World-Leading Marks and Meet Records Highlight adidas Grand Prix

New York Diamond League meeting sees fastest 200m time on U.S. soil in 10 years.

Race Press Release (with the order of event reports edited by LetsRun.com)
June 12, 2010

NEW YORK (June 12, 2010) — Four world-leading marks and several meet records made for an entertaining afternoon at Saturday’s adidas Grand Prix, the first of two American stops on the inaugural IAAF Diamond League circuit.

Visa Men’s 1500m
In the third-fastest 1500m this year, Nicholas Kemboi of Kenya stole the lead during the bell lap from Olympic silver medalist (1500m, 2004), two-time world indoor champion (3,000m, 2004, ’10) Bernard Lagat, who broke both the indoor and outdoor 5,000m American record this year. Kemboi, fresh off a 1500m win on May 30 at the Cottbus meet, broke the tape in 3:33.29, setting a meet record. Deresse Mekonnen, the two-time world indoor champion, was second in 3:33.85, followed by Leo Manzano, the USA indoor champion in 1500m (3:33.92). Lagat, who acknowledged after the race that his focus on the 5,000m this year has detracted a bit from his speed at the shorter distances, finished fifth in 3:34.36.

Jim Ryun Boys’ High School Dream Mile
Lukas Verzbicas, the 2009 Foot Locker Cross Country champion, dominated the boys’ high school mile, winning easily in 4:04.38. Jakob Hurysz, this year’s national leader at 3,200m, followed in 4:06.18, and Jim Rosa took third in 4:07.70. A favorite leading into the race, Pat Schellberg, the reigning champion of the Millrose Mile and the Penn Relays High School Boys Mile, did not finish the race.

adidas Men’s 800m
Mbulaeni Mulaudzi, the 2009 World champion, won the men’s 800m in a meet record 1:44.38. 2008 Olympian Nick Symmonds made a valiant effort to move up, but perhaps waited too long to make his move—he had to settle for second in 1:45.05. Alfred Kirwa Yego, the 2007 World champion, finished third in 1:45.46.  

Western Union Women’s 1500m*
Nancy Langat, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, ran a world-leading 4:01.60—also a meet record—in the women’s 1500m. Langat patiently bid her time and stayed with the race’s runner-up, Meseret Defar (4:02.00, a personal record), the 2004 Olympic gold medalist in 5,000m, through 1200m. 2008 Olympian Christin Wurth-Thomas led from the gun, but couldn’t match Langat’s surge at 1200m; Wurth-Thomas faded to a seventh-place finish. Gelete Burka, the 2008 World Indoor champion, was third in 4:03.35.
 
NYRR Women’s 5,000m
World record-holder 5,000m specialist Tirunesh Dibaba led an Ethiopian sweep in the women’s 5,000m. Although Amy Yoder-Begley, the 2009 U.S. champion at 10,000m, attempted to take charge of the lead from Dibaba during the race, she faded in the final laps. Dibaba made her 15:11.34 victory look easy. 2010 world indoor champion Sentayehu Ejigu finished second in 15:12.99, and Sule Utura was third in 15:16.61.

Men’s 3,000m Steeplechase
It was a Kenyan sweep for the men’s 3,000m steeplechase. Paul Kipsiele Koech, the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist who ran the fastest steeplechase on American soil at this meet in 2008, delivered once again today with a dominant 8:10.43. Fresh off a personal record 8:09 at the Diamond League meet in Doha, Patrick Langat took second in 8:15.52, followed by 2008 Olympic gold medalist Brimin Kipruto.
 
Jim Ryun Girls’ High School Dream Mile
Maddie Meyers, a sophomore from Seattle, WA, was the fifth-place finisher in the 2009 Nike Indoor Nationals Mile, won the Jim Ryun Girls’ High School Dream Mile in 4:41.93. Shelby Hayes, a senior from Winter Park, FL, who dominated the Florida High School 4A Championships in 2010, was second in 4:43. Kelsey Margey, a sophomore from Greenlawn, NY, was the runner-up in the 800m at the 2010 Nike Indoor Nationals, finished third in 4:43.91.

Women’s Pole Vault
National record-holder and former United States team member Jillian Schwartz achieved a 4.60 today, just ahead of Jenn Suhr’s 4.50. Suhr, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist who set an American record at this meet in 2007, competed for the first time this year. Chelsea Johnson, the 2009 world championships silver medalist, has never beaten Suhr—although she’s competed against her 11 times. Johnson’s result was 4.40 today.
 
Women’s Discus Throw
Sandra Perkovic, who was ranked No. 10 in the world last year, finished first in the women’s discus (61.96), earning four Diamond League points for the victory. Two-time Olympian Aretha Hill Thurmond earned the second-highest score (61.19).
 
