■ The U.S. Olympic Trials2021, June 18-27 at the new Hay- ■ World Track & Field2023 Championships, Budapest, ward Field’s state-of-the-art setting at the University of Hungary. The 19th edition of the IAAF World Champi- Oregon. Required deposit $1750 per person. onships will be held at the Hungarian capital’s beautiful track stadium, August 19-27 (new dates). Budapest is a delightful travel destination, with lots to see and do. 2022 ■ The U.S. Nationals/World Championship Trials. And we’re sure to offer an attractive Diamond League Dates and site to be determined, but probably Eugene extension before or after the Championships. $250 per in late June. 4-5 day tour. This is certain to be a fantastic person deposit now accepted. meet as it will determine the team for the World Cham- pionships in Eugene in July. $100 deposit per person now accepted. ■ U.S. Olympic Trials.2024 Dates and site to be determined. ■ World Track & Field Championships. Eugene, OR, Probably late June. $100 deposit now accepted. July 15-24, 2022. The first outdoor Worlds to be held in ■ 2024 Games, Paris. Dates are July 26-August 11. $100 the USA. Lodging at the Village Green resort in Cottage deposit now accepted. Grove (busing included) and at motels in Eugene. Almost 300 signed up already. Current deposit requirement is $2,100 per person for this historic meet. T&FN has operated popular sports tours since 1952 and has taken more than 22,000 fans to 60 countries on five continents. Join us for one (or more) of these great upcoming trips.

www.trackandfieldnews.com/tours Track & Field News Tours 2570 W El Camino Real, Suite 220 Mountain View, CA 94040 [email protected] Phone 650/948-8188 • Fax 650/948-9445 TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume 73, No. 5 & 6 May/June 2020

From The Editor — What If All The Olympics Were Shunted By A Year?...... 4

Seb Coe Talks Track After COVID-19...... 5 Mondo & Lavillenie Tie As Virtual Vault Comp Takes Off...... 10 Stefanídi Takes Ultimate Garden Clash 2...... 11 Focus On The U .S . Men’s 110 Hurdles Scene ...... 12 “I Feel Like I Can Conquer Anything,” Says Grant Holloway...... 14 Daniel Roberts Reflects On A Dream Season...... 15 Devon Allen Makes A Major Move...... 16 Freddie Crittenden Ready To Be In The Mix...... 17 Jarret Eaton Still Has The Fire ...... 18 Focus On The U .S . Women’s 1500 Scene ...... 19 Shelby Houlihan’s Afterburners Ready To Be Lit Again...... 21 Dog Days For Jenny Simpson ...... 23 Shannon Rowbury’s Final Games: 1500 Or 5000?...... 25 Elle Purrier Spending Her Spring At Home...... 27 Miler Nikki Hiltz’s Breakthrough Year...... 29 Sinclaire Johnson Plays The Waiting Game...... 31 Kate Grace Now Taking A Positive Approach ...... 32 Running Is In Shannon Osika’s Blood ...... 33 T&FN Interview — Rai Benjamin...... 34 Life In The U .S . Without The Big Spring Meets...... 38 Sha’Keela Saunders Puts Her Mind To It...... 41 Steven Gardner—Volleyball’s Loss Is The 400’s Gain...... 42 Cruz Culpepper Almost A Sub-4:00 Miler...... 43 Book Review — Fast Girls ...... 44 All-Time Men’s World Rankings Leaders...... 45 All-Time Women’s World Rankings Leaders...... 48

ON YOUR MARKS...... 51 TRACK SHORTS...... 53 CALENDAR...... 55 STATUS QUO...... 56 LAST LAP ...... 57 LANDMARKS...... 60

• cover photo of Shelby Houlihan by Kirby Lee/Image of Sport •

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 3 double, with Viren twice 2nd . Overall, Viren’s just another runner, never doing anything in a non-Olympic year . All of which brings us to Moscow ’79 . A FROM THE EDITOR pre-Afghanistan Moscow, which changes the results of every men’s event beyond recognition . You’ll notice I haven’t covered any women here . Not because of any intent to slight, rather — What If All The because I was u nable to f i nd a ny st r i k i ng exa m- ples of altered history . With far fewer events, and Olympics Were fewer Games in which to compete, there aren’t as many stars to consider . And nowadays, the domineering Soviets and East Germans seem Shunted By A Year? to be able to peak whenever it’s necessary… This whole diatribe is intended to illustrate by E. Garry Hill our need for a World Championships in the sport . Not a single track meet every 4 years, but an annual sorting-out of who’s best . Give the BACK IN THE FALL OF 1980 U .S . fans and in an hour in our now-Olympic year of ’35 . Would greats their due when it’s due . On to 1983! >> athletes were still reeling from having been he have won 3 individual events in Berlin? At So if in ’83 we had been embarking on an boycotted out of the Olympics . That got me to that year’s AAU he lost the 100 and LJ to Eulace Olympic year, not the first World Champion- thinking about how mere happenstance had Peacock and the 200 to Ralph Metcalfe, although ships, what major deviations from history would played a big part in creating the biggest Olympic his boosters insist he was letting down after a we have seen? heroes to that point: did an Olympic year(s) come tough collegiate season . Peacock also beat him First, having won Olympic gold in ’79, Re- along at the right point in someone’s career? in the 100 in 2 subsequent races . naldo Nehemiah wouldn’t have turned to pro Rafer Johnson, who had some injury prob- football and would instead be standing on the Suppose Baron de Coubertin had lems, may have traded gold medals . Instead of top step for the second time, rather than never “ winning ’59 (i e. ,. ’60) he’d win ’55 (‘56) . gotten his Olympics off the ground having made it to a Games . Jim Ryun is a classic example of an athlete Two of the hugest women’s stars of Helsin- a year earlier? who would benefit from this time warp . He ki—Mary Decker and Jarmila Kratochvílová— doesn’t make the ’63 team, but in ’67 he’s at instead of picking up double WC golds would Next year we’re back on track to create a the peak of his form and follows Snell as an see those transformed to Olympic wins . whole new set of Olympic winners, many of 800/1500 doubler . It’s at this point that Professor Peabody and them undoubtedly to become legends . But as Marty Liquori is at the top of his game in his WABAC Machine start finding less to hy- this non-season drags on, one has to wonder ’71 and follows Ryun as 1500 champ (or, Ryun is pothesize about . With the coming of the World how much a simple 1-year time shift will affect in such good mental shape after his ’67 double Championships and the attendant professional- history . How many of this year’s surefire faves that he comes back for another) . ization of the sport, careers got longer . Athletes for gold will find that ’21 is a year too late? Or Rudolf Harbig is a terror in ’39, setting WRs hung around longer getting more chances for the how many of ’21 breakthroughs simply wouldn’t in the 400 and 800 . He beats Alberto Juantorena h ig h e s t ac c ol ade s. But t h e r e a r e mor e e x a mple s: have been ready this year? to that Olympic double by 36 years . (Actually, Mike Powell has no shortage of fame, having It was thinking along those lines that Juantorena is hurt in ’75 and never wins a gold taken down Bob Beamon’s record and beating caused me to pen these words for my column medal in any event ). Carl Lewis in the process at the ’91 WC . But he of October ’80: Dutch Warmerdam is another star of the has “only” a pair of Olympic silvers . Imagine << Suppose Baron de Coubertin had gotten ’39 Games, winning one of the medals which what his reputation would be of it had been his Olympics off the ground a year earlier? WWII will actually steal from him . the ’91 Olympics where he had set his WR . What if the Games had begun in 1895, instead of Paavo Nurmi, probably the greatest of all Powell-esque, anyone? 1896, thereby moving up the date of subsequent Olympic heroes, would actually have his star Gwen Torrence was No . 1 in the world in Olympics by a year? enhanced by a shift . He does just as well in both the 100 and 200 in ’94 & ’95, but there was no We’d likely have some different Olympic the ’19 Games as he really did in ’20, and ap- double-gold for her in ’96, just a solitary bronze . heroes to worship . The point I’m trying to make proaches ’31 ready to add to his 9 golds and 3 And if the ’95 Torrence wins the Olympic is that there is usually a certain amount of good silvers . Pointing to the marathon, he wins his 200, there goes the golden double by Marie-Josée fortune implicit in any victory, but even more so first medal there (a gold of course) and picks up Pérec . in winning the Olympics, which only happen minor medals in the 5000 and 10,000. The next And let’s look at the Women’s AOYs of ’95 every 4 years . Some fine careers have come and year he is banned for professionalism . (Sonia O’Sullivan) and ’96 (Svetlana Master- gone in inter-Olympic years . Emil Zátopek follows the Nurmi pattern . kova) . Shift by a year and the Irishwoman gets Let’s take a look at some of the ramifications He retains his gold and silver from ’47 and has the Oly acclaim and the Russian doesn’t . of having started with an 1895-based Games: his big triple-gold performance in ’51 . Kuts and Triple jump WR holder Jonathan Edwards Bob Mathias is still a high school junior the Hungarians have diminished his track for- burnishes his legend: he’d keep his ’00 gold in in ’47 and hasn’t even considered trying the tunes by ’55, but with his hernia not due until a ’99 Games, but in ’95 he’d pick up the one he decathlon . He turns to the event in ’48 and goes ’56, he beats Bikila to the punch as the first missed in ’96 . on to win in ’51, but he’s no boy-wonder . No 2-time marathon winner, having set a WR for And lastly, what about Usain Bolt? His first movie biography, no career in politics . 25,000m that year . Olympic medals came in ’08, but the ’07 AOY, Ty- Al Oerter is the finest of collegiate frosh Lasse Viren may suffer worst of all . A son Gay, earned that title by scoring treble-gold in ’55, but that’s not good enough to make the Finn wins the 5/10 double in ’71, but it’s Juha in the 100, 200 & (no honest, really!) 4×1 . So the Olympic team . He wins in ’59 and ’63, but is the Väätäinen, not Viren, who isn’t world-class yet . American joins the pantheon of Olympic greats desire there for a third in ’67 or fourth in ’71? Four years later, the Africans aren’t yet upset and the Jamaican legend’s medal/record total That early start was important . about the New Zealand rugby team and they still remains so high it doesn’t matter . Peter Snell isn’t even considered for the come to Montréal (which Stadium isn’t finished What does matter is that we all make the New Zealand team in ’59 but retains most of in any fantasy) . most of these trying times . Hopefully bits of his glory by winning the 800/1500 double in ’63 . Miruts Yifter, who made it to the right gate fantasy like this bring some joy to a track fan’s Jesse Owens would be a legend without his in the ’71 version of the 5000 and got a silver day . Stay safe! Olympic triumphs, scoring his 6 World Records there to go with his 10,000 bronze, takes the

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 4 Seb Coe Talks Track After COVID-19

sliding into the next year was a sensible thing to do . But with that responsi- bility, the status that we have as the big beast, we also have KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT a responsibility to make sure where possible that the rest of our sport flowers and the European Championships and Commonwealth Games both had their events in the calendar for a number of years before- hand . That was an important consideration . So it was very important that we were able to, where possible, allow the athletes good recovery time to get to the Championships and that the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, are a massive opportunity for us to grow the sport, but to do it in a way that didn’t damage other very im- portant manifestations of our sport—both in Europe and the Commonwealth Games that has 70 of our member feder- ations and some of the most talented athletes in the world . Coe, now in his second term at the World Athletics helm, sees better days ahead. Eventually. So they will be on duty in Eugene first and then by some movement around timetabling it will give them the best opportunity if they Coe: Well, it couldn’t go last for a number of want to go from one championship to another . by Sieg Lindstrom really good logistical reasons . As you are aware, Now, athletes may choose not to do that, and that the World Athletics Championships in Eugene is OUR SPORT WILL RISE AGAIN . As every ultimately will be their decision . a campus-based competition and students start one of us, track fan or not, knows all too painfully, coming back onto that campus from pretty much T&FN: Given that the athletes will face unique the COVID-19 crisis has cast a dark cloud over early August onwards . So that was always slated challenges in achieving Olympic qualifying marks human health and welfare along with what was to be a July competition [’21 dates were 08/06–15] . this time, where do you stand on perhaps awarding supposed to be a glorious Olympic season . At least Then of course, when we then started to look Wild Card entries to recent world champions, Olym- the last 16 days have seen rays of clarity about the at the way the jigsaw would come together, pic champions, perhaps even World Record holders, future penetrate the chaos . The Tokyo Olympics preeminence of course in world athletics has to to ensure that the best are in Tokyo? Or you could are postponed a year to the summer of ’21, the ’21 go to the World Athletics Championships . And at least designate them as automatic qualifiers. Are World Championships to be held in Eugene will I was really pleased with the cooperation and you thinking about amending the qualifying system move to 2022, and the July 15–24 Worlds dates the flexibility that we soon were working with, in any way? that year will kick off a stretch like we’ve never with our partners in Oregon about making sure Coe: I think that there is an important principle seen: a World Championships, a Commonwealth that those Championships went at a time that to recognize here . That is that any athlete that Games (July 27–August 07 with track dates not worked for a whole range of stakeholders and the currently has an Olympic qualification standard yet announced) and a European Championships [Eugene] organizing committee and USA Track retains that status, but that isn’t actually the same (August 15–21) all within 44 days . And Field and also crucially NBC . as a guaranteed selection . That is ultimately, of Today World Athletics President Seb Coe So look, nothing is perfect this year and course, for the member federation . And because sat down to answer journalists’ questions about we shouldn’t delude ourselves into thinking it’s an Olympic Games, the final ratification on these developments—via web conferencing, of that there are perfect solutions to anything . It’s t hat is t h roug h a nat iona l Oly mpic com m ittee. So course . T&FN has published selected portions of something none of us ever thought we would be it’s not actually for us to be saying to member fed- the chat in two parts . For clarity, we have made managing our way through . And frankly only erations that an Olympic qualification standard some minor edits to his answers . Part 1 follows those that are sitting there trying to manage their automatically guarantees a selection . So there below . Read Part 2 here . way through this in fairness probably understand are all sorts of things that our competition teams T&FN: You have in recent years promoted the idea the innate complexity of that matrix. I did then, looked at and they really did do an in-depth piece that the World Championships should constitute a absolutely openly, have some other considerations of work on this . There are other issues as well . grand finale for the season in the years there is a because while the World Athletics Champi- But look, if optimistically the world did come World Championships. Understanding that you had onships had to be center stage, centerpiece, it back in this space quicker than we thought, there many puzzle pieces to consider, why will the World was clearly self evident that it was better not to is still the opportunity for the World Athletics Championships go first in the 3-championships go head to head when the Olympic Games are Council to review this if we felt that there was sequence now on the table for 2022? pretty much the same time in the same year. So the opportunity to get our athletes back into that

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 5 type of environment quicker rather than later and therefore maybe even look at qualification. But at the moment if we’re taking a balanced Three In A Row In ’22 view of this and on the probability of where What are Seb Coe’s thoughts—as WA President and as a former elite athlete—on a “summer of we think this may go, this is probably the most athletics” in ’22 with three major championships back to back? How would he have gone about proportionate response at the moment . planning his season in such circumstances? Would he have attempted all three? WA Communications Director Jackie Coe: That’s a really good question . As President of World Athletics I’m absolutely delighted that Brock-Doyle: I just want to quickly interrupt . we will have three opportunities to see our athletes and showcase some of the most talented In terms of the qualification standards going sportsmen and women on the planet on three separate occasions . Recognizing, of course, that forward, yes, there will be a kind of look at it . the World Championships is the centerpiece of the year . Look, athletes will always triage . It’s But what’s important to remember is that athletes the very nature of what they do and is actually what makes this quite complicated . I think will [have been] able to qualify for 18 months by that one of the things that gets overlooked by people who possibly don’t really understand the the time they get to the end of the qualification nature of our sport is that this isn’t just about rearranging one season for another . The good period . The new dates for the Olympic Games athletes and the athletes in really good coaching structures have probably got the sequence as set up are the end of May and end of June, of their own events not for one season or even two seasons . They’ve probably got that in at depending on road or track . So all athletes will least a 4-year cycle . have had 4 months longer than they normally In my case I was working with a coaching team that were working 8 years out . When I have to qualify, and over 50% of our athletes was watching the 1976 Games on television, which I actually only missed by one place actually [per the entry standard quota] have qualified in the Trials, my coaching team then were working with a sequence of programs and events through the entry standard already . So there is a and training loads that would take me through to 1984 . I think they were privately hoping greater chance . Even with the suspension of the that they didn’t have to go beyond 1984 . I’ve probably disappointed them somewhat . So the qualificat ion, t hey st ill have four mont hs longer ’21–’22 season will add a particular sequence because some of them won’t have been even than they would normally have to qualify for thinking three or four years ago when they were building those platforms for that incremental the Olympic Games . development each year that there would be the three [championships] in one year . Roughly across the board—track & field and But having also said that, the top athletes, will figure that out. And the coaches will figure road—around 50% have met the entry standard that out, as well . And yes, some may want to try and do all those events . Others may not . So it for all disciplines . There may be some technical will be a challenge . But as I’ve said, it’s not a perfect solution . I’m actually trying to think, I’m disciplines that may not yet have done . But with going back now some way, but I think I remember Daley Thompson actually came from the our qualification, as you remember, we’ve got 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton with a gold medal and in quite short order ended [50% that have to meet the performance stan- up with a silver in the European Championships a week or two later . dard] and then the other 50% are taken from the So look, there are things that will take place around the timetable that will squeeze out a world rankings. People forget that qualification little bit more time for the athletes. But ultimately the athletes will be sitting there with their for our sport for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games coaches looking at, ‘Well can this be done or can’t it be done?’ But I think we’ve given them began at the beginning of 2019 . So a huge chunk the best opportunity given the extraordinary circumstances to be able to at least countenance of athletes qualified during that year anyway, that . and now they still have from December 1 [2020] Would Coe have relished the opportunity to have a triple in one year to aim for? through to the new dates, which are May 29 Coe: Yeah . Yes because I love competition . Training was what I did to compete . Competition was [road] and June 29 [track & field] to get their what I woke up in the morning for. Competition was what I woke up for on the first day of a new world ranking points and qualification. year. I wasn’t sitting there getting excited about, you know, 120 miles a week on the road and T&FN: Looking back to ancient history and the tons of steel in the gym . I mean, that’s what I had to do to be the best I could be in competition . lead-up to the 1980 Olympics, I don’t remember how So it’s competitions that excite athletes and if they’re not excited about about the competitions much uncertainty there was about whether Great then they’re probably not going to be the ones that are making those judgments anyway . Britain would compete. Obviously you did end up competing. You yourself won a gold and a silver in races many will never forget. But you had many peers on our side of the pond in the United States who missed their chance and suffered much pain through a politically motivated boycott. From your experience can you speak to the certainty around qualification so that they uncertainty that current athletes have had to endure weren’t sitting there fretting that a handful of and what it might mean for them to at least now know athletes somewhere in the world were able to there will be a Games and World Championships compete and have events still going or maybe following? have events going earlier than others would . You know, grabbing the Olympic qualification Coe: Let me start with your last observation . places while others were still not even able to The most important thing we wanted to achieve leave the country because of airline restrictions . for the athletes was certainty, which is why we So all those things were really aimed at giving wrote to the International Olympic Committee. I clarity and certainty to the athletes as quickly wanted certainty that we weren’t prolonging the as we possibly could . agony of putting them into environments that When I look back to 1980, yes, It was uncer- were either unsafe or just simply frustrating . tain. And the boycott—I’m probably choosing my They could see that opportunity evaporating, words really carefully— was in large part created and worse than that, we were possibly putting on your side of the ocean . It was something that them into a dangerous environment . I felt was misguided, historically illiterate and The second issue we wanted was to then something that frankly didn’t really move the get certainty around the dates and the timings argument on at all . Because when I competed of those events, bearing in mind two of those in Los Angeles in 1984 the Russians were still events—Commonwealth Games and the Euro- s itt i ng i n A fg h a n i s t a n a nd not muc h h ad a lt e r e d. pean Championships—actually have had their The only thing that had been altered is a lot of dates in place for 4 years . We were the ones that great American athletes and some other athletes were in a way trying to figure out how we could from around the world had the opportunity of intrude on an existing season. going to an Olympic Games ripped from them . And then, of course, wanting to give them And if you were Skeets Nehemiah you even chose

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 6 to leave the sport and take up another sport . So cow] . that this may or may not be coming to fruition the damage was profound . T h e r e i s a f u nd a me nt a l d i ffe r e nc e, t ho ug h . I in a few months time, but at no stage did I take I do remember running the streets of Shef- don’t begin to equate the uncertainty I had with a step out of my front door thinking I was likely field and the great Kenny Moore came across the uncertainty that athletes had in the lead to infect myself, and worse than that, come back and did a piece in Sports Illustrated over that up to the Tokyo decision . Yes, I ran around the and risk infecting my family and my loved ones . Christmas period, where we openly discussed streets of Sheffield and the beautiful countryside So I can absolutely share the concern about un- the risk that I might not even be going [to Mos- around my city with the niggling uncertainty certainty, but I don’t remotely put the position that athletes were in in 1980 or the lead-up to the 1980 Games with anything that the athletes were going through here . As The Crisis Deepened And I do make one point and I think I’m When did Seb Coe recognize the full enormity of the COVID-19 crisis for our sport in particular? allowed to say this: We are talking about athletes Coe: We are all part of the world and we all wear different hats and have different roles competing in the summer of 2022 and some of and responsibilities in that world . But you know, like any of us, we were waking up most the challenges around competition and back-to- mornings and going to bed in the evening with news bulletins that were showing in one back racing . I did run 7 races in 9 days in Los way or another from the moment that the term [coronavirus] became even known or heard Angeles . of that there was the potential for this to become a very, very big issue . I guess if I narrowed T&FN: As I recall, you in effect used the 800 rounds your question down specifically to the challenges that the World Athletics Council and to sharpen for the 1500, in which you repeated as all our stakeholders and particularly our member federations were beginning to counte- Olympic champion. nance, I guess—and I’ve slightly lost track of time now—the week before the International Coe: That’s right . But these are judgments that Olympic Committee in concert with the [Japanese] government publicly announced the you do have to make a lot of the times . It’s not postponement …. not quite as complicated as this sometimes . I was in constant communication with my member federations and people whose judgment I trusted in those federations to give me what was happening on the ground, and our continual open channels to the athletes . By that week I and my senior teams in WORLD ATHLETICS PRESIDENT SEB COE took Monaco were beginning to recognize that if you pulled everything together that we were a respite from managing a colossal reassembly of being told from the front and linked that into what was clearly a growing global problem, t h e c h a mpio n s h ip s c a le nd a r ove r t h e n e x t t h r e e that we were obviously losing that battle . seasons to answer journalists’ questions about And that in essence was why I felt—having consulted the area presidents, having our sport and the coronavirus crisis . consulted the athletes, having spoken to members of my Council—that we needed to make the position of World Athletics pretty clear . The athletes particularly—and we did have to T&FN: Can you offer any hints as to what you think about the athletes, their welfare is why we’re in the sport—and the integrity of the expect the one-day meeting circuits, the Diamond competition [were paramount] . L e ag u e an d th e C o nt in e nta l To ur to l o o k li k e thi s y e a r We were just beginning to recognize that, look, the world was in a very dark place . and through 2022, the season with that jam-packed Some countries, in fairness, like China and, Japan were looking as though they were begin- championships schedule of World Championships/ ning to get on top of the challenge . But it just became impossible for so many of the world’s Commonwealth Games/European Championships athletes . one after the other? Perhaps there are opportunities Not just about using public facilities or gyms and things like that . It was actually that with this massive interruption to get creative in new many of them weren’t actually allowed to leave their houses, and we just wanted to take ways in trying to make that puzzle work? them out of that turmoil . And the last thing we wanted to be encouraging them to do was Coe: Yeah, it’s a really good question . At this either to disobey government edict or public health authority guidelines and not only put- very moment, my chief executive and our ting themselves at risk, but by implication their families and children and grandparents competition teams sit pretty regularly with the and parents . I guess we were recognizing that sadly we were losing this for about a week Diamond League board and the directors . I chair in the days leading up to the decision the International Olympic Committee made . the Diamond League board . So at the moment, if you’ll forgive me, we are trying to figure out what the Diamond League, if we can resurrect Suspension Of The Q Period any of it, looks like towards the end of the year . We do have a full Diamond League calendar Why did World Athletics move this week to suspend the Tokyo Olympics qualifying period until next year, but of course that calendar was put December? in place and signed off at the recent general Coe: If I may say so, I think that there are two distinctions here . Our ambition is to give assembly . But of course, before we knew we every opportunity for athletes to get back into competition as soon as it’s safe for them were going to have to put an Olympic Games and safe for those communities to be able to stage them . And you’re right, you know, there in there. So look, everybody will be flexible. is no guarantee we’ll be able to do that . But I really genuinely do hope that we are able to So the answer to your first question is I do that . But I also recognize that even if they are able to get back into competition, there can’t really tell you what the ’22 one-day season are other strictures, international travel bans that still may be causing them massive dif- will look like . And there was a second part to ficulty . We consulted widely on this one, we really did . And we were guided in large part your question . here also—as was my council and the Area presidents—by the views of the athletes who in majority felt that they didn’t want trying to come back into competition at the same time T&FN: Yes, I suggested you’d essentially need to as worrying about qualification . need to get creative, but I guess I should frame that It’s a difficult balance to strike . And again, I’m very happy to openly say that there specifically as an American who’s asking. With that are no perfect solutions here . But I do think this one meets pretty much what we set out to 20 2 2 sc h e dul e o ur ath l e te s w ill h a v e th e Wo rl d C h a m - do . And look, there are other considerations as well . We wanted to preserve the fairness of pionships and then they will have a period—what, 7 the process, but we wanted to recognize that thletes will be coming back into competition weeks or so?—where there’s very little opportunity at different stages . I’m hoping that we, we are all at least being able to contain the growth to be out on the world stage. Do you anticipate that of the virus, but they will be coming back at different stages of that process . There will be the Diamond League circuit may go farther into travel restrictions and I think they’re going to be in place for quite some time . September than is usual? And also, we do have to take this into consideration: I don’t want athletes to think there’s Coe: They may have to extend the season. And a dope-test-free zone out there . But we do recognize that there have been some challenges look, it’s not impossible to do that . You can’t go in maintaining the widespread nature of those testing situations . So for all those reasons, I much beyond middle to late September because think this is probably a proportionate response and it’s one that the majority of the athletes if you look at where the Diamond League is

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 7 at that stage of the year, it’s in Zürich, it’s in Brussels . So, you know, you can get a really nice Tripling In ’22 European summer that sometimes goes on into Which athletes would Coe like to see attempt a Worlds/Commonwealth/Euros triple in 2022? early October, but sometimes you don’t . So you Coe: I’m trying hard not to be too British about this because if we’re talking about the can’t ask athletes to, to go . triple, we are effectively talking about British athletes . I recognize, of course, it is slightly But I do remember the other point you horses for courses here . The endurance based and multi-eventers, that’s probably more of made about the innovation and creativity . Yes, I a challenge going through all three of them . You know, I’m probably going to get slapped think there is the opportunity to do that . I made down by the technical [field event people] now for simplifying it as a pavement pounder . it very clear the other day in a communication But it may be easier to go through that at some of the shorter distances than it would be to to all our stakeholders that this does allow us try and replicate a 10K in each one of those . the time to rethink a few things . We don’t need What we can do to ease this a little bit for our endurance athletes, of course, is to front to do the same old, same old again . load, if it’s at all possible, the timetable to make sure that they do get as much recovery You know, we’re looking at creating a time as the timetable and some flexibility allows. calendar for ’22, but we’ve got a big stream of But clearly Dina [Asher-Smith], and some of the highest profile places in our sport at work going on in World Athletics at the moment the moment are actually in the multi events . Obviously you don’t need to look too much about what the global calendar should look like . further than our own KJT to see that as well . And also, he’s not a Commonwealth athlete We’re looking at one-day meets, we’re looking but, we’ve got the opportunity to see somebody like Mondo competing twice [in a summer at 10-day World Championships, we’re looking of ’22 championships] . So there are some athletes that are going to get a lot of air time and at restaging World Half-Marathons and World that can only be a good thing for the sport Race Walks and all sorts of things . But actually, why not have a weekend festival of running? Why not have a World Half-Marathon Champi- onships and Race Walk and a 10K? You know, you could really do this very differently now . I think that this should give us the oppor- The Mid-Term Future tunity to think differently . The world is going to be different when we come out of this . You What is Seb Coe’s prediction viz possible competition this coming fall? know, there’s some elements that will return Coe: I don’t know the answer to that . Look, we’ve got great cities, we’ve got great partners, quite quickly, but we shouldn’t lose the oppor- we’ve got great meeting directors . We’ve got really willing athletes who above all want to get tunity to just think differently now . We’re all back into competition . We should remember this as well: They want to get back into compe- going to work differently . I’ve already said to tition, not because because they’re chasing Olympic qualification standard, because 50% of the Council, “You can forget having eight people that quota’s already full, not because they’re chasing world ranking points, but actually we flying eight time zones to make a presentation want to try and get them back, because they’re professionals, into some prize money . That’s for an hour ”. The very nature of what we’re sort of what they’re going to survive on in the winter in order to commit to training programs . doing now [conferencing online] proves that we So we have got a lot of willing organizations and stakeholders that if we get the chance to should in essence be thinking about working bring these events back safely we will do so . I hope we’re in a position to do that . And if we’re differently . able to get back slightly sooner rather than later, and maybe in conjunction with the athletes, We have a 10-year sustainability strategy within we may even revisit the December start for qualification status. At the moment I’m hoping World Athletics and we should be working and we can, but hey, who knows? living to those standards that we’re setting ourselves . This sport for one will be making those changes . I don’t want my diary to look anywhere the same as it would have done had we not been confronted with these challenges . And I know what that will mean for me, and we are going to work differently and we can work differently .

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT Seb Coe’s Mix Tape With no meets to watch for the time being, if multi- t im e Wo rld R ec o rd s ette r and t w ic e 1 5 0 0 m Olympic champion Coe could set up a fantasy season from the past for fans, which competitions would he include? Coe: I’ve been very lucky because I’ve seen some wonderful athletics in my life, which is not surprising . I’ve been around a long time . If you said to me, “What is your box set of high- grade races? What would you watch?” then I’m almost spoilt for choice but I’m a middle distance/endurance man so I’ll settle for some of those . I think Herb Elliott’s 1960 [Olympic 1500] win in Rome where he broke the World Record, ran from gun to tape beating one of the world’s great milers Michel Jazy with the largest distance gap [an Olympic 1500] has been won in . And I’m slightly biased . Herb is a good friend of mine . I was also very, very privileged to be in the Coe feels athletes’ “challenges have been a bit of a metaphor for life recently in the stadium in Sydney in 2000 watching probably way that they’ve shown resilience and fortitude.” the most exciting 10,000 meter race I’ve ever seen, which was Haile Gebrselassie and Paul

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 8 Tergat where the lead places changed four times in the finishing straight and Gebrselassie beat WA’s Entertainment Initiative Tergat in a tighter margin than Maurice Greene World Athletics has gone all in of late in innovations won the 100 meters in two nights before . to try to make the sport more entertaining to general I think if I start with Sydney, talk about sports fans. Coe was asked about the relationship hometown pressure . Cathy Freeman winning of these efforts to the development of elite athletes. t he 400 meters. I was i n t he com mentar y box for Coe: Look, I do actually think athletics is en- Channel 7 and the great [Australian broadcast- tertaining . I think at its best it’s an unassailable er] Bruce McAvaney did one of his very classic sport . If you look at the performances that we commentaries. I was sitting next to the great witnessed in Doha—which simply based on Raelene Boyle and at the end of the race Bruce athlete performance, were off the graph. I mean McAvaney was going, “What a performer, what some of those competitions were sumptuous, an athlete, what an Australian,” and Raelene whether it was the men’s shot put, the pole Boyle grabbed the microphone and went, “What vault competitions, you know, everywhere you a relief!” I think most people in Australia felt looked . And the great news about that was that that . of all the disciplines out there, some 25% of those I loved Hicham El Guerrouj’s double in competitors were under the age of 24 . And that Athens in the 15 and the 5000 when he was really is a huge asset to have as you’re going forward . so much at the top of his game . Are there things that we can do technolog- And I feel very privileged to have seen ically to bring the athletes closer to the fans? of the tougher hours that we’ve all spent trying Usain Bolt at his very best . So you, know, I’m Absolutely, to be able to allow them to tell their to manage our way through this is the stream of j u s t t a l k i ng a b o ut five g r e at fa nt a s ie s. Yo u k now, extraordinary stories and get the fans that are not contribution made by athletes with the hurdling if I had my night in front of a television, that’s necessarily our traditional fans to understand over tubs of water or doing work on balconies probably what I would drift to . how great a sport track and field is. Yes. or running down hotel corridors . I’ve blown And I guess even though I felt some pride Actually some of the things that we’ve been away by the way that they have adapted and in being a part of the team that choreographed doing within our own communications teams been innovative . Their challenges have been a it, I think Super Saturday in London [2012] with [during this crisis] around athletics at home and bit of a metaphor for life recently in the way that Jess [Ennis-Hill] and Greg [Rutherford] and the content that we’re now going to be sharing they’ve shown resilience and fortitude . obviously Mo [Farah], wearing a British hat for within the sport . And there is the creativity I would also encourage them to look and a moment . But hey, where else? I mean there are that has been unleashed within the athletes take the long-term view about these things and so many other places I could go . themselves that has shown just how resilient remember that the great thing about athletics and smart and clever they are . All those things, is nothing happens quickly overnight that is Recreational/Fitness Running again, give us the opportunity off the back of this sustainable and lasting that they have probably already devoted over half of their lives to being And C19 crisis to be even smarter about how we promote our sport . in a position where they’re even being considered for selection in a major championships . D i d C o e h a v e c o nc e r n s a b out th e c o ro n a v ir u s’s im pa c t Yeah, there are lots of things that we can do . And they also have the advantage I prob- on people going out and being active, getting the jog But athletics is at its best a very exciting sport. ably didn’t, had I been in the same situation 35, around the neighborhood in? Has he been encouraged 40 years ago . They can go online and actually that many people seem to be turning to exercise as Social Distance Events understand a great deal more about the history an assist to coping? of their events . They can go back and really Coe: Yes . I’ve really been pleased to see people Might Wo rl d Ath l e t i c s c o n si d e r, s a y, D i a m o n d L e ag u e be inspired and suffused in the extraordinary taking up 5K challenges and doing it to support meets without spectators later this year if it seems talents of what came before them . healthcare workers wherever they’re living . But safe to gather athletes but not masses of spectators? I’m often at coaching conferences and it is interesting, isn’t it, that when people want Coe: I don’t honestly know the answer to that seminars—at club level, even at international to create a challenge around an environment question . I hope it doesn’t ever come to that . I level—and one of the most popularly asked of adversity how often they turn to something think you have to accept the fact that any sporting questions I always get is, What is it that I need that has a sporting connotation to it . And that’s event without a crowd is a rather anesthetized to do to become a world class 800-meter runner a good place to be . event . Look, if I had a crystal ball and I was or 1500-meter runner or marathon runner? I also think that there is something else that able to predict where we’d be in a few days, let They always expected me to come at them we will witness and that is people will look to alone a few months, you’d probably be slightly with anaerobic thresholds and 5-tier training sport in an even greater way for bringing com- surprised . and anaerobic this, you know, and CPKs and munities back together again . In a funny sort of I would rather be able to put events back into blood chemistry analysis, the usual things . way communities are probably closer [in this the schedule where athletes and the crowds can They’ve got to do all that anyway That’s. crisis] . Even though we are socially distancing, come and enjoy and, and just forget the world all part and parcel of what they need to do . But I sense that we’ve all come closer again because that they had to live through for a few minutes I always say, “Become students of your sport, of the very nature of the global challenge, that and let sport do its unique healing, the healing become students of your sport, understand who it doesn’t really matter where you’re living, it exercise it can do. So the honest answer is, No, came before you and the equal adversity ”. You doesn’t really matter what your circumstances I’d rather not have athletes competing behind know, the athletes today are facing massive are . closed doors, but you know we are in a strange adversity, but actually athletes in the past under Everybody almost is as vulnerable [as world at the moment . ve r y d i ffe r e nt c i r c u m s t a nc e s fac e d e q u a l ly toug h anybody else] . And that vulnerability, I think, times . They might actually be inspired that just brings an emotional connectivity again, t hose at h letes also came t hrough really diffic ult which is a good thing . And I do think that Tips For Locked-Down Athletes political, cultural, social, gender challenges . organizations—governments, local, regional, As WA President and a former athlete, does Coe have There isn’t an equivalence here . I’m not national—will look to sport and they should look advice on what athletes can do in this time of reduced trying to put a pecking order, but I think they to s p or t. A nd m ayb e for t he fi r st t i me t h ey m ig ht training opportunities and no meets? can spend some time understanding that athletes actually recognize that we have a profound role To clearly keep in shape as well as they Coe: in the past have come through and triumphed to play under all sorts of circumstances . Not just possibly can within the confines of, sadly, some after periods of intense darkness in their own opening the doors when teams win and they all really crazy circumstances . The one thing that lives . get excited about it for a few moments. has kept me inspired and buoyed through some

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 9 Mondo & Lavillenie Tie As Virtual Vault Comp Takes Off

leadup time, the presen- tation mostly worked . Except for a lag in the on-screen scoring tabu- lator amid the fast-paced action . At the closing buzzer WA’s commen- tator Rob Walker along with most watching sat confused about the final clearance count . Was it a tie? This writer thought Duplantis perhaps had 37 . A draw it was, per the “officials ”. Said Duplantis, “It’s been fairly tough times for not only me and all the other athletes but everybody in the entire world . With ev- erything being canceled it’s tougher to find mo- tivation and having this fun little competition was really something to Vaulting was fast & furious when the Garden Clash trio sprung into action. look forward to for the past month because I Out of the box, Duplantis scored the first missed the feeling of competing, I missed being by Sieg Lindstrom clearance and midway through the first half out there with the guys . We could do this kind had 9 makes to Lavillenie’s 8 with Kendricks of virtually . It was a really fun time . It was fun MAY 3—IT WAS BILLED as The Ultimate at 6 . That order held until the break, when the to switch back into competition gear again . It Garden Clash but the smart bet is we will see totals stood at 18, 17 and 13 . was fun being out there competing against those more web-streamed competitions like it in this After the streaming audience was treated guys again, for sure ”. trying, sports-starved time . Mondo Duplantis to glimpses of Lavillenie’s 2-year-old daughter Kendricks, despite his loss, said, “The gen- and Renaud Lavillenie came away with a tie Iris gamboling around his yard with a tiny eral sense of this competition was just supposed for the win over Sam Kendricks as the three vaulting pole, the contest resumed . Kendricks, to be fun . A way to eat up time on a Sunday best-buddy vaulters, each in his own backyard, whose clearances all came with notable margin and give a chance to everybody to watch . Not tilted to see who could put up more 5 00m. (16- over the bar, had dug himself too deep a hole . everybody has the means to do something 4¾) clearances in 30 minutes . The matchup was He told the audience he was playing chess . like this, which is why we got the call . We are livestreamed by World Athletics and delivered Mondo merely kept attacking with Lavillenie professional athletes, we are professional pole like cool, cool water for track fans in a searing always close . vaulters, professional competitors . We’ve got to d r o ug ht . S ome of u s m ay no t s e e a n o utdo or fie ld When Duplantis notched his lone miss with find a way to do what we do ”. Afterwards in competition this year but we got some small about 2:00 remaining, Lavillenie soared over his the “virtual mixed zone” Kendricks awarded respite from this . 32nd bar of the half-hour to take the lead . He Lavillenie a “Cock of the Yard” trophy—an In the two 15-minute halves, the Louisianana/ was first to 36 makes but Mondo hit one more impressive black and red rooster his brother Swede vaulting at home in Lafayette and the for the tie with seconds to spare . handed him from off camera . Said Lavillenie, Frenchman at his domicile in Clermont-Ferrand The comp was laudable creative fun in a “I will visit him next time I come to you.” The each got in 36 makes with a miss for each while friendly format . The 5 00. setting, a cakewalk American then told his vanquishers, “You both Kendricks on his family’s property near Oxford, setting for these athletes, was chosen because have won a 1-week stay at Casa de Kendricks Mississippi, cleared 26 times with no misses . backyard runways limited them to shorter than in Rancho Olympia at a time of your choosing Afterwards the high and on this day rapidly full approaches . because you both beat me ”. flying trio conceded that a tie-breaker was the Faced with technological challenges in air- Mulling the time of his choosing, Mondo one detail they had neglected to hash out as they ing the Ultimate Garden Clash live with limited named it: “The second college football starts .” devised the format . WA’s streaming producers suggested on the fly a 3-minute playoff round for which Mondo began to prepare amid some audio glitches that created momentary confusion . In the end, ’12 Olympic champion and former World Record holder Lavillenie opted out declaring, “I’m done . I don’t want to take any risks ”. Kendricks Fair enough . The Frenchman is 33 . Mondo is presented a still the fresh 20-year-old young buck who raised home grown Lavillenie’s WR over the winter . For the camera, trophy to although the clock had stopped, Duplantis added Lavillenie. a 37th clearance just to show he could .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 10 Stefanídi Takes Ultimate Garden Clash 2 by Sieg Lindstrom

Newman flew toward crisp Canadian skies as Stefanídi and Nageotte sweltered.

