FloAwards: Track & Field Release #25

FloAwards: Track & Field Release #25

Aug 3, 2015 by Taylor Dutch
FloAwards: Track & Field Release #25


From the American Track League in Atlanta, to the Kenyan World team trials in Nairobi, athletes made their mark on tracks around the world last week. Check out some of the top performances during the week of July 27-August 2. 

Ashton Eaton 

The World record-holder in the decathlon showed his dominance across multiple events once again this weekend at the American Track League meet where he clocked a personal best in the 400m. Eaton finished second to Steven Gardiner, but walked away with a new personal best of 45.55, which is 0.11 seconds faster than his previous personal best. Eaton also competed in the 100m, where he finished third in his heat in 10.47. He will return to run another 400m this Saturday at the FloTrack Throwdown against 800m World Silver medalist Nick Symmonds. Watch Eaton react to his personal best in Atlanta:
 


Ferguson Rotich

The Kenyan World team trials provided a great proving ground for Ferguson Rotich who took down Olympic and World Champion David Rudisha in a winning time of 1:43.60. The mark was a season’s best for Ferguson, who holds a personal best of 1:42.84 from the 2014 Herculis Monaco Diamond League meeting. 
 

JaCorian Duffield

The 2015 NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Champion in the high jump took down three formidable opponents during Thursday’s Stockholm Diamond League Meeting when he beat out 2014 World Indoor Champion Mutaz Essa Barshim, European Championships bronze medalist Gianmarco Tamberi, and 2012 Olympic Silver medalist Erik Kynard. At a winning height of 2.32m, the performance was Duffield’s first Diamond League win of his career, and redemption after his no height in London a week prior. 
 

Steven Gardiner

The 19-year-old from the Bahamas proved once again that he is a force to be reckoned with on the track. In front of a roaring crowd Saturday in Atlanta, Gardiner ran away with the American Track League 400m victory in 45.11. The World Championship qualifier took down a star-studded field that included World Champion decathlete Ashton Eaton, 2014 World Indoor bronze medalist Kyle Clemons, Oregon All American Mike Berry, and three-time Olympic Gold medalist Jeremy Wariner. 
 

Heather Kampf

For the third time in her career, Heather Kampf walked away with the victory at the Liberty Mile in Pittsburgh in a winning time of 4:32.59. The performance was her fourth road mile win of the 2015 season, highlighted by the USATF Road Mile Championships where she earned her second consecutive national title. Watch Kampf's post-race reaction after her road mile victory in Pittsburgh:
 


Vashti Cunningham

The high school phenom bettered her own national record in the high jump on Sunday after clearing 1.96m at the Pan Am Junior Championships in Edmonton. Cunningham’s mark not only improved her own national high school record, but also set the American Junior record and tied the World Youth record. Cunningham ultimately walked away with the gold medal after clearing her first attempt at 1.85m.