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EUGENE, Ore. - Meet records fell across all event groups, none bigger
than Brad Walker's American record in the pole vault, and Maria Mutola
had a historic exit Sunday at the Nike Prefontaine Classic.
The fourth event of USATF's Visa Championship Series, the Nike
Prefontaine Classic drew a meet-record 14,221 fans to Hayward Field,
site of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field June 27-July
6. They were treated to a formidable show, including no fewer than eight
meet records and Walker's AR.
The 2007 world champion, Walker looked magnificent throughout the
competition. He had just one miss, at his opening height of
5.70m/18-8.25, then passed to 5.90m/19-4.25, which he cleared on his
first attempt and which won the competition for him. Walker then
elevated the bar to 6.04m/19-9.75. On his very first attempt, he
cleared, brushing the bar just a bit, but leaving it up. The
world-leading clearance broke Jeff Hartwig's American record set in 2000
of 6.03m/19-9.25 and also bested living legend Sergey Bubka's meet
record of 5.95m/19-6.25. It was the highest clearance in the world since
2001.
After two tries at a world-record height of 6.15/20-2, Walker called it
a day. Derek Miles finished second at 5.80m/19-0.25, with Olympic gold
medalist Tim Mack third with 5.70m/18-8.25.
Amazed as the crowd was with Walker's performance, no athlete is more
beloved at Hayward Field, and no athlete other than Steve Prefontaine
himself is so associated with this meet, than Maria Mutola. Competing
for the final time at Pre, the grande dame of the women's 800 sprinted
away to win Sunday in 1:59.24, overcome by emotion as she crossed the
line for her 16th career victory at this meet. For a moment, it looked
as it might be a passing of the torch, as Mutola came off the turn
shoulder-to-shoulder with high school sensation Chanelle Price, who
boldly took the lead down the backstretch. Although Price faded in the
final 100, she placed sixth in 2:01.61 to be #2 all-time among American
high schoolers, behind only two-time Olympic medalist Kim Gallagher's
prep record of 2:00.07. American Alice Schmidt was second on Sunday in
2:00.01, with Hazel Clark-Riley third in 2:00.51.
As Mutola awarded the first Maria Mutola Outstanding Athlete of the Meet
award to Walker, the crowd erupted in applause for both athletes. Walker
also was named Visa Team USA Athlete of the Meet.
Brisk Bekele
World record holder and Olympic and world champion Kenenisa Bekele of
Ethiopia got the meet off to a rousing, and early start. With a world
record attempt on tap, the men's 10,000m opened the Nike Prefontaine
Classic at an earlier-than-usual 9:30 a.m. Bekele put on a great run,
staying within seconds of the record and finishing in 26:25.97 to
shatter the U.S. all-comers record as well as the meet and facility
records. Bekele's time was the fourth-fastest time in history, though
shy of his WR 26:17.51 from 2005, and led a fast field. Two-time
Olympian Abdi Abdirahman ran the second-fastest time ever by an
American, placing seventh in 27:16.99, just off of Meb Keflezighi's AR
of 27:13.98.
Coutrywoman Meseret Defar was next on the track, running a swift
14:28.73 in the women's 5,000m to break National Track & Field Hall of
Famer Mary Slaney's meet and facility record of 15:06.53, set in 1985.
2007 World Outdoor 10,000m bronze medalist Kara Goucher was the top
American, third in a personal best of 14:58.10.
Nellie nails a big one
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson during the 2008 indoor
season posted the #3 indoor throw of all time. His outdoor season had
gotten off to a more modest start, but at Hayward Field on Sunday he
returned to the top of the world shot-putting scene.
The 2008 Indoor Visa Champion posted two 72-foot throws, including the
winning mark of 22.12m/72-7, to easily top the 2008 world list in the
event. His second-best mark of 22.10/72-6.5 also beat Christian
Cantwell's previous world leader of 21.75m/71-4.75. Defending world
champion Reese Hoffa had his best throw of the outdoor season, placing
second with 21.73m/71-3.5.
Also having her best meet of the year was 2007 USA champion and 2003
world champ Torri Edwards, who won wire-to-wire in the women's 100 in a
meet and stadium record of 10.94, with Jamaicans Sherone Simpson and
Kerron Stewart second and third, both in 10.99. Allyson Felix was fourth
in 11.06.
Spearmon surpasses Johnson
In the men's 200m, it appeared that Olympic gold medalist Shawn Crawford
might return to his winning ways, as a field including World Outdoor
bronze medalist Wallace Spearmon lagged behind. Spearmon, in fact,
appeared to be totally out of the race with 50m to go, trailing by
several meters. Yet he turned in one of his signature fast closes to win
in 20.25, breaking Michael Johnson's meet record of 20.15 set in 1995.
