RSS FeedWill history be made again this year? Be here on May 31 to find out
March 28, 2008
NEW YORK (March 28) – The weather was hot but not as hot as the sizzling competition at last year’s Reebok Grand Prix, where a capacity crowd packed Icahn Stadium to witness an American Record, three All-Comer’s Records and one of the fastest 100-meter dashes in history. If you’re ready for more of the same this year, the fourth-annual Reebok Grand Prix is set for 5 p.m. on May 31. Tickets are on sale now by phone now at 1-877-TIX-TRAC, and will be available on-line here soon.
In its first year as an IAAF Grand Prix event, the Reebok Grand Prix earned its new designation as one of the top two outdoor meets in the US with ease, showcasing its international flavor in the stands and on the track with outstanding – even historic – performances by American pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski, Chinese hurdling sensation Liu Xiang; Ethiopian distance star Tariku Bekele; Jamaican sprint queen Veronica Campbell and the hottest sprinter on the planet, Tyson Gay.
Gay’s jaw-dropping victory in 9.76 seconds, achieved in a puff of tailwind (2.2) only slightly over the allowable 2.0, was the second-fastest performance in history under any conditions, and was one-hundredth of a second faster than the World Record at the time, held by Asafa Powell of Jamaica.
"I could feel (the wind) picking up when I was in the blocks, and I thought, calm down, calm down. It did, but not enough,” he said afterward.
Gay needed almost 70 meters of the race to get past Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas, but once he did he shot to the finish line like a rocket. The crowd gasped first at the time on the scoreboard, and then at the wind reading. It was the second-consecutive meet in which Gay had a historic mark blown away by the wind. Afterward, Gay said he was optimistic about the remainder of his season; as it turned out, fans at Icahn Stadium got a sneak preview of things to come. At the World Championships last August, Gay won World Championship gold medals at 100 meters, 200 meters and in the 4x100-meter relay.
It won’t be long before a World Record is on Stuczynski’s radar screen. At last year’s event, the native of upstate New York broke the American Record she had set less than two weeks earlier when she became the first American woman to jump 16 feet, the highest jump ever made on U.S. soil. The crowd roared as she cleared the bar on her third attempt at a height that ties her at #2 all-time. “My first two jumps were close and I knew I could jump it,” said Stuczynski, who in early March earned a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships and heads toward Beijing as a strong medal contender.
Finishing second to Stuczynski was China’s Gao Shuying, whose vault of 15 feet, 2.75 inches broke the Chinese and Asian Area records.
Tying Allen Johnson for the fastest 110-meter hurdles ever run in the US was World Record-holder Liu Xiang of China, whose winning time of 12.92 seconds turned out to be the fastest in the world last year. Liu, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, was followed by two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell, who notched a personal best 12.95 despite a cramping left adductor muscle that left him sitting on a bag of ice afterward.
"I did not expect to do so well,” said Liu, a rock-star celebrity in China as the Olympic in Beijing grow closer. “I just knew that I had to beat Trammell. I did not expect both of us to be under 13 seconds.”
At the other end of the evening’s distance spectrum, Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia won at 5000 meters in 13:04.05, bettering the US All-Comer’s Record set here last year by Abraham Chebii of Kenya. The performance of Bekele, the younger brother of Ethiopian superstar Kenenisa Bekele, was notched in heat so oppressive that several rivals collapsed after the race.
In the women’s 100m, Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell was greeted by hundreds of enthusiastic Jamaican fans, waving flags and clapping “thunder sticks” for their national heroine. The 2004 Olympic triple medalist gave them what they came for, turning in a meet record 10.93 victory over a top 100-meter field. Her victory foretold great things: Campbell is now the 100-meter World Champion, thanks to a photo-finish victory in Osaka.
The men’s Mile had been billed as a Millrose Games rematch between American Bernard Lagat and Australia’s Craig Mottram, but it was Alan Webb who stole the show. Following Mottram for 3.5 laps and fending off a Mottram move with 200m to go, Webb sprinted past his top US rival and came in for a meet record 3:52.94 victory. Lagat was second, with Mottram third. “I was in the right place at the right time,” said Webb.
Altogether, 10 elite meet records were set and another was tied. Entering the record books in addition to Stuczynski, Liu , Bekele, Webb and Campbell were Hazel Clark (800m, 1:59.07); Rachelle Smith (200m, 22.31); Wallace Spearmon (200m, 19.82); James Carter (400m hurdles, 48.37); Virginia Powell (100m hurdles, 12:45); Allyson Felix (400m, 50.53).