MAY 16—After the novel success of the lives- said it had hit 39° Celsius (102) on the day . Na- much enjoyed it ”. treamed men’s Ultimate Pole Vault Garden Clash geotte had to cope with beating noontime sun, American Nageotte couldn’t complain. “I two weeks ago, Olympic champion Ekaterína 85° (29C) and high humidity . Both had to pack am not an endurance athlete in any way, shape Stefanídi was the first to declare her eagerness their busily streaming phones in ice . Northerly or form,” she said . “All of my training partners to compete in a women’s edition . The Greek situated Newman vaulted in chilly air with a and coaches can attest to that. My coach laughs Stanford grad who World Ranked No . 3 last year peskily unsteady tailwind . during my endurance workouts in preseason . got her wish and the victory over ’19’s Nos . 4 and Stefanídi jumped out front from the get-go as So for me, I knew if I went too much too soon, 5 Rankers, Katie Nageotte and Alysha Newman. Nageotte paced herself vaulting on the minute. I wouldn’t be able to even get up in the second The object as the trio tilted across 2 continents Several misses set Newman back early and the half so I just really wanted to stay on the minute and 7 time zones with their efforts streamed halftime score was 19–16–12. All three huffed and I wanted to hit 30, and if I could push it at from their iPhones was to see who could clear and puffed for air, vaulting as an endurance the end that’s what I would do . So the fact that I the most 4 .00 (13-1½) bars in 30 minutes . Unlike sport, through the break and when World Ath- hit 30, and I know that I have absolutely nothing men’s garden clashers Mondo Duplantis, Re- letics commentator Rob Walker asked, Stefanídi left to give, I needed every second of that minute naud Lavillenie and Sam Kendricks, the three gasped, “Yes, that is as tiring as it looks . It would in between, I’m so happy with that ”. women lacked PV runways in their backyards really help if we had 10 less degrees ”. Said Newman, who due to unseasonable so they operated safely social-distanced at local Even after her first miss in the second half cold had taken a 3-week break from vaulting tracks—Stefanídi in Athens, Nageotte in Mariet- it looked as though Stefanídi might equal the 36 and started back just 3 days before, “At the end ta, Georgia, and Canadian Newman in Bolton, vaults with which Mondo and Lavillenie tied in of the day this was for all the people tuning in Ontario . ’19’s World No . 1 Anzhelika Sidorova their virtual meeting . But the Greek’s second miss and watching . We want to educate people on pole was not involved while No . 2 Sandi Morris—who as she tried for bar No . 32 with about 3:40 left on vault, we want people to see what we do day in has a new dad-built backyard facility in North the clock cost her . She lost well over a minute and out and just show them how physical it is, C a r ol i n a—j oi n e d t h e s t r e a m at t h e s t a r t to e x pl a i n resetting the bar, and admitted afterwards, “My but also how mental it is now with what we do .” she was bowing out relucantly due to a minor arms were so tired at the end . The bar kept falling Among the thousands tuned in via YouTube knee injury . and I couldn’t put it up ”. and Twitter lobbing encouragement was decat h- Adding another competitive twist, the wom- Nageotte closed on her yet couldn’t bridge lon great Ashton Eaton, who asked if Stefanídi en aimed to surpass the men’s UGC collective the gap, and that was that . would now take on the men head to head . total of 96 clearances in two 15-minute halves . “I thought I could take two less jumps in the “I would do it,” she said, “but I’m going to They reached the half tied at 47 with the men after second part and still match the guys,” Stefanídi need like 3 weeks to recover from this . They’re 15:00 but slipped behind pace on the backside said . “And I did take two less jumps but I also jumping a meter and 20 under their PR and I was and finished with 85 trips over the bar—34 for missed twice so that cost me tying the guys But jumping 90cm under my PR . So we’re going to Stefanídi, 30 for Nageotte and 21 for Newman. I had a ton of fun. I wished it was a little cooler have to adjust the heights a little bit, I think. But Summer is almost here and weather test- because I really had some issues with my grip I’ll be down, just give me 3 weeks ”. ed the women more than it had the men . The because it was so hot . I kept sweating and I kept World Athletics has promised it is brain- thermometer hovered around 100° Fahrenheit having to respray for my grip so that definitely storming similar pandemic shutdown competi- in Athens for the 7:00pm start there; Stefanídi added some seconds to every jump . But I very tions for other events .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 11 Focus On The U.S. Men’s 110 Hurdles Scene

to his former college coach, Jamie Cook, also bodes well

MIKE SCOTT for his confidence . 5-time U .S . Ranker Jar- ret Eaton, last year’s No . 8, is now training with Critten- den, a partnership that the two Syracuse grads believe will lead to fast times . Says Crittenden, “We’ve been competing with each other for years, but this is our first time training together . Hopefully both of us can sharpen each other and become the best versions of ourselves .” Meanwhile, no one is ruling out veteran Aries Merritt (see sidebar) . Says Crittenden, “I’ve been seeing a little bit of his training this year . Maybe just because I have him on a pedestal anyway . He’s the World Record holder so I can’t tear that down . No matter what happens, I don’t care how many bad Grant Holloway (12.98) & Daniel Roberts (13.00) went 1-2 in the NCAA last year, years—quote, unquote—he producing the world’s two fastest times. has, another Olympics is coming up and I always the most important things in the world . When have high expectations for Aries.” by Jeff Hollobaugh you get out like that—I’m not going to say it intimidates the other people—but it kind of Last Year’s Other U.S. Rankers AFTER BEING SHUT OUT of the Olympic throws them off a little bit because they can medals in Rio—something that had happened see you ahead of them already ”. No. 5: Isaiah Moore, 23. From the start of at no previous Games—and then not making As for lane draw, Roberts says he prefers to his outdoor season to July last year the South the WC podium the next year in London (also be right next to Holloway, saying, “Sometimes Carolina senior’s only losses were to Holloway a first), American hurdlers seem to be making we knock each other—hit each other—over the and Roberts . His PR 13 . 37 came in the Collegiate their way back to the top of an event they have hurdles . It’s just funny to me . We always do that Record race at the NCAAs . historically dominated . to the first hurdle ”. No. 6: Dashaun Jackson, 22. Only a 14 .02 The top 2 performers on last year’s world list Says Holloway, “I feel like me and him can hurdler when ’19 began, Jackson surprised were Grant Holloway (12 .98) and Daniel Roberts do s ome big d a m age c om i ng for wa rd t h e s e n e x t many with his emergence . The St . Francis senior (13 00). . Holloway’s gold medal flight in Doha couple of years . I can’t wait to get back on the knocked his best down to 13 37. in the NCAA served added notice that when the Olympics track with him because he brings out the best semis, then ran 13 .38 for 4th in the final . finally convene in Tokyo, the U .S . should again in me and I bring out the best in him ”. No. 7: Michael Dickson, 23. The North be a major factor . Carolina A&T senior ran a PR 13 45. for 5th at No . 2 World Ranker Holloway will go into Close Behind The Big 2 the USATF meet . “Michael has had the potential the next season—whenever it starts—with a all along to be one of the best,” says his coach, target on his back . Now training without the As much as the two former SEC rivals played ’99 WC bronze medalist Duane Ross . long jump as part of his repertoire—and with- the collegiate hurdle scene like a 2-man show No. 9: Aaron Mallett, 25. The Iowa alum (and out having to compete in heavy-load collegiate last year, it’s fair to assume that the event’s former high school teammate of Crittenden’s) meets—look for the 22-year-old Virginia native other top performers aren’t ceding a Team USA won the USATF Indoor this winter and has a to be more focused than ever at reaching his spot to either . 13 .37 best outdoors . potential in the highs . Among their challengers is last year’s No . 3 No. 10: Caleb Parker, 22. The multi-talented One would be cautioned not to forget Rob- American, Freddie Crittenden, who got down senior, also a 7-3 (2 .21) high jumper, blistered a erts . The USATF champion actually had a 3–2 to 13 .17 and earned his second World Ranking . 13 .50 at the NCAA and took 5th in the final for record over Holloway in ’19, and ranked No . 4 Roberts is big on the 25-year-old Syracuse alum’s Southern Mississippi . Now he has transferred in the world despite being disqualified in the chances: “I think he’s very underrated . He’s to Florida State where he trains with Trey first round at Doha . The two are close friends aggressive, he’s smooth . Certain things just Cunningham . and never miss an opportunity to sing each have to come together ”. other’s praises . On the track, though, they are No . 4 last year, former Duck Devon Allen, 25, Other Potential Players fierce competitors who never hold back . has shown repeatedly that he can’t be counted Both Roberts and Holloway are aggressive out in the big meets . The shutdown of the sport Tai Brown, 20. The Kentucky soph trained st a r t er s. “T h at ’s how we r u n ou r rac e,” e x pl a i n s gives the 2-time U . S . No . 1 more time to bring his with Roberts last year, producing a 13 57. best Roberts . “The start to the first hurdle is one of Achilles along to full strength, while the return and finishing 4th in the SEC . “He’s definitely

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 12 on the younger side,” says Roberts, “but I could see him being one of the top people in two or three years also ”. Aries Merritt Ready For One Last Go Trey Cunningham, 21. The Florida State The last time Aries Merritt prepped for an Olympic Trials, it was less than a year junior made finals at the NCAA and USATF after his kidney transplant . meets as a frosh in ’18 and boasts a best of 13 .47 . The surgery was in the fall of ’15. He told us the next February, “I’m nowhere near Robert Dunning, 22 . Now a senior at Ala- my best right now because I’ve only been training for about 2½ months . I haven’t been bama, he ran 13 .60 last year coming back from training as long as most people and I’m able to produce pretty quick times with that injury . lack of training ”. Aleec Harris, 29. The winner of the ’17 U .S . The ’12 Olympic champion—and World Record holder at 12 80—was. 30 when we title, a 13 15. performer at his best, lost much of had that conversation . He proved that the surgery and the difficult road afterwards was last season to injury but looked healthy in his something that he could overcome . 3-meet indoor campaign this winter . That summer at the Trials, he finished 4th, missing the team by a mere 0 .01 (note he David Kendziera, 25. The Illinois alum has was also 4th in ’08, missing that squad by 0 02). . a best of 13 .39 from ’17 and finished 3rd in the The Tennessee alum will be at least 35 when the next OT finally rolls around. “This NCAA that year . Last season he focused on the is my final Olympic Games,” he recently told Blake Boldon, meet director of the Drake 400H, where he ranked No . 3 in the U .S . Relays . “I’ll be way too old to do another Olympics . I might stick around for the World Championships [in ’22] . Probably will, because it’s at home, but after that I’m definitely The Rest Of The Picture going to retire . That’ll be the end of my story as an athlete ”. The question is whether it will be a happy ending . Without question, 35 is pushing In an event that is notable in that the big it in an event where athletes’ bodies take a lot of punishment . Of the 28 Olympic gold stars rarely duck each other, the high level of medals that have been bestowed upon 110-meter hurdlers, only twice have men in their competition in the U S. . will inevitably make 30s been so graced: Harrison Dillard was 31 in ’48; Mark McKoy was 30 in ’92 . Most the hurdle crew stronger . Says Allen, “There Olympic winners are in their early 20s . are no easy wins, so you gotta work for it . As Two of Merritt’s predecessors pushed the boundaries of longevity, though neither hurdlers, we like that ”. made the team in their 30s: With the Olympic Trials still more than a Allen Johnson, winner of the ’96 gold, stayed in the game until he was 39 . He tried year off, the depth of the competition here vir- to make the ’08 team at age 37, showing good form early (a World Indoor silver) then tually guarantees that anyone hoping to make falling to injury before he made it to the OT . that final will need to produce a world-class Roger Kingdom, the ’84 and ’88 champ, still was racing at age 44 . His last Trials performance . Still, it’s hard to speculate on what appearance came in ’96, when he placed 5th at age 33 . the sport’s temporary shutdown might mean for Merritt’s been around long enough to know the road won’t be easy . While ’17 was the athletes in one of its most technical events . very good to him—13 .09 and a No . 3 World Ranking—in ’18 he managed only 13 .37 and Most don’t have access to tracks or—especial- fell out of the Rankings . Last year he had knee surgery and was only able to start hur- ly—hurdles, but are still in a position where dling in March; he raced just once, a 14 65. . they can do basework . One would think they Now training in Phoenix, Merritt says, “I’m still trying to social distance and keep away could regain sharpness relatively quickly after from people because I’m immunosuppressed . But other than that, I’m doing pretty well . the quarantines end . “I do a little bit of training . I’m training three times a week . I don’t train every day, In addition, we’ve had more than a few because we’re so uncertain with what’s going on . We don’t know if we’re going to have athletes confess to us—almost sheepishly, some a season this year or not ”. of them—that the Olympic postponement may Even so, the fastest hurdler ever insists he’s still in the game . work to their advantage as they recover from various physical setbacks. That extra time also

means that the motivated up-and- comer may be able to take a quantum leap in a year devoted to training, which gives us yet another reason not to commit to anything looking like a

JIRO MOCHIZUKI/PHOTO RUN formchart yet . In any case, hurdle fans have plenty of great flights to look for- ward to . Notes Roberts, “I’m glad the U S. . is getting back ’cause this is how I remember the years when I was growing up: Aries Merritt, Jason Richardson, Terrence Trammell, Jeff Porter . You saw people all over the place and our hurdlers were always in the championships . That’s how we want it to be, that’s how we like it . We like the competition, that’s what makes us the best ”.

Veteran Aries Merritt has still run the 110s faster than any other man in history, his 12.80 coming at the ’12 Brussels DL.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 13 “I Feel Like I Can Conquer Anything,” Says Grant Holloway

like I had a lot to prove that day . I was supposed to run at the Millrose Games JEFF COHEN [a week earlier] and I couldn’t get a flight out because the weather here in Gainesville that day, it was horrible . We had thunderstorms, we had everything . And I had a lot of people saying, oh, I was scared of Daniel [Roberts], I was scared of Omar [McLeod] . Or I was hurt . “So I went to Clemson with the team and Keni Harrison was there and we talked… And Keni was like, ‘You might shock the world today ’. And that’s what I kinda said to myself ”. In his heat, he tied the world lead at 7 52. . In the semi, he flew 7 48. . He saved his best for the final, ripping a 7 .38, tying the No . 9 time in U S. . history . “I did it to prove a point: don’t think 2019 was a fluke, because I’m here 2020, I’m ready ”. A talented long jumper as well (26-9¾/8 17. as a soph), Holloway says we might have seen the last of him on the runway . “That’s a Coach Holloway question . I said I want to try and have some fun out there . But he said I’ll never touch the long jump ever again . So it’s up in the air right now ”. After winning World Championships gold in the 110H, Grant Holloway Relay legs, though, possibly yes . “My goal was actually to try to get on the 4×1 is brimming with confidence. and 4×4 pools for Team USA,” he says . “This year I was going to run an open 400, I was by Jeff Hollobaugh with no breaks, you keep pushing the body to the going to run a couple of open 100s and maybe a mat, to the mat, to the mat, at some point your 200 even just to show off my speed . I don’t know body’s gonna want to shut down on you . That’s what I have to do to get on the relay pools but IN JUST A YEAR, Grant Holloway went from exactly what happened.” just know I will be ready ”. being an exciting prospect with plenty of potential Yet after Paris, Holloway went back to When the Olympics was postponed, Hollo- to the world champion and an Olympic podium training and came to Doha absolutely ready . way admits, “I was asleep . My girlfriend was favorite in the high hurdles . “I trusted my training, I trusted my coach,” he leaving for work, and she was like, ‘Everything Has success changed the 22-year-old Florida explains. “He said, ‘All you have to do is react to just got canceled .’ I was like, ‘What? Really?’ and alum? “Nah, I’ll still be treated like shit at prac- the gun, keep your hands low and go have fun .’ I fell right back to sleep . But then I woke up to tice,” he says . “People who are older than me still “The thing is, I always put too much pressure a monsoon of messages and people wanting to keep me in my place . I mean, that’s just the art of on myself that sometimes I can’t perform the do interviews ”. the family . I’m the youngster here in the group . way I want . So really, at the end of the day, I just The massive schedule-earthquake didn’t “You know, they still treat me with respect, we nt o ut t h e r e, e xe c ut e d a n d b e l i e ve d i n my s e l f.” shake him, he says: “I’ll be 23 at my first Olym- but if I have something to say, I usually get the The Doha final is stunning to watch . The pics . That’s a great age to be at . I’m taking it last say in it . And you know, that’s what you want 6-foot-2 (1 . 88) Holloway, the heaviest man in the day-by-day . I’m practicing Monday through in your training partners . You don’t want people field at 190lb (86kg), exploded out of the blocks Thursdays . I’m staying on my grind, I’m just to change just because you have a gold medal to and reached the first hurdle before anyone else . going to keep chugging forward . your name . You want them to still treat you the The field, seemingly caught off guard, struggled “We have nowhere to train . Right now, Coach same as if you were in college ”. in his wake as he never was headed en route Holloway and the training group, we’re all trying Holloway’s whirlwind ’19 season took him to to the gold . to get an open field every now and then. I have an NCAA Indoor double win in the 60 (6 .50) and The trick—in addition to a blazing start this one little weightlifting facility I call the 60H (7.35 AR). He then became the first collegian worthy of an Olympic dash finalist—was all in dungeon. It has a nice little benchpress. I can get under 13-seconds with his 12 .98 to win the NCAA his head, he says: “As soon as I got to Doha, I under there, do some squats and take care of my Outdoor, also running on the winning Gator 4×1 kept telling myself, ‘You’re going to win, you’re body. Other times I’m in an open field doing my and runner-up 4×4 (anchoring in 43 74). . going to shock the world ’. I knew it was going sprint work and my hurdle work . After that it was all about the 110s, and Hol- to be close, but I kept my hands low and I just “I’ll train here at my open field by where I loway hurdled to 2nd at USATF behind friend kept pushing and made sure I got out two steps live . This one house loves calling the cops on and rival Daniel Roberts . His only Diamond before they did ”. me . So the cops would come out and watch me League appearance was a so-so 6th in Paris, but Holloway, who had turned pro after the practice… I don’t think I’m hurting anybody when he stormed his way to the World gold in 13 10. . NCAA to forgo his final season at Florida, says I’m out there training by myself, you know? It’s His competitive season stretched from Janu- his off-season training following the Doha win mind-blowing to me ”. ary 19 to October 2 and the length of it all caught was “awesome,” adding, “Winter was probably Meanwhile, Holloway keeps grinding . “The up to him in Europe . “I just literally forgot how the best training I ever had ”. sky’s the limit,” he analyzes . “As long as I stay to run the hurdles; [coach Mike Holloway] said it It showed in his only ’20 meet to date, a healthy, stay grounded and stay humble, I feel was just fatigue . When you go so long in a season mid-February appearance at Clemson . “I felt like I can conquer anything ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 14 Daniel Roberts Reflects On A Dream Season

where I am today ”. Roberts also learned a lesson from his Doha expe- rience . “Coming back into it, I picked out things from that

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY race,” he explains. “It was a long season and I know that I could have been more focused at the end of the race instead of getting too relaxed. Clipping those hur- dles, that wasn’t necessary and that’s how I got DQed . It helped me with my focus in training and specifically hurdling over and through each hurdle, no matter how far ahead or where you are in the race ”. After a solid winter of training with coach Tim Hall in Kentucky, Roberts ran a couple of indoor meets this year, winning Millrose . He gives his short season a C+ . “The times weren’t bad . It was just how I was feeling—I wasn’t feeling good . After “It was amazing from the very beginning of my indoor season,” Daniel Roberts says that we got back to training of his final campaign at Kentucky. and fixed some things and it just started clicking . Out of by Jeff Hollobaugh we were running—we knew we were running nowhere I was running fast . I was getting back fast . That wasn’t the question and we knew the into feeling like a hurdler, snapping that trail record [Renaldo Nehemiah’s 40-year-old CR leg, everything ”. AFTER A BREAKOUT ’19 SEASON which of 13 00]. was going to be broken . It was just a The pandemic forced the University of found him turning pro a year early, Daniel Rob- matter of whichever one of us was going to do Kentucky to close campus, interrupting the erts may be the happiest man in track & field . it on the day . training flow . “Coach Hall let us go back home As last year dawned, he was a 13 27. hurdler “It was him and I’m so happy for him that if we wanted, so I’m down in Georgia now with with a bright future, even if he hadn’t made the he has that . That moment, as much as it hurt, it my family . I’m doing my training here, mostly ’18 finals at the NCAA (DQed in the semis) or also was so satisfying to have my family there from the driveway, the living room, stuff like USATF (7th in the semis) . knowing that race was so much more than a that . Maybe run down the street a little bit ”. Now he’s a 13 .00 hurdler, NCAA runner-up, race . It literally changed my life ”. He lifts weights in the garage . “It’s not a full USATF champion and ranked No . 4 in the world . He mentions Paris also: “My first Diamond weightroom or anything like that at all, but it’s “It was everything I could have dreamed of,” the League win; obviously I loved that one ”. enough to keep me going ”. 22-year-old says of his wild ride, which carried And believe it or not, he also mentions the He adds, “The Olympic year 2020 was in him to =No . 2 on the all-time collegiate list . World Championships in Doha, where he was people’s dreams since we were in high school . “Really, it was amazing from the very beginning disqualified in the heats after knocking a hurdle Coming into this year we had big expectations of my indoor season at Kentucky . Just running into another competitor’s lane . The placement and aspirations . Obviously, it still sucks, but I faster and faster and running against Grant of that experience into the highlights column, feel like there’s something greater at work . May- [Holloway] just about every week . Just getting he says, “came over time thinking about it . be we just needed more time . Maybe I needed a to do what I love at the level that I’m at now . Obviously, the day after, it was rough sitting different mindset . I don’t think anyone really “Going overseas for the first time, traveling in the USA team room and watching Grant run knows when all this stuff is going to be back to different countries, running in front of these the final and not being there, you know, that to normal . So it’s just taking it day by day now, huge crowds . It still feels like a dream and I was hard . But really, just that day was hard . enjoying my family, the people I have around can’t wait to get back overseas running again .” “After that, I was ready for this year . I was me and the days I’ve been blessed with so far ”. Asked what the high point was, he’s flum- just happy for him because no matter how many Roberts is more than excited about the moxed: “I don’t know, man. I was doing what times you compete, at the end of the day, ‘That’s prospect of five straight years of global cham- I love to do: not worrying about anything and my brother, that’s my friend ’. pionships coming up . “It’ll be amazing . That not worried about winning, losing, time—just “I still see it as a high point because it was sounds like beauty to me . enjoying every moment . I can’t think of a single my first Worlds team . My dream at the begin- “My goal is always to be the best no matter race that I could say, ‘I love that one more ’”. ning of the year was just to make the team, what I’m doing . Not just the best in this time, But when prodded, he offers the NCAA final, so the fact that I was in position to be on the but the best ever . And I don’t know how long it’s where his 13 .00 placed 2nd to Holloway’s 12 .98 podium, to possibly be world champion, was going to take me . As long as the Lord’s willing, Collegiate Record, saying, “That might be the just mind-blowing . My dreams became a reality . that’s how long I’m going to do it . Hopefully as most bittersweet moment of my life because it People I used to watch on TV and follow on long as I can and be up there with Justin Gatlin was a huge, historical moment, and to be there social media, now I’m lining up against them . and Aries Merritt as the old head men,” he says with one of my best friends, running the way I thank God for how far he’s brought me and with a laugh .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 15 Devon Allen Makes A Major Move

roller coaster ride for Allen . “First of all I was surprised I made the team . Obviously I want to compete and I think I have the talent to make every KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT World team, every Olympic team that I’m running for . But you know, I trained with Freddie Crittenden and a couple of those fast guys and I’m aware of Grant [Hollo- way] and Daniel [Roberts] and all those guys . I was like, ‘Man, I’m going to have a hard time making the team for this one ’. “And then I ended up making it ”. His 13 38. in 3rd edged Crittenden’s 13 39,. as Roberts (13 . 23) and Holloway (13 . 36) took the top two spots . Back to rehab and train- ing, Allen didn’t toe the line again until Doha . A 13 36. semi sent him to the final . “There,” he says, “I didn’t run great .” He hit 13 . 70 for 7th from lane 3, next to Spain’s Orlando Ortega . “My slowest After training in Arizona and Oregon since his HS career, Devon Allen is now an East Coaster. time of the year, but it is what it is . Kind of a chaotic final to say the least ”. by Jeff Hollobaugh go ’. So I drove across the country ”. Now quarantined like most of the nation, There are hurdlers who would kill to have Allen is playing it safe while struggling to find just a share of Allen’s accomplishments in the places to train . “Most things are shut down . CHANGING COACHES IN AN OLYMPIC last few years, even though he required ACL We’re hopping fences to work out at tracks, like YEAR can be a bit dicey, but for Devon Allen, surgeries in both ’15 (right knee) and ’16 (left most athletes .” He adds, “I got lucky . My coach not quite so much . For one thing, it turned out knee) after football-incurred injuries . has a little weight setup in his basement, so I to not be an Olympic year after all . For another, As a 19-year-old Oregon frosh in ’14 he can go over there and lift ”. it’s not exactly a new coach, but a reunion with had won an NCAA/USATF double, and after Yet with no certain schedule to aim for, an old one . missing the ’15 campaign he went on to win periodization doesn’t come easy . “That’s the Allen, the reigning Olympic Trials champion the ’16 OT and take 5th in Rio . In ’17, he placed dilemma,” says Allen. “You don’t know exactly in the 110H, made the cross-country drive to 3rd at USATF and Ranked No . 5 in the world; what to do . We decided that we’re just going to Maryland in early April so that he could again in ’18, he won at USATF and Ranked No . 6; last try to get as strong and fast as possible . We’re work with Jamie Cook, his mentor at Oregon season, he won the USATF Indoor but in April doing a lot of speed development, plyometrics who coached him to three NCAA titles and his his right Achilles flared up . and lifting heavy and lifting fast . If there is a OT win . Cook now coaches at Navy . “I was supposed to open up at Drake Re- season we can adjust as we go ”. “Obviously I had success with him when I lays, but I took some time off to be healthy,” he The real target in Allen’s mind is not simply was i n college,” explai ns Allen. “But as a you ng explains. “I decided to do that World Relays to regain or better the 13 .03 form that helped him man, I didn’t necessarily want to move to the event [where he anchored Team USA to the win win the last OT: “The goal for me is winning an East Coast when he got the head job at the Naval in the mixed shuttle hurdles], but my Achilles Olympic gold medal . If I run 13 .50 and still win Academy [in ‘17] ”. was bothering me there ”. a gold medal, I’ll be ecstatic . But running fast Instead, Allen returned to his high school He pulled out of two big meets in China, is probably No . 1 because that’s what’s going coach, Tim O’Neil, and trained in Phoenix. “He’s rehabbed, and then, “I decided to jumpstart my to get you through those rounds and give you also a great coach,” says Allen . “Just sometimes season again, four weeks from USAs . I went a chance to compete for that medal ”. things don’t really work out as well . I just wasn’t over to Europe and did a couple of meets, and With a touchy Achilles (“better than 90% running as fast as before . Obviously, there are was having Achilles issues again ”. now”) and the original Games dates a few tons of factors where it can be health related and More rehab . But he went to Des Moines months away, Allen admits, “I have more time stuff like that . But I thought going back to what anyway, and amazingly, made the World Cham- to be healthy and train . It is probably the best I was doing when I was running well would pionship team . “Luckily, I skinned by—by a case for me . If the Olympics were this year give me a good chance to run fast ”. hundredth of a second . Then I was able to take anyways, I think I would have been ready . But So after Allen shut his indoor season down another rest . After that, I was trying to get it doesn’t hurt me to have another 18 months . with nagging Achilles issues, he made the de- healthy again, get back into training . It happens “I’m just excited for the time to come, with cision to move in February . Then COVID-19 hit to lots of athletes . It’s not always who’s fastest the Olympics coming up in 2021 . This gives ev- the headlines: “I decided maybe I should just and the best, it’s who can stay healthy and erybody a chance to restart and be reenergized . wait . And it became a thing where I was like, manage the season when it counts ”. This Olympics, I think, will be one of the biggest ‘OK, I’m waiting forever now . I may as well just The whole season was peaks and valleys, a and most anticipated ever ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 16 Freddie Crittenden Ready To Be In The Mix

ligaments ”. He still managed to place 4th at the After slipping into the World NCAA, and at the Olympic Trials, he advanced Rankings the last 2 seasons, to the semis, finishing 5th. As a senior in ’17, after another Indoor 2nd, Freddie Crittenden was he pulled a hamstring at Regionals and didn’t KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT pointing for bigger finish. So much for hitting the ground running things this year. as a pro . But Crittenden wasn’t done: “It took a lot of motivation and dedication to the craft . Just focusing on things that I love about the sport . I had to suppress all the comparisons that I had of myself and other athletes . I had to just focus on myself and keep developing, keep grinding, and have hope and faith that at the end everything will work out . “Tony Campbell was the only agent who called me . He gave me a chance . Same thing with my coaches and family and friends . They’ll push me to keep going and they know this is something I’m passionate about ”. Financially it’s not always easy, as major shoe sponsorships don’t trickle very far down the U .S . Rankings . “In the past couple of years,” he says, “I’ve done all right in terms of just getting prize money, but for sure before that I’ve had to get other jobs . I worked at GameStop for a few months . I’ve subbed a bit—substitute teaching, by Jeff Hollobaugh T h e C r itte nde n fa m i ly move d to Ut ic a, M ic h - because it’s flexible. igan, for his last two prep years . There Freddie “You definitely have to find a way to figure met coach Roger White, a masseur who has been it out without the shoe contracts . You’ve got to “THIS COULD HAVE BEEN the year, you on USATF staffs. A bond was formed: “He was keep the train rolling so you can be ready when know ”. a great coach . He took me under his wing at the time comes. So yeah, definitely difficult, but Freddie Crittenden is not wrong . The the start because he was new to coaching too . you gotta do what you gotta do when you love hurdler who only won one high school State We worked together and did our best to make something ”. title outdoors—and who never won an NCAA something happen ”. Now C r itte nde n i s h e lpi ng c o ac h at P ho e n i x ’s crown—came knocking on the international The magic moment came when White sug- Brophy Prep, where he trains . He’s part of the door in ’19, hard . gested the 11th-grader switch lead legs . “When I Phoenix TC group that was originally brought After skimming the barriers in a PR 13 . 27 and switched to the left leg, it made everything easier together by Devon Allen: fellow Syracuse alum earning No . 9 in the World Rankings during his somehow,” Crittenden explains. “Everything just Jarret Eaton, as well as Canada’s Johnathan first full pro season in ’18, last year the Syracuse started clicking into place ”. Cabral (13 34),. Britain’s David King (13 48). and alum put together another solid campaign, plac- He then burst into national prominence as Australia’s Nick Andrews (13 76). . ing 4th at USATF, winning silver at the Pan-Ams a senior, crushing a nation-leading 7 72. to win Coaching them is Tim O’Neil, who guided a nd bl itz i ng a PR 13.17 at t h e Pa r i s DL . C r itte nde n the New Balance Indoor 60H . “Out of nowhere; Allen in high school and for two years as a pro . finished 3rd in that race behind Daniel Roberts nobody knew who I was,” he says . “That got me W h i le t h e 2 5 -ye a r- old C r itte nde n i s e xc it e d a b o ut and Orlando Ortega, and ahead of Euro champ a lot of looks for a short period . Then I got hurt how training has been going, he admits that Pascal Martinot-Lagarde, soon-to-be World after indoors .” the C19 pandemic has turned it into a struggle . champ Grant Holloway, Asian champ Wenjun Syracuse, though, stayed interested, even “They kicked us off the track because they Xie and ’15 World champ Sergey Shubenkov . though Crittenden’s best time over the 110s was shut the whole campus down,” he says . “We’ve Very much in the mix, in other words. just 14 .36 (plus a windy 14 .10) . Speed coach Dave had to take a step back and rationalize what’s “I was extremely happy with my season,” Hegland had guided Jarrett Eaton to the ’12 the best option… If there aren’t any meets, you says the No . 10-rated hurdler on the planet . “I’ve NCAA Indoor title the year before . On his visit, know, should we be trying other ways to make always been the kind of athlete that’s been kind Crittenden ran into Eaton in the track office: “He money, should we be planning something else, of right there and I was super-consistent all of last said, ‘I look forward to seeing you in the fall,’ or just staying away from each other? year from the beginning all the way through to and I was like, ‘Well, I’ll be there in the fall ’”. “This is weird, but the only thing we’re trying the end, so when I finally got the breakthrough, Bac k t hen Cr ittenden wa s Eaton’s awest r uc k fa n; to do right now is maintaining fitness. Go to the I was extremely pleased.” today they’re roommates . park, run around, do some 300s, do some grass It all started at McCluer North High (Floris- At Sy rac u s e C r itte nde n eve nt u a l ly deve lop e d runs, in case something down the road pops up . sant, Missouri) . After a 9th-grade season spent as into one of the nation’s top collegians . As both a We have to reevaluate every couple of weeks as a 400 guy, he was tested over the barriers: “I didn’t junior and senior he forged runner-up finishes things develop ”. know what I was doing . I kinda went after it and at the NCAA Indoor . “I always had a lot of good Crittenden fully intends to be in the mix I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I’m pretty decent at it.’” training, a lot of good consistency,” he says . “And when the sport returns to normal, saying, “I With his full-lap-dashing background, he then something random would pop up ”. was hoping this would be the year that I could focused on the 300H, where he finished 5th at In the ’16 East Regional, finishing his fastest solidify my name in the big picture . The goal State in 39 17. that season . The highs were cov- outdoor race ever—a barely windy 13 43—he. doesn’t change; it’s just gonna postpone . So come ered by teammate Aaron Mallett, who went on explains, “I tried to lean a little too hard and 2021 when the Olympic Trials are here, I’m going to become a Big 10 champ at Iowa and won the started stumbling . I planted one of my legs to have that same mentality, that same tenacity, USATF Indoor this winter . and hyper-extended my knee and tore some the same grit, the same plan ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 17 Jarret Eaton Still Has The Fire

who are indoor specialists and I hate for that term to be applied to my name . I just haven’t figured out that last piece of the puzzle ”. VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN The puzzle is what brought Eaton to Phoenix in February, where he now rooms with fellow Syracuse grad Freddie Crittenden and trains with coach Tim O’Neil . “Freddie sent the invite to me and I looked at it and said, this is probably the best move that I could make if I’m really trying to give myself an honest go at making this Olympic team . “He’s had good success with all of his athletes really finishing strong at the end of the race,” says Eaton of O’Neil . “I think everybody’s going to be in for a huge surprise next year . We’re going to shock the world in some sense ”. For most of his pro career, Eaton has not had a major sponsor . “You have to be more creative in finding support Even in trying times, there’s no quit in hurdler Jarret Eaton. for your whole journey,” he explains. “You have an extra for me,” he says . “It was like choosing, ‘Which hurdle to overcome and it’s definitely possible by Jeff Hollobaugh lung do you want to lose?’” But he improved, in to do it ”. ’10 winning the Big East title . After a redshirt The ongoing cancellation of this outdoor year, he came back big in ’12, fulfilling the season, says Eaton, “Definitely puts a mon- HURDLING IS HARD . Hurdling for a living prophecy by becoming the first Orange athlete key wrench into things ”. He had his finances is even harder . Jarret Eaton doesn’t hesitate in ad- ever to win an NCAA individual title, hurdling planned around earning some money from mitting: “Yeah, I seriously considered quitting .” 7 54. indoors . Outdoors he improved to 13 44. racing . “I really wasn’t planning on not having More than once . and finished 6th . income for the entire summer . It’s kind of hard In ’15, when his coach moved across the It would take him several years as a pro to to get a job right now with everything kind of country and left him behind; in ’18, when an- start breaking through, which happened in the shutting down . I definitely need to be getting other coach had a heart attack . ’15 campaign, when he placed 2nd at the USATF a job in the summer and save up so that I can “There was another time too,” he says, “I Indoor and ran a best of 13.41 out. The next year focus on track ”. thought, ‘I’m done with this financially ’. It just solidified his credentials, as he won the USA He laughs when he notes the financial dis- weighs a lot on you and it’s mentally tough . You Indoor and placing 4th at the World Indoor . parities he sees in the track world . “It’s weird just keep getting beat up and going through all Outdoors, he improved to 13 .25 . “It was a huge to watch other athletes build their own home those things . It takes a lot, but that’s when your relief to see that I was able to go through some gyms in their garages and their houses that they support team steps in and helps you evaluate mental barriers I had at the time and walk out own, and I’m trying to get by in a swimming what you’re actually feeling . And if you still of a track meet with a PR,” he says . “It was a pool and a grass field at my apartment complex. have that fire, that desire, then it’ll happen ”. motivating year ”. A few weeks later, he placed It seems like a disadvantage, but it’s something Now in his eighth year of running as a pro, 6th at the Olympic Trials in 13 .30 . that I’m used to . It’s something that I know I’m at 30 Eaton still has that fire . And he can look In ’18, his indoor successes continued with going to have to overcome . It just comes with back on a career of reaching to the next level another national title and a World silver . “It was the territory ”. when other athletes might have bowed out . the culmination of hard work and grit . There’s As for the postponed Olympic year, Eaton At Abington High in ’07, he set bests of a little bit of disappointment that I couldn’t get says, “Personally, it’s a blessing in disguise . It 14 11/14. 03w. and 37 28. and won both events at gold, but I was just satisfied to put it all on the was going to be a very difficult task getting ready the Pennsylvania 3A meet . Not bluechip mate- line and let the world know who I am: I’m still for the Olympic Trials if they were to happen rial, but solid enough to go on to nearby West here, I’m still alive and I’m still kickin’ ”. this June . Having it all pushed back means that Chester University, where he played football and For Eaton, do indoor titles translate to I have more time with my coach and more time in track placed 3rd in Div . II indoors and out . outdoor success? “It’s true, I’ve had more suc- under his system and that’s a good thing ”. That caught the attention of coach Dave cess indoors than I have outdoors . I’m a guy He knows it won’t come easily, but he plans Hegland at Syracuse . “He drove down to Philly who loves to race and I love the atmosphere of to be ready: “I’ve learned about perseverance and we sat down at a Starbucks,” recalls Eaton indoors . It’s really personal . But I don’t think and staying the course and it’s more than just of his decision to transfer . “He said, ‘I believe it’s a physical thing where my limit is indoors . being patient . It’s also actively working towards you can be an NCAA champion .’ And I believed I just require a little bit of extra fine tuning to something while being patient . Some doors in him . We worked every year toward that ”. get to the outdoor season . won’t open for you . You have to literally create Eaton gave up football . “It was really hard “Historically there have been some athletes a door to go through ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 18 Focus On The U.S. Women’s 1500 Scene KEVIN MORRIS

