Posted: May 5, 2006

Athletics: Gathering Momentum - TPR's Weekend Guide

By Bob Ramsak
© 2006 TRACK PROFILE Report, all rights reserved

The first weekend in May signals the unofficial start of the international season. Here's a brief look at what should provide some of the global highlights this weekend.

Gatlin - Powell watch...

Perhaps it's just a way to keep building suspense prior to their inevitable first clash of the season, but one can't help but notice that Justin Gatlin, the world and Olympic champion in the 100, and Asafa Powell, the world record holder in the event, couldn't be farther apart this weekend.

Gatlin will make his first solo appearance of the year in the short dash on Saturday in Osaka, Japan, where he'll face a relatively modest international field, while Powell will be home in Kingston, Jamaica, where, at least on paper, he'll face a slightly tougher task. The Jamaica International field includes World Championship silver medallist Michael Frater, Trinidad's Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Marc Burns, and Jamaican Dwight Thomas, Gatlin's training partner and also a finalist last year in Helsinki. Both return to defend their respective titles -- Gatlin debuted in Osaka last year with a 10.15 win, while Powell clocked a sizzling 9.84 in Kingston.

Also in Kingston...

Usain Bolt, who's finally 20, will hope to keep pace with his world-leading 20.08 from last weekend, but this time before a home crowd. The women's 100 is topped by Commonwealth champion Sheri Ann Brooks, while double Olympic medallist Veronica Campbell, has opted for the half lap. Campbell, the reigning Olympic champion, graduates from the University of Arkansas next weekend and may square off with Allyson Felix, the reigning world champion, at the adidas Track Classic in Carson, Calif., the following weekend, should both choose to contest the longer dash. Jamaican-born Sanya Richards tops the 400 field in her second solo outing of the year, following up on her largely-solo 50.44 win at the Michael Johnson Invite in Waco two weeks ago. Jamaican Kenia Sinclair, the runner-up in the 800 at both the World Indoor Championships and Commonwealth Games, is back in action for the first time since her 1:58.16 national record in Melbourne.

Osaka...

Felix, who debuted with a PB and world-leading 11.04 at the Kansas Relays, won in Osaka last year, and is hoping to bounce back from a pedestrian 11.75 performance at last weekend's Drake Relays. Aussie Sarah Jamieson, the early-season world leader at both the 1500 and mile, tops the field in the 1500. The 25-year-old was second in the Commonwealth 1500, and fifth in the 5000. Of particular interest in the men's field are a pair of hurdlers: Bershawn Jackson, the world champion over the full-lap event, and China's Xiang Liu, the Olympic 110m hurdles champion. Liu returns to Osaka, the host city of the next World Championships, in his first outing since an ankle sprain sidelined him from an appearance at the World Indoor Championships. Liu hasn't raced since last fall. Jackson opened his season well, notching a comfortable 48.34 win at the Kansas Relays two weeks ago.

Modesto's 65th...

The key athlete at Saturday's Modesto Relays is Jeremy Wariner, making his second 400 outing of the season; in his first, he clocked a world-leading 44.12. Training partner Darold Williamson will give chase, as will half-lap specialist Wallace Spearmon, who continues his experimentation over the full lap. World indoor 60 meter champion Leonard Scott is entered in both the 100 and 200, but indicated two weeks ago that he may only opt for the longer dash. In the women's 100, Torri Edwards continues her road back following her suspension. Recently, she notched a pair of 100 meter wins in the Caribbean, clocking 11.26 and 11.29. Canadian Perdita Felicien, the 2003 world champion in the 100 meter hurdles, is on the slate to make her first appearance of the year. Khadevis Robinson, the current world leader in the 800 meters (1:44.88), is the class of his event.

The highlight on the infield will most likely come from the pole vault competitions. Brad Walker, silver medallist at last year's World Championships and the winner indoors in March, leads a field that includes Olympic 1-2 Tim Mack and Toby Stevenson. Germany's Tim Lobinger, ranked No. 2 in the IAAF World Rankings behind Walker, is in the field as well. The women's event features U.S. record holder Stacy Dragila in her first outing of the season, where she'll face Jenn Stuczynski, the latest American who hopes to challenge the current Russian and Polish domination of the event. Christian Cantwell, the world leader in the shot put, tops the list of entrants in his event. Athletes from 20 countries are expected to compete.

