Jenn Suhr on the way to a 4.86m US indoor record in Albuquerque (© Kirby Lee)
Albuquerque, USANational records by Jillian Camerena-Williams and Jenn Suhr highlighted the USA Indoor Championships at the Albuquerque Convention Center on 26-27 February.
Camerena-Williams threw 19.87m in the women’s Shot Put to break the U.S. standard of 19.83 set by Ramona Pagel in 1987. Suhr cleared 4.86m to break her own record of 4.83m set in 2009.
The marks by Camerena-Williams and Suhr were among seven world-leading marks in the two-day competition along with Mike Rodgers in the 60m (6.48), Ryan Whiting in the Shot Put (21.35m), Kellie Wells in the 60m Hurdles (7.79) Janay DeLoach in the women’s Long Jump (6.99m) and Natasha Hastings in the women’s 400m (50.83).
Rodgers and Suhr were named the Visa Championship Series winners and took home a $25,000 USD prize as the top male and female performers based on scoring tables.
Camerena-Wiliams and Whiting Dominate Shot Put
Camarena-Williams won her seventh consecutive title in the women’s Shot Put and Whiting won his first in the men’s competition.
All three of Camarena-Williams’ legal throws were 18.81m or better and would have won the competition. Her record-setting effort on her third attempt was initially announced as tying Pagel’s American record but the distance was revised after a steel measuring tape was brought in to measure the throw.
“I knew a big throw was coming but I didn’t know how far,” Camarena-Williams said.
All four of Whiting’s legal marks of 20.52m, 20.62m, 20.64m and 21.35m were better than those of runner-up Dan Taylor (20.19m) and Adam Nelson, who fouled on five of his six throws.
Amber Campbell won the women’s weight throw for the fifth consecutive year at 24.21m. Jake Freeman beat six-time champion A.G. Kruger, 24.08m to 23.73m, in the men’s competition.
Suhr takes advantage of extra attempt
In the women’s Pole Vault, Suhr gained a fourth attempt at the 4.86m after the officials ruled that the standards were not properly set on her third vault.
“You’ll always take another jump when you can,” Suhr said.
After that success, Suhr then took three attempts at 4.93m but hit the crossbar with her body on the way down after each try.
“I was over them all,” Suhr said. “It was just the standard placement and getting the rhythm of it. I was pretty tired at that time. “
Mark Hollis won the men’s Pole Vault at 5.60m by 20 centimetres over Jason Colwick after 2007 World champion Brad Walker and 2010 NCAA champion Jordan Scott each no heighted.
DeLoach Upsets Reese in Women’s Long Jump
DeLoach was a surprise winner in the women’s Long Jump, defeating reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Brittany Reese.
DeLoach’s mark of 6.99m was more than than 30cm better than her previous best of 6.67m set in Albuquerque earlier in the month. Reese finished second at 6.86m on her only legal jump in the first round.
“I’ve been feeling pretty fresh and I knew if I put it together I could do a big jump,” said DeLoach, who was 21st in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. “And today, I surprised myself. I just wanted to come here and show that I was ready and compete with everyone else.”
DeLoach, a volunteer coach at her alma mater Colorado State University, is also scheduled to compete in her second Pentathlon in the USA Indoor Combined Events Challenge in Bloomington, Indiana on 6 March.
“The long jump is my favorite but I still love hurdles,” DeLoach said. “I like all the events. We’ll see how it all pans out. This is all about training and seeing where I am at and what I need to work on.”
In the women’s Triple Jump, Shakeema Welsch won her third title in four years in a U.S. leading 13.66m. Jeremy Hicks defended his title in the men’s Long Jump at 7.67m. Rafeeq Curry bounded 16.88m to win the men’s Triple Jump.
Wells Twice Runs 7.79 in 60m Hurdles
Wells appears recovered from a hamstring injury suffered in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials semifinals that had bothered her over the last two seasons. Wells twice ran a world-leading mark of 7.79, both in the semifinals and the finals.
Wells, who had a best of 7.98 in from the 2010 USA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque before this season, now owns the nine fastest marks in the world this season.
“It was a long road back. The hardest part was getting over the mental aspect,” Wells said.
In the finals, Wells powered away from the field with Nichole Denby, a 2007 U.S. World Outdoor Championships member who took the 2009 season off because of pregnancy, in second in a season-best 8.00.
“My confidence is just up,” Wells said. “I can feel it so I just go out and do it. I don’t hesitate. I don’t think. I just go.”
Omo Osaghae beat Kevin Craddock to win the men’s 60m Hurdles, 7.52 to 7.58.
Rodgers and Anderson notch sprint wins
Mike Rodgers ran the top two times in the world this season after clocking 6.49 in the semifinals and 6.48 in the final. In the women’s 60m, Alexandria Anderson won in 7.12 to edge Carmelita Jeter (7.13) and Shalonda Solomon (7.15).
