Running News Daily
Top Ten Stories of the Week
2/1/2020

Track and field stars, led by the legendary Usain Bolt, praised tribute to basketball hero Kobe Bryant

Bryant, a legendary player for the Los Angeles Lakers, is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, died in a helicopter crash on Sunday, 26 January. He was 41-years-old.

Usain Bolt, who shared a photo of him and Kobe, wrote: “Still can’t believe @kobebryant ðŸ™ðŸ¿ðŸ™ðŸ¿#RIP.”

Jamaica’s 2011 World 100m champion, Yohan Blake, also expressed shock at the news. 

“Still can’t believe this news,” said Yohan Blake.

Former American athlete Sanya Richards-Ross also commented on Kobe’s death. “I’ve taken an intentional break from social media, but this warrants all our love and prayers…The world has lost a legend, an icon, but Bryant’s loss is unimaginable. Praying for his family and the families of the other lives that were lost in this terrifying accident. #RIPKobe”

American triple jumper, Will Claye, said: “I’m broken.”

“You are a superhero to me. It’s not fair, and I don’t want to believe it. My heart goes out to Vanessa, your girls and your parents. You’ve been getting me through a lot of days lately, and I thank you because only you could really understand the battle I’m in right now. I appreciate you Bean 🙏🏾 Rest easy,” said Claye.

Former American 100m hurdles champion Lolo Jones was at a loss for words.

“I don’t even know what to say, man,” she started out saying.

“The words won’t do justice. I can only pray for the comfort of your friends and loved ones. A lot of people looked up to you for your accomplishments as an athlete, but I was inspired by what you were doing after your career… writing books, directing movies, businesses. You showed that athletes can continue to do great things after retirement. I was honored to have you as a teammate,” said Jones, who shared a photo of herself and Kobe at the Olympic Games.

Wallace Spearmon wrote “#RIP to a legend @kobebryant . Life is short, live it… True Love is eternal; embrace it… Tomorrow isn’t promised, don’t wait… RIP mamba.”

Nike Running posted “Mamba forever."

Our condolences to Kobe and Gianna’s family and everyone involved in today’s tragedy.

(01/27/20) Views: 179

Brazier and Ali kick off World Athletics Indoor Tour with dominant victories in Boston

The 2020 World Athletics Indoor Tour began with national records and fantastic performances in Boston, as world champions Donavan Brazier and Nia Ali kicked off their Olympic campaigns with victories at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday night (25).

Brazier, the world champion in the 800m, dominated the men’s 600m. In the final event of the evening, Brazier came through 400m in 49.62, and obliterated the field to win in a meeting record of 1:14.39. Brazier, who owns the world indoor best for the 600m with his 1:13.77 from last year’s US Indoor Championships, won by nearly six seconds from Michael Stigler.

“It feels great,” said Brazier, who was contesting his first race since the World Championships. “This is my tradition so far while being a professional. I’ve run at the Reggie Lewis Center four years straight now and I’ve come out with four wins in a row – so I might as well just keep coming back.”

Ali started her indoor season right where she left off, winning the 60m hurdles in 7.94. The world 100m hurdles champion pulled away over the final barrier to beat world indoor silver medallist Christina Clemons, who finished in 7.98.

“It means a lot to start off the season here,” said Ali after running her fastest 60m hurdles time since winning the 2016 world indoor title. “My family is able to get down and see me and I appreciate that. Especially being from the East coast. I know the crowd is always good to me, so I love it.”

In the women’s 1500m, Jessica Hull of Australia sat on the shoulder of Konstanze Klosterhalfen for 1450m before bursting to the front in the final straight to win in 4:04.14, taking more than two seconds off the Oceanian indoor record.

Klosterhalfen, the German athlete coming off a bronze medal in the 5000m at the World Championship in Doha, finished second in 4:04.38. Ciara Mageean finished third in 4:06.42 to break her own Irish indoor record.

