June 1, 2018 | LetsRun.com

2 Big Stories From Different Parts Of The World

Eugene Register Guard Exclusive: Phil Knight Walked Away From Paying For Hayward Field Renovations Last Year, Worlds Weren’t Coming To US, Until He Changed His Mind Great read that talks about some of the infighting behind the project. Read and discus at link above.

Aden and Souleiman celebrate an indoor world record Jama Aden Update: He Could Get 4.5 Years In Prison, Prosecutors Say They Found Multiple Types Of EPO Pre-Loaded In Syringes And the crazy thing is no one has tested positive, showing how the smart people don’t test positive. Read and discuss at link above.

Doping News: Bad News For Bolt Fans

Jama Aden Facing Up To Four-And-A-Half Years In Prison For Doping Offences In Spain There is still no fixed date for the trial. It’s been two years since Aden was arrested during a doping raid at his hotel where authorities found EPO and syringes.
*LRC Archives: Everything You Need to Know About The Jama Aden Doping Raid That Took Place With Three Dibaba Sisters Present
BBC Video Interview: Asbel Kiprop Claims He Gave Drug Testers Money Out Of “Generosity” Because He Thought It Was “For Fuel Or Tea” He said he saw the tester as a “friend,” that they regularly exchanged text messages before tests, and transferred the money because “it’s normal for generosity.”
*Kiprop: “The truth will come out and it will clear my name, my image, and the sport as well.”
Nesta Carter Loses His CAS Appeal; Usain Bolt Won’t Get Back His 9th Olympic Gold Carter’s positive retest cost Bolt his 2008 Olympic 4 x 100 title. Trinidad and Tobago will now be elevated to gold.
Nesta Carter “Deeply Upset” By CAS Decision Usain Bolt: “The rules are the rules but at the end of the day the joy of winning that relay gold Medal in Beijing 2008 with my teammates will last forever.”
Whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov Claims One Russian Soccer Player on The World Cup Team Had A Doping Positive Covered Up Meanwhile FIFA concluded an investigation last month into all 34 players allegedly involved after claiming there was “insufficient evidence.”

Week That Was

LRC Sara Hall Moves Into US Top 10, Linden Hall Breaks Aussie Record, Geoffrey Kamworor Cashes In, The LetsRun.com Singlet PRs Plus the news of an LRC visitor driving to the Pre Classic to find out the meet was already over and an update on Yomif Kejelcha who didn’t run Pre.

Hayward Field News

The Oregonian: Opponents Of Hayward Field 2.0 Haven’t Given Up The Fight Ken Goe reports that people close to Phil Knight have been reaching out making “personal appeals” to scrap the modern design for one that meets the requirements for the 2021 World Champs while preserving the current look of Hayward as much as possible.
Oregon Alum/Olympians Have One Last Reunion At Hayward Field’s East Grandstand Matthew Centrowitz says his favorite win at Hayward was the 2011 US Champs 1,500m: “After that race, that was the first time I ever went out in Eugene and, like, partied. I was on Luke Puskedra’s shoulders at one point in the night.”
Ken Goe: “The Pre Classic Was A Great Show, But Be Real About Attendance” Goe accuses the Pre Classic of inflating its attendance figures as it announced 12,667, but Goe says it only has 8,500 seats.
With Hayward Field Set To Be Demolished, Oregon Is Looking For Somewhere Else To Host Its 2019 And 2020 High School State Meets Hayward has hosted a state meet for at least one classification every year since 1979.

NCAAs Start In One Week

Besides Hayward Field, What Are The “Must-See” College Track And Field Stadiums? Hayward Field got the #1 spot, but watch this short video to find out the rest of the top 5.
Georgia Women Move To #1 Spot In Last DI Rankings Before NCAA Champs Southern California moved down to 2nd while Oregon and Kentucky moved up to 3-4.
Florida Men Stay On Top In Final Pre-NCAA Rankings Texas Tech moved up to 2nd, Georgia 3rd and Alabama 4th.
MB: Michael Norman just split the second fastest 4×4 split ever. 43.06 The indoor WR holder made up a gap on Texas A&M to get USC the win at Regionals.
Full List Of NCAA DI Qualifiers

