Team USA Announced For Inaugural World Relays In Bahamas: US Women’s 4 X 800 Looks Great – US Stars Simpson, Symmonds, Centro And Cain Not Running
by LetsRun.com
Mary 13, 2014
The US Teams for the inaugural World Relay Championships (4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800, 4×1500) in the Bahamas in two weeks were announced today by USATF. We have the full list of athletes and break down the US 4 x 800 and 4 x 1500 teams’ chances for you below.
While the US has some very strong teams and some distance teams that should take home medals and smash American, if not World records, the surprising and disappointing news for US distance fans is that quite a few of America’s mid-d stars aren’t going – Moscow silver medallists Jenny Simpson, Nick Symmonds and Matthew Centrowitz all aren’t on the Team USA roster. They aren’t the only big name absences as none of Centrowitz’s Nike Oregon Project teammates are going. Coach Alberto Salazar isn’t sending anyone. With Simpson and Shannon Rowbury, Treniere Moser, and Mary Cain not on the Team USA 4 x 1500 team, suddenly Team USA’s 4 x 1500 women’s team has gone from big-time gold medal contender (the US had four of the top 10 times in the world in 2013, plus Mary Cain who made the Worlds final) to an outside medal hope.
Ray Flynn, Jenny Simpson’s agent told LRC that Jenny made the decision this year to focus on the Diamond League this year. She is running in Shanghai this Sunday, Prefontaine the weekend after the World Relays, and then the adidas Grand Prix in New York City. He said the decision to skip World Relays was “a decision she made on her own” after we asked him if whether the top 1500m women decided not to run once they realized some of their stronger teammates weren’t going to run.
Brenda Martinez Will Be Going for a Medal
Ricky Simms, agent for Cain, Centrowitz and Rowbury wrote that Centro and Rowbury will be running at the Occidental High Performance meet (this Thursday) and then the Diamond League Prefontaine meet and then further Diamond League meets. Mary Cain is “in the middle of high school exams” and will open her season in Eugene.
Outside of the women’s 4×1500, the other USA distance teams are just missing one or two names. The top sprinter not participating on the men’s side is Justin Gatlin.
The US women’s 4×800 team is a very good one on paper with two worlds finalists in Brenda Martinez and Ajee Wilson plus World Indoor Champ Chanelle Price.
Quick Thought #1: We’re Looking Forward to World Relays, We Wish All of America’s Stars Were There : We’re very excited about the World Relays. US and World records are going to crumble. We just wish all the US athletes were as excited as us.
We get it, the athletes are pros and have their careers to look after. Today’s list of Team USA Members shows that patriotism clearly only goes so far. Most US track and field stars say representing the Stars and Stripes is the highlight of their career. At the end of their careers we think most athletes would remember much more a medal at the World Relays than running the obscure Oxy High Performance meet.
Quick Thought #2: Should It Be at the End of the Year? We think an event like this could ultimately end up being very popular. We think in the future moving it a week after the last DL final might make more sense. What stars wouldn’t want to go to the Bahamas and run for their country at the end of the season? The NFL rewards its top stars with a trip to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii each year. Maybe the IAAF should consider moving this meet to later in the year.
Quick Thought #3: The US Can Deliver in the Distances: We present the US Teams for you in the order of their awesomeness (medal prospects). Note, the selection criteria stated that World and Olympic team members from 2012 and 2013 and then top 2 finishers at 2014 USA Indoors were to be given priority. So you can assume people meeting those criteria (assuming they are fit) were offered spots.
Women’s 4 x 800
World Record – 7:50.17 – USSR 2005 (1:57.54 per woman)
US Record – 8:04.31 – USA Red 2013 (2:01.07 per woman)
Team USA:
| First | Last | Comment | PB |
| Geena | Gall-Lara | London Olympics, 2:01.1 at Mt. Sac | 1:59.24 pb |
| Charlene | Lipsey | 2:01.09 PR this year | 2:01.09 pb |
| Brenda | Martinez | World Champs Bronze | 1:57.91 pb |
| Chanelle | Price | World indoor champ, Doha DL 2nd place | 1:59.75 pb |
| Ajee’ | Wilson | American Junior Record holder | 1:58.21 pb |
Who’s Else Might Have Been on Team:
Alysia Montano – Pregnant
Mary Cain – High School
Kate Grace – Running 4×1500
Molly Beckwith Ludlow – #3 USA Indoors, 2:00.55 in Doha.
Medal Prospects: Incredible.
