2011 USATF Women's 800, 1500 and Steeplechase Previews

Stacked 800m and Super Stacked 1500m Set to Get Underway

By LetsRun.com
June 22, 2011

Thursday the action kicks off at the 2011 USA Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon. The highlights are the men's and women's 10,000m finals which we preview here, but also on Thursday the stacked women's 800m and super stacked women's 1500m get underway (plus the men's 800, 1500, and steeple, previews of those coming). Previews of those events below. The women's 5000m is on Friday so that preview is still coming.

Women's 800: Alysia Montano Takes on a Slew of Sub 2 Contenders:

With four women in the field already under the IAAF A standard of 1:59.80 in 2011 and several others with PRs that better the mark, this is one of the deepest women's fields in the meet.  Indeed, U.S. women have had a renaissance in this event in the past two years (American Anna Pierce was undefeated in the World two years ago at 800 and isn't even running this event.) and have made a significant splash on the world stage.  The cast of characters in this event include World Championship and Olympic team veterans as well as several rising stars.

Alysia Montano enters the race with an impressive season-opening fourth place finish at Prefontaine last month and is the defending champion.  After a stellar career at Cal, Montano (nee Johnson) has had an up down post-collegiate career and is seeking her first World Championship team berth.  But, if healthy, she has proven herself to be among the very best American women in this event in the past 10 years as she had 2 sub 1:58 clockings last year including the 1:57.34 pb win in Monaco.

Phoebe Wright, dominated the collegiate ranks as a Tennessee Volunteer in 2010 and went sub 2:00 for the first time, has run significantly few races in 2011 compared to a year ago at this time, when she finished third at this championship.  But she is also much more likely to be ready for a long summer of racing and this powerful middle distance star, who is relentless in the last lap, will be tough as she's running consistently at a higher level. She's only broken 2:00 three times in her career but this year in 2 races her slowest is 2:00.05.

Maggie Vessey was a breakout star on the US and World stage in 2009 and with a personal best of 1:57.84 she is more than capable of making her second world championship team in this event.  The runner-up in 2010 at the USA meet, Vessey was a well-beaten ninth at Prefontaine.  She absolutely has the tools to finish in the top three but will need to race better than she has so far in 2011. She is famous for hanging back late and making a late charge. Can she regain the 2009 magic?

Alice Schmidt is a veteran of two World and  one Olympic teams for the United States, Schmidt has focused on longer races in the her preparation for this year's championship, running three 1500s, but she has already dipped under 2:00 with a 1:59.84 this year and thus has the IAAF A standard, although she hasn't raced in a month.  With the added strength gained in her racing schedule so far, she may be well equipped to make a third World Championships team.

Geena Gall starred at Michigan and now trains with the Oregon Track Club.  Just as she made a quick adjustment to collegiate running in starring as a freshman for the Wolverines, Gall has found her stride in her year as a post-collegiate.  With the 2009 World Championships on her resume, Gall has the experience and ability to make another team.

Although not in the sub-2:00 club in 2011, one to always watch is three-time Olympian Hazel Clark.  She has only run 2:10.20 this season…but can she make another run at a US team? She comes from 800m family royalty.

Others to keep an eye on include Molly Beckwith and Latavia Thomas.

LetsRun.com Picks: As much as we love watching Maggie Vessey kick from behind we're not going to pick her here to make the team. 1.  Alysia Montano 2.  Phoebe Wright 3.  Geena Gall

Your Picks From Our Contest: Who will win the Women's 800m? Alysia Montano 53.9% Phoebe Wright 17.6% Maggie Vessey 13.3% Alice Schmidt 8.4% Geena Gall 5.1% Other 0.6% Hazel Clark 0.5% Molly Beckwith 0.4% Heather Dorniden-Kampf 0.2%

Form Chart From our $20,011 Prediction Contest (Enter Here)

