CHANELLE PRICE: the future of USA women middle distance running?

Chanelle Price shows great range from 400m to 1600m

Video of Chanelle with an impressive 400m indoor win

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwsSPhW9ufw

She also ran low 18s at Lehigh University this year, taking second to Neely Spence at the Paul Short as well as at the state XC meet...on about 30 miles a week, tops, of base work...

she was third in the Millrose Mile...

Easton 'relays' on Price for state title

TRACK AND FIELD NOTEBOOK. Talented junior won't enter the 400 or 1,600 events.

Sunday, May 20, 2007

Chanelle Price admits she's heard the whispers from Palmer Township to Forks to downtown Easton.

Why is she running on Easton Area High School's 3,200-meter relay team at the District 11 and PIAA Championships, instead of running the open 400 or 1,600?

The junior has been the cornerstone of the Red Rovers' powerful girls program the moment she stepped onto Easton's all-weather track as a freshman in the spring of 2005. Last year, Easton came up a point short of winning the state title and a big reason was the team's less-than-inspiring seventh-place medal in the 3,200 relay -- the first running final of the meet on Saturday.

Price is the top-ranked 800-meter runner in the U.S., and is the reigning Nike National outdoor and indoor champion who also won the gold medal in last year's race at the state meet. CHANELLE PRICE also RANKED #6 IN THE NATION in the 400 and #7 in the 1,600. She would be favored to win the gold medal in either race next weekend at Shippensburg as well as the 800 where she'll be defending her PIAA title.

But to the surprise of many, she elected to run on the 3,200 relay team at the district meet instead of the open 400 or 1,600, thus assuring a trip to states for seniors Abbie Dubin-Rhodin and Allyse Barlow, who've been mainstays of the program for the past four seasons, and sophomore Jenna Liew.

"I've been hearing it everywhere," said Price, moments after breaking her own District 11 Class AAA record in the 800 by over four seconds on Thursday. "People say to me, 'what are you doing?' "

Logic says Easton's best chance to win its first state title next weekend would be to put Price in the 800, the 400 or 1,600 and as the anchor to the Red Rovers' 1,600 relay. This strategy wouldn't guarantee 30 team points but it would be pretty close.

Theoretically, Price could have opted to enter a fourth event but with preliminaries in every running event except the 3,200, that would be asking a bit much even of an athlete of her caliber. PIAA track and field team titles are often considered bogus because a program can win one on the basis of one superb athlete winning three or four individual titles.

Price, to her credit, admits she feels some obligation to her teammates, the ones who have held up the program and started the foundation of a five-year 58-meet streak before she even entered high school.

"We won indoor states with me on the 3,200 (relay) team and Abbie and Allyse are seniors," Price said. "They've always been there for me; it's time I'm there for them. This was my decision (to run on the two relays). I'm only a junior. Next year, maybe I can be afford to be more selfish. But not now. The group deserves every opportunity to be part of us going for the state title."

I think I read somewhere that she is top 15 in her class, too.

Washingtonstridder wrote:

Crystal Washington (Fl) Jr in high school drops her personal best from 2:10 to 2:05.8 in winning her heat in a tactical race.

http://www.flocasts.com/flotrack/coverage.php?c=57&id=3830

since when does going out in 60 become tactical?

Her class rank is definetly top 10% in a class with over 600 kids. She is an all around talent. If she chose to run the 2 mile she would be amazing. She has ridiculous range from the 400 to xc.

Do you guys think college is worth while??

Every athlete is different; however, off the young middle and long distance athletes who bypass or left college early to run track- none have had a career without setbacks. Would going to college allow them to bypass those injuries/setbacks maybe not. While I feel she has the talent to go pro after high school...I would hope she finds the best college coach with an exceptional recruiting class of 400m/800m/Milers and attend that college.

