Heres a recap of all the distance events from the final day at the USATF Indoor meet, Sunday March 1, 2009.
Womens 1500m Final: Anna Willard Wins
After the womens 1500m field was called back due to a false start, the pack took off led by 2008 Olympic steeple-chaser Anna Willard. The New England native led along with former US indoor mile champ Shayne Culpepperthrough the 400m in 1:12.5. Soon joined by fellow Team Running USA teammate Jen Rhines,Willard would assume the duties of pulling the pack along. The wholefield stayed bunched up until the 1000m mark, where the
pack began tostring out. Hitting the 1000m in 3:00.5, Willard, Culpepper and Rhineswere joined by Sara Hall, who had finished second in the 3Klast night. Culpepper took over the lead briefly, but was then passedby Willard. With 200 to go, Willard took off, starting to separateherself from the rest of the field. Closing with an unofficial 15.02100m kick, where she kept gaining on the field, Willard broke the tapein 4:17.37. Following her were Culpepper (4:18.82) and Hall (4:19.30)in second and third, respectively.
Willard said, "I felt way more comfortable than usual, I had fun running [the 1500]." When asked about what she will do in the spring, now that she has runcompetitively in the shorter distance, Willard said she would dabble inthe 800, 1500, as well as her specialty, the 3K steeplechase. A late scratch, Lindsey Gallo did not participate in the 1500.
Women 1500 Meter Run
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World: W 3:58.28 2/18/2006 Yelena Soboleva, RUS
American: A 3:59.98 2/1/2003 Regina Jacobs, Nike
Meet: M 4:03.08 3/4/1997 Mary Slaney, Nike
Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Anna Willard Nike 4:17.37
2 Shayne Culpepper Nike 4:18.82
3 Sara Hall Asics 4:19.30
4 Jennifer Rhines adidas 4:22.16
5 Sara Vaughn Boulder Running 4:22.29
6 Amanda LoPiccolo Syr. Chargers TC 4:24.86
7 Susan Hendrick New York AC 4:25.29
8 Angelina Blackmon N C State 4:26.29
9 Lauren Hagans Unattached 4:27.41
10 Clerc Koenck Unattached 4:28.21
11 Natalie Gingerich Nike Cnt Park TC 4:28.80
12 Kaitlin O'Sullivan Syr. Chargers TC 4:30.21
-- Lindsey Gallo Reebok DNS
Mens 800m Final: What Else Did You Expect? Khadevis Robinson Wins Again
Karjuan Williams,
the former Nike Indoor Nationals 800 champ, went right to the front at the gun,
and led through the first 400 in 54.67. He was closely followed by
OTCs Matt Scherer, reigning indoor national champ Khadevis Robinson (Nike), and 2008 Olympian Christian Smith. At 600m, hit in 1:21.88, Steve Sherer of the New York Athletic Club and Matt Wieczorek
(OTC/Nike) entered the picture and moved to the front. But, with 100m
left, Sherer got shuffled back rounding the turn. Robinson took over,
and led the pack to the line, finishing in a season best 1:48.61.
"I came into the championship wanting to enjoy myself more, enjoy the
atmosphere. I just wanted to be there with 700 to go. I was, and thats
when I knew I could win," said Robinson, who captured his fourth US
Indoor championship.
The surprise of the race had to be Wieczorek, who moved up late and
finished second in a personal best of 1:48.94. At first, Wieczoreks
goal was to just make the finals and compete. He certainly did so,
taking home the silver. Getting the bronze was Scherer (1:49.36).
Men 800 Meter Run
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World: W 1:42.67 3/9/1997 Wilson Kipketer, DEN
American: A 1:45.00 3/8/1992 Johnny Gray, Santa Monica T
Meet: M 1:46.60 3/2/2002 Derrick Peterson, adidas
Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Khadevis Robinson Nike 1:48.61
2 Mark Wieczorek OTC/Nike 1:48.94
3 Matt Scherer OTC/Nike 1:49.36
4 Karjuan Williams Unattached 1:49.47
5 Christian Smith Nike 1:49.54
6 Steve Sherer New York AC 1:49.85
Womens 800m Final: Katie Waits is Back
The womens 800m final was dominated by Reeboks Katie Waits,
the former Michigan Wolverine coached by Mike McGuire. Waits led wire
to wire, as she wanted to get the lead early and "not fight it after
the first curve." Completing the first 400m in 1:00.58, Waits was
followed by 7-time All-American (at Pitt) Chantee McBride and 2006 US Indoor champ (1500) Treniere Clement.
By the 600m mark, though, Waits began to move and lengthen the gap
between herself and the field. Waits had about a 5-meter lead on
Clemente coming around the final turn, and by then she knew she had
captured her first indoor title.
"I'm very excited!" exclaimed Waits. "Im happy with the time, and as
long as I stay healthy, plan to see me mixing it up with the leaders in
June (at the US Outdoor Championships)."
Clement finished in second (2:04.32), happy with her season best time, but disappointed to finish second, not first. "But I can't complain, last year was a disaster, and I am now starting to get back to where I want to be."
Jesse Carlin of Nike took the bronze in 2:05.98.
Women 800 Meter Run
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World: W 1:55.82 3/3/2002 Jolanda Ceplak, SLO
American: A 1:58.71 3/2/2002 Nicole Teter, Nike Farm Tea
Meet: M 1:58.41 3/4/1995 Maria Mutola, Mozambique
Name Year Team Finals
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Finals
1 Katie Waits Reebok 2:03.56
2 Treniere Clement Nike 2:04.32
3 Jesse Carlin Nike 2:05.98
4 Ty Davis Team Indiana 2:06.30
5 Angee Henry Team Nebraska 2:08.53
6 Chantee McBride Unattached 2:08.64
Master's World Record for Tony Young
A big surprise at the USA Indoor Championships was a world record: a mens masters 45-49 1500m record set by Tony Young
of Club Northwest. Young, who ran 3:57.91, set his third world record
of the season, and dominated the field of six. The Redmond, Washington
natives secret to success is his consistency, which he credits to
plyometrics and weeks of 80+ miles. Although he first thought was that
he wished he went out a little quicker, the loan officer by day/runner
by night record holder was very happy with his performance. He beat the
previous world best of 4:02.24 held by Spain's Jose Borrego, and Ken
Sparks 28 year old American record of 4:04.80. Congratulations Tony!
Christopher Lotsbom is an avid runner and a senior at Walpole High School in MA. He looks to continue both running and writing next year in college.