In last year’s USATF Championships, Shelby Houlihan kicked by Jenny Simpson and the rest of the field to take the win.

by Sieg Lindstrom out . The message to their countrywomen is millennium . Her 3:56 .29 PR from ’15 is still the “Yes, you can ”. No. 2 all-t ime U.S. clock i ng. At 35 a nd w it h first- As you read on, don’t miss the links to in- rate 5000 accomplishments, we are more likely dividual profiles on 8 of the stars. to see her emphasize the longer distance in the TOKYO IS DELAYED and nothing about ’21 Olympics season, but don’t write the Rio the world or the sport is normal these days, yet 4th-place finisher off this page entirely. an inescapably heartening state of affairs holds The Towering 3 “The one achievement I haven’t had in my true: This is a red-letter time for the women’s All players on the international stage in career is an Olympic medal,” Rowbury says . 1500 from a U .S . point of view . By a number of championships and Diamond League settings, “Is that realistic at 35, 36? I don’t know, but my measures the picture with regard to extent and Shelby Houlihan, Shannon Rowbury and Jenny fitness is coming along well.” depth of talent has never before been so rosy . Simpson have set the standard others strive to The athlete who has an Olympic medal Consider for one indicator the clock: last year meet . They account for all the World Rankings (bronze in Rio) is Simpson, now 33 . She has also Alexa Efraimson had to run 4:04.06 to make the earned by U .S . women back through ’11 . In 2010 mined World Champs gold, at Daegu in ’11 (not Top 10 on the U .S . list . That was unprecedented since-retired Christin Wurth-Thomas was the to mention silvers in ’13 & ’17) . Owner of a 3:57 . 22 depth . The times for that same spot going back last from outside this group to earn a world best from ’14, at 33 she has her sights set as high in time look like this: ’18–4:06 04;. ’17–4:05 30;. top 10 spot . as ever . “I trust my team, as I lean on them a ’16–4:06 .33; ’15–4:04 .50; ’14–4:06 16;. ’13–4:05 .89; Houlihan, 27, set the American Record with lot over the next year, will help me be ready at ’12–4:07 .23; ’11–4:08 .09; ’10–4:09 .22; ’09—4:09 .52; her 3:54 .99 to place 4th at last year’s speedy World the right moments every year; especially 2021,” ’08–4:07 . 87 . We’ll stop there . In ’07 Erin Donohue Championships . In all but one of the meet’s 17 Simpson says . led the national list at 4:05 .55 . previous editions—’87 when doping controls No true devotee of women’s metric miling were, let’s say, different—that time would have won’t know that the ’19 USATF final was the been good for runaway gold . In her breakout Milers Riding Hot Streaks fastest ever for depth, as 5 raced under 4:04, 6 season of ’18 Houlihan rated No . 1 in the world . Don’t miss the profiles in this issue of four under 4:05 and 7 faster than 4:06 . “I gotta get a little faster. I’m proud but I’m defi- ’19 U.S. Rankers who finished in the thick of the The shelves of the American cupboard are n it e ly not tot a l ly s at i sfie d,” Ho u l i h a n t e l l s T& FN. Nationals final—or in the case of Elle Purrier, stocked with two active competitors who have A U . S . Rankings presence since ’06, Rowbury raced to an indoor mile AR over the winter . Olympic or World Champs medals plus an AR raced to bronze at the ’09 World Championships Follow the links to read about Nikki Hiltz (No. holder with 4ths in Worlds 1500s indoors and in Berlin, the U.S.’s first global medalist of the 3 Ranker, 25 years old as this goes to press), Kate

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 19 Grace (No . 4, 31), Sinclaire Johnson (No . 5, 22), Hickey, her prep mentor, she turned a 4:24 82. 4:00 94. best dates from ’13 . Shannon Osika (No . 6, 26) and Purrier (No . 8, 25) . mile in ’18, worth 4:05 .21 for 1500 . Karisa Nelson, 23. Last year marked the arrival of the then-Samford senior at a new level . She placed 2nd in the NCAA Indoor Last Year’s Other U.S. Others In The Mix mile . She could not advance from the outdoor Rankers Dani Jones, 23. The NCAA Indoor 3000 NCAA semis, but in the weeks thereafter PRed champ in ’17 for Colorado, Jones was run- three times, with her 4:06 14. best coming in the No. 7: Rachel Schneider, 28. A runner in ner-up in the NCAA Indoor mile in ’18 and USATF final (8th). coach Mike Smith’s Team Run Flagstaff cadre, won the NCAA cross country that fall . Could Sara Vaughn, 34. She flipped the formchart the Georgetown grad is another who may end be 5000-bound, as she won that event at the ’19 to place 3rd and make the ’17 World Champion- up 5000-focused in ’21 . Last year she dropped NCAA . At 1500 she PRed with 4:07 .28 last year, ships team (10th in her semi) after giving birth her best to 15:06 71. and placed 4th at USATF at and one can’t help but assume Jones will have to her third child . Now she has four kids and the longer distance, earning a World Champs more to show as a miler now that she has turned intends to defy mother time and the predictions berth . But en route to a 4:20 .91 mile time at the ’19 pro and joined coach Joe Bosshard’s group in once again . Knocked out her 4:04 56. PR in her Monaco DL, she passed 1500 in 4:02 . 26 . Schneider Boulder . Placed 5th in the ’18 USATF 1500 . London WC heat, rises up when it counts . took 4th in the ’18 USATF 1500 . Lauren Johnson, 33. The BAA’s metric miler No. 9: Heather MacLean, 24. Claimed her set the stage in Des Moines last July with fearless PR, 4:04 27,. placing 7th at USATF last July and early frontrunning . Though she wound up 12th, The Rest Of The Picture then nearly matched that (4:05 .29) indoors over she was 4th in ’17 and has a best of 4:04 17. . When the final field is set for next summer’s the winter . Stepping up as one to watch since Katie Mackey, 32. Earned a USATF 4th in Olympic Trials, anything could happen . Cham- finishing her eligibility at UMass–Amherst in ’14, 10th last year . Has a 4:03 .81 best from ’15 yet pionships 1500s are anything but predictable . ’18 and joining coach Mark Coogan’s Team New opted for the 5000 at the ’16 OT and raced to 8th It’s a near sure thing, however, that Shelby Balance Boston group . in the ’18 World Indoor 3000 . Houlihan—a là Steve Ovett in his prime—will No. 10: Alexa Efraimson, 23. Having turned Brenda Martinez, 32. An emergency appen- finish like the dickens from wherever she feels pro and sponsored by Nike since ’14 after her dectomy in ’19 scuppered any chance for the vet like . In a Trials scenario, where top-3 placings junior year at Washington’s Camas High, she to show her stuff in Des Moines. Still, she knows count as victories of a kind, expect honest pacing medaled (bronze) at the Pan-Am Games last how to reach podiums: the 800 silver medalist but no audacious blasting for the win out the gate . summer behind winner Hiltz. Claimed a 5th at at the ’13 World Champs, she also placed 3rd in And won’t it be fun to watch? Sure feels that the ’14 World Juniors, 6th in ’16 . Coached by Mike the ’16 OT 1500 and got to the Rio semis . Her way right now . JEFF COHEN

Veteran Brenda Martinez missed almost all of the ’19 season after an appendectomy.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 20 Shelby Houlihan’s Afterburners Ready To Be Lit Again MIKE SCOTT

After regularly outkicking her U.S. rivals Shelby Houlihan is ready to unleash big stuff against the international set.

That thar’s a full toolbox. “I ran the 15 in Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan front-ran all pros- by Sieg Lindstrom college pretty much the whole time,” Houlihan pects of a kicker’s race into oblivion . Houlihan, says of her evolution . “I was able to win an formcharted for a medal, came tantalizingly NCAA title [’14]. I think my first year pro I kind close as her 3:54 99. for 4th in one of the event’s “WE BECOME WHAT WE BEHOLD . We of switched over to the 5K . I had some work to all-time great races cut 1 .30 from Shannon Row- shape our tools and then our tools shape us ”. do just building that aerobic base more . I always bury’s American Record . Case in point, Shelby Houlihan, 1500 Amer- had that seed and I always had a kick at the end “That was a bittersweet race, obviously,” ican Record holder, the Bowerman TC’s Rio of races if it was slow enough . Houlihan says . “I felt like I was the most pre- Olympics 5000 finalist who stepped down to the “But it was like my struggle was being pared that I had ever been going into a World 1500 in ’18 and has rated No . 1 among Americans aerobically strong enough to be able to have Championship or that type of championship in the metric mile the past two seasons . The my kick off of fast paces. That wasn’t ever able race. And I was super-confident and I kind of quote is often attributed to media critic Marshall to click just because I had some catching up to had that mindset of, ‘I don’t care what happens, McLuhan although evidence suggests the words do in terms of that . I never really ran a lot of I’m gonna walk away with a medal here . I’m in may have originated with a colleague . mileage in high school and I was really, really great shape . I think I’m in around 3:54 shape ’. No matter. The spike fits Houlihan, 27, who slow to build that in college just ’cause I was “And I did that, which was awesome . To be took her 1500 pedigree from her college career more focused on not getting hurt.” able to string together everything and know at Arizona State, steeped it for three seasons in Houlihan cites as her game-changing mo- that you’re in this type of shape and actually Bowerman coach Jerry Schumacher’s endur- ment the 2018 Pre Classic, “my first big win and go out and do it, that’s an achievement in itself . ance-building program and emerged as the No . t he fi r st t i me I br oke 4:0 0 [3:59.0 6],” out spr i nt i ng But yeah, I kinda just went into that race very 1 World Ranker for ’18 with a blinding finish World Indoor silver medalist Laura Muir and confident. I was like, ‘If I’m in 3:54 shape, there’s befitt i ng her prep h istor y as a n Iowa state c ham- Jenny Simpson . At that year’s outdoor Nationals no way I don’t medal .’ You know, statistically or pion in the 400 and 4×4 (plus 800 and 1500) . Yet Ho u l i h a n bl a s t e d h e r fi n a l c i r c u it i n 57.6 6. At l a s t historically, in races that should medal ”. she has also successfully doubled at the USATF summer’s World Champs Trials she waited till When Hassan, winner of the 10,000 just a Champs in the 1500 and 5000 the past two years, the last backstretch before bolting yet still pulled week earlier, punched the accelerator just 300m dropped the American Record in the 12½-lapper off a fastest-in-the-field 60.59 closing circuit. into the race, “I was actually surprised that she to 14:34 .45 and prevailed at the ’19 USATF Cross Few will forget how the World Champi- did take it just because she had done so many Country over 10K . onships final 9 weeks later in Doha went. The races up to that point,” Houlihan admits . “But it

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 21 didn’t feel super uncomfortable up until maybe moved to No . 2 on the absolute (indoors or out) group . Just us and our watches and then we 300 to go. I was trying to kind of find some gears U . S . all-time list in the 3000 with an 8:26 .66 clock- send Jerry our splits . He just said he has to trust and that last finishing kick and it wasn’t really ing behind training mate Karissa Schweizer . us that we’ll run the right paces and we don’t there . I was like, ‘Oh, I guess I don’t have a kick On the topic of doubling Houlihan is clear . always run the right paces ”. this time,’ and just trying to hold on and try to She intends to run both the 1500 and 5000 at the How far ahead of the coach’s program do reel in some people. I ended up having to settle Oly mpic Tr ia ls next year even t hough t he Tokyo the women get? On the day we spoke for this for 4th but it was still good for an American Re- Games schedule precludes serious consideration article, Houlihan admitted, “We ran about 10 cord . So I mean that was one of my goals for that of racing both there . seconds too fast on our last mile, but I’m sure year, to get that 1500 American Record . So I was Ever since orders to shelter in place came it’ll be fine.” happy to be able to at least walk away with that .” down in March, Houlihan says, “We’re kind of And what does 10 seconds too fast mean? Let the splits show, too, that Houlihan was just trying to treat this season as normally as “Like a 4:34 mile,” she says . “It wasn’t supposed hardly left flat-footed. Her 61.82 last lap was the possible . Obviously we don’t race a ton [in normal to be that fast ”. fourth-fastest of anyone’s and her 16.07 final 100 seasons], so it’s not that different than normal. Off the track, Houlihan has waxed creative stacked up as swiftest in the field. The only difference, I guess, is we don’t really with filling time as many of us have since Over and above her record achievement on know . When are we supposed to be peaking? mid-March . “I have kind of started trying new the clock and adding an outdoor Worlds 4th-place And we don’t have races to necessarily look cooking recipes, just finding random recipes on showing to her World Indoor 4th (and 3000 5th) forward to . But I think we’re kind of just gonna Instagram and by buying some new cookbooks,” from ’18, Houlihan added some psychological make do with what we have and if opportunities she says . “I feel like I can get into a routine of armor to her toolkit . come about then we’ll be ready for those . But making the same things over and over again “ Ye a h , no t b e i ng a ble to me d a l wa s defi n it e ly if they don’t, then I think we’re gonna maybe each week, and so I’m trying to branch out . hard,” she says. “I was just kind of expecting it do our own little time trials as a group. ’Cause I’m going to try homemade gnocchi tonight, so of myself to be able to go out and do that and I feel like we have enough athletes on our team that’s gonna be interesting . I made homemade wasn’t going to take no for an answer, which is, that are high enough caliber to still feel that, do fettuccine noodles less last week, which was fun. I think, what I need to have in those types of those hard-hit time trials ”. I’m just kinda trying to learn how to have some races . And I think that was a good step mentally One imagines those runs against the clock more good meals in my cycle of meals . for me . I’ve just got to keep carrying that over will be hammerin’ fast by the standards of most . “And outside of that I’ve been playing a into the Olympic year, I guess next year, and Even in April Houlihan was hard after it on the lot of video games ”. Mostly Call of Duty with continuing that . But I thought that was a good track with small groups of clubmates . boyfriend Matthew Centrowitz. “It’s been kind step and I’m just gonna keep putting my head “My little group is Colleen [Quigley] and of fun, actually,” she says . “I don’t feel the need down and training harder and obviously 3:54 Karissa and we’ll just meet on workout days to have that strict 10:00 PM bedtime, wake up isn’t fast enough so I gotta get a little faster. I’m and do the workouts together,” Houlihan says . at 7:00 AM . I don’t really feel like I need to be proud but I’m definitely not totally satisfied.” “It would be a little harder to get t hese workouts that regimented . So I’m kind of going to bed at Before the pandemic locked down the done alone cause we’re still doing some hard- midnight or 2:00 AM and sleeping in . I’m trying Olympic campaign, Houlihan authored a highly hit workouts . But we try to be conscious of if to be as relaxed as possible.” productive indoor season in February, winning there are other people on the track, the whole In her off hours, anyway. Until it’s time to a fourth straight 1500/3000 (or mile/2M) double social-distancing thing . But we’ve tried to limit race again and turn on those trademark after- at the USATF Indoor . At that month’s end she our exposure to other people to just our workout burners .

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Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 22 Dog Days For Jenny Simpson VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN

A morale booster at home is helping Jenny Simpson cope with the pandemic.

by Sieg Lindstrom household’s morale . lose those 5K skills and maybe during the past Says Simpson, “The whole reason we set few years I’ve let that ability slip a little . So I up the Instagram was just to give something used the time from Doha to the February race WITH WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN a high- fun and happy for people to see every day . So at BU to sharpen them up again ”. gear leadup to a run at a repeat on the Olympic I post a picture of him every day ”. By Doha, of course, Simpson means the podium currently shifted to neutral as for ev- With competition sadly impossible for the World Championships last fall, where her 8th- ery miler, Jenny Simpson is riding puppy love moment, Simpson is on record with a creative place finish saw her off the 1500 podium for just through the uncertainty of the coronavirus pan- suggestion: “My fantasy commemoration would the second time in the last 5 Worlds (see sidebar) . demic . Her new special ingredient as she stays be if we could have the Drake Bulldog and Tru- At the ’11 edition of the global championships, safe and sane at her Colorado home, sheltering in man have a socially-distanced race on the track .” don’t forget, she won gold . place with husband Jason and her sister-in-law The field for Simpson’s fantasy race, Spike Simpson achieved plenty to be proud of in Annie is hardly a secret . It’s Truman . (l) and Truman (r) . (Truman photo via Jenny Qatar, though, and now in world-class season Truman is a 5-month-old maybe-Jack Russell Simpson) No . 14 she knows to keep all years in proper pup the Simpson’s adopted through Mother Gaia Indoors in February Simpson got her own perspective . Simpson’s 3:58 42. Doha clock- Animal Rescue around the beginning of April, racing year off to a start with a pair of wins at ing—in her 10th WC/OG appearance—was her and he’s famous . The New York Times ran a fea- longer distances—first an 8:51 49. in the Camel fastest 1500 since ’16, the year in which she won ture on the irresistibly cute canine in April and City Invitational 3000 and next, 6 days later in bronze in Rio . his Instagram account, thehairytrumanshow, Boston, a 14:58 67. indoor 5000 PR in just her “I have had so many seasons over the years has more than 2100 followers . third outing at the distance since ’13 . that looked so different from one to the other,” “He’s super cute and he’s super nice,” Simp- “Great question,” the former steeplechase she says . “I’ve also had years that went perfectly son told viewers on a Drake Relays Instagram star says when asked if a step up in racing dis- to plan and others that went way off the rails stream during what would have been the baton tance is on the cards . “My heart and head are and still ended with some magic . Highs and festival’s showtime week. “Except every—I still 100% with the 1500 . I have always worked lows are part of the deal . What I have learned don’t know—once a week he wakes up with a hard to be good at a range of events . However, over the years and what 2019 again confirmed little flame in his eye, just a little devil about the past few years required intense focus on very is that I have the best team in the world for once a week . But other than that he’s really specific 1500-meter work as the competition only getting Jenny Simpson to a WC final . good ”. And better than that for the Simpson gets tougher in that event . But it’s not good to “My husband, my coaches [Colorado’s

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 23 Mark Wetmore and Heather Burroughs], and the support staff I lean on at CU and the U S. . Olympic Training Center are incredible . We can Jenny Simpson’s Sterling Big-Meet Record face and conquer any challenge and we have impeccable timing . At 33 years old we got to The podium has been a familiar place on which to find Jenny Simpson at major champi- the WC final and ran close to a lifetime best . I onships . Here’s her outdoor big-meet placings since her frosh year at Colorado (noting trust my team, as I lean on them a lot over the that indoors she also has 1 NCAA and 2 USATF 3000 titles on her résumé): next year, will help me be ready at the right moments every year; especially 2021 ”. NCAA USATF WC OG Simpson is emphatic about that . “I go into ’06 1/Steeple — — — every season and every championship as if it was a new beginning,” she says . “I don’t drag ’07 7/Steeple 1/Steeple 7h/Steeple — in baggage from the past as I also don’t prop myself up with accomplishments of old . Each ’08 1/Steeple 3/Steeple — 9/Steeple year is its own mountain to climb . ’09 1/Steeple 1/Steeple 4/Steeple — “2019, in so many ways, was a very chal- lenging mountain with new and treacherous ’10 — 3/5000 — — terrain . I didn’t medal and if that was the only measurement of success I would have left feeling ’11 — 2/1500 1/1500 — disappointed . But I left feeling great about the ’12 — 3/1500 — 12sf/1500 collection of three races I ran (tactically and on time); 3:58 in the final knowing I have a team ’13 — 1/5000 2/1500 — and work ethic I’m proud of . I’m not giving up on medals, not by a long shot and yet, the medals ’14 — 1/1500 — — are precious because they are so hard to win ”. ’15 — 1/1500 11/1500 — With open questions about ’20 meets the persistent reality, though, Simpson says, “I feel ’16 — 1/1500 — 3/1500 like I’m circling in a kind of holding pattern in regard to training . There’s too much uncertainty ’17 — 1/1500 2/1500 — to set my sights on a near-future race and I don’t ’18 — 2/1500 — — wa nt to b e to a s t n e x t ye a r f r om ove r t ra i n i ng. S o I’m taking this time to enjoy my time running, ’19 — 2/1500 8/1500 — hit the trails, and let a few other projects into my life that I would never have the margin for during a typical racing season . “I’m also trying to enjoy, as best I can, a she puts into it—is the Rising New York parent that has a kid at home and they need break from competition . I haven’t had a full Road Runners’ Active At Home program . As some stuff to do, they can go on to activeathome . summer of racing without a break since my first she explained on her Drake Relays check-in, nyrr .org and I lead basically PE class inside your World Championships in 2007 . It’s been a long “There’s so many young kids—especially el- living room . So kids can come and it’s totally stretch with a lot of moments I’m so grateful ementary, middle and high school—who are free . You just log on, you click on the links and for . A summer without racing is entirely new stuck indoors right now or just not able to go you can do a physical education class with me to me . I’m trying to appreciate it in some ways to PE class or go to track club and things like in my living room ”. and be grateful for a situation I don’t have a that . No after-school programs, no gathering .” Who among us would bet against a Truman lot of control over anyway ”. In collaboration with the NYRR, Simpson is appearance? Or against Simpson’s being in the One Project for which Simpson has time addressing that virtually . thick of it when the Olympic chase resumes these days—and passion beyond the hours “If you are a kid at school, if you know a in earnest?

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Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 24 Shannon Rowbury’s Final Games: 1500 Or 5000?

the direction of the 5000, by no means a new part of her racing repertoire . Her PR, 14:38 92,. was an American Record when she sped to it in Septem- ber of ’16, and Shelby

ERROL ANDERSON/THE SPORTING IMAGE ERROL ANDERSON/THE SPORTING Houlihan (14:34 .45) is the only American to have surpassed it yet . Rowbury has been U S. -Ranked. 4 times at 5K besides the No . 1 she rated in ’16, and she busted out a pair of sub-15:00 clockings at the ’17 World Championships in London—14:57 55. heat and 14:59 .92 for 9th in the final—to rank No . 1 again . Last year, though stymied in the spring by a sacral stress fracture as she rushed back from ma- ternity, Rowbury gutted out a 6th-place finish at the USATF Champs and a 15:05 .99 seasonal best in Berlin 5 weeks later . Currently mentored remotely by former Or- egon Project coach Pete Julian, Rowbury is mull- ing an event choice cal- culus for both this year and next that has been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic . With complication in this case comes more options and that’s not necessarily a bad thing . “The plan for this summer would probably Already a 3-time Olympian in the 1500, Shannon Rowbury might step up in distance for her swan song. be to do more 5Ks,” she says . “But to be good at the 5K, I need to be good by Sieg Lindstrom group currently projecting as contenders . She at the 15 . I was thinking I would try to run 15s and husband Pablo Solares welcomed daughter leading up to the Olympic Trials so I’d have Sienna in June of ’18 . had the standard in both and have the ability THE 1500 MAY NO LONGER BE her primary Motherhood has “added a lot of joy and to make that last-minute decision as to where event—although that decision’s not etched in perspective to my life,” Rowbury says, “but it my best odds would lie . stone—but any discussion of the U .S . players in definitely has complicated it as well . So I feel “But with the qualifying window being the metric mile has to include Shannon Rowbury, like I’m doing a good job. Totally excluding closed, there’s sort of more flexibility in terms she of 11 U .S . Rankings appearances since her having a child, training just as a 35-year-old of what we do this summer . I have my 5K stan- debut there in ’06: 10 in a row 2008–17 and 6 athlete has to look different than training as dard, which is great and really relieving, but No . 1s (’08, ’09, ’10, ’12, ’15 & ’16) . a 23-year-old athlete . It’s just your body has you can’t get a standard in anything else until Then there’s the Duke alum’s 1500 record at certain strengths . Like I’m better aerobically December . So I’ve done a lot of base-training the majors: a bronze at the ’09 World Champs now than I was before, but I don’t recover work . I skipped the indoor season thinking (plus a 7th in ’15), and in Olympic competition as quickly . And so I’ve already had to adjust that the Olympics would be this summer, and 7th in ’08 plus 4ths the last two times around training in some ways because of just where I because I wanted to put in a lot of steady weeks in London (after others’ doping DQs) and Rio . am in my training life . But you know, I feel like of higher-mileage, longer volume workouts, Now 35, Rowbury has been ensconced for all of those challenges can get more exaggerated with the understanding that if a 5K was going the last three years in her native San Francisco when you have a little child to care for . So it’s to be an event that I did, I needed more strength after 4 seasons training with the now-disbanded just taken a little bit more flexibility and the to get through the rounds . Nike Oregon Project in Portland . Were she to aim ability to adapt ”. “So with this shelter-in-place, and now this for a 1500 spot on Team USA’s Tokyo Olympic The not at all surprising shifts in athletic kind of delay of the season, first it just felt like team she would be the only mother among the aptitude Rowbury describes surely point in everything was on pause . Now I’ve been able

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 25 to kind of get back into that basework . I feel Solares, who clocked a Mexican Record 3:36.67 to use social media, influencer marketing, but like I’m really strong . So I think it’d be fun to for 1500 in ’09 . The time since Sienna’s birth has create a platform that better matches athletes do some 5Ks this summer and just see where required improvisation as Solares works a 9-to-5 and companies . We’re really trying to target the that fitness is . for the Mission Economic Development Agency, middle class of athletes and sort of the middle “And then I think Pete is leaning towards the a local non-profit providing particularly crucial class of companies, as well ”. 5K and I think I’m wrapping my head around assistance during the C19 crisis . The numbers involved aren’t track times but that . I really love the 1500 but if I can be fit “Before shelter in place, I was working with they are important . “Like $64 billion is spent enough to sustain the rounds of a 5K, then you the San Francisco State men’s team,” Rowbury annually in the sports marketing industry, know, I think I could also be a contender there, says . “So that has been really fun . Starting in which is humongous, but of that just half of a but it’s just a matter of, yeah—I know I’ve done it January I started working with that team as a percent goes to women,” Rowbury says . “So in the 15 . The question is can I put all the pieces volunteer assistant and they just were a really if we could even make 1% go to women, that together to do it in a 5K?” fun group of guys and really supportive and I would be a huge increase ”. For Rowbury heading into what she hopes was enjoying that team environment . Track & field’s professional aspect is at will be her fourth Olympics, the Games she has “During shelter-in-place . Pablo’s really been the forefront for Rowbury personally as this long planned as her last, moving home, starting a great at trying to step up where he can either season of the pandemic awaits a starting gun . family and buying a house has been a comfortable running with me or on the bike with me . Or “It’s exciting for me that now I have a year to decision—and one fully supported by Julian . even just being there physically to keep me kind of really have it all dialed in,” she says . “I wanted to be back home in San Francisco,” company . He doesn’t do my workout as much “Obviously this current moment is like all the she says . “I knew I always wanted to move back with me anymore ’cause his fitness just isn’t things I had set up are on pause, but at least I here and it was important for me to just be in what it was when he was still competing . But know I have something to fall into . The main a place that made me happy and where I felt he’s still very, very supportive and present on apprehension for me is that my current shoe supported and where I could put down roots . those sessions where I need him ”. contract ends at the end of December . And fortunately for me, Pete is a person who Rowbury is also sowing seeds off the track “So I’m excited that there’s hopefully going knows my work ethic, respects me, was fully on for her post-retirement life in her position as to be some races this summer, so I have an board with me moving back home, always knew senior director at Elite Optimization Services opportunity to show how much my fitness has I wanted to have a kid and had always said if (EOS), a program started by former USATF improved from last year and to show that I’m and when that happens, it’ll be great and we’ll board member Bill Shelton, the motto of which an athlete that is a contender, not just to make figure out how to make it happen . You know, is “transforming elite athletes into elite pro- the team but to medal next summer. ’Cause I how to make that work from a training and fessionals ”. think that I do have that as a possibility in my racing perspective, whatever it takes ”. EOS, Rowbury explains, is “getting ready future . But you know, being 35, postpartum After training in ’16 with Oregon Project to launch an online platform called Parity, the with an injury last year, I need to make sure I miler Treniere Clement through the Georgetown idea of which is to create more sponsorship get that new contract because I have a family alum’s retirement at the end of that season, opportunities for women . And so that’s been to support and I can’t continue to compete if I Rowbury was pulled through workouts in ’17 by r e a l ly c o ol a nd r e a l ly e xc it i ng ’c au s e we ’r e t r y i ng don’t have a sponsorship ”.

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Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 26 Elle Purrier Spending Her Spring At Home KEVIN MORRIS

She ran only a single mile during the indoor season, but Elle Purrier made the most of it, setting an AR at Millrose.

by Sieg Lindstrom “Training by myself is definitely challeng- missed all of these things going on on the farm ing and a little bit lonely . But I think I’ve made like every year since I’ve gone to college . So it’s the most of it ”. been kinda nice .” Though stressful at the same CALL IT A LONG, loooong weekend . Or At the moment, uncertainty is a prevailing time for farmers . “there’s no place like home ”. It’s the story of feature for Coogan’s New Balance Boston Elite “It’s really hard to think about right now,” miler Elle Purrier’s spring at her family’s dairy group . “We’re basically just kind of anticipating Purrier says . “There’ve been a lot of challenges farm in northern Vermont . Not at all what she there maybe being a smaller season this fall,” in the last few years for dairy farmers . The bargained for after knocking what for 38 years she says . “So we’re actually doing training prices are just awful and they were starting to had been Mary Slaney’s indoor mile American right now that I already did this past fall . We’re get better in January and February . And then Record down to 4:16 .85 at the Millrose Games . kind of just doing base stuff, just like to keep everything hit with the coronavirus, they’re The time was just 0 .14 off Slaney’s absolute AR . in shape, but not doing any workouts on the just really going to get hit even harder . They’re In what started as the Tokyo Olympic year, track and just doing more general tempo runs predicting really low prices . Purrier and coach Mark Coogan planned a and strength stuff ”. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about and buildup to the all-important Trials in June as On the farm the 25-year-old Purrier keeps talking about a lot lately, but it’s not the first any elite runner would . COVID-19, of course, moving even in the hours when she isn’t training . time either . So farmers know how to handle it . changed everything . “I help with chores at least once a day lately,” It’s just like it’s getting worse . So you know, if “Yeah, I’ve been here quite a few weeks she says . “So I’ve been milking and obviously you can get through this, then I think you can since March,” says the ’18 New Hampshire grad . you have to feed the cows every day and scrape get through anything . But luckily my farm is “Here” is the region just south of the Canadian and, I don’t know, there’s always little jobs to do relatively small so we don’t have a lot of debts . border where her family—as well as the family around outside . We built some fence the other So just kind of holding on and waiting it out . But of fiancé Jamie St . Pierre—operate dairy farms . day ’cause they’re getting ready to put the cows it’s been really nice to spend time with my dad “I came home for like the weekend . Then we back out . Luckily it’s been a pretty warm spring and the cows . You know, it’s kind of therapeutic decided we weren’t going to practice together so I feel like we’ve been able to get some of the when you don’t think about how much you’re so I’ve basically just been here since . It’s been spring jobs done a little bit earlier . not getting paid to work there? But, you know, pretty nice, honestly, just to be able to see my “And last year, this time I was all the way it is what it is ”. family and be at the barn and everything . I’m out in Flagstaff [training at altitude] . It’s kind Even in tough times, Purrier, her family and able to get outside and not feel cooped up like of crazy ’cause I haven’t been around, April St . Pierre are helping others as she revealed on I’m sure a lot of people do in the city . is always a pretty busy month for me . So I’ve Instagram the first week in May: “FREE MILK

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 27 (until supplies last)!!! Tomorrow from 12pm- done . So I’m responsible for what I need to do . well . You know, making the final was difficult . 3pm Pleasant Valley Farms and other sponsors “He’s obviously giving me my training, “I was the last person to make the final and welcome community members to drive up and but everything’s kind of the same every week . then after that I was like, ‘You know, what do I get free milk… 4000 gallons will be split up We have a pretty solid schedule, a weekly have to lose?’ So I just gave it everything I had between the two locations . schedule . So that’s really nice . Right now, for and I really just thought about the pace that I “We ask that people please respect CDC example, just being here, I know what to do needed to run . Obviously I wasn’t in the front social distancing protocols by staying in your even if like he didn’t text me other than on a pack and I knew that I wasn’t really there yet . cars while milk is placed in your trunk ”. workout day . But I feel really fortunate at how I can work to be there, but I just kinda thought “We are all in this together!!! Vermont Dairy laid back but also really supportive he is . He’s about the pace that I knew I could run . So I tried cares . I’ll see you there ”. always keeping that family vibe on the team . to sit on that and then luckily there were other Coach Coogan—a marathon Olympian in So that’s really nice ”. girls around me, so that helped to get that PR .” ’96 who put up world-class times in the mile Coogan’s group also has a literal family While a 1500/5000 Olympic Trials double through the long road race—has praised Purrier component in that Purrier training mate Katrina looks doable next year, Purrier won’t contem- for her no-drama work ethic and toughness . Coogan is the coach’s daughter . plate that unless she opts for the 1500, misses She sends the respect back to the mentor who Though she may be an American Record out on a team spot and grabs for the 5K ring coached her on to the World Championships holder and past NCAA Indoor champion in as backup . team in the 5000 last year and to a 14:58 17. PR the mile, as Purrier thinks about the 1500 and “With so much time [until June of ’21], in the Doha final, in which she placed 11th . next year’s Olympic Trials, she has to keep the there’s not a lot of pressure to choose that yet,” “Everything’s been going so well,” Purrier 5000 in mind, as well . Racing to a sub-15:00 she says . “We’ll just see how my training goes says . “I’ve only been with him for almost 2 years PR in her first World Championships final in this year, and how I’m racing next spring and now, but I think from the start I liked Mark’s October of all months—that has to make her everything ”. coaching philosophy—just in that he really think long and hard . Lest you wonder where her heart lies, Purr- believes in his athletes and I think having that “Well, I really wanted to break 15:00 for ier admits, “I definitely have more fun with the extra level of confidence from him gives me a while, so that was amazing,” she says . “But 1500 and the mile . That’s what I would prefer more confidence . So I think that that’s been just going to Doha, I never thought I would to do, but I kind of just do what Mark tells me a huge benefit to my training and racing . But go there and so I never would have imagined to do . So, you know…” Rather than finish the he’s just super-chill . He’ll give me what to do, that . But it was pretty special to be a part of a sentence, Purrier breaks into a chuckle . Ask but he knows that I’m going to get my work world championship race and then to also do her again in a year .

