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The rain didn't keep the fans away
from the 2006 Nike Prefontaine Classic, they were
lining up in droves, waiting to get in to Hayward
Field. A crowd of 13,331 provided plenty of
electricity, as did world-leading wins.
Gatlin, Men's 100m a crowd
favorite
Olympic and World champion and
co-world record holder Justin Gatlin dominated the
field in section one of the men's 100 meters,
winning in 9.88 seconds. His time ties the meet and
track record set by Shawn Crawford in 2004. The 2006
World Indoor 60m champion, Leonard Scott took second
in 10.16 with Michael Frater of Jamaica third in
10.17.
Section two of the men's 100 meters was won by
the other co-world record holder Asafa Powell in
9.93 seconds. The 2004 Olympic 200m gold medalist,
Shawn Crawford took second in 10.04 with Jason
Smoots in third in 10.05.
World leaders aplenty
2004 World Indoor champion
Christian Cantwell won the men's shot put with his
world- leading throw of 22.17 meters/72 feet 9
inches. The reigning World champion and two-time
Olympic silver medalist, Adam Nelson took second
place with his heave of 21.44m/70-4.25. 2006 World
Indoor champion Reese Hoffa finished in fourth with
his throw of 20.98m/68-10.
The American record holder at 1,500m , Bernard
Lagat won the sprint to the finish in the Bowerman
mile in a world-leading 3:51.53. Alex Kipchirchir of
Kenya, the defending Bowerman mile champion, came in
second in 3:51.71. Double World champion Rashid
Ramzi was third in 3:52.39. In a field of 13, the
top nine finishers all went under four minutes for
the mile.
After two false starts in the women's 100 meter
hurdles, 2005 World champion Michelle Perry equaled
the world leader with her winning time of 12.63
seconds. Hot on her heels was 2005 USA Indoor 60m
hurdle runner-up Damu Cherry, who finished second in
12.64 and Brigitte Foster-Hylton of Jamaica in third
with 12.74.
After another two false starts in the men's 110
meter hurdles, 2004 Olympic gold medalist Liu Xiang
of China won the race in a world-leading 13.21
seconds with 2005 World champion Ladji Doucoure of
France second in 13.33. The 1996 Olympic gold
medalist and four-time World champion, Allen Johnson
finished in third in 13.39.
The top four times in the world were run in the
women's 1,500 meters. Ranked #2 in the world by
Track and Field News, Tatyana Tomashova of
Russia had the winning time in the new world-leading
4:01.81 seconds with #1 ranked Maryman Jamal of
Bahrain second in 4:02.55 and #10 ranked Geleta
Burka of Ethiopia third in 4:02.68. Finishing in
fourth was Australian Sara Jameison in 4:03.13. The
2005 USA champion, Treniere Clement finished in
sixth in 4:04.40.
Jackson, Spearmon win again
Reigning World champion Bershawn
"Batman" Jackson flew to the finish in winning the
men's 400 meter hurdles in a time of 48.22 seconds.
2005 NCAA champion Kerron Clement was second across
the line in 49.18, just ahead of third-place
finisher 2005 World silver medalist James Carter in
49.31.
Wallace Spearmon, the 2005 World Championships
silver medalist, held on to his lead throughout the
men's 200 meter to win in 20.27 seconds. Rodney
Martin was second in 20.52 with veteran U.S.
sprinter Coby Miller third in 20.95.
With a strong surge from behind at the end, 2004
World Junior champion LaShawn Merritt won the men's
400 meters in 44.88 seconds. Gary Kikaya of the
Congo was second in 45.03 with Michael Blackwood of
Jamaica third in 45.12. Darold Williamson, the 2005
NCAA champion, was sixth in 45.55 and 2003 World
silver medalist Tyree Washington was seventh in
45.64.
