Volume 11, No.15 March 12, 2012 — World Indoor Champs Men — by Ed Gordon ter three rounds, as teammate Christian Tay- the starting system, world leader Lerone İstanbul, Turkey, March 9–11—U.S. men lor’s opening 57-10¼ (17.63) was the tempo- Clarke of Jamaica failed to advance came away from the World Championships setter at that point. Another returnee to the top podium spot with an unprecedented 7 golds in 13 events, That’s all the incentive it took. The was Bernard Lagat in a successful defense of one more than the record 6 they had cap- 20-year-old Claye boomed a 57-1 (17.70) on his 3000 title with a 7:41.44 performance. tured in ’87, ’93, ’03 & ’06. Everyone knew Ashton Ea- ton would take a shot at his own heptathlon World Record, but no Eaton started his World one—perhaps Eaton included— Record with the fastest expected the 77-point decimation of his Tallinn mark from last season 60 and never let up, as he ended with 6645. recording the best The 24-year-old Oregonian was helped immeasurably on the first mark in 5 of 7 events day with a leadoff PR of 26-9¼ (8.16) in the long jump (compared with 25-6/7.77 in his record romp last year), and his second-day 17-¾ (5.20) in the point-generous vault was instrumental in making only 2:39.54 necessary for a new record. That Eaton chose to run hard from the front and clock a 2:32.77—just 0.10 off his PR— says volumes about his competitive nature. With a $50,000 record bo- nus on top of the $40,000 victory premium, it was also a profitable two days, as well. He started with a 6.79 dash be- fore the long jump, then reached an indoor PR 47-9¼ (14.56) with LEE/IMAGE OF SPORT KIRBY the shot and concluded the first day with a high jump of 6-8/2.03. He began his fourth, becoming the No. 11 performer Running wide over the final meters, Lagat the second day by hurdling 7.68. all-time, and No. 3 among Americans. held off Augustine Choge (7:41.77) and “It feels good,” said Eaton. “Coming into He backed up this effort with 57-10¼ Edwin Soi (7:41.78) to claim a hard-fought the competition, I knew I could break the (17.63) and 57-6¼ (17.53)—both in the all- gold, as Britain’s Mo Farah was close behind World Record. The competition was solid; time U.S. top 10. in 4th with 7:41.79. Lopez Lomong was 6th in everything was good. I didn’t have any bad Two days earlier Claye had finished 4th at a PR 7:44.16. event.” 26-4 ½ (8.04). The U.S. men’s 4x4 had to wait out a The weekend saw two other Americans Justin Gatlin, the ’03 60-meter gold med- protest after a zone-infraction disqualifica- moving into prominent positions in the all- alist, demonstrated there is still life in his tion, but in the end their 3:03.94 time was time list. On the first evening, Ryan Whit- 30-year-old legs, coming within 0.01 of his validated over the quartets from Great Britain ing hit the super-benchmark 22-meter level PR. (3:04.72) and Trinidad (3:06.85). exactly with a fifth-round 22.00 (72-2¼), be- Equaling his 6.46 time from Birming- The vault saw Renaud Lavillenie of France coming the 9th to do so indoors (and the 10th ham, Gatlin was the clear winner over Ja- win his first world title at 19-6¼ (5.95) as to surpass 72 feet) to win the shot. maica’s Nesta Carter (6.54) as Trell Kimmons Brad Walker’s comeback season brought a Fast-forward to the triple jump on the fi- took 4th in 6.60, just behind Dwain Cham- bronze with a 19-¼ (5.80) clearance. nal day, and pre-meet world leader Will Claye bers with the same clocking. was languishing in 6th with a 55-5 (16.89) af- Amid frequent first-day complaints about -132- March 12, 2012 Men’s Indoor World Leaders Men’s Indoor U.S. Leaders (legal-sized tracks only) Track Events new leaders since last edition are in red 60...........6.45(A) ...............................Trell Kimmons (adidas) ¶ =record performance (lo-alt) ..6.46 ............................... Justin Gatlin (unattached) Track Events 200.........20.39 ........................................... Ameer Webb (US) 60...........6.45(A) ..................................... Trell Kimmons (US) 400.........45.39(A) .......................... Gil Roberts (unattached) (lo-alt) ..6.46 ............................................. Justin Gatlin (US) ...............45.39(A) .......................................................Roberts 200.........20.39 ........................................... Ameer Webb (US) (lo-alt) ..45.72 ..........................Frankie Wright (unattached) 400.........45.11 .............................. Nery Brenes (Costa Rica) 800.........1:47.11 ......... Michael Rutt (New Jersey/New York) 800.........1:44.57 .............................. Adam Kszczot (Poland) 1500.......3:36.20 ................................... Bernard Lagat (Nike) 1500.......3:34.10 .......................Abdelaati Iguider (Morocco) Mile ........3:53.92 ..........................Matthew Centrowitz (Nike) Mile ........3:52.63 .................................Silas Kiplagat (Kenya) 3000.......7:33.45+ ...........................Galen Rupp (Oregon TC) 3000.......7:29.94 ...........................Augustine Choge (Kenya) 2M ..........8:09.72 ¶ ..........................Galen Rupp (Oregon TC) ...............7:29.94 ....................................... Edwin Soi (Kenya) 5000.......13:07.15 ¶ .............................. Bernard Lagat (Nike) 2M ..........8:07.39 .............................. Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) 60H ........7.40(A) ......................................Dexter Faulk (Nike) 5000.......12:58.67 .....................Thomas Longosiwa (Kenya) (lo-alt) ..7.44 ......................................Aries Merritt (Reebok) 60H ........7.40(A) ........................................ Dexter Faulk (US) 4 x 400...3:03.94 .............................................. National Team (lo-alt) ..7.41 ..............................................Xiang Liu (China) DisMed ..9:29.12 ..........................................................Indiana 4 x 400...3:03.76 ...................................................... Arkansas Field Events DisMed ..9:29.12 ..........................................................Indiana HJ ..........7-7¼ | 2.32 ............................ Jesse Williams (Nike) Field Events PV ..........19-2¾ | 5.86(A) ..........................Brad Walker (Nike) HJ ..........7-9¼ | 2.37 .................Mutaz Essa Barshim (Qatar) (lo-alt) ..19-¼ | 5.80 .....................................................Walker PV ..........19-6¼ | 5.95 .................Renaud Lavillenie (France) LJ ..........27-½ | 8.24 .................................... Will Claye (Nike) LJ ..........27-2 | 8.28 .......................Mauricio da Silva (Brazil) TJ ..........58-1 | 17.70 ................................... Will Claye (Nike) TJ ..........58-1 | 17.70 ...................................... Will Claye (US) SP ..........72-2¼ | 22.00 ...........................Ryan Whiting (Nike) SP ..........72-2¼ | 22.00 ............................. Ryan Whiting (US) Wt ..........82-7½ | 25.18 ............................. A.G. Kruger (Nike) Wt ..........82-7½ | 25.18 ................................A.G. Kruger (US) Hept .......6645 ¶ .....................................Ashton Eaton (Nike) Hept .......6645 ¶ ........................................Ashton Eaton (US) Cress (MHL) 7.43;… dq—John Howard (Mic), — World Indoor Men — 3. Idrissa Adam (Cam) 6.96 PR; 4. Tim Abeyie (Gha). İstanbul, Turkey, March 9–11 (200 Raihau Maiau (PYF) 7.18 NR; 5. Rodman VII–1. Gatlin 6.64; 2. Reza Ghasemi (IRI) banked; altitude 7m/22ft)— Teltull (Pau) 7.20 NR; 6. Ibrahim Kabia (SL) 6.87; 7.33; 7. Valeriy Ponomarev (Kir) 7.38;… 3. Holder da Silva (GBi) 6.95; 4. Chun 60 METERS dnc—Innocent Bologo (Bur). Ho Lai (HK) 6.97; 5. Mosito Lehata (Les) 7.00 FINAL (3/10) III–1. Simone Collio (Ita) 6.68; 2. Brijesh NR; 6. Jean Thierie Ferdinand (Mri) 7.05 PR; 1. Justin Gatlin (US) 6.46 (low-alt WL, Lawrence (StK) 7.00; 7. Dominic Carroll (Gib) 7.50. AL) (0.01 off PR); 2. Nesta Carter (Jam) 3. Sibusiso Matsenjwa (Swa) 7.04 NR; VIII–1. Chambers 6.65; 2. Michael Leblanc 6.54; 3. Dwain Chambers (GB) 6.60; 4. Lerone Clarke (Jam) 7.05; 5. Federico (Can) 6.74; 3. Bingtian Su (Chn) 6.84; 4. Amr 4. Trell Kimmons (US) 6.60; 5. Marc Gorrieri (SMa) 7.54; 6. Nooa Takooa (Kyr) Ibrahim Mostafa Seoud (Egy) 6.89; Burns (Tri) 6.62; 6. Emmanuel Biron (Fra) 7.57 PR; 7. Dayne O’Hara (NIs) 7.75 PR. 5. Imran Khan (Pak) 7.21 PR; 6. Shakyll 6.63; 7. Justyn Warner (Can) 6.65; 8. Aziz IV–1. Ángel David Rodríguez (Spa) 6.64; Lourens (Aru) 7.49 PR; 7. Tavevele Noa (Tuv) Ouhadi (Mor) 6.72. 2. Carter 6.74; 3. Ben Youssef Meité (CI) 7.61 PR; 8. Alhassane Keita (Gui) 8.12 PR. HEATS 6.77; 4. Ouhadi 6.91; (3/09; qualify 2+8) 5. Hasanain Hasan Zubaiyen (Irq) SEMIS I–1. Peter Emelieze (Ngr) 6.85; 2. Gerald 6.98 NR; 6. Keiron Rogers (AIA) 7.04 NR; (3/10; qualify 2+2) Phiri (Zam) 6.86; 3. Nilson Andrè (Bra) 6.86 7. Courtney Carl Williams (VI) 7.35 PR; 8. I–1. Gatlin 6.50; 2. Ouhadi 6.68 NR; PR; 4. Foo Ee Yeo (Sin) 6.90; Joshua Jeremiah (NRU) 7.50 PR. 3. Sakalauskas 6.69; 4. Leblanc 6.71; 5. 5. Md. Mesbah Ahmmed (Ban) 7.04 V–1. Burns 6.69; 2. Warner 6.75; 3. Jeremy Collio 6.71; 6. Meité 6.71; 7. Emelieze 6.81; NR; 6. Cristian Leguizamón (Par) 7.13 PR; Bascom (Guy) 6.90; 4. Mateo Edward (Pan) 8. Seoud 6.83. 7. Chris Meke Walasi (SOL) 7.47 PR; 8. 6.91 PR; II–1. Carter 6.56; 2. Chambers 6.62; 3. Ghislain Nsimba Mandualika (Con) 7.47 PR. 5. Roy Ravana (Fij) 7.17 NR; 6. Mikel Biron 6.65; II–1. Biron 6.68; 2. Christian Blum (Ger) De Sa (And) 7.51; 7. Joseph Andy Lui (TGA) 4. Bascom 6.77; 5. Blum 6.79; 6. 6.74; 7.71 PR;… dnc—Chencho Gyeltshen (Bhu). Ghasemi 6.79; 7. Lawrence 6.80; 8. Foo 6.93. VI–1.