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CARSON,
Calif. -- The men's 1,500 meters showcased two of the world's finest
athletes Sunday at the second event of USA Track & Field's 2006
Outdoor Visa Championship Series, the adidas Track Classic in Carson,
California.
A two-time Olympic medalist and the U.S. 1,500m record holder, Bernard Lagat grabbed the lead at the bell signifying the beginning of the final lap from Rashid Ramzi
of Bahrain, the reigning world outdoor champion. A few seconds later,
Ramzi returned to the lead and held on to it for the remainder of the
race.
Ramzi's winning time of 3 minutes, 32.34
seconds, is the fastest time in the world this season, and the fastest
time ever on American soil, bettering the 3:32.53 gold medal winning
performance by Great Britain's Sebastian Coe at the 1984
Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Lagat's runner-up time of 3:32.94 is the
fastest by an American this year and the fastest time ever by an
American at a U.S. All-Comers meet, bettering the 3:33.1 by National
Track & Field Hall of Famer Jim Ryun from 1966.
Spearmon posts 200m world leader, Brunson wins men's adidas 100 meters
2005 World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Wallace Spearmon posted
the fastest time in the world this year with his victory in the adidas
200 meters in 20.06 seconds. Spearmon faced a strong challenge from
reigning world and Olympic men's 400m champion Jeremy Wariner, who
finished as the runner-up in a new personal best time of 20.19 seconds,
which bettered his previous career best of 20.37 seconds earlier this
season at Arlington, Texas. Jamaica's Omar Brown was the third place finisher in 20.33.
Reigning world indoor 60m champion Leonard Scott got
off to a great start in the men's adidas 100 meters, but faded in the
final 15 meters as 2001 World University Games 100m gold medalist Marcus Brunson came from behind to win in the second-fastest time by an American this year of 10.01 seconds. Tyson Gay, the
fourth-place finisher in the 200 meters at the 2005 World Outdoor
Championships, was the runner-up in 10.04 seconds, with Trinidad's Marc Burns third in 10.04. Scott finished fourth in 10.05.
Campbell, Richards win women's sprints
2004 Olympic gold medalist and the #1 ranked women's 100m competitor Veronica Campbell of Jamaica faced a tough challenge from reigning World Indoor Championships 60m gold medalist Lisa Barber in the adidas women's 100 meters.
Campbell
grabbed the lead 30 meters into the race and crossed the line first in
the fastest time in the world this year of 10.99 seconds. Barber
finished as the runner-up in 11.06 seconds, which equals the
second-fastest time in the world this year by an American. 2003 world
champion Torri Edwards placed third in a seasonal best time of 11.17 seconds.
2005 World Outdoor Championships 400m silver medalist Sanya Richards,
who entered this season ranked #1 in the world at that event, grabbed
an early lead in the adidas women's 200 meters and held on to win in
22.42 seconds (+2.3 mps). Richards defeated a strong field that
included runner-up and 2004 U.S. Indoor champion Crystal Cox (22.61) and 2004 NCAA champion LaShauntea Moore, who was third in 22.64.
Rock victorious in men's 400 meters
Reigning World Outdoor Championships silver medalist Andrew Rock took
command down the main straightaway to win the men's 400 meters in the
fifth-fastest time in the world this year of 44.83 seconds. Rock's
winning performance was the third-fastest this season by an American. Jermaine Gonzalez of Jamaica was the runner-up in 45.00, with his countryman Michael Blackwood third in 45.22. 2004 Olympic Games silver medalist Otis Harris was fourth in 45.30.
2005 World Outdoor champion and the #1 ranked straightaway hurdler in the world Michelle Perry grabbed the lead from Jenny Adams at
the eighth hurdle and held on to win the Visa women's 100m hurdles in a
windy (+2.3 meters per second) time of 12.61 seconds. Adams, who owns
the second-fastest time by an American this year of 12.68 seconds, was
the runner-up in 12.66, with Canadian star and 2003 world champion Perdita Felicien finishing third in 12.72
Russell wins 3,000 meters with U.S. leader
The first event of the day was the women's 3,000 meters, where 2005 USA Outdoor Championships 10,000m runner-up Blake Russell grabbed
the lead just past the halfway point of the race and held on to win in
the fastest time by an American this season of 8 minutes 51.57 seconds.
Russell's performance is the third-fastest women's 3,000 meters in the
world this year. Two-time NCAA champion Kara Goucher was the runner-up in 8:55.05, with Sara Slattery finishing third in 8:58.09.
The men's 400m hurdles turned into a terrific three-man race to the wire with 2003 JUCO national champion Derrick Williams winning the race with a lean at the finish in a personal best time of 48.96 seconds. Michael Tinsley was the runner-up in 48.98 seconds, with LeRon Bennett third in 49.99.
Robinson sets men's 800m meet record
2004 Olympian and reigning U.S. Indoor and Outdoor champion Khadevis Robinson
took command in the second lap and won the American Track and Field
men's 800 meters in the second fastest time by an American this year of
1 minute, 45.23 seconds. His performance bettered the previous meet
record of 1:46.82 by Jebreh Harris in 1:46.82. Tim Ramirez was the runner-up in 1:46.89.