Quick Thought #1: The US record is definitely history. If Montano wasn’t pregnant, this team would probably be favored for gold. With Eunice Sum on the anchor, Kenya probably deserves that label, but isn’t Team USA a lock for silver?
Men’s 4 x 800
World Record – 7:02.43 – Kenya 2006 (1:45.60 per man)
US Record – 7:02.82 – Santa Monica TC 2006 (1:45.70 per man)
Team USA:
| First | Last | How qualified? | PB |
| Robby | Andrews | Top 2 USA Indoors | 1:44.71 |
| Brandon | Johnson | World Champs | 1:43.84 |
| Michael | Rutt | 1:45.08 | |
| Duane | Solomon | World Champs/Olympics, #2 US ever | 1:42.82 |
| Mark | Wieczorek | 5th USA Indoors | 1:45.36 |
Who’s Else Might Have Been on Team:
Nick Symmonds – #3 USA ever
Erik Sowinski – US Indoor Champ/ 1:44.58 @ MT. Sac
Tyler Mulder – 4th USA Indoors, 1:44.34 last year
Medal Prospects: Very good. Gold should go to Kenya but after that Team USA has got a real good shot for silver.
Quick Thought #1: A US record is a real possibility here even without Symmonds and Sowinski.
Men’s 4 x 1500
World Record – 14:36.23 – Kenya 2009 (3:39.05 per man)
US Record – 14:46.30 – USA 2009 (3:41.57 per man)
Team USA:
| First | Last | How qualified? | PB |
| Pat | Casey | 3rd at Drake, 2nd in Road Mile | 3:40.04 |
| Garrett | Heath | 3:34.12 last year 5th in US, 3rd US indoors | 3:34.12 |
| Will | Leer | Top 2 US indoors – 3:35.27 last year | 3:35.29 |
| Leo | Manzano | Olympics/WC | 3:32.38 |
| David | Torrence | 2nd fastest guy in US in 2013 (3:33.23). | 3:33.23 |
Who’s Else Might Have Been Considered: Olympians Matthew Centrowitz and Andrew Wheating (hasn’t raced this year) aren’t in the field nor are the following guys who all ran 3:34 last year: Jordan McNamara, Andy Bayer, Lopez Lomong, and Cory Leslie.
Medal Prospects: Decent. Kenya has gold wrapped up but after that there are two medals and the only candidates would be Ethiopia, Morocco and the US.
Quick Thought #1: The US record is history.
Women’s 4 x 1500
World Record – 17:08.17 – Kenya 2014 – (4:17.04 per woman)
US Record – 17:08.34 – Univ. Tennessee 2009 (4:17.08 per woman)
Team USA:
| First | Last | How qualified? | PB |
| Kate | Grace | #3 in US in 2014, 4:07.35 pb. | 4:07.35 |
| Heather | Kampf | Made world 1500 team, 4:07.15 pb. | 4:07.15 |
| Katie | Mackey | 4:04.60 last year. | 4:04.60 |
| Morgan | Uceny | Former world #1, 2012 US Olympian. 4:08.68 this year. | 4:00.06 |
| Sara | Vaughn | Mt. Sac champ has pb of just 4:08.34. | 4:08.34 |
Who’s Missing: See below.
Medal Prospects: Not great. This team went from a lock for at least silver to a ‘pray for bronze’ team with all of the absences. Ethiopian, Morocco, GBR, likely wouldn’t touch this team at full strength.
Quick Thought #1: Here’s a breakdown of how the US went from having 4 in the top 10 last year in the world and 5 of top 14 to this team:
2013 Time/Runner/Status
4:00.48 Jenny Simpson (NBal) – Declined
4:00.94 Brenda Martinez (NBal) – On 800 team
4:01.28 Shannon Rowbury (Nik) – Declined
4:01.48 Gabriele Anderson (Brk) – Not invited (only 4:17 at Drake)
4:02.85 Treniere Moser (Nik) – Declined
Discuss: MB: World Relays USA Team Announced: US 4×800 W Looking Great. Simpson, Symmonds, Centro, Cain NOT Running
Full USA team is listed below with USATF press release below that.