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Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 28 Miler Nikki Hiltz’s Breakthrough Year KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

Nikki Hiltz kicked off her ’19 season in the 1500 with a PR win at the USATF Distance Classic.

by Sieg Lindstrom of checked all my boxes. I was really excited to Hiltz raced to 3rd and on to the World Cham- move back to California and also to be a part pionships team with another PR, 4:03 55. . “It WHAT A DIFFERENCE a year can make . of something new ”. still doesn’t feel real that I went to Worlds and That’s true by the truckload when 2019 and ’20 She assesses, “For a lot of my career I’ve just represented our country and I was 3rd at that are the benchmarks and miler Nikki Hiltz—who kind of gone with my gut feeling and I think race,” she says . is directing her energy for the moment to helping it’s worked out so far . I love it here and it’s been “When I think back to that day, on the start others (see box)—does not disagree. really exciting.” line I really didn’t know . Obviously I knew I Last spring Hiltz, the ’18 NCAA runnerup She also knew that Mahon—while noted for could do it, I knew that I could be top 3, but for Arkansas, was in her first pro year with his past work with marathoners including his it wasn’t like, ‘Oh, I’m going to do this ‘. It was coach Terrence Mahon’s adidas Mission Bay wife Jen Rhines, Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall— just kind of like, ‘OK, I’m going to do my very group in San Diego (rebranded in January of collaborated to great effect with a pair of milers best and hopefully that will get me top 3 ‘. But ’20 as the Golden Coast TC) . Out of college, she a decade ago . Morgan Uceny PRed at 4:00 .06 and it wasn’t until 300 to go, like 3 laps later from says, “I really wanted to join a group ’cause if World Ranked No . 1 in ’11 . In ’09 Anna Willard that starting line, that I was like, ‘Oh, OK, I can you’re like a lone wolf and that works for you raced 3:59 .38 and World Ranked No . 6 . make this team ’. that’s great, but I just know I’m someone that Both on the track and in road outings last “I just felt really good with 300 to go and I needs people to run fast and training partners . year Hiltz rolled in the same direction . In her had just so many more gears left in me that I was That’s probably why I went to Oregon [after first ’19 outdoor meet she cut her 800 best by like, ‘OK, I can run with anyone right now,’ you high school in Aptos, California] and [through 3 .79 with a 2:01 .37 win at the Clay Invitational . know . And then with 100 to go I think I was in transfer] to Arkansas, just because they had Four days later she won the USATF road mile, the worst position I’ve ever been in with 100 to such good programs . her 4:29 .7 finish 1 .7 ahead of accomplished street go, but it was something inside of me that, ‘I’m ”So I was looking for a group and Terrence miler Heather Kampf . going to find a way to get 3rd,’ and the inside reached out to my agent [Hawi Keflezighi] and In June Hiltz dropped her 1500 PR to 4:05 . 56 lane opened up and I took it and I just put on then I got in touch with him and I think we just in Portland . July saw her victorious over 1500 the gas and it was good enough to squeeze by kind of clicked right away . You know, I’m from at the Sunset Tour meet and next taking that Kate [Grace] and Sinclaire [Johnson] and snag California and he’s from the LA area and he breakthrough step toward international compe- that third spot ”. was just like, ‘Hey, I’m starting a group in San tition . Tearing through the USATF 1500 final’s Nor did Hiltz let up thereafter . In August Diego . It would be awesome if you’d like to join,’ spectacular last 100 to cap a 60 83. closing lap, she traveled to Lima, Peru, and captured the adidas would be the sponsor and it just kind Pan-Am title . “Just to be in the U S. . jersey, it

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 29 felt like my childhood dream was just coming true,” she remembers . “I won gold so I’d be on the podium and it was just so bizarre that the Hiltz Is Bringing Two Worlds Together national anthem is playing because of some- thing that you just did . It was the fastest that it With the COVID-19 pandemic upon us, however, Hiltz’s on-track goal will have to had ever gone by . It was this feeling that I feel wait and she has thrown herself into a project through which she can pay it forward . like I’ll be chasing for a long time, to try to do Hiltz is openly and proudly gay and while she trains through the competition holding that again .” pattern she says, “I want to do something for my community, the LGBTQ one ”. And she The World Championships in October must has devised her plan to do so . also be counted as a winning moment for the “Obviously things have changed and I’ve adjusted,” she says . “But I don’t really want international neophyte, whose 25th birthday to sit here and be like, ‘Oh, poor me, my race got canceled ’. ’Cause there are people that fell later in the month . Making the final was are dying . There’s people that are losing their income . So me and the Golden Coast Track her goal, and she uncorked a PR 4:01 .52 semi to Club are going to put on a virtual [5K] in June and we’re going to give all the proceeds to advance as the last time qualifier . Doha was the the Trevor Project, which is the leading organization in helping suicidal LGBTQ youth . only meet all year for which she had to regather “So I’m kind of putting all my energy into that . I could sit here and be sad that the confidence after a clinker performance going in . Olympics got postponed and I’m probably not going to race at all this year, but it’s like, Her 4th-place finish in September’s 5th Avenue OK, I’m going to focus on spreading love and light and laughter and things like that ”. road mile, 9-plus seconds behind winner Jenny On May 2 the GCTC pushed out its online launch for the Pride 5K . Hiltz sees it as Simpson, shook her but coach Mahon talked her “bringing my two worlds together: my running community and then this other commu- through the dip . nity . I hope it’s big . I hope a lot of people join . Then it’s showing that community that She says, “For some reason I was just able there’s all these people out here that will run for you . to shake it off . I just made this goal that I really “It’s $35, the registration fee, and with that you get an adidas t-shirt that says ‘Love wanted to make the final at Worlds . I think more More Than Ever,’ and you get an 8-week training program that we at the Golden Coast than anything I wanted to do it just to show the Track Club put together for you . And then it’s a 5K that everyone’s going to virtually rest of the world . ’Cause in my mind Jenny and run on June 28 . Shelby [Houlihan] were making the final . There “I want to bring people together right now, obviously not physically but virtually, for was zero doubt in my mind that they were both a greater cause that is helping this community that actually is getting disproportionately capable of medaling as well . affected by the coronavirus . Technically it is a race but it’s more about, ‘Hey, let’s come “So I was like, ‘It’s basically up to me to show together, do this and raise money for this ’. the world that we can have three Americans “We have training programs anywhere from ‘I want to break 4:00 or 2:00’ to walking in this final ’. I’ve always tried to find a way in programs—it’s to just make you get moving that day for this . And you know how on running to do it for more than just yourself, and election day people wear stickers that say ‘I Voted,’ you’ll also get a sticker that says, ‘I that was my way of saying, ‘OK, we need to show Ran For Love’ that you wear on that day . So post a picture in that ”. the world that female distance running right Through a virtual race to help others and in her own training and racing, Hiltz aims now in the U .S . is a force to be reckoned with ’. to live by a maxim her coach espouses. “One of Terrence’s big philosophies,” she says, “I remember in the semi with 200m to go ‘Is if you’re not happy, you’re not going to run well ’. So you need to be able to find that there were like 8 girls around me and 7 people balance in your life . And that’s something that I’ve always kind of thought . So I think make it . I was just like, ‘You’ve got to do it for we really just aligned with how we view this sport and life, as well . So yeah, that’s kind your country ’. It was so crazy, and then I just of the story, I guess . The brief one ”. kind of closed my eyes and in the last 50 I end- ed up passing Jess Hull and she was 8th and I was 7th .” MIKE SCOTT In the blitzing fast Worlds final where she finished 12th, Hiltz admits, “I kind of didn’t really have a goal and I think it kinda showed . That was also the first time I’ve ever run three rounds in four days ”. Against the best competition in the world . “So, yeah,” she concludes, “I’m definitely now very driven to just kind of do it all over again, make the Olympic team and then make the final of the Olym- pics . If I’m anything better than 12th, then I’ve improved, you know?”

Hiltz was thrilled to make Team USA at last year’s USATF Championships.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 30 Sinclaire Johnson Plays The Waiting Game

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT by Sieg Lindstrom

WHAT’S A MILER TO DO when her season’s shut down by a pandemic with a reopening date still anybody’s guess? Every miler is asking that question as the Olympic year now stands postponed for 12 months . Sinclaire Johnson, who won the NCAA 1500 last June in meet record time, has a partial answer . “It’s definitely hard,” says Johnson, now in her first pro year on a Nike con- tract after foregoing her senior campaign with Oklahoma State, “just because there’s no clear end in sight, I guess you could say . And we don’t really know when we’re going to get back to racing . But you know, this is a year that we can get better and so we’re just training as if we’re still having a season . “With that being said, we’re still breaking up training . So last Sunday I did an 800 time trial, and it was nothing like spectacular . I ran 2:03 but it was just something to break up training and feel like there’s a purpose of what I’m doing, just mentally . So we’re going to Her collegiate career ended with an NCAA 1500 win, but Sinclaire Johnson’s do a series of time trials and kind of just international debut is still on hold. act like there is a season ”. Watched from appropriate social distance at this level . So it was sweet in that sense and In the interim, she and Smith have empha- by collegiate mentor Dave Smith, running with then obviously bitter in the sense that I was sized building toward the high work volumes training partner Hannah Fields (2:00 .53/4:05 .30 so close to making the team and had to be one that are routine for Jerry Schumacher’s self- PRs in ’17), Johnson has a series of runs against spot out ”. She had stood 8th with a lap to go styled Bowerman Babes . Johnson says, “We the clock planned over the end of April and before streaking up to miss making the Doha started to work on more mileage, longer stuff, beginning of May paced by boyfriend and sub- squad by just 0 17. . more aerobic stuff, cause I think that’s some- 4:00 miler Craig Nowak . Her performance in Iowa confirmed John- thing that I have lots of room for improvement “What we’re trying to do,” she explains, “is son can compete at this level . But she says she on—and is one of the reasons why Bowerman is we had an 800 and then in a week we’ll do a K “wanted to stay in Stillwater [coached by Smith] so attractive to me because they train like that . and then 2 weeks [after that] we’ll do 1200 . And leading up to the Olympic Trials because I And I think with already having the standard, then 2 weeks after that we’ll do another 800 . For didn’t want to change my training and my en- I didn’t have to be sharp or race ready any- that 800 we’re looking at me and Hannah trying vironment” in what was to have been “a really time early . So we really haven’t done any true to break 2:00 . So ,yeah, it’ll be fun . My boyfriend important year ”. speedwork, speedwork that we would touch Craig, he’s also running professionally, will be Eventually she’ll head west to Portland on normally in a [collegiate] season and tried pacing us . He paced us last Sunday and he’ll to join the ultra-elite Bowerman TC squad, to just really build that aerobic base ”. pace for the remaining time trials . So that helps “probably in the fall,” she says . “No real rush Johnson is well aware that at 22 she is the to have him there . And, hopefully we’ll actually right now, obviously, given the circumstances . youngest principal in the U .S . event’s top rank be able to break 2:00 . That’d be really cool ”. I don’t want to move cross country while [C19] but also knows she is not alone . “There’s always It would keep Florida native Johnson on is going on . a new wave of people,” she says . “I’m sure, you the elite-level PR roll she got on last summer . Running as fast as she did at USATF meant know, that [Colorado alum] Dani Jones will be After blasting to her 4:05 98. NCAA win over Johnson was never going to have to spend the there. Then there’s me so it’s really exciting to defending champion Jessica Hull with a 30 7. spring of ’20 chasing a Q-standard . “Going into see that it’s just gonna obviously continue on final 200, Johnson dropped her 2-lap best to this year, since I had the Olympic standard,” she getting better . 2:00 43. a month later . says, “it was all about getting into races where “And it will be really exciting obviously to At the USATF Championships she cut an you are going to be pushed, where you’re going train with Shelby [in the Bowerman group] since additional 2-seconds-plus from her 1500 PR, to have to learn different tactics and try to just she’s the American Record holder right now in placing 4th in 4:03 72. . Her 60 65. last lap was in get as many race scenarios as possible so that the 1500 . Getting the chance to train alongside second-fastest in the field, eclipsed only by when it came to the Olympic Trials, I was going one of the best I think will only make me better . the 60 59. of rocket-finishing winner Shelby to be ready for whatever race was going to be, I’m really excited about the future.” Houlihan . whether it was going to be a race that goes from And her past, her last race of 2019, that With World Championships berths on the the gun or it’s going to be a sit and kick . So that national title contest . “I remember we were all line in Des Moines, Johnson admits, “It was so was the plan going forward . so close,” she recalls . “That last 100 was such a bittersweet, just ’cause it was my first senior “And then obviously races got canceled and blur . I didn’t really know what position I was in . national championships . That being said, it was postponed, and then obviously the Olympics But for 5 women to run 4:03 in a championship a really, really cool experience and I felt like got postponed . So I think that’s still going to be race was just—it was really cool to be a part of I got the opportunity to run against the best the plan going into next year—as long as they and definitely speaks volumes for how deep the and kind of feel it out and see if I can compete recognize qualifying times from 2019 ”. 1500 women’s field is in the U .S ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 31 Kate Grace Now Taking A Positive Approach

GIANCARLO COLOMBO/PHOTO RUN ney begun in ’16 . That that it’s training in his system but he’s continuing year, you will remem- to train me to be the best athlete that I can . And ber, she was the Olym- I’m optimistic about that ”. pic Trials 800’s upset For the moment, Grace is resting—crosstrain- winner, the 2-lapper ing but no running—to heal a sore Achilles . She who sprinted through honestly admits to thinking her malaise early on a pile-up with 150 to go as life-amid-a-pandemic took hold contributed to in the final to a 1:59.10 the injury. “It all started those first few weeks,” clocking that chopped a she says . “Lockdown was starting, I was really 3-year-old PR . The lone stressed and upset about that . I kind of stopped American to make the doing a lot of my prehab exercises. I wasn’t being final in Rio, she placed as vigilant as I normally am . Normally I’m doing 8th and then hit another a lot of rolling and different stuff and I was just best, 1:58 28,. at the DL kind of going for runs and it was hurting, but I Final in Zürich . just didn’t care and wasn’t doing anything about The breakthrough, it so I may have made it worse . made possible in part “But the moral of the story is it happened . To by revamping her be honest, I would be acting totally differently if formerly inadequate we were in an Olympic year. I definitely wouldn’t and weight-obsessed be taking time off running, right. I’d be running diet, confirmed for the through it, trying to figure out how to patch things ’11 Yale grad that she together . And now it’s the opposite situation could race with the best . where we decided, ‘OK, let’s make sure this is After initial distress at the Tokyo postponement, miler Grace shifted focus fully healed and then we’ll get back to workouts Kate Grace is now making the most of it. toward the 1500 in ’17, in a few weeks and build from there ’”. placed 2nd to Simpson This is a demoralizing time for everyone . at USATF that year and “At times like these,” Grace says, “you realize by Sieg Lindstrom reached the Worlds semis . obviously that everyone is dealing with their own When the NorCal Distance Project group she personal tragedies . Tragedies may be too big of a trained with for those seasons was dissolved, word [in some cases], but everyone’s dealing with IN THE GROOVE, rarin’ to make great things she made the move north to Portland and Jerry their own personal sadnesses, right? Or hardships . happen . Ready for the Olympic season . That’s Schumacher’s Nike Bowerman TC, in which she Ha rdsh ips h itt i ng people i n t he hea lt hc a re s ec tor, how miler Kate Grace felt in February . We all is the sole 800/1500 specialist on the squad . people who have lost their jobs or people who know what happened next. All across the world, This winter after placing 5th in the scream- have lost family members . Or even just plans to everyone. Life’s rhythms, and track & field’s, ing-finish USATF 1500 last July and wrapping changing, [track] seasons changing . And I think careered into a ditch . Don’t you mean “careened,” her ’19 season with a 4:02 49. PR win in the U S. . I’ve just more and more realized that my feeling you ask? No, worse, humanity’s boat got flipped. vs . Europe dual in Minsk in September, Grace of grief over the change in the Olympics was “I’m coping, but I can’t say it’s pretty,” Grace is primed to capitalize on the work she has put more the norm than the exception. Everyone has wrote on Instagram a day after the news of the in with her more aerobically oriented Bower- their own griefs ”. Tokyo postponement broke . Grace favors thought- man teammates and, she says, the still ongoing She has decided, in her way, to help mitigate ful, long form IG posts, and her opening line by process of optimizing the coaching relationship that collective grief, “trying to bring some kind of it s e l f hove r s s a n s c o nt e x t . But s h e c o nc e de s p utt i ng with Schumacher . The coronavirus’s grim strike charity and a sense of community,” she says . And dreams to sleep for a year smarted a little more for has few auspicious consequences . But Grace can she has incorporated the effort into her love-hate her . She has “known for a while that this would point to one for her . relationship with the internet . be my final Olympiad.” That’s another line from “One more year [of Olympic preparation] with “Social media can be weird,” Grace says, “and her “coping” post . Jerry,” she says . “I get one more year of training, I tend to have a more positive sense with it when “I was initially very upset when they post- all of the above, just to be that much more ready .” I can use it, hopefully, to make someone’s day a poned,” Grace admits . “It’s just hard when you Analyzing further, she adds, “I think it just takes little brighter. plan for 4 years and it feels like things are coming time with a new coach . Right? Especially when “The first month I just did a big donation together in such a great way . But to be honest, you come in like this . I think in the past when I to [Portland] food banks, and some of my other s i nc e t h at fi r s t d ay, ba s ic a l ly a f t e r t h e y a n no u nc e d changed groups, it was a smaller group and so teammates did as well . It was like a tenth of my the postponement I’ve been just trying to lay low, maybe it was a quicker transition so that I felt income for that month to food banks in the area .” reduce drama as much as possible, take advantage like I was getting individualized training. And I Next Grace bought five restaurant gift cards of this for what it is . And I think also reset my think with Jerry, we’ve just continued to, I don’t to support Portland restaurants and five of the mindset kind of in terms of the idea of having an know, get to know each other better each year same from local coffee houses. Using a random extra year. If I was all excited about the different and I feel like we finally are having good con- number generator, she gifted the cards in pairs things I was implementing in my training this versations about exactly what kind of training to locals who commented with recommendations year [she was] and then I have an extra year, that I need and what’s going to be good for me . And for worthy recipients on an Instagram post she just means that I get more time to do that ”. just acknowledging that unlike I would say a lot w r o t e—r e s t au ra nt c a r d to a luc k y s ome o n e, c offe e Grace, who is 31, isn’t the oldest athlete on the of the other athletes in that group, I’m not going house card to the person who suggested them . short list of women chasing U .S . Olympic berths to ever be an internationally elite 5K athlete . Grace’s most recent act of random kindness? in the 1500 . Jenny Simpson at 33 is older, Shannon “So training to my strengths in the end will “Just k i nd of f u n st u ff,” she says. “I just d id spr i ng Rowbury who hasn’t revealed her event choice be the best thing for me to do . So, I mean, to be cleaning, so some Nike swag that I have around for ’21, is 35 . But both those women own World honest, a lot of it’s TBD, right? Like that was the my house ”. She is doling that out via social me- Championships medals . Simpson’s collection plan for this year and now all of it’s on hold . That’s dia, as well . includes ’16 Olympic bronze . the other thing that I’m happy about, that we have Next year? Grace hopes ’21 is the season for a Grace points toward Tokyo from a different more time . It’s just more time for Jerry and I to get gift to herself: peak performances at the Olympic place, from the cusp, she hopes, of finishing a jour- to know each other and for us to work together so Trials and Games .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 32 Running Is In Shannon Osika’s Blood

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT Natalie Cizmas . Canadian Nicole Sifuentes, who retired at the end of ’18, “still jumps in with us ”. Osika’s athletic journey at Michigan culmi- nated in ’16 with senior-year Big 10 titles in the indoor mile and outdoor 1500, and an NCAA 4th in a PR 4:12 23. . In the weeks that followed she dropped her best to 4:09.08, qualified for the Olympic Trials and reached the semis of that big show . Now Nike sponsored, Osika has made the USATF 1500 final in each season since—7th in ’17, 7th again in ’18 though her preparations were hampered by a sore shin and 6th last year . At the ’18 USATF Indoor, she placed 3rd in the 1500, in ’19 with the mile contested for that edition she was 4th . Her PR progression since college has come along steadily, too before substantial jumps last year: 4:06.17 in ’17, 4:04.80 in the USATF final last July, then 4:04 22. a couple of weeks later in Memphis. But ouch! The latter race missed the Olympic Q-standard by just 0 02. . Five weeks later after a trio of slower races in Europe, Osika hit her crucial 4:01 .80 run well beneath the standard in Chorzów . “My last race was the Poland one,” Osika Both of Shannon Osika’s parents were national-class milers. says, “and that wasn’t even on the calendar for me. I had my flight booked home and then the [Chorzów] meet director found me after [her by Sieg Lindstrom “For example, freshman year in high school 2nd-place finish to Kate Grace in the US–Europe I ran a 4:52 mile and I actually never got faster . dual] . He was trying to get more 1500m runners, SPRING OF 2020, now heading into summer, I ran 4:52 all four years . So there were other and I was like, ‘Well, yeah, let’s do it ’. has manifested itself as a train-and-wait game for improvements, but sometimes I would kind of “So I went over there and basically right athletes . The pandemic “why” of that is no secret . be at a stand still, but just always knew that I from the gun just was behind the rabbit and I Shannon Osika, ’19’s No . 6 U . S . Ranker in the 1500 would get there. So just having that confidence, was looking at the clock, I knew the splits . I was who PRed big with a 4:01 80. win to wrap last having that patience, that’s been key . And the ready to be vocal if I needed her to pick it up or season, is rolling with the postponement reality . support as well . step off. But she did great for 800 and then—I just It’s not like she or any miler has a choice, but the “You know, my parents having gone through wanted that time so bad . So I just kept going . I ’16 Michigan grad has the advantage of having elite running and everything, they knew how to was in awe, though, to see 4:01, ’cause I was like, viewed her career as a long but determined jour- talk to me and keep me motivated . So I feel like ‘4:03 would be just great .’ And then to cut another ney well before she even started her prep career that’s really been helpful because it’s paid off. Even 2 seconds off, it was very surreal.” Osika won the at Mott High (Waterford, Michigan) back in ’09. h itt i ng t h at PR wa s huge. S o I f e e l r e a l ly g rat e f u l.” race by nearly 9 seconds . It helps that the 26-year-old Osika is part of a Osika won’t deny “there were times where Of her step up in class just in time for what running family . Her parents competed as middle it was a struggle, but at the same time I was still would have been an Olympic year, Osika says, “I distance runners for Eastern Michigan in the ’80s having success ”. So she kept working . Her older think the consistency really helps . I had a couple and put up national class 1500 PRs . Father P J. . sister Alyssa ran track at Ferris State, younger injuries, I’m pretty injury prone—lower leg stuff, raced 3:41 .39 in ’87 and mom, Andrea Bowman, brother Tommy competed for Michigan State and I get really tight calves . So just through trial and ran 4:18 .27 that same year . Both competed in the her youngest sibling, Katie, is a current Spartan error we’ve figured out, ‘OK, what do I need to ’88 Olympic Trials . frosh . But following high school graduation in stay healthy?’ And then once I could stay healthy “It’s definitely in my blood,” says Shannon, ’12, Shannon headed to Michigan and the stew- and have that consistent training, then the time who herself made the OT semis in ’16 . “I mean, ardship of associate head Mike McGuire, her just kind of came ”. at this point in my life I don’t really know much coach to this day . Looking ahead to the now year-deferred different. From Day 1, you know, my parents were “I feel like coach McGuire was a good fit for Olympic Trials, Osika candidly assesses that last still running, not competitively, but recreation- me,” says Osika, who trains in the Wolverine coach year’s race to 6th in the historically fast USATF ally . So I saw them get out the door almost every of 30 years’ unofficially named True Blue Elite final only afforded her so much insight for the day, and then eventually I’d go with them for a group . “He wasn’t one to micromanage . I liked the future. “I mean,” she explains, “they could all be couple miles and just really fell in love with it . flexibility of it, the freedom but still having that so different, right? The experience of it is great, “Even in elementary school, just having the accountability . Coming to Michigan was a really but it could be so different come ’20, ’21—how running clubs and everything, I found I had a good fit for me, and then I just kind of blossomed the rounds go and everything ”. real passion for it . And it’s funny because I’ve just from there . So yeah, I had my struggles . It’s not Osika knows, though, how she feels about her always wanted to be a professional runner . Even easy just to stay stagnant for a bit but I knew that place in a banner era for the U .S . women’s 1500 . in elementary school, which I feel like is rare for there’s a long road ahead . Especially because from “I love it,” she says . “I mean, to be amongst so people to even know that’s an option . early on I did want to go professional, so I just many talented and hardworking women and to “I had my eyes on it for a while . So it feels very kinda knew, ‘OK, it’s not happening now, but I be one of them feels really good . And it makes it surreal to be achieving that . It’s just practicing have a lot of time to get there ’”. even better when you do well and you place high patience throughout it all and having confidence Among the training partners who have because you know that took a lot, right? I’m not that I’ll progress. I’ve definitely had times where helped her get there are the current True Blue racing slackers, that’s for sure—everyone . So it’s I felt my times were stagnant . crew of Amanda Eccleston, Jaimie Phelan and awesome to be a part of this era ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 33 T&FN Interview — Rai Benjamin

Benjamin: Not really ’cause it’s kinda hard to find areas that are open that have a lot of grass . I mean, given that we’re in LA, it’s kind of hard to find those areas . It’s mostly a city and the major parks are closed here so we definitely don’t have access

GLADYS CHAI/ASVOM AGENCY to much grass . So we’ve resorted to running on the streets, on the concrete so that’s been a reality for the past few weeks now . There’s a dead end street where it’s not that busy in the morning and it’s, I would say, about 400 meters long . So we’ve run on that street sometimes . T&FN: Sprint training on the street, that’s different. Are you running hard or—what are you doing? Benjamin: We’re doing 300s, 200s, whatever . You know, a few hills here and there on what’s also not a busy street . Our regular routine workouts that we’d have on the track we’re doing on the street . T&FN: In training flats, obviously. Sprinting on streets must pound your legs. Benjamin: Training shoes . Nike Epic Reacts . Those thankfully have a lot of cushion . It’s been kind of forgiving because we have those shoes, but at the same time it’s not good to be pounding on the concrete all the time cause there’s zero give from it, it’s not forgiving . So it’s been hard some days and other days it’s been, you know, whatever, we have to get this done . At this point we have no choice . T&FN: You need to stay social-distanced but you’re Rai Benjamin hasn’t lost a 400H race to an American since June of ’17. able to train with a group? Benjamin: So it’s me and Michael [Norman] and Kendall Ellis and Candace Hill. I mean definitely T h e pl a n e fl ig ht h e to ok at age 4 to l ive w it h r e l at ive s when we warm up we’re keeping that 6-feet-apart by Sieg Lindstrom in Antigua for a few years departed New York from each other, warming up in different areas. on 9/11 . The 9/11 . He made it through that chaotic And even when we’re running sometimes we’ll IN LATE APRIL Rai Benjamin, who last interruption of life’s normal rhythms and assures run with each other but 6-feet-apart because the summer became the fourth man in history to crack us he is rolling with this one stoically . Fortunately, street kind of permits that . Or we’ll go one at a the 47-second barrier in the 400 hurdles, sat down Benjamin reports family and friends in New York time depending on what the workout is . for the phone talk that follows . The circumstances have stayed safe during the massive spread of C19 We’ve definitely adapted. We did blocks today on were anomalous in the almost-50-year history of in that state . He is weathering events with his LA a turf field that we found that was still open and the T&FN Interview . Not since distance star Craig training group, mostly fellow USC alums . we were very much 6-feet-apart from each other Virgin sat for interview No . 69 in the series for The first line of questioning, after initial during those. So we’ve definitely been making the May ’80 issue has so much uncertainty hung pleasantries of course, was how the hurdles star necessary adjustments and trying to make do with over one of these dialogs . For Virgin the Olympic is managing to train these days: what we have and also following the guidelines . boycott, not at the time a fait accompli, created Benjamin: Still here . All locked down, but it isn’t T&FN: It has to be strange starting out of blocks on the moment’s incertitude . Over this interview, too bad . We’re just taking the necessary precau- turf, not a track. COVID-19 and track’s current holding pattern are tions and trying to listen to as much information Benjamin: It’s so weird . It’s been a few weeks the looming clouds . as we can and making the right decisions with that since we’d been in blocks and it’s like we hit the So rather than talk about an Olympic season information . So it’s been a challenging month and reset button all over again because now you have Benjamin began with a Millrose 300 win, an Olym- some change but it’s been fine. to kind of relearn that feeling and that start and pic season shifting into spring gear with the Mt . T&FN: Good. Glad you’re healthy and everything. To it takes a few weeks to get your block starts sharp SAC Relays—where Benjamin’s outdoor opener what extent are you able to train and what’s the routine again . To stop doing them and to jump back in and last year was a 44.31 flat 400 PR—we covered through the week? start doing it again, it’s kinda rough . training during a pandemic lockdown . But also broader topics like dialing in a perfect 400H stride Benjamin: I mean, we have no access to tracks T&FN: It must also be weird not having a progression pattern for the World Champs silver medalist and currently. It’s been like that for the past four or five that you can plan for the season because you don’t know B e n j a m i n’s l i f e a s a yo ut h s pl itt i ng t i me b e t we e n h i s weeks . So we’ve been actually training in some when the season will begin, if it’s going to begin. suburban areas where it isn’t so busy and we can parents’ native Antigua and Mt . Vernon, New York, Benjamin: Right, right . It’s a puzzle . Sometimes where he emerged as a prep star . (The U S. -born. run in the street . We go about three or four times a week, just trying to keep some level of fitness it feels like we’re just out there with no end in Benjamin competed for Antigua in the ’13 World sight . But here and there we hear there’s going to Youth Championships and ’15 World Relays but and it’s kind of hard in that we’re running on the street and not on the track . be a meet in late August, Indonesia in July . But it’s thereafter opted to represent the U .S . His transfer kind of hard to know that for sure because you of allegiance went through in October of ’18 ). T&FN: So you aren’t able to even find a grass field know every day this virus is changing and it’s For Benjamin, the coronavirus’s strike is not to train on? affecting a lot of people and a lot of areas. And, his first jarring brush with a world-changing event.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 34 T&FN: I w a s go ing to a sk if you’re d o ing any a ll - o ut ra c e simulation kinds of running, but since you’re training Rai Benjamin In A Nutshell on the street I assume the answer is no. Personal Benjamin: Rarely . I think one or two days we’ve Rai (as in “rye”) Benjamin was born July 27, 1997; in Bronx, New York; 6-3¼/180 (1.91/81). had that . Saturday we had an all-out 200 uphill . Schools So there will be stuff like that just to keep the Mount Vernon (New York) HS ’15; UCLA 2016–17, USC ’18; now represents Nike intensity up . But it’s not the same as being on the track and not the same as being in a race . I feel Coaches like, at the end of the day, you could do as much Marcus Green, Chris Malcolm (HS); Darrell Smith, Joanna Hayes (UCLA); Caryl Smith Gilbert, as you want at practice but being race sharp is an Joanna Hayes & Quincy Watts (USC & present) e nt i r e ly d i ffe r e nt ba l lga me. It ’s j u s t s ome t h i ng yo u Major Meets can’t really get while at practice . You have to race . 400H—5sf)World Youth (representing Antigua) ’13; 1)New Balance Nationals ’15; 6)NCAA ’16; T&FN: Mentally speaking, to what extent are you 2)NCAA ’17; 1)NCAA ’18; 1)USATF, 2)World Champs ’19 training for a potential resumption of this season and 200—3)NCAA Indoor ’18 how much are you in long-game mode? World/U.S. Rankings Benjamin: I think I’m in long-game mode . I mean, 400H—5/x ’18; 2/1 ’19 I feel like everyone’s trying to be optimistic and 200—8/x ’18 trying to salvage the season out of this . But for PRs me, I feel as though, “OK, let’s try to maintain 60—6.72i ’17; 100—10.69 ’15 (10.40w ’17) 200—19.99 ’18; 300—32.35i ’20; 400—44.31 ’19; this fitness and start over again when it’s time.” 300H—37.61 ’14; 400H—46.98 ’19 (=3, =3 W; 2, 2 A) (also 47.16 [x, 6 A] & 47.23 [x, 10 A]) Realistically you could have meets, but it’s not 400H Progression going to be in comparison to a regular season . ’13—53.13; ’14—52.12; ’15—49.97; ’16—49.82; ’17—48.33; ’18—47.02 Collegiate Record; You’re not going to get the same feel, things are ’19—46.98 goi ng to b e d i ffe r e nt . It ’s j u s t goi ng to b e a n e nt i r e ly different ball game. I understand the need to keep our sport relevant and to preserve certain things, but at the you know, in all honesty, we don’t know the full normal diet? Do you get a lot of to-go food or do you same time, I just don’t necessarily think that with severity of it and what that impact is . So it’s kind have kitchen skills? what’s going on right now—I could be wrong, you of hard to know that there’s daylight at the end Benjamin: I’ve been doing a little bit of both. I’m know? of this and knowing that if they have meets it’s still trying to keep that healthy balance and I’ll T&FN: We all hope you’re wrong but we all have to be not going to be what people think it is . There’s not go to Whole Foods probably once a week . Now realistic, we don’t know. going to be hundreds of people gathered in one that things have been restrictive I’ve been trying area at one time . to minimize my trips to Whole Foods . Usually Benjamin: Yeah . At this very moment I think it’s T&FN: Unfortunately it’s that way for everybody. I’ll go twice or three times a week, but now I’ll important to be realistic about everything . And re - You’ve been team-coached for the past several seasons. go once a week and get stuff for the week and alistically moving forward, this is going to change Which of your coaches are you able to get together with then prepare meals . I’m still just trying to do all a lot of things . It’s just like how 9/11 changed the at this point? the right things . So I haven’t really veered too far way we all travel and whatnot. So it’s definitely gonna be a different ballgame moving forward. Benjamin: All of them . Coach [Joanna] Hayes, off the path, honestly. And I feel like once you You want to have a profitable sport, you want to Coach [Quincy] Watts and Coach Caryl [Smith established a healthy eating pattern, it’s kinda have a good turnout . You want to have the athletes Gilbert], they come out. Coach Watts, he’s been hard to break that . feel important and entertain the fans . But then if spearheading the whole thing . And I mean, they’ve T&FN: What are some of your go-to meals? you can’t do that when everyone’s being told to all been working together just to figure out, all Benjamin: Well, I’ll do like a teriyaki chicken or stay home or you can’t gather in large masses, it’s right, what we’re going to do and when we’re just some spaghetti and you know, I did some kinda hard to see meet promoters not being in the gonna do it, and how are we going to go about garlic shrimps the other day and I’ll make steak . red when it comes to putting on meets. But I mean, being safe and being as efficient as possible. So it’s So it just all depends . I’ll look for a recipe that I that’s beyond my control, obviously . been a good effort on everyone’s part in terms of like and then I’ll just get the ingredients and try to But needless to say, if it’s time to compete, I getting us together and helping us keep the dream switch it up as much alive in some sense. It’s been pretty nice to have as possible . them along with us . T&FN: Good to hear . I’ve seen on social media T&FN: Have you taken Medaling At Less Than 100% up any new hobbies or that Joanna Hayes has her hands full with her Earning silver in one’s first-ever World Championships can be expanded on previous two daughters, juggling homeschooling with ev- counted as a comethrough in any circumstance . What fans didn’t know ones while sheltering erything else . She’s shown a great sense of humor until afterwards about Rai Benjamin’s 47.66 hurdle final in Doha was in place? about it but I also know how tough it’s gotta be. that he had badly bruised a heel in a training accident a couple of weeks Benjamin: Yeah . I know those girls are very great Benjamin: I’ve been earlier and arrived in Qatar full of uncertainty about both the injury girls and they could be a lot sometimes, I guess . reading a lot, listen- and his fitness. But they’re pretty funny and they keep her on her ing to a lot of music . “Yeah, it was still touch and go every single day,” he says . “It was toes . So I guess that’s a good thing for her . T h at ’s pr e tt y muc h it . just, ‘Alright, run this prelim and let’s see what happens and try to T&FN: Besides the running, can you get into a weight- Playing a little bit of make it through .’ And then it was, ‘Alright, make it through the second room or anything like that? Call of Duty in there, round ’. We made it through to the second round and we got through spicing it up . the second round, and it was just like, ‘Alright, now we have nothing Benjamin: No, not at all actually . I’ve just been to lose ’. So I mean it’s just all or nothing and I did as best as I could . doing a lot of home workouts, upper body stuff T&FN: Is there any- “So at that point you’re in the show . You’ve made it, you have nothing at home . Nothing here is open at all so we’ve thing on your reading else to do now but just keep doing what you been doing and just turn been doing full-body circuits and ordering stuff list you would recom- up the intensity a little bit. So it was touch and go every single step of online—med balls and certain bands to do our mend? the way . Even the 4×4 was touch-and-go because we were still waiting . prehab with and stuff like that. So it’s just been Benjamin: Way Of “I was still expecting to be put on the 4×4 but the decision didn’t a home journey this entire time, using what we A Peaceful Warrior . come until the morning of the race . So I mean it was just, ‘Get done have to just make best with . I thought that was racing and prepare for this 4×4,’ because it wasn’t my call on that ”. T&FN: How easy has it been for you to maintain a pretty good.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 35 know I’d be ready so I’m just doing what I can to I think there was stay fit a nd st ay hea lt hy a nd do a l l t he r ig ht t h i ngs one race last year, that just in case we get that call and we’re told, “OK, was Prefontaine, that was Benjamin Won A Gold As Well In Doha it’s time to go ”. pretty great. I went 13 all He ran his leg on adrenaline, he says, but Rai Benjamin, no T&FN: I imagine there’s not much you can do that the way . And you know, I surprise, found anchoring the U.S. 4 x 400 team to gold in Doha—he resembles actually hurdling. think that’s a pattern that split 44.19—to be a fine capper for his first full pro season. works for me . So even if I “It was great all around,” he says . “Thanks to Fred [Kerley] for Benjamin: Yeah, I haven’t hurdled in months . I have to go 12 on the back- haven’t done anything hurdle-wise . putting us in a good spot. Michael Cherry ran a hell of a leg on that stretch and 13s home then second leg to put us in an even better spot and Wil [London] had that T&FN: In April of a normal year I’d ask if you’ve been at present that’s a perfect great last 50 coming home fending off the Jamaican team and he put working on anything new or different in terms of your scenario for me . some ground on there. So I mean, it all put me in a pretty good spot. stride pattern over the hurdles. You’re probably not T&FN: Shifting gears here, And I knew at worst I would 44. So it definitely was hard preparing thinking too much about that right now, but is there wh at w a s it li k e f o r yo u g ro w - because at that point I was physically just—everything was just run anything you can say about that right now? ing up traveling back and off pure adrenaline and whatever fitness I still had. It was a rough Benjamin: When we first started this year that forth between two countries? time. It was just a very rough experience for me that entire trip. was very prominent, we were working on it a lot . I How do you feel that has “So running that relay was definitely one of the highlights, I wa s defi n it ely doi ng a lot mor e hu rd le work t h a n I shaped you as a competitor think, of my short career, my early career right now ”. had done in the previous few years, but you know, and shaped your view of as soon as this thing hit it just kinda went out the the world? T&FN: During that brief cricket career what were door and I just kind of went into survival mode . So Benjamin: Well I think it mostly shaped my your strengths in the game? haven’t really hurdled at all since things started . view of the world because I’ve seen it through Benjamin: I’d say the same strength my dad had, T&FN: I remember you taking 12 steps between two two different lenses. So I think because of that bowling . Yeah, I think I was a very good bowler . hurdles in your Pac-12 heat in 2018 and surprising it has made me more accepting of a lot of things And that’s pretty much it. yourself a little. What was your pattern, for example, and more open to a lot of things because I know T&FN: That’s cool . So if you look at a cricket score, in the Diamond League Final race last year? Is incor- that just one way of thinking isn’t the right way you can make sense of it . porating some 12-stepping into your rhythm part of of thinking . It’s not the resolute answer and Benjamin: Yeah, yeah, I definitely could make your race pattern going forward? there’s a lot of things that are going on out there sense of it . I can follow the game and all that . in the world and there’s a lot of different cultural Benjamin: I think it’s been our plan this season, e x p er ie nc e s a nd b e h av iora l nor m s. S o I t h i n k t h at T&FN: Do you follow it at all now? or what was supposed to be this season, to in- pays in a way, giving me a very good perspective Benjamin: Not anymore . Because it’s not that corporate it into the race plan . For instance, races when traveling because I kinda know like to think prominent here. I definitely be watching all the like Zürich that 12-step pattern came up, I wasn’t deeply about certain things . You know, why is it football, specifically college football. So I think comfortable enough to do it although I could do that they do this and why do they think this way that’s my go-to. It doesn’t matter who’s playing, I it . I just didn’t want to . There was one hurdle on and how do they see other people? just always wasn’t really enjoy watching college the backstretch, I think it was hurdle 3, where And I think going to Doha was definitely an football . that came up and I had to chop a little bit just to eye-opener because we were all kind of immersed get back on that 13-stride length . So, I mean, it’s T&FN: Did you compete in track & field in Antigua? i n t h i s n e w c u lt u r e, n e w e x p e r ie nc e. A nd it wa s n’t definitely there and it’s the same pattern that I ran like we were gone to Europe where it’s more Benjamin: Yeah, I did but I wasn’t training seri- at Pac-12s where I went 12 on the backstretch going westernized and more, I would say, progressive, ously . We had like intrasquad and inter-school to hurdle 5. It’s kind of reared its head a little bit liberty progressive . It was a very conservative competitions and I’d just run at those events on as inevitable that it’s going to happen . So we kind country and they have certain practices that short notice and do moderately well . of were working on being more confident with the they hold sacred . So it was really interesting to left [lead leg] and trusting it more and just riding T&FN: Moderately? You weren’t a star? Granted, you observe those things and see what it’s like living the pattern and taking whatever leg comes up. So were a pretty young kid. in a Middle Eastern country . So I mean I thought that was kind of the focus . But I mean, initially Benjamin: Yeah . I wasn’t the biggest star . I mean I it was very, very cool. And it’s definitely not what I would have loved to stay 13s because I know I was there but I wasn’t the best, if you know what you see in the movies, for sure . can run fast running 13s but just physically my I mean . ’Cause I hadn’t been trained . Other guys I kinda liked it, I enjoyed being there, but body wants to do something else . were actually training to run track and for me it what made it hard being there was the fact that was just, “Hey, we have this next week. Are you T&FN: I see. At this point, do you ever run 14s coming every day was just a struggle just running and going to be ready for it?” I’m just like, “Yeah, sure .” home or are you 13s all the way around? on whether or not we were going to compete . So I mean, I was always that kid that was always fast, I kind of had a hard first World Championships, Benjamin: Yeah, 13 is pretty much all the way but I never really honed in my ability because but you know, I think that kind of built a lot of around . A 14 is just something that I don’t ever I was just so distracted doing other things and character between all of this and a lot of bonds want to do . I think at that point you’re just kinda playing other sports . in the red and you’re kind of playing with fire and just prepared us for the future . I mean we all because going 14s lost me two big races, three were going through things there . T&FN: Did you run just the sprints or did you branch out? big races actually. In my first Diamond League T&FN: Your dad had a career as an elite cricketer and meet, Shanghai, going 14s on that last hurdle lost played professionally in England. I gather he finished Benjamin: Yeah, I was strictly 100 and 200 . I’d run me that race to Samba . And even the Diamond as a player a couple of years before you were even born, a 400 here and there but it wasn’t that serious . But League Final, where at that last hurdle going 14 but did you play the game at all as a kid? I mean I thought I was like the next Usain Bolt lost me that race, as well, too . As well as the World coming out of grade school . That’s like every kid, Benjamin: Yeah, I definitely played as a kid Championships final. But [for that race] I wasn’t though . That’s like every person that runs track . growing up there . It’s a really big sport there so even in any kind of good shape at all following You want to run the 100, you want to run the 200 . I definitely play all the time, but my dad never my injury . But small things like that will cost And then you get to a certain point, you realize, really forced me into taking it seriously . My dad you a lot. And it definitely cost me, cause it’s like ‘Maybe I’m better at the 4, and you get put in the was, was like, ‘Hey, anything you want to do, I’m you get off hurdle 9 and you have to make this 400 hurdles and realize, you know, maybe you’re supporting you ’. big adjustment and it’s either you slow down a b e tte r at t h i s t h a n t h at . But I t h i n k I’m we l l r o u nde d I played cricket, I’d say, 7 through maybe 10 little bit or you just full on take the hurdle. And I in terms of all the events . I feel if I had to do an or so, like two years . And then I moved to New think I’ve lost those races because I went 14 and eve nt, I cou ld b e some prett y s er iou s comp et it ion. York after that to live with my mom, so I wasn’t I was trying to make something happen out of rea l ly overly exposed to it. A nd I was a lso play i ng T&FN: I remember Quincy Watts in ’18 saying you nothing. But it’s something that I am definitely other sports . I played soccer as well, so I played could run the 100 at a world-class level if you trained trying to avoid doing . more soccer than I did cricket . for it. That’s not too surprising, really. But was it in