RIP Dick Quax

Former 5,000 WR Holder And 1976 Olympic Silver Medalist Dick Quax Dies Quax, whose 13:12.9 WR in the 5,000 in 1977 lasted less than a year as the WR but for more than 30 as the Kiwi record, has lost his long battle with cancer at age 70. Post your memories/condolences here: MB: Dick Quax, RIP.
*John Walker, Rod Dixon And Nick Willis Remember Quax
*IAAF Tribute To Dick Quax

A Nice Sunday Profile

Recommended Read: How Elijah Manangoi Became The World’s Top Miler In 2014, Manangoi was thrilled to be trying out for the World Relays but crushed when he finished 7th out of 8. Just three years later, he was the best miler in the world.

2018 Rome Golden Galan Pietro Mennea DL *Full Results

MB: Official 2018 Rome Golden Gala DL Discussion Thread

LRC Rome Recap: Ronnie Baker Is The Real Deal, Coburn Nearly Wins But Falls, Samba Sizzles, Manyonga And Echevarría Soar Ronnie Baker took it to Christian Coleman again, there was a great 400m hurdles and long jump, and Emma Coburn might have won the steeple if it wasn’t for a fall on the final water jump.

Video: 2018 Rome Diamond League Race Replays And Video Highlights

Distance News

Tokyo 2020 Marathon Course Will Finish With A Gruelling Final Incline To Reach The Finish At The Olympic Stadium
*MB: Tokyo Marathon course will feature a “Gold Medal Break It Or Make It” Hill between 37 and 41 k
Good Read: Steve Slattery Tells The Story Of His First Sub-4 Mile At The 2004 Pre Classic “I raced the best Milers in the biggest track meet in America and I got my ass kicked, but running your first sub-4 is always special and I left the meet excited.”
Carrie Tollefson Does Podcast Q&A With Ryan Hall Hall talks about the new training group he’s starting in Flagstaff, what it’s like coaching his wife and the 2018 Boston Marathon.
June 1: Gabe Grunewald Speaking At American College Of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting In Minneapolis
Reigning Comrades Marathon Winner Camille Herron Withdraws From This Year’s Race Herron was hoping to try to defend her title, but a quad strain which will keep her out, although she’s planning on still racing Western States next month.
NYC Marathon Race Director Peter Ciaccia Announces Retirement Ciaccia has been a key figure at the NYRR for the last 18 years.

More News Of Note

Patrick Sang (Eliud Kipchoge’s Coach) Offers To Train Indian Youngster Budhia Singh Singh was made famous by becoming the world’s youngest marathoner at the age of 6 and running 65km in 7 hours, 2 minutes. Now Singh is 16 and dreaming of the Olympics, though he doesn’t have any elite PRs to speak of.
Usain Bolt To Train At Norwegian Soccer Club As He Continues His Pursuing His Goal Of Becoming A Pro Soccer Player Apparently the team didn’t know Bolt was joining them as the team head just said a “damn fast” player was showing up and then Bolt walked in.
Good Read: Website Pole Vault Power Hosting The First Women’s Open Decathlon Championships This Summer The meet will be in California one week after USAs and offer $500 prize money to the winner.
Runner’s World Q&A: Matt Centrowitz Talks Doping Busts, Training, And What Keeps Him Motivated The interview is from before Pre, but still has some good stuff on his training situation and Centro’s reaction to Asbel Kiprop‘s EPO bust.

Sad That It Comes To This: NYC Triathlon Cuts Hills Out Of The Course To Encourage More Participation The race had used the same course for 17 years.

Memorial Day Action

Ethiopia’s Getaneh Tamire Posts Fourth-Best Time In Bolder Boulder 10k History To Win In 28:18 Tamire led Ethiopia to victory in the team standings while Team USA finished back in 4th, led by Sam Chelanga in 9th place. *Results
Ethiopia’s Mamitu Daska Wins Record Sixth Bolder Boulder 10k Daska ran 32:37 to beat out USA’s Aliphine Tuliamuk by 11 seconds and led Ethiopia to the team win. Team USA was a well-beaten second. *Results
Tyler McCandless Wins Citizen Race In 30:54 At Bolder Boulder 10k *Results
Mo Farah And Steph Twell Win British Road 10k Titles At The Vitality London 10,000 Farah won in 29:44, 4 seconds ahead of Richard Allen while Callum Hawkins ran his first race his his Commonwealth Games collapse back in 31:27. Twell won in 32:34 well ahead of Gemma Steel and Jo Pavey.
We Might See A Mo Farah Vs. Galen Rupp Showdown At The 2018 Chicago Marathon “Rupp is running Chicago. If I want to do the (Tokyo) Olympics I have to know how to beat this guy and race this guy and how to battle with him.”
Callum Hawkins Before His Comeback Race: “I’m throwing myself in the deep end a bit but I’m doing the thing I love which is racing.”

