2013 Edmonton International Athletics Festival NTL #3Jun 28, 2013 by Jimmy Stevenson
Edmonton Preview: US Champs Rematches and a Fast 3kST
Edmonton Preview: US Champs Rematches and a Fast 3kST
Event: National Track League – Edmonton International Track Classic
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2013
Time: 12:30pm ET (meet schedule)
Watch LIVE on Flotrack
Complete Start List
Edmonton is the third stop of five in the National Track League circuit. The featured track events for men and women include the 100 meters, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m Hurdles (women), 110 meter Hurdles (men), 3,000 meter Steeplechase (men).
Below are the breakdowns of five of the most competitive events showcasing the top contenders in each. All times are in Eastern Time.
Men’s 800 meter
Time: 2:45pm
Top Contenders:
Nick Symmonds
Duane Solomon
Michael Rutt
Geoff Harris
The Men’s 800-meter race will essentially be a rematch of the 800m final at the USA Championships this past weekend. Nick Symmonds entered Des Moines as the 5-time reigning US champion in the 800m and eyed the feat of capturing his sixth title.
Those hopes were dashed by Duane Solomon. The second-fastest American of all-time (to his coach Johnny Gray) busted open the race with a 400m split of 50.10. Symmonds made a late push, passing the whole field, except for Solomon. Both of them are coming off of season best times that they ran at Des Moines of 1:43.27 and 1:43.70 respectively.
The last time these two Olympians faced each other before the US Champs was at the Pre Classic on June 1. Symmonds crossed the line first in Eugene, so the duo is now at one a piece when racing the 800m head-to-head. Edmonton will decide who has the upper hand as they take one step closer to the World Championships in Moscow, Russia.
Nick Symmonds on the opportune time to attempt breaking the AR
Michael Rutt of New Jersey New York Track Club is also scheduled to run the 800m in Edmonton. Rutt placed 7th at the US Championships in 1:45.76.
The top non-American in the race is Geoff Harris. The Canadian Olympian has his best 800m opener of his career this season with a 1:47.92, but he has not improved on that since he ran it in early April. Look out for him to stick his nose in it with some top Americans.
Men’s 3,000 meter Steeplechase
Time: 1:40pm
Top Contenders:
Paul Koech
Hilary Yego
Bernard Nganga
Paul Koech will headline the only steeplechase in Edmonton, as there is no women’s race. Koech has the second fastest time (8:02.63) of the year behind fellow Kenyan, Conselus Kipruto. Koech ran his personal record (PR) of 7:54.31 last year at the Rome Diamond League Meet and was less than a second off of the World Record (WR).
The rabbits are set for him to make a run at the WR tomorrow. Clearly Koech is the favorite, but could we see a repeat of the 10k at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational? On that May evening it is fair to say that most people had their eyes on Galen Rupp to break the 10k American Record (AR), but then Chris Solinsky turned heads to take the win and grab the AR. Is there a surprise Solinsky in this field?
If there is, his name is Hilary Yego. Yego has the third fastest time of the year behind Kipruto and Koech. All of those top three times were run in Shanghai in mid May. Bernard Nganga (KEN) will also toe the line tomorrow. Two years ago he posted an 8:05.88 but this year he has dipped under 8:20 once.
Women’s 800 meter
Time: 2:35pm
Top Contenders:
Melissa Bishop
Karine Belleau-Beliveau
Maggie Vessey
Kenia Sinclair
Of the nine women scheduled to run this event, seven of them are Canadians. London Olympic competitor, Melissa Bishop is one of those seven. Bishop was the third Canadian woman to run sub-2:00, but this year she hasn’t quite hit that mark. She did go 2:01.16 against a pretty strong field at the Pre Classic on May 31 though. After a fast first 400m splitting 57-high, Bishop finished strong over the last 100m outkicking the likes of Ajee Wilson, Geena Gall, LaTavia Thomas, Chanelle Price, Lea Wallace and Gabe Anderson. We know she’s a competitor with nice closing speed, but she is not the only one with those attributes.
Fellow countrywoman Karine Belleau-Beliveau will also be in the race. Belleau-Beliveau won her heat of the 800m at Oxy High Performance in mid-May this year posting a PR of 2:01.79. The rabbit for that race was Maggie Vessey, who hadn't run competitvely on the track since Sept 4th. She has the fastest PR in the field of 1:57.84, but she ran that in 2009.
