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Welcome to the August 2017 issue of California Track & Running News' monthly e-newsletter!
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Your Monthly News & Updates
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Welcome to the August 2017 issue of California Track & Running News' monthly e-newsletter!
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2017 IAAF World Championships
Some Thoughts on the Men's 100 meters
By Larry Eder (Aug. 7, 2017)
The sport of athletics is, arguably, the oldest and most primal sport on the globe. Kids run, kids jump and kids throw. There were organized races nearly 4000 years ago, around the walls of Babylon. In the ancient celebrations in Olympia, there was the stadia, a race of nearly 200 meters. There was even a distance race of nearly 12 and 1/2 stadia at the time.
My belief is that the sprints have always been of interest. Who is fastest? Kids run against each other. Whose the fastest kid on the block?
Since 2008, we have known who the fastest man in the world was, and, with the exception of 2011, when Yohan Blake won the 100 meters, Usain Bolt won the 100m, 200m and 4x100m in 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, but not 2017.
In the men's 100 meters, which lived up to the hype, Christian Coleman, the young un, went out hard and battled Usain Bolt to the very end. Usain Bolt, who had not raced any of the real guns, was short of training and short of racing, and he ran valiently, but he was not going to beat Christian Coleman.
But, out on the other side of the track, was Justin Gatlin, winner of 2005 World Champs, who was running a brilliant race all by his lonesome. By the time Coleman and Bolt knew it, Gatlin had won the race.
And, in story book land, Usain Bolt was the fan's favorite. And that is wonderful. But, this is a sport, and not pro wrestling or roller derby. And as the IAAF allowed him to race (due to European and US jurisprudence) as well as Gatlin taking his ban (cut from 8 years to 4 years). European meet directors, since 2010, have been bringing him to their races (not in UK, except in Olympics).
The booing of Justin Gatlin was bush league. As the announcer at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics had to remind American audience in the 5,000 meters with Ralph Hill and some very physical Finnish runners, " Ladies and gentleman, these people are our guests."
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London 2017 Presser: Women's 100 meters
Tori Bowie (USA, gold), Marie-Josee Ta Lou (CIV, silver), Dafne Schippers (NED, bronze)
By Larry Eder (Aug. 9, 2017)
The women's 100 meters was an absolutely epic race. With Marie Jose Ta Lou getting out well, and Dafne Schippers running by her lonesome on the outside, Tori Bowie had a good start, but had a splendid last 40 meters, executing everything she has learned over the years in one race. It was obvious that Tori Bowie did not want to loose that one, and after bronze in 2015, silver in 2016, Tori Bowie wanted the win, and raced at a higher level than she ever has before. Elaine Thompson finished fifth in the 100 meters, shocked at her finish. Whether it was lack of fitness or the shock of having three runners ahead of her, something that Elaine Thompson has not see before, the effect was the same.
Here's the presser for the women's 100 meter that I recorded on Sunday night. It was a good presser, and it shows the personalities of the three medalists. Bowie smiles, but keeps things close to herself. Ta Lou was so happy on her run, she was beaming and quite talkative. Schippers was happy to medal once again and was pretty talkative.
But the dream night belongs to Tori Bowie, and congratulates to all three 100m medalists!
VIEW THE VIDEO HERE:
http://www.runblogrun.com/2017/08/london-2017-presser-womens-100-meters-tori-bowie-usa-gold-marie-josee-ta-lou-civ-silver-dafne-schipp.html
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By Dave Hunter (Aug. 6, 2017, London)
It is difficult to believe that just two years ago, Aires Merritt - the then-reigning Olympic champion and world record holder in the 110 meter hurdles - was, in essence, fighting for his life. Arriving in Beijing to compete in the 2015 IAAF world championships, the American hurdler at last went public with the news release that he had been battling chronic kidney dysfunction and would be speeding back to the States after the Worlds competition to receive a kidney transplant from his sister Latoya Hubbard. Somehow, someway, Merritt - suffering from collapsing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and competing with a dangerously low level of kidney function - found a way to string together 3 consecutive seasonal bests, including a clean 13.03 in the final, to capture the bronze. After the final, a beaming and somewhat incredulous Merritt proclaimed to the media, "This medal will shine brighter than my Olympic gold medal."