Chanelle Joins The Legends

Saturday Girls Distance Stories by SteveU

Girls 800: Chanelle Joins The Legends

800 megastar Chanelle Price PA’s 2:02.76 “Felt” Like a Record as She Moves to #4 All-Time

There aren’t too many events where you can move to “just” #4 on the all-time list and still achieve a legendary, almost mystical status. But Kim Gallagher’s 2:00.07 800 HSR is just so far out there, Mary Decker (2:02.29) is one of the great legends of the sport, and Robin Campbell (2:02.40) was a very special prodigy, as well. No one has cracked 2:03 in 25 years and, in fact, Rebekah Noble’s 2:03.73 two years ago is the only sub-2:04 since ’82.

So what Chanelle Price did Saturday was very, very special. And if it “felt” like a record … well, it should have.

Although Price has the ability and sense for good, even pacing, she often abandons this if she is so moved. It’s not a lack of control, as is the case with other runners, but doing purposefully doing what feels natural and what will benefit her in the big picture. So it was that she shot out into the lead from the start. Only a smidgeon slower than her flat 400 PR pace, she crossed 200 in 27.1. Sarah Cocco CO was also going for a very fast time, but even she only dared stay within about 30 meters of Chanelle at that point.

Price was 57.0 at 400 and now would begin her battle against fatigue and oxygen debt. Although a slowdown was inevitable, Price is one of the best in any event at holding form and minimizing the “positive” splits. She hit a mind-boggling 1:28.7 and the crowd, urging her on the whole way and now reaching a fever pitch (helped on by announcing), urged her home. She finally began to pay the price, but closed just hard enough to break that 2:03 barrier.

Behind Price, Cocco had suffered for trying to just stay within shouting distance early and would fade to 2:08.43 and 6th. But the group behind that, running more their own pace and perhaps still benefiting from Price’s stream, hit some impressive times; Dominque Jackson CA ducked under 2:06 with her PR 2:05.43 and Sarah McCurdy NY had a big breakthrough to 2:06.96. In the next-to-last section, Christal Washington FL had won a fine battle with Emma Miller-Bedell NY and hit a stunning 2:05.83 herself, surely the best non-seeded-final effort ever here, giving the meet three sub-2:06s.

But Price was in a galaxy all her own, and afterward she made it clear her early pace was not undisciplined folly, but a confident pushing of the limits as she prepares for bigger and better things – such as the USATF meet next weekend. No, Price is not going for a junior title; she’s racing the big girls.

“That’s how I like to run,” she said, before admitting, “I was looking for 58 or 59, so 57 was a little shocking.

“But I just went after it,” she added. “I just went all out and the crowd was really into it from the first lap. If it was not for the crowd, I would not have gone as fast.”

Her goal was originally 2:02-03 this year, but she confessed, “Now I’ve changed it to 2-flat or better.”

She is running in the USATF Sr./selects for World's in Osaka,Japan meet and not in the Pan Am Jrs. that selects to the Pan Am Jrs. in Sao Paulo,Brazil. Going to World Youth unless changes mind.

Anyone who has seen what she has done in Cross Country in just 2 years of running it is not surprised at her track progress and has to respect her. Last year she was 3rd in PIAA HS AAA Girls XC behind Neeley Spence/Steve's daughter and top 10 in NFL/2ND at Nike HS Track Outdoor and Laura Crofford who just ran 2 great long distance races at the Nike HS Outdoor Track Nationals.

She can turn pro, that'd be something else. Is she has the grades Stanford should pick her up. If she likes Hollywood and all the Olympians, UCLA or USC. Else Oregon has Vin. We'll see how her body develops, that's the key.

Heat 3

top 3 plus next 7 fastest advance to semi-finals

athlete, qualifying time

Hazel Clark..........1:59.07

Geena Gale...........2:02.24

CHANELLE PRICE.......2:02.76

Nicole Cook..........2:03.72

Mishael Berger.......2:04.58

Trisa Nickoley.......2:05.11

Georganne Way........2:05.79

Erica Schoeller......2:06.31

16 year old Chanelle Price is into the finals of the USA World Trials Championships 800m:

