Track and Field Blogs - Justin Kopunek

Every year, records fall. It is inevitable. Some broken records are easily predicted, while others stun you into silence. After a bounty of new records indoors, the outdoor season has shown no signs that the pace is slowing. Already this season, the Tennessee women at Penn Relays took down a collegiate record in the 4x800 and world record in the 4x1500, with 2 other teams under the old NCAA record. Jenny Barringer ran a solo effort 15:07 CR in the 5k and Sam Chelanga quietly ran an NCAA record in the 10k. New Bern NC and Albemarle VA ran some stunning early season HS relay records along with a slew of HSRs in the field. These are just a few of the records broken during this early portion of the season. There are still tons of vulnerable records to keep an eye on over the upcoming months. I will be looking primarily at American runners climbing the All Time lists.

High School:

Boy’s Sprints: The individual records seem safe, with Jeff Demps’ 10.01 from last year looking as though it may hold up for a while. New Bern NC already took a chunk out of the Sprint Medley record at 3:19.58. They could lower it some more, or make an assault on the 4x200 or 4x400 records, although they are more formidable (1:23.3/3:07.4). Fordham Prep ran a HSR in the Shuttle Hurdle relay indoors, and could may take a run at the longer, outdoor record come NON.

Boy’s Distance: Between Mike Granville, Alan Webb, German Fernandez and Galen Rupp, these records are a mighty big hills to climb. This winter, Bobby Andrews smashed Granville’s 800m record as the first HS under 1:50 indoors and took a second off Webb’s 1k record. With Elijah Greer, who ran 1:47 as a junior last year, these two could scare the HSR at 800m at 1:46.45. I would say it is unlikely, but after seeing Andrews run a 2:22 going out in 30, I can not say anything is out of the question for Andrews this year. The indoor 5k was broken by both Lukas Verzbikas and Solomon Haile, but Rupp’s outdoor record is in a different league. As for relays, Auburn WA anchored by Chris Lukezic already lost their 4x800 HSR this season to two teams, Albemarle and Morris Hills NJ. These teams are expected to clash again at NON and the record could be lowered more, but it is hard to imagine them running faster than they did at Penn. West Windsor Plainsboro North NJ ran the indoor 4xMile record with their first leg hitting the track, but dropping from 17:21 to 17:06 is a large task. Luckily, they may have solid squads from Dana Hills CA and The Woodlands TX to push them. As for the DMR, already 11 teams have run sub-10:10. The South Lakes record of 9:49, with a 3:59 anchor from Webb, may be out there, but these teams have done some amazing things already. Either way, there is likely to be a record number of sub-10 teams this year.

Girl’s Sprints: With nobody touching the indoor Girls Sprint Records, the outdoor records do not seem to be in jeopardy. They are held by the likes of Allyson Felix and Sanya Richards, posting some of the most impressive high school records on the women’s side.

Girl’s Distance: Jordan Hasay, already the 1,500m record holder and #2 All Time at 3,200, can take down any distance record she sets her sights on. She may have to do the record breaking solo, or in professional races, as her California rivals from last year (Babcock and Chetelat) have graduated. While writing this, I had to revise my comments about the steeple. I was going to say ‘Shelby Greany is a shoe in to take down the steeple record’, but she beat me to the punch. In her 6^th race in 4 days, Greany won by 33 seconds setting a new HSR of 6:33. With fresh legs and some girls breathing down her neck she can clip a few more seconds off and perhaps take the 3,000m Steeple (10:15) record if she chooses to run it at Junior Nationals. Greany and her Suffern NY girls 4xMile record seems to be the most vulnerable relay record. There has been chatter that Saugus CA has the girls to break the 19:56 record, but their early season attempts at the event have them a ways off.

College:

Men’s Sprints: The record with the most potential to be broken this year is the 4x400 Relay record of 2:59.59. Baylor returns 4 relay members from last year’s team that ran 3:00 at NCAA’s. Add to that the top ranked 200m runner, Trey Harts, and 2^nd ranked 800m runner, Chris Gowell, in the NCAA currently. Florida State and Florida also have a strong teams, so a close race at NCAA’s could give the record a scare. Baylor is too good at the 400 to not own the NCAA 4x400 record.

Men’s Distance: Chelanga has already taken Rupp’s 10,000m CR this