Athlete	2011 Best	2010 Best	Comments
Alysia Montano	01:59.40	01:57.34	2010 Champ has raced sparingly so far in 2011 but if in good form has proven she is difficult to beat.
Alice Schmidt	01:59.48	02:01.68	2x World Team (05, 07) and 2008 Olympian looks to make another Olympic team
Maggie Vessey	01:59.56	01:59.00	Can she return to the form of 2009 when she broke through to run 1:57 and make the WC team again?
Geena Gall	01:59.76	02:02.16	Former Michigan standout is now thriving with Oregon TC and hopes to make her second WC team. PB last time out at Pre
Phoebe Wright	01:59.98	01:58.22	2010 NCAA champ and US bronze medalist hasn't raced as much as during her senior campaign at Tennessee and may be poised for a big summer.
Molly Beckwith	02:00.08	01:59.83	2010 NCAA runner-up for Indiana had a great summer in Europe to join the sub-2:00 club and is transitioning well to the post-collegiate ranks.
Hazel Clark	02:00.45	2:10:00	5 time US champ but facing uphill battle
Heather Dorniden-Kampf	02:01.08	02:01.75	An NCAA champion and terrific competitor for Minnesota, Dorniden knows how to find the finish line. Always a legend with this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqnqLrakxY8
Erica Moore	02:01.12	02:05.20	Moving up from 400m hurdles

Women’s 1500: The Best Distance Battle on the Women's Side: Five Olympians, Three Women With Sub 4 Credentials, and 1 Bronze Medallist Set to Battle

If the 800 is a loaded event for the United States women, the 1500 is perhaps even more impressive and arguably the best women’s middle distance or distance event at these championships.  Five Olympians are entered, four women have personal bests of 4:00 or better and any one who survives this meet will have legitimate chances of advancing to the Finals at the World Championships.

Leading the way is Christin Wurth-Thomas.  The 2008 Olympian has a personal best under 4:00 and has shown very good range this year, with seasonal bests of 2:00.72 in the 800 and 15:21.75 for 5000.  Only 10th at Prefontaine after getting tripped up, she figures to do well off of a fast or a slow pace.

Anna Pierce was the 2010 champion and she will attempt to make a repeat performance in 2011.  A US Olympian in the steeplechase, Pierce has remarkable range , arguably the best range of anyone in this field (she was undefeated in the World at 800m in 2009).  Her experience at the World Championships and Olympics will be big here and her personal best of 3:59.38 is the best of anyone. However, she only ran 4:10 at adidas and was two seconds back of her training partner Morgan Uceny.

Morgan Uceny continues to improve every year under Coach Terence Mahon.  Runner-up at the adidas Grand Prix in New York City two weeks ago, Uceny has the best 800 PR among the likely contenders and will be attempting to make her first World Championship team.  The Cornell alum (disclosure: LetsRun.com cofounder Rojo coaches at Cornell) was the 2010 USATF indoor champion at 1500 meters and appears to be making a commitment to the longer event after focusing on the 800 at this meet in past years.

2009 NCAA world beater Jennifer (Barringer) Simpson, like Pierce, has terrific range (in 2009 she went sub 4:00 (3:59.90) for 1500 at Prefontaine while in college and then got 5th at the World Champs in the steeple) and is the American record-holder in the steeple.  Who has greater range, Simpson or Pierce?  It has been a great debate on our message boards the past few years. Simpson's talent makes her a factor as she tries to return to her incredible 2009 form after injuries sidelined her last year (she's run 15:11 and 4:09 this year).

Although she hasn't made any big headlines (yet) in 2011, 2008 Trials Champion and 2009 World Championships bronze medalist Shannon Rowbury can't exactly be called a dark horse.   But she has flown underneath the radar thus far and is hoping to earn another trip to the World Championships as she tries to return to form from injury. The thing going against Rowbury is time. She might be perfectly ready by the time the World Championships roll around in August, but the problem is she has to make the team first.

Letsrun has long been a fan of Erin Donohue's take no prisoners approach to racing and the 2008 Olympian has thrived under Coach Gags (Frank Gagliano) after leaving Coach John Cook two years ago.  She has raced sparingly in 2011, although she did set a personal best at 5K as her outdoor opener.  Last year's runner-up here, Donohue, a former Tar Heel, will be a factor if healthy although her inconsistent 2011 makes us wonder if she is ready.