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Drew Windle: Shooting the Last Shot; Young Symmonds' Disciple Makes World Team
by Dave Hunter
Last month in Sacramento, the sunbaked fans in Hornet Stadium raised eyebrows as they witnessed a relative unknown - a former Div. II champion in a florescent yellow singlet - uncork 3 consecutive furious finishes in the 3-race 800 meter war of attrition to gain a spot on the U.S. world championship team. For Drew Windle it was the fulfillment of a dream concocted nearly a decade ago. "My senior year in high school I set a goal that you set even though it is super far-fetched at the time," notes the Brooks athlete as he reflects on that promise he made to himself to make a national team. "We kept working at it. I went to a Division II school [Ohio's Ashland University] and did really well there - enough to get me a contract with Brooks in Seattle, Washington. The stars kind of aligned on the right day. And it happened. It was kind of a dream come true."
READ MORE HERE:
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Team USATF Ready for Repeat Success in Return to London
INDIANAPOLIS -- Four reigning World champions and eight 2016 Olympic individual gold medalists will lead 132 athletes on the Team USATF roster for the 2017 IAAF World Championships, held August 4-13 in London, England. Representing the U.S. in the delegation announced Monday by USA Track & Field are 77 Olympians, including 13 Olympic medalists from 2012 who will return to London Stadium for another chance at the podium.Overall, 39 World Championships and/or Olympic medalists are part of the Team USATF roster.
READ MORE HERE:
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Tuliamuk Wins Again, Chelanga Takes Title at USATF 7-Mile Champs
DAVENPORT, Iowa (7/29/17) - A challenging course led to runaway finishes at the USATF 7 Mile Championships Saturday morning, as USATF Running Circuit standings leader Aliphine Tuliamuk and Sam Chelanga won their respective races in Davenport, Iowa, hosted by the Quad-City Times Bix 7.
From the start of the race, Tuliamuk and key challengers Sara Hall and Olympian Marielle Hall took to the lead and gapped the field easily over the first three miles. The trio ran together, mostly side by side, until the turnaround at 3.5 miles, at which point Tuliamuk started to hammer the pace.
READ MORE HERE:
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USATF Foundation Awards $625,000 in Stephen A. Schwarzian Grant Funds
New York City- In two weeks athletes from across the nation will band together with pride to represent Team USA at the 2017 IAAF World Championships in London, England. In preparation for this momentous event, the USATF Foundation announced 25 Stephen A. Schwarzman Grant Awards in the amount of $25,000 to members of Team USA today, announced Foundation Executive Director Tom Jankovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld.
Earlier this year, Stephen A. Schwarzman, Chairman, CEO and Co-Founder of Blackstone, became the largest individual donor to the USATF Foundation and made an unprecedented $2.5 million donation in support of elite track & field athletes. The gift is meant to provide financial support to the most promising track & field athletes as they train for the World Championships and Olympic Games.
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Videos by The Shoe Addicts
RunBlogRun Coverage:
10 Days of London Previews
2017 IAAF World Outdoor Championships
London
In these videos Larry Eder takes you through a preview of what you'll see at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in London (Aug 4 - 13th).
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CHECK OUT YOUR ASSOCIATION
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Racing Shoe Reviews, Spring 2016
Trail Shoe Reviews, Early 2016
2016 Spring Shoe Reviews and award winners:
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PREVIOUS ISSUES OF CTRN
California Track & Running News, Spring 2016
California Track & Running News, Fall 2015
California Track & Running News, June-August 2015
California Track & Running News, April-May 2015
California Track & Running News, Jan-March 2015
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