

Predictions by Dave Johnson & Jack Pfeifer

100 METERS
1. Tim Montgomery (Nik) 1
2. Justin Gatlin (Nik) (9)
3. John Capel (adi) nr
4. Jon Drummond (Nik) 5
5. Coby Miller (Nik) 4
6. Bernard Williams (Nik) 3
7. Ramon Clay (adi) nr
8. Marquis Davis (MsSt) nr
9. Tim Harden (Nik) nr
10. Shawn Crawford (Miz) 7

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

The Usual Mess In The 1500?

by Dan Lilot

What’s new? With only one American having reached the World Champs “A” qualifier of 3:34.90—and the Nationals typically going in a slow time—U.S. milers will surely once again be chasing times on the European Circuit. (David Krummenacker ran 3:31.93 last summer, but says he will compete only in the 800.) …

(for more of this and other USATF Champs Plotlines, read the June Issue of Track & Field News)

Angelo Taylor Back In The Hurdles

by Jon Hendershott

Since his all-conquering Olympic season, Sydney 400H champion Angelo Taylor has had to battle other barriers.

After PRing at 47.50 to strike gold at the Games, Taylor bounced back and forth between the flat 400 and the hurdles, clocking a 44.68 one-lap best in ’01 and winning the U.S. barriers title, but falling victim to sinus problems at the Worlds and missing the final.

Last year, he repeated a No. 10 world 400 ranking after taking 2nd in the USATF. “Angelo purposely wanted to run the 400 last year, as a break from the hurdles,” says Grover Hinsdale, Taylor’s mentor since his days at Georgia Tech. But…

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

by Sieg Lindstrom

Hey, wasn’t this supposed to happen? An NCAA Indoor 800 title for one of the studs from Michigan and then his Wolverine teammate reeling off a meet record 1200 split to open a Penn Relays distance medley in which the Michigan anchor would run away from Arkansas with a storming finish?

Sure it was. Last year—or so some expected—and if not then, now. Canadian Nate Brannen would cover the 800 and his partner would handle the mile. Brannen and… Webb?

Nope, try Willis—Nick Willis, the New Zealand prodigy who signed his letter of intent just as Alan Webb was bailing from Ann Arbor to sign his big Nike contract.

Willis “is a prime-time 1500—maybe in two years 5000—guy,” says Michigan coach Ron Warhurst.…

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

Ready To Throw Again

by Dan Lilot

“He’s flat-out talented. I had a big arm when I was young, but his is way beyond mine. When’s he’s ready, he’ll throw something big.”

The speaker is Tom Pukstys, 6-time national javelin champion. The subject is Breaux Greer, winner the last three years. Together they constitute the past and future of American spearchucking. But let’s not forget the present.

This year’s duel between the 35-year-old Pukstys and the 26-year-old Greer will be a test of rehabilitation for both.…

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

Torres Steps Up A Notch

by Sieg Lindstrom

Winning the NCAA cross country title in a hammer-and-tongs stretch race with Alistair Cragg last November moved Jorge Torres to the top of the collegiate distance mountain. Now, with a 13:24.56 win over Meb Keflezighi in the Cardinal Invitational 5K, the Colorado senior has run himself into contention with the domestic pros.

“Meb is definitely the guy to beat,” Torres says. “He’s a well-established runner. He set the 10K American Record. People are out to get Meb, and I’m no different. My goal out there was to beat him and I did.”

To the delight of those in the stands, Torres did so in a duel…

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

Hemingway Soaring Again

by Jon Hendershott

Matt Hemingway’s expectations heading into the 62nd Coca-Cola Modesto Relays high jump leaned toward the modest side. The end result, however, was spectacular, his 7-8 being the highest outdoor jump in the world this year.

For the 30-year-old Denver resident, it was just his second meet of the season. He had had only two practice sessions working from a full approach and had been stressing his body with heavy training.

“I really didn’t have any expectations,” the Arkansas grad admitted.…

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

Jackson Erupts In 400H

by Sieg Lindstrom

All of a sudden Bershawn Jackson isn’t just a promising Junior; on the yearly list he’s the fastest 400 hurdler in the world of any age. The just-turned-19 Miami native blazed 48.51 to win the Georgia Tech Invitational, making himself the No. 2 Junior all-time. Only World Junior Record holder Danny Harris—three times in ’84—has ever run faster.…

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

Super Conference Weekend

Although the naysayers remain insistent that the new NCAA Regionals (four sites, May 30–31) will be the death of the traditional collegiate conference meets, no such fatalities seemed evident this year. Athletes and coaches were still laying it all on the line for school pride, if nothing else…

Super SEC 800

Tennessee coach Bill Webb often refers to the SEC as a war. His squad lost to Arkansas overall, but won a major 800 battle. Correspondent Andy Jensen reports on a race which featured five lead changes in the final 200m:

“Said Ahmed took the lead briefly with 200 to go against defending champion Otukile Lekote of South Carolina. Lekote took the lead back coming into the homestretch, but…

Double For McWilliams

SEC women’s 800 and 1500 titles go most often to runners from Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee or LSU. Not this time, as Tiffany McWilliams of Mississippi State turned in a superb 2:02.74/4:12.18 double.

