Where Your Dreams Become
Reality
Where Your Dreams Become
Reality
|
A Fan's Guide To The 2009 Reebok Boston Indoor Games Feb 6, 2009 - Recently, we've come to the official conclusion that track isn't more popular because it's rarely presented properly. For a race to be truly compelling, people need to have a ton of information about the event and the main participants. If people know the story lines involved in the race, then it's interesting. If they don't, then it's not. In our minds, information creates drama, which creates entertainment. In that light, we hope to give you, the visitors of LetsRun.com, the story lines for the major meets this year. This is our first attempt, so hopefully it's goes alright. Below you will find a preview of the sprints and field events for the 2009 Reebok Boston Indoor Games. To see the men's distance preview, click here. To see the women's distance preview, click here. New: If you are going to the meet and would like to have everything in one document listed in the order the events take place so you can print it out and use it as a program, click here. Nutrilite Women's Pole Vault: A Battle Between The Past & Present Of US Vaulting There is real buzz in the women's pole vault at this meet. You've got a battle between the past and future of US pole vaulting. Entrants When women started doing the pole vault, the American scene was dominated by one person - Stacy Dragila. Dragila is a 9-time US outdoor champ and of course the 2000 Olympic champ. But Dragila is 37 and over the last few years, age has been catching up to her. But entering 2009, Dragila is finally healthy and seems to be rejuvenated. She's working with a new coach in Ty Sevin, and given the fact that last week at Millrose she vaulted higher than she had indoors since 2004 (4.64 meters/15'1.5" - a mark that would have got her an Olympic bid had she done it last year), it looks like her last year in athletics is going to be a good one. To read a great profile of the rejuvenated Dragila, please see this piece by Barbara Huebner for Universalsports.com. Dragila is back in good form and that's good as the present and future of US pole vaulting, Jenn Stuczynski, needs a domestic rival. In Dragila's absence, Stuczynski has raised the bar as she's the American outdoor record holder at 4.92 meters (16'1.75") and of course the 2008 Olympic silver medallist. Stuczynski gave Dragila's American indoor record of 4.81 (15'9.25") a scare last week and this week she'll have $25,000 worth of extra incentive as there is a $25,000 bonus for a new American record on the line. Other competitors could spoil the Dragila-Stuczynski match-up. 2008 US Olympian Erica Bartolina set a PB at the perfect time last year (4.55m) at the Trials. She'll need to do it again her to battle for the win. Australian teen phenom Vicky Parnov, the winner of World Youth Gold in 2007, is in the field at age 18 but is probably a year or two away from really challenging the top women. She has gone 4.40m and was 3rd at Millrose. Chelsea Johnson was 8th at last year's Olympic Trials and has a PB of 4.73m. Norway national record holder Cathrine Larsaasen (4.30 PB) also is vaulting. LetsRun.com Prediction: We're tired of picking the favorite. 1) Dragila 2) Stuczynski Reebok Men's Pole Vault: In Battle Between Last 2 Olympic Champs, Can Hooker Get The World Record? Entrants Last week at Millrose, reigning Olympic champ Steve Hooker went into the meet with very modest expectations given limited training. Well, maybe he should train less in the future as he left the building with Millrose and Madison Square Garden Records as he vaulted (19'8.5"). Plus he gave Sergei Bubka's world record a very good scare on two attempts at 20'2.5". Now the expectations are up as a $25,000 bonus is on the table for a world record in Boston. Moreover, agent Mark Wetmore has shipped the runway up from Millrose to make the conditions more conducive for a record attempt. Before he can go for a record, he'll have to win first and The most likely challengers for the title include 2004 Olympic Champion Tim Mack as well as 2008 OTrials champ Derek Miles, who was 4th in Beijing. Mack and Miles are both 36, though, and if Hooker is on, it's a battle for 2nd as the 6.01m that Hooker vaulted last week is Mack's PB and is better than Miles' (5.85m). Mexican national record holder Giovanni Lanar has a PB of 5.82 and can't be discounted either. Jacob Pauli (5th at the 2008 OT) is no slouch either. LetsRun.com Prediction: We don't really like it when an event is hyped as a world record attempt as it normally leaves the fans going home feeling dejected. Instead we're going to try to enjoy this battle between the last two Olympic champs. 