In his first indoor race as a professional, Bryce Hoppel, who did not lose a race collegiately last year, nipped Jake Wightman at the line to win the 1000m in 2:17.41. Wightman, who set a British indoor record of 2:17.51, led going into the final lap, but Hoppel clocked a 27.1 final circuit pick up the win.

World indoor bronze medallist Bethwell Birgen of Kenya won a duel over Edward Cheserek, who announced this week he would be competing internationally for Kenya, in the 3000m. After the pacemaker stepped off the track with just over 1000m to go, Cheserek and Birgen traded the lead before Birgen unleashed a stunning final 300m, closing his last lap in 26.33 to take the win over Cheserek, 7:44.21 to 7:46.74.

In the women’s two miles, Elinor Purrier buried the competition over the final lap to win in 9:29.19 as 2017 world steeplechase champion, Emma Coburn, finished third.

Gabby Thomas blitzed a 36.52 to win the 300m. Thomas, a graduate of Harvard University, won the first heat by a wide margin and held on for the win after Shamier Little beat out Kendall Ellis in the second heat, 37.07 to 37.36.

“It was really great to compete at home, here in Boston,” Thomas said. “Especially this being my first year out of college and having that energy around me, it’s a really an amazing feeling.”

Chris O’Hare of Great Britain held off a hard-charging Nick Willis in the men’s mile, winning 3:59.62 to 3:59.89.

Demek Kemp won the 60m in 6.50, taking 0.05 off his personal best. Trayvon Bromell, running the 60m for the first time since winning the 2016 world indoor title at the distance, finished seventh in 6.84. Obi Igbokwe, a senior at the University of Houston, won the men’s 400m in 46.50.

In the field events, Pablo Torrijos of Spain kept his cool after four successive fouls in the men’s triple jump, eventually sailing out to 16.75m in the fifth round to seal the victory. Amina Smith of the US cleared 1.89m to win the women’s high jump.

The World Athletics Indoor Tour will next head to Karlsruhe, Germany, on 31 January, when athletes will continue to chase tour ranking points as well as wildcards for the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 2020.

(01/29/20) Views: 139
World Athletics

Nico Young will begin his final high school track and field season and will be going after the 3000m indoor record

The Newbury Park (CA) High School senior and Northern Arizona University signee will go after the American U20 indoor 3,000 meter record of 7:56.31, which was last set by Chris Derrick -- while he was with Stanford in 2009 -- at the Millrose Games on February 8 in New York City. 

If accomplished, Young, 17, would also surpass Drew Hunter's national high school 3K record of 7:59.33 for the distance. Hunter accomplished that feat in 2016, becoming the only high school athlete to ever go under 8 minutes indoors -- only two athletes have done it across both seasons; German Fernandez owns the outdoor 3K record in 7:59.83. 

But here's the twist. 

Young, running unattached, will be entered in the professional field. As per National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS) rules, Young will be able to race against pros and collegians -- and not lose his remaining CIF eligibility -- based upon the fact that Millrose does not offer a high school race at the distance. 

A year ago, all but one runner in the 12-person field broke 8-minutes, with Stanford's Grant Fisher leaning past Wisconsin's Morgan McDonald at the line to win in 7:42.62. 

Young has raced once since cross country, putting down a 1,500m performance (outdoors) of 3:52.39 at the Arcadia Winter Championships qualifier on Jan. 25. 

And he's still relatively fresh since coming off a record performance at Nike Cross Nationals, where he broke the 5K meet record at Glendoveer and ran a winning time of 14:52.30. 

While Young has just one indoor performances overall -- he was eighth in the boys mile at the New Balance Grand Prix in 2019 -- those around him remain confident he will excel in the field. Young's head coach, Sean Brosnan, said Young will not seek out a fast mile in 2020, with focus instead placed on 3,000 and 5,000 meter races. 

