Bekele, Lagat, Kiplagat perform well in Birmingham
The Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, England, was the site of a trio of strong performances on Saturday
World and Olympic 10,000m champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia bettered the two mileworld best set in Birmingham by Haile Gebrsalassie in 2003 when he stopped the clocks in 8 minutes 04.35 seconds, which bettered Gebrsalassie's previous world best of 8:04.69. "It's great here in Birmingham," he said. "It was not easy today but I knew I could do it. "
Bekele said afterwards he is still undecided whether to defend his World Indoor 3000m title in Valencia as well as run at the World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh next month.
Reigning World Outdoor 1,500m and 5,000m champion Bernard Lagat posted the second-fastest time in the world this year with a convincing 1,500m win in 3 minutes 35.22 seconds, a second outside Daniel Komen's two-year-old stadium record.
In the 800 meters, Richard Kiplagat of Kenya ran the third fastest 800m time in the world this year with his personal best time of 1:46.33. Others posting PRs in that event were Josef Repcik of Slovakia, 1:47.06, and Damien Moss of Britain, 1:47.32, both inside the qualifying standard for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Championships next month in Valencia, Spain.
For more information on the 2008 Norwich Union Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, England, visit www.iaaf.org.
Texas posts world best DMR
The University of Texas men's track and field team set a world's best of nine minutes, 25:97 seconds in the distance-medley relay over the weekend at the 2008 Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The Longhorns' quartet -- All-American junior Kyle Miller, U.S. junior national champion and freshman Danzell Fortson, All-American junior Jacob Hernandez and two-time NCAA champion and senior Leo Manzano-- shattered five records in meeting the NCAA automatic qualifying standard of 9:34 and taking over the top-spot in all of college track and field. Texas leads the descending order list by almost 11 seconds (Oregon, 9:36.21).
UT smashed the world best, NCAA and Randal Tyson Track Center records of 9:27.77 run by Michigan on March 12, 2004. The Longhorns' group improved the American record of 9:28.83 set by Stanford on March 10, 2000 by nearly two seconds. Texas also bettered the previous school record of 9:31.27 set on March 2, 2007. Hernandez and Manzano ran the final two legs of the previous school best last year.
U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field to be a tobacco-free event
The Eugene 08 Local Organizing Committee, along with the University of Oregon and community health officials, have committed to making the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field a tobacco-free event.
This commitment is in keeping with the tobacco-free policy of the International Olympic Committee and other international sports organizations. In light of the findings by the U.S. Surgeon General that exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke and use of tobacco are significant health hazards, all tobacco products will be prohibited during the 10 days of the event, both at Hayward Field and on the Eugene 08 Festival grounds. "Prohibiting tobacco in the 'Superblock' is consistent with the Eugene 08 commitment to promoting health and fitness," said Greg Erwin, Local Organizing Committee Co-Chair. The Superblock is the area within Hayward Field, and the surrounding blocks between 15th and 18th, from University to Agate Streets where the Eugene 08 Festival will be held.
Laura Hammond, Public Health Educator in the Tobacco Prevention and Education Program of the Lane County Public Health Department helped to promote the idea of a tobacco-free event. "As a part of the overall state tobacco prevention program, our goals are to reduce youth initiation of tobacco use, support cessation, and eliminate exposure to second-hand smoke. Establishing tobacco-free events actually helps accomplish all three of these goals."
Masters history website now available
A website that preserves the great history of American masters track and field is currently available online for all to see. Recognized as a work in progress, mastershistory.org will feature results from major events, along with photos and video of masters greats, bios of masters hall of famers and a great deal more.
Revealed publicly for the first time in the February issue of National Masters News, mastershistory.org was launched by Andy Hecker, with contributions from David Pain, Jeff Davidson and National Masters News publisher Randy Sturgeon. The project received a $1,200 budget from the USA Track & Field Masters Committee, with additional support from chairman Gary Snyder and others.
