Jenny Barringer of the University of Colorado in the 2009 NCAA Indoor 3000m (© Kirby Lee)
Jenny Barringer of the University of Colorado set a collegiate record of 8:42.03 for 3000 metres on the second and final day of the NCAA Indoor Championships (14).
Barringer, who finished ninth in the Beijing Olympic steeplechase in an American record 9:22.26, showed herself to be equally at ease on the flat, winning by nearly half a lap from the 8:56.27 of Susan Kuijken of the Netherlands, who was the defending champion.
In the men’s 3000m, Galen Rupp of Oregon completed a good two days’ work with an eased up 7:48.94. On Friday (13) he won the 5000 in 13:41.45 and anchored Oregon to a victory in the distance medley relay with a 1600 metres split in 3:57.08, equivalent to a 3:58.5 mile. Rupp is the first man to claim all three titles in the same meet.
At the other end of the distance scale, both 60m dashes were sizzlers. LaKaya Brookins, a 19-year-old sophomore at South Carolina, parlayed a brilliant start to a 7.13 clocking, equalling Angela Williams’ meet record. Minutes later, Jacoby Ford outraced Trindon Holliday, 6.52 to 6.55 in the men’s 60. Ford had tied the meet record of 6.51 in Friday’s heats.
There was a world indoor season lead for Michael Bingham of Wake Forest who just held off Texas Tech’s Gil Roberts in the men’s 400m, 45.69 to 45.71. The previous fastest in the world this year was the 45.89 set by Sweden’s Johan Wissman when winning the European Indoor title last weekend in Turin, Italy. The 22-year-old Bingham, had a previous indoor best of 46.12.
In the women’s 400, Francesca McCrory of Hampton University scored an upset over Jessica Beard, the 2008 World junior silver medallist. Each won her section, but McCrory was faster, running 51.55 to Beard’s 51.77.
Kenyan Sally Kipyego bidding to win a record 10 NCAA individual championships, fell just short in the women’s Mile. Kipyego led every step of the way until the last one, where she was out-leaned at the finish by Sarah Bowman, 4:27.72 to 4:27.75.
Best of the women’s field events was a 4.35 Pole Vault victory by Kylie Hudson, with Alicia Rule second at 4.30 and two others clearing 4.25.
The men’s Weight Throw was won by Jason Lewis at 22.88, a mark which vaults him into the top 30 of all time. His PB was 22.04m which he produced in his season’s opener in Flagstaff on 23 January. Second yesterday was Steffen Nerdal of Norway, who threw 22.54. The 24-year-old Norwegian had a previous career best of 21.56 from earlier this year.
The men’s Triple Jump was won by Christian Taylor, 18, the reigning World Youth champion, with a last- round, last-jump 16.98m. This huge PB (16.11 on 1 March was his previous best) overtook 17-year-old Will Claye’s 16.80m which also came on his last attempt, and was better than the USA junior record.
James Dunaway for the IAAF
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