Meaning: While Young could run fast 1,600 meter and mile races in 2020, his objective will not be on going under 4 minutes for the distance as a high school senior. 

In recent years, there have been five sub-8:10 efforts since 2010, including performances from Hunter, Edward Cheserek (2x) and Lukas Verzbicas (2x) -- national cross country champions in high school.

Young ran 8:13.31 for 3K in February of last year at the Rossi Relays. He remains in fitness and has been eyeing several records attempts to begin 2020. 

(01/29/20) Views: 86
Cory Mull

Ethiopians Worknesh Degefa sizzles 2:19:38 in Dubai, while debutant Olika Adugna prevails in men's race

For tenacity, Worknesh Degefa was the star of the show in the 21st anniversary race of the Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label road race on Friday 24, the Ethiopian enduring mid-race physical problems to clock 2:19:38 and win the women’s race. But for sheer opportunism, debutants Olika Adugna of Ethiopia and Eric Kiptanui of Kenya carried the day, outwitting the tried and tested marathoners, to finish first and second in the men’s race, in 2:06:15 and 2:06:17.

Degefa won by half a minute from compatriot Guteni Shone, with another Ethiopian Bedatu Hirpa further back in third; but the measure of the blanket finish of the men’s race was that Beshah Yerssie ran 2:06:34, which would have been a world record two decades ago, yet his 11th place meant he got zero prize money.

The mass sprint was more reminiscent of a track event. And sure enough the sprinters won; or rather the former track men. The experienced marathoners were keeping a close eye on one other and ignoring Adugna and Kiptanui, but when it came down to speed rather than staying power, Adugna followed the initial sprint of Kiptanui from 500 metres out, then whizzed past him after another 100 metres, and took the victory and the $100,000 first prize. Two more Ethiopians followed on 2:06:18, with Tsedat Abeje getting the nod over Lencho Tesfaye.

Degefa won this race on her own debut in 2017, and finished fourth the following year, yet though she could only finish second to Ruth Cheongetich last year, she said that her national record of 2:17:41 followed by victory in Boston last April meant that she now felt "really confident as a marathon runner".

Accordingly, she set out to underline her status as world’s sixth fastest woman. She asked for a fast pace, and approaching halfway, with a lead of over a minute, she was on course for a 2:16 clocking. But then a back injury that has blighted her training and caused her miss New York in November flared up, and looking distinctly uncomfortable, she dropped off the pace.

With her lead reduced considerably by the end, she only just managed to cross the line before collapsing and needing medical attention. But she revived soon enough to say, "I’m really proud that I managed to keep going when my back was giving me so many problems. I want to sort them out, because my aim is to represent my country in the Olympic Games (Tokyo in August)." That would be after defending her Boston title in April.

Degefa also won $100,000, out of an overall prize pot of a million dollars. And after expressing his surprise that the leaders should have followed a relatively sedate pace - "At 40k, I realised that, with my speed I could win," - Adugna underlined the financial primacy of road running, and marathons in particular nowadays when he completely dismissed the idea of returning to track. Then again, a hundred grand is a powerful argument for sticking to the roads.

 

(01/24/20) Views: 68
World Athletics

Moroccan athlete Hicham Laqouahi won the 31 Annual Marathon International de Marrakech

Laqouahi covered the distance of 42,097 km in 2h 06mn 32sec, thus breaking the marathon record which was since 2013 under the credit of the Kenyan athlete Stephan Tum (2h06mn35s). The second position in this 31st edition of MIM went to Kenyan Jacob Kendagor (2h 07mn 16s), followed in third place by the Ethiopian Feleke Wondouser (2h 07mn 32s).

In the Ladies category, the Ethiopian Negeri Hawi Alemu won the title of this 31st edition by finishing the race in 2h 27mn 56s.

Great performance for the Moroccan athlete Souad Kanbouchia who gleaned the second position with a time of 2h 28mins 07s, followed by the Ethiopian athlete Bere Asayech Ayalew who climbed the third step of the podium, with a time of 2h 28mins 20s.