Crawford was second in 20.25 and Xavier Carter third in 20.29.
Richards keeps rolling
Sanya Richards continued her Visa Championship Series winning ways in
the women's 400, running an aggressive first 200m and going on to win in
50.10. American Mary Wineberg closed strongly in the final straight to
place second in 50.32, with Jamaica's Shericka Williams third in 50.34.
African champion Geleta Burka put on an outstanding show in the women's
1,500m. After being paced through 800m in 2:06.5 by Nikeya Green, Burka
kept cruising for a meet-record win in 4:00.44, breaking her own mark
from 2007 by .04. Nancy Lagat of Kenya was second in 4:03,80, with USA
indoor champion Christin Wurth-Thomas third in a personal-best time of
4:04.88.
Exciting distance races
Always a featured event of "Pre", the Bowerman Mile had hair-raising
excitement. On the final lap, New Zealand's Nick Willis moved into the
lead with great authority on the backstretch and looked poised to upend
a powerful field. Shadrack Korir of Kenya had other ideas, however,
nipping Willis at the line, 3:50.49 to 3:50.66. Daniel Komen was third
in 3:50.95. Top American was Lopez Lomong, fifth in 3:53.97.
The men's 800 also provided some crowd-thrilling moments. After a first
lap of 49.95, the race really began to take shape on the backstretch.
The hometown crowd roared as Eugene-based Nick Symmonds moved up from
second-to-last to second place on the backstretch, and coming down the
final straight the crowd rose to its feet, hoping Symmonds could
replicate his 2007 victory. But Symmonds began to fade as Alfred Yego of
Kenya won in 1:44.01 to break the Hayward Field record Dave Wottle set
in 1972 (1:44.3 hand timed), as well as Symmonds' meet record of
1:44.54. Yusef Saad Kamel was second in 1:44:18, andUSA Outdoor champion
Khadevis Robinson moved up to third in 1:44.55, with Symmonds fourth
(1:45.01).
Double world champion Bernard Lagat pleased the partisan crowd in the
men's 2 mile, winning in 8:12.45 over Rashid Ramzi of Bahrain (8:13.16)
and Paul Koech of Kenya (8:13.31).
Hayes wins again
Joanna Hayes kept on track to make 2008 her best year since winning the
2004 Olympic Games. The Olympic record holder led from start to finish,
but nearly lost the women's 100m hurdles. Running well ahead of the
field, Hayes appeared to lose her balance after grazing the final
barrier, but managed to hold on and win in a wind-aided 12.53 (+3.1mps
wind). Dawn Harper was second in 12.59 with Jamaica's Lacena
Golding-Clark third in 12:65.
The men's 110m hurdles endured a bit of a disappointment when world
record holder and world and Olympic champion Liu Xiang was disqualified
for false starting. American Anwar Moore jumped on the opportunity,
however, winning impressively in 13.09, with David Payne second in
12.28.
Andrey Silnov of Russia won the men's high jump with a clearance of
2.30m/7-6.5, beating Tora Harris, who also cleared 2.30m, in a jump off.
Jesse Williams of the U.S. was third with 2.25m/7-4.5, and world
champion Donald Thomas of the Bahamas fourth at the same height.
In other events, Betty Heidler of Germany won the women's hammer with a
best of 73.93m/242-7 for a meet and stadium record; Ivan Berkjacic of
Croatia was second with 73.73m/241-11. Jadel Gregorio of Brazil won the
men's triple jump with a best of 56-7.5, and Stephanie Trafton took the
women's discus with 63.50m/208-4. Muarren Maggi of Brazil won the
women's long jump with a mark of 7.02m/23-0.5, with Funmi Jimoh second
with 6.85m/22-5.75. On the track, Darrel Brown of Trinidad nipped Ivory
Williams in the men's 100m, running 10.07 to Williams' 10.10, while
World Outdoor silver medalist LaShawn Merritt won the men's 400 in
44.65.
Up and comers
Between the early morning distance races and the full schedule of
competition starting in the afternoon, the Nike Prefontaine Classic also
staged a series of races for athletes seeking to qualify or tune up for
the 2008 Olympic Trials. Top times were turned in by Josh McAdams in the
men's 3,000m steeplechase (8:29.95), Mary Jayne (Harrelson) Reeves in
the women's 1,500 (4:15.36), 2000 Olympic Trials champion Gabe Jennings
in the men's 1500 (3:40.58), Jessica Smith in the women's 800 *(2:05.48)
and Christian Smith in the men's 800 (1:47.72).
For complete results and quotes, visit www.visachampionshipseries.com.
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