Yet another win for Maria Mutola in Eugene (© Kirby Lee)
Eugene, Oregon, USAMaria Mutola added another win to her Hayward Field streak in the Road To Eugene ’08 meet at the University of Oregon’s Hayward Field on Sunday (27).
Mutola won the women’s 800m in a world-leading 1:58.79 in her season debut in chilly and overcast conditions in the Professional Athetics Assn. benefit meet.
Mutola, 34, who has a string of 14 consecutive victories in the Prefontaine Classic, has not lost at Hayward since she was a student at nearby Springfield High School competing in an open race more than 15 years ago.
“I am very, very happy to have lived in Eugene for a long time and made a lot of friends,” said Mutola, who lived in Oregon from 1991-2000 after coming to the U.S. to study and train as part of the International Olympic Committee Solidarity Program.
“Every time, I come to Eugene I have a lot of support. I don’t think I could have run this fast without the crowd."
Hayward Field Familiarity for Mutola
The 2000 Olympic champion from Mozambique, now living in Johannesberg, South Africa, had projected a time in the 2:00 or 2:01 range based on the weather on Sunday but said her familiarity with Hayward Field was advantageous.
“When its windy, I know exactly where it’s windy and where it’s not. I can run on this track pretty well,” Mutola said.
Mutola is confident of a faster time with better conditions in the Prefontaine Classic on 10 June. She described her fitness as better than at the 2006 meet after skipping the indoor season to focus on the 2007 outdoor season.
“It’s been a lot of years winning at Prefontaine,” Mutola said. “It is very, very important to me to try to run faster than I did today."
Mutola followed rabbit Leah Worthen through the first quarter with the rest of the field 20m back. Nicole Teter moved into second on the homestretch to finish second in 1:59.91 with Alice Schmidt in third in 2:00.36 for the fastest American times of the year.
“This race surprised me,” Mutola said. “The pacesetter did a good job. I followed the first 400m and wanted to see what would happen after that."
Long Road Back for Teter
Sunday’s race marked the return of the 33-year-old Teter after missing the end of the 2005 season and almost all of 2006 because of hernia surgery. Teter, who ran 1:57.97 in 2002, had not broken two minutes in the 800m since running 1:59.50 in the 2004 Athens Olympic semifinals.
Teter didn’t attempt to run with Mutola on Sunday, who had requested a 56-second opening quarter from the pacesetter, but made a strong move in the final 100m to place second on Sunday.
“I knew I couldn’t go 56 all out right now,” Teter said. “I relaxed off the backstretch through the quarter and I just felt like I was floating on the middle 200. I tried to push a little more and tried to reel in Maria and she’s too strong for that."
To be even racing again is an achievement for Teter. She strained her ilium in the right side of her pelvis in 2005. The condition developed into a sports hernia that required major surgery in January, 2006.
The 2002 and 2003 USATF indoor and outdoor champion was only running 15 minutes twice a week “in a lot of pain” last fall and was up to only three or four days a week of running when she moved to Eugene in January.
“There was a time last year where I thought about retiring,” Teter said. “I had a second wind. This is my dream and didn’t want to end it yet. What I love the most is the competition."
Richards Debut Postponed
2006 World Athlete of the Year Sanya Richards pulled out of the women’s 400m because of a nagging injury that has bothered her for the past month. She aggravated the condition in a workout on Saturday (26). Richards opted to delay her season debut until the Prefontaine meet after consultation with her coach Clyde Hart.
Richards, who served as a commentator for a local television broadcast, received an applause from the crowd after making a public apology for not competing. Richards said her fitness is good and was disappointed after having to delay her season opener.
“It was a little knee pain and then it gave out in practice,” Richards said. “I kept trying to go and go but couldn’t. I've just got to be patient and hopefully be at 100 percent for Pre."
Dragila on the Mend in the Women’s Pole Vault
Stacy Dragila won the women’s Pole Vault at 4.50m for her first win since returning from Achilles Tendon surgery last June and losing her American record to Jenn Stuczynski at the adidas Track Classic on 20 May.
Dragila, who had held the American record since 1996, will get another shot at Stuczynski in the Reebok Grand Prix in New York on 3 June.
Dragila called Sunday’s effort a breakthrough using a full approach for the first time after clearing only 4.10m at the Modesto Relays on 5 May and 4.29m at the adidas Track Classic.
After winning the competition at 4.50m over Lacy Janson and April Steiner, both at 4.40m, she took an attempt at 4.60m but decided to stop after aggravating her Achilles.
“Unfortunately, Jenn wasn’t her to push us along right now because she is the one that is right on right now,” Dragila said. “But maybe it just gave us all a chance to work on technical things. And I have been trying to stay healthy so I have been battling two things.’’
Giovanni Lanaro, who set a Mexican national record of 5.82 in April, won the men’s Pole Vault on misses over 2004 Olympic champion Tim Mack at 5.70m. Brad Walker, Jacob Pauli and Toby Stevenson were third, fourth and fifth, all at 5.60m.
Win for Arnold in 110m Hurdles 2007 Opener
Dominique Arnold won the 110m Hurdles in 13.26 in his fastest season debut after the American record holder had his 2006 season cut short with a back injury during a manipulation by a chiropractor. Arnold had only five weeks of hurdles practice recovering from surgery last fall for a plantar’s wart in his right foot.
Arnold, running in lane four got off to a slow start, but pulled even with Anwar Moore over the seventh barrier. Arnold won after Moore, the co-world leader at 13.12, came to a complete stop at the final hurdle.
In the women’s 100m Hurdles, Lolo Jones won in 12.88 to hold off Sheena Johnson (12.90) and Jenny Adams (12.93). Jones was in control from the start but hit the penultimate hurdle squarely and almost fell.
Jeter and Johnson Post 100m Wins
Carmelita Jeter continued her breakthrough season in the women’s 100m. The 27-year-old, who has dropped her 100m best from 11.38 to 11.05 in 2007, added another win to her Mt. San Antonio College victory in April.
Jeter timed 11.29 to turn back Muna Lee (11.37) and Michelle Lewis (11.42). J.J. Johnson won the men’s 100m in 10.20.
Fernanda Blakely won the 300m in 32.50 and Tonette Dyer was victorious in the women’s 400m out of the eighth lane in 51.91.
In the men’s 800m, Gary Reed won in 1:46.64 over Alex Kipchirchir (1:47.09) and Nick Symmonds (1:47.37) in a mass sprint down the homestretch with 11 runners all finishing within three seconds. Ryan McKenzie snuck up on Matt Tegenkamp on the homestretch to win the 1,500m, 3:39.93 to 3:40.34.
Other Highlights
Jesse Williams, who relocated to Eugene from Los Angeles last week after his graduation from the University of Southern California, won the high jump at 2.24m. It was the latest victory at Hayward for the 2005 and 2006 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion, who posted 2006 Pacific-10 Conference and 2005 NCAA West Region wins at Eugene.
Amber Campbell won the women’s Hammer Throw over Jennifer Leatherman, 67.81m to 67.60m, and Jovanne Jarrett defeated Grace Upshaw in the Women’s Long Jump, 6.53m to 6.50. Dylan Armstrong won the Shot Put at 20.17m.
In distance events held on Saturday (26), Max King edged Brian Olinger in the Steeplechase, 8:31.26 to 8:31.56. Mexico’s Juan Luis Barrios (13:20.24) and Adrian Fernandez Miranda (15:36.25) won the men’s and women’s 5,000m. Defending USATF 5,000m champion Lauren Fleshman dropped down to the 1,500m to win in 4:12.91.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
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