TrackTown Post-Pre Recap

Allyson Felix and fans after the Prefontaine Classic

As always, the Prefontaine Classic had dozens of classic moments. Friday night had three races  – and four records: two world records, a meet record, an European record and a world-leading mark.

And on Saturday, another day, another record — well, actually, another seven records…A National high school record in the two mile by future Oregon Duck Lukas Verzbicas, who ran 8:29.46, beating the previous record (8:34.40) by almost 5 minutes,  and six Prefontaine Classic records.

But as important as the records that fell were the small things:  the sunny, 80-degree weather (okay, perhaps the meet director Tom Jordan wasn’t personally responsible for that, but it sure did work out well!); Reese Hoffa (always a crowd favorite) winning the shot put despite cutting open his foot a few days before the meet; Oscar Pistorius coming in last in the race, but first in the hearts of fans in the men’s 400 meters (check out George Schroeder’s column about this inspiring athlete); and then there’s Allyson Felix – a disappointing third in the women’s 400 meters but always an inspiration for young  runners (see photo above)!

With all the records (see list below) it is worth mentioning a couple of other performances that might not show up in the record books, but sure stood out at the meet:  David Oliver blasting out of the blocks and beating Liu Xiang in the 110-meter hurdles; – a race that also included OTC Elite Ashton Eaton, who ran a personal best of 13.35; beautiful Gelete Burka winning again in the 1500 over fellow Ethiopian Miriam Jamal (who runs for Bahrain); and hometown OTC Elite runner Geena Gall setting a PB and going under the World Championship ‘A’ Standard in the women’s 800 (with a time of 1:59.76). Then there were those nine east Africans (from Kenya, Ethiopia and Eritrea), who all ran under 27 minutes in the men’s 10,000 meters behind Mo Farah of Great Britain’s EU record of 26:46.57; and the five Kenyans (Vivian Cheruiyot, Linet Masai, Mercy Cherono, OTC Elite’s Sally Kipyego and Pauline Korikwiang) who came in ahead of American Shalane Flanagan in the 5,000 meters.  All “wow!” performances!

Perhaps the biggest “wow” of Saturday came in the women’s 100 meters, when American Carmelita Jeter clocked the seventh fastest time ever — a 10.70 — and was honored with the Maria Mutola Outstanding Athlete Award.

Prefontaine Classic records:

• Men’s 100 meters: Steve Mullings, Jamaica, 9.80. Previous record Shawn Crawford, USA, 9.88, 2004.
• Men’s 800 meters: Abubaker Kaki Khamis, Sudan, 1:43.68. Previous record Alfred Kirwa Yego, Kenya, 1:44.01, 2008.
• Women’s 100 meters: Carmelita Jeter, USA, 10.70 Previous record Veronica Campbell-Brown, Jamaica, 10.78, 2010.
• Women’s 5,000 meters: Vivian Cheruiyot, Kenya, 14:33.96 (Friday night). Previous record Tirunesh Dibaba, Ethiopia, 14:34.07, 2010.
• Women’s triple jump: Olha Saladukha, Ukraine, 49-1 3/4. Previous record Nadezhda Alekhina, Russia, 47-11 3/4, 2010.
• Women’s shot put: Nadezhda Ostapchuk, Belarus, 67-6 1/2. Previous record Connie Price-Smith, USA, 62-11 1/2, 1997.

All but the men’s 100 meters were also Hayward Field records.

And then there were the ten 2011 world-leading marks:

• Men’s mile: Haron Keitany, Kenya, 3:49.09
• Men’s 10,000 meters: Mo Farah, Great Britain, 26:46.57
• Men’s 110-meter hurdles: David Oliver, USA, 12.94
• Men’s 100 meters: Steve Mullings, Jamaica, 9.80
• Men’s 800 meters: Abubaker Kaki Khamis, Sudan, 1:43.68.
• Women’s 100 meters: Carmelita Jeter, USA, 10.70
• Women’s 800 meters: Kenia Sinclair, Jamaica, 1:58.29
• Women’s 400-meter hurdles: Lashinda Demus, USA, 53.31
• Women’s triple jump: Olha Saladukha, Ukraine, 49-1 3/4.
• Women’s shot put: Nadezhda Ostapchuk, Belarus, 67-6 1/2.

If you missed the meet — or the TV coverage — check out the photo gallery of all the amazing competitors on Runnerspace.com.