Haile Gebrselassie And Jen Toomey Impress Crowd at 2004 adidas Boston Indoor Games

Haile Gebrselassie And Jen Toomey Impress Crowd at 2004 adidas Boston Games
USATF Communications
Jan 31, 2004
Full Results

BOSTON A raucous crowd and strong, early-season performances highlighted a thrilling adidas Boston Indoor Games Saturday at the Reggie Lewis Center in Roxbury.

The biggest cheers of the night from the sold-out crowd of more than 4,000 were saved for the two local favorites at the meet Haile Gebrselassie of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Jen Toomey of Salem, Mass.

Ethiopians swarmed to the first USATF Golden Spike Tour meet of the season to see their countrys biggest sports heroes compete in the adidas mens 3,000 meters. The two-time Olympic 10,000m gold medalist, eight-time world indoor and outdoor champion, and 17-time world record breaker kept the crowd on its feet as he raced to a winning time of 7:35.24.

It was a two-man race between Gebrselassie and countryman Markos Geneti (7:41.06). Gebrselassie came through 1,600 meters around his target time with a split of 3:59.60 and was on world record pace through 2,000 meters. The diminutive giant of distance running slowed slightly over the final laps, but he appreciated the race and the welcoming crowd.

Its a little bit dry here, but the race was perfect, he said. The crowd was so wonderful, and the track is very good. (On his time) What can I do? I have to accept it.

Toomey also got her hometown crowd going with a bravura performance in the Sunny D Intense Sport 800 meters. The 2002 USA outdoor runner-up, Toomey put the pedal down on American indoor record holder Nicole Teter at the 400-meter marks. Using a 29-second third lap, Toomey quickly gapped the field and cruised to the win in 2:00.77. Teter, the two-time defending U.S. indoor champion, was second in 2:03.68.

Im really happy, Toomey said. My coach [Tom McDermott] said, I dont care what you do, but [the third 200] better be strong. Its so great to be able to be in front of my home crowd. This is where I train, and so many people know me here. Its a great feeling.

Also bringing the crowd to its feet was a virtual Ethiopian clinic in the womens 5,000 meters, the final race of the meet. Double world junior gold medalist Meseret Defar (14:53.19), world 5,000m champion Tirunesh Dibaba (14:53.99) and two-time Olympic 10,000m gold medalist Derartu Tulu (14:54.73) went 1-2-3 and were followed by fellow Ethiopian Sentayehu Ejigu (14:58.85).

Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila had a productive outing in the womens pole vault, with a miss-free competition through her winning clearance of 4.61m/4-1.75. Still working on new techniques with her coach of the last year, Greg Hull, Dragila analyzed her meet.

I didnt feel very awesome, she said. Considering that, I was pretty happy with the results. I wanted to have my step on, which I was really happy with. I was a little late on my pole, which is something Im working on. I was on a bigger pole today, which is important. Im learning some new techniques and I want to get a few things done during the indoor season.

Three-time world outdoor hurdles champion Gail Devers got her indoor season started with a win in the womens 60m hurdles. The two-time Olympic 100m sprint gold medalist got out quickly and won in 7.85 seconds, well ahead of Vonette Dixon of Jamaica (8.01) and Olympic bronze medalist Melissa Morrison (8.03).

I just felt flat today, Devers said. This is the earliest that Ive ever started my year, but I wanted to come to Boston. Its a good track with big crowds, which I knew from last year [at the 2003 USA Indoor Championships, where she ran an American record 7.74 in the semifinals]. To be honest, this year Ive been more focused on my foundation. We had a two-day walk last weekend and raised more than $10,000 for diabetes.

Laban Rotich of Kenya, the fourth-place finisher at the 2000 Olympic Games 1,500m, led a Kenyan 1-2 sweep of the mens mile with his time of 3:56.60. Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya placed a close second in 3:57.00.

Jon Drummond used his trademark quick start to take an early lead in the Verizon mens 60 meters. The Olympic 4x100m relay gold medalist held off training partner Mickey Grimes, running 6.61 to Grimes 6.63. Dwight Thomas of Jamaica was third in 6.65.

Teenage sensation Allyson Felix made a strong indoor debut, finishing second in the adidas womens 400m. A 200-meter specialist who broke Marion Jones American junior record outdoor in 2003 with her time of 22.11, Felix ran 52.29 Saturday to finish behind Tonique Williams of the Bahamas (51.98), who finished fifth in the 400 at the 2003 World Championships.

The 400 is definitely different, said Felix, who owns an outdoor personal best of 52.26 in the 400. I wasnt sure what would happen. This is not really my race Im trying to get some conditioning by running it.