With the meet in Eugene, this preview would not be complete without mentioning Oregon's Jordan Hasay, who will be running in front of the home crowd.  And for the first time in over a month, she'll be able to focus on one event after doubling at PAC-10s, the NCAA First Round and the NCAA Finals in recent weeks.  Seeking redemption after a disappointing NCAAs, the NCAA Indoor Champion in the mile and 3K even if 100% fit, still might have a ways to go to challenge this stacked field.

Others to keep an eye on include 3-time USATF 1500m champ Treniere Moser who is running better in 2011 (she was only .02 behind Pierce at adidas) and 2010 Washington grad Katie Follett, who has had a very good first year as a post-collegiate.

LetsRun.com Picks: Christin Wurth-Thomas is often overlooked and her form is never pretty but the other women do not appear to running near their best. It's hard to imagine her kicking past this field, but we think it might happen. 1.Christin Wurth-Thomas 2. Morgan Uceny 3.Anna Pierce Simpson has not raced since a 2:01 800m on May 21.

Your Picks From Our Contest: Who will win the Women's 1500? Christin Wurth-Thomas 58.7% Morgan Uceny 21% Jenny Barringer-Simpson 11.6% Anna Pierce 3.8% Shannon Rowbury 3.1% Katie Follett 1% Treniere Moser 0.2% Erin Donohue 0.2% Brianna Felnagle 0.2% Jordan Hasay 0.2% Brenda Martinez 0.1% Other 0.1%

Form Chart From our $20,011 Prediction Contest (Enter Here)

Athlete	2011 Best	2010 Best	Comments
Christin Wurth-Thomas	04:03.72	03:59.59	2008 Olympian continues to be on a roll in 2011, opening outdoors with a 2:00.72 at Stanford; her seasonal best 4:03.72 is among the top 10 in the world
Morgan Uceny	04:06.32	04:02.40	Uceny continues to improve her times and racing abilities and is poised to make her first outdoor WC team; her 800 PR of 1:58.67 is the best amongst the likely title contenders.
Katie Follett	04:07.44	04:10.66	Washington grad has had a terrific first season as a post-collegiate...can she put it together at the USA meet?
Treniere Moser	04:07.57	04:07.49	Veteran of two US 1500 teams (05 and 07) looks to make it a third time in 2011.
Jenny Barringer-Simpson	04:09.56	04:03.63	Sub 4 1500. Is she going to run the 1500 or the 5000 or both?
Brianna Felnagle	04:10.12	04:16.80	WA Prep star and UNC standout has been under the radar in 2011 but her 4:10 seasonal best is the third best of her career and she may be rounding into form at the right time.
Jordan Hasay	04:10.28	04:13.85	HS legend and indoor NCAA champ will look to energize the Eugene faithful. She has had a tremendous 2011 but it has been a long season for the college sophomore.
Anna Pierce	04:10.38	04:04.52	2010 Champion made the world team in this event in 2009. Along with Jennifer Simpson, possesses the greatest range amongst US middle distance women and seeks her fourth US team in her third event (steeple in 07 and 08, 1500 in 09)
Brenda Martinez	04:10.77	04:18.17	With an 800 PR of 2:00, Martinez is dangerous if the race is close.
Shannon Rowbury	04:11.67	04:01.30	2008 Olympian was a well-beaten 12th at the adidas Grand Prix in NYC but has been lightly raced so far this year. Can she come back from injury quick enough?
Erin Donohue	NM	4:03.49	Ran 1:59.99 last year and 4:03.49 but appears to be injured as has only run 1 5000 in 2011.

Women’s 3000m Steeplechase: World Champs Berth Wide Open With Pierce and Simpson in 1500m

If you're a female distance runner in the US and you want to make the World Championships you might want to learn how to hurdle as the steeple is the easiest way to make it to Daegu.

The two greatest American female steeplechasers of all time are entered in this meet (American record holder Jenny Simpson and Anna Pierce), but they're both running the 1500m (and Simpson is also entered in the 5,000m).

