Stuczynski unable to compete at World Outdoor Championships

USA Track & Field Press Release:

BERLIN - 2008 Olympic women’s pole vault silver medalist Jenn Stuczynski will not compete at the 2009 IAAF World Championships in Athletics due to an injury. The Championships will take place August 15-23 at the 1936 Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

The #2 women’s pole vaulter of all time and a four-time USA Outdoor champion, Stuczynski has been battling a nagging injury of late that will keep her from competing at the World Championships.

“Despite my focused efforts for the last five weeks to get 100% healthy, I made the decision on Sunday that I just can’t be ready in time to compete in Berlin,” said Stuczynski. “The doctors who are treating me say that my Achilles injury is not serious, but it just has not improved enough for me to vault next weekend. I think I just ran out of time. I’m disappointed I won’t get the opportunity to join Team USA in Germany.”

Stuczynski will be replaced on the Team USA roster by 2004 Olympian and three-time previous U.S. World Outdoor Championships team member Jillian Schwartz.

A consistent performer that has been ranked in the top five in the U.S. each year since 2003, Schwartz’s best performance at a previous World Outdoor Championships was in 2005 when she finished 11th in Helsinki, Finland. The fourth-place finisher at the 2009 USA Outdoor Championships (4.45 meters/14 feet 7.25 inches), Schwartz’s best clearance this season of 4.55m/14-11 came from her win July 12 in Donnas. Her career best clearance of 4.72m/15-5.75i was set in Jonesboro, Ark., on June 15, 2008.

For more information on Team USA at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, visit: www.usatf.org.

Tyson Gay throws down the gaunlet at Reebok Grand Prix

NEW YORK CITY - Tyson Gay announced to the world that he is back, running the third-fastest 200 meters of all time and annihilating a world-class field Saturday at the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium.

If his performance did nothing else, it reminded observers that there is more than one name in the world of men’s sprinting. And that in 2007, the top name in men’s sprinting was Tyson Gay.

In his first race on American soil since his devastating injury in the 2008 Olympic Trials 200m, the 2007 World Outdoor 100m, 200m and 4×100m relay gold medalist was ready. When the gun went off, so did he. With a first 100 meters that rivaled world-record pace, Gay dominated the Western Union men’s 200, blazing to the finish line in 19.58 seconds. Second place finisher Wallace Spearmon, Gay’s former training partner, was four tenths of a second back in 19.98. Xavier Carter was third in 20.27.

The performance in his first 200m of the season surprised even Gay, whose 2009 training has thus far included only strength work, rather than purely sprinting work.

“It made me very, very happy,” said Gay, who injured his hamstring at the Olympic Trials and wasn’t fully fit at the Olympic Games. “19.5 had been one of the goals I had, but to do that in the first race is very pleasing. I wanted to work on my reaction and my start. Then I just ran. I ran for my life. When I came toward the finish line, I got kind of tight, and I wanted to bring it on in. I tried to push all the way through, just to see where my body is at.”

Gay now holds the third and fourth fastest times ever over 200m: Saturday’s race and the 19.62 he ran to win the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships. Only USA Track & Field Hall of Famer Michael Johnson (19.32) and triple 2008 Olympic champion Usain Bolt (19.30) have run faster.

In fact, Bolt’s world-record performances in Beijing have provided motivation for Gay. “He’s probably excited,” Gay said when asked what he thought Bolt’s reaction to his race might be. “He ran 14.3 for 150 so he is very fit. His 200 (at Beijing) was a shocker, and the way he won the 100 was shocking, but I wasn’t shocked that he ran that fast.”

The race also proved a return of confidence for the unusually humble and introspective sprinter. “It was difficult,” Gay said of returning from Beijing not having met his goals. “The biggest part was getting over eth 4×100 relay. The other part was getting hurt when I was in the best shape of my life. I felt like a let my city down, my family down and my state down.” As for Saturday’s performance, “This race tells me I’m pretty fit.”

For his efforts, Gay was named Team USA Athlete of the Meet, presented by Visa. His performance was one of seven world leaders on the day at the fourth stop of the Outdoor Visa Championship Series

Anything you can do I can do better

The former American record holder in the 3,000m steeplechase, Anna Willard won the women’s 800m in a world-leading 1:59.29. Running a conservative race for the first 700m, Willard kicked into high gear over the last 100 to overtake three-time Olympian Hazel Clark and 2008 Olympic finalist Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica.

After making the Olympic Games final in the steeplechase and finishing ninth, Willard decided she needed a change and made the move to the Mammoth Track Club and Coach Terrence Mahon. Since the switch, Willard won the USA Indoor 1,500m title 4:17.37 and the BAA road mile in 4:38.6.

Double Olympic silver medalist and two-time World Outdoor champion over 200m, Allyson Felix ran down Olympic silver medalist Shericka Williams (JAM) in the Nutrilite women’s 400m to win in a world-leading 50.50 to Williams’ 50.58. 2007 World Outdoor bronze medalist Novlene Williams-Mills took third in 51.11.