In other competition, Osmar dos Santos of Brazil won the mens 600m in 1:15.90 over American Lubert Lewis (1:17.56); Carmen Douma (4:11.71) sneaked past Carrie Tollefson (4:12.00) in the final stride of the womens 1,500m; and Berhanu Alemu posted another Ethiopian win the mens 1,000 meters (2:20.51).

2004 Adidas Boston Indoor Games Results
Women 400 Meter Dash

1, Tonique Williams, BAH, 51.98. 2, Allyson Felix, USA, 52.28. 3, Sandie Richards, JAM, 53.07. 4, Me'Lisa Barber, USA, 53.11. 5, Karen Shinkins, IRL, 53.23. 6, Foy Williams, CAN, 55.02.

Men 600 Meter Run

1, Osmar dos Santos, BRA, 1:15.90. 2, Lubert Lewis, USA, 1:17.56. 3, Frederick Sharpe, USA, 1:18.53. 4, Trinity Gray, USA, 1:18.87. 5, Joey Woody, USA, 1:18.92.

Women 800 Meter Run

1, Jen Toomey, USA, 2:00.77. 2, Nicole Teter, USA, 2:03.68. 3, Marian Burnett, GUY, 2:04.94. 4, Alice Schmidt, USA, 2:06.61. 5, Tanya Blake, MLT, 2:06.72. 6, Christiane dos Santos, BRA, 2:07.43. 7, Chantee Earl, USA, 2:07.65. 8, Hazel Clark, USA, 2:14.19. --, Francis Santin, USA, DNF. --, Yasheeka Taylor, USA, DNF.

Men 1000 Meter Run

1, Berhanu Alemu, ETH, 2:20.51. 2, Alex Kipchirchir, KEN, 2:21.26. 3, David Krummenacker, USA, 2:21.33. 4, Nate Brannen, CAN, 2:21.60. 5, Derrick Peterson, USA, 2:22.53. 6, Patrick Nduwimana, BDI, 2:23.00. 7, Nicholas Wachira, KEN, 2:23.64. 8, Sam Burley, USA, 2:24.03. 9, David Paulsen, USA, 2:25.29. 10, Floyd Thompson, USA, 2:25.98. --, Sherman Armstong, USA, DNF.

Women 1500 Meter Run

1, Carmen Douma, CAN, 4:11.71. 2, Carrie Tollefson, USA, 4:12.00. 3, Meskerem Legesse, ETH, 4:13.26. 4, Shalane Flanagan, USA, 4:13.55. 5, Sally Hauser, USA, 4:13.66. 6, Mardrea Hyman, JAM, 4:14.69. 7, Nicole Jefferson, USA, 4:16.56. 8, Mary Jane Harrelson, USA, 4:16.79. 9, Amy Rudolph, USA, 4:17.23. 10, Birhane Hirpasse, ETH, 4:17.67. 11, Miesha Marzell-Arnold, USA, 4:20.78. --, Alana Jones, USA, DNF.

Men 1 Mile Run

1, Laban Rotich, KEN, 3:56.60. 2, Boaz Cheboiywo, KEN, 3:57.00. 3, Marko Koers, NED, 3:59.17. 4, Charlie Gruber, USA, 4:00.19. 5, William Chirchir, KEN, 4:00.49. 6, Ryan Bak, USA, 4:03.07. 7, Julius Achon, UGA, 4:03.13. 8, Bryan Berryhill, USA, 4:04.81. 9, James Karanu, KEN, 4:08.23. 10, Ibrahim Aden, USA, 4:09.21. 11, Jason Pyrah, USA, 4:10.25. 12, Fidel Beragezabi, BDI, 4:13.38. --, Jeff DeLong, USA, DNF. --, Seneca Lassiter, USA, DNF.

Women 5000 Meter Run

1, Meseret Defar, ETH, 14:53.14. 2, Tirunesh Dibaba, ETH, 14:53.99. 3, Derartu Tulu, ETH, 14:54.73. 4, Sentayehu Ejigu, ETH, 14:58.85. 5, Kathy Butler, GBR, 15:41.13. --, Lyubov Kremleva, RUS, DNF. --, Larisa Michaileva, RUS, DNF.