This leaves the door open for a number of other runners, many of whom are accomplished in the steeple in their own right, but nowhere near as accomplished as Simpson and Pierce.

The race is wide open.

One of the favorites is defending champion and former American record holder Lisa Aguilera, who enters the meet with a personal best (9:24) nearly eight seconds better than her closest competitor and was a member of the 2005 World Championship team.  Her best this year however is only 9:43.75 and she was a distant tenth at the adidas Grand Prix in New York two weeks ago, but her experience and success mean you can't overlook her.

Bridget Franek dominated the 2010 NCAA steeplechase final for Penn State and has settled in nicely as part of the Oregon Track Club.  A veteran of the 2009 World Championships, Franek enters this championship with fewer races under her belt than in 2010 when she was finishing a busy collegiate season and she has higher aspirations than her fifth place finish from last year.

Keep an eye out for 2011 NCAA Champion Emma Coburn of Colorado, who dominated the collegiate ranks and comes into the meet on a roll and with the IAAF A standard already under her belt.  Coburn has improved as a runner and her hurdling ability is outstanding.  If she isn't too worn out from the collegiate season, she is a real threat to make the team.

One of the more intriguing entrants is long-time American star Sara Hall, who has returned to college coach Dena Evans and made a commitment to steeplechasing in 2011.  She has improved her steeple PR by over 20 seconds this year and with a time of 9:39.48 is safely under the IAAF A standard.  If her improved hurdling technique can hold up to the rigors of a championship race, she is a definite threat to make the U.S. team.

A fan favorite may be Nicole Bush  At Hayward Field in 2009, Bush looked great in the prelims but a water barrier was set too high in her heat and she finished the race with a fractured bone and could not run the final. Bush is back in 2011 and is a bright steeplechase prospect, but has only run 9:55 this year, after finishing second at USAs last year.

LetsRun.com Picks: Bridget Franek and Lisa Aguilera are the two who won't need a PR type effort tow in. Franek is more in form in 2011 than Aguilera. 1. Bridget Franek 2. Emma Coburn 3. Lisa Aguilera

Your Picks From Our Contest: Who will win the Women's Steeplechase? Bridget Franek 47.6% Sara Bei-Hall 25.7% Emma Coburn 18.4% Lisa Aguilera 7.5% Other 0.4% Delilah Dicrescenzo 0.2% Nicole Bush 0.1% Lindsay Allen 0.1%

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Form Chart From our $20,011 Prediction Contest (Enter Here)

Athlete	2011 Best	2010 Best	Comments
Bridget Franek	09:38.92	09:32.35	2010 NCAA Champion at Penn State, Franek now trains in Oregon is hoping to make her second WC team in the steeple.
Sara Bei-Hall	09:39.48	10:00.20	Hall has improved dramatically in the steeplechase this year after reuniting with college coach Dena Evans
Emma Coburn	09:40.51	09:51.86	Impressive in winning the 2011 NCAA title, Coburn has the WC A standard and continues Colorado's great tradition in the steeplechase.
Lisa Aguilera	09:43.95	09:24.84	Aguilera made the US team for the 2005 World Championships; she placed 12th at the adidas Grand Prix in NYC.
Stephanie Garcia	09:47.29	10:05.05	Garcia had a great senior year at Virginia and placed second at the NCAAs; coach Vigilante will have her ready to compete on the big stage.
Delilah Dicrescenzo	09:50.12	09:59.18	Dicrescenzo is a consistent player at the national level and has the experience to compete well here.
Lindsay Allen	09:53.44	09:57.21	3rd in 2010, Allen has the experience and 9:40 pb
Nicole Bush	09:55.17	09:40.49	Her last race in a USA meet in Eugene in 2009 was a disaster (broken bone). Has struggled in 2011

More USATF Thursday Coverage: 10,000m Preview: Galen Rupp vs Chris Solinsky in a Battle for the Ages?, Kara Goucher vs Shalane Flanagan
It's Not Too Late: Enter our $20,011 USATF Prediction Contest

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