June 2, 2007

NEW YORK (June 2) – The weather was hot but not as hot as the sizzling competition at the third-annual Reebok Grand Prix tonight, where a capacity crowd packed Icahn Stadium to witness an American Record, three All-Comer’s Records, 10 meet records and one of the fastest 100-meter dashes in history.

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, is the second-fastest performance in history under any conditions, and is one-hundredth of a second faster than the World Record currently 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 from 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 the 24-year-old Gay, ranked #1 in the world last year at 200 meters and #2 at 100 meters, had a historic mark blown away by the wind: on May 20, he turned in an American Record-tying 9.79, only to see a wind reading of 2.5.

Nonetheless, Gay said he feels heartened by the potential for the rest of the season, rather than disappointment over the breeze. “I don't believe in chasing after a World Record; I'd rather run for the victory and let the times come.”

It won’t be long before a World Record is on Stuczynski’s radar screen. After breaking Stacy Dragila’s 11-year hold on the American Record with her vault of 15 feet, 10.5 inches on May 20, the 25-year-old from upstate New York tonight broke her own mark before the ink dried, becoming the first American woman to jump 16 feet (4.88 meters) when she cleared the bar on her third attempt to a roar from the crowd. (“My first two jumps were close and I knew I could jump it,” she said). Stuczynksi, who has been vaulting for just three years, thus moves into a tie for second all-time, behind only Yelena Isinbeyava.

"It's exciting,” she said. “I wanted to be the first American to clear 16 feet. With the windy conditions, it was highly unlikely, but I just kept fighting through it."

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 gives him three of the top five marks in history. 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 who is destined to be even bigger as the 2008 Olympics in Beijing approach. “I just knew that I had to beat Trammell. I did not expect both of us to be under 13 seconds.

Although a World Record attempt had been planned for the women’s 5000 meters, the combination of heat and wind kept Ethiopia’s Tirunesh Dibaba from breaking the world mark set here last year by her countrywoman Meseret Defar on a cooler evening. Her 14:35.67 win, however, was nonetheless a convincing one. Tariku Bekele had slightly better luck on the men’s side, winning the 5000m 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.

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 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 already has people talking about next year. See you there!

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