USA Track & Field – News – Felix returns to winning ways; Verzbicas makes history

NEW YORK – Despite the rain and cloudy skies, the stars still shined at the 2011 adidas Grand Prix held at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island. The day was highlighted by Allyson Felix's convincing victory in the women's 200m and high schooler Lukas Verzbicas' sub-4:00 mile.

U.S. women sweep 200m
In the women's 200m, Allyson Felix bested a stellar field and ran her way into second place in the Diamond League race standings after running 22.92. Bianca Knight (22.96), Shalonda Solomon (23.03) and Carmelita Jeter (23.15) completed the U.S. sweep of first through fourth.

Men's 100m photo finish
In a much anticipated race, which included three false starts, Jamaica's Steve Mullings claimed a photo finish victory over Tyson Gay. Each clocked in at 10.26 into a 3.4 mph headwind. Gay entered the competition with the world-leading time of 9.79 but now sits in fourth in the Diamond League standings. Mullings moves into second.      

Verzbicas makes history in the one mile
In the boy's high school mile race, Lukas Verzbicas clocked in at 3:59.71, marking the first time in 46 years a high school athlete has run sub-4:00 in an all high school field. Jim Ryan was the first to do so in 1965 and was at the finish line to congratulate Verzbicas. Verzbicas' time ranks the fourth fastest high school mark of all-time.

Culson defeats Jackson in the men's 400m hurdles
In the 400m hurdles, Puerto Rico's Javier Culson ran a season best 48.50 to edge Bershawn Jackson at the tape.  Jackson clocked 48.55. David Green of Great Britain, who finished last season ranked #1 in the world by Track & Field News, took third with a 49.07.

Wariner grabs top finish
2008 Olympic relay gold medalist Jeremy Wariner, ran a strong 45.13 to capture the top spot in the men's 400m. Wariner edged Jamaica's Jermaine Gonzales who ran 45.16 to take second place while the current world leader, Rondell Bartholomew of Grenada, took third in 45.17.

Yego wins VISA Men's 800m
Kenya's Kirwa Yego was victorious in the VISA men's 800m with a time of 1:46.57, placing him in the top spot in the Diamond League race. World Champion Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of Russia followed with a 1:46.68. Karjuan Williams was the top U.S. finisher with a 1:47.59.   

Gebremeskel on top of men's 5000m
Ethiopia's Dejan Gebremeskel ran 13:05.22 to win the men's 5000m race, edging out a late charging Bernard Lagat who ran a season best 13:05.46. Lagat currently sits in fourth place in the Diamond League race while Gebremeskel is in first.

U.S. takes four of five top finishes in VISA women's 100m hurdles
The United States domination of the VISA women's 100m hurdles was highlighted by a top finish by Danielle Carruthers in 13.04. Kellie Wells took second with a 13:06 and Great Britain's Tiffany Ofili-Porter placed third with a 13.11. Rounding out the top five was Lolo Jones (13.22) and Virginia Powell-Crawford (13.23).

Myers tops women's 100m
Pre-race favorite Marshevet Myers lived up to the top billing bytaking the victory in 11.36. Murielle Ahoure of Cote d'Ivoire finished second (11.55). The United States' Gloria Asumnu finished took third in 11.57.

Torrence captures men's 1500m national race
In the men's 1500m National Race, three-time road race champion David Torrence blitzed the field with a season's best time of 3:36.15. 2008 silver medalist, Nick Willis (NZL) finished in second with a season's best time of 3:36.46.  

Chemos tops women's 3000m Steeplechase
Current world leader, Milcah Chemos of Kenya used a final surge to finish finish first in the 3000m steeplechase in 9:27.29.  Ethiopia's Sofia Assefa ran 9:27.37 for second. Chemos and Assefa also finished first and second in Rome earlier this year.

Grete Waitz Women's 1500m
After winning in Eugene last weekend, Jamaica's Kenia Sinclair stayed hot and took the top spot again with a 4:08.06. The United States' Morgan Uceny and Ethiopia's Kalidan Gezahegne finished in second and third, clocking in at 4:08.42 and 4:08.46.

Women's Pole Vault
On a day when the weather was not a vaulters friend, Lacy Janson finished on top by clearing a mark of 4.27m/14'. Kylie Hutson finished second with vault of 4.22m/13'10".

Women's High Jump
Sweden's Emma Green Tregaro pulled off a surprising victory as she claimed the top spot in the women's high jump with a season's best 1.94m/6'4.25". Current world leader, Blanka Vlašic of Croatia finished second with a 1.9m/6'2.75". The top U.S. finisher was Becky Christensen who recorded a 1.77m/5'9.75"

Men's Triple Jump
In the men's triple jump, Great Britain's Idowu Phillips took the number one spot in the Diamond League rankings and a victory with his 16.67m/54'8.25" finish. Sweden's Christian Olsson finished with a mark of 16.29m/53'5.5". Top American finisher, Walter Davis grabbed fifth place with a 16.09m/52'9.5".

Obergfoll takes two in a row
After claiming a win last weekend in Eugene, Germany's Christina Obergfoll logged a 64.43m/211'4" which earned a win in the women's javelin. Her season's best of 65.48m/214-10 was recorded last weekend at the Prefontaine Classic. Russia's Sunette Viljoen took second place with a 60.39m/198'1" while the United States' Rachel Yurkovich took third with a season-best mark of 58.43m/191'8".

Brown-Trafton stays on top
Reigning Olympic gold medalist Stephanie Brown-Trafton, took the top position in the women's discus with a 62.94m/206'6", after entering the competition with the farthest throw of the field this year (64.13m/210-4).  Gia Lewis-Smallwood took second with a mark of 59.89m/196'6" followed by Aretha Thurmond's 59.38m/194'9".

United States takes one, two and three in women's long jump
In the women's long jump, current Diamond Race Leader, Funmi Jimoh led the field with a 6.48m/21'3.25". Janay Deloach followed with a 6.41m/21'.5" while 2009 World Champion Brittany Reese finished third with a mark of 6.35m/20'10"

Mesnil takes men's pole vault
In the men's pole vault, Romain Mesnil of France posted a 5.52m/18'1.25" vault to claim the win, leaving him second overall in the Diamond League rankings. Brad Walker, the 2007 World champion finished in second.     

In other action
In the men's 800m National Race, Kyle Miller ran a personal-best time of 1:47.27 to finish first. On the women's side, Molly Beckwith turned in a 2:01.09 for the top finish. In the women's 400m National Race, Jamaica's Kaliese Spencer took the win (50.98).

Race for the Visa Championship Series title
In the race for the Visa Championship Series title, the results remain the same as last week. David Oliver stays on top of the competition with 1253 points and Carmelita Jeter remains in the top position on the women's side with 1243 points. For more information on the Visa Championship Series and the race for the Visa Champion title, visit https://www.visachampionshipseries.com/.  

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Taylor Payne
USA Track & Field
Marketing & Communications Manager
317-713-4670
Taylor.Payne@usatf.org