News and Notes, Volume 8, Number 45 – Road to Beijing diverts through London – US Track & Field – NEWS

 The IAAF World Athletics Tour resumes Friday at the Aviva London Super Grand Prix, in London, England, featuring some of the fastest men in the world, with face-offs between Tyson Gay and Jamaica's Asafa Powell in the 100 meters and Jamaica's Usain Bolt and Wallace Spearmon in the 200m.

The men's 100m will light up the track with a showdown between reigning World Outdoor champion Tyson Gay and Jamaica's Asafa Powell. Gay, the American record holder, will be competing for the first time since the Olympic Trials in June. At the Olympic Trials, Gay posted the fastest time ever recorded for the 100m, a wind aided 9.68 seconds in the quarter finals, and later an American record time of 9.77 seconds in the finals. Powell has been making the rounds in Europe, most recently edging out the World record holder and compatriot Usain Bolt at the DN Galan Meeting in Stockholm, in 9.88 seconds to Bolt's 9.89. Other contenders in the race include Travis Padgett and Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago. Padgett is currently the fourth fastest man in the 100m in 2008, with a personal best of 9.89 at the Olympic Trials, while Thompson has posted a personal best of 9.93 this season.

    Double World Outdoor gold medalist Bernard Lagat will be competing in the one mile run lining up against Andrew Baddeley of Great Britain. Although Lagat's specialty and trip to the Beijing Olympics lies in the 1,500m and 5,000m, in 2007 Lagat posted a season's best time of 3:50.56 in the mile. Baddeley has the fastest mile time in the world this year at 3:49.38.

    The men's 110m hurdles will draw some attention when Cuba's Dayron Robles and David Oliver take their lanes. Showing his strength in the event, Robles the World record holder at 12.87 seconds, has posted five of the top ten times in 2008, with four times under 13 seconds. On the heels of Robles is 2008 Olympic Trials champion Oliver, who claims four of the top ten times in 2008, with a personal best of 12.95 seconds.

    Team USA members Dusty Jonas and Jesse Williams will compete in the men's high jump. Jonas owns the number two jump in the world at 2.36m/7 feet 8.75 inches, while Williams has a season's best 2.30m/7-6.5.

    The best shot putters in the world will be taking turns in the ring on Friday. Two-time Olympic silver medalist Adam Nelson, 2007 World Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa, and two-time World Indoor champion Christian Cantwell will compete in London, in preparation for their attempt to sweep the event at the Beijing Olympics. Nelson has the best throw in the world this year at 22.12m/72-7, followed by Hoffa at 22.10m/72-6.25 and rounded out by Cantwell at 21.76m/71-4.75. Nelson, Hoffa, and Cantwell have stated their dominance in the event, collectively holding eight of the top ten throws in the world this season. In 2007, Hoffa, Nelson, and Cantwell were ranked one, two, and three in the world respectively. Attempting to unseat "the big three" is Dorian Scott of Jamaica, the only other man in the world over 70 feet in 2008, with a personal best toss of 21.45m/70-4.25.

    Saturday will feature a face-off in the 200m between 100m World record holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica and two-time World Outdoor medalist Wallace Spearmon. In 2007, Bolt and Spearmon were ranked number two and three in the world respectively, according to Track & Field News. Bolt has shown his strength in the 200m in addition to the 100m, posting the two fastest times in the world this year at 19.67 and 19.83 seconds. Spearmon poses tough competition to Bolt in the race, with a season's beset time of 19.90 seconds and a personal best of 19.65.

    The men's 400m will be a battle between David Neville, Calvin Smith, Darold Williamson, and Andretti Bain of the Bahamas. Neville, Smith, and Williamson have posted season's best times of 44.61, 45.07, and 45.16 respectively, while Bain has run the one-lap race in 44.62 seconds.

    Christian Smith will be the sole member of Team USA in the men's 800m. Smith has a season's best time of 1:45.47, from his third place finish at the Olympic Trials. Smith will be racing against some of the best 800mcompetitors in the world in Mbulaeni Mulaudzi of South Africa, who was ranked number three in the world in 2007 and currently has the third fastest time in 2008 at 1:43.61. Abraham Chepkirwok of Uganda also will be in the mix, with a season's best time of 1:43.72, currently the sixth fastest in 2008.

    The men's 400mH will be highlighted by reigning World Outdoor champion and current world-leader Kerron Clement, who was ranked number one in the world in 2007. HeH has continued his dominance, posting the world's fastest time of 47.79 seconds, plus four other top ten times this year.