Beijing silver medalist Jenn Stuczynski continued her domination of the women’s pole vault on American soil, winning the event with a world-leading 4.81 meters/15 feet 9.25 inches. 2000 Olympic gold medalist Stacy Dragila was second with a clearance of 4.52m/14-10.

Two-time World Outdoor 100m medalist Lauryn Williams posted a world leader in winning the women’s 200m, crossing the line in 22.34. 2006 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor champion Shalonda Solomon was the runner-up in 22.43.

The men’s 5,000m saw an American all-comers record set as 2008 Olympic 10,000m bronze medalist Micah Kogo won the race in 13.02.90. 2007 double World Outdoor champion Bernard Lagat was the runner-up in 13:03.06. One of the biggest upsets of the day came in the NYRR women’s 5,000m, when Kenya’s Linet Masai handily dispatched world record-holder Tirunesh Dibaba, 14:35.39 to 14:40.93, to run another world leader

Other winning athletes included 2008 USA Indoor champion Mike Rodgers winning the Visa men’s 100m in a windy 9.94 (+3.1mps) and 2008 Olympic gold medalist LaShawn Merritt winning the Nutrilite men’s 400m in 44.75. 2008 Olympic bronze medalists Tasha Danvers and Bershawn Jackson won their respective races as Danvers won the Irie Jam women’s 400m hurdles in 55.19 and Jackson won the Reebok men’s 400m hurdles in 48.52.

2008 Olympian Christin Wurth-Thomas won the Reebok women’s 1,500m in a meet record, personal best 4:03.96. On the men’s side, 2008 Olympian and NCAA champion Leo Manzano won the race in 3:34.14. Two-time Olympic silver medalist and Indoor Visa Champion Terrence Trammell continued on his winning ways, winning the men’s 110m hurdles in 13.12, and Carmelita Jeter won the women’s 100 in a wind-aided 10.85 (+2.8).

For more information and complete results, visit www.VisaChampionshipSeries.com or www.usatf.org.

PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show #26, Reebok Grand Prix Preview Show with Lionel Larry

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PreRaceJitters Reebok Grand Prix Meet Coverage

Jay Hicks and John W. Davis preview the 2009 Reebok Grand Prix, revealing their picks for the upcoming meet in New York. Former NCAA All-American Lionel Larry stops by to talk about first trip to the Reebok Grand Prix, his first season on the professional circuit, and thoughts on track and field.

• Reebok Grand Prix Official Website
• adidas Track Classic Results
• IAAF World Rankings
• Asafa Powell Ready for New York

PreRaceJitters’ Track and Field Radio Show, where the real playas comes to hang out!

Special thanks to Lionel Larry and the Global Athletics.

2009 Adidas Track Classic to Run Fast Without Tyson Gay

Photo by Jay Hicks.

-Carson, CA. Home Depot Center.

Those looking to see the 2007 IAAF World Champion at 100 and 200 meters will have to wait a couple of weeks.  Meet officials formally announced today that Tyson Gay is not competing in the 2009 adidas Track Classic and remained at home in Texas to train in preparation for the Reebok Grand Prix in New York taking place in two weeks.

Tyson is not competing and we are disappointed,” Rich Kenah, one of the meet officials, told reporters.”He’s just not ready to run 100 and 200 yet so he won’t be competing here.

Last year, Gay ran a 100 and 200 meter double at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA.

In his place, former 100 meter Olympic gold medalist Maurice Greene spoke to reporters about the adidas Track Classic.  The retired sprinter said, “having a high quality is about having great athletes but the fans really energize the athletes to perform well here at Carson.”

“Dancing is harder than running,” said Greene. You have get your heel and toe placement just right.  And the judges are know if you miss one item in your routine.

True to the meets’ reputation this years meet hosts some of track and field’s biggest names.

Competing this year is Jenn Stucyznski.   Last year she set the American record pole vault at 16 feet, 1.75 inches and is the events three time reigning champion.

Stucyznski said, “We come out here to get get some sun and heat.” “Jumping outdoors is all about wind and conditions. The last two years that I jumped here the the conditions.”

Allyson Felix is running her first 200 meters of the year. “I’m not really sure where I am at in my 200 meters. 

“We haven’t done that much speed work so will tell me where I am.”  Felix went on to say, “It is really special for me to run here.  I believe that I have only missed running year since the start of this meet. It’s great because my family can come.  For some of them is the only chance for my family to be present to see me run all year long,” said the 2007 World Champion at 200 meters.

Also running at the meet includes: Jeremy Wariner, Sanya Richards, LaShawn Merritt, Darvis Patton, Bernard Lagat, Shalane Flanagan, Terrence Trammell, Kerron Clement, Marshevet Hooker, and Hazel Clark.