In the Men's Half Marathon, the Moroccan athletes dominated the race by holding the top three steps of the podium hands down.

Thus the athlete Mohamed Reda El Aaraby won the title by finishing the race with a time of 1h 01mn 25s, followed by his compatriots Omar Ait Chitachen (1h 01mn 52s) and Hamid El Janati (1h 01mn 58s) respectively.

In the Ladies category, the domination was also 100% Moroccan. Thus, the first place was occupied by the athlete Oumaima Saoud (1h 11mn 20s), followed by his compatriots Kaoutar Farkoussi (1h 11mn 25s) and Hajjiba Hassnaoui (1h 12mn 13s).

In a press statement at the end of this international sporting event, the winner of this edition, Hicham Laqouahi, said he was very proud and happy to have broken the Marathon of Marrakech record and his personal record .

"This performance is the result of long and hard training throughout this year," added this native of Marrakech and member of the Achbal Marrakech athletics club, highlighting the excellent quality of the circuit as well as the good organization of this event.

In a similar statement, the winner of the men's half-marathon, Mohamed Reda El Aaraby, congratulated himself on having managed to achieve "the minimum which allows him to participate in the Tokyo Olympic Games", expressing the wish to be in able to represent Morocco well at this major international sporting event.

In a statement to the MAP, the director of this sporting event, Mohamed Knidiri, stressed that this 31st edition was a success on all fronts, since we exceeded the number of 14,000 participants, who come from 70 nationalities, indicating that 50% of the participants are foreign to the Marathon, while 30% are foreign to the half-marathon.

(01/26/20) Views: 68

Hong Kong canceled its largest marathon because of the coronavirus threat to the city

The Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon, originally scheduled for Feb. 8 and 9, will be scrapped for the first time since the bank began sponsoring it in 1997. The event involves 70,000 people this year and the government “believes it has to be canceled,” Lam said on Saturday as she raised the response level to “emergency.”

Hong Kong will face challenges on “multiple fronts” in 2020, Lam said, citing protests that have rocked the city since June and the spread of the coronavirus from China to at least 11 other countries.

“More protests and violence may come,“ she said. “An economic recession may also be something we cannot avoid. The epidemic will make matters worse for many industries.”

The government also extended school holidays for non-tertiary students to Feb. 17, and will indefinitely halt flights and rail services to the Chinese city of Wuhan, where the coronavirus originated, she said.

Lam’s comments came hours after she returned to Hong Kong from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. She said she was in touch with advisers while traveling and denied criticism that her trip led to a delay in taking action against the virus.

“The government will continue monitoring the situation and be open to suggestions from various sectors,” Lam said. “The Chief Executive and Financial Secretary will roll out relief measures for industries when necessary.”

Lam also said Hong Kong will source masks and seek help from China’s State Council to increase the local supply, after pharmacies across the city sold out the stocks. In contrast, her government had enacted a rare emergency rule several months ago to impose a ban on face masks as part of a crackdown on protesters.

The virus, which started in December in a seafood and poultry market in Wuhan, poses a threat to Hong Kong’s economy, which is particularly vulnerable after seven months of protest that tipped the economy into recession in the third quarter. Lam has withdrawn a proposal that would’ve allowed for extraditions to China and triggered millions to rally against it, but protests have continued against abusive police tactics and eroding democratic freedoms.

(01/25/20) Views: 66
Blake Schmidt, Natalie Lung, and Fion Li

Controversial Nike Vaporflys will be allowed by World Athletics but running shoe rules will tighten

World Athletics will not be imposing a blanket ban on the controversial hi-tech Nike Vaporflys that have transformed athletics when it announces its long-awaited decision on shoe technology on Friday, the Guardian understands.

Instead the sport’s governing body is expected to announce a temporary suspension of any new shoe technology until after the Tokyo Olympics this summer, alongside the launch of a comprehensive research project to examine just how advantageous the shoes, and others like it from rival brands, are at elite level.