2006 World-leading performances (reported by the IAAF as of noon CET 05-May):

100m: 10.03 - Asafa Powell, JAM, Melbourne, AUS, 20-March
200m: 20.08 - Usain Bolt, JAM, Fort-de-France, FRA, 29-April
400m: 44.12 - Jeremy Wariner, USA, Waco, TX, USA, 22-April
800m: 1:44.88 - Khadevis Robinson, USA, Walnut, CA USA, 15-April
1500m: 3:38.02  - Craig Mottram, AUS, Melbourne, AUS, 24-March
Mile: 3:52.75 - Nicholas Willis, NZL, Wanganui, NZL, 11-February
3000m: 7:49.25 - Shadrack Korir, KEN, Dakar, SEN, 29-April
5000m: 12:56.41 - Augustine Kiprono Choge, KEN, Melbourne, AUS, 20-March
10,000m: 27:10.51 - Martin Irungu Mathathi, KEN, Kobe, JPN, 23-April
Marathon: 2:06:38 - Sammy Korir, KEN, Rotterdam, NED, 09-April
3000m SC: 8:18.17 - Ezekiel Kemboi, KEN,  Melbourne, AUS, 24-March
110mH: 13.22 - Terrence Trammell, USA, Fort-de-France, FRA, 29-April
400mH: 48.05 - L.J. van Zyl, RSA, Melbourne, AUS, 23-March
HJ: 2.31 - Víctor Moya, CUB, La Habana, CUB, 25-March *
PV: 5.91 - Steven Hooker, AUS, Melbourne, AUS, 04-March
LJ: 8.36 - Walter Davis, USA, Fort-de-France, FRA, 29-April
TJ: 17.63 - Yoandri Betanzos, CUB, La Habana, CUB, 04-February
SP: 22.10 - Christian Cantwell, USA, Des Moines, IA USA, 29-April
DT: 70.82 - Aleksander Tammert, EST, Denton, TX USA, 15-April
HT: 79.90 - Markus Esser, GER, Kienbaum, GER, 20-February
JT: 84.28 - Gerhardus Pienaar, RSA, Pretoria, RSA, 27-January
Decathlon: 8465 - Trey Hardee, USA, Austin, TX USA, 06-April
4x100: 38.16 - Sprint Capitol, UND, Lawrence, KS USA, 22-April
  (Dwight Thomas [JAM], Rodney Martin [USA], 
  Shawn Crawford [USA], Justin Gatlin [USA]) 
4x400: 2:59.86 - United States "Red", Austin, TX USA, 08-April
  (Andrew Rock, Derrick Brew, Wallace Spearmon, Kerron Clement) 

WOMEN -
100m: 11.04 - Allyson Felix, USA, Lawrence, KS USA, 22-April
200m: 22.53 - Shalonda Solomon, USA, Knoxville, TN USA, 15-April
400m: 50.28 - Christine Ohuruogu, GBR, Melbourne, AUS, 21-March
800m: 1:57.88 - Janeth Jepkosgei, KEN,  Melbourne, AUS, 24-March
1500m: 4:05.18 - Sarah Jamieson, AUS, Brisbane, AUS, 03-March
Mile: 4:29.15 - Sarah Jamieson, AUS, Melbourne, AUS, 18-February
3000m: 8:50.65 - Donna MacFarlane, AUS, Melbourne, AUS, 09-March
5000m: 14:57.84 - Isabella Ochichi, KEN, Melbourne, AUS, 24-March
10,000m: 30:21.67 - Elvan Abeylegesse, TUR, Antalya, TUR, 15-April
Marathon: 2:19:36 - Deena Kastor, USA, London, GBR, 23-April
3000m SC: 9:19.51 - Dorcus Inzikuru, UGA, Melbourne, AUS, 22-March
100mH: 12.65 - Brigitte Foster-Hylton, JAM, Melbourne, AUS, 23-March
400mH: 53.82 - Jana Pittman, AUS, Melbourne, AUS, 23-March
HJ: 2.00 - Chaunte Howard, USA, Walnut, CA USA, 15-April
PV: 4.62 - Kym Howe-Nadin, AUS, Melbourne, AUS, 25-March
LJ: 6.97 - Bronwyn Thompson, AUS 29, Melbourne, AUS, 24-March
TJ: 14.60 - Yargelis Savigne, CUB, La Habana, CUB, 24-March *
SP: 20.20 - Valerie Vili, NZL, Christchurch, NZL, 28-January
DT: 66.00 - Yania Ferrales, CUB, La Habana, CUB, 10-February
HT: 73.32 - Kamila Skolimowska, POL, Tel Aviv, ISR, 18-March
JT: 64.07 - Steffi Nerius, GER, Kienbaum, GER, 20-February
Decathlon: 6396 - Kelly Sotherton, GBR, Melbourne, AUS, 22-March
4x100: 42.28 - South Florida Elite, UND, Austin, TX USA, 08-April
  (Wyllesheia Myrick [USA], Debbie Ferguson [BAH], 
  Lauryn Williams [USA], Sanya Richards [USA]) 
4x400: 3:23.51 - United States "Blue", Philadelphia, PA, USA, 29-April
  (Lashinda Demus, Monique Hennagan, Monique Henderson, Sanya Richards ) 

* independently reported

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