Weekend Results

Geoffrey Kamworor (28:18) And Agnes Tirop (31:19) Score Kenyan Double In Hot Conditions At Bengaluru 10k Kamworor won comfortably by 20 seconds while the women’s race was a three-way battle with Tirop beating out Senbere Teferi by 3 seconds and Caroline Kipkirui 3rd in 31:28.
Gelete Burka Sets Canadian All-Comers Record Of 2:22:17 To Win Scotiabank Ottawa Marathon Course record holder Yemane Tsegay won the men’s race in 2:08:52 after struggling with a stomach problem and rallying back from 4th to 1st. Wesley Korir‘s younger brother John had the lead in his debut but ended up 2nd.
*MB: Congratulations SARA HALL 2:26:20 on in Ottawa Marathon
England’s Alexandra Bell Breaks 2:00 For 1st Time At The British Milers’ Club Grand Prix
MB: This is how you should react to breaking 2:00.00 for the 1st time… (pic)
Andamlak Berta (27:48) And Alia Mohammed (31:36) Earn Ottawa 10k Victories 1:05 half marathoner Edith Chelimo was second in the women’s race in 31:47.
Chris O’Hare (4:04) And Melissa Courtney (4:35) Win Westminster Miles in London
Nafissatou Thiam (6,806) And Damian Warner (8,795) Claim World Leads At Hypo Meeting IAAF Combined Events Challenge Fixture In Gotzis

**2018 Pre Classic Full Results TV & Streaming *34 LRC Interviews**

LRC 17-Year-Old Jakob Ingebrigtsen Runs 3:52 Mile At Prefontaine Classic, And Oh Yeah Timothy Cheruiyot Wins In 3:49 The final pro race at the original Hayward Field will long be remembered as 17-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen topped Alan Webb‘s legendary 3:53 from high school with a 3:52.28 clocking.
*LRC Post-Race Interviews Interviews include past and current HS stars Drew Hunter and Brodey Hasty.

LRC 2018 Pre Women’s Distance Recap: Shelby Houlihan Runs Massive 4+ Sec. PR To Shock The World, Caster Semenya And Genzebe Dibaba Continue To Roll The final Prefontaine Classic at the original Hayward Field didn’t disappoint in terms of the women’s distance events – the women’s 800, 1,500 and 5,000 all produced world-leading times.

LRC The Rest Of The Meet: Noah Lyles Runs 19.69, Ryan Crouser And Jenn Suhr Break Meet Records, And A New Steeple Star Arrives? Ronnie Baker also impressed by beating Christian Coleman (windy 9.78 to 9.84), Shaunae Miller-Uibo crushed the 400 (49.52), and Mutaz Essa Barshim (2.36) kept winning in the high jump.

Noah Lyles After Pre: “I’m here, and I’m here to dominate.”
IAAF: Shaunae Miler-Uibo And Noah Lyles Dominate In Eugene
IAAF: Caster Semenya Dominates, Benjamin Kigen And Shelby Houlihan Surprise

Update On UW Coaching Change

University Of Washington Athletes Allege Mistreatment By Former Head Coach Greg Metcalf A few male upperclassmen distance runners went to the athletic department threatening to go public with allegations that Metcalf was weight shaming, encouraging unhealthy eating habits, and making profane statements.
The Seattle Times: “After Mistreatment Allegations, Huskies Track Team Divided By Sudden Exit Of Coach Greg Metcalf” While some allege Metcalf had a “fear-based” coaching style, others were “distraught” by his resignation and stepped forward in his defense.
MB: Male athletes led push to get Greg Metcalf fired
MB: Metcalf steps down from coaching at University of Washington

Pre-Rome News

LRC Rome DL Preview: Emma Coburn Debuts, Timothy Cheruiyot Goes For 4 Straight, & Coleman-Baker II In The 100 The 2018 Diamond League circuit will make its first stop in Europe on Thursday and the action promises to be intense. With Ruth Jebet out, can American Emma Coburn win the women’s steeple? *IAAF Preview
*Live Updates From Rome
*MB: Anyone on here happen to be in Rome and want to meet up tomorrow at the meet?