1) Hooker 2) Miles 3) Mack Reebok Men's 60H: Trammell Is Running Fast (And Angry?) Entrants Two-time Olympic silver medallist at 110h, Terrence Trammell, leads this field. Based on his stunning performances at Millrose last weekened when he won the 60h and came in 2nd in the 60, it's clear Trammell comes into 2009 very motivated after bombing out in the heats of Beijing last year. He absolutely destroyed a ton of the guys in this field last week at Millrose as he won by .19. Last year's champ Antwon Hicks, who was a well-beaten 2nd at Millrose last week (7.64 vs. 7.45), could challenge. Aries Merritt, the 4th placer from last year's Olympic Trials, is also in the field, although he was only 5th at Millrose last weekend. The field also includes Ron Bramlett, who was 4th at Millrose in 7.78. LetsRun.com Prediction: 1) Trammell 2) Merritt 3) Hicks Visa Men's 60 Meters: 4 Complete Studs Battle For The Title Entrants This race is a good one. It may end up being a replay of the matchup that we thought we were going to see between 2008 US indoor 60m champ Michael Rodgers and 9.85 man Travis Padgett, who was DQed in is pro debut last week. In Padgett's absence, Rodgers, the surprise national champ from last year, got a PR and world-leading win last Friday at Millrose in 6.51. Padgett certainly can run near that fast as he ran 6.56 to win NCAAs in 2007 for Clemson. The other big names in the race both competed in the 2008 Olympics for the US - one at 100m and the other at 200m. 2008 US 100m Olympian Darvis Patton, who ran 9.84 wind-aided to make the team last year and 9.89 legit, has a 60m PB of 6.58. 2004 Olympic 200 champ and 2008 200m silver medallist Shawn Crawford (although Crawford gave up his silver to the DQed Churandy Martina in the ultimate classy act), who was third at Millrose last week in 6.62, actually has the best 60m PB of anyone in the field at 6.47. But remember, he ran 6.47 in 2004 when he was coached by the now disgraced Trevor Graham. We don't expect him to get closde to 6.47 this weekend although he did run 6.55 last year to win this race. Others in the field include Rae Edwards, who ran 6.57 to get third at USAs last year but hasn't run faster than 6.69 this year. Great Britain's Tyrone Edgar was 4th at Millrose in 6.63. Jamaica's Lerone Clarkes has a 6.63 PB and former junior college champ Trell Kimmons of the USA supposedly has a 6.53 PB, but that was run at a junior college meet. In non-Juco competitions, his best is 6.60. LetsRun.com Prediction: Padgett won't want to get DQed again so he'll start slow. 1) Rodgers 2) Padgett 3) Patton MBTA Men's 400m: The Rennie Quow Show! Entrants 32-year-old Michael Blackwood of Jamaica has run 44.60 during his career and is the most accomplished of the runners in this field. A bronze medallist in 2000 for Jamaica in the 4x 400, Blackwood also has individually won the World Athletics Final as well as the Commonwealth Games gold, both in 2002. Last year, he was eliminated in the heats of Beijing. Who could challenge Blackwood? The leading prospect has to be Rennie Quow of Trinidad & Tobago. Quow was the world junior gold medallist in 2006 and is still only 21. He is the favorite in this race as he comes into it off of a great 2008 when he ran 44.82 and was 7th in the Olympic final. He's also in good shape, having gotten the win in the 600 yard dash at Millrose last Friday. Michael Tinsley, the 2006 NCAA champ in the 400m hurdles in 2006, had a world ranking of #10 in the hurdles in 2006 when he ran 48.02. He's not as good at the flat 400, although he has run 46.02 indoors before. Former LSU Tiger Kelly Willie earned 2004 Olympic gold as a relay member and has run 44.63 but only 47.25 last year. The least accomplished of the guys is American Drew Morano, who has run 45.65. LetsRun.com Prediction: Quow is a star in the making. Can't go against him. 1) Quow 2) Blackwood 3) Tinsley Nutrilite Women's 60m Entrants
