Shannon Rowbury Gets Her First Diamond League Victory – Wins London Anniversary Games 3,000
On Night That Americans Shine, US 1,500 Champion Treniere Moser Struggles Mightily For Second Straight Race
by LetsRun.com
July 26, 2013
The top African talent sat this one out and the American women certainly took advantage of it as they claimed seven of the top eight spots in the women’s 3,000 at the 2013 London Anniversary Games. However, there was one American who stood out – Shannon Rowbury.
Rowbury earned her first Diamond Leaugue victory as she was way better than everyone else over the last 400 and way better than American 5,000 record holder Molly Huddle over the last 200 as she closed in just under 60 (60.07 leader-to-leader – Rowbury was second at the bell) to win in a world-leading 8:41.46. Huddle ended up third as Gabriele Anderson, who had PRed in the 1,500 at 4:01.48 last week in Monaco, used her 1,500 speed and caught Huddle in the last 50.
The Race
Shannon Rowbury Celebrating Her Victory
There wasn’t a lot to this race until the last lap. With no top African talent in the race and with no rabbits, this 3,000 pretty much turned into a 400.
Knowing her speed isn’t as good as the others, Huddle took the lead with 800 left and picked the pace up to a 68.89 penultimate lap, but at the bell at least ten of the people in the race were still right there. Heading into the last 200, Huddle still had the lead but Rowbury was sitting right on her shoulder looking very relaxed. Anderson was 3-4 meters behind Rowbury. Given how relaxed Rowbury looked, it was not surprising in the least that she blew away Huddle once she took the lead just after 150 remained.
Behind Rowbury’s 8:41.46, Anderson passed Huddle late to nab second in 8:42.64 with Huddle third in 8:42.99.
Canada’s Sheila Reid was a well-beaten fourth in 8:44.02, more than a second behind Huddle. Jordan Hasay ended up fifth here in 8:46.89.
LetsRun.com’s quick takes, results, race video and race photos appear below.
LetsRun.com message board discussion of this race appears here: Rowbury wins – US 123 in London
*Rowbury – what can she do in the 5000m?
*Jordan Hasay 8:46.89 3K PR in London
Quick Take #1: A nice win for Rowbury. We expected her to win and she did.
If we’d realized before the race that Huddle Rowbury is #2 all-time in the US at 3,000 at 8:31.38, we would have guaranteed her victory before the race (convicted drug cheat Mary Slaney is the US record holder at 8:25.83).
It’s a real shame she can’t run her marquee event (the 1,500) in Moscow and has to run the 5,000 (where we just don’t see her contending for a medal) as she’s in great form right now. Remember – she ran 4:01.28 for 1,500 last week in Monaco.
“I’m getting a lot more confidence in myself and I love the 3k, it’s a great transition race for me. It was a good race and my last one before Moscow,” said Rowbury after the race (official quotes to organizers).
“I think I’m ready (for Worlds) but don’t think an athlete ever feels fully ready. I think my training is going really well and I’ve been at altitude to get as strong as I can get. When it comes down to it in Moscow, I’m going to run like hell. I’m going to get my body ready for 12 and a half laps and not three and three quarters, it’s a big difference but training is going well.”
QT #2: Another person in great form right now is Gabriele Anderson. The two-time cancer survivor has had a great last 8 days. Last Friday, she took 3.26 seconds off her 1,500 PR in Monaco in running 4:01.40. Tonight she picked up $6,000 and knocked 0.88 off her 3,000 PR.
QT #3: Despite the win for Rowbury and the domination of the results by Americans, the results weren’t all good for the USA, particularly when looking at the US’s chances in Moscow.
2013 US 1,500 champ Treniere Moser was awful for the second straight race. How do you do worse than a last-place showing in Monaco? By dropping out, as Moser did tonight. Moser needs a miraculous Leo Manzano type of transformation between now and the start of the Moscow World Champs.
Jordan Hasay getting ready for her European pro debut
QT #4: Moser’s training partner, Jordan Hasay, made her pro European debut in this race. While Hasay kept herself up near the front for most of the race and ended up fifth, this race reminded us a lot of the 5,000 at NCAAs in June for Hasay. At NCAAs, Hasay was still right there within striking distance of the winner Abbey D’Agostino with 300 left but when the race was all over, it was obvious as to why Hasay has moved up to the 10,000 as she was more than seven seconds back. Here Hasay was beaten by five-plus seconds with nearly all of that coming in the last 300.
QT #5: Even with the Africans being AWOL for this one, it still was a DL event and the DL prize money is as follows:
1. $10,000
2. $6,000
3. $4,000
4. $3,000
5. $2,500
6. $2,000
7. $1,500
8. $1,000
| Rank | Athlete | Nation | Result | Diamond Points | Diamond Ranking | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
USA
|
8:41.46
|
WL
|
4
|
4
|
||
|
2
|
USA
|
8:42.64
|
PB
|
2
|
6
|
||
|
3
|
USA
|
8:42.99
|
PB
|
1
|
9
|
||
|
4
|
CAN
|
8:44.02
|
|||||
|
5
|
USA
|
8:46.89
|
PB
|
||||
|
6
|
USA
|
8:47.95
|
PB
|
||||
|
7
|
USA
|
8:48.30
|
|||||
|
8
|
USA
|
8:52.59
|
|||||
|
9
|
GBR
|
8:53.66
|
PB
|
||||
|
10
|
GBR
|
8:55.59
|
SB
|
||||
|
11
|
KEN
|
8:56.20
|
|||||
|
12
|
ESP
|
8:56.42
|
SB
|
||||
|
13
|
GBR
|
8:58.57
|
|||||
|
14
|
GBR
|
9:02.48
|
PB
|
||||
|
15
|
AUS
|
9:08.02
|
|||||
|
USA
|
DNF
|
||||||
Molly Huddle Before The Race
Eilish McColgan Before The Race
A Little More Than 800 Left
Nearly Everyone Is Still In It With A Little More Than 400 Left
Packed London Stadium