Meet record by Hastings in women’s 400m
Natasha Hastings led from the start to win the women’s 400m in 50.83 and break the meet record of 50.86 set by reigning World Champion Debbie Dunn in 2010. Running out of the sixth lane, Hastings had the lead at the break and held off Dee Dee Trotter (51.36).
Michael Courtney overtook early leader Tavaris Tate in the final strides to win the men’s 400m, 46.11 to 46.53.
Simpson sweeps women’s Mile and 3000m
Jenny Simpson (formerly Barringer) became only the fourth runner to win both the mile and the 3000m. Simpson outdueled Sara Hall to take the longer distance on Saturday 9:02.20 to 9:03.91. In the mile on Sunday, Simpson pulled away from Heidi Dahl over the final two laps to triumph in 4:34.96.
Lagat Beats Rupp in 3000m
In one of the most anticipated match-ups of the weekend, Bernard Lagat defeated Galen Rupp in the 3,000m, 7:57.17 to 7:59.91. Rupp led with two-and-a-half laps to go but Lagat pulled away with a 26.77 in the final 200m.
Rupp, who broke Lagat’s national record in the 5000m in the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on 19 Feb, was a late addition to the field.
Rupp was scheduled to run in the 10,000m in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Saturday before the meet has been cancelled because of the earthquake there last week and forced Rupp to make a flight from Melbourne, Australia to Albuquerque.
In the men’s mile, Jeff See won in 4:04.63 in a three-runner battle down the homestretch with Aaron Braun (4:04.83) and Garrett Heath (4:04.91).
Jesse Williams overcame illness to win the High Jump with a second-attempt clearance at 2.28m to beat Jamie Nieto and James Harris (both 2.25m). Epley Bullock won the women’s High Jump at 1.86m.
Solomon and Wright take first national titles in the 800m
Duane Solomon and Phoebe Wright won their first national titles in the men’s and women’s 800m with front-running tactics.
Solomon, a 2010 World Indoor Championships semi-finalist, won in 1:48.03 over Tetlo Emmen (1:48.35) and Mark Wieczorek (1:48.38). Solomon is coached by American record holder Johnny Gray and trained under Laszlo Tabori (HUN), the third man to break four minutes in the mile, as a collegian at USC.
In the women’s 800m, Wright won in 2:02.27 after pulling away from Erica Moore (2.02.92) down the stretch.
Stroupe and Michta Win Race Walks
Patrick Stroupe won the men’s 3000m Race Walk in 12:34.21 after leader and 12-time national indoor champion Tim Seaman was disqualified with two laps remaining. Maria Michta defended her title in the women’s Race Walk in 13:40.52.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
Click here for FULL Results
Camerena-Williams threw 19.87m in the women’s Shot Put to break the U.S. standard of 19.83 set by Ramona Pagel in 1987. Suhr cleared 4.86m to break her own record of 4.83m set in 2009.
The marks by Camerena-Williams and Suhr were among seven world-leading marks in the two-day competition along with Mike Rodgers in the 60m (6.48), Ryan Whiting in the Shot Put (21.35m), Kellie Wells in the 60m Hurdles (7.79) Janay DeLoach in the women’s Long Jump (6.99m) and Natasha Hastings in the women’s 400m (50.83).
Rodgers and Suhr were named the Visa Championship Series winners and took home a $25,000 USD prize as the top male and female performers based on scoring tables.
Camerena-Wiliams and Whiting Dominate Shot Put
Camarena-Williams won her seventh consecutive title in the women’s Shot Put and Whiting won his first in the men’s competition.
All three of Camarena-Williams’ legal throws were 18.81m or better and would have won the competition. Her record-setting effort on her third attempt was initially announced as tying Pagel’s American record but the distance was revised after a steel measuring tape was brought in to measure the throw.
“I knew a big throw was coming but I didn’t know how far,” Camarena-Williams said.
All four of Whiting’s legal marks of 20.52m, 20.62m, 20.64m and 21.35m were better than those of runner-up Dan Taylor (20.19m) and Adam Nelson, who fouled on five of his six throws.
Amber Campbell won the women’s weight throw for the fifth consecutive year at 24.21m. Jake Freeman beat six-time champion A.G. Kruger, 24.08m to 23.73m, in the men’s competition.
Suhr takes advantage of extra attempt
In the women’s Pole Vault, Suhr gained a fourth attempt at the 4.86m after the officials ruled that the standards were not properly set on her third vault.
“You’ll always take another jump when you can,” Suhr said.
After that success, Suhr then took three attempts at 4.93m but hit the crossbar with her body on the way down after each try.
“I was over them all,” Suhr said. “It was just the standard placement and getting the rhythm of it. I was pretty tired at that time. “
Mark Hollis won the men’s Pole Vault at 5.60m by 20 centimetres over Jason Colwick after 2007 World champion Brad Walker and 2010 NCAA champion Jordan Scott each no heighted.
DeLoach Upsets Reese in Women’s Long Jump
DeLoach was a surprise winner in the women’s Long Jump, defeating reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Brittany Reese.