Women 800 Meter Run

================================================================

World: W 1:53.28 7/26/1983 Jarmila Kratochvilova, CZE

American: A 1:56.40 8/11/1999 Jearl Miles-Clark, Reebok

Meet: M 1:57.04 6/17/1996 Meredith Rainey, Foot Locke

Name Year Team Semis

================================================================

Heat 1 Semi-Finals

1 Alice Schmidt adidas 2:02.87Q

2 Nikeya Green Reebok 2:02.97Q

3 Lauren Austin unattached 2:03.00Q

4 Chanelle Price United Stars 2:03.09Q

5 Julian Clay Nike 2:05.14

6 Mishael Berger unattached 2:05.46

7 Georganne Way unattached 2:07.80

-- Nicole Teter Oregon TC DNF

Heat 2 Semi-Finals

1 Hazel Clark Nike 2:02.59Q

2 Alysia Johnson California 2:02.87Q

3 Morgan Uceny Cornell 2:03.04Q

4 Geena Gall Michigan 2:03.33Q

5 Trisa Nickoley Missouri 2:04.07

6 Nicole Cook Reebok 2:05.09

7 Becky Horn unattached 2:07.09

-- Mackenzie Pierce California DNS

================================================================

World: W 1:53.28 7/26/1983 Jarmila Kratochvilova, CZE

American: A 1:56.40 8/11/1999 Jearl Miles-Clark, Reebok

Meet: M 1:57.04 6/17/1996 Meredith Rainey, Foot Locke

Name Year Team Semis

================================================================

Semi-Finals

1 Hazel Clark Nike 2:02.59Q

2 Alice Schmidt adidas 2:02.87Q

3 Alysia Johnson California 2:02.87Q

4 Nikeya Green Reebok 2:02.97Q

5 Lauren Austin unattached 2:03.00Q

6 Morgan Uceny Cornell 2:03.04Q

7 Chanelle Price United Stars 2:03.09Q

8 Geena Gall Michigan 2:03.33Q

9 Trisa Nickoley Missouri 2:04.07

10 Nicole Cook Reebok 2:05.09

11 Julian Clay Nike 2:05.14

12 Mishael Berger unattached 2:05.46

13 Becky Horn unattached 2:07.09

14 Georganne Way unattached 2:07.80

-- Nicole Teter Oregon TC DNF

-- Mackenzie Pierce California DNS

It won't be her last chance but here's her best chance so far this year at breaking 2:00 minutes and securing the legendery 800m HSR of 2:00.07 by Kim Gallagher!

Key wrote:

We'll see how her body develops, that's the key.

How her body develops?! The girl is built like a truck!

Body structure while it can be a big factor into development as a distance runner isn't end all tell all. Look at PattiSue Plummer, Maria Mutola, Paula Ivan, and Ana Quirot etc all which were above average size women for middle/long distance running- yet had (one still having) excellent elite careers!

2007 USA CHAMPIONSHIPS Women 800 Meter Run FINALS

================================================================

World: W 1:53.28 7/26/1983 Jarmila Kratochvilova, CZE

American: A 1:56.40 8/11/1999 Jearl Miles-Clark, Reebok

Meet: M 1:57.04 6/17/1996 Meredith Rainey, Foot Locke

Name Year Team Finals

================================================================

Finals

1 Alysia Johnson California 1:59.47

2 Hazel Clark Nike 1:59.60

3 Alice Schmidt adidas 1:59.63

4 Morgan Uceny Cornell 2:01.75

5 Lauren Austin unattached 2:02.09

6 Geena Gall Michigan 2:02.31

7 Chanelle Price United Stars 2:02.38

8 Nikeya Green Reebok 2:04.46

She's a big girl.....as mentioned, time will tell.

i like it.

Early bloomer. She already looks like she's in her 20s. Hasay on the other hand looks like she's 9. Look out when Hasay blooms and gets a butt, it'll slow her down.

Alan

the hidden story of the 800 is Lauren Austin. She was a 11.6 high school 100 runner who spent 1 year in college and her dad this year moved her to the 800. She finished 4th at indoor USAs and now has run 2:02 in her first year of running 800m. She is probably just 20 yrs old herself!