The fastest PR in the field by no means guarantees the win. Yesterday at the Ostrava meet in Czech Republic multiple NCAA Champ Lawi Lalang took down world record holder Kenenisa Bekele in the 5k… anything can happen. Don’t get me wrong though, PRs of course hold weight. The second fastest PR in the field belongs to the only Jamaican mid-distance runner in the meet, Kenia Sinclair. Although she ran her PR seven years ago, she has been under 1:59 every year except 2009 (1:59.13), 2012 (2:01.55) and 2013 (2:03.62).
Women’s 100 meter Hurdles
Time: 3:10pm
Top Contenders:
Nia Ali
Lolo Jones
Angela Whyte
The two headliners for this event are also fresh off of the US Champs. Nia Ali made the US team for Worlds in Moscow by getting third last week behind Amerian Record holder, Brianna Rollins and Queen Harrison.
Lolo Jones, well-known for her social media presence, will also be racing. She also might have a new date with a dream boy, but that remains to be seen. Jones will look for a little payback after a disappointing performance at US Champs where she didn't talk to the media correspondents after the race. Ali and Jones have the third and fourth fastest times in the world this year, respectively. The other front runner is the very decorated Canadian, Angela Whyte.
Men’s 110 meter Hurdles
Time: 3:20pm
Top Contenders
Ryan Wilson
Jason Richardson
Mikel Thomas
Jeff Porter
The Men’s 110-meter Hurdles will be a similar situation to the Men’s 800m. Ryan Wilson and Jason Richardson (silver medalist at 2012 London Olympics), two of the top four finishers in the 110m Hurdles at US Champs will be facing off against each other yet again.
At 32-years-old Wilson won his first US Championship on Sunday in 13.08. “Ten years of hard work is starting to pay off,” said Wilson after his victory.
Ryan Wilson at Drake Stadium after his first US Championship win
Will that work continue to pay off or will the Olympic sprinter from Trinidad and Tobago, Mikel Thomas have something to say? The 2009 University of Kentucky graduate ran a 13.19 three weeks ago making him the fifth fastest hurdler this year. Keep an eye on American Jeff Porter as well. He got 8th in the USA Champs final.
Date: Saturday, June 29, 2013
Time: 12:30pm ET (meet schedule)
Watch LIVE on Flotrack
Complete Start List
Edmonton is the third stop of five in the National Track League circuit. The featured track events for men and women include the 100 meters, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m Hurdles (women), 110 meter Hurdles (men), 3,000 meter Steeplechase (men).
Below are the breakdowns of five of the most competitive events showcasing the top contenders in each. All times are in Eastern Time.
Men’s 800 meter
Time: 2:45pm
Top Contenders:
Nick Symmonds
Duane Solomon
Michael Rutt
Geoff Harris
The Men’s 800-meter race will essentially be a rematch of the 800m final at the USA Championships this past weekend. Nick Symmonds entered Des Moines as the 5-time reigning US champion in the 800m and eyed the feat of capturing his sixth title.
Those hopes were dashed by Duane Solomon. The second-fastest American of all-time (to his coach Johnny Gray) busted open the race with a 400m split of 50.10. Symmonds made a late push, passing the whole field, except for Solomon. Both of them are coming off of season best times that they ran at Des Moines of 1:43.27 and 1:43.70 respectively.
The last time these two Olympians faced each other before the US Champs was at the Pre Classic on June 1. Symmonds crossed the line first in Eugene, so the duo is now at one a piece when racing the 800m head-to-head. Edmonton will decide who has the upper hand as they take one step closer to the World Championships in Moscow, Russia.
Nick Symmonds on the opportune time to attempt breaking the AR
Michael Rutt of New Jersey New York Track Club is also scheduled to run the 800m in Edmonton. Rutt placed 7th at the US Championships in 1:45.76.
The top non-American in the race is Geoff Harris. The Canadian Olympian has his best 800m opener of his career this season with a 1:47.92, but he has not improved on that since he ran it in early April. Look out for him to stick his nose in it with some top Americans.