Women’s 800m
Laura Januszewski, the 2009 NCAA runner-up at 800m, was the surprise victor in the women’s 800m in 2:03.39; Geena Gall, two-time NCAA champion, followed closely in 2:03.59. Heather Dorinden, who took third at USA indoors, finished third in 2:03.83. Sarah Bowman, the 2009 NCAA champion in the mile and the only collegiate runner to compete in the 1500m final at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, finished sixth in 2:04.20.
 
Women’s Long Jump
Brianna Glenn, 2009 World Championships team member, was the highest-ranked woman in the long jump today (6.78); meet record-holder (6.74m/22 feet, 1.50 inches, 2009) Ruky Abdulai was ranked second (6.66), and 2008 Olympian Funmi Jimoh was third (6.65).
 
Women’s Shot Put
In her first competition on U.S. soil, the reigning Olympic, World and Commonwealth champion, Valerie Vili set a new meet record with her 19.93 result. Natalya Khoroneko-Mikhnevich, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist and 2006 World Indoor champion, had to settle for second with 19.80. 2008 Olympian Jillian Camarena was third with 18.99.

Men’s High Jump
Linus Thornblad, the 2006 world indoor champion, was the top-ranked performer in the men’s high jump, although his 2.30 result technically tied him with 2010 U.S. indoor champion Jesse Williams.
 
Visa Women’s 200m*
Longtime rivals Veronica Campbell-Brown, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and Allyson Felix, three-time world champion, delivered another show-stopping performance in their first meeting on U.S. soil at this distance. It was Campbell-Brown’s day—the two-time Olympic gold medalist ran a world-leading and meet record 21.98. Felix was in close pursuit, but couldn’t match her rival’s kick, settling for second in 22.02. NCAA indoor record-holder Bianca Knight finished third in 22.59. Campbell-Brown’s time was the fastest 200m time on U.S. soil in 10 years.
 
Western Union Men’s 100m
2008 Olympic silver medalist Richard Thompson ran a wind-aided 9.89 in the 100m today. Up-and-comer Yohan Blake, the 2006 world junior bronze medalist in 100m, was second in 9.91, followed by Daniel Bailey (9.92), the 2010 world indoor bronze medalist in 60m.
 
JetBlue Women’s 400m
Amantle Montsho, the first Botswana woman to reach elite world level, easily won the women’s 400m in 50.79. Shericka Williams, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist, was the runner-up in 51.24, and Shereefa Lloyd of Jamaica followed in 51.64.
 
adidas Multi-event Challenge: Women’s Long Jump, Shot Put, 100m Hurdles
Hyleas Fountain, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist in the heptathlon, won the adidas multi-event challenge with 1815 points. Jessica Ennis, 2010 World Indoor champion in the pentathlon and 2009 world champion in the heptathlon, was the runner-up with 1778 points. Bettie Wade was third with 1621 points.
 
adidas Men’s 400m Hurdles
Two-time World champion Kerron Clement achieved a new meet record (47.86) in the men’s 400m hurdles. 2008 Olympic bronze medalist and 2005 World champion Bershawn Jackson finished a close second in 47.94, and 2009 World Championships silver medalist Javier Culson took third in 48.47.

Men’s Pole Vault
Renaud Lavillenie, the 2009 world championships bronze medalist, set a meet record in the men’s pole vault today, with his 5.85 result. Steve Hooker, the 2008 Olympic gold medalist, finished second and 2008 Olympian Przemyslaw Czerwinski was third.
 
Men’s Javelin
Since their junior competition in 2000, Andreas Thorkildsen of Norway and Tero Pitkamaki of Finland have met at least 53 times in their careers—before the meet, Thorkildsen led the rivalry (26 to 27), and he added to that lead today by scoring 87.02—a meet record—in the men’s javelin. Petr Frydrych, a 2009 World Championships team member, had the second-highest score (85.04), and Pitkamaki had the third-highest score (82.57).
 
Men’s Triple Jump*
Teddy Tamgho of France set a national record and world-leading result in today’s men’s triple jump. In March, Tamgho set an indoor world record on the way to becoming the world indoor champion, defeating 2004 Olympic gold medalist Christian Olsson in the process. A similar thing happened today—the 20-year-old Tamgho defeated Olsson again.  

 
Women’s 100m Hurdles*
Women’s 100m hurdle favorite Lolo Jones, who in March smashed Gail Devers’ American indoor record when she defended her world indoor 60m title, ran a world-leading 12.55 to win the event. Perdita Felicien, the 2007 worlds silver medalist, finished three seconds behind Jones; Virginia Crawford was third in 12.63.

 

 

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