Mutola, Edwards, Richards win
in women's sprints
Crowd favorite Maria Mutola
extended her number of consecutive wins to 14 with
her win in the women's 800 meters with a time of
1:58.86 seconds. Mutola came from behind to beat
Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica, who finished second in
1:59.00 and Hazel Clark who finished in third with a
U.S. leading 1:59.10.
Torri Edwards, the 2003 World champion, edged out
the competition to win the women's 100 meter dash in
11.08 seconds. Finishing in second was Sherone
Simpson of Jamaica in 11.12 with 2005 World 200m
silver medalist Rachelle Boone-Smith in third in
11.21.
Sanya Richards went out strong in the women's 400
meters to win in 50.89 seconds. Shericka Williams of
Jamaica was second in 51.29 and 2005 World bronze
medalist Ana Guevara of Mexico third in 51.62.
Jumpers and throwers take
charge
The American record holder in the
women's hammer throw, Erin Gilreath set a new
Hayward Field record with her winning throw of 69.82
meters/229 feet 1 inch. Croatian record holder Ivana
Brkljacic was second with a heave of 69.04m/226-6
and Italian Esther Balassini was third with a throw
of 68.20m/223-9.
Reigning World Indoor and Outdoor champion Walter
Davis secured his win in the men's triple jump on
his final jump with a Pre Classic Record leap of
17.40 meters/57 feet 1 inch. In second place from
Great Britain was Nathan Douglas with a leap of
17.26m/56-7.5. Kenta Bell, the 2005 USA Indoor and
Outdoor runner-up, took third with his jump of
16.84m/55-3.
Ranked #2 in the world, Miguel Pate won the men's
long jump with a leap of 8.27 meters/27 feet 1.75
inches. Defending Olympic and World champion Dwight
Phillips leaped his way to second place with his
mark of 8.20m/26-11. 2006 USA Indoor champion Brian
Johnson was fourth with a leap of 7.89m/25-10.75.
Olympic silver medalist Toby Stevenson took first
place in the men's pole vault after a jump-off with
2006 World Indoor champion Brad Walker and 2006
World Indoor silver medalist Alhaji Jeng of Sweden.
Walker took second and Jeng third, all with a height
of 5.50 meters/18 feet .5 inch. Reigning Olympic
gold medalist Tim Mack was fourth with a clearance
of 5.40m/17-8.5.
More winners
Tatyana Lebedeva, the jumping
phenom from Russia who won Olympic gold in the long
jump and is the reigning world triple jump champion,
jumped away from the competition with her winning
leap of 7.00 meters/22 feet 11.75 inches. Finishing
in second place was two-time U.S. champion Grace
Upshaw with a leap of 6.49m/21-3.5 with 2005 World
champion Tiana Madison in third with her jump of
6.46m/21-2.5.
Discus legend Virgilijus Alekna of Lithunia won
the men's discus with his toss of 67.97 meters/223
feet. 2005 USA Outdoors runner-up Jarred Rome placed
second with his throw of 65.72m/215-7 and was
followed by 2005 USA Outdoor champion Ian Waltz, who
took third with his throw of 65.27m/214-2.
The 2005 World champion at 5,000 meters, Ben Limo
of Kenya surged ahead of the pack to take the win in
8 minutes 10.59 seconds. Finishing a distant second
was Olympic bronze medalist and last year's
Prefontaine Classic champion Eliud Kipchoge in
8:12.29. Just behind Kipchoge, in the third fastest
time by an American, was the reigning USA 4km cross
country champion Adam Goucher in 8:12.73.
2004 Olympic champion Yelena Slesarenko of Russia
won the women's high jump with a new meet and track
record 1.99 meters/6 feet 6.26 inches. Five-time
U.S. champion and three-time Olympian Amy Acuff took
second with her leap of 1.96m/6-5. Third place, also
at 1.96m/6-5 was Chaunte Howard, the 2005 World
silver medalist. Kajsa Bergqvist of Sweden, the 2005
World champion, was fourth with a height of
1.93m/6-4. |
