Other highlights were the American record at 3,000m by Bernard Lagat, a win by Asbel Kiprop versus the top 1,500m field in the world this year, and crazy-fast times by everyone in the men's 100m.
Men's 3,000: Bernard Lagat Gets The American Record As Solinsky PRs And Rupp Struggles Bob Kennedy's American 3,000-meter record of 7:30.84 had survived for more than 12 years, but it couldn't survive a second assault in a week from 12:54 man Bernard Lagat, who after failing to get the record last week in Berlin, got it today in Rieti.
Lagat became the first American to break 7:30 as he ran 7:29.00 to finish second in Rieti. In the process, Lagat also reaffirmed that he is still America's best man at the 3,000/5,000 distance, as the expected battle between him and Chris Solinsky ended up being a rout. Lagat got the American record but came up just short of winning the race, as Tariku Bekele ran a world-leading 7:28.70 to win.
Kennedy's unofficial American-born record survived another day, however, as Chris Solinsky ran 7:34.32 and Galen Rupp struggled home in 7:50.46 (American steeplechaser Dan Huling ran 7:46.97 as well). The 7:34.32 time was a personal best for Solinsky, who had run 7:36.90 in 2007. It also moves him up to #4 all time in the US - ahead of Adam Goucher, who ran 7:34.96 in 2001 (#5 if you covert Matt Tegenkamp's American record of 8:07.07 for 2 miles to
3,000).
As compared to last week in Berlin, the pace this week was a bit faster, as the opening 1,000 was covered in 2:27.03 (versus 2:29.87) and 2,000 was hit in 5:01.25 (versus 5:02.27).
All-Time US At 3,000
1. Bernard Lagat - 7:29.00
2. Bob Kennedy - 7:30.84
3. Sydney Maree - 7:33.37
4. Chris Solinsky - 7:34.32
5. Adam Goucher - 7:34.96
Note: Matt Tegenkamp has run 8:07.07 for 2 miles, which Track and Field News converts to 7:31.00 for 3,000.
We hope to have more coverage on this race later.
3000 Metres - Men
1 Bekele , Tariku ETH 7:28.70 WL
2 Lagat , Bernard USA 7:29.00 AR
3 Soi , Edwin Cheruiyot KEN 7:29.75 PB
4 Kipkoech , John KEN 7:32.72
5 Solinsky , Chris USA 7:34.32 PB
6 Tahri , Bouabdellah FRA 7:35.50
7 Birmingham , Collis AUS 7:38.77 PB
8 Rashed , Essa Ismail QAT 7:39.61 PB
9 Blincoe , Adrian NZL 7:46.38 PB
10 Huling , Daniel USA 7:46.97
11 Longosiwa , Thomas Pkemei KEN 7:48.67
12 Simotwo , Suleiman Kipses KEN 7:49.41
13 Lebid , Serhiy UKR 7:49.45
14 Rupp , Galen USA 7:50.46
15 Songok , Isaac Kiprono KEN 7:52.59
Cheboi , Collins KEN DNF
Biwott , Yusuf Kibet KEN DNF
Intermediate times:
1000m
59
Biwott, Yusuf Kibet (KEN)
2:27.03
2000m
57
Bekele, Tariku (ETH)
5:01.25
Men's 1,500: Asbel Kiprop Proves Once Again He's The Best In The World
In the first battle of the year on European soil between the 21-year-old 1,500 meter phenoms from Kenya, 2010 world leader Silas Kiplagat and 2008 Olympic champion Asbel Kiprop, Kiprop showed that he's still the best miler on the planet, as just like at the African champs, Kiprop came out the victor in 3:31.78 to Kiplagat's 3:31.97.
The race was rabbitted perfectly by Spain's Victor Seco. He took the field incredibly evenly through 400 in 55.62 and 800 in 1:52.64. His rabbitting was helped by the fact that, unlike at Diamond League meeting where there sometimes are 18 starters, this race only had 15 starters, so the dash for starting positions wasn't as maddening as normal. By 800, it was clear that Kiprop, who was the closest competitor in the field to Seco in third, was going to focus on making sure he won the
race instead
of
running a world-leading time as at 800, he was 8 to 10 meters back of the rabbit. After the second rabbit dropped out, Kiprop had the lead and he was not interested in pushing the pace and the pace continued to slow. Just before the field came to 1,200 (2:51.55 (58.91 seconds for that lap)), Augustine Choge decided he'd had enough and took the lead. Kiplagat went with Choge and Kiprop found himself in third. Kiprop fans who might have briefly wondered if this wasn't his day were quickly reassured as
he responded and followed the duo down the backstretch.
Just prior to 200 to go, Kiplagat took the lead and it was clear what Kiprop was doing - shadowing Kiplagat - as he followed on his shoulder. As the duo came off the final turn, they started their kicks. The two best 1,500 guys on the planet running virtually side-by-side with 100 meters to go - it doesn't get much better than that. Kiprop waited until almost 10 meters left and then surged to the lead and right when he did he started celebrating (like he did at
Pre in 2009, aka pulling a "Jimmy Wyner"), as both arms came out in celebration as he knew he was the victor. Kiprop then realized he needed to run 10 more meters, which he did without incident. The time of 3:31.78 was a seasonal best for Kiprop.
