Stuczynski soars to 4.90m American Record in Carson

Jenn Stucyzynski is closing the gap between herself and Russia’s World record holder Yelena Isinbayeva in the women’s Pole Vault. At the adidas Track Classic at the Home Depot Center in the Los Angeles suburb of Carson on Sunday (18 May), Stuczynski cleared an American record of 4.90m to move into out-right second place on the all-time list behind Isinbayeva.

There were also world season leading marks set in the Women’s 1500m and 3000m and men’s 5000m.

The adidas Track Classic is one of a select group of Area meetings at which points can be acquired by athletes to qualify for the IAAF / VTB Bank World Athletics Final, to be held on 13-14 September in Stuttgart.

Chasing Isinbayeva on all-time list

Stuczynski, 26, had been tied with Svetlana Feofanova (RUS) for the No. 2 spot on the all-time list at 4.88m before taking over sole possession of second place on a sweltering afternoon where temperatures reached almost 44 degrees on the track on Sunday.

Stuczynski is now chasing Isinbayeva, the World, Olympic and European champion who holds the World record at 5.01m and holds the top 12 competitions of all-time, three of which are also 4.90m clearances.

“I feel she is within sight but I still need to become more consistent and confident,” Stuczynski said. “There’s still some little technical things that I need to work on.”

Everything was on for Stuczynski on her record vault where she said she had perfect extension after moving her mark back on the runway.

“When I came in I had a lot of energy,” Stuczynski said. “Right when I left the ground, I knew it was going to be good. It was just a matter of finishing it at that point.”

Stuczynski still has a way to go to challenge Isinbayeva’s World record of 5.01m. She took three tries at 5.02m but never appeared to have a serious chance on any of the attempts.

“It just didn’t work out this time,” Stuczynski said. “I came in with high expectations. We got (4.90m) and this was good. I could live with that. It’s a long season and if I get pumped up now. I will get burned out by the end of the season.”

Stuczynski is well acquainted with the Home Depot Center. She set a then American record of 4.84m at the 2007 adidas Track Classic to end Stacy Dragila’s 11-year U.S. record reign. Stuczynski also trained there during the week after winning the Modesto Relays in her outdoor season debut on 10 May.

“I think I come into it expecting the worst things. I am pretty prepared for what I need to do technically if there are bad conditions,” Stucyznski said.

World leads for Rowbury, Metcalf and Abdosh

Stuzynski’s American record in the pole vault was among four leading world-leading performances in Carson on Sunday along with Shannon Rowbury in the women’s 1500m (4:01.61), Meagan Metcalf in the women’s 3000m (8:51.97) and Ali Abdosh (ETH) in the 5000m (13:08.64).

Rowbury moved into fifth on the all-time U.S. performer list in the women’s 1500 metres with the world’s fastest time this year by more than four seconds. The 2007 Duke graduate, who was sidelined last year by a stress fracture in her hip, has knocked nearly 12 seconds off her 1500 best of 4:12.31 set in 2006 in the last two weeks after running 4:07.59 in cool evening weather at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational at Stanford on 4 May.

The women’s 3000m produced the world’s top four times this season with Metcalf, Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia (8:51.72) and Americans Jen Rhines (8:56.26) and Kara Goucher (9:00.53).

In the 5000m on Saturday evening (17 May), Abdosh led compatriots Dejen Gebremeskel (13:08.96) and Markos Geneti (13:10.58) under the previous world-leading mark.

Wariner beats Christopher in 400m

World and Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner set a meet record in the 400m to beat 2008 World Indoor champion Tyler Christopher (CAN), 44.42 to 44.71, despite a sore left hamstring.

Wariner suffered the hamstring problem during warm-ups for the Qatar Super Grand Prix in Doha on 9 May that forced him to withdraw from the 200m. He said there was a “60-percent chance” that he would not run three days before the Carson meet but felt ready to run while warming up on Sunday.

