Suhr Sets US Vault Record at NB Indoors

Suhr breaks American record at New Balance Indoor Grand Prix

The meet will be broadcast Sunday on ESPN2 at 2 p.m.
 
Suhr bettered her previous American record of 4.86m/15-11.25, which she
set last year at the USA Indoor Championships and became the #2 indoor
vaulter of all time. She brought a sellout crowd of 4,072 to its feet
in becoming the first women’s American pole vaulter to clear the
16-foot barrier indoors. Owner of the best vault in the world this
year, Suhr made just one attempt at 5.01m/16-5.25, which would have set
a world record. She passed on the final two because of problems with
her Achilles
tendon.
 
David Oliver
scored his first major victory of the 2012 indoor season, winning the
men’s 60-meter hurdles in 7.60 seconds, coming back from a sluggish
start to win at the tape.

Sneaking through on the inside, Maggie Vessey stole the women’s 800
from American Erica Moore and Ethiopia’s Fantu Magiso in a
photo-finish. With Magiso in the lead but fading into the final
homestretch, Vessey found a small window in lane one and finished in a
dead heat with Moore. Both finished with times of 2:02.37, but Vessey
was ruled the winner with an overall time of 2:02.361 to Moore’s
2:02.365.

Congestion in a close pack in the men’s mile sent Great Britain’s
5,000m world champion, Mo Farah, to the track on the race’s opening
lap. American 10,000m record holder Galen Rupp led much of the race
before being overtaken by Ireland’s Ciaran O’Lionaird and Canada’s
Taylor Milne, who finished first and second, respectively. O’Lionaird
recorded a winning time of 3:56.01 and Milne placed second at 3:56.40.
Rupp was third in 3:57.10 while Farah rallied to place fourth
in 3:57.92.

Adam Nelson
made a big improvement from last weekend’s third place finish at the
U.S Open to win the men’s shot put Saturday with a first-round toss of
21.27m/69-9.5.

2011 World Outdoor champion 400m gold medalist Kirani James of Grenada
ran out of lane five to win the race in a world-leading time of 45.96
while DeeDee Trotter picked up a win in the women’s in a time of 37.07.

Also posting wins Saturday were Ethiopian “baby-faced assassin”
Tirunesh Dibaba in the women’s 2 mile (9:21.60), Murielle Ahoure of the
Ivory Coast in the women’s 60m (7.13), Btissam Lakhouad of Morocco in
the women’s 1,000m (2:38.14), and Caleb Ndiku of Kenya in the men’s
3,000 meters, where he finished in 7:38.29 to outlast Dejen Gebremeskel
of Ethiopia (7:38.97).

For on the Visa Championship Series, including complete results, visit www.visachampionshipseries.com

ATHLETE QUOTES
David Oliver (winner men’s 60m hurdles)
“It was not a very good run. I can’t give up segments like that. My
first hurdle is completely messed up. But that’s what indoors is for ‰ÛÓ
to train and get a good accounting of myself. I don’t think I did that
today. I didn’t execute my start; it’s always a work in progress for
me. I understand what the problem is; we’ll get it eventually. That’s
what’s cool about running indoors in the U.S. I run a race and get
instant feedback from coach. My coach can make adjustments. It’s good
for
me to run week after week.
“It’s good to win against such a
quality field. I’m going to get it done. It’s good to be healthy,
running and competing again. I’m glad they have our race in all the
U.S. events. I love being on TV so my friends and family can see me and
not have to hunt for some live stream from Europe.”

Adam Nelson (winner men’s shot put)
“It feels good. This is still early for me. For me it’s all about
building confidence right now. What you try to do is build your
confidence early. Sometime this is like getting out of bed in the
morning. I have the experience to be able to roll with the punches. The
greatest thing about experience is there are few things you haven’t
seen before. And the worst part about experiences is there are few
things you haven’t seen before. I have been injury free for a year and
a half now and
my training has been more consistent.”

Kirani James (winner men’s 400m)
“It was a great race. I opened up my season here to see where I’m at. I
had a very short fall training. I had great time in the weight room and
incorporated my weight training well. I am happy with my opening race.
I think the race was exceptional. I just competed to see where I’m at
and will make any adjustments. I’m happy with my conditioning and I’m
happy with my opening time. My main motive is to go out and compete and
represent my country well.”

Maggie Vessey (winner women’s 800m)
“I felt good. I felt we ran an even pace. I thought there was enough
room for me to get by. It was hard making moves. Outdoors I have a
tendency to move out wide. I was a little surprised I was able to get
through. That move definitely wasn’t planned. There was a little bit of
space and I just tried to shoot through. I had those first race jitters
a bit.

Erica Moore (runner-up women’s 800m)
“I thought I had it. I should have expected (Vessey) to come up like
that. My eyes got a little big when I thought I had it won.”

Deedee Trotter (winner women’s 300m)
“This competition was to see where I was. It was a little bumpy. I felt
like I was building momentum and then I’d go down. But I was able to
pull it out and get there at the last minute. I love it here in Boston;
this is my favorite stadium to run in and my favorite crowd.”

Ciaran O’Lionaird (winner men’s mile)
“It is all a learning experience for me. In this you have to be ready
for everything. (Mo Farah) showed a lot of character and courage to be
able to get up and finish like that. I’m thankful we can go through
this uninjured. Anything can happen. I’m the same guy I was a few years
ago running 4:15; now I just have better people around me.”

Tirunesh Dibaba (winner women’s 2 mile)
“I feel very happy. I believe I have come through with very little
training and I think I have done very well. I’ve been training for two
months and just three times on the track. Boston is my second home.
‰Û¢Bostonians’ support me. To run here is good for me and I am very much
pleased with my performance.”

Meseret Defar (winner women’s 3,000m)
“I’m very pleased with my race. This is my first race indoors. The race
was uneven but I have raced well. I was planning to go under 8:30 but
it didn’t happen. But I’m very pleased.”

Murielle Ahoure (winner women’s 60m)
“It felt great. I was extremely nervous before the competition. I went
out and executed exactly how I’ve been training. I’m extremely happy.”

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