Kiprop has been crazy good in 2010. This was his fastest time of the year, versus the top 1,500m field of the year, yet he still had time to taunt the field. After starting the Diamond League season with a second-place finish in Shanghai (by .02) way back in May, he has won 7 straight finals versus the best in the world.
American David Torrence was also in the field and he ended up 8th in a big new personal best of 3:34.25. His previous personal best was set in New York this year and was 3:35.81.
1500 Metres - Men
1 Kiprop , Asbel KEN 3:31.78 SB
2 Kiplagat , Silas KEN 3:31.97
3 Chepseba , Nixon Kiplimo KEN 3:32.42 PB
4 Kamel , Yusuf Saad BRN 3:33.06 SB
5 Rono , Geoffrey Kipkoech KEN 3:33.20
6 Choge , Augustine Kiprono KEN 3:33.99
7 Daba , Demma ETH 3:34.16
8 Torrence , David USA 3:34.25 PB
9 van Deventer , Juan RSA 3:34.52 SB
10 Baala , Mehdi FRA 3:34.59
11 Baddeley , Andrew GBR 3:35.35
12 Lancashire , Thomas GBR 3:36.36
13 Fernández , Álvaro ESP 3:38.32
Seco , Victor ESP DNF
Polonet , Vickson Naran KEN DNF
Women's 1,500: Jamal Returns To Form Out of Nowhere
Two-time world champion Maryam Jamal, who had been struggling all year, had a sensational last lap to capture the race and prove that she's still going to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come in the women's 1,500. Jamal, who this summer had run five 1500s in Europe and hadn't finished higher than 8th in any of them nor run faster than 4:03.29, looked like the Jamal of old as she blitzed her last 400 in 60 point to get the win in 3:58.95 - the 2nd fastest time of the year.
In contrast
to the men's 1,500, the rabbitting in the women's 1,500 was far from perfect, as the first 400 was run 61.54 but the 2nd 400 was 66.67 and 800 was reached in 2:08.21. At the 1,000 meter mark, the pace was getting so slow that American Morgan Uceny moved up from fourth or fifth and took the lead. As they hit the bell in 2:58-mid, Uceny simply stepped of the track. We're not quite sure what she was doing, as it didn't seem like she was the rabbit as she was running in fourth or fifth
the whole
race so maybe she was injured or maybe she realized that any chance of a sub-4:00 was out the window. Well, we should say any chance for a sub-4 was out the window for mere mortals but not Maryam Jamal.
Jamal's last 400 of just over 60-flat and her last 300 was 44.53 left the rest of the field totally in the dust as no one came close to matching Jamal over the final lap. The fine season of Jamal's compatriot in Mimi Belete continued, as she was 2nd in a big PR of 4:00.25 (previous PR of 4:01.59). Coming into the year, Belete's PR was 4:04.36. Shannon Rowbury was the top American in the field as she ran 4:01.63 for fourth as 2008 Olympian Erin Donohue set a new personal
best in
7th of 4:03.49.
The poor 2010 season of Uceny's teamate Anna Pierce continued. Pierce, who ran 3:59.38 in 2009, hasn't run faster than 4:04.52 this year.
1,500 Metres - Women
1 Jamal , Maryam Yusuf BRN 3:58.93
2 Belete , Mimi BRN 4:00.25 PB
3 Déhiba Chahyd , Hind FRA 4:01.07
4 Rowbury , Shannon USA 4:01.63
5 Måkestad Bovim , Ingvill NOR 4:02.20
6 Mishchenko , Anna UKR 4:03.14 PB
7 Donohue , Erin USA 4:03.49 PB
8 Plis , Renata POL 4:06.76 PB
9 Ngeiywo , Nelly Chebet KEN 4:11.36
10 Edwards , Nicole CAN 4:13.90
11 Magnani , Margherita ITA 4:14.39
Uceny , Morgan USA DNF
Pierce , Anna USA DNF
Andrianova , Tatyana RUS DNF
Tverdostup , Tamara UKR DNF
Intermediate times:
400m
149
Andrianova, Tatyana (RUS)
1:01.54
800m
151
Tverdostup, Tamara (UKR)
2:08.21
1200m
141
Jamal, Maryam Yusuf (BRN)
3:14.40
Men's 100: Nesta Carter Ties Tyson Gay's World Lead
We imagine Tyson Gay might be regretting he didn't run this race, as the sprinters in the field took advantage of near-perfect conditions and a nice tailwind of .9 m/s to run fast. Five of the eight runners ran personal bests, including two national records as seven of the eight at least managed a seasonal best. The best of the bunch was Usain Bolt's training partner in Nesta Carter of Jamaica. The 25-year-old ran his second straight PR. On Friday, when Gay ran 9.79, Carter had run 9.85.