More winners
Australia's Sarah Jamieson
continued her world domination of the women's 1,500 meters this season
with her convincing win in 4 minutes, 5.54 seconds. The silver medalist
at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Jamieson currently owns the
four-fastest times in the world this season in that event. Jamaica's Kenia Sinclair was the runner-up in 4:08.89, with Christin Wurth-Thomas placing third in 4:08.91.
The highly anticipated men's two-mile run was won by 2004 World Indoor Championships 3,000m bronze medalist Markos Geneti of Ethiopia, who won the race in 8 minutes, 19.61 seconds. Ireland's Alistair Cragg was the runner-up in 8:23.75, with 2005 USA Championships runner-up Ian Dobson third in 8:25.86. 2005 NCAA 5,000m champion Ryan Hall was fourth in 8:26.26, with 2005 U.S. 5,000m champion Abdi Abdirahman fifth in 8:29.26. U.S. men's two-mile record holder Alan Webb was sixth in 8:33.92.
2004 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Dee Dee Trotter
took command with 80 meters to go and held on to win the women's 400
meters in 51.19 seconds, the third-fastest time by an American this
season. Jamaica's Shellene Williams was the runner-up in 51.38, with 2005 World Outdoor Championships finalist Monique Henderson third in 51.49.
In the only field event of the day, 2006 USA Indoor Championships third-place finisher Jenn Stuczynski, was the winner in the women's pole vault with a clearance of 4.41m/14 feet, 5.50 inches. China's Gao Shuying was the runner-up, also with a clearance of 4.41m/14-5.50. Stuczynski was the winner with fewer misses during the competition.
For more information on USA Track & Field's Visa Championship Series, visit www.usatf.org.
*Results here
ATHLETE QUOTES
WOMEN'S 3,000 METER RUN
Blake Russell, winner
"It went well,. It went as good as could be expected. I was aiming
for 8:52 and I was told that I ran a 8:51.57, so that was better than
I hoped for and I'm extremely happy."
MEN'S 400 METER HURDLES
Derrick Williams, winner
"I felt a little shakey, a little nervous today. I knew I had to win
today so I just did it. I still have a lot I need to work on, but
I'm happy with today."
MEN'S 800 METER RUN
Khadevis Robinson, winner
"It felt alright. I'm a bit disappointed. I guess you can't always
run fast. The wind wasn't on our side. The fans were, however, so a
win is a win."
"I really wanted to run a bit faster, but the tempo wasn't there. I
trained really hard this week, my coach wanted me to test myself so
I'll know where I'm at. Hopefully we'll put on a show the next time."
WOMEN'S 100 METER HURDLES
Michelle Perry, winner
"This race was a make-up race for me because of Doha. I wanted to
make sure that I came out and focused on a better race, and I was
able to accomplish that."
WOMEN'S POLE VAULT
Jenn Stuczynski, winner
"It was hard to jump today. There was a strong headwind. It was
either strong or stronger. I'm jumping well in practice, I'm still
working on it. I am jumping well in practice, I'm just working on
the transition to the track."
MEN'S 1500 METERS
Rachid Ramzi, winner
"I wanted to come to the U.S. Adidas is a good meet, I wanted to be
here to perform in America. It was my first race, I really wasn't
sure what kind of time I'd have. I knew my training was good, but I
didn't know where my training would be in a race situation."
Bernard Lagat, 2nd place
"I was really excited to come back to Carson and run. Knowing Rachid
Ramzi would be here, I knew it would be a good competionThat's what I
love, of course. This is a good start for me."
MEN'S 400 METERS
Andrew Rock, winner
"I just wanted to start out hard. I wanted to work on my first 200
[meters] because that has been my problem. I'm not concerned about my
finish. So I tried to start hard."
WOMEN'S 200 METERS
Sanya Richards, winner
"I felt really good. I was shocked I was in the lead off the turn.
I wanted to just come in relaxed and that's what I did. This is a PR
for me. To run 22.4 outdoors, I'm finally over the hump and I feel
great."
WOMEN'S 100 METERS
Veronica Campbell, winner
'"The key was to be patient and execute the race, regardless of how
you start. That's what I felt I was able to do today."
MEN'S TWO MILE
Markos Geneti,winner
"The first three laps were slow, then I wanted to go faster. I feel
good, but the time is not good for me. I can go faster."
WOMEN'S 400 METERS
Dee Dee Trotter, winner
"There was a lot of wind in the backstrectch and I anticipated that. I
wanted to use the last part of the race, the last 200 meters to kick
the wind off and I think I was able to do that."
MEN'S 100 METERS
Marcus Brunson, winner
"It was a PR for me. I knew I could go 10.0, I was thinking of times
like that. This is a great warm-up for nationals. It gives me the
confidence I need going in there."
MEN'S 200 METERS
Wallace Spearmon, winner
"I was hoping to run little faster but I didn't know if the wind
would allow it. So I'm pretty happy with running the way I ran."
Jeremy Wariner, 2nd place
"Coming in today I knew I was going to have a great field. Wallace
[Spearmon] runs great, so I just wanted to start fast. I was trying
to run my fastest race."
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