All in all, it was a night to remember in New York, an international celebration of excellence and excitement that had fans talking about next year even as they filed out of the stadium to the beat of a live reggae concert. Next year is now THIS year, so get your tickets now for the best seats.
In its first year as an IAAF Grand Prix event, the Reebok Grand Prix earned its new designation as one of the top two outdoor meets in the US with ease, showcasing its international flavor in the stands and on the track with outstanding – even historic – performances by American pole vaulter Jenn Stuczynski, Chinese hurdling sensation Liu Xiang; Ethiopian distance star Tariku Bekele; Jamaican sprint queen Veronica Campbell and the hottest sprinter on the planet, Tyson Gay.
Gay’s jaw-dropping victory in 9.76 seconds, achieved in a puff of tailwind (2.2) only slightly over the allowable 2.0, was the second-fastest performance in history under any conditions, and was one-hundredth of a second faster than the World Record at the time, held by Asafa Powell of Jamaica.
"I could feel (the wind) picking up when I was in the blocks, and I thought, calm down, calm down. It did, but not enough,” he said afterward.
Gay needed almost 70 meters of the race to get past Derrick Atkins of the Bahamas, but once he did he shot to the finish line like a rocket. The crowd gasped first at the time on the scoreboard, and then at the wind reading. It was the second-consecutive meet in which Gay had a historic mark blown away by the wind. Afterward, Gay said he was optimistic about the remainder of his season; as it turned out, fans at Icahn Stadium got a sneak preview of things to come. At the World Championships last August, Gay won World Championship gold medals at 100 meters, 200 meters and in the 4x100-meter relay.
It won’t be long before a World Record is on Stuczynski’s radar screen. At last year’s event, the native of upstate New York broke the American Record she had set less than two weeks earlier when she became the first American woman to jump 16 feet, the highest jump ever made on U.S. soil. The crowd roared as she cleared the bar on her third attempt at a height that ties her at #2 all-time. “My first two jumps were close and I knew I could jump it,” said Stuczynski, who in early March earned a silver medal at the World Indoor Championships and heads toward Beijing as a strong medal contender.
Finishing second to Stuczynski was China’s Gao Shuying, whose vault of 15 feet, 2.75 inches broke the Chinese and Asian Area records.
Tying Allen Johnson for the fastest 110-meter hurdles ever run in the US was World Record-holder Liu Xiang of China, whose winning time of 12.92 seconds turned out to be the fastest in the world last year. Liu, the 2004 Olympic gold medalist, was followed by two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell, who notched a personal best 12.95 despite a cramping left adductor muscle that left him sitting on a bag of ice afterward.
"I did not expect to do so well,” said Liu, a rock-star celebrity in China as the Olympic in Beijing grow closer. “I just knew that I had to beat Trammell. I did not expect both of us to be under 13 seconds.”
At the other end of the evening’s distance spectrum, Tariku Bekele of Ethiopia won at 5000 meters in 13:04.05, bettering the US All-Comer’s Record set here last year by Abraham Chebii of Kenya. The performance of Bekele, the younger brother of Ethiopian superstar Kenenisa Bekele, was notched in heat so oppressive that several rivals collapsed after the race.
In the women’s 100m, Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell was greeted by hundreds of enthusiastic Jamaican fans, waving flags and clapping “thunder sticks” for their national heroine. The 2004 Olympic triple medalist gave them what they came for, turning in a meet record 10.93 victory over a top 100-meter field. Her victory foretold great things: Campbell is now the 100-meter World Champion, thanks to a photo-finish victory in Osaka.
The men’s Mile had been billed as a Millrose Games rematch between American Bernard Lagat and Australia’s Craig Mottram, but it was Alan Webb who stole the show. Following Mottram for 3.5 laps and fending off a Mottram move with 200m to go, Webb sprinted past his top US rival and came in for a meet record 3:52.94 victory. Lagat was second, with Mottram third. “I was in the right place at the right time,” said Webb.
Altogether, 10 elite meet records were set and another was tied. Entering the record books in addition to Stuczynski, Liu , Bekele, Webb and Campbell were Hazel Clark (800m, 1:59.07); Rachelle Smith (200m, 22.31); Wallace Spearmon (200m, 19.82); James Carter (400m hurdles, 48.37); Virginia Powell (100m hurdles, 12:45); Allyson Felix (400m, 50.53).
All in all, it was a night to remember in New York, an international celebration of excellence and excitement that had fans talking about next year even as they filed out of the stadium to the beat of a live reggae concert. Next year is now THIS year, so get your tickets now for the best seats.