News07 Apr 2007


Dix hot in Austin chill - Texas Relays

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Collegiate sprint standout Walter Dix at the Texas Relays (© Kirby Lee)

Walter Dix of Florida State University, probably the best American sprinter who hasn't turned professional, turned in a solid day's work at the Texas Relays on Friday (6), winning his heat of the men's 100m in 10.11 (+0.6), running the second leg of his university's 4x100 relay heat, which qualified  fastest for Saturday's final with 39.30, and running a 20.0 (hand-timed) leadoff leg in the sprint medley relay.

All this was done despite a cold (10-12 C.), windy (gusts up to 35 kph) April day that saw athletes and the 12,000 spectators alike piling on extra layers of clothing at every opportunity. "Oh, to be not in Austin, now that April's here."  Brrrr!

Dix's only less-than-perfect moment was a stumble at 60m in his 100, which threw him offstride for some 20m as he sought to regain his balance. Otherwise he might well have improved his PB of 10.06, which certainly doesn't seem to reflect his current ability.

He indicated that he intends to continue his university studies (in Social Work) until his graduation in May 2008, while continuing to train with his Florida State coach, Bob Braman. "I might as well stay in school and get my degree while I'm training for the 2008 Olympics," Dix said.

Rhonda Watkins (TRI) posted the best mark of the young season in the women's Long Jump, reaching 6.71m on her final jump. The wind reading was (0.0), but the wind reading on 37 of the other 40 jumps in the competition was also (0.0), so there is a certain amount of uncertainty. By the time this remarkable coincidence was discovered in the press box, the officials had dispersed; thus a resolution will have to wait until tomorrow.

>>UPDATE 8 April: wind reading was +3.0m/s).<<

Wind or no wind, the 19-year-old from Port of Spain was 52 cm better than the next best jumper today, and she has already improved her 2006 PB from 6.56 to 6.64 (on 3 March).

Quick junior sprint heats

The wind gauge was working, though, when Mississippi high school student Bianca Knight won her heat of the girls' 100-meter dash. The 2005 IAAF World Youth 100m champion sped to a meeting record of 11.36 (+1.6). An unexpected challenger emerged in another heat, when Texan Tiffany Townsend, also a high school girl, ran a wind-aided 11.26 (+2.9).

The most competitive field event was the men's Discus Throw, where five throwers bettered 60 metres. The winner was Adam Kuehl of the University of Arizona. Any one of his five fair throws would have been good enough to win; his best was 62.29m and his 'worst' was 61.34. Behind him were Darius Savage, at 61.08, Gregg Garza at 60.76, Daniel Austin at 60.48, and Yemi Ayeni at 60.44. 

Kuehl, who has had Type One diabetes since he was 13 but hopes to continue his throwing career after he becomes a teacher upon graduation this May, said, "It was a tricky wind, but some of us were lucky enough to figure it out."

Saturday's forecast is for even worse weather: temperatures as low as 5 C., plenty of wind, and a 90% chance of rain.

James Dunaway for the IAAF

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