Men’s 3,000 meter Steeplechase
Time: 1:40pm
Top Contenders:
Paul Koech
Hilary Yego
Bernard Nganga
Paul Koech will headline the only steeplechase in Edmonton, as there is no women’s race. Koech has the second fastest time (8:02.63) of the year behind fellow Kenyan, Conselus Kipruto. Koech ran his personal record (PR) of 7:54.31 last year at the Rome Diamond League Meet and was less than a second off of the World Record (WR).The rabbits are set for him to make a run at the WR tomorrow. Clearly Koech is the favorite, but could we see a repeat of the 10k at the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational? On that May evening it is fair to say that most people had their eyes on Galen Rupp to break the 10k American Record (AR), but then Chris Solinsky turned heads to take the win and grab the AR. Is there a surprise Solinsky in this field?
If there is, his name is Hilary Yego. Yego has the third fastest time of the year behind Kipruto and Koech. All of those top three times were run in Shanghai in mid May. Bernard Nganga (KEN) will also toe the line tomorrow. Two years ago he posted an 8:05.88 but this year he has dipped under 8:20 once.
Women’s 800 meter
Time: 2:35pm
Top Contenders:
Melissa Bishop
Karine Belleau-Beliveau
Maggie Vessey
Kenia Sinclair
Of the nine women scheduled to run this event, seven of them are Canadians. London Olympic competitor, Melissa Bishop is one of those seven. Bishop was the third Canadian woman to run sub-2:00, but this year she hasn’t quite hit that mark. She did go 2:01.16 against a pretty strong field at the Pre Classic on May 31 though. After a fast first 400m splitting 57-high, Bishop finished strong over the last 100m outkicking the likes of Ajee Wilson, Geena Gall, LaTavia Thomas, Chanelle Price, Lea Wallace and Gabe Anderson. We know she’s a competitor with nice closing speed, but she is not the only one with those attributes.
Fellow countrywoman Karine Belleau-Beliveau will also be in the race. Belleau-Beliveau won her heat of the 800m at Oxy High Performance in mid-May this year posting a PR of 2:01.79. The rabbit for that race was Maggie Vessey, who hadn't run competitvely on the track since Sept 4th. She has the fastest PR in the field of 1:57.84, but she ran that in 2009.
The fastest PR in the field by no means guarantees the win. Yesterday at the Ostrava meet in Czech Republic multiple NCAA Champ Lawi Lalang took down world record holder Kenenisa Bekele in the 5k… anything can happen. Don’t get me wrong though, PRs of course hold weight. The second fastest PR in the field belongs to the only Jamaican mid-distance runner in the meet, Kenia Sinclair. Although she ran her PR seven years ago, she has been under 1:59 every year except 2009 (1:59.13), 2012 (2:01.55) and 2013 (2:03.62).
Women’s 100 meter Hurdles
Time: 3:10pm
Top Contenders:
Nia Ali
Lolo Jones
Angela Whyte
The two headliners for this event are also fresh off of the US Champs. Nia Ali made the US team for Worlds in Moscow by getting third last week behind Amerian Record holder, Brianna Rollins and Queen Harrison.
Lolo Jones, well-known for her social media presence, will also be racing. She also might have a new date with a dream boy, but that remains to be seen. Jones will look for a little payback after a disappointing performance at US Champs where she didn't talk to the media correspondents after the race. Ali and Jones have the third and fourth fastest times in the world this year, respectively. The other front runner is the very decorated Canadian, Angela Whyte.
Men’s 110 meter Hurdles
Time: 3:20pm
Top Contenders
Ryan Wilson
Jason Richardson
Mikel Thomas
Jeff Porter
The Men’s 110-meter Hurdles will be a similar situation to the Men’s 800m. Ryan Wilson and Jason Richardson (silver medalist at 2012 London Olympics), two of the top four finishers in the 110m Hurdles at US Champs will be facing off against each other yet again.
At 32-years-old Wilson won his first US Championship on Sunday in 13.08. “Ten years of hard work is starting to pay off,” said Wilson after his victory.
Ryan Wilson at Drake Stadium after his first US Championship win
Will that work continue to pay off or will the Olympic sprinter from Trinidad and Tobago, Mikel Thomas have something to say? The 2009 University of Kentucky graduate ran a 13.19 three weeks ago making him the fifth fastest hurdler this year. Keep an eye on American Jeff Porter as well. He got 8th in the USA Champs final.