A 3:52.8 1600m leg --the fastest ever at Penn-- by Alex Kipchirchir anchored Kenya to victory in the DMR at the Penn Relays (© Kirby Lee/Image of Sport)
World bests in the women’s sprint medley and the men’s distance medley relasy highlighted the USA vs. The World competition on the third and final day of the 112th Penn Relays before a crowd of 49,771 at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field on Saturday, 29 April.
A USA "Blue" team of Rachelle Boone-Smith, Lauryn Williams, Monica Hargrove and Hazel Clark timed 3:37.16 to break the previous best of 3:37.42 set by a U.S. team in the 200-200m-400m-800m race at this meet last year.
10 minutes later, it was the men's turn. In a close contest, Kenyan and American quartets clocked 9:15.56 and 9:15.63, bother bettering the previous best of 9:20.10 set by a University of Arkansas in 1989. Kenyan Alex Kipchirchir overtook Bernard Lagat down the homestretch of the 1600m anchor to give the Kenyans the victory in the 1200m-400m-800m-1600m race.
Two wins for Williams and Boone-Smith
The sprint medley relay was the second victory of the afternoon for Williams and Boone-Smith, who teamed with Muna Lee and LaTasha Colander on the USA "Blue" team that clocked 42.81 to win the women’s 4 x 100m relay.
In the sprint medley, Boone-Smith and Williams ran the opening 200 legs with Hargrove turning in a 52.1 400m split before Clark closed with a 2:00.2 800m leg.
Clark, who ran the 800m leg on last year’s record-setting quartet that edged Jamaica at the tape in rainy conditions, was more concerned about another close finish with the Jamaica’s quartet of Sherone Simpson, Peta Gay-Dowdie, Nadia Davy and Korene Hinds than with setting another World best.
“World records aren’t something that you talk about year after year,” Clark said. “I really wasn’t expecting to go as fast as last year. Jamaica was in the back of my mind. I knew we would have to run well."
The performance also caught Williams off guard. It was the first world best for Williams, the 2005 World and 2004 Olympic silver 100m medallist.
“The first world (best) is exciting, especially when it comes as a surprise,” Williams said. “Sometimes you get on the track and you know that you’ve been running close to a world record and then it doesn’t happen. Today is like an extra blessing and it was a really nice thing to happen."
Six months ago, Hargrove never expected to be in this position. She took a year off after graduating from Georgetown in 2004. She resumed training in the fall of 2005 and earned a silver medal on the U.S. 4 x 400m relay in the World Indoor Championships in Moscow in March.
Kipchirchir edges Lagat in spirited DMR duel
The Kenyans victory in the distance medley put a damper on the U.S. national team debut of Bernard Lagat, a 2000 and 2004 Olympic medalist for his native Kenya.
Lagat was in first when he took the baton on the 1600m anchor with Kipchirchir following closely behind. Lagat made a bold move with 200 metres to go to open a two-metre advantage.
However, Kipchirchir made up the ground and won a spirited duel down the homestretch over his former countryman.
“The last 100 I thought that I had it. Basically, he outkicked me in the end,” Lagat said. “It was like being in a race and having a pace maker who runs in front of you and it worked to his advantage."
Kipchirchir ran 3:52.8 for the fastest 1600m split in meet history with Lagat running 3:53.8. Afterward, Kipchirchir and his teammates seemed in disbelief after knocking off Lagat and the Americans.
“The last 50 metres my legs guided me to winning,” Kipchirchir said. “It was a very good experience for us to go up against big-time guys like Lagat. We knew the American guys could sprint."
Elkanah Angweni opened with a 2:50.8 1200m leg, followed by 45.8 400m carry by Thomas Musembi and a 1:46.2 split by Alfred Kirwa Yergo. The U.S. lineup was Chris Lukezic (2:51.7), James Carter (45.6), Khadevis Robinson (1:44.5) and Lagat.
Lagat said it was a peculiar feeling when he looked in the mirror after putting on his U.S. uniform for the first time in his hotel before Saturday’s race. He tried to focus on winning and setting a record but conceded it would have been satisfying to defeat Kenya.
“When it comes down to it, I wanted to win wearing this (USA) uniform,” Lagat said. “I was going to run to my best so that we could win. It wasn’t like running against the Kenyans. Today, it would have been nice to beat my old countrymen. At some point, I felt that I let my teammates down.’’
Gatlin Anchors 4 x 100m win
The USA "Blue" team of Tyson Gay, Leonard Scott, Shawn Crawford and Justin Gatlin cruised to a 38.33 win in the 4 x 100m relay, topping an American podium sweep. But it wasn't minus controversy.