Men 3000 Meter Run

1, Haile Gebrselassie, ETH, 7:35.24. 2, Markos Geneti, ETH, 7:41.06. 3, Kevin Sullivan, CAN, 7:44.46. 4, Bernard Lagat, KEN, 7:44.58. 5, Nick Willis**, NZL, 7:44.90. 6, Martin Keino, KEN, 7:44.96. 7, Dan Lincoln, USA, 7:45.20. 8, Matt Lane, USA, 7:45.72. 9, Jason Lunn, USA, 7:47.20. 10, Luke Watson, USA, 7:49.56. 11, Anthony Whiteman, GBR, 7:51.43. 12, Jonathon Riley, USA, 7:59.61. 13, Hudson de Souza, BRA, 8:10.78. --, Sean O'Brien, USA, DNF. --, David Lelei, KEN, DNF.
** NCAA Collegiate Record

Women 60 Meter Hurdles

1, Gail Devers, USA, 7.85. 2, Vonette Dixon, JAM, 8.01. 3, Melissa Morrison, USA, 8.03. 4, Linda Ferga, FRA, 8.08. 5, Jenny Adams, USA, 8.09. 6, Miesha McKelvy-Jones, USA, 8.19. 7, Anjanette Kirkland, USA, 8.29. 8, Aquila Williams-Judge, USA, 8.75.

Men 60 Meter Dash

1, Jon Drummond, USA, 6.61. 2, Mickey Grimes, USA, 6.64. 3, Dwight Thomas, JAM, 6.65. 4, Nicholas Macrozonaris, CAN, 6.67. 5, Shawn Crawford, USA, 6.68. 6, John Capel, USA, 6.68. 7, Bobby Williams, JAM, 6.71.

Women Pole Vault

1, Stacy Dragila, USA, 4.61m. 2, Nastja Ryshich, GER, 4.31m. 3, Jill Schwartz, USA, 4.21m. 3, Dana Ellis, CAN, J4.21m. 5, April Steiner, USA, 4.11m. --, Jill Starkey, USA, NH.

Non-GST Events

Girls 1 Mile Run High School

1, Ashley Davidson, Natick HS, 5:13.13. 2, Christine Laakso, Fitchburg HS, 5:13.33. 3, Megan Brousseau, Attleboro, 5:13.77. 4, Katy O'Brien, Oliver Ames HS, 5:15.21. 5, Becca MacDonald, Weymouth, 5:18.05. 6, Kasey Black, Whitman-Hanson, 5:21.38. 7, Katie Clay, Beverly HS, 5:22.40. 8, Katy Brague, Mansfield, 5:23.27. 9, Meghan Barrett, B.Feeham, 5:23.54. 10, Mary Donovan, Marian HS, 5:25.18. 11, Kylynn McKinley, Marblehead, 5:28.75. --, Meghan Curran, Chelmsford HS, DNS.

Boys 1 Mile Run High School

1, Chris Barnicle, Newton North, 4:17.52. 2, Drew Harrington, Oliver Ames HS, 4:20.41. 3, Michael Baks, Wachusett Reg., 4:22.68. 4, Keith Gill, Brockton, 4:27.83. 5, Nick Krouse, St. John's, 4:29.11. 6, Brian Gagnon, Lowell HS, 4:29.68. 7, Dennis Roche, Cathedral HS, 4:29.96. 8, Aaron Wheeler, St.John's Prep, 4:30.18. 9, Rex Radloff, Dedham HS, 4:31.22. 10, Mark Garcia, Everett HS, 4:32.19. 11, Khalid Abdi, Brockton, 4:32.26. 12, Tom Davis, Newton North, 4:32.27. 13, Alec Bleday, Xaverian, 4:32.61.

Men Distance Medley

1, Villanova 9:34.72. 2, Georgetown 9:36.93. 3, Notre Dame 9:45.33. 4, Michigan 9:47.79. 5, North Carolina 9:53.41. 6, Tennessee 9:55.84.

Mixed 4x200 Meter Relay BAA

1, Dearborn 1:51.93. 2, Timilty 1:58.00. 3, Providence 1:58.57. 4, Attleboro 2:01.18. 5, Lynx 2:02.05. --, SBNH DNF.

Men 1 Mile Run Masters

1, Craig Fram, Whirlaway RT, 4:28.04. 2, Steve Sergeant, Unattached, 4:29.65. 3, Tom Dalton, Adrinodack RC, 4:29.87. 4, Mark Reeder, Greater Lowell R, 4:30.93. 5, Doug Martyn, Whirlaway RT, 4:33.47. 6, Rich Marion, Unattached, 4:34.85. 7, Mike Cooney, Whirlaway RT, 4:36.20. 8, Mike Platt, Syr Chargers, 4:36.73. 9, Jon Waldron, Cambridge Sports, 4:37.09. 10, Bob Collins, Boston AA, 4:38.82. 11, Dave O'Keeffe, Syr Chargers, 4:41.38. 12, Ken Leinbach, Boston AA, 4:41.80. --, Mike Marren, Unattached, DNS. --, Bob Winn, Greater Lowell R, DNS. --, Mel Gonsalves, Boston AA, DNS. --, Chris Spinney, Whirlaway RT, DNS. --, Paul Hammond, Whirlaway RT, DNS.