    Brad Walker's success has continued in the pole vault and he will be the man to beat in London. In 2007, Walker was crowned World Outdoor champion and ranked number one in the world by T&FN. In 2008, Walker set the American record at 6.04m/19-9.75 at the Nike Prefontaine Classic and has eclipsed the six meter mark on one other occasion this season, being one of three men to soar to those heights. Posing a threat to Walker are Evgeniy Lukyanenko of Russia, who is narrowly behind at 6.01m/19-8.5 and Steve Hooker of Australia who has cleared 6.00m/19-8.25.

    For more information about the IAAF World Athletics Tour, including the schedule and compete results from the Aviva London Super Grand Prix, visit www.iaaf.org/competitions/wat/index.html.

    Best marks week ending July 20

    MEN

    100 – 10.09 J-Mee Samuels (Arkansas) – Toluca, MEX 7/18

    200 – 20.26 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) – Rethymno, GRE 7/14

    400 – 43.86 Jeremy Wariner (adidas) – Paris, FRA 7/18 World leader

    800 – 1:46.05 Jonathan Johnson (Reebok) – Heusden, BEL 7/20

    1500 – 3:35.86 Alan Webb (Nike) – Heusden, BEL 7/20

    3000 – 7:54.11 Bolota Asmerom (Oregon TC) – Naimette-Xhovemont, BEL 7/16

    3000SC – 8:21.46 Kyle Alcorn (Arizona State) – Heusden, BEL 7/20

    5000 – 13:18.51 Chris Solinsky (Nike) – Heusden, BEL 7/20

    110H – 13.19 Terrence Trammell (Mizuno) – Paris, FRA 7/18

    400H – 48.33 Kerron Clement (Nike) – Paris, FRA 7/18

    HJ – 2.27/7-5.25 Joe Kindred (St. Augustine) – Toluca, MEX 7/20

    PV – 5.80/19-0.25 Jacob Pauli (Nike) – Champaign, IL 7/19

    LJ – 8.06/26-5.5 Miguel Pate (Nike) – Paris, FRA 7/18

    TJ – 16.94/55-7 Walter Davis (Nike) – Lucerne, SUI 7/16

    SP – 19.46/63-10.25 Ryan Whiting (Arizona State) – Toluca, MEX 7/20

    DT – 61.08/200-4 Jarred Rome (Nike) – Rethymno, GRE 7/14

    JT – 80.51/264-1 Chris Hill (Georgia) – Toluca, MEX 7/18

    Dec – 7504 Raven Cepeda (Northern Iowa) – Toluca, MEX 7/19

    WOMEN

    100 – 11.23 Lauryn Williams (Nike) – Lucerne, SUI 7/16 & Lisa Barber (adidas) – Rethymno, GRE 7/14

    200 – 22.47 Bianca Knight (adidas) – Barcelona, ESP 7/19

    400 – 51.42 Monique Henderson (Reebok) – Lucerne, SUI 7/16

    800 – 2:01.19 Erin Donohue (Nike) – Naimette-Xhovemont, BEL 7/16

    1500 – 4:00.33 Shannon Rowbury (Nike) – Paris, FRA 7/18 U.S. leader

    3000SC – 9:22.73 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) – Heusden, BEL 7/20 AMERICAN RECORD

    5000 – 15:11.79 Jen Rhines (adidas) – Paris, FRA 7/18

    100H – 12.66 Joanna Hayes (Nike) – Lucerne, SUI 7/16

    400H – 54.79 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) – Rethymno, GRE 7/14

    HJ – 1.94/6-4.25 Chaunte Howard (Nike) – Paris, FRA 7/18

    PV – 4.51/14-9.5 Lacy Janson (Nike) – Rethymno, GRE 7/14

    LJ – 6.40/21-0 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) – Rethymno, GRE 7/14

    TJ – 14.01/45-11.75 Shakeema Welsch (unat) – Castres, FRA 7/15

    SP – 17.14/56-2.75 Liz Wanless (NYAC) – Heusden, BEL 7/20

    HT – 62.79/206-0 Sarah Stevens (AriZona State) – Toluca, MEX 7/20

    JT – 50.72/166-5 Ruby Radocaj (Minnesota) – Toluca, MEX 7/19

    Hept – 5511 Bettie Wade (Michigan) – Toluca, MEX 7/19

Tiffany Kovacevich
Communications Intern
tiffany.kovacevich@yahoo.com