The team was initially disqualified for a lane violation on the exchange between Scott and Crawford, the second and third legs. Gay, Scott, Crawford and Gatlin were reinstated 45 minutes later after an appeals board determined that Crawford had taken possession of the baton within the passing zone with his “recovery foot in the air."
All four said that the crowd noise and a stiff wind on the backstretch caused difficulty in communicating and disrupted their exchanges.
“There were a lot of variables that played out in my mind,” Crawford said. “When there is wind in a guy’s race, I need to take that into consideration. With all the hype and getting ready to run 37 (seconds), I forgot to consider it."
Gatlin also got caught up from the Jamaican and United States flag-waving fans and felt a sense of patriotic pride to win.
“In one section I hear cheers and another section boos,” Gatlin said. “At one point you feel like a hero and another point you feel like a villain. You’re out there running for the red, white and blue and you’re the bad guy for the gold, black and green."
US sweep in the 4 x 400m
The United States swept the men’s and women’s 4 x 400m relay for the sixth time in seven years but it didn’t come without drama in the men’s race.
The USA "Red" team of Tyree Washington (45.4), Derrick Brew (45.0), Otis Harris (44.7) and Wallace Spearmon (45.0) won in 3:00.09 in a race that had four teams run 3:01 or better. The USA "Blue" team of LaShawn Merritt (45.8), Andrew Rock (44.7), Kerron Clement (45.1) and Darold Williamson (44.5) was a close second in 3:00.19.
A World All-Stars team of Jamal Ashley (USA), Gary Kikaya (COD), Felix Sanchez (DOM) and 2006 World indoor champion Alleyne Francique (GRN) was third in 3:00.53. Defending Penn champion Jamaica was fourth in 3:00.83 on the strength of 44.9 and 44.6 splits on the second and fourth legs by Sanjay Ayre and Jermaine Gonzales.
The women’s race turned into a runaway by the USA "Blue" team of Lashinda Demus, Monique Hennagan, Monique Henderson and Sanya Richards in 3:23.51 with Jamaica a distant second in 3:26.85.
Demus gave the Americans the lead on with a 51.5 opening leg, followed by Hennagan (52.2), Henderson (50.0) and Richards (49.8). Demus and Richards also teamed on last year’s winning team.
For Demus, the 2005 World 400m hurdle silver medalist, the Penn Relays served as a tuneup for her debut in the barriers in the Jamaica International Invitational in Kingston on 6 May. Last year, the 4 x 400 relay at the Penn Relays was the start of a productive 2005 season for Demus, who clocked 53.27 in the 400m hurdles to move into fifth on the all-time U.S. performer list before earning a silver medal at the World Championships in Helsinki. Demus also claimed victories at the national championships, the World Athletics Final in Monaco and posted European circuit wins in Paris, Rome and Brussels last year.
“The 400 always helps me in the hurdles,” Demus said. “That’s why I continue to run it because the faster I am, the easier it is for me to run the 400 hurdles."
Powell cruises to 100m win
World 100m record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica won the sprint in a controlled 10.10 win after coasting in the final 30 meters to tie Leroy Burrell’s 1990 meet record.
Powell, who made his only other Penn appearance in 2003 on Jamaica’s University of Technology’s 4 x 200m relay squad, didn’t seem fazed about missing the record. He walked down the track waving and raising his arms to the cheers from the Jamaican fans.
“If I thought about (the record), I would have broken it but the key is to have fun,” Powell said. “(The fans) are crazy out here. It’s like I was in Jamaica. I’m excited to see the people. The fans are what fuel me."
Other highlights - a record crowd
A record 114,194 fans attended the three-day meeting with Saturday’s attendance ranking as the second highest single daily total in meet history.
The Louisiana State men, led by Kelly Willie and Xavier Carter, swept the college 4 x 100m (39.22), 4 x 200m (1:21.31) and the 4 x 400m relays (3:02.1). Arkansas won the men’s 4 x mile for the fourth time in five years in 16:14.92, lifted by a 3:59.4 anchor by Kenyan Josphat Boit.
In the college women’s competition, Kelly Ann Baptiste (TRI) of LSU tied Lauryn Williams’ 100m meet record of 11.10 to defeated defending NCAA champion Marshevet Hooker of Texas (11.17). In the 4 x 400m, Miami (3:27.85), Auburn (3:27.93) and LSU (3:27.96) ran the Nos. 2, 3 and 4 times in meet history.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