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 36 KEVIN MORRIS high school in Mt. Vernon that you started training for track? Benjamin: Yeah, my 9th-grade year I got really serious about it and started to do some training for it. And my first year I did very well. I ran 54 as a freshman open and split like 50-point on that 4×4 within my first week of training. So that was like an eye-opener . And as the season progressed I was always around with the seniors and training and whatnot . And my sophomore year came around and that’s when things started to click . I started running 49s, a lot of 49s . And then my junior year is when I really had the breakthrough, I started running 47s and 46s T&FN: When did you realize this could earn you a college scholarship? Benjamin: It was at Arcadia that freshman year I realized it . I think it was 2012 and the kids out here in California were running extremely fast, and I realized that, Hey, honestly, if I really put my head down and really work at it, I could definitely do something with this sport. And my high school coach told me all the time that, “Hey man, you can get a full ride for this . This could pay for you to go to school ”. I heard him and I Benjamin anchored Team USA to 4×4 gold in last year’s World Championships. understood it, but I just couldn’t conceptualize it at the time . And it wasn’t until my junior year Benjamin: We were there for the 4×4, we were T&FN: Do you care to talk about time goals? that I was able to do that . there for the invitational section cause our 4×4 Benjamin: It’s not the type of thing I like to really T&FN: Wow. So at Arcadia, you saw what other kids ran a 3:15 that year. So we were pretty good. I was discuss . I mean for me it’s more of a “let’s go out were running and you said, “I could do that. I can just the alternate on there, of course, ’cause I was and compete” type of thing . I think last year the run that fast.” Or was it a matter of having your eyes a freshman and I was on a team full of seniors at media kind of made it about the time and then opened to what “fast” meant? the time, juniors and seniors . there was that whole aspect of, “Are you going to Benjamin: I mean, it opened up my eyes to what T&FN: Did you run at Arcadia or were you just break the record?” and whatnot . And sometimes I needed to do to get to that level . Because the spectating since you were the alternate? I fed into it, but I mean for me it’s always been just competing and doing the best I can . kids here [in California] were running like 46s, Benjamin: I was just watching . I ended up not 45-highs, and I knew that that’s what it would running because of course the senior guys kind T&FN: Inevitably, as long as you, Warholm and take to get to that collegiate level . So I knew as of took over . So I went as an alternate on standby Samba are around—and it looks like you’ll be around a freshman looking at that, I knew that’s where j u s t i n c a s e. But yo u k now, j u s t s itt i ng i n t h e s t a nd s for a while—people are going to be talking about the I needed to be . I think did more for me than being on the track . World Record. Until one of you breaks it, anyway. So T&FN: You traveled to Arcadia as a relay squad To watch them compete and watch them do well what do you do to shut that talk out? Put it in some member in 9th grade? and know that this is what I have to do to get little compartment in your mind and let other people there on a team full of guys talk about it and just answer the questions because that are splitting like 48s and you have to? Benjamin’s Not Just A Hurdler 47s . A 50-point freshman isn’t Benjamin: I just answered the questions as best going to make it on the team . I can. I mean it definitely is in my mind, but it’s Rai Benjamin has major league skills in the flat 400 as T&FN: Your 46.98 race at the at the back of my mind . And I understand the well as the hurdles . He ran 44 31. on the flat last year and DL Final last year was phenom- curiosity of the sport and that everyone’s excited, handling the second leg on USC’s CR-setting 4×4 squad at enal to watch, the first race ever so it’s definitely understandable. But for me it’s the ’18 NCAA he split 43 6. . with two—including Warholm just all about being aware of myself and knowing So we asked him if he would consider a 400/400H double at 46.92—under 47. What does where I’m at and what I have to do in terms of at the Olympic Trials next year. As originally configured for your performance there tell you my race . So that’s kind of been the thing with this year, the Tokyo Olympics time schedule makes doing now that you’ve had some time to me, or for me . both unrealistic . But it’s possible at the Trials with three off think about it? T&FN: So you work on that. What’s it like to not days between the 400 final and the heats of the hurdles . have meets to look forward to in the next few weeks, “I think it’s not something I’d think about doing this Benjamin: It tells me a lot . I and possibly months, as you would had this season year . I wanted to do a 200/400H double . That just sounds think my first [professional] gone off as usual? crazy because those events are usually back to back . But if year was really good . I think their schedule allowed it—I would have lobbied for it but my that I had a phenomenal season . Benjamin: It definitely is a heartbreaker some- coaches they’ll be like, ‘You’re crazy, you’re not doing that ’. I mean, I know I didn’t win times because most days it’s just like, “Man, this Has he had that discussion with the coaches? “I may gold necessarily in my event, sucks ”. But then you have to realize that what’s have slipped it in there sometimes . I do think I could medal but my event is deep . There are going on right now is way more serious than in both, in all honesty . But it’s just really, really wishful no slouches at all in my event . not being able to compete at a meet . So it’s nice thinking . But then this year I was just really focused on that And three [currently active] to look back and think what could be, but at the 400H and getting that down pat before trying other events . guys to be under 47 seconds, same time I’m grateful for my health and grateful So is the 200—where he PRed at 19 99. in ’18—his sec- like unheard of . I think I had a that I’m still able to train . And it’s not going to ond-favorite event? “I think so, definitely . I think if I get really good welcoming to what be the end of the world if I can’t compete, but at enough speedwork in and enough work done running that it’s like to be on that scene . So the same time I would love to compete—but still race, I think it works out for the better . I really like it but I’m I have very high hopes for the keeping in respect what’s going on and keeping also really good at the 4 so I don’t know; it’s a lot ”. future . things in perspective .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 37 Life In The U.S. Without The Big Spring Meets KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

For the first time since the 19th century, Penn’s famed paddock wasn’t a mob scene in April.

by Jeff Hollobaugh came 10-12 days earlier when the Jamaican health 12 . The optics of having a Penn Relays when minister said that nobody would be allowed to the host league is no longer competing and the TO THE TRUE-BLUE track & field fan in fly out for the Penn Relays . Two days later I got host school is not in session were not good,” the United States, nothing says spring quite a call from Baltimore County letting me know says Johnson with a grim chuckle . like a relay carnival . Essentially an American that school kids would not be allowed to bus The East Coast scene outdoors revolves invention, relay racing is our country’s major outside the county ”. around Penn . The tradition of the meet is in- contribution to the sport’s list of events and it’s The bricks kept falling . Then on March 12, delible in the memories of the thousands and little wonder that these relay carnivals jump the whole wall collapsed . “At about 3:30 our thousands of people who have participated over start our hearts for outdoor track each year . time I found out that runners on the NCAA the years . Many of them are fans and coaches This year, for the first time since the 1890s, track in Albuquerque were told that the meet now, and Johnson heard from plenty about the the starting guns for our most vibrant relay was called off and they were to pack up and go cancellation . festivals fell silent . The annual rite of spring home . Then at 4:00 we heard that the Ivy League “They were equally split,” he says . “Every- was gone, and athletes, coaches, fans and offi- had announced that there would be no spring one talked about doing the courageous thing; it cials all felt the loss at every level: professional, sports . And at 4:30 we heard that the NCAA didn’t matter what side they were on . ‘Do the collegiate and high school . Here’s a look at what had canceled all spring sports . courageous thing—stand up for the kids to have the experience was like for the Big 4 of these “T he next day we had a meet i ng a nd looked a meet .’ Or it was, ‘Do the courageous thing, for meets, from East to West: at our options . If we only had half the high everybody’s safety, call off the meet ’. schools, that would still be 6000 kids . How the “It’s the seniors that I’m upset for . Partic- heck could you create social distancing for 6000 ularly the high school seniors, because there’s Penn Relays: Doing The people in that stadium? For the field events, a good many of them who have been working Courageous Thing potentially after each pole vaulter jumps, you’ve their butts off for 3-4 years to make that relay got to sanitize the mat again . You have to do team, and now they can’t do it . They don’t get After 125 years without a cancellation, the same with the shot and the javelin before that chance to run in front of 30,000-40,000 peo- America’s oldest relay carnival had no choice you return it . The long and the triple jumps ple . That would have been a lifetime memory .” but to call off this year’s edition. Explains meet are presumably the only safe events out there . Johnson says the Relays organization is director Dave Johnson, “There was no decision “Friday we were notified that Penn was open to a late-summer/fall event, but it’s far to be made . We were going to be told, ‘You can’t shutting down all campus activities until May too soon to say what that might look like . “We do this ’. The first brick to fall out of the wall don’t really have to make decisions,” he says .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 38 KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT “We have to adapt to evolving chal- international track season is scheduled to lenges and come up with contingency be back in late summer and fall, Boldon plans and revised contingency plans and says, “College football is going to have to just keep bouncing backward from that . make many hard decisions and develop We’re going to be told all the way down protocols before we will, if we’re part of the line what we cannot do . That’s the that timeline . That is to our advantage way that was always going to play out ”. in that we are part of a college athletic In the fall, any potential track event department that is forced to have these would have to share the stadium with ongoing conversations about when it’s football, field hockey, soccer . “Maybe safe to return to campus, return to ac- you could have an evening track meet tivities . It helps me understand what our but it couldn’t be too big, couldn’t go on opportunities are in terms of returning to too long,” he says . “There are all sorts of our normal event or some version of the ways to cobble something together . There Drake Relays in the fall ”. is potential . It’s a chance to put on a dif- ferent kind of meet . An all-pros meet . A distance carnival . A sprints/hurdles meet . Texas Relays: “Our Guests Or just jumps ”. Are Its Life Blood” He adds with brutal honesty, “It’s an unknown mess out there . All we can do When Longhorn coach Clyde Little- is be ready to jump at a moment’s notice .” field and AD Theo Bellmont founded the Texas Relays in 1925, they aimed for the stars—and got them . That first edition Drake Relays: “It’s More produced big crowds, plenty of publicity, Than Just A Track Meet” and a World Record high jump by Harold Osborne, who had won Olympic gold the At least in terms of crowd size, the year before . Drake Relays got off to an inauspicious Publicity was key in the early years, as start in 1910, when reporters noted that the organizers showed in ’27 when they staged crowd was only about 100 Drake students an 89 4M. (143 9K). race from San Antonio in addition to officials and athletes, thanks to the stadium with members of the famed to a blizzard that hit Des Moines that day . long-distance running Tarahumara tribe In the years since, the meet has be- of Mexico—it ended in a hard-to-believe come a staple for track fans and teams in tie . The buzz over the race was so big that the Midwest, and has drawn big-name Drake’s rich history has featured stars like the the Kansas Relays brought in their own performances as well, from Jesse Owens Tarahumaras for a run from Kansas City to Michael Johnson . Last year’s meet was legendary Jesse Owens. to Topeka . highlighted by a riveting vault duel be- Yet in ’32, faced with the challenge of tween Sandi Morris and Jenn Suhr, while Ryan Perhaps that perfect 110-year record is part of the Great Depression, Littlefield opted to cancel Crouser managed a shot win even though, as he why the university postponed the meet instead that year’s event . Another factor he cited was put it, “hats were blowing off people’s heads; it of opting for an outright cancellation . Boldon that he didn’t want to conflict with the staging was raining sideways ”. says, “The weekend prior to our announcement of the Olympics in Los Angeles . This year, during Relays week, “The weather of the postponement, not only did the CDC make In ’35, the university brought the Relays was absolutely gorgeous,” says director Blake recommendations, but also we had a mayoral back in a dazzling session that left most of the Boldon . That weekend he managed a social me- proclamation that limited events… without a meet records broken . Since then the meet has dia blitz that included 23 Instagram interviews foreseeable end in sight ”. been a highlight of every spring, attracting with top athletes . “Every one of them asked me He adds, “There were three days between crowds of up to 50,000 to see notables ranging what the weather was like . And Ryan Crouser, the time we knew we needed to postpone until from Johnny “Lam” Jones to Louise Ritter to last year the only meet he didn’t throw over 22m the time when we announced, that was because Mondo Duplantis . [72-2¼] was the Drake Relays . The only reason our event is a cornerstone of so many people’s This year’s edition, according to director was that by the time he finished throwing, it spring on their calendar . It’s more than just James Barr, was full-speed-ahead—until it was rainy, windy and in the 30s . When Ryan a track meet ”. Among the many participants wasn’t . “We never said never until we received heard that it was 70, sunny and no wind, he had and stakeholders for the weekend, he notes final guidance from our conference that we a very ironic smile . “hundreds of bulldog owners competing for couldn’t host spring events . We were preparing “Our reputation over the last few years is the title of Most Beautiful Bulldog ”. for all scenarios ”. the weather can be tough . With the weather we Postponement means the organization has That doesn’t mean the decision was an easy had this year, the performances would have stayed in what Boldon calls “a state of active one for the people who make the meet happen . been great .” planning . That does not mean we’re in the “We’re all tremendously missing track & field, Yet despite the occasionally challenging process of planning for a mass gathering in the and not hosting the 93rd edition of the Clyde weather of the Midwest, over 110 years the Drake short term . We’re also looking at what would Littlefield Texas Relays this March was really Relays had never been postponed or canceled . make sense for a non-traditional college element, emotional for us all,” says Barr . Boldon says, “The biggest departure from a non-traditional high school element ”. Yet no Thus far, there has been no serious consid- normalcy was in 1944, when all of the medal date has been set on a calendar that for the sport eration of a fall event. Says Barr, “Next year’s winners were awarded certificates saying that worldwide is anything but engraved in stone . relay schedule has been communicated and is they could redeem their certificates for medals “Economic and political sentiment does set for March 24-27, 2021 ”. after the war ”. The metal to make the medals not ensure public safety and while we at Drake He adds, “We can’t wait to embrace the was needed for the war effort . University are committed to doing all we can to Olympic year again . That pitch remains aligned That factoid was made real for Drake host a track & field event, we’ll remain focused with celebrating Coach [Edrick] Floréal, our organizers last year when 93-year-old Ted on the safety of the athletes, the safety of the historic program and its history in all regards, Williams, the high school discus runner-up 75 officials and the safety of our community,” while also embracing all participants and years earlier, dug up his certificate and finally says Boldon . stakeholders . redeemed it for a medal . Noting Seb Coe’s statements that this year’s “We take so much pride in running an

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 39 Yes, Hilmer Lodge Stadium is complete, and the grand opening ceremony was set for April 4, ironically beating Eugene’s Hayward Field to the finish line . (R ec a ll th at in Jun e ’ 17, USAT F a w ard e d

KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT the ’20 Olympic Trials to Mt. SAC. The fol- lowing May, citing concerns that the stadium would not be ready in time, USATF took the meet away. Bidding was reopened for the event and Eugene was fast-tracked to be the host once again.) Todd says that in the end, canceling this year’s Relays was not a difficult decision; in fact, it wasn’t even a choice . “Everybody was sorry that we had to do it, but it really was a no-brainer . The emotional part came the weekend of . We we r e a l l t e x t i ng e ac h ot h e r t a l k i ng to e ac h other, ‘We’d be running the 10,000s now,’ or, ‘The Meet of Champions would just be starting ’”. Todd notes that since everything shut down at about the same time in Southern California, “There’s been no real hue and cry . The few people I have seen were basically just expressing their condolences ”. No other meet can trot out a mascot to match Texas’s Bevo. Now, he says, he and his team are looking at whether they may stage a fall event, and what it might look like . “One objective event of integrity and promoting and on and on of our local assemblymen gave us an update the sport and Relays on campus, locally, state- Major reconstruction began in ’16 on Hilm- concerning the possibility of returning to ac- wide, nationally, and worldwide . All of our er Lodge Stadium, an $87 million project that tivities sooner than we were all thinking . So, guests are its life blood and we’ll embrace that!” rendered the track unusable for four editions . if the opportunity presented itself and there Todd remembers thinking, “Maybe we should was an appetite for it with the administration just go dark ”. on campus, we would look for something like Mt. SAC Relays: New Stadium’s He adds, “I was able to go talk to the that . We have no real date, just a wait-and-see president about it and he said, ‘Naw, let’s do Grand Opening Delayed attitude .” it someplace else ’. He was very wise ”. The ’16 He warns that with the challenges of setting In 1978 the rains came down on the Mt . SAC edition took place in Norwalk, and the next up a safe event with possibly large crowds, “It Relays . Over what was described as “an unusu- three in Torrance . The Relays maintained their would be very difficult approaching what we ally rainy winter” for the SoCal venue, some 40 place on the dance cards of many top athletes . normally do . Plus, with the schools, every- inches of rainfall slowed down construction of “But we never anticipated something like this body’s pretty much graduated . There’d be a the community college’s new track—ironically, happening,” says Todd of the current pandemic . whole group of people who aren’t part of their its first all-weather oval . This April’s event was set to be the unveiling institutions anymore ”. A week before the event was to kick off, a of Mt . SAC’s new state-of-the-art track facility . local paper ran the headline, “Mt . SAC relays canceled .” But not so fast—Don Ruh, the director at the time, held all the events that he could: a high school decathlon, the steeple and 10,000, as well as a marathon . Recalls current direc- tor Doug Todd, “Even though we didn’t have the program that we normally had, Don and KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT company considered the shortened schedule an event nonetheless . That was probably the closest we’ve ever come to canceling ”. Mt . San Antonio College had brought the concept of the relay carnival to the West Coast in ’59 with a bang-up debut that saw Oregon’s Bill Dellinger win outstanding track athlete honors after just missing the American Record in the 2M . San José State’s Ray Norton won the 100y in 9 5. and Charley Dumas high jumped 6-9½ (2 07). . Since then the Walnut classic—with more emphasis on individual events than Penn—has been a major highlight of the calendar and has produced more than its share of great perfor- mances . The meet records list says it all: a 6910 heptathlon (JJK), dashes of 9 . 86 (Ato Boldon) and 10 87. (Merlene Ottey), long jumps of 28-5/8 66. (Carl Lewis) and 23-4½/7 12. (Brittney Reese) Mt. SAC’s new state-of-the-art stadium is all dressed up, but with nowhere to go.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 40 Sha’Keela Saunders Puts Her Mind To It

ders arrived on campus with a torn AC L a nd s p e nt h e r fi r s t ye a r h e a l i ng.

KEVIN MORRIS “Coach Flo didn’t recruit me,” she explains. He was at Stanford at the time and he came that summer to Kentucky, fired all the coaches who did recruit me and told me I’ll be a long jumper ”. Her next season (’14) confirmed his hunch . In a campaign strewn with PRs, Saunders popped a 21- 1¼ (6 43). to lead the NCAA East and then matched it for 2nd in the championship . In ’15, she improved to 22-1¾ (6 75). for 3rd at NCAAs, matched it for a USATF 5th and won bronze at the Pan-Ams . The next year, after an NCAA Indoor runner-up finish she failed to qualify outdoors, but bounced back with a 22-7¼ (6 . 89) that had her on the Olympic team until the final round when Janay DeLoach jumped little more than an inch farther . Despite all her success, Saunders admits that she didn’t get serious un- A change in attitude helped put Sha’Keela Saunders on Team USA last summer. til her senior year, explaining “Just coming in 4th place at the Olympic Trials made me realize that this man “I thought it was going to continue . I thought knows what he’s talking about and this could by Jeff Hollobaugh that was my breakthrough,” she says . But as the really go somewhere, you know?” season went on, her ankle and Achilles kept Her lifetime best came at the ’17 NCAA bothering her . In Doha, she says, “I was really Indoor, which she won at 22-7¾ (6 .90) . She made TWO WEEKS BEFORE last summer’s USATF afraid to jump . Every time I got to another the team for the Worlds in London but didn’t Championships, Sha’Keela Saunders was a round, it was like a blessing… and it was really, get to the final. wreck . The 4th-placer in the ’16 Olympic Trials really painful ”. As a pro in ’18, Saunders won USATF, ranking long jump, she hadn’t come within a foot of her She made the final by just a centimeter and No . 1 in the U .S . and No . 7 in the world . “It was PR of 22-7¾ (6.90) all year. She went to the Texas then placed 9th at 21-5½ (6 54). . “That was the one of my best years competing,” she says, “but track office to see Edrick Floréal, her coach of most painful competition I ever had,” she says . there was no championship ”. the last 7 years . In the off-season, an MRI turned up a stress These days, like every other athlete, she “I just flopped down,” she reveals. “I said, fracture in her tibia as well as torn ligaments . faces the challenge of training through the ‘I don’t feel prepared ’. And he looked at me “I don’t know how long that was going on,” she pandemic—and putting her spare time to work. because he’s been here with me several times says, “but I’m hoping that’s what made me jump Several years ago she took up painting . Now, she and he said, ‘Shak, I believe in you 100% . Your so poorly last season . I hope it wasn’t just me ”. says, “I’m actually being really creative with my mind is your biggest enemy . I have no worries Now 26, the Kentucky grad (she has degrees family . We turned my grandmother’s room into about you at the championship ’. in Kinesiology and Family Science) says, “I’ve a movie theater, we’re playing karaoke, I made “And I just sat there and cried because I told gotten it treated. I’ve sat out the amount of time an ice cream truck donation thing around the him, ‘That’s not helping . I need an answer . We they asked me to sit out and I feel like it’s on the neighborhood where I put the ice cream song on need to do something . Give me some more abs or road to being completely healed again ”. the car and go around and give out ice cream . something .’ And he just looked at me and shook When the COVID-19 quarantine hit, Saun- And I’m cutting grass.” his head . He said, ‘I’m telling you . You got to ders left Austin—where she is a volunteer It’s hard to imagine Saunders not being get out of your mind. You gotta go out there and assistant for the Longhorns—and joined her busy . Quick with a laugh, she is just as quick to just let your mind go and’—in his words—‘take mother, who is on active duty military, at her show a big heart . She sometimes has dinner with your foot out of your a** ’. base in North Carolina . friends who stay in a homeless shelter . When she “I went home and I cried and did abs until “I’m able to train,” she says, at a nearby is done jumping, she says, “I will find a way to I couldn’t anymore . And then something hap- high school track . She also has solo access to help homeless people ”. pened . I was doing my devotionals and reading a weightroom . She has a virtual meeting with With five straight years of global meets now and I went to see The Lion King and while I was Floréal every week . Yet she notes that he’s not tentatively on the schedule, Saunders is thrilled, watching, Simba took his hand and flicked it in physically present, a crucial distinction . pointing out, “That really opens up more money the water and saw his father and himself and “When he says 6 reps on the paper, I actually opportunity for field events—honestly, for ev- that’s when I realized, ‘I’m not all alone ’. That do 6 reps . But if I was with him, 6 would turn eryone. I’m very excited for that.” She acknowl- moment right there just took some weight off into 10, so there may be the difference,” she says edges that she will need to work for it . “You can me and I went into USAs a lot lighter ”. with a laugh . “Right now everything feels well . ” never get comfortable in this sport . The grind It showed . Saunders did her best jumping of Recruited to Kentucky as a heptathlete after doesn’t stop . I have to be just as dedicated and the year, reaching 22-3 (6 .78) in 3rd and making producing high school bests of 11 .97, 24 .42, 55 . 32, focused as I was that senior year that I bought the Doha squad . 5-4¼ (1 .63), 20-½ (6 11). and 40-3½ (12 .28), Saun- into Coach Flo ”.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 41 Steven Gardner—Volleyball’s Loss Is The 400’s Gain

“Rest is important, so I think it has paid off well for me,” he says . “He’s a blessing,” says Evans . “An impressive talent . His leg lift just helps out . He has no ground contact . I mean, KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT he gets his feet off the ground so quick . He reminds me of Usain Bolt . When you have no ground contact and you’re that tall, you get your feet off the ground and then open up your stride length . And he has the speed to go with it . The perfect scenario for a 400 runner ”. This winter Gardiner had a late start to his base training phase because of the lateness of the WC . Said Evans in January, “We’re training hard . We know now that we are no longer the hunter, we are the hunted . And we know and respect the 400 field . It’s just something astonishing The tallest of the world’s that someone might go 43 and not medal . top quartermilers, Steven It’s so deeply talented that you have to Gardiner came to track train hard .” late, but debuted at 50.01. Says Gardiner, “I was better in the longer runs than I was last year in the winter . And then the coronavirus knocked me off the track a bit . We’ve had to change up a few things ”. recruiters, who were there in droves, somehow No more track access, for one . Now he is by Jeff Hollobaugh didn’t pick up on Gardiner’s potential . “I think doing his workouts on grass . “We’re still active I would have gone,” he says of the NCAA route, and we’re still working . It’s more like off-sea- THE MEN’S 400 FINAL at the World Cham- “but it wasn’t a big option for me ”. son training now ”. He says that prior to the pionships last fall was stunning to anyone who A year later, still just 19, he won his national quarantine, he and Evans were on track for a watched it . It was also, says winner Steven Gar- title in 44 .27 two weeks after taking the Oslo DL big Olympic year . “We were working on a few diner, just as stunning to live it . in 44 .64 . In ’16 Gardiner was just 20 in Rio . In his different things,” he says . “Small stuff that we “Honestly, running the race, I didn’t know semi, he could only muster a 44 72,. which left should be able to fix so we can do it better. We I was going that fast until I actually watched it him 0.23 short of the final. “It didn’t discourage had a lot of base going on . over,” says t he 24 -yea r- old Ba h a m ia n. “My fi n i sh me from doing what I had to do later in the year “I was looking forward to going to my sec- was unbelievable . The time really shocked me . It finishing up,” he says. “Then the next year I ond Olympic Games and doing what I didn’t felt comfortable, but also very fast ”. wanted to come back and be stronger and better get to do in ’16 . This just gives me more time Gardiner’s gold medal, won in a national and make the final.” to prepare for next year.” record 43 48. that moved him to No . 6 on the He started training with Evans that De- He adds, “It’s hard for everybody, I know all-time world list (see sidebar), represented a cember and exceeded expectations the follow- that for a fact . But you just keep doing it because crucial step in his drive to become the Olympic ing year . He opened up with a 44 26. in April . you love it, you know?” gold medalist in the 1-lapper . He went undefeated until One person who wasn’t surprised was his he got to London for the coach, Gainesville-based Gary Evans . “It was in WC, where he delivered a Gardiner Now No. 6 On The All-Time List August,” Evans says, “I saw him run the 300 in powerful 43 89. lap to win Only 5 men have ever covered a lap of the track faster than 31 . He started running it consistently and it was his semi . In the final he Steven Gardiner . The top 10: getting easier and easier each time. I called his managed to win the silver in 44 41. behind WR holder agent and I said, ‘If he doesn’t get injured, we’re Time Athlete Date gonna win ’. I see what this kid was running . Wayde van Niekerk’s 43 .98 . Everybody else, I felt, had peaked already, kinda Gardiner has only bur- 1. 43.03 Wayde van Niekerk (South Africa) 8/14/16 jumped out there early ”. nished his credentials since World-ranked for 4 years in a row now, the then . In ’18 in one of his ear- 2. 43.18 Michael Johnson (US) 8/26/99 6-foot-5 (1 95). former volleyball player didn’t ly-season dabbles in the 200, 3. 43.29 Butch Reynolds (US) 8/17/88 turn to track until just before his 17th birthday . he rocketed to an NR 19 75. “Volleyball was my favorite sport to play,” he with negligible wind (0 3). . =4. 43.45 Jeremy Wariner (US) 8/31/07 explains. “The transition to track was tough for That put him on the rare Michael Norman (US) 4/20/19 me . My teammates at the time, the runs they list of men who have broken could do—I couldn’t finish.” both 20-seconds and 44 . A 6. 43.48 Steven Gardiner (Bahamas) 10/04/19 He wanted to be a dashman but his first month later he improved his 7. 43.50 Quincy Watts (US) 8/05/92 coach nixed that. “He was like, ‘You look like a 400 NR to 43 87. to win the 400, you’re a quartermiler.’” Gardiner’s first-ever Doha DL and move to =No . 8. 43.64 Fred Kerley (US) 7/27/19 race at the distance, a 50 01,. proved his coach’s 12 on the all-time list . 9. 43.65 LaShawn Merritt (US) 8/26/15 point. The next season he was able to focus on He doesn’t race as often the 200, where he clocked 20 .66 and made it to the as some . He and Evans agree 10. 43.72 Isaac Makwala (Botswana) 7/05/15 semis at the ’14 World Juniors in Eugene . College that works to his advantage .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 42 Cruz Culpepper Almost A Sub-4:00 Miler don’t know . Like how to stretch and roll out properly and hydrate and eat