Full USA Team for The Inaugural World Relays Team
| First | Last | Event | Current Residence | Hometown | College/University | Twitter Handle |
| Marvin | Bracy | Men’s 4x100m | Clermont, Florida | Orlando, Florida | Florida State University | @BraceYaself |
| Trell | Kimmons | Men’s 4x100m | Jackson, Mississippi | Coldwater, Mississippi | Hinds CC | @TrellKimmons988 |
| Calesio | Newman | Men’s 4x100m | Greensboro, North Carolina | Green Sea, South Carolina | North Carolina A&T | @Mr_Sprinta |
| Mike | Rodgers | Men’s 4x100m | Round Rock, Texas | St. Louis, Missouri | Oklahoma Baptist University | @Mr_Rodgers_DAT |
| R. Mookie | Salaam | Men’s 4x100m | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Edmond, Oklahoma | University Of Oklahoma | @RakieemSalaam |
| Charles | Silmon | Men’s 4x100m | Fort Worth, Texas | Waco, Texas | Texas Christian University | @charlessilmon |
| Walter | Dix | Men’s 4x200m | Los Angeles, California | Coral Springs, Florida | Florida State University | @RealWalterDix |
| Curtis | Mitchell | Men’s 4x200m | Clermont, Florida | Daytona Beach, Florida | Texas A&M University | @mrmitchell200m |
| Maurice | Mitchell | Men’s 4x200m | Overland Park, Kansas | Kansas City, Missouri | Florida State University | @swift_reece |
| Wallace | Spearmon | Men’s 4x200m | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | University of Arkansas | @PrinceSpearmon |
| Isiah | Young | Men’s 4x200m | Oxford, Mississippi | Junction City, Kansas | University of Mississippi | @ALLORN0THIN |
| Torrin | Lawrence | Men’s 4x400m | Gainesville, Florida | Jacksonville, Florida | University of Georgia | @TLawrence400 |
| Tony | McQuay | Men’s 4x400m | Gainesville, Florida | Riviera Beach, Florida | University of Florida | @McQuay_Runs |
| LaShawn | Merritt | Men’s 4x400m | Portsmouth, Virginia | Portsmouth, Virginia | East Carolina University | @lashawnmerritt |
| Clayton | Parros | Men’s 4x400m | Clermont, Florida | Bloomfield, New Jersey | University of North Carolina | @Cparros |
| Christian | Taylor | Men’s 4x400m | Loughborough, UK | Fayetteville, Georgia | University of Florida | @taylored2jump |
| David | Verburg | Men’s 4x400m | Gainesville, Florida | Lynchburg, Virginia | George Mason University | @AdiVerb |
| Robby | Andrews | Men’s 4x800m | Princeton, New Jersey | Englishtown, New Jersey | University of Virginia | @RA_Andrews |
| Brandon | Johnson | Men’s 4x800m | Big Bear, California | Orange, Texas | UCLA | @gobrandonj |
| Michael | Rutt | Men’s 4x800m | Plainsboro, New Jersey | Sinking Springs, Pennsylvania | University of Connecticut | @Mike_Rutt |
| Duane | Solomon | Men’s 4x800m | Los Angeles, California | Lompoc, California | University of Southern California | @DuaneBang800 |
| Mark | Wieczorek | Men’s 4x800m | Seattle, Washington | Ponca City, Oklahoma | Mid America Nazarene University | @wizzo800 |
| Pat | Casey | Men’s 4x1500m | Eugene, Oregon | Laurel, Montana | University Of Oklahoma | @patkc13 |
| Garrett | Heath | Men’s 4x1500m | Seattle, Washington | Winona, Minnesota | Stanford University | @_garrettheath |
| Will | Leer | Men’s 4x1500m | Los Angeles, California | Minnetonka, Minnesota | Pomona College | @william_leer |
| Leo | Manzano | Men’s 4x1500m | Austin, Texas | Marble Falls, Texas | University of Texas | @leomanzano |
| David | Torrence | Men’s 4x1500m | Oakland, California | Tarzana, California | University of California-Berkeley | @David_Torrence |
| Alex | Anderson | Women’s 4x100m | Clermont, Florida | Chicago, Illinois | University of Texas | @mzalex_a |
| Tianna | Bartoletta | Women’s 4x100m | Tampa, Florida | Elyria, Ohio | University of Tennessee | @teamtianna |
| Lakeisha | Lawson | Women’s 4x100m | West Covina, California | Victorville, California | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | n/a |
| Tawanna | Meadows | Women’s 4x100m | Dallas, Texas | Panama City, Florida | Troy University | @Its_Speechless |
| Barbara | Pierre | Women’s 4x100m | Knightdale, North Carolina | Winter Haven, Florida | Saint Augustine’s University | @Barbie_gitt1 |
| Stacey-Ann | Smith | Women’s 4x100m | Round Rock, Texas | Bloomfield, Connecticut | University of Texas | @Sas_Dash |
| Tori | Bowie | Women’s 4x200m | Chula Vista, California | Sandhill, Mississippi | Southern Mississippi | n/a |