Today he took that down to 9.78 - which matched Gay's world lead from London earlier this year.
To be fair, Gay's 9.78 was far superior as it was run into a .4 headwind, whereas today's race had a .9 tailwind. With no wind, the marks convert to 9.75 for Gay and 9.83 for Carter.
Nonetheless, the Rieti track is known for it's fast times and that showed. It's crazy when at the end of the season 7 of the top 8 set PRs or Seasonal Best. We usually don't talk about qualifying races, but heat 2 was crazy as well with 3 guys running PRs and going sub-10, including a national record for Christophe Lemaitre. Nesta Carter had something to prove in the final, as he was only .02 .00 from not making the final in heat 1. (He had the same time (10.13) in 3rd as Richard
Thompson with 10.13 in the semis, and he was the last person in the final as they took 3 from his heat and 5 from the other heat.)
Rank
Athlete
Nation
Result
Reaction time
1
CARTER, Nesta
JAM
=WL
9.78
0.164
2
BAILEY, Ryan
USA
PB
9.88
0.150
3
FORSYTHE, Mario
JAM
PB
9.95
0.182
4
LEMAITRE, Christophe
FRA
NR
9.97
0.199
5
FRATER, Michael
JAM
SB
9.98
0.152
6
RODGERS, Michael
USA
SB
10.00
0.158
7
SAIDY NDURE, Jaysuma
NOR
NR
10.00
0.193
8
BAILEY, Daniel
ANT
10.11
0.174
Prelims:
100 Metres - Men Heats Race 1 Wind: +1.0 m/s
1 Saidy Ndure , Jaysuma NOR 10.07
2 Frater , Michael JAM 10.12
3 Carter , Nesta JAM 10.13
4 Thompson , Richard TRI 10.13
5 Samuels , J-Mee USA 10.15
6 Collio , Simone ITA 10.24
7 Rouge-Serret , Aaron AUS 10.32
8 Checcucci , Maurizio ITA 10.45
100 Metres - Men Heats Race 2 Wind: +1.1 m/s
1 Bailey , Ryan USA 9.95 PB
2 Lemaître , Christophe FRA 9.98 NR
3 Forsythe , Mario JAM 9.99 PB
4 Bailey , Daniel ANT 10.09
5 Rodgers , Mike USA 10.10
6 Di Gregorio , Emanuele ITA 10.20
7 Clarke , Lerone JAM 10.23
8 Devonish , Marlon GBR 10.25
Women's 3k: Sylvia Kibet Crushes Field Over The Final Lap
Looking at the results, you'd never know it, but 7 women were in contention at the bell. Syliva Kibet (World Champs silver medallist at 5k last year) absolutely crushed them the final lap. Kibet started the season with a 14:31 in Shanghai but has struggled since. She ran 14:39 2 days ago in Brussels (but was only 7th).
3000 Metres - Women
1 Kibet , Sylvia Jebiwott KEN 8:39.07
2 Cherono , Mercy KEN 8:42.09 PB
3 Korikwiang , Pauline Chemning KEN 8:43.67
4 Metcalfe , Megan CAN 8:44.29
5 Mrisho , Zakia TAN 8:44.53
6 Rionoripo , Purity Cherotich KEN 8:44.54
7 Ndiema , Esther Chemtai KEN 8:46.66
8 Clitheroe , Helen GBR 8:51.82 PB
9 Popkova , Natalya RUS 8:52.54
10 Hall , Sara USA 8:53.13
11 Elmore , Malindi CAN 8:58.36
Fischer , Sabina SUI DNF
Muriuki , Margaret Wangari KEN DNF
Shinkins , Karen IRL DNF
Men's 110 Hurdles - David Oliver Remains Perfect On The Year
American David Oliver got win #13 on the year to remain undefeated in a modest time (by his standards) of 13.01. Four times this year Oliver has broken 13.00.
Rank
Athlete
Nation
Result
Reaction time
1
OLIVER, David
USA
MR
13.01
2
THOMAS, Dwight
JAM
13.26
0.161
3
RICHARDSON, Jason
USA
13.37
0.201
4
BROWN, Joel
USA
13.39
0.188
5
SHARMAN, William
GBR
13.50
0.162
6
SVOBODA, Petr
CZE
13.69
0.175
7
TEDESCO, Stefano
ITA
13.84
0.177
8
WILSON, Ryan
USA
23.80
0.172
Men's 200: Wallace Spearmon Breaks 20.00 For 5th Time In 2010 Wallace Spearmon got the win as expected in 19.85. Interesting to note that two-time Olympic 400m hurdles champion Angelo Taylor was 2nd in a new personal best of 20.23 - erasing his PR of 20.34 he ran in Shanghai earlier this year.
Men's 3,000: Bernard Lagat Gets The American Record As Solinsky PRs And Rupp Struggles
We hope to have more coverage on this race later.