DeLoach’s mark of 6.99m was more than than 30cm better than her previous best of 6.67m set in Albuquerque earlier in the month. Reese finished second at 6.86m on her only legal jump in the first round.
“I’ve been feeling pretty fresh and I knew if I put it together I could do a big jump,” said DeLoach, who was 21st in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. “And today, I surprised myself. I just wanted to come here and show that I was ready and compete with everyone else.”
DeLoach, a volunteer coach at her alma mater Colorado State University, is also scheduled to compete in her second Pentathlon in the USA Indoor Combined Events Challenge in Bloomington, Indiana on 6 March.
“The long jump is my favorite but I still love hurdles,” DeLoach said. “I like all the events. We’ll see how it all pans out. This is all about training and seeing where I am at and what I need to work on.”
In the women’s Triple Jump, Shakeema Welsch won her third title in four years in a U.S. leading 13.66m. Jeremy Hicks defended his title in the men’s Long Jump at 7.67m. Rafeeq Curry bounded 16.88m to win the men’s Triple Jump.
Wells Twice Runs 7.79 in 60m Hurdles
Wells appears recovered from a hamstring injury suffered in the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials semifinals that had bothered her over the last two seasons. Wells twice ran a world-leading mark of 7.79, both in the semifinals and the finals.
Wells, who had a best of 7.98 in from the 2010 USA Indoor Championships in Albuquerque before this season, now owns the nine fastest marks in the world this season.
“It was a long road back. The hardest part was getting over the mental aspect,” Wells said.
In the finals, Wells powered away from the field with Nichole Denby, a 2007 U.S. World Outdoor Championships member who took the 2009 season off because of pregnancy, in second in a season-best 8.00.
“My confidence is just up,” Wells said. “I can feel it so I just go out and do it. I don’t hesitate. I don’t think. I just go.”
Omo Osaghae beat Kevin Craddock to win the men’s 60m Hurdles, 7.52 to 7.58.
Rodgers and Anderson notch sprint wins
Mike Rodgers ran the top two times in the world this season after clocking 6.49 in the semifinals and 6.48 in the final. In the women’s 60m, Alexandria Anderson won in 7.12 to edge Carmelita Jeter (7.13) and Shalonda Solomon (7.15).
Meet record by Hastings in women’s 400m
Natasha Hastings led from the start to win the women’s 400m in 50.83 and break the meet record of 50.86 set by reigning World Champion Debbie Dunn in 2010. Running out of the sixth lane, Hastings had the lead at the break and held off Dee Dee Trotter (51.36).
Michael Courtney overtook early leader Tavaris Tate in the final strides to win the men’s 400m, 46.11 to 46.53.
Simpson sweeps women’s Mile and 3000m
Jenny Simpson (formerly Barringer) became only the fourth runner to win both the mile and the 3000m. Simpson outdueled Sara Hall to take the longer distance on Saturday 9:02.20 to 9:03.91. In the mile on Sunday, Simpson pulled away from Heidi Dahl over the final two laps to triumph in 4:34.96.
Lagat Beats Rupp in 3000m
In one of the most anticipated match-ups of the weekend, Bernard Lagat defeated Galen Rupp in the 3,000m, 7:57.17 to 7:59.91. Rupp led with two-and-a-half laps to go but Lagat pulled away with a 26.77 in the final 200m.
Rupp, who broke Lagat’s national record in the 5000m in the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on 19 Feb, was a late addition to the field.
Rupp was scheduled to run in the 10,000m in Christchurch, New Zealand, on Saturday before the meet has been cancelled because of the earthquake there last week and forced Rupp to make a flight from Melbourne, Australia to Albuquerque.
In the men’s mile, Jeff See won in 4:04.63 in a three-runner battle down the homestretch with Aaron Braun (4:04.83) and Garrett Heath (4:04.91).
Jesse Williams overcame illness to win the High Jump with a second-attempt clearance at 2.28m to beat Jamie Nieto and James Harris (both 2.25m). Epley Bullock won the women’s High Jump at 1.86m.
Solomon and Wright take first national titles in the 800m
Duane Solomon and Phoebe Wright won their first national titles in the men’s and women’s 800m with front-running tactics.
Solomon, a 2010 World Indoor Championships semi-finalist, won in 1:48.03 over Tetlo Emmen (1:48.35) and Mark Wieczorek (1:48.38). Solomon is coached by American record holder Johnny Gray and trained under Laszlo Tabori (HUN), the third man to break four minutes in the mile, as a collegian at USC.
In the women’s 800m, Wright won in 2:02.27 after pulling away from Erica Moore (2.02.92) down the stretch.
Stroupe and Michta Win Race Walks
Patrick Stroupe won the men’s 3000m Race Walk in 12:34.21 after leader and 12-time national indoor champion Tim Seaman was disqualified with two laps remaining. Maria Michta defended her title in the women’s Race Walk in 13:40.52.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
Click here for FULL Results