| Paris | Daniels | Women’s 4x200m | St. Louis, Missouri | St. Louis, Missouri | University of Kansas | n/a |
| Kimberlyn | Duncan | Women’s 4x200m | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Katy, Texas | LSU | @KiMBEAUX__ |
| Bianca | Knight | Women’s 4x200m | Austin, Texas | Ridgeland, Mississippi | University of Texas | @MidKnightDreams |
| Shalonda | Solomon | Women’s 4x200m | Winter Garden, Florida | Inglewood, California | University of South Carolina | @Shalonda200m |
| Jeneba | Tarmoh | Women’s 4x200m | Los Angeles, California | San Jose, California | Texas A&M University | @JenebaSylvia |
| Joanna | Atkins | Women’s 4x400m | Clermont, Florida | Stone Mountain, Georgia | Auburn University | n/a |
| Jessica | Beard | Women’s 4x400m | College Station, Texas | Euclid, Ohio | Texas A&M University | @Run2reign |
| Monica | Hargrove | Women’s 4x400m | Marietta, Georgia | New Haven, Connecticut | Georgetown University | @Monica_Hargrove |
| Natasha | Hastings | Women’s 4x400m | Round Rock, Texas | Brooklyn, New York | University of South Carolina | @natashahastings |
| Sanya | Richards-Ross | Women’s 4x400m | Austin, Texas | Kingston, Jamaica | University of Texas | @SanyaRichiRoss |
| Dee Dee | Trotter | Women’s 4x400m | Los Angeles, California | Decatur, Georgia | University of Tennessee | @dtrott400m |
| Geena | Gall-Lara | Women’s 4x800m | Corvallis, Oregon | Flint, Michigan | University of Michigan | @GeenaGall |
| Charlene | Lipsey | Women’s 4x800m | Baton Rouge, Louisiana | Hempstead, New York | LSU | n/a |
| Brenda | Martinez | Women’s 4x800m | Rancho Cucamonga, California | Rancho Cucamonga, California | University of California-Riverside | @bmartrun |
| Chanelle | Price | Women’s 4x800m | Knoxville, Tennessee | Easton, Pennsylvania | University of Tennessee | @ChanellePrice |
| Ajee’ | Wilson | Women’s 4x800m | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | Neptune, New Jersey | Temple University | @AjeeW |
| Kate | Grace | Women’s 4x1500m | Bend, Oregon | Santa Monica, California | Yale University | @fastk8 |
| Heather | Kampf | Women’s 4x1500m | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota | University of Minnesota | @HeatherRaeKampf |
| Katie | Mackey | Women’s 4x1500m | Seattle, Washington | Fort Collins, Colorado | University of Washington | @KatiefMackey |
| Morgan | Uceny | Women’s 4x1500m | Brighton, Massachusetts | Plymouth, Indiana | Cornell University | @MUceny |
| Sara | Vaughn | Women’s 4x1500m | Boulder, Colorado | Gering, Nebraska | University of Colorado | @MomVaughn |
USATF release:
INDIANAPOLIS — Team USA’s roster is set for the inaugural IAAF World Relays Championships, contested Saturday and Sunday, May 24-25 at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium in Nassau, Bahamas.
A total of 55 athletes comprise the relay pools that will represent the red, white and blue at the event, which airs live on Universal Sports from 6:30-9:00 p.m. ET on both days of competition.
The first competition of its kind, the IAAF World Relays Championships consist of the 4×100, 4×200, 4×400, 4×800 and 4×1500 relays on both the men’s and women’s sides. Scheduled for primetime, the World Relays provide the only major world championship for the 2014 outdoor season.
The men’s and women’s 4×400-meter relay pools are especially impressive, with 2013 World Champions Tony McQuay, LaShawn Merritt, and David Verburg in the pool, as well as Olympic gold medalist triple jumper Christian Taylor, an accomplished quartermiler at the University of Florida,NCAA Champion Torrin Lawrence and Clayton Parros, who was a member of the 4×4 pool at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland.
On the women’s side, Olympic gold medalists Natasha Hastings, Sanya Richards-Ross and Dee Dee Trotter are in the relay pool, as well as two-time World medalists Joanna Atkins, Jessica Beard andMonica Hargrove.
Nearly 50 nations are sending teams to Nassau for the World Relays, which is expected to qualify some teams for the 15th IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil.
A full schedule can be found on USATF.org and tickets are available for purchase now.
The official hashtag for the event is #WorldRelays. Be sure to follow along in Nassau with USATF onTwitter, Facebook and Instagram.