KEVIN MORRIS and stuff like that . It’s helped me to stay pretty healthy ”. To attack his goals, he’s been the rare prep with the opportunity to train with a professional training group, being guided by Joe Bosshard, coach of Emma Coburn and many other Boulder-area luminaries . “I was wanting to get really serious about it,” he explains. “My dad was coaching me at the time and he got a job at a local high school and he was busy with that and also another job . But Joe could give me his full attention and I know he’s an amazing coach . I thought that would be a good setup and it ended up working out really well ”. These days, though, with COVID-19 quarantining most of the world, the training dynamics have changed . “We don’t meet as a group anymore,” he told us at the end of March . “We’re not running as hard of workouts . We’re just kind of training more moderate since we Cruz Culpepper prepped for miles of 4:00.10 and 4:01.66 with a win in don’t really know what’s to come . I’m Boston’s New Balance GP. disappointed that it’s probably not going to happen outdoors, but I ran super-well indoors and a lot of people didn’t get the chance Olympic-sized goals, to be honest, aren’t to do that, so I’m not super-bummed ”. by Jeff Hollobaugh new to the household . Both of his parents ran Now he turns his focus to his college career, in the ’00 and ’04 Olympic Games . Father Alan which he is hoping starts on schedule next fall HE CAME OH-SO-CLOSE to breaking ran the 10,000 in Sydney and finished 12th at Washington, where he will be coached by the 4:00 barrier this indoor season, but his in the Athens marathon . Mother Shayne (née Andy Powell . near miss isn’t eating Cruz Culpepper (Niwot, Wille) ran the 1500 in Sydney and the 5000 in “A lot of it came down to how well he has Colorado) up . Athens . In between, she won a bronze in the been coaching milers and my connection with “I was slightly disappointed,” the prep mile World Indoor 3000 . him and the guys on the team,” Culpepper star says of his 4:00 .10, which came on Seattle’s Yet the oldest of their four sons spent more says, adding, “Seattle’s perfect for training oversized oval at the February 15 Husky Classic . time playing tennis than running as a youngster . and being at sea level is going to be more “I wanted to break it, but I wasn’t devastated, “I’d run occasional turkey trots and stuff,” he beneficial for training for the mile than being you know?” allows . It wasn’t until after his frosh year that at altitude, I think . And it’s a great academic As it was, the 17-year-old’s performance he started getting serious about running . As school as well ”. put him at No . 4 all-time among preps indoors a soph, he churned out a 4:11 75. in the Brooks on all sizes of tracks (see sidebar) . Culpepper PR race . placed 5th in the race won by Oregon’s James Having par- West in 3:57.43, diving at the line to edge Texas ents with top-level History’s Fastest Indoor High School Milers frosh Crayton Carrozza by 0 01. . running experi- D u r i ng t h e rac e, h e s ays, h e wa s n’t f i x at e d o n ence can be a plus, Despite having a shortened season, Cruz Culpepper managed to put up the clock . “I was hurting bad, just running hard,” he admits . “They 2 of the fastest 7 prep indoor miles ever, albeit both of them coming on he explains. “I didn’t know exactly what time were supportive an oversized track . The 10 fastest times (# = oversized track): I was at . I was just kind of in the race racing ”. of everything I did, Time Athlete Date Two weeks earlier on the same track, Cul- so it was kind of pepper had run a PR 4:01 66. in finishing 4th just another sport 1 3:57.81 Drew Hunter (Loudoun Valley, Purcellville, Virginia) 2/20/16 against a field of pros . “It all came together except they have 2 3:58.25 ——Hunter 2/06/16 pretty well,” he says . “I ended up not taking a more advice than big break after cross country to just keep that I think some oth- 3 3:59.86 Alan Webb (South Lakes, Reston, Virginia) 1/20/01 fitness going . It came together well for indoors .” er parents would 4 4:00.10# Cruz Culpepper (Niwot, Colorado) 2/15/20 It marked a solid year of improvement for the have,” he says with Niwot High School senior, who clocked 4:04 .82 a laugh . 5 4:00.05 Brodey Hasty (Brentwood, Tennessee) 2/03/18 “It’s definitely last year . Last fall he led his teammates to the 6 4:00.97 DJ Principe (La Salle, Providence, Rhode Island) 1/21/17 State-4A XC title—it was his fourth individual really helpful . I’ve state crown in XC and track—but he also made never had injuries 7 4:01.66# ——Culpepper 2/01/20 or anything and it known he was going to skip the school track 8 4:02.21 *Edward Cheserek’ (St. Benedict’s, Newark, New Jersey) 1/21/12 experience his senior year to chase down some I’ve learned stuff, weighty goals . “I was hoping to break 4:00,” basic things that 9 4:02.7 Thom Hunt (Henry, San Diego, California) 2/21/76 he says, “and then, potentially qualify for the maybe a lot of 10 4:02.96 ——Principe 2/11/17 Olympic Trials ”. young runners

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 43 Book Review — Fast Girls

by Ed Fox

THIS SORT OF HISTORICAL FICTION is generally not my cup of tea, but I took on the assignment and ended up enjoying Fast Girls: A Novel Of The 1936 Women’s Olympic Team. Elise Hooper is the author and what she has done is take three sprinters from the ’36 U . S . women’s team and constructed a novel around them . So, there’s fact combined with fancy, as Hooper supplements the historical record with invented possible conversations and situations to make it all flow . The three: • Betty Robinson, who won the 100 gold at the ’28 Olympics as a teenager (she also won silver in the 4×1 at those Games) . • Louise Stokes, an African-American from Malden, Massachusetts, made the ’32 and ’36 Olympic squads as a possible relayist, but did not get to compete at either Games . Hooper makes a strong case for racism being a factor in her being overlooked twice . • The third runner spotlighted is the great Helen Stephens, who at 18 became the 100 gold medalist at the Nazi Olympics, defeating Stella Walsh, the defending champion . Hall-Of-Famer Stephens also anchored the U . S . 4×1 to victory, taking the baton from Robinson, who had overcome severe injuries from a horrendous accident to run well enough again to make the ’36 team . The favored WR-setting German team muffed the third handoff and failed to finish . Things I didn’t know about Stephens—she also competed in the discus in Berlin (finishing 9th); she read Mein Kampf before going to Germany; she later owned and managed a semipro women’s basketball team. Hooper doesn’t shrink from Helen’s homosexuality, which was starting to emerge during this period . The book inspired me to go back to the results from this Olympic period . There were two characters in the results that I needed to find out more about . First there was the American Wilhelmina von Bremen—ever hear of her? She anchored the US 4×1 team to victory at Los Angeles in ’32 . “Billie” Von Bremen was born in San Francisco, but went to school in the Midwest . She also won the bronze medal in the 100 at those Games . There was more in the archives about the second character who piqued my interest: Fanny (Bobbie) Rosenfeld of Canada . She was a close second to Betty Robinson in ’28, but did win gold on the Canadian 4×1, which won in WR time . It turns out that Rosenfeld was the Babe Didrikson of Canada, excelling (really excelling) in hockey, basketball, softball and tennis, in addition to track & field . She was named Canada’s Woman Athlete Of The Half Century in ’49 . Sorry—those two athletes are not in the novel, but the supporting cast in the book includes Jesse Owens, Mack Robinson, Ralph Metcalfe, Avery Brundage, Didrikson (not favorably treated), Eleanor Holm, Adolf Hitler, the airship Hindenburg and many more . The book is not a masterpiece— but, as I say, I enjoyed it . But I wonder how much appeal a novel focusing on three women runners of the 30’s will have, though, even to track fans . Fast Girls, published by William Morrow, is scheduled for release in July .

‘Run with me.’ TheMiler.com

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 44 All-Time Men’s World Rankings Leaders

Juantorena & Merritt 4. Consecutive—Johnson 8. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Johnson DIANE JOHNSON 106; 2. Merritt 96; 3. Wariner 73; 4. Reynolds 68; 5. Evans 59; 6. Whitfield 53; 7. Danny Everett 46; 8. tie, Steve Lewis & Ulis Williams 43; 10. tie, Fred Newhouse & Angelo Taylor 35. 800 METERS Most Points: 1. Wilson Kip- keter 84; 2. David Rudisha 83; 3. Seb Coe 78; 4. Yuriy Borzakovskiy 71; 5. Mike Boit 65; 6. tie, Wilfred Bungei & Mbulaeni Mulaudzi 64; 8. Mal Whitfield 63; 9. Johnny Gray 62; 10. Roger Moens 60. Most Rankings: 1. Gray 11; 2. tie, Borzakovskiy, Coe, Kipketer & Rudisha 10. Consecutive—Rudisha 10. Most No. 1s: 1. Rudisha 7; 2. Kipketer 6; 3. Whitfield 5; 4. tie, Coe & Peter Snell 4. Consecutive—Kipketer & Rud- isha 4. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Whitfield 63; 2. Gray 62; 3. James Rob- inson 47; 4. Mark Everett 41; 5. Rick Wohlhuter 39; 6. Tom Courtney 35; 7. Jerry Siebert 30; 8. Tom Farrell 26; 9. Nick Symmonds 23; 10. Arnie Sowell 21. 1500 METERS With 18 No. 1s across 3 events and 42 overall Rankings appearances, Most Points: 1. Hicham El Guerrouj 96; 2. Asbel Kiprop Carl Lewis dominates the all-time stats. 90; 3. Noureddine Morceli 89; 4. Bernard Lagat 80; 5. Kip Keino 74; 6. Steve Cram 67; 7. Steve Scott 66; 8. Saïd EVER WONDER WHO the overall best per- Consecutive—Greene & Lewis 5. Aouita 65; 9. John Walker 64; 10. tie, Silas Kiplagat formers have been in our authoritative World Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Lewis 123; 2. Gatlin 90; 3. Greene & Steve Ovett 60. Rankings for men, which began with the 1947 69; 4. Mitchell 65; 5. Smith 58; 6. tie, Tyson Gay & Steve Most Rankings: 1. tie, Kiprop & Scott 11; 3. tie, El season? Stats Editor Jim Rorick has pulled to- Williams 49; 8. Leroy Burrell 46; 9. Charlie Greene 45; Guerrouj, Lagat, Morceli & Walker 10. gether all kinds of numbers for you, scoring the 10. Morrow 44. Consecutive—Kiprop 11. annual Top 10s on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis . 200 METERS Most No. 1s: 1. tie, El Guerrouj & Morceli 7; 3. Kiprop First, in a by-event compilation, you’ll find Most Points: 1. Frank Fredericks 105; 2. Usain Bolt 6; 4. Cram 5; 5. tie, Ovett, Peter Snell & Walker 3. the leaders in the categories of Most Points, 103; 3. Pietro Mennea 87; 4. Michael Johnson 81; 5. Consecutive—El Guerrouj & Morceli 7. Most Rankings, Most No . 1s and The Top U S. . Don Quarrie 80; 6. Robson da Silva 62; 7. Carl Lewis Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Scott 66; 2. Jim Ryun 47; 3. Scorers (in the World Rankings, not the U S. . 61; 8. Andy Stanfield 60; 9. Calvin Smith 58; 10. Wal- Dyrol Burleson 44; 4. tie, Lagat & Marty Liquori 30; 6. Rankings) . Following that are the stats on an lace Spearmon 53. Jim Grelle 24; 7. tie, Jim Beatty, Sydney Maree & Jim all-events basis . Most Rankings: 1. Fredericks 13; 2. Bolt 12; 3. tie, Spivey 23; 10. Wes Santee 21. Mennea & Quarrie 11; 5. tie, da Silva & Johnson 10. All the data is as of the end of the ’19 season, STEEPLECHASE Consecutive—Fredericks 10. including a significant number of recastings Most Points: 1. Paul Koech 116; 2. Ezekiel Kemboi based on the many retests that were carried out Most No. 1s: 1. Bolt 7; 2. Johnson 5; 3. tie, Fredericks, 112; 3. Brimin Kipruto 82; 4. Patrick Sang 81; 5. Moses Mennea, Mel Patton, Quarrie & Tommie Smith 3. on old samples and resulted in doping positives . Kiptanui 80; 6. Bronisław Malinowski 76; 7. Henry Marsh Consecutive—Bolt, Johnson, Patton & T. Smith 3. (as of April 13, 2020) 75; 8. Gaston Roelants 73; 9. Conseslus Kipruto 68; Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Johnson 81; 2. Lewis 61; 3. 10. Saïf Shaheen 56. Stanfield 60; 4. C. Smith 58; 5. Spearmon 53; 6. Steve Most Rankings: 1. Koech 15; 2. Kemboi 14; 3. B. Event-By-Event Tabulations Williams 50; 7. Tyson Gay 48; 8. Shawn Crawford 47; Kipruto 13; 4. tie, Marsh & Sang 12. 9. Justin Gatlin 41; 10. T. Smith 39. Consecutive—Koech 15. 100 METERS 400 METERS Most No. 1s: 1. Kiptanui 6; 2. tie, Roelants & Shaheen Most Points: 1. Carl Lewis 123; 2. Asafa Powell 98; 3. Most Points: 1. Michael Johnson 106; 2. LaShawn 5; 4. tie, C. Kipruto & Koech 4. Linford Christie 93; 4. Justin Gatlin 90; 5. Usain Bolt 85; Merritt 96; 3. Jeremy Wariner 73; 4. Butch Reynolds Consecutive—Kiptanui & Shaheen 5. 6. Maurice Greene 69; 7. Dennis Mitchell 65; 8. Frank 68; 5. Alberto Juantorena 62; 6. Herb McKenley 60; Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Marsh 75; 2. Evan Jager 43; 3. Fredericks 61; 9. Calvin Smith 58; 10. Valeriy Borzov 57. 7. Lee Evans 59; 8. Kirani James 55; 9. Mal Whitfield Brian Diemer 19; 4. George Young 18; 5. Curt Stone Most Rankings: 1. Lewis 16; 2. Powell 13; 3. Christie 53; 10. Chris Brown 52. 15; 6. Mark Croghan 14; 7. Horace Ashenfelter 10; 8. 12; 4. tie, Fredericks, Gatlin, Mitchell & Smith 10. Most Rankings: 1. Merritt 12; 2. Johnson 11; 3. Brown Hillary Bor 8; 9. tie, John Gregorek & Stanley Kebenei 7. Consecutive—Lewis 15. 10; 4. tie, Reynolds & Wariner 9. 5000 METERS Most No. 1s: 1. Lewis 6; 2. tie, Bolt & Greene 5; 4. Consecutive—Johnson 11. Most Points: 1. tie, Haile Gebrselassie 77, 2. Emil Gatlin 4; 5. tie, Bob Hayes & Bobby Morrow 3. Most No. 1s: 1. Johnson 10; 2. Wariner 5; 3. tie, Evans, Zátopek 76; 3. tie, Kenenisa Bekele & Eliud Kipchoge

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 45 Top U.S. Scorers: 1. tie, Rodgers & Shorter 48; 3. Alberto Salazar 27; 4. Buddy Edelen 21; 5. John Kelley 19; 6. Khalid Khannouchi 18; 7. Kenny Moore 14; 8. Galen VICTOR SAILER/PHOTO RUN Rupp 12; 9. Mark Plaatjes 9; 10. Ted Vogel 8. 20K WALK Most Points: 1. Jefferson Pérez 110; 2. Maurizio Damilano 104; Francisco Fernández 79; 4. Mikhail Shchennikov 68; 5. Ernesto Canto 60; 6. Daniel Bautista 59; 7. Ilya Markov 57; 8. Robert Korzeniowski 55; 9. Jozef Pribilinec 52; 10. José Marin 50. Most Rankings: 1. tie, Damilano & Pérez 14; 3. Fernández 11; 4. tie, Korze- niowski & Shchennikov 10. Consecutive—Pérez 13. Most No. 1s: 1. Bautista 5: 2. Pérez 4. 3. Pribilinec 3; 4. tie, 9 with 2. Consecutive— Bautista 5. Only U.S. Scorers 1. Ron Laird 7; 2. tie, Dave Romansky & Larry Young 1. 50K WALK Most Points: 1. Hartwig Gauder 95; 2. Robert Korze- niowski 94; 3. Jesús Ángel Haile Gebrselassie dominated the 5K & 10K before moving on to García 90; 4. Raúl González become a No. 1 in the marathon as well. 78; 5. Venyamin Soldatenko 74; 6. Jared Tallent 72; 7. Yohann Diniz 70; 8. Ronald Weigel 64; 9. Matej Tóth 63; 10. Andrey Perlov 61. 62; 5. tie, Ron Clarke & Mo Farah 59; 7. Harald Nor- 14; 4. Davenport 12; 5. tie, 5 with 11. Most Rankings: 1. García 17; 2. Gauder 12; 3. Korze- poth 55; 8. Kip Keino 54; 9. Murray Halberg 51; 10. Consecutive—Jackson 17. niowski 11; 4. tie, 6 with 9. Saïd Aouita 50. Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Davenport, Foster & Kingdom 5; 4. Consecutive—García 12. Most Rankings: 1. Gebrselassie 10; 2. tie, Kipchoge, tie, Johnson, Jones & Renaldo Nehemiah 4. Most No. 1s: 1. Korzeniowski 6; 2. González 5; 3. Bernard Lagat & Norpoth 9; 4. tie, Salah Hissou, Edwin Consecutive—Davenport 5. Gauder 4; 4. tie, Bernd Kannenberg & Tóth 3. Soi & Zátopek 8. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Foster 120; 2. Johnson 119; 3. Consecutive—Gauder & González 3. Consecutive—Kipchoge 9. Davenport 92; 4. Trammell 74; 5. Kingdom 73; 6. Crear Only U.S. Scorers: 1. Curt Clausen 11; 2. Larry Young 9. Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Aouita, Bekele, Farah, Gebrselassie, 72; 7. Oliver 71; 8. Jones 70; 9. Tonie Campbell 68; Halberg & Zátopek 5. 10. Nehemiah 60. HIGH JUMP Consecutive—Aouita, Gebrselassie & Halberg 4. 400 HURDLES Most Points: 1. Javier Sotomayor 117; 2. Dwight Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Lagat 47; 2. Marty Liquori 27; 3. Stones 90; 3. Stefan Holm 88; 4. Yaroslav Rybakov 83; Paul Chelimo 24; 4. Sydney Maree 22; 5. Steve Prefon- Most Points: 1. Edwin Moses 108; 2. Harald Schmid 5. tie, Mutaz Barshim & Patrik Sjöberg 77; 7. Dietmar taine 21; 6. Doug Padilla 17; 7. Galen Rupp 15; 8. Bob 97; 3. Samuel Matete 85; 4. Bershawn Jackson 84; 5. Mögenburg 74; 8. tie, Valeriy Brumel & Stig Pettersson Kennedy 12; 9. Bob Schul 10; 10. Gerry Lindgren 9. Kerron Clement 76; 6. tie, Danny Harris & Andre Phillips 59; 10. Ivan Ukhov 57. 75; 8. tie, Yuriy Lituyev & Félix Sánchez 72; 10. tie, Most Rankings: 1. Sotomayor 14; 2. tie, Mögenburg 10,000 METERS Stéphane Diagana & Angelo Taylor 67. & Sjöberg 12; 4. tie, Holm & Stones 11. Most Points: 1. Haile Gebrselassie 107; 2. Emil Záto- Most Rankings: 1. Schmid 13; 2. tie, Clement, Jackson, Consecutive—Mögenburg & Sotomayor 12. pek 79; 3. Kenenisa Bekele 75; 4. Ron Clarke 64; 5. Matete, Moses, David Patrick & Sánchez 11. Most No. 1s: 1. Sotomayor 8; 2. Brumel 5; 3. tie, Mo Farah 59; 6. Paul Tergat 58; 7. Zersenay Tadese Consecutive—Schmid 13. 55; 8. Pyotr Bolotnikov 54; 9. Miruts Yifter 49; 10. tie, Barshim & Stones 4; 5. Holm 3. Most No. 1s: 1. Moses 9; 2. tie, Clement, Glenn Davis Salvatore Antibo & Khalid Skah 48. Consecutive—Brumel 5. & Sánchez 4; 5. tie, 5 with 3. Most Rankings: 1. Gebrselassie 13; 2. tie, Bekele, Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Stones 90; 2. tie, Hollis Conway Consecutive—Moses 6. Tadese & Zátopek 9; 5. tie, 5 with 7. & Charlie Dumas 50; 4. tie, Charles Austin & Jesse Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Moses 108; 2. Jackson 84; 3. Consecutive—Gebrselassie 9. Williams 43; 6. John Thomas 42; 7. Reynaldo Brown 36; Clement 76; 4. tie, Harris & Phillips 75; 6. Taylor 67; 7. 8. Ernie Shelton 34; 9. tie, Otis Burrell & Erik Kynard 31. Most No. 1s: 1. Zátopek 7; 2. tie, Bekele & Gebrselassie Josh Culbreath 62; 8. Ralph Mann 59; 9. Kevin Young 6; 4. Farah 5; 5. Clarke 4. 56; 10. Patrick 52. POLE VAULT Consecutive—Zátopek 7. MARATHON Most Points: 1. Sergey Bubka 147; 2. Bob Richards Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Galen Rupp 40; 2. Frank Shorter 102; 3. Renaud Lavillenie 96; 4. Maksim Tarasov 86; 5. 30; 3. Mark Nenow 23; 4. tie, Billy Mills & Craig Virgin Most Points: 1. Veikko Karvonen 65; 2. Eliud Kipchoge Rodion Gataullin 80; 6. Tim Lobinger 71; 7. Władysław 18; 6. Alberto Salazar 14; 7. Bruce Bickford 11; 8. Chris 61; 3. Wilson Kipsang 56; 4. Toshihiko Seko 55; 5. tie, Kozakiewicz 69; 8. Ron Morris 68; 9. Wolfgang Nordwig Solinsky 8; 9. Gerry Lindgren 6; 10. tie, Curt Stone & Rob de Castella, Bill Rodgers & Frank Shorter 48; 8. 67; 10. Thierry Vigneron 62. Haile Gebrselassie 46; 9. Juma Ikangaa 45; 10. tie, Max Truex 5. Most Rankings: 1. Bubka 15; 2. Tarasov 12; 3. tie, Abebe Bikila & Tsegaye Kebede 40. Lavillenie, Lobinger & Richards 11. 110 HURDLES Most Rankings: 1. tie, Karvonen & Kipsang 8; 3. tie, de Consecutive—Bubka 15. Most Points: 1. Colin Jackson 124; 2. Greg Foster Castella, Ikangaa, Kenji Kimihara, Kipchoge & Seko 7. Most No. 1s: 1. Bubka 13; 2. Richards 8; 3. Lavillenie 120; 3. Allen Johnson 119; 4. Willie Davenport 92; 5. Consecutive—Kipsang 8. Terrence Trammell 74; 6. Roger Kingdom 73; 7. Mark 7; 4. Kozakiewicz 4; 5. Sam Kendricks 3. Most No. 1s: 1. Kipchoge 5; 2. tie, Bikila, Karvonen, Crear 72; 8. tie, Alejandro Casanas & David Oliver 71; Consecutive—Richards 8. Rodgers & Shorter 3. 10. Hayes Jones 70. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Richards 102; 2. Morris 68; 3. Consecutive—Kipchoge 5. Most Rankings: 1. Jackson 17; 2. Foster 15; 3. Johnson Bob Seagren 55; 4. John Pennel 54; 5. Earl Bell 51; 6.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 46 Don Laz 50; 7. tie, Don Bragg & Mike Tully 49; 9. Jeff Hartwig 48; 10. Brad Walker 44. LONG JUMP Composite Tabulations, All Events Most Points: 1. Carl Lewis 148; 2. Igor Ter-Ovanesyan This section is dominated by long-active legends such as Carl Lewis, Haile Gebrselassie, 118; 3. Larry Myricks 112; 4. Ralph Boston 92; 5. Iván Pedroso 90; 6. Mike Powell 86; 7. tie, James Beckford Usain Bolt & Michael Johnson: & Dwight Phillips 81; 9. Arnie Robinson 63; 10. Erick MOST POINTS, ALL EVENTS Walder 53. 1. Carl Lewis (100, 200, LJ) 332; 2. Haile Gebrselassie (5000, 10,000, marathon) 230; 3. Usain Bolt Most Rankings: 1. Lewis 17; 2. Ter-Ovanesyan 15; 3. (100, 200) 188; 4. Michael Johnson (200, 400) 187; 5. Parry O’Brien (SP, DT) 172; 6. Emil Zátopek Myricks 14; 4. Beckford, Pedroso & Powell 11. (5000, 10,000, marathon) 170; 7. Frank Fredericks (100, 200) 166; 8. Kenenisa Bekele (5000, 10,000, Consecutive—Ter-Ovanesyan 15. marathon) 161; 9. Mike Conley (LJ, TJ) 160; 10. Jan Železný (JT) 154 Most No. 1s: 1. Lewis 10; 2. Boston 8; 3. Pedroso 6; 4. Phillips 5; 5. tie, Powell & Robinson 4. MOST NO. 1s, ALL EVENTS Consecutive—Boston 8. 18–Carl Lewis (100-6, 200-2, LJ-10); 15–Michael Johnson (200-5, 400-10); 13–Sergey Bubka (PV) & Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Lewis 148; 2. Myricks 112; 3. Emil Zátopek (5000-5, 10,000-7, marathon-1); 12–Kenenisa Bekele (5000-5, 10,000-6, marathon-1), Boston 92; 4. Powell 86; 5. Phillips 81; 6. Robinson Usain Bolt (100-5, 200-7) & Haile Gebrselassie (5000-5, 10,000-6, marathon-1) 63; 7. Walder 53; 8. Greg Bell 52; 9. Mike Conley 44; MOST RANKING APPEARANCES, ALL EVENTS 10. George Brown 40. 42–Carl Lewis (100, 200, LJ); 29–Haile Gebrselassie (5000, 10,000, marathon); 25–Parry O’Brien (SP, TRIPLE JUMP DT); 23–Frank Fredericks (100, 200); 22–Mike Conley (LJ, TJ) Most Points: 1. Viktor Saneyev 120; 2. Mike Conley 116; 3. Jonathan Edwards 101; 4. Jozef Schmidt 98; 5. MOST POINTS, ONE EVENT Christian Taylor 89; 6. Adhemar da Silva 85; 7. Leonid 1. Jan Železný (JT) 154; 2. Carl Lewis (LJ) 148; 3. Sergey Bubka (PV) 147; 4. Yuriy Syedikh (HT) 145; 5. Shcherbakov 81; 8. Willie Banks 72; 9. tie, Will Claye Virgilijus Alekna (DT) 143; 6. Janusz Sidło (JT) 139; 7. Parry O’Brien (SP) 126; 8. Colin Jackson (110H) & Christian Olsson 70. 124; 9. tie, Udo Beyer (SP) & Carl Lewis (100) 123 Most Rankings: 1. Conley 14; 2. Saneyev 13; 3. Schmidt TOP 5 POINT SCORERS, RUNNERS 12; 4. tie, Banks, da Silva, Edwards & Phillips Idowu 11. 1. Colin Jackson (110H) 124; 2. Carl Lewis (100) 123; 3. Greg Foster (110H) 120; 4. Allen Johnson Consecutive—Conley 14. (110H) 119; 5. Paul Koech (Steeple) 116 Most No. 1s: 1. Saneyev 9; 2. Taylor 8; 3. Edwards 7; 4. tie, Conley & Schmidt 6. TOP 5 POINT SCORERS, JUMPERS Consecutive—Saneyev 9. 1. Carl Lewis (LJ) 148; 2. Sergey Bubka (PV) 147; 3. Viktor Saneyev (TJ) 120; 4. Igor Ter–Ovanesyan Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Conley 116; 2. Taylor 89; 3. Banks (LJ) 118; 5. Javier Sotomayor (HJ) 117 72; 4. Claye 70; 5. Kenny Harrison 52; 6. Walter Davis 45; 7. Ron Livers 28; 8. Charlie Simpkins 26; 9. tie, TOP 5 POINT SCORERS, THROWERS James Butts & Art Walker 22. 1. Jan Železný (JT) 154; 2. Yuriy Syedikh (HT) 145; 3. Virgilijus Alekna (DT) 143; 4. Janusz Sidło (JT) 139; 5. Parry O’Brien (SP) 126 SHOT Most Points: 1. Parry O’Brien 126; 2. Udo Beyer 123; MOST NO. 1s, ONE EVENT 3. Reese Hoffa 104; 4. Adam Nelson 95; 5. Christian 13–Sergey Bubka (PV); 10–Michael Johnson (400) & Carl Lewis (LJ); 9–Janis Lusis (JT), Edwin Moses Cantwell 91; 6. John Godina 89; 7. Ulf Timmermann (400H) & Viktor Saneyev (TJ) 81; 8. Randy Matson 79; 9. Werner Günthör 70; 10. Tomasz Majewski 64. MOST CONSECUTIVE NO. 1s Most Rankings: 1. tie, Beyer & O’Brien 15; 3. tie, Hoffa 9–Viktor Saneyev (TJ); 8–Ralph Boston (LJ), Michael Johnson (400) & Bob Richards (PV); 7–Sergey & Nelson 13; 5. Cantwell & Majewski 12. Bubka (PV), Hicham El Guerrouj (1500), Renaud Lavillenie (PV), Noureddine Morceli (1500) & Emil Consecutive—Beyer & O’Brien 14. Zátopek (10,000) Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Beyer & O’Brien 7; 3. tie, Matson MOST RANKINGS, ONE EVENT & Timmermann 5; 5. tie, Godina & Hoffa 4. 19–Jan Železný (JT); 18–Jürgen Schult (DT), Janusz Sidło (JT) & Yuriy Syedikh (HT); 17–Virgilijus Consecutive—Beyer 6. Alekna (DT), Igor Astapkovich (HT), Jesús Ángel García (50W), Colin Jackson (110H) & Carl Lewis (LJ) Top U.S. Scorers: 1. O’Brien 126; 2. Hoffa 104; 3. Nelson 95; 4. Cantwell 91; 5. Godina 89; 6. Matson 79; MOST CONSECUTIVE RANKINGS 7. Feuerbach 63; 8. Dallas Long 61; 9. Randy Barnes 18–Jürgen Schult (DT) & Janusz Sidło (JT); 17–Virgilijus Alekna (DT), Colin Jackson (110H) & Yuriy 59; 10. Bill Nieder 52. Syedikh (HT) DISCUS Most Points: 1. Virgilijus Alekna 143, 2. Lars Riedel 120; 3. tie, Jürgen Schult & Jay Silvester 107; 5. tie, Gerd Kanter & Al Oerter 104; 7. Wolfgang Schmidt 103; 8. Ludvík Daněk 101; 9. Piotr Małachowski 100; Consecutive—Syedikh 17. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Held 55; 2. Tom Petranoff 50; 3. 10. Adolfo Consolini 96. Most No. 1s: 1. Syedikh 8; 2. tie, Anatoliy Bondarchuk, Bill Miller 31; 4. Cy Young 28; 5. tie, Bob Roggy & Steve Most Rankings: 1. Schult 18; 2. Alekna 17; 3. tie, Paweł Fajdek, Litvinov, Murofushi, Imre Németh & Seymour 22; 7. Breaux Greer 21; 8. Tom Pukstys 18; Riedel & Silvester 15; 5. Kanter & Oerter 14. Pars 4. 9. Mark Murro 16; 10. Al Cantello 14. Consecutive—Schult 18. Consecutive—Németh & Pars 4. DECATHLON Most No. 1s: 1. Alekna 7; 2. Robert Harting & Oerter Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Connolly 107; 2. Lance Deal 29; Most Points: 1. Vasiliy Kuznyetsov 100; 2. Roman 6; 4. Schmidt 5; 5. tie, Consolini, Daněk, Fortune 3. Al Hall 27; 4. Ed Burke 23; 5. Sam Felton 14; 6. Bob Šebrle 86; 3. Dan O’Brien 76; 4. Daley Thompson Gordien & Riedel 4. Bennett 6; 7. George Frenn 5; 8. tie, Henry Dreyer & 71; 5. Tomáš Dvořák 68; 6. Erki Nool 61; 7. tie, Bryan Consecutive—Harting 6. Marty Engel 3; 10. Ken Flax 2. Clay & Ashton Eaton 58; 9. tie, Guido Kratschmer & Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Silvester 107; 2. Oerter 104; 3. JAVELIN Christian Plaziat 57. Most Rankings: 1. Šebrle 13; 2. Kuznyetsov 12; 3. John Powell 89; 4. Rink Babka 88; 5. Gordien 84; 6. Mac Most Points: 1. Jan Železný 154; 2. Janusz Sidlo tie, Dvořák, Kratschmer, Nool, Tom Pappas & Michael Wilkins 83; 7. Parry O’Brien 46; 8. Anthony Washington 139; 3. tie, Steve Backley & Janis Lusis 114; 5. Tero Smith 9. 43; 9. Sim Iness 28; 10. Adam Setliff 26. Pitkämäki 103; 6. Andreas Thorkildsen 87; 7. Sergey HAMMER Makarov 80; 8. Toivo Hyytiäinen 65; 9. tie, Boris Henry Consecutive—Šebrle 13. & Jorma Kinnunen 63. Most No. 1s: 1. O’Brien 6; 2. Thompson 5; 3. Dvořák Most Points: 1. Yuriy Syedikh 145; 2. Igor Astapkov- & Eaton 4; 5. tie, 7 with 3. ich 122; 3. tie, Hal Connolly & Gyula Zsivótzky 107; Most Rankings: 1. Železný 19; 2. Sidlo 18; 3. Backley 5. Krisztián Pars 104; 6. Sergey Litvinov 95; 7. Koji 15; 4. Makarov 14; 5. Lusis 13. Consecutive—O’Brien 4. Murofushi 94; 8. Igor Nikulin 85; 9. Karl-Hans Riehm Consecutive—Sidlo 18. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. O’Brien 76; 2. tie, Clay & Eaton 78; 10. Tibor Gécsek 77. Most No. 1s: 1. Lusis 9; 2. Železný 7; 3. tie, Sidlo & 58; 4. Trey Hardee 54; 5. tie, Pappas & Bill Toomey Most Rankings: 1. Syedikh 18; 2. Astapkovich 17; 3. Thorkildsen 5; 5. tie, Backley, Bud Held & Pitkämäki 3. 47; 7. Bob Richards 45; 8. tie, Rafer Johnson & Bob Mathias 39; 10. Bruce Jenner 30. Zsivótzky 16; 4. Connolly 13; 5. tie, 7 with 12. Consecutive—Lusis & Železný 5.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 47 All-Time Women’s World Rankings Leaders

Consecutive—Itkina, Miles Clark & Williams-Mills 10. Most No. 1s: 1. Koch 7; 2. HORSTMÜLLER Richards-Ross 6; 3. tie, Dan & Marie-José Pérec 5; 5. Irena Sze- wińska 4. Consecutive—Dan & Rich- ards-Ross 5. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Richards-Ross 87; 2. tie, Felix & Miles Clark 66; 4. Francena McCorory 46; 5. Kathy Hammond 32; 6. Natasha Hastings 31; 7. tie, Valerie Brisco & Phyllis Francis 30; 9. Dee Dee Trotter 28; 10. Lillie Leatherwood 20. 800 METERS Most Points: 1. Maria Mutola 145; 2. Ana Quirot 82; 3. Janeth Jep- kosgei 63; 4. Lyubov Gurina 62; 5. Kelly Holmes 61; 6. tie, Nadezhda Olizarenko & Caster Semenya 58; 8. Hasna Benhassi 56; 9. Vera Nikolić 54; 10. Gunhild Hoffmeister 51. Most Rankings: 1. Mutola 18; 2. tie, Gurina, Holmes, Jepkosgei & Quirot 9. Consecutive—Mutola 18. Most No. 1s: 1. Mutola 9; 2. Semen- ya 5; 4. Quirot 4; 4. tie, Shin Geum Dan, Lyudmila Gurevich, Jarmila Kratochvilová, Madeline Manning & Eunice Sum 3. Consecutive—Mutola 6. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Ajee’ Wilson 44; 2. Manning 43; 3. Alysia Mon- taño 29; 4. tie, Joetta Clark-Diggs & Jearl Miles Clark 27; 6. Brenda Between them, Irena Szewińska (l) & Marita Koch racked up no fewer than 69 Martinez 16; 7. Meredith Valmon 15; World Rankings appearances and claimed a whopping 28 No. 1s. The Pole scored 8. Raevyn Rogers 14; Anna Willard 13; 10. tie, Charlette Cooke, Doris in no fewer than 6 events (100, 200, 400, 400H, LJ, Hept). Heritage, Mary Slaney, Nicole Teter & Maggie Vessey 9. EVER WONDER WHO the overall best per- Consecutive—Carmelita Jeter, Marion Jones, Ottey 1500 METERS formers have been in our authoritative World & Stecher 3. Most Points: 1. Maryam Jamal 69; 2. Doina Melinte Rankings for women, which began with the Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Ashford 98; 2. Torrence 60; 3. 63; 3. Gunhild Hoffmeister 55; 4. Tatyana Kazankina 1956 season? Stats Editor Jim Rorick has pulled Jeter 54; 4. Gail Devers 50; 5. Chryste Gaines 44; 6. 54; 5. tie, Sifan Hassan & Shannon Rowbury 50; 7. tie, together all kinds of numbers for you, scoring Wyomia Tyus 41; 7. Tori Bowie 35; 8. Inger Miller 34; Faith Kipyegon, Carla Sacramento & Jenny Simpson the annual Top 10s on a 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis . 9. Iris Davis 33; 10. Torri Edwards 32. 49; 10. tie, Lyudmila Bragina, Yekaterina Podkopayeva First, in a by-event compilation, you’ll find 200 METERS & Tatyana Tomashova 44. the leaders in the categories of Most Points, Most Points: 1. Merlene Ottey 147; 2. Irena Szewińska Most Rankings: 1. Melinte 10; 2. tie, Ulrike Bruns & Most Rankings, Most No . 1s and The Top U S. . 131; 3. Allyson Felix 122; 4. Veronica Campbell-Brown Podkopayeva 9; 4. tie, Jamal, Maricica Puică, Rowbury, Sacramento & Simpson 8. Scorers (in the World Rankings, not the U S. . 78; 5. Marita Koch 75; 6. Debbie Ferguson McKenzie Consecutive—Melinte 10. Rankings) . Following that are the stats on an 73; 7. Renate Stecher 72; 8. Gwen Torrence 58; 9. Bärbel Wöckel 56; 10. Evelyn Ashford 54. all-events basis . Most No. 1s: 1. Jamal 5; 2. tie, Kazankina & Svetlana Most Rankings: 1. Ottey 18; 2. Szewińska 15; 3. Felix Masterkova 3; 4. tie, 8 with 2. All the data is as of the end of the ’19 season, 14; 4. Ferguson McKenzie 11; 5. Campbell-Brown 10. Consecutive—Jamal 5. including a significant number of recastings Consecutive—Ottey 18. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Rowbury 50; 2. Simpson 49; 3. based on the many retests that were carried out Most No. 1s: tie 1. Felix & Szewińska 7; 3. Koch 5; 4. Mary Slaney 35; 4. Regina Jacobs 29; 5. Suzy Hamilton on old samples and resulted in doping positives . Stecher 4; 5. tie, 5 with 3. 22; 6. Francie Larrieu Smith 16; 7. tie, Shelby Houlihan Consecutive—Szewińska 4. & Morgan Uceny 15; 9. Christin Wurth-Thomas 10; 10. Doris Heritage 8. Event-By-Event Tabulations Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Felix 122; 2. Torrence 58; 3. Ashford 54; 4. Florence Griffith Joyner 40; 5. tie, Inger STEEPLECHASE 100 METERS Miller & Sanya Richards-Ross 33; 7. Marion Jones 30; Most Points: 1. Sofia Assefa 57; 2. Hyvin Jepkemoi 8. Dannette Young-Stone 29; 9. Edith McGuire 26; 10. 55; 3. tie, Milcah Chemos & Emma Coburn 47; 5. Most Points: 1. Merlene Ottey 140; 2. Marlies Göhr tie, Valerie Brisco & Barbara Ferrell 25. 99; 3. Evelyn Ashford 98; 4. Veronica Campbell-Brown Habiba Ghribi 41; 6. tie, Beatrice Chepkoech & Gulnara 95; 5. Irena Szewińska 82; 6. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce 400 METERS Galkina 37; 8. Hiwot Ayalew 35; 9. Tatyana Petrova 23; 10. Etenesh Diro 22. 72; 7. Renate Stecher 67; 8. Gwen Torrence 60; 9. tie, Most Points: 1. Marita Koch 96; 2. Sanya Richards-Ross Annegret Richter & Chandra Sturrup 56. 87; 3. Maria Itkina 79; 4. Novlene Williams-Mills 71; 5. Most Rankings: 1. Assefa 9; 2. Jepkemoi 8; 3. tie, Most Rankings: 1. Ottey 19; 2. tie, Ashford, Camp- tie, Allyson Felix & Jearl Miles Clark 66; 7. Shin Geum Cristina Casandra & Coburn 7; 5. Chemos 6. bell-Brown & Göhr 13; 5. Szewińska 12. Dan 64; 8. Cathy Freeman 61; 9. Olga Bryzgina 59; Consecutive—Assefa 9. Consecutive—Ottey 18. 10. Ana Guevara 56. Most No. 1s: 1. Galkina 4; 2. tie, Chepkoech & Ghribi Most No. 1s: 1. Göhr 6; 2. Fraser-Pryce 5; 3. tie, Most Rankings: 1. Miles Clark 12; 2. Richards-Ross 3; 4. tie, Chemos & Alesya Turova 2. Ashford, Ottey & Stecher 4. & Williams-Mills 11; 4. tie, Itkina & Koch 10. Consecutive—Chepkoech 3.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 48 Mary Keitany & Paula Radcliffe 49; 9. Edna Kiplagat 46; 10. Tegla Loroupe 44. Most Rankings: 1. Dörre-Heinig 12; 2.