Wariner started tentatively out of the blocks but had the race under control coming into the homestretch. “I worked my turn like I usually do and my kick was pretty good but it was just my first 150m that would have been a little better if I didn’t have this hamstring problem,” said Wariner.

Wariner plans to run the 400m in ÅF Golden League  meetings in Berlin (1 June) and Oslo (6 June) with a 300m on tap for the IAAF Grand Prix in Ostrava (12 June) in his final tune-up before the U.S. Olympic Trials in Eugene, Ore. on 27 June-6 July.

“Times will drop no matter what. I know come trials I will be ready to run with everybody,” said Wariner. “With the way I ran today….on a tight hamstring, there’s no telling what I can do when I am 100 percent.”

U.S. leading marks by Lee, Lagat and Rupp

Muna Lee, Chaunte Howard, Bernard Lagat and Galen Rupp turned in U.S. current yearly leading marks to win their events.

Lee clocked 22.30 in the women’s 200m to defeat Carmelita Jeter (22.49), the 2007 World Championships 100m bronze medalist who was competing on her former home track at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Howard, the 2005 World Championships silver medallist in the women’s High Jump who took the 2007 season off because of maternity, cleared 1.98m. Rosemary Rifka (MEX) and three-time U.S. Olympian Amy Acuff, were second and third with 1.92m, separated on countback at earlier heights. Tisha Waller was fourth on 1.89m.

Lagat, who completed an unprecedented 1500m and 5000m double in the 2007 World Championships, held of New Zealand’s Nick Willis in the 1500, 3:35.14 to 3:35.78. The race was restarted after Lopez Lomong and Nate Brannen fell about 75m on the backstretch. Nick Symmonds suffered a laceration in his right knee when he was spiked trying to hurdle the Lomong's feet and did not finish after the restart.

Rupp passed Jonathan Riley in the final 50m to win the 3,000m, 7:51.17 to 7:51.40.

Gay overcomes headwinds to win 100m and 200m

Headwinds slowed most of the sprints. Reigning World 100m and 200m champion Tyson Gay won both events on Sunday in 10.05 and 20.08.

In the 100m, Gay edged Darvis Patton by a hundredeth of a second in his season debut in the event. In the 200m run into a 1.7mps headwind, Gay beat Xavier Carter (20.30) convincingly.

Gay said he felt sluggish during the 100m after an abbreviated warm-up because of the heat but was more limber for the 200m. “I really don’t have to run fast times right now. I just have to win,” Gay said. “I was mentally drained today thinking a lot about the time, the wind and things like that.’’

Reigning World 100m champion Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica emerged victorious in the women’s 100m out-leaning 2005 World gold medallist Lauryn Williams, 11.14 to 11.15, with Jamaican Kerron Stewart in third in 11.16.

Double World 200m champion Allyson Felix finished fourth in 11.21 and later withdrew from the 200m after an hectic week where she returned from competition in Doha on May 9, attended the funeral of her boyfriend’s father  Kenneth Ferguson in Detroit on Tuesday (13) and participated in graduation ceremonies for her degree in Elementary Education on Friday (16).

“It was just an emotional week, up and down,” Felix said.

Other Highlights...

The women’s 100m Hurdles was one of the few events with a positive wind with 2004 Olympic gold medallist Joanna Hayes winning over 2007 NCAA runner-up Candice Davis, formerly of USC, 12.64 to 12.71.

Anwar Moore won the men’s 110m Hurdles in 13.39 and Bershawn Jackson took the 400m Hurdles in 48.94.

In the throws, Christian Cantwell won the shot put over compatriot Adam Nelson, 21.39m to 21.13m, and Jarred Rome won the Discus Throw with 65.09m.

Other women’s winners included Novlene Williams (JAM) in the 400m in 50.38, Erin Donohue in the 800m in 2:02.04 and Grace Upshaw in the Long Jump at 6.68m.

Kirby Lee for the IAAF

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