Christian Cantwell celebrates his Millrose Games record (© Kirby Lee)
Boston, USAThe top three Shot Putters of 2007 will be the featured attraction at the AT&T USA Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center at Roxbury Community College near Boston on 24 and 25 February.
Christian Cantwell, Dan Taylor and Reese Hoffa sit first, second on third on the yearly global indoor list and have combined for 14 of the top 15 marks.
Cantwell, the 2004 World indoor champion, and Hoffa, the 2006 global indoor champion, produced the top two marks of 21.88m and 21.75m at the Millrose Games in New York City on 2 Feb.
Taylor defeated both Cantwell and Hoffa to win the Boston Indoor Games at the Reggie Lewis Center with the No. 3 mark of 21.57m on 27 Jan. Taylor, though, finished a distant third at Millrose. If any of the three falter, three-time World outdoor Champion John Godina, who missed much of the 2006 season because of shoulder surgery, could be a factor.
“It’s really tough every time you have to be at your best,” Cantwell said after his Millrose victory. “If you are off a little bit, you can go from first one weekend to third by a mile. That’s the nature of our event.”
The women’s Shot Put includes defending indoor and outdoor national champion Jill Camerena and Liz Wanless, who placed third in the outdoor national championships. Weight Throw champions A.G. Kruger and Erin Gilreath are back to defend their titles.
Devers - athlete, coach, manager, and frequent flyer?
The women’s 60m Hurdles may or may not include 40-year-old Gail Devers, the surprise winner of the Millrose Games who is competing in Paris on Friday night (23 Feb.).
Devers, who is the coach and agent of Danielle Carruthers who is competing in Boston, will make the decision whether to make the quick intercontinental return flight to join her prodigy at the USATF Championships after her race in the French capital.
With or without Devers, Carruthers, the two-time defending champion, is set to face a stiff challenge from LoLo Jones and 2004 NCAA Outdoor champion Nichole Denby. Denby, who recently moved from Los Angeles to Chicago, won the 60m Hurdles at the Tyson Invitational on 9 Feb.
The men’s 60m Hurdles has had three different winners on USATF's Indoor Visa Championship Series: David Payne won at the Boston Indoor Games, Aries Merritt at the Millrose Games and David Oliver at the Tyson Invitational. All three will compete again, and will face Joel Brown, a 2005 World Outdoor Championships finalist, who is the defending champion.
Stuczynski chasing another PB in the Women’s Pole Vault
Jenn Stuczynski has been the dominant U.S. vaulter on the indoor circuit with the top four marks of the year by an American. She produced PBs of 4.70m at the Pole Vault Summit in Reno on 19 January and 4.72m at the Tyson Invitational. She also posted a win at the Boston Indoor Games.
The men’s Pole Vault will include an intriguing mix with American record holder Jeff Hartwig, 39, who has hinted at retirement at the end of the 2007 season, 2006 0utdoor champion Russ Buller and defending NCAA indoor and outdoor champion Tommy Skipper of Oregon.
Defending champion Adam Shunk, Jesse Williams, Jesse Nieto and Tora Harris headline the men’s High Jump. Williams, the 2005 and 2006 NCAA indoor champion, has been tabbed as one of the top developing U.S. prospects. A member of the 2005 World Championships squad, Williams is embarking on his first full season as a professional after completing his eligibility at the University of Southern California in June.
Nieto, the 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials champion, will be looking to improve on his fourth-place finish behind Shunk, Harris and Williams at the 2006 USATF Indoors. Harris was the 2005 national indoor champion.
In the women’s High Jump, three-time Olympian Amy Acuff will be looking for her seventh overall national high jump title and second indoors.
Flanagan and Webb highlight the middle and long distances
Massachusetts native Shalene Flanagan, who missed the 2006 outdoor season because of foot surgery, had spectacular fortune in her last outing at the Reggie Lewis Center when she set a US record of 8:33.25 in the 3000m at the Boston Indoor Games. The time smashed the previous national record of 8:39.14 and Flanagan’s previous career best by more than 20 seconds.
In the men’s Mile, Alan Webb, who has run an indoor PB of 3:55.18, also at the Boston venue, will be chasing his first indoor national title. The 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials 1500m champion’s biggest challenge could come from Nick Symmonds, a seven-time NCAA Division III champion, who will attempt an 800m/Mile double in Boston.
Christian Wurth is also attempting a middle distance double. In the 800, Wurth and Frances Santin are expected to repeat their duel from the Millrose Games won by Wurth.
The women’s Mile will feature the top three Americans with Shayne Culpepper, Wurth and Sara Hall. At the Boston Indoor Games, Culpepper ran a U.S. leading 4:31.35 with Wurth and Hall turning in the Nos. 2 and 3 marks at 4:31.84 and 4:32.24, respectively.
Matt Tegenkamp and Jonathan Riley are among the declared entries in the men's 3000m.
World leader Brunson, Daigle-Bowen-Hooker duel highlights the 60m
World leader Marcus Brunson, who has run three of the six fastest times in the world this season, tops the men's field in the 60m. With a dominating performance, the 28-year-old powered to a 6.46 world-leading time in Karlsruhe on 11 February. His chief challenge could come from DaBryan Blanton and Mark Jelks.
The women’s 60m will feature Angela Daigle-Bowen, who is coming off her second Millrose victory in three years, and Marshevet Hooker, an NCAA sprint champion from Texas, who is in her first full season as a professional after relinquishing her collegiate eligibility.
Daigle-Bowen, the 2005 60m champion, defeated Hooker, 7.25 to 7.32, at the Millrose Games while Hooker has posted wins of 7.24 at the Boston Indoor Games and 7.27 at the Tyson Invitational.
Akiba McKinney, who surprised 2005 World outdoor Long Jump champion Tianna Madison, to win the long jump at last year’s indoor championships, is scheduled to compete in the Long Jump and 60m.
Intermediate hurdler James Carter and 2004 Olympic and 2005 World 4 x 400m gold medalist Darold Williamson are among the notable entrants in the 400m. The women’s 400m field includes Monica Hargrove, DeeDee Trotter, Tonette Dyer and Mary Wineberg.
Hurd Looking for fifth women’s Triple Jump title
Tiombe Hurd returned to the winner’s circle in 2006 for her fourth national women’s Triple Jump title after the American record holder missed the 2005 outdoor season because of a stress fracture in her right and takeoff foot.
In the men’s Long Jump, Brian Johnson is the two-time defending champion with Trevell Quinley as the top challenger. Aarik Wilson is the favourite for his first national Triple Jump title after finishing second in last year’s meet and third at the outdoor championships.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
