Gail Devers in full flight in Boston (© Brian Myers - PhotoRun)
Former double World Indoor 60m champion Gail Devers showed she had lost none of her flat speed yesterday (14 Feb) at the Tyson Foods Invitational, winning the women’s 60m dash in 7.10 seconds, which equalled the current world season's lead.
It was a memorable night for the crowd of 4241 in the Randal Tyson Track Centre as the world season best for 200m was also equalled by Tyson Gay (20.64), there was an outright season’s best for Savante Stringfellow in the Long Jump (8.41m), and the fastest ever indoor junior performance in the women’s 400m (51.45) was set by Sanya Richards.
Devers' double
Devers’ opening flat 60m win in 7.10 which was a track record, equalled the world season’s lead – and national record - of Belarussia’s Yuliya Nesterenko which the 24 years-old athlete had run in Minsk on 30 January.
The reigning World Indoor Hurdles champion made it a double celebration last night, as Devers later also took the 60m Hurdles in a time of 7.87, which is the world’s third quickest of the current indoor season. Only Devers’ 7.76 (New York, 6 Feb) and 7.85 (Boston, 31 Jan) have been faster in 2004.
“Today was a tough workout. I needed the work,” confirmed Devers. “I dedicated both my races to my high school math teacher. She was injured in a freak accident. She taught that first impressions are important and was meticulous in what we had to turn in.”
”I needed to work on my speed for the hurdles. I didn’t feel so good for the start and third step. I tried to settle myself down on the hurdles. I needed a double workout today and I’m thankful for that. I’ve been finding passion for running because I really don’t like to run. I like to teach through my track. Running for other people is a great feeling. My focus is on (Indoor) Nationals, and the Olympics aren’t my focus right now,” concluded Devers.
Brown dashes 60m in 6.59
Not so lucky in his own double campaign was Allen Johnson, the reigning sprint hurdles World champion both indoors and out, continued his USATF Golden Spike Tour with another win in the men’s 60m Hurdles in 7.56, but could only manage fifth in the flat dash.
Ahead of the quadruple World 110m Hurdles champion in the flat 60m was Trinidad's World Junior 100m record holder Darrel Brown (6.59), and the Americans Mickey Grimes (6.61) and Steve Mullings (6.65).
Tyson Gay equals 200m world lead
Devers was not alone in her world equalling sprint form, as in the men’s 200m, University of Arkansas sophomore Tyson Gay clocked 20.64, which matched the clocking of Britain’s 29 year-old Allyn Condon on 31 January. Reigning NCAA champion Leo Bookman was second in 20.82, while Coby Miller (20.94) and Shawn Crawford (20.97) finished third and fourth respectively.
Stringfellow leaps to 8.41m
On his first attempt of the Long Jump competition Savante Stringfellow leapt a world-leading mark and indoor career personal best of 8.41 metres (on the first day of the meet on Friday 13 Feb). His previous best was 8.29 at this meet last year. In 2004 world terms his jump improved on the 8.24m performance of Russia’s Vitaliy Shkurlatov (17 Jan).
NB. elsewhere on Friday, in a college invitational meet in New York USA’s John Moffitt had also leapt past the Russian’s lead with an 8.27m performance.
“Performing in front a nice crowd brings the best in my performance,” confirmed Stringfellow. “This was the meet I wanted to jump far and as it would tell where I was mentally and physically,” said Stringfellow. “When the stakes are raised I know I will be raised to a higher level in preparation to make Budapest (World Indoor Champs) a more ‘golden experience.’”
“I felt pretty good on my first jump. I have had a big transition with change of coaches. I don’t think I was not as focused as I should have been last year. I was doing a lot of working out on my own and picking up bad habits.”
Dragila – 4.71
In her sixth competition of the winter reigning Olympic Pole Vault gold medalist Stacy Dragila cleared 4.71m, a stadium record - so equalling her best jump of the season (Flagstaff, 17 Jan). The 32 year-old fell short in her three attempts to clear what would have been a new World record of 4.81m.
Double Ethiopian victory at 800m
The women’s 800m was won by Ethiopia’s Meskeren Legesse (2:01.03) ahead of 2003 U.S. 800m Indoor champion Nicole Teter in 2:02.16, and last week’s Verizon Millrose Games 800m champion Hazel Clark (2:02.34).
World Indoor champion David Krummenacker finished third (1:46.00) behind Ethiopia’s Berhanu Alemu (1:45.85) and Brazil’s Osmar dos Santos of Brazil (1:45.96) in the men’s 800 metres.
There was also a win for Ethiopia in the women’s 3000m with Sentayehu Ejigu taking the victory in 8:55.42. Americans Carrie Tollefson (8:55.36) and Shayne Culpepper (8:55.42) finished second and third respectively.
Richards runs fastest ever indoor 400m by a junior
Sanya Richards (USA) ran 51.45 to win the women’s 400m (Friday 13 Feb), the third quickest time in the world of the year, and the fastest ever indoor junior performance. Richards a freshman at the University of Texas bettered her previous record of 52.10 seconds set in 2002 at New York City. With her performance she also set a stadium record bettering Lashinda Demus’ 51.79.
Other results…
In the men's 400m, Alleyne Francique 45.90 of Grenada took a marvellous 45.90 second win over America’s Milton Campbell (46.32) and Corey Nelson (46.40).
Boaz Cheboiywo of Kenya set a Tyson Track centre record of 7:38.30 to win the men's 3000m. The performance helped to draw Allistair Cragg (IRL) to 7:38.59, a new Irish national and collegiate men’s record. Cragg bettered the previous record of 7:44.90 set by Nick Willis of Michigan.
The men’s Triple Jump went to Leevan Sands (17.02m) from the Bahamas.
Paul Korir of Kenya won the men's Mile in 3:53.26, runner-up was compatriot Laban Rotich (3:55.93), and third place went to Kevin Sullivan (3:56.57) of Canada.
USA’s indoor & outdoor record holder, Jeff Hartwig cleared 5.71m to win the men’s Pole Vault invitational (13 Feb), and the current world season’s leader in the men’s Shot Put, Christian Cantwell tossed 20.35m to top his event (also held on 13 Feb).
USATF and IAAF
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