MARK SHEARMAN Kristiansen 10; 3. tie, Mota, Ndereba & Waitz 9. Consecutive—Ndereba 9. Most No. 1s: 1. Waitz 6; 2. tie, Mota & Radcliffe 3; 4. tie, Keitany, Irina Mikiten- ko, Uta Pippig, Samuelson & Christa Vahlensieck 2. Consecutive—Waitz 3. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Samuelson 53; 2. Patti Catalano 28; 3. Deena Kastor 26; 4. Kim Merritt 21; 5. tie, Gayle Barron & Julie Brown 20; 7. Miki Gorman; 17; 8. Kim Jones 14; 9. Lisa Weidenbach 12; 10. Francie Larrieu Smith 11. 20K WALK Most Points: 1. Yelena Nikolayeva 91; 2. Hong Liu 87; 3. Olimpiada Ivanova 69; 4. Kerry Saxby-Junna 66; 5. María Vasco 56; 7. Elisa Rigaudo 49; 7. Annarita Sidoti 45; 8. Elisabetta Perrone 42; 9. Shenjie Qieyang 41; 10. Sari Essayah 40. Most Rankings: 1. Nikolayeva 13; 2. Saxby-Junna 12; 3. tie, Ana Cabecinha, Liu, Rigaudo & Vasco 10. Consecutive—Cabecinha & Saxby-Jun- na 8. Most No. 1s: 1. Liu 4; 2. tie, Ivanova & Saxby-Junna 3; 4. tie, Essayah, Olga Kaniskina, Yelena Lashmanova, Nikola- yeva & Sidoti 2. Despite multiple injury problems, Croatia’s Blanka Vlašić posted more Consecutive—Essayah, Ivanova, Kani- high jump Rankings than anyone else, 14. skina, Lashmanova, Liu, Saxby-Junna & Sidoti 2. U.S. Scorers: None. Only U.S. Scorers 100 HURDLES 50K WALK 1. Coburn 47; 2. Courtney Frerichs 11; 3. Jenny Simp- Most Points: 1. tie, Gail Devers & Pam Ryan 95; 3. Most Points: 1. Rui Liang 9; 2. Maocuo Li 5; 3. Hang son 8; 4. Elizabeth Jackson 2; 5. tie, Lisa Aguilera, Karin Balzer 87; 4. Dawn Harper Nelson 74; 5. Grazyna Yin 4; 4. tie, Eleonora Giorgi & Claire Tallent 3; 6. tie, Stephanie Garcia & Anna Willard 1. Rabsztyn 69; 6. Yordanka Donkova 68; 7. Sally Pearson Inês Henriques & Hong Liu 2; 8. tie, Klavdiya Afanas- 67; 8. Ludmila Engquist 66; 9. Tie, Brigitte Foster-Hylton yeva & Paola Pérez 1. 5000 METERS & Cornelia Oschkenat 56. Most Points: 1. Meseret Defar 96; 2. Tirunesh Dibaba Most Rankings: 1. Liang 2; 2. tie, 8 with 1. Most Rankings: 1. tie, Balzer, Devers & Ryan 11; 90; 3. Maricica Puică 72; 4. Gabi Szabo 68; 5. Vivian 4. Rabsztyn 10; 5. tie, Donkova, Harper Nelson & Consecutive—Liang 2. Cheruiyot 65; 6. Sonia O’Sullivan 59; 7. Grete Waitz Pearson 9. Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Li & Liang 1. 58; 8. Svetlana Ulmasova 55; 9. Yvonne Murray 54; Consecutive—Li & Liang 1. 10. Paula Radcliffe 48. Consecutive—Rabsztyn & Ryan 10. U.S. Scorers: None. Most Rankings: 1. Defar 11; 2. Dibaba 10; 3. tie, Most No. 1s: 1. Devers 8; 2. tie, Balzer & Keni Harrison Murray, Puică, Radcliffe & Szabo 9. 4; 4. tie, 6 with 3. HIGH JUMP Consecutive—Devers 5. Consecutive—Defar 11. Most Points: 1. Stefka Kostadinova 114; 2. Iolanda Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Defar & Dibaba 5; 3. tie, Tatyana Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Devers 95; 2. Harper-Nelson 74; Balaș 107; 3. Blanka Vlašić 97; 4. Inga Babakova 92; Dorovskikh, Hellen Obiri, Szabo & Ulmasova 3. 3. Lolo Jones 46; 4. Harrison 43; 5. Brianna McNeal 5. Taisia Chenchik 85; 6. Sara Simeoni 81; 7. Rosi 41; 6. Melissa Morrison-Howard 39; 7. Queen Claye Consecutive—Obiri 3. Ackermann 79; 8. Tamara Bykova 78; 9. Ruth Beitia 34; 8. Michelle Perry 33; 9. Sharika Nelvis 31; 10. 69; 10. tie, Kajsa Bergqvist & Debbie Brill 66. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Mary Slaney 34; 2. PattiSue Ginnie Crawford 29. Plumer 25; 3. Jan Merrill 14; 4. Francie Larrieu Smith Most Rankings: 1. Vlašić 14; 2. tie, Babakova, Beitia 13; 5. Lynn Jennings 7; 6. tie, Vicki Huber, Molly Huddle 400 HURDLES & Kostadinova 13; 5. tie, Brill & Bykova 12. & Annette Peters 5; 9. Shelly Steely 4; 10. tie, Shelby Most Points: 1. Deon Hemmings 74; 2. Lashinda Demus Consecutive—Beitia 13. Houlihan & Shannon Rowbury 3. 68; 3. tie, Kim Batten & Sandra Farmer-Patrick 66; 5. Most No. 1s: 1. Balas 9; 2. Kostadinova 6; 3. Mariya Zuzana Hejnová 62. 6. Kaliese Carter 59; 7. tie, Yuliya 10,000 METERS Lasitskene 5; 4. tie, Ackermann, Bergqvist & Vlašić 4. Pechonkina & Tatyana Tereshchuk 56; 9. Sally Gunnell Consecutive—Balas 9. Most Points: 1. Tirunesh Dibaba 77; 2. Olga Bonda- 53; 10. Sandra Glover 50. renko 62; 3. Derartu Tulu 57; 4. Fernanda Ribeiro 54; 5. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Chaunté Lowe 53; 2. Louise Rit- Most Rankings: 1. Tereshchuk 11; 2. tie, Demus & tie, Ingrid Kristiansen & Paula Radcliffe 49; 7. Kathrin ter 50; 3. Amy Acuff 29; 4. Vashti Cunningham 23; 5. Hemmings 10; 4. tie, Batten & Hejnová 9. Wessel 47; 8. Liz McColgan 39; 9. Vivian Cheruiyot 37; Eleanor Montgomery 20; 6. Tisha Waller 16; 7. Brigetta 10. Berhane Adere 36. Consecutive—Hemmings 10. Barrett 15; 8. Joni Huntley 14; 9 tie, Coleen Sommer & Jan Wohlschlag 11. Most Rankings: 1. Dibaba 8; 2. tie, Bondarenko, Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Demus, Farmer-Patrick, Hemmings Radcliffe, Ribeiro, Tulu & Wessel 7. & Marina Stepanova 3; 4. tie, 9 with 2. POLE VAULT Consecutive—Demus, Farmer-Patrick, Gunnell, Hem- Consecutive—Bondarenko, Ribeiro & Wessel 6. Most Points: 1. Yelena Isinbaeva 106; 2. Svetlana mings & Melaine Walker 2. Most No. 1s: 1. Dibaba 6; 2. tie, Kristiansen & Tulu 3; Feofanova 91; 3. Jenn Suhr 78; 4. Fabiana Murer 68; 4. tie, Almaz Ayana, Bondarenko, Cheruiyot, Ribeiro Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Demus 68; 2. Batten 66; 3. 5. Monika Pyrek 67; 6. Stacy Dragila 66; 7. Yarisley & Junxia Wang 2. Farmer-Patrick 59; 4. Glover 50; 5. Dalilah Muhammad Silva 59; 8. Katerína Stefanídi 48; 9. Silke Spiegelburg 45; 6. Tonja Buford-Bailey 40; 7. Shamier Little 34; Consecutive—Kristiansen 3. 46; 10. Anna Rogowska 45. 8. Georganne Moline 31; 9. Tiffany Williams 29; 10. Most Rankings: 1. Isinbaeva 13; 2. tie, Feofanova, Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Lynn Jennings 31; 2. tie, Shalane Janeene Vickers 21. Flanagan & Molly Huddle 21; 4. tie, Deena Kastor & Murer & Suhr 11; 5. Spiegelburg 10. Francie Larrieu Smith 11; 6. tie, Kara Goucher, Emily MARATHON Consecutive—Isinbaeva 13. Infeld & Mary Slaney 10; 9. Joan Samuelson 7; 10. tie, Most Points: 1. Grete Waitz 79; 2. Rosa Mota 76; 3. Most No. 1s: 1. Isinbaeva 7; 2. tie, Dragila & Emma Amy Begley & Mary Knisely 5. tie, Katrin Dörre-Heinig & Catherine Ndereba 69; 5. George 3; 4. tie, Feofanova, Sandi Morris, Murer & Ingrid Kristiansen 68; 6. Joan Samuelson 53; 7. tie, Suhr 2.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 49 4. Briesenick 6. Kumbernuss 5. Consecutive—Adams 10. Composite Tabulations, All Events Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Michelle Carter 57; 2. tie, Earlene This section is dominated by long-active legends such as Irena Szewińska, Merlene Ottey, Brown & Connie Price-Smith 28; 4. Jill Camarena-Wil- liams 26; 5. Raven Saunders 16; 6. Tia Brooks 13; 7. Heike Drechsler & Marita Koch: tie, Chase Ealey & Maggie Ewen 8; 9. Teri Steer 7; 10. MOST POINTS, ALL EVENTS tie, Dani Hill & Brittany Smith 6. 1. Irena Szewińska (100, 200, 400, 400H, LJ, heptathlon) 342; 2. Merlene Ottey (100, 200) 287; 3. DISCUS Heike Drechsler (100, 200, LJ, heptathlon) 237; 4. Marita Koch (100, 200, 400) 210; 5. Allyson Felix Most Points: 1. Faina Melnik 103; 2. Nicoleta Grasu (100, 200, 400) 207; 6. Jackie Joyner–Kersee (100H, LJ, heptathlon) 192; 7. Tamara Press (SP, DT) 101; 3. Franka Dietzsch 100; 4. Ellina Zvereva 98; 5. 182; 8. Tirunesh Dibaba (5000, 10,000, marathon) 178; 9. Veronica Campbell–Brown (100, 200) 173; Ilke Wyludda 95; 6. tie, Tamara Press & Natalya Sadova 10. Grete Waitz (1500, 5000, marathon) 166 90; 8. Sandra Perković 88; 9. Liesel Westermann 74; MOST NO. 1s, ALL EVENTS 10. Maria Petkova 72. Most Rankings: 1. tie, Grasu & Zvereva 17; 3. Dietzsch 16–Irena Szewińska (100-2, 200-7, 400-4, LJ-3); 12–Marita Koch (200-5, 400-7); 11–Tirunesh Dibaba 15; 4. tie, Melnik, Sadova & Wyludda 12. (5000-5, 10,000-6) & Heike Drechsler (200-1, LJ-10); 10–Valerie Adams (SP-10), Irina Press (100H-3, Consecutive—Melnik 12. heptathlon-7) & Tamara Press (SP-7, DT-3) Most No. 1s: 1. tie, Melnik & Perković 7; 2. tie, Dietzsch MOST RANK APPEARANCES, ALL EVENTS & Wyludda 6; 5. Nina Ponomaryeva 5. 43–Irena Szewińska; 37–Merlene Ottey; 33–Heike Drechsler; 26–Allyson Felix, Jackie Joyner–Kersee Consecutive—Melnik & Perković 7. & Marita Koch Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Aretha Thurmond 27; 2. Stephanie MOST POINTS, ONE EVENT Brown Trafton 22; 3. Gia Lewis-Smallwood 18; 4. Seilala Sua 10; 5. Earlene Brown 9; 6. Kris Kuehl 8; 7. Suzy 1. Heike Drechsler (LJ) 168; 2. Merlene Ottey (200) 147; 3. Maria Mutola (800) 145; 4. Ottey (100) 140; Powell 6; 8. Valarie Allman 5; 9. tie, Becky Breisch & 5. Irena Szewińska (200) 131; 6. Helena Fibingerová (SP) 123; 7. Allyson Felix (200) 122; 8. Valerie Olga Connolly 4. Adams (SP) 121; 9. Barbora Špotáková (JT) 115; 10. Stefka Kostadinova (HJ) 114 HAMMER TOP 5 POINTS, RUNNERS Most Points: 1. tie, Betty Heidler & Anna Włodarczyk 1. Merlene Ottey (200) 147; 2. Maria Mutola (800) 145; 3. Ottey (100) 140; 4. Irena Szewińska (200) 106; 3. Yipsi Moreno 104; 4. Wenxiu Zhang 89; 5. Olga 131; 5. Allyson Felix (200) 122 Kuzenkova 83; 6. Kamila Skolimowska 54; 7. tie, Mihaela Melinte & Zheng Wang 44; 9. Manuèla Montebrun 43; TOP 5 POINTS, JUMPERS 10. Tatyana Lysenko 42. 1. Heike Drechsler (LJ) 168; 2. Stefka Kostadinova (HJ) 114; 3. Iolanda Balaș (HJ) 107; 4. Yelena Most Rankings: 1. tie, Heidler, Moreno & Zhang 13; Isinbaeva (PV) 106; 5. Brittney Reese (LJ) 98 4. Włodarczyk 12; 5. Kuzenkova 11. TOP 5 POINTS, THROWERS Consecutive—Heidler & Zhang 13. 1. Helena Fibingerová (SP) 123; 2. Valerie Adams (SP) 121; 3. Barbora Špotáková (JT) 115; 4. tie, Ruth Most No. 1s: 1. Włodarczyk 7; 2. tie, Kuzenkova & Moreno 5; 4. Melinte 4; 5. Heidler 3. Fuchs (JT) & Astrid Kumbernuss (SP) 110 Consecutive—Włodarczyk 6. MOST NO. 1s, ONE EVENT Top U.S. Scorers: 1. DeAnna Price 21; 2. Gwen Berry 10–Valerie Adams (SP), Heike Drechsler (LJ); 9–Iolanda Balaș (HJ), Maria Mutola (800) & Barbora 17; 3. Dawn Ellerbe 12; 4. Amy Palmer 10; 5. Anna Špotáková (JT) Mahon 9; 6. tie, Amanda Bingson & Amber Campbell 7; 8. Jessica Cosby Toruga 5; 9. Jeneva Stevens 4; 10. MOST CONSECUTIVE NO. 1s tie, Brooke Andersen & Erin Gilreath 2. 10—Adams; 9–Iolanda Balaș (HJ); 8–Ruth Fuchs (JT); 7–Faina Melnik (DT) & Sandra Perković (DT) JAVELIN MOST RANKS, ONE EVENT Most Points: 1. Barbora Špotáková 115; 2. Ruth Fuchs 21–Heike Drechsler (LJ); 19–Merlene Ottey (100); 18–Maria Mutola (800) & Ottey (200); 17—Nicoleta 110; 3. Trine Hattestad 107; 4. Petra Meier-Felke 98; 5. Grasu (DT) & Ellina Zvereva (DT) Steffi Nerius 95; 6. Osleidys Menéndez 86; 7. Christina Obergföll 84; 8. Tessa Sanderson 78; 9. Elvira Ozolina MOST CONSECUTIVE RANKINGS 66; 10. Sunette Viljoen 57. 18–Maria Mutola (800), Merlene Ottey (100) & Ottey (200); 16–Helena Fibingerová (SP); 14–Valerie Most Rankings: 1. tie, Hattestad & Nerius 14; 3. Adams (SP), Allyson Felix (200) & Nadine Kleinert (SP) Špotáková 13; 4. tie, Fuchs, Meier-Felke, Menéndez & Sanderson 12. Consecutive—Meier-Felke 12. Most No. 1s: 1. Špotáková 9; 2. Fuchs 8; 3. Meier-Felke Consecutive—Isinbaeva 6. TRIPLE JUMP 6; 4. tie, Hattestad & Menéndez 4. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Suhr 78; 2. Dragila 66; 3. Morris Most Points: 1. Caterine Ibargüen 83; 2. Tatyana Leb- Consecutive—Fuchs 8. 42; 4. Katie Nageotte 17; 5. Kellie Suttle 9; 6. Lacy edeva 79; 3. Yamilé Aldama 66; 4. Olha Saladukha 65; Only U.S. Scorers Janson 6; 7. Mel Mueller 3; 8. tie, Chelsea Johnson, 5. Yargelis Savigne 64; 6. Olga Rypakova 62; 7. Kim 1. Kate Schmidt 56; 2. RaNae Bair 21; 3. Kara Winger Mary Saxer & Mary Vincent 2. Williams 50; 8. tie, Ashia Hansen & Anna Pyatykh 49; 13; 4. Barbara Friedrich 12; 5. Karin Smith 10; 6. Sherry LONG JUMP 10. Françoise Mbango 45. Calvert 3; 7. Karen Oldham 1. Most Rankings: 1. tie, Aldama & Saladukha 11; 3. tie, Most Points: 1. Heike Drechsler 168; 2. Brittney Reese Ibargüen, Lebedeva & Rypakova 9. HEPTATHLON 98; 3. Jackie Joyner-Kersee 88; 4. Fiona May 74; 5. Most Points: 1. Sabine Braun 102; 2. Jackie Joyner-Ker- Mary Rand 67; 6. Viorica Viscopoleanu 62; 7. Irena Consecutive—Ibargüen 9. see 96; 3. Irina Press 71; 4. Burglinde Pollak 70; 5. Szewińska 61; 8. Inessa Kravets 59; 9. tie, Galina Most No. 1s: 1. Ibargüen 5; 2. Lebedeva 4; 3. tie, 7 with 2. Nadezhda Tkachenko 69; 6. Jane Frederick 68; 7. Chistyakova & Ivana Španović 58. Consecutive—Ibargüen 4. Jessica Ennis-Hill 67; 8. Galina Bystrova 65; 9. tie, Most Rankings: 1. Drechsler 21; 2. Joyner-Kersee & Only U.S. Scorers Anke Behmer & Carolina Klüft 60. Reese 12; 4. May 11; 5. Viscopoleanu 10. 1. Keturah Orji 19; 2. Sheila Hudson 8; 3. Tori Franklin 6. Most Rankings: 1. Braun 15; 2. tie, Frederick & Consecutive—Drechsler 13. Joyner-Kersee 11; 4. tie, Pollak & Urszula Włodarczyk 9. SHOT Most No. 1s: 1. Drechsler 10; 2. Reese 7; 3. Rand Consecutive—Braun 12. 4; 4. tie, Joyner-Kersee, Tatyana Shchelkanova & Most Points: 1. Helena Fibingerová 123; 2. Valerie Most No. 1s: 1. Press 7; 2. tie, Joyner-Kersee & Klüft Szewińska 3. Adams 121; 3. Astrid Kumbernuss 110; 4. Lijiao Gong 6; 4. Ennis-Hill 5; 5. Tkachenko 4. Consecutive—Reese 5. 106; 5. Nadezhda Chizova 103; 6. Nadine Kleinert 95; 7. Tamara Press 92; 7. Ilona Briesenick 91; 9. Natalya Consecutive—Klüft 6. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Reese 98; 2. Joyner-Kersee 88; 3. Lisovskaya 84; 10. Margitta Gummel 83. Top U.S. Scorers: 1. Joyner-Kersee 96; 2. Frederick Tianna Bartoletta 45; 4. Willye White 38; 5. tie, Janay 68; 3. Shelia Burrell 21; 4. Hyleas Fountain 20; 5. Pat DeLoach & Martha Watson 25; 7. Kathy McMillan 24; Most Rankings: 1. Fibingerová 16; 2. tie, Adams & Winslow 16; 6. Erica Bougard 14; 7. DeDee Nathan 8. tie, Jodi Anderson & Carol Lewis 22; 10. Grace Kleinert 15; 4. Kumbernuss 14; 5. Gong 13. 10; 8. Sharon Day-Monroe 9; 9. Kelly Blair-LaBounty Upshaw 21. Consecutive—Fibingerová 16. 7; 10. Kendell Williams 6. Most No. 1s: 1. Adams 10; 2. tie, Chizova & Press 7;

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 50 ON YOUR MARKS KIRBY LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT

When he’s done with vaulting, Renaud Lavillenie plans to fill up his thrills coefficient with motorcycle racing.

HIGHER OR FASTER FOR RENAUD LAVIL- medalist Tim Mack as its new training/devel- Hurdler Orlando Ortega, the ’16 silver LENIE? The 33-year-old French vault star says opment director for track & field… medalist in the highs, says he wants to try the that recent events have him thinking he will Chantae McMillan, a ’12 Olympian in the 400H before he retires . He ran 51 90. over low e x t e nd h i s c a r e e r t h r o ug h ’24, wh ic h wo u ld h ave heptathlon, was the big winner in the season hurdles at age 16 . him postpone his dive into motorcycle racing . opener of NBC’s obstacle course/strength com- The research site Olympedia .org—formerly “What I like is the adrenaline, the speed sensa- petition, The Titan Games . She handily defeated a limited-access private venture—is now open tions, always pushing your own limits,” he says . 2-t i me Oly mpic box i ng c ha mp Cla ressa Sh ields to the public . The site contains, among other “I find this feeling incredible on a motorbike . to win the Central Region title… things, the profiles and results of all athletes And then taking bends with your body almost WA has signed on London’s Pinsent Ma- at the Olympics (all sports)… off the bike at high speed, it’s just crazy . Once sons as its first-ever “official supplier of legal More than 18,000 pounds of food that had you’ve tasted this, it stays with you ”…. services.”… been bought to feed Team USA during the Tokyo OT marathon winner Aliphine Tuliamuk has been knitting beanies . When she opened up an Etsy shop to sell them, she was hit with over 150 orders in the first 5 hours . “Thanks all, Schools Cut Back On Sports Sponsored I am definitely in trouble again,” she quipped Predictably, with the C19 pandemic affecting collegiate budgets, some schools are begin- on Twitter… ning to trim sports, with track programs already taking some hits… Mondo Duplantis, who will be living and Central Michigan cut its men’s indoor and outdoor track programs in May, letting go two training in Uppsala, Sweden, during the summer assistant coaches, although the school said it would honor all scholarships, even for incoming season, has auctioned off his competition bib frosh… from his first World Record, taking in about Appalachian State and Florida International both announced the axing of men’s indoor $3000 that he is donating to a fund to help peo- track… ple with the highest risk of contracting C19… Akron announced it is cutting men’s cross country, along with men’s golf and women’s Comebacking from a torn plantar fascia last tennis . Noted alum Clayton Murphy has jumped into advocacy for the program’s reinstatement, year, Drew Hunter raised $8000+ for Real Hope as well as getting financial pledges from those who want to see the XC program continue… For Haiti by livestreaming a 2M time trial and Brown has relegated men’s XC and men’s track indoors and out to club status… taking pledges for every second he broke 9:00 One study has said that if the 65 schools that make up the Power 5 all canceled football by . He clocked 8:36 .84… this year the loss in revenue would be some $4 billion (yes, with a B) . Ohio’s SPIRE has hired Oly pole vault gold

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 51 Olympics has been donated to local food banks in Colorado by the USOPC… An age 25-29 category has been created for More Scheduling News… USATF Masters track… The bidding processes for major ’23 WA The new dates for this summer’s slightly abbreviated Diamond League and Con- events—World XC and the World Relays—has tinental Tour gold meets are laid out in detail in Last Lap . Here’s some other things been delayed, and won’t start until November… relative to this year’s calendar: Hamilton, Ontario, has been tabbed as the The European Championships, set for August in Paris, has been canceled… preferred Canadian candidate for the hosting of The annual North American Pole Vault Championships, slated to be held in Clovis, a Commonwealth Games, and will be bidding California, on July 24 won’t be staged, reports NAPVA head Bob Fraley… for either the ’26 or ’30 editions… WA has set aside the weekend of August 08–09 for national championships . Great Minsk, Ukraine, will be hosting the ’21 Euro Britain had rescheduled its nationals for that weekend in Manchester, though by May Team Champs… officials admitted it was an unlikely bet. Now new UKA chief Joanna Coates is exploring The African Games will take place 30-40 possibilities to bring in Ryder Cup-style team events as well as street athletics… days before Tokyo ’21… The European Youth (U18) Championships, set for Rieti in August, have been USTFCCCA has accorded All-America hon- moved to ’21… ors to every athlete on the start list for the NCAA The Match (USA vs. Europe) has been canceled for this year, with the next edition Indoor, with the exception of relay alternates… set to be in the United States in ’23 . With C19 playing havoc with high school transcripts and ACT/SAT testing, the NCAA has opted to lower academic standards for incoming D1 frosh athletes and eliminate the done some serious closet cleaning in a virtual of the Tokyo Games, has some French officials testing requirement completely… garage sale, Among the items sold, two Diamond revisiting the notion of whether Paris should The NCAA is reportedly considering a League trophies at a little over $200 each . She host the ’24 Games after all . Some have called one-time waiver so that athletes can transfer says, “As I get older my attachment to things for a referendum . Opponents of the Games during the 1920–21 season with no sit-down… changes. I lived it, have the experience, and the staged a petition drive calling for a referendum NCAA president Mark Emmert says until medals . Lastly, I’m looking forward . I want to several years ago, but that was shot down by students are back on campus, there won’t be any defend my Olympic title, I know the financial city leaders in ’19… college sports . “That doesn’t mean [the school] investment required . $$ is uncertain for (not just) Yuriy Borzakovskiy, head coach of the has to be up and running in the full normal me but athletes all over . I want to be proactive Russian national team, says that the country model, but you’ve got to treat the health and rather than reactive when it comes to preparing is planning to open centralized training camps well-being of the athletes at least as much as the myself to do what it takes to achieve this ”…. in July… regular students . So if a school doesn’t reopen, New York’s Coogan’s Restaurant, perhaps A new WADA study has shown there isn’t then they’re not going to be playing sports . It’s the most famous track bar in America, an- a strong link between athletes using a TUE really that simple ”…. nounced in April that its doors would remain (therapeutic use exemption for controlled A recent poll has named Carl Lewis as closed permanently . Around the corner from medications) and their chances of winning an the greatest athlete ever from the University the famed Armory, Coogan’s featured so much Olympic medal… of Houston… track memorabilia (and T&FN covers) on the In late April USATF released ’18 tax forms Two new members have been added to the walls that it could rightly be called another that spelled out CEO Max Siegel’s compen- board of the Athletics Integrity Unit: former track & field hall of fame… sation for the year . The total was $4,294,650, British rower Victoria Aggar and former USATF Usain Bolt and his girlfriend Kasi Bennett although not all of it will be paid out until ’24 . attorney Jill Pilgrim… welcomed a baby girl on May 18… Broken down: base pay $611,014, bonus $500,000 DIY testing: A pilot USADA program has Luvo Manyonga, South Africa’s ’17 World and $146,150 in “other reportable compensation . athletes drug-testing themselves using dry long jump champion, has been fined for pub- On top of that there’s $3,027,250 in “retirement blood sampling, mailing the samples back to lic drinking and violating his local COVID and other deferred compensation ”…. USADA . The procedure is monitored via laptop lockdown… Trivia you need: one of the worst-ever camera to ensure proper compliance . Several The CAS has upheld the 4-year ban of claims to the first sub-4:00 mile belonged to of the 15 athletes who have volunteered to try Russian coach Andrei Yeremenko for trying Louis Linteau in ’33 . The prep junior from Port this are track notables: Emma Coburn, Allyson to bribe a doping control officer in ’17, in the Huron, Michigan, ran 3:38 0. for a “mile” on a Felix, Noah Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin… hopes of covering up an attempt by 800 runner clearly short track . Linteau had another claim to WADA has reinstated the Salt Lake City Yulia Maluyeva to dodge a test… fame: in 1975, then known as “Louie the Pope,” laboratory that had been partially suspended Austrian agent Robert Wagner, who was he was the last man known to have spoken to since September… busted after telling an undercover reporter that Jimmy Hoffa before the union leader’s infamous Concerned about testing coverage during he could provide him with performance-en- disappearance… the C19 crisis, WADA has said that it will be hancing drugs, has accepted a 2-year ban—back- Haile Gebrselassie has donated $50,000 conducting additional targeted testing during dated—and is free to practice his trade again… to help fight the spread of coronavirus in this period… On an online petition has been launched Ethiopia… The fear that C19 may have cut into drug to house Tokyo’s homeless in the newly-built Running gear manufacturer Tracksmith is testing is real . The Cologne lab is reporting a Olympic Village . There are about 1000 homeless not only sponsoring Mary Cain and Nick Willis, 95% reduction in tests compared to last year… in Tokyo, with another 4000 who stay in 24-hour it has employed them as full-time members of The indoor track in Sabadel, Spain, site of Internet cafes which have now been closed… its marketing team… Genzebe Dibaba’s 2000m World Record in ’17, Tokyo organizers assure the world that the In a sad first, now that ’08 Olympic high is going to need some fixing. The track was Olympic flame is still burning, though it’s in a jump champ Andrey Silnov has been charged hurriedly disassembled without consulting secret location . It was originally scheduled to be by the AIU with a doping offense, if he is found the construction company so the arena could in Fukushima until the end of April… guilty, the gold will go to a man who won’t be be used as a C19 hospital… The IOC and Swiss authorities have teamed alive to receive the honor . Britain’s Germaine In Britain, elite athletes wanting to return up to create a $360 million fund to help inter- Mason, the silver medalist at the time, died in to their gyms or high-performance centers by national sports federations . This is in addition a ’17 motorcycle crash… have a visit with a medical expert. Athletes are to the $800 million the IOC is offering to help Two East German legends, Marita Koch allowed to opt out if they feel the situation is the Tokyo ’21 organization as well as national and Heike Drechsler, are now family . Tony dangerous… Olympic committees… Drechsler, Heike’s son, married Ulrike Meier, Olympic champion Tianna Bartoletta has The pandemic, along with the rescheduling Marita’s daughter, last September .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 52 TRACK SHORTS

doing some gym and some cardio to keep in shape and I’m good now . For 10 years I have trained as a profes- sional so half-a-year off could help me in my career .”