30,000 Fans Expected For Rome’s Olympic Stadium – Many Wanting To See If Italy’s New Sprint Star Can Beat Pietro Mennea’s Legendary 10.01 National Record From 1979 19-year-old Filippo Tortu ran 10.03 last week and the meet is named after Mennea.
Sprint Stars Filippo Tortu, Christian Coleman And Others Meet Pope Francis The other Americans meeting the pope were Kyra Jefferson, Jaide Stepter and Dawn Harper-Nelson.
Emma Coburn, Aisha Praught-Leer, And Mason Finley Star In Italian TV Cooking Show Before The Meet
Press Conference Highlights Ronnie Baker reveals he started his career as an XC runner and that he found out he’s related to Tyson Gay, who was an idol of his.

World, Meet New Steeplechase Star Benjamin Kigen, Who Goes For DL Win #2 On Thursday The former 1,500 runner has taken to the steeple like a fish does to water. Kigen admits he surprised himself by winning Pre last week, “I was not expecting it. This was my first time beating them.”
Hard To Believe Kenyan 400 Ace Maximilia Imali (51.18 PR) Will Become Kenya’s First Woman To Run A Sprint Event In A Diamond League Meet In Rome
IAAF: A Look Back At The Top Three Moments In Rome Diamond League History Paul Kipsiele Koech‘s 7:54.31 steeple from 2012 makes the list. He missed the WR by less than a second and no one has come within 4 seconds of that time in the six years since.

European News

The Telegraph Profile: Meet Reece Prescod, The Man Putting British Sprinting Back On The Global Map Before last year he was a no name, but now he’s a World finalist and has two solid DL performances in 2018 with a win in Shanghai and a slightly wind-aided 9.88 at Pre.
Laura Muir Will Go For The UK Mile Record At The London DL Meet On July 22 Zola Budd‘s 33-year-old record is 4:17.57 and Muir’s PR is 4:18.03 from this meet last year.
Turkey’s World 200m Champ Ramil Guliyev Looks Back On His Experiences Competing At The World Under-20 Championships Guliyev has one piece of advice for young sprinters at this year’s World U20 Champs: “Have fun and enjoy it. The really serious competitions will come later, at the World Championships and Olympic Games.”
Turkish Club Enka Retains Men’s Team Title At European Clubs Cup Championships They beat out a Spanish club by 4.5 points.
*Portugal’s Sporting Clube Denies Enka A Double Win At Euro Clubs Cup Championships They only won by 2-points.
*Athletics Weekly European Champion Clubs Cup Recap
Patrycja Bereznowska And Andrzej Radzikowski Achieve Polish Double Victory At IAU 24 Hour European Championships Bereznowska ran 165 miles in 24 hours (8:44 pace) and Radzikowski ran 448 miles (9:31 pace). France won the men’s team race and Poland the women’s.
Athletics Weekly Weekly Round-Up

Doping News

Could Usain Bolt Get His 2008 Olympic Gold Back? CAS Expected To Rule On Nesta Carter’s 2008 Olympic 4 X 100 DQ On May 31st Carter was DQed after he failed a re-test of his 2008 sample, costing himself as well as Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Michael Frater the 4 x 100 gold.
Grigory Rodchenkov’s Lawyer Slams FIFA Investigation Into Russian Doping Crisis Rodchenkov’s lawyer says Fifa is “sweeping Russia’s doping fraud under the carpet” after it was announced they aren’t pursuing any doping cases against Russia’s World Cup squad.
Is Anyone Surprised? ARD Investigative Journalist Hajo Seppelt Denied Visa To Cover FIFA World Cup In Russia Seppelt is on an “undesirable persons” list in Russia after he exposed their state-sponsored doping program.