USATF Track Review, Week of Jan 17-23

WEEK IN REVIEW — JANUARY 17-23 (From USATF Statistician Glen McMicken)

 

MILLROSE HEADLINERS SHOW WELL IN TUNE-UPS 

Reigning world indoor and outdoor shot put champion Christian Cantwell,
who has said he will undergo shoulder surgery after the Millrose Games,
opened his brief 2011 indoor season with a world-leading win at
Nordhausen, Germany, tossing the 16-pounder 21.21 meters/69-7. Reese Hoffa was second with a 21.00m/68-10.75 effort. 

At the New Balance Games at New York’s Armory, Olympic and World Indoor relay gold medalist Natasha Hastings won the 400m in a season-best 52.29, which at the time was a world-leading mark. 

Multi-talented Ashton Eaton,
who set the heptathlon World Record last year while a senior at Oregon,
prepped for the Millrose Multi Challenge with a quartet of quality
showings at the Princeton Relays, including PRs in the 60mH (7.68) and
shot (14.18m/46-6.25). 

World #1 400m hurdler Bershawn Jackson
moved up from his comfort zone to race over 800m at Virginia
Tech’s Hokie Invitational, finishing second in an indoor PR 1:54.42. 

One of the men who will line up against Bernard Lagat
in the Wanamaker mile, Rob Novak, became the 350th U.S. man to join the
sub-4:00 club with his 3:59.70 at the New Balance meet. Craig Miller
won the race with a U.S.-leading 3:59.10. 

NEW NAME, SAME GREAT TALENT 

American 3000m steeplechase record holder Jenny Simpson
(nee Barringer) showed she has lost nothing after missing seven months
due to a hip injury, clocking a world-leading 4:28.60 in the mile at the
New Balance Games. 

NCAA POWERS CLASH, BEARD HAS DYNAMITE DOUBLE 

Reigning
NCAA outdoor men’s and women’s champions Texas A&M played the role
of unfriendly host to SEC behemoth LSU, taking a pair of dual meet wins
at College Station, winning the men’s title 84-75, and the women’s by a
91-67 margin. 2009 World 4x400m relay gold medalist Jessica Beard had a stellar 200/400 double for the Aggies, zipping to a world-leading 22.95 in the deuce and a 52.97 in the long dash. 

BAYER, BERRY BLAST BIG BESTS IN BLOOMINGTON 

Indiana’s Andrew Bayer
led three Hoosiers under 8:00 in the 3000 at the Gladstein Invitational
in Bloomington with his world-leading PR 7:48.35, making him the
10th-fastest collegiate performer ever. Gwen Berry
of Southern Illinois added more than seven feet to her personal best in
the women’s 20-pound weight throw, moving to #8 on the U.S. all-time
performers list with her 22.71m/74-6.25 toss. 

KENDRICK STORMS TO 60m LEAD 

Clemson’s Stormy Kendrick,
who won 200m gold for Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championships,
ripped to a world-leading 7.22 in the 60m at the Hokie Invitational.  

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