JIRO MOCHIZUKI/IMAGE OF SPORT The finances of missing a year of competition will be hard for many athletes says putterChase Ealey . “A lot of people don’t realize what goes into it,” she says . “I have to think about that, supporting myself through now an entire year and a half until the next one. I need to do something . People don’t realize, this is my job . I’m an athlete . It’s not like I have another job . People don’t understand how difficult that is.” Doha discus runner-up Fedrick Dacres says get- ting back into the swing of things for a late-’20 season will be tough: “It’s really hard to actually put yourself back in the state “I’m now what I would call a park exerciser,” says sprint ace of mind to get going again Noah Lyles as he describes his training. because a lot of people, (myself included) wrote off this season. Because I was saying based on ANOTHER SAMPLING of what major players go for walks and I go for runs and just kind of everything that’s going on, I don’t think that it are up to in this year of the pandemic: enjoying myself in a different way and moving would be wise for us to even travel much less Asthma suffererNoah Lyles has been careful my body differently than I normally do. I’m compete and the stadiums won’t be packed .” He, about social-distancing guidelines, but has been actually feeling pretty good with it. My goal is too, is concerned about the financial aspect: “I able to keep training . “I’m now what I would call still the same: it’s to make the team and to win . think the most difficult part is the not knowing. a park exerciser,” he says. “We have been training It’s just now I have more time to prepare . So I A lot of us make money from competing and in a park and we have been like split up majorly . kind of look at using this time to rewind and go we are not competing, we are not earning . Not So we actually have a decent sized group, we’re back and start working on some small things ”. knowing what is going to happen… that is the about 24 people and we’re kind of broken up into Hiking in nature is the unexpected add to main stress . That is where the psychological strain groups of 6 or less. And we come at different training for Sandra Perković . Croatia’s 2-time actually comes in ”. times and we aren’t able to do nearly as much . I Olympic discus gold medalist says, “I don’t Steepler Andy Bayer is another finding new don’t even remember what the track smells like .” have a 70-meter throwing field but I have been ways to cope with the shutdown season: “It’s Now based in Fayetteville,Ryan Crouser has used his quarantine time to build his own shot circle . “I’ve always liked building and I enjoy Daschbach Breaks 4:00 In Quarantine Mile that feeling of completing a task, stepping back Some elite preps met at the Quarantine Clasico Mile in Northern California on May 23 . and being proud of what I’ve built,” explains the Social-distancing requirements were sorta met when they ran the first curve in lanes, then just reigning Olympic champ . “I enjoy the process of like in an 800 the field broke for the pole in their planned attempt on a sub-4:00 mile. Mission building and problem-solving—I like working accomplished for winner Leo Daschbach (Highland, Gilbert, Arizona) who became the 11th with my hands ”. high schooler ever to break 4:00 (see box for entire list). Olympian Robby Andrews, for one, is glad Thomas Boyden (Skyline, Salt Lake City) was in the lead at the bell, followed by Daschbach of the postponement as he recovers from a se- and Cole Sprout (Valor, Highlands Ranch, Colorado) . Down the backstretch, Daschbach began ries of injuries . “I would have had to rush my a long kick which carried him past the leader with about 250m to go and he just moved away training in preparation for the Trials,” he admits . from there, needing only 56 0. for his last quartermile as he crossed the line in 3:59 .54 . “I’m grateful to have the extra time to prepare. That moved him to No . 9 on the all-time list, and to No . 3 on the list of times recorded in All those muscular imbalances, all the nagging prep-only competition . Daschbach’s 440s were covered in 60 .8, 62 .7 (2:03 .5), 60 .0 (3:03 .5) & 56 .0 . aches—I have time to work those out . After the He hit 3:44 6. at the 1500 point . Sprout (4:02 42). and Boyden (4:04 50). PRed in 2nd and 3rd, as injuries and sickness, I have to stay positive . It did Easton Allred (Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah) with 4:05 .67 in 4th and John Lester (Amador may be a bit selfish. I haven’t been overtrained, Valley, Pleasanton, California) with 4:08 90. in 5th . and I think I still have a lot left to give ”. “I was pretty much just focused on the moment and the race, making the right moves and Michelle Carter is making the most of things . when to surge,” Daschbach told the Arizona Republic. “I didn’t even know how close I was until “Right now, I’m just at home doing at-home work- I came across 100m left and saw 3:46 on the clock ”. outs,” says the reigning Olympic shot champ . “I

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 53 been weird in a way but knowing track season is pushed back pretty far makes it easier. Being The All-Time High School Sub-4:00 List in the weightroom would be nice, but I’ve found ways to do things at home to get by . In terms of With the addition of Leo Daschbach and his 3:59 .54 at the Quarantine Mile, there have now track stuff, you can switch those out for road been 19 sub-4:00 milers by 11 different performers . Jim Ryun still has the most, at 5 . The workouts or hill workouts . This time of year, you all-time list (* = junior at time; i = mark made indoors): wouldn’t normally be doing longer tempo runs, but I think of this more as a base phase again . Mark Athlete School Year It’s hard to plan training, but at the same time, I 1. 3:53.43 Alan Webb (South Lakes, Reston, Virginia) 2001 feel base-phase is good right now because I find it hard at this point to put in, day in and day out, 2 3:55.3 Jim Ryun (East, Wichita, Kansas) 1965 the really hard track sessions that get you ready for the peak of the season and require mental 3 3:56.8 ——Ryun 1965 energy . It’s not sustainable to hold that for an 4 3:57.81i Drew Hunter (Loudoun Valley, Purcellville, Virginia) 2016 unknown amount of time ”. British sprinter Adam Gemili is spending his 5 3:58.1 ——Ryun 1965 lockdown time in Florida . He says, “Most days I’m 6 3:58.25i ——Hunter 2016 looking for a beach or a field where I can run as my places of work—the track and the gym—are 7 3:58.3 ——Ryun 1965 closed . And, yes, it may be 30C [86F] here every 8 3:58.86 ——Hunter 2016 day but we’re still in lockdown—even if it is not as severe as the UK yet . We can go out in pairs 9 3:59.0 ——*Ryun 1964 and train but anywhere we find, we go back the next day and it has been cordoned off! I haven’t 10 3:59.30 Reed Brown (Carroll, Southlake, Texas) 2017 seen the rest of my training group for so long I’ve 11 3:59.38 Matthew Maton (Summit, Bend, Oregon) 2015 started to forget what they look like ”. “Quarantined in El Paso,” could be a country 12 3:59.38 Grant Fisher (Grand Blanc, Michigan) 2015 song title, but it’s actually the situation for Em- 13 3:59.4 Tim Danielson (Chula Vista, California) 1966 manuel Korir. The 1:42.05 performer is finishing up his degree at UTEP but says the closures of 14 3:59.53 Michael Slagowski (Rocky Mountain, Meridian, Idaho) 2016 parks have left him completely unable to train . 15 3:59.54 Leo Daschbach (Highland, Gilbert, Arizona) 2020 “We are not allowed to do any kind of training . Luckily, back home in Kenya, I could run in the 16 3:59.71 *Lukas Verzbicas (Sandburg, Orland Park, Illinois) 2011 forest alone or conduct some training on my own 17 3:59.78 ——Slagowski 2016 unlike here . Life is at its worst but I have to try my best to survive. I do my studies by attending 18 3:59.86i ——Webb 2001 online classes that keep me busy, killing off the boredom ”. 19 3:59.8 Marty Liquori (Essex Catholic, Newark, New Jersey) 1967 Ajee’ Wilson is training alone during Phil- adelphia’s quarantine: “We’ve kind of gone back to a fall-based training schedule of mostly runs . We’re just getting some distance training—fit, or not and putting ourselves at risk trying to go “That’s given us time to address some niggles maintaining, not as focused on being sharp out and practice, and luckily, we were able to reel I’ve had for a long time . The goal over the last 6 because at this point, there is no need for the it back in, still practicing, finding open fields, weeks has been to sort those wee issues out and upcoming future . But for the most part, I’m just doing just some turns, just to stay in shape ”. it’s worked out not too bad . I’ve gone away from logging miles ”. Hurdler Brianna McNeal still has access to real heavy lifting stuff, but I’m still pretty good. Raevyn Rogers has backed off on training her local track in LA: “We are still able to train on Now I’m getting a bit older that stuff doesn’t a bit . “It’s been ranging from every other day to the track . That hasn’t been taken away but I have take much to come back with old-man strength .” maybe every two days or so . I try to get running not been able to get any treatment like massage “This year is probably going to be a ‘white in but I try to make sure that I’m still maintaining to take care of my body for a while . That is no year’, a training year,” says hepathlete Nafi Thi- my strength in other areas, not just running-wise . longer available . The track is still available but am . “For the body, that’s good . Every year it has So I just try to work on little things. I do abs. I one day this week, we were nearly kicked off it been European Championships, World Champi- try to stretch, and I need to do that a little more.” and I think my coach is trying to figure out what onships, Olympic Games… Every year you have Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse has we would do if we had to leave it ”. 10 months to prepare for a big championship . The backed off on his training too: “It doesn’t really Hellen Obiri is still training, but much has fact that now I don’t have to be thinking, ‘I have consist of much because of the quarantine, ba- c ha nged. “I have to t rai n alone a nd it is diffic ult,” to be ready at t hat exac t moment ’ is a bit wei rd for sically just doing a lot of core, pushups, situps, says Kenya’s 2-time world 5K champ . “It requires motivation, but pressure-wise it may be a good pullups, those type of things . Of course, I can go a lot of discipline and focus because distractions thing, and I am going to have a long, long time for a little jog around my block, so I usually try a re ma ny. T hese a re d iffic u lt t i mes, wh ic h ca l l for to prepare for the biggest event ”. to jog to the mailbox, jog back, stuff like that. It’s special measures . As athletes and role models we Emily Sisson, who dropped out of the Trials pretty tough, but I try to stay somewhat in shape. must sensitize the need to keep safe and follow Marathon, says that the Olympic postponement I think everyone is in the same position, so you government directives . We must be very careful, will help her get ready for the 10,000: “I am glad try to do what you can ”. that is why I can only afford to train once a day.” I have more time to get ready for the 10K on the “I’ve been very fortunate that people gave “The good thing about being a runner is that track. Coming off a marathon, it’s kind of tricky us hints here that the weight room at SIU was you don’t need anything special,” says quarter- sometimes getting your legs turning over fast being shut down so we hurried up and bought miler Courtney Okolo . “We are allowed to go again . But after a poor performance, it’s nice to some equipment, put it in our garage,” says world outside so I can always find somewhere to run, get back going and racing again so that’s a little hammer champ DeAnna Price. “Definitely an it’s not a big inconvenience for me . If I was a triple hard I can’t do that right now ”. adjustment period . It’s us balancing everything ju mper or t h rower, I wou ld need to fi nd sa nd a nd Jamaican 400 star Akeem Bloomfield says and making sure we are doing it correctly . It’s a weightroom because that is super-important he’s ready to go: “I have been working on some defi n it e ly f r u s t rat i ng wh e n we a r e i n l i m b o t r y i ng to their training . But for us runners, it is easier ”. things in training and if I am allowed to compete to figure out if we were still having the Olympics Kiwi shot putterTom Walsh sees a bright side: this year, then I would be able to know where

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 54 my body is at and what I need to correct . I have the fact that I will not compete outdoors I would the action directly from their cars if they have been training as if there is going to be a season, need a good competitive experience before the a good sightline, or they can look up at the big so I would not want all this preparation that I Olympic Games next year and will jump indoors.” screen, where the video feed will be live . The have been putting in go to waste, because I am Javelin Olympian Maggie Malone is training event begins, of course, after sunset… training every day ”. in Alabama with All-American boyfriend Sam Caster Semenya will be a sprinter this The postponement works for her because of Hardin under the coaching of Tom Pukstys . “We season: “That’s decided; we’ll stick to 200m no a knee injury says world shot champ Lijao Gong . came here when everything started shutting matter what. We don’t care about any other de- “It’s one more year, I can still afford it. All I have down and we didn’t have access to any training cision-making . We will do what we can control to do is work hard to adjust and try to keep the facilities in Birmingham . So we turned the garage now, which is the 200m ”. best state until next year. Now the focus is on into a gym and have been throwing in the field In the world of unintended consequences, recuperating from a knee injury and maintain- next to his house out in the country – it honestly a number of athletes who have been busted for ing fitness. We have changed the training plan reminds me of when I was in high school training, doping and had bans extending through the now . Originally this period was very important, we just have to make do with what we have . And original ‘20 Olympics dates are now eligible to but now we’re basically maintaining my fitness it’s been so fun and you truly realize that you compete in the postponed ‘21 Olympics . That and incorporating some basic physical exercises don’t need all these tools and weight equipment includes Turkey’s Gamze Bulut, who lost her 1500 every day ”. to accomplish what you need to . We always joke silver medal in ’12 . With her ban over at the end Dalilah Muhammad told CNN that without that at 5 p .m . the ‘Hardin Healthclub’ opens up .” of May, she now has plenty of time to prepare for an Olympics this year, she decided to fast to Optimistic 800 WR holder David Rudisha Tokyo: “I’m trying my best,” she says . The AIU observe Ramadan . “I’m never able to do the full said he was going to make a splash this season: figures that about 40 other convicted dopers are 30 days or the full month and this time I kind of “The crisis has put me in an awkward situation . in similar circumstances . made a promise myself to really do it . I can do it I am fit for now but I don’t know when I will run Jonathan Wells, the Illini high jumper who now that my training isn’t as intense . There’s no my next race. It is sad that I have been training placed 3rd at USATF last summer, is not sure major championships to get ready for ”. hard and I was almost hitting my top form just whether he’s going to return to Champaign for a Russian long jumper Darya Klishina is say- a few months before the Olympic Games ”. Bad senior season . Right now he’s at his home, staying ing no to the ‘20 season: “Now it’s a disastrous news quickly followed, as on May 19 he twisted safe and training . “It’s all about 100% ownership time in training, I don’t want to force things and his left ankle while walking on uneven ground . and responsibility . I’m going to a parking lot, an get too quickly to shape . Therefore, we are training Turned out to be a fracture and he had surgery open field or vacant lot, and doing my running. now in a not full mode . I just want to start my the next week. Lifting is difficult, but I can increase my ab and preparations for the winter season earlier than Pole vaulting at a drive-in movie theater? plank workouts and do general strength things . usual—in August, although I usually start in Why not—it’s 2020 . The Autokino theater in I’m actually content with taking (my training) October in order to perform in the winter . The last Düsseldorf will be hosting a world-class vault down a bit and letting my body heal and coming few years I missed the winter season, but due to event on June 12 . Spectators will be able to watch back next year for the Olympics.”

CALENDAR

Tentative New 2020 Diamond League Schedule

* = new date is the same as originally scheduled June 11 Bislett Games (“Impossible Games”) Oslo, Norway* August 14 Herculis Fontvieille, Monaco 16 Müller Grand Prix Gateshead, England* 23 Bauhaus Galan Stockholm, Sweden September 02 Athletissima Lausanne, Switzerland 04 AG Memorial Van Damme Brussels, Belgium* 06 Meeting de Paris Paris, France 17 Golden Gala Pietro Mennea Naples, Italy 19 Shanghai Shanghai, China October 04 Prefontaine Classic Eugene, Oregon 09 Doha Doha, Qatar 17 Diamond League China (Nanjing?) Note: The scheduled DL meets in Rabat, London & Zürich have definitively been canceled for 2020. There will be no DL Final.

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 55 STATUS QUO

HERE’S THE LATEST in the aches, pains & eligibility departments:

pay back her outstanding prize money, however . One athlete who was happy with the Tokyo postponement was Polish javelinist Maria An- KEVIN MORRIS drejczyk, 4th in Rio . She hurt her Achilles early this year, so she says, “When the information came that the Olympics was postponed, I was delighted ”. She also missed ’17 with shoulder surgery and also had a case of cancer in ’18 (from which she has since recovered) . Yohann Diniz, the ’17 World champ in the 50K walk, says he won’t be competing at all this season to prepare for ’21 . World shot champ Lijiao Gong is recovering from a knee injury . Iranian discus thrower Ehsan Hadadi, a Cancer free, Chaunté 9-time World Ranker, has recovered from a bout Lowe says she feels great with COVID-19: “I am sure we have recovered and is back in training. because when the virus is in you, you feel it . I am much better now.” 4-time NYC Marathon champ Mary Keitany, 38, is still wrestling with a hip injury from a year ago . She is resting until it recovers, while she concentrates on working on the family farm . Faith Kipyegon says she is now recovered from the hip injury she suffered at the ’19 Worlds It will be a bit of a wait to see him wearing Ultimate Garden Clash because of a minor knee in finishing 2nd in the 1500. Team USA colors, but discus thrower Niklas injury . Olympic 400H silver medalist Bonface Arrhenius has been granted a nationality switch Clayton Murphy had a minor injury that Mucheru says he has recovered from the tendon from Sweden to the U .S . . The switch took place on sidelined him from running in March . He is injury that has held him back since ’17 . The Kenyan March 24, but the former BYU star (PR 217-3/66 . 22) planning to move back to Ohio this summer to star is back training . will not be eligible for U S. . teams until August work again with his college coach, Lee LaBadie . Albert Rop of Bahrain, the Asian 5000 record 26, 2022, just before his 40th birthday . After suffering for a year with Achilles pain, holder (12:51 96),. has been banned for two years Randall Cunningham fractured his tibia in Allie Ostrander says that she took advantage of for whereabouts failures . winning the ’17 NCAA high jump title for USC, the postponed Olympic year to fix things: “I got Former Georgia decathlete Karl-Robert but he hasn’t competed since . His coach/father, a PRP injection which I hope will help me finally Saluri (PR 8137) has retired at age 26 . “Athletics former NFL quarterback Randall Cunningham, run pain free and restore balance to my stride . It is not a possibility anymore, as it doesn’t pay for says that he is still rehabbing and the Olympic was difficult to make the decision to voluntarily anything,” said the Estonian . He is now looking postponement “gives him time to heal up a little undergo a procedure that will take me out of for coaching work in the U .S . bit more and get adjusted to jumping again ”. running for 6 weeks ”. Christina Schwanitz is able to do squats for In May, 2-time U . S . 5000 ranker Vanessa Fraser Three-time Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein— the first time in four years. The ’15 World shot had surgery to correct Achilles problems along still No . 3 on the all-time U S. . 5000 list, and No . champion has had a radioactive substance injected with bone spurs on both feet . 4 in the marathon—has retired at 37 . His farewell into her knee to bring down inflammation. With Wisconsin slamming the door on the race, it turns out, was the Olympic Trials Marathon, Two-time shot world champ David Storl says NCAA’s offer of another spring of eligibility, two in which he DNFed . the Olympic postponement works for him, as he Badger stars, both former NCAA champs, have Decathlete Garrett Scantling, 4th in the ’16 is returning from a back injury . “I could only turned pro: Aussie 1500 man Oliver Hoare and Trials, has returned to the sport after a failed at- really start preparing again in December . And 5000 runner Alicia Monson . tempt to catch on in the NFL, and is back training it is simply better if you have more than twelve At 13 months, Emily Infeld is celebrating with Georgia coach Petros Kyprianou . months to prepare for the Olympic Games than her longest healthy stretch since her college days, Olympic Trials marathon winner Aliphine if you did that within 6 months ”. but says “I’m taking a break now to heal some Tuliamuk says she planned to start a family at Kenyan Daniel Wanjiru, winner of the ’17 compensation on my right side.” she expects to the end of ’20, but with the postponement of the London Marathon has been provisionally sus- be back training “in a month or two ”. Olympics, will now wait a year . pended for a biological passport violation . NCAA 5000 champ Dani Jones will bypass Provisional suspensions for whereabouts Hammer queen Anita Włodarczyk had her remaining eligibility at Colorado to turn pro . failures have been handed out to a pair of World- surgery on her knee and has decided instead of High jumper Chaunté Lowe is cancer free Ranked U .S . women’s 200 stars, Deajah Stevens retiring after ’20 (plan A) that she might continue and training, she reports . “I feel great . I’m to the and Gabby Thomas. S a id T hom a s, “I a m c o n fide nt through ’22 . “This is my plan,” she says . “We’ll point where I’m running times that I haven’t run that at least one of these missed tests is not valid see what comes out of it ”. in years . I’m able to lift weights that I haven’t lifted and that I will be completely cleared ”. China’s Guowei Zhang, the ’15 WC silver in a long time . I’m starting to feel like myself ”. medalist in the high jump, has retired at age 28 . After losing ’19 to bone spur surgery on a toe, On The International Front LaShawn Merritt is back training . “It’s recov- Mariya Abakumova, the Russian who won Drug DQs: ered,” he says . “I’m training . I had a great base the ’11 World javelin gold before losing it to a pos- training this season, and then this happened ”. 4 years—Valentina Galimova (Russia, mara- itive test, has completed her 4-year ban and says Sandi Morris says she did not vault in the thon), Bralon Taplin (Grenada, 400); she is ready to compete again . She still needs to 2 years—Albert Rop (Bahrain, 5000) .

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 56 LAST LAP

HERE’S THIS MONTH’S collection of short takes on generally off-track activities that have gone a long way towards shaping the way the sport is headed. Note also up front a separate major interview with Seb Coe in which much is discussed, including the redating of Eugene’s ’22 hosting of the World Championships. JIRO MOCHIZUKI/IMAGE OF SPORT

Reigning Athlete Of The Year Karsten Warholm looks to run the fastest 300H ever.

Renaud Lavillenie joining the fray by remote deadline in mind, we had other projects in the Warholm Going For 300H WR At from his home in France . Impossible Games pipeline,” Todd said . “We wanted to present a nice, clean, brand new face to the world when What do you do when faced with pandem- Mt. SAC’s New Stadium Ready To Go the trials happened, and when that was taken ic-induced conditions? “You have two options: As noted in our feature on a spring without away, we were able to start some other projects you can give up or look at the possibilities,” says s uc h m aj or f i x t u r e s a s t h e Mt. SAC Re l ays, S o C a l earlier, and that’s the next phase of this. The Bislett Games meet director Steinar Hoen . “We school Mt . San Antonio College had been set to future is exciting.” have had a very positive dialogue with [gov- open its new track/football stadium on April 04 . ernment officials] and we have come up with The state-of-the-art 9-lane facility seats 11,500, a concept that is well within the government’s Tentative New 2020 Diamond League but can be expanded to 25,000 for major events. infection control requirements ”. The school—which at one point was supposed to Schedule Announced So this year’s DL stop in Oslo, tagged as host the ’20 Olympic Trials—is eager to get back Much could happen in the interim, of course, the “Impossible Games,” will have “exhibition” into the big-meet-hosting business, including but World Athletics has laid out a prospective status and feature some unique concepts . Like the NCAA Championships . There hasn’t been Diamond League program for this summer/fall . world 400H champ Karsten Warholm attacking an NCAA in Southern California since USC Four meets which were originally scheduled to the “World Record” in the rarely run 300H . He hosted the ’55 meet at the LA Coliseum . be part of the 2020 calendar are not included . tweeted, “Let’s save @bislettgames and help “Obviously it was disappointing when the Three of them—London, Rabat & Zürich—have defeat Covid-19 at the same time! I will run Trials were taken away,” says Doug Todd, Mt . been canceled, and another, Oslo, will be staged alone and keep social distance . Let’s run ”. The SAC’s head coach . “But it never changed our on June 11 as an “exhibition event.” fastest time ever produced is a 34 .48 by Britain’s goal to have the stadium ready in time, so for The new tentative schedule features 3 Chris Rawlinson in ’02 . us, it was sort of vindication because we met meets in August (14—Monaco, 16—Gateshead, The meet is also scheduled to have a vault that goal . 23—Stockholm), 5 in September (02—Lausanne, head-to-head between Scandinavian stars “But when we won the bid to host the 04—Brussels, 06—Paris, 17—Naples, 19—Shang- Mondo Duplantis and Sondre Guttormsen, with Olympic Trials and were building with that hai) and 3 in October (4—Eugene, 09—Doha,

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 57 speaking, the athletes would love to compete,” Olympic Qualifying Periods Tweaked Porter concluded . “They would love to have a Nationals . It probably wouldn’t be a true With Tokyo now postponed for a year, the windows in which athletes can make Nationals . It would be a modified Nationals ”. Olympic Qualifying Standards have been modified, with the bulk of this year now off the table . For most of the events the windows are now May 01, 2019, through April 05, 2020 and then after a break, December 01, 2020, through June 29, 2021 . For the marathon and What’s Up With The Big Marathons? 50W the windows are 1/01/19 to 4/05/20 and 12/01/20 to 5/31/21 . For the 10,000, 20W and As with so many other things, the status of multis the windows are 1/01/19 to 4/05/20 and 12/01/20 to 6/29/21 . WA’s world rankings will the world’s most important 26-milers remains employ similar windows . in a state of flux. The two Abbott World Mar- In explaining the decision, WA chief Seb Coe said, “I am grateful for the detailed athon Majors scheduled for April, Boston and work and feedback from our Athletes’ Commission and Council who believe suspending London, were moved to the fall . Boston is now Olympic qualification during this period gives more certainty for athlete planning and tentatively scheduled for September 14 and preparation and is the best way to address fairness in what is expected to be the uneven London for October 04 . delivery of competition opportunities across the globe for athletes given the challenges So far, at least, Chicago (October 11) and of international travel and government border restrictions ”. New York City (November 01) are still in place on their original dates . NYC mayor Bill de Blasio said in late May that it’s still too early to decide 17—China, likely Nanjing) . Overall, only Oslo, a year, to July 23–August 08 (with track being whether or not the Big Apple race will be staged, Gateshead & Brussels remain on their original staged July 30–August 08) . Accordingly, the U . S . and if so, in what format . dates . Olympic Trials in Eugene have also moved 12 As for Berlin, it said it would stay on its Unlike all other DL years, there will be months and will now be held June 18–27, 2021 . planned date of September 27, but in late April no Final. Explained WA, “Given the current Existing ticket customers will have their the local government ruled events with more discrepancies in training and travel opportu- tickets automatically rolled over to the new than 5000 people until October 24 . A month after nities, it would be impossible to ensure a level dates in 2021 . Customers who wish to request a that announcement, there has been no further playing field and a fair qualification system refund will be able to do so in a 90-day window news on what the race might do . during 2020 . Athletes will therefore not earn that opened at TrackTown20 com. on April 22 . Diamond League points this season, and there A Call For More Shorter-Format Meets will not be a single, 24-discipline final in Zurich New Dates Set For ’22 World “People do not want to sit for hours and as originally planned . Championships hours and hours—they want excitement and “Each meeting organizer will review and The U .S .’s first hosting of the World Cham- they want entertainment coming at them all the announce the format of their competition pionships will have to wait a year, what with time,” Joanna Coates said in late May . Coates, and which disciplines are included 2 months the Olympics now co-opting the summer of ’21 . who took over as CEO of UK Athletics in March, before the event takes place so they can work The meet will now be staged July 15–24, 2022 . also said, “We have to keep the integrity of the with the prevailing conditions set by their When the dates were announced in early sport, but we are looking at shorter formats . And Governments ”. April, the meet’s executive director, Niels de we need them to engage a younger audience ”. Zürich, which was slated to stage the Final Vos, said: “I should like to thank Oregon’s Coates did acknowledge the need for some t h i s ye a r a nd n e x t, w i l l i n s t e ad b e c ome t h e ’21 & stakeholders for committing so early to the big meets, like London’s usual 2-day Diamond ’22 host, with the Pre Classic moving its first-ever postponement, allowing maximum flexibility League affair, saying, “You would still want hosting of the climactic meet from ’22 to ’23 . on dates for our friends at World Athletics, just as that real purity ”. WA’s next level of meets, the Continental they have been flexible with us in ensuring our Tour Gold sequence, has been cut to 6 meets, plans can remain on track despite the 12-month Staffing Cuts In Alphabet-Soup Land 2 in August (11—Turku, 20— Székesfehérvár) postponement . Oregon22, as we must now get USATF, WA and the USOPC have all been and 4 in September (06—Chorzów, 08—Ostrava, used to calling it, will be kickstarting a global forced to cut back on staff in the wake of the C19 15—Zagreb, 26—Nairobi) . festival of international track and field cham- pandemic and its associated revenue declines . pionships in the summer of 2022 that will be a USATF terminated 7 of its 65 employees . CEO fa nt a s t ic e x p e r ie nc e for at h le t e s a nd fa n s a l i ke.” Pre Has A “Placeholder” Date In October Max Siegel said that all of the cuts came in di- U S. . fans, you can mark down October 04 visions that support live events . Siegel himself on your calendars for this year’s Pre Classic . What About The USATF Championships? took a 20% reduction . But if you do, use a pencil, not indelible ink . In There are no teams to qualify for this year, WA put 50% of its HQ staff on furlough, mid-May, when WA announced its tentative but many (most?) athletes would love to get in but all will continue to receive their pay, with summer/fall calendar for this year’s DL Circuit, some real competition before all the pages have Monaco’s government providing 70% of the Pre meet director Tom Jordan clarified to the turned on the 2020 calendar . Still a possibility funding . Said WA president Seb Coe, “This Eugene Register-Guard that the date should (no news is good news!) is a USATF Champion- means we will focus only on business-critical just be considered a “placeholder” at this point . ships . The last “official” word from federation activities for the short term which will help us And this year’s edition understandably headquarters, as recounted in the last issue, manage our cashflow effectively and protect won’t be like its predecessors . Jordan continued, was, “We will have a championship event if jobs in the long term ”. explai n i ng, “T he exact for mat is st ill u nder dis- it’s possible ”. Olympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland cussion and again, it will still be dependent on In late May, David Woods of the Indianapolis said staffing cuts of 10% to 20% are “necessary restrictions that are in place in terms of testing, Star reported that one source had told the paper to balance both the current delay in revenue travel, visas, etc . There will almost certainly be that USATF is trying to organize a late-Septem- and anticipated decline .’’ Subsequently, 30-plus no international athletes coming from overseas .” ber staging of the meet at Mt . SAC . The source employees took buyouts in a voluntary stage of The matter of whether or not many/any fans also said that Indianapolis was considered and cutbacks, with subsequent pruning resulting in would be allowed at what would be the grand then rejected as a site . Jeff Porter, chair of the more than 100 cuts total by the third week of May . opening of the new Hayward Field obviously Athletes’ Advisory Committee, told Woods that remains in the hands of officials at multiple a decision almost certainly needs to be made New Balance To Create New levels—federal/state/county/city/university . by mid-June . HS Nationals Porter also said that holding a Nationals After a decade of partnership which saw New Dates Set For ’21 Olympic Trials later than September would be “asinine” because it as the title sponsor of the New Balance In the March/April edition we noted that that date would be too close to the 2021 indoor Nationals both indoors (’10) and out (’11), the the Tokyo Olympics had been moved “exactly” season and buildup to the Olympics . “Generally shoe company has parted ways with the NSAF

Track & Field News May/June 2020 — 58 (National Scholastic Athletic Foundation) . The Boston-based firm will kick off its own compe- Changes Coming For NCAA XC? tition starting next year. “Our priority has been and will continue to Although it’s still in the formulative stage, qualifying procedures for the NCAA XC be to provide a first-class event that offers the Regionals could be markedly revamped . The XC Committee held a teleconference in late opportunity for high school students to compete April and a report on that meeting reveals that prime discussion items included reducing against the best in the country,” said Tom Carleo, both the number of Regional participants and number of Regions . Although no numbers New Balance’s VP of Performance Running in were cited on participants, a move to cut the number of Regions from 9 to 5 was discussed . a n nou nc i ng t he c h a nge. “We a re exc ited to con- The grapevine says a 2-region format is also being discussed . tinue to bring the energy and competition the At the earliest, any new system—which might also include automatic advancement New Balance High School Nationals is known to Regionals for Conference winners—wouldn’t come into play before the fall of ’22 . for and are committed to providing a seamless transition for the high school athletes ”. qualifying standard . The highest top-end per- NSAF Remains In The Prep Business formers are not eligible. Excluded are those in 2021 Or Nothing For Tokyo? the top 6 in the WA world rankings in their event Even though there are those who at this “These are very challenging times for a lot and anybody who earned more than $6000 on point think that the C19 problem will still exist of companies and organizations,” said NSAF last year’s DL Circuit . Also not eligible is any- to such an extent next year that the postponed Exec ut ive Director Jim Spier i n react i ng to New body who has ever had a doping transgression . Olympics won’t be staged, don’t look for the Balance’s departure as NSAF’s title sponsor The protocol also says, “Athletes who, extravaganza to be bumped back to ’22. for its HS Nationals, indoors and out . “We ap- throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, continue Calling ’21 “the last option,” in late May IOC preciate the 10-year relationship we had with to receive an annual grant from their Govern- chief Thomas Bach said he backed Japan’s stance New Balance . We are thankful for what they ment, National Olympic Committee, Member that the Games could simply end up canceled . have brought to our events . But after each such Federation or sponsors are not expected to “Quite frankly, I have some understanding for transition we’ve taken our meets to new heights apply unless they can demonstrate a justifiable [Japan’s position] because you cannot forever and we fully intend to keep growing and serving welfare need ”. employ 3000, or 5000, people in an organizing high school track & field athletes ”. committee,” Bach told the BBC . “You cannot NSAF, which first got into the “nationals” every year change the entire sports schedule business with a meet in Van Nuys, California, Equipment Aid For U.S. Athletes worldwide for all the major federations ”. At in ’91, says it will announce a new title sponsor The USATF Foundation and USATF have this juncture, there have been no dates bandied for its meets soon . As for this year’s meet in partnered to donate funds for elite track & about as the fish-or-cut-bait point . Greensboro, North Carolina, the C19 problem field athletes to purchase portable training has things somewhat up in the air, but at this equipment . Since many state and/or local mu- point the competition has tentatively moved nicipalities have placed restrictions on facilities Coe Says Track Needs More U.S. Meets from mid-June to July 16–19 . Other dates may where larger groups may gather, gyms and Interviewed by Mike Tirico on NBCSN, Seb be under consideration too . weightrooms are often closed or unavailable . Coe said, ‘You are the powerhouse of track & To assist in bridging the gap between now and field . You have been for a long time . But we also WA Wants Some Olympic Money Now when restrictions are lifted, funds have been need to have the opportunities for American ath- allocated to each athlete in USATF’s Tier system letes to be earning their crust, to be performing Track is one of multiple international fed- in the amount of $400 towards the purchase of in front of great crowds and audiences in the U . S . erations that is looking towards Lausanne to equipment for home use . At the moment, it’s rather European-tilted . So enhance its revenue flow in this time of crisis . The Foundation also hosted a virtual town I’m hoping that we can really start developing WA President Seb Coe told the Financial Times hall meeting in April to speak with the athletes more 1-day meetings in the U .S ., which is what that the governing body had begun negotiations directly to understand their individual issues you had in the past ”. with the IOC to seek part of the Olympic revenue during the pandemic . Over 30 athletes par- He continued, “It’s really important for our that would have been forthcoming this year . ticipated, all communicating that 2020 would sport to have a foothold—more than a foothold— “Like many Olympic sports, we are very be a difficult year . During the town hall, the in the U . S . Look, you are the largest global sports grateful but also reliant on the share of the IOC Foundation reported, many current Foundation market . Athletics needs to be there . broadcast revenues,” Coe said . “We work in that grantees expressed a desire to forgo their allot- “When I was competing a long time ago, 4-year business cycle and not having those rev- ted award in an effort to allow the Foundation there did seem to be more opportunities for enues in the year that we were planning means to help a greater number of deserving and U .S . athletes to be competing on domestic soil . that we have to be very careful ”. troubled athletes . I would just like to see more opportunities for “The Foundation has always done a phe- those athletes to earn a living domestically, and WA Sets Up Welfare Fund For Athletes nomenal job with their efforts of open commu- maybe we’ve all taken our eye off the ball a little With support from the IAF (International nication with their grant recipients . This spirit bit here . We’ve got a strategic plan that we are Athletics Foundation), WA has set up a $500,000 was heightened in the wake of the pandemic, as working our way through at the moment, and treasure chest to further an initiative begun by the Foundation’s Board put on several meetings a very key indicator there is to try to reconnect WR holder Hicham El Guerrouj to aid financially to discover the needs and concerns the athletes more American fans with track & field… I struggling professional athletes . may be facing while factoring in the social, think it’s not that difficult to reconnect, but I To qualify for a grant—which maxes out at emotional, and physical challenges,” said the think we’re all going to have to work a little bit $4000—an athlete must have made the Tokyo world’s top triple jumper, Christian Taylor . harder at that ”.

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Died: Francisco Aritmendi, 81 Died: Jim Bailey, 90 title 4 times . The 2-time World Record setter On April 12, in Guadalajara, Spain . The On March 31, in Bellingham, Washington . put together a streak of 13 straight Rankings ’64 winner of the International Cross County The Australian miler won the ’55 NCAA title 1962–74, with a record 9 No . 1s (’62, ’63, ’65, ’66, Championships, the forerunner of the IAAF/ for Oregon . He World-Ranked once, in ’56, at ’67, ’68, ’69, ’71 ’72) . In ’00 we named him the top WA World Cross . No . 3 . His 3:58 .6 that year was the first sub-4:00 javelinist of the 20th century . mile on U .S . soil . Considered a strong bet in the 800 and 1500 at the Melbourne Olympics, he Died: Bruce MacDonald, 92 skipped the 1500 after allergy problems dogged On March 30, in Port Washington, New MIKE OLIVEAU him in the 800 heats . York . A 3-time walks Olympian, MacDonald was also an assistant team manager for the ’72 Died: Dalton Ebanks, 68 and ’76 Olympic squads . On April 25, in Connecticut, of COVID-19 . Ebanks coached at George Mason for 19 years, Died: Gene Pouncy, 69 and was head coach 1997–05 . He had been work- On April 21, in Dallas . Anchor of the SMU ing as a medical assistant prior to his death . 4×1 that placed 5th in the ’73 NCAA, after a high school career at Lincoln of Dallas, where he and Died: Hartwig Gauder, 65 his twin Joe were part of two HS Records in the On April 22, in Erfurt, Germany; of a heart 4×1, including the first-ever sub-41 clocking . attack . The East German 50K walk specialist won gold at the ’80 Games and bronze in ’88 . Died: Donato Sabia, 56 He also won World gold in ’87, with a bronze in On April 8, in Potenza, Italy; of COVID-19 . ’91 . The highest point-scorer in World Rankings The 2-time Olympic finalist for Italy placed 5th history, he appeared 12 times from ’80 to ’92, in ’84 and 7th in ’88 . He World Ranked once, a with No . 1s in ’80, ’85 ’86 & ’87 . He also Ranked No . 7 in ’84, the year of his PR of 1:43 .88 . twice at 20K, in ’78 and ’86 (No . 3) . Died: Keizo Yamada, 92 Died: David Giralt, 60 On April 2, in Kawasaki, Japan . World On April 13, in Havana; of complications Ranked No . 2 in ’53, the year he won the Boston from diabetes . The Cuban long jump star won Marathon, in what was at first thought to be a the Pan-Am silver in ’79 . The ’80 Olympian World World Record, until the course proved short . He Ranked twice, with a No . 4 in ‘79 . was also 26th in the ’52 Olympic race .

Died: Janis Lusis, 80 Died: Jerry Young On April 29, in Riga, Latvia; of cancer . A May 5, 1956: 38,543 spectators were On April 3, in Farmington, Michigan; of 4-time Olympian in the javelin for the Soviet COVID-19 . At Michigan State Young placed 4th in the LA Coliseum as Jim Bailey beat Union, he picked up a full set of medals: ’68 gold, in the ’60 NCAA cross country . He also placed John Landy, recording the first sub-4:00 ’72 silver, ’64 bronze . He also won the European 7th in the 5000 in ’61 . mile ever on U.S. soil.

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