World Athletics is also likely to introduce a tighter set of regulations for new shoes in the future, including the need for companies to present any prototypes to it for approval before they can be used in competition.

Such has been the Vaporflys’ dominance in recent years that athletes wearing them claimed 31 of the 36 podium positions in the six world marathon majors in 2019.

The Kenyan Eliud Kipchoge also wore a pair when he set an official men’s world record in Berlin in 2018 with a time of 2hr 01min 39sec – while his compatriot Brigid Kosgei smashed Paula Radcliffe’s women’s record in the Next% version of the shoe last October in 2:14:04.

However the shoes, which were introduced in 2016, have deeply divided the athletics community, with some supporting the technological arms race as part of an inevitable evolution of the sport – and others warning that it is deeply unfair to athletes who are not sponsored by Nike.

Kipchoge has denied that, saying: “They are fair. I trained hard. Technology is growing and we can’t deny it – we must go with technology.” But the small number of studies conducted on the Vaporflys suggest that, depending on the model and athlete, they can typically improve a person’s running economy by 4-5% – which translates to at least a minute- to 90-second advantage for an elite male runner over 26.2 miles and even more in an average club athlete.

Vaporfly shoes will help me reach my marathon dream. Should I use them?

Where that leaves the Nike AlphaFly, the next generation prototype shoes worn by Eliud Kipchoge when he ran the first sub-two hour marathon in October in an unofficial event is unclear. It is understood that these shoes – which are said to contain three carbon plates and improve running economy by 8% – have not yet been submitted to World Athletics experts for inspection.

Even if the AlphaFlys are banned at elite level there will be no restrictions on ordinary athletes buying and wearing them in races when they are released in the shops by Nike.

(01/29/20) Views: 66
Sean Ingle

World marathon bronze medalist Amos Kipruto will be featured at the Tokyo Marathon on March 1 as part of his preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games

Kenyan Amos Kipruto is  set to use Tokyo Marathon as Olympic build-up.

However, the Olympic Games will depends on whether he makes the final cut. Kipruto finished third in last year's  Tokyo Marathon in 2:06.33 and will be seeking to improve on his performance. 

" I have taken my training a notch higher and I do about 35km in a day—20km in my morning run and 15km in the evening. Marathon is not a one-day affair  as everything—ranging from endurance and speed among other things have to be perfect,” said Kipruto.

Kipruto shot to fame in 2018 when he finished second behind Eliud Kipchoge who posted a new world marathon record in Berlin.

“Covering 200km a week is not easy and I will have to take one step at a time.  I have been working closely with my coach Claudio Berardelli and I have a good training programme,” added Kipruto, who trains at 2 Running Club.

With top runners chasing Olympic slots, Kipruto said he is still waiting to see if he will make the shortlist for the Tokyo Games.

“For now, my focus is Tokyo Marathon. If I will be named in the team to the Olympics, I will be glad to represent my country.  It is the pride of every runner to compete for his or her country at the global stage,” he added.

Kipruto made his debut for the country at the World Championships in Doha last year and will be ready if offered a chance to compete at the Olympic Games. 

(01/24/20) Views: 64
Emmanuel Sabuni

Defending champion, International Medalists and National Record-Holders to Headline Women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile

Defending champion and world championship medalist Konstanze Klosterhalfen of Germany, former NCAA champion Elinor Purrier, Canadian record-holder Gabriela DeBues-Stafford, and Pan American Games champion Nikki Hiltz of the United States will lead the NYRR Wanamaker Mile women’s field at the 113th NYRR Millrose Games on Saturday, February 8 at The Armory’s New Balance Track and Field Center.

The signature event at the NYRR Millrose Games has taken place every year on the women’s side since 1976 and will be broadcast live nationally on NBC for the fourth consecutive year from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. ET, in addition to streamed live online on NBC Sports Gold.