Though indoors the Bulldog soph had won the Conference (4:35.21) and placed 2nd at the NCAA in the mile, the 2-lapper…

Titanic Big 12 Shot Battle

With their PRs being less than two inches apart, Nebraska’s Carl Myerscough (70-6 1/4) and Missouri’s Christian Cantwell (70-4 1/2) figured to wage a close battle at the Big 12 Championships. And boy, did they ever.…

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

Poly On A Record Spree

by Kirby Lee

Most high schools will go their whole existence without achieving as much as Long Beach Poly’s women did in a 5-hour span at the Penn Relays.

•12:25—The Jackrabbits became the first team under 9:00 in the 4x8 this year, running 8:58.00 to finish 2nd to a Jamaican team.

•2:15—A winning 44.96, the No. 3 performance in prep 4x1 history.

•5:50—A national record of 3:35.55 in the 4x4.

That last was Poly’s fourth HSR of the season. Indoors the Southern Californians set new 4x2 and 4x4 standards at the National Scholastic (T&FN, April). Then, at the Arcadia Invitational, Poly broke the 800 medley relay record by more than three seconds (T&FN, May).

Coach Don Norford says he had been planning to take a shot at…

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

Carter Makes Like Dad

by Jim Dunaway

Michelle Carter, who two weeks earlier had finally ended Natalie Kaaiawahia’s 20-year hold on the prep outdoor record, raised it twice more at State.

Her first throw went 54-7 3/4, and her third 54-10 3/4. She joins her father Michael, ’84 Olympic silver medalist and former San Francisco 49er defensive star, as the only father–daughter duo ever to hold HSRs in the same event. (Michael put the 12lb ball an unimaginable 81-31/2 in ’79).…

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

Vaulters Getting Short-Pegged

by Sieg Lindstrom

Steadying a vault crossbar with your hands (“Volzing”) is against the rules. Now the IAAF, in looking for a way to put some teeth in the ban, has shot itself in the foot. At least that’s how many prominent members of the vault community see it, T&FN included (see “We Think,” p. 61).

Effective with the start of the current season, the IAAF has shortened the pegs on which the crossbar sits from 75mm (just under 3 in) to 55mm (just over 2 in). The bar (see diagram), of course, will now fall much more easily when touched.…

In the previous 6 seasons since ’97 men vaulted meet bests of 18-10 1/4 (5.75) or higher an average of 38 times by May 18 (the weekend before this issue went to press). The figure for this year was 22. Tim Lobinger’s indoor world leader 19-1 (5.82) was the lowest since ’88..…

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

From The Editor

The pole vault figures prominently in this issue. On p. 56 you’ll find our story on how the new shorter pegs on the standards are wreaking havoc with one of the most popular of events. And on p. 61 “We Think” rants about how the IAAF for the second time in two years has come up with a rule change leading to a reduction in clearances when it should be looking for ways to increase them.

Here’s another aspect of the story. The length of the pegs is only part of the problem. At the same time—as the diagram on p. 56 shows—IAAF rulesmakers also enacted a new ruling that the ends of the crossbars have to be semicircular instead of square. The rationale for this is that it ensures that the same side of the bar is always facing in the same direction, so all vaulters will get the same amount of sag.

This led to a virtual square-peg-round-hole problem. The new rules say the bar ends “shall have a semicircular cross-section” and be 30–35mm wide. The bar, which attaches to the ends, must be 30mm in diameter. Oops!…

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

And in the June Issue…

The New-Look NCAA Champs

We’ve been reporting on the NCAA Championships meet for more than a half-century now, but never before have we covered one like the ’03 version. For the first time, the athletes will have to go through the new Regionals first. That’s not the only change: the total number of athletes in Nationals has increased significantly, meaning a return to more rounds, and to real qualifying in the field events. It’s a whole new ballgame. Who best to sort it all out for you? T&FN, of course! We’ll have a huge crew of writers and photographers on hand at both the Regionals and Nationals, providing in-depth event-by-event coverage you won’t find anywhere else.

But that’s not all you’ll find in the July issue, which will also cover the big GP meets, Pre and Stanford, and be on top of all the season-ending prep action at the huge post-season invitationals. Don’t miss it!

The you-gotta-qualify July edition will be mailed by June 30. If you aren’t currently a subscriber, just call us at our toll-free 800 number and we’ll take care of your order promptly. A regular 1-year U.S. subscription is $43.95; other rates are available on request.