2008 US Olympic Trials champ at 100m, Muna Lee, was 2nd to Knight last weekend in 7.28 and obviously can't be pleased with finishing 2nd considering her PB is 7.11. 2006 world indoor champ Lisa Barber has the best PB in the field at 7.01 but she was way back at Millrose in 7.34 for 5th. Her twin sister, Miki, who was 4th at USAs in Boston last year in 7.22 will also run, as will Caremelita Jeter, who was 4th in 7.30 at Millrose. Olympic 110mh runner Sally McLellan of Australia is in the field and while it's always good to watch an Olympic medallist, she is totally overmatched in the flat 60m. Former Texas A&M runner Simone Facey of Jamaica has run 7.23 before so she could be in the mix. Jamaica's Sheri-Ann Brooks was last in New York last week and may be last here if she doesn't run better. Women's Long Jump: Can a World Champ Regain Her Form? Entrants This long jump competition is full of a lot of interesting stories. It should be a good competition. But if we hadn't researched it, we'd think it was boring as hell as we aren't big long jump aficionados. It proves knowledge = excitement. Last year, in this event Swedish beauty Carolina Kluft got all the attention but long jumper/heptathlete Lela Johnson got the win. Johnson is back to defend her title and has a PB of 6.78. She'll be challenged heavily by 2008 US Olympic Trials champion Grace Upshaw. Upshaw pulled out a clutch jump last year at the Trials as she went from 5th to first on her last jump. Upshaw is a big-meet performer as she's represented the US at the last two Olympics (8th in 2008 and 10th in 2004) and last 3 world championships. Her PB is 6.88 (22'7"). It will be interesting to see how Tianna Madison performs. Madison won the outdoor 2005 world championships in the long jump in totally shocking fashion as a lowly sophomore at the University of Tennessee. She followed that up with a world indoor silver in 2006 but then has struggled mightily as a pro since then. She hasn't gone farther than 21'7.75" in the last two years, while her PB is 22'7.25". 30-year-old Jenny Adams is back in the long jump looking to recapture the magic from 2001, when she won the NCAA indoor LJ crown before setting Europe on fire that summer in the 100 hurdles, when she won 5 IAAF Grand Prix events before getting 5th in the Worlds. Her PB is from that 2001 NCAA meet (6.68 or 21'11"). Visa Women's 200: Expect A Cakewalk For Solomon Entrants Reigning 2-time US champ at 400h, Tiffany Ross-Williams, is one of the best in the world at hurdles but 200 meters is short for her as her PB is only 24.40. She's the class of the field but indoors just isn't her thing and she likely will struggle. In our minds, the person that will run away with this race is 2004 world junior champion at 200m, Shalonda Solomon, as she has major 200 meter credentials. In 2006 she was the NCAA champ and ranked #8 in the world at the event. Her PB of 22.36 is by far the best in the field. Former Nittany Lion Shana Cox (23.15 200 PB) will be making her 2009 debut. Others in the field include Shareese Woods (22.74 PB) and Ashlee Kidd (22.99 PB). LetsRun.com Prediction: 1) Solomon wins easily MBTA Men's 200m: Which Williams Is The Best? Entrants Rubin Williams, who used to run for Tennesse, has PBs of 10.12 and 20.40. Ivory Williams is a guy who ran a ridiculous 9.94 last year in Eugene at the Olympic Trials but failed to make the finals as his 10.05 in the semis was subpar only in America. His 200 PB is 20.62. Former Florida A&M runner Chris Hargrett has bests of 10.12 and 20.78, whereas former Wake Forest sprinter Eric Seely has run 21.05. LetsRun.com Prediction: Ivory Williams is the best short sprinter in the field but Rubin Williams is probably the best 200-meter man in the field. Ivory Williams has already run 20.81 indoors this year. He's hot and in form. We're going with him. 1) Ivory Williams 2) Rubin Williams To see the men's distance preview, click here. To see the women's distance preview, click here New: If you are going to the meet and would like to have everything in one document listed in the order the events take place so you can print it out and use it as a program, click here.
|
Runner's World &
|