“This year’s women’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile will feature some of the sport’s biggest rising international stars, including Konstanze, Elinor, Gabriela, and Nikki, who will headline a world-class field,” said NYRR Millrose Games Meet Director Ray Flynn. “We are excited to fill The Armory and cheer on these tremendous athletes.”

Klosterhalfen led the NYRR Wanamaker Mile from wire-to-wire last year, winning the race in 4:19.98 and breaking a 31-year-old German national record in the process. She went on to win a bronze medal over 5000 meters at the IAAF World Championships in Doha in October. The 22-year-old, who competed at the Rio 2016 Olympics, is the indoor German national record holder over one mile, 1500 meters, 3000 meters, and 5000 meters.

“I'm happy to be back in here to race the NYRR Wanamaker Mile again,” said Klosterhalfen. “Last year was my first time in New York and the atmosphere was great. I hope it'll be a good start into my 2020 season.”

Purrier was the runner-up at the 2019 New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile and represented the U.S. at the 2019 world championships, qualifying for the final in the 5000 meters. She was an 11-time All-American at the University of New Hampshire, where she won the 2018 NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships in the women’s mile.

“The first time I ever ran in the NYRR Wanamaker Mile was when I was in college and it has been a special race to me ever since,” Purrier said. “It was the first time I had the chance to compete on such a big stage and against some of the world's best runners. It was one of the best opportunities I was given as a young emerging runner and certainly was a building block that helped establish my career. Now, as I represent New Balance, and return to the start line I feel very excited for this opportunity once again. Being invited to the NYRR Wanamaker Mile is a great privilege as it is one of the most pristine, competitive, and fun indoor races.”

DeBues-Stafford is the Canadian record-holder in the 1500 meters, mile, and 5000 meters, and finished sixth last year in the 1500 meters at the World Athletics Championships, smashing her own national record in the process. She represented her country at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the last two World Athletics Indoor Championships, and has won four consecutive national 1500-meter titles.

Hiltz represented the U.S. at the world championships last year after winning gold over 1500 meters at the Pan American Games. She also secured victories at the BAA Mile, Adidas Boost Games Mile, and the USATF Road Mile Championships. In her last trip to New York, she finished fourth at the 2019 New Balance Fifth Avenue Mile.

(01/24/20) Views: 58

Japanese Yuta Shitara plans for the Tokyo Marathon and his last chance to make the Olympic team

In an interview in Miyazaki on Jan. 23, former men's marathon national record holder Yuta Shitara, talked in no uncertain terms about his plans for the Tokyo Marathon, his last chance to earn a ticket to the 2020 Olympics.

It's going to take breaking current record holder Suguru Osako's 2:05:50 national record to take the third spot on the Olympic team. But, said Shitara, "Even if I break the national record and am chosen, unless I run 2:04 I won't deserve to run in the Tokyo Olympics.

" If he runs a 2:05 national record, he said unambiguously, "I'll probably turn it down."Commenting on Shitara's statement, his coach Satoshi Ogawa said, "I think he has complete confidence about winter races, but when it comes to summer races he's not as sure he can perform as expected.

He probably thinks that there are other people who can do better in summer races."Shitara also said, "Tokyo will be the last marathon I run in Japan," indicating that he plans to shift his focus to competing in high-level races abroad. The Tokyo Marathon is more than sufficiently high-level, regularly featuring athletes who have run in the 2:02 to 2:03 range, but, said Ogawa, "He wants to take on the challenge of competing internationally.

He doesn't want conservative races, he wants to go fast and hard. For him it's all or nothing.

"At the 2018 Tokyo Marathon Shitara ran a then-national record 2:06:11. After a planned confrontation with the man who broke his record failed to materialize at last year's Tokyo, the anticipation for his showdown with Osako this year is already building.

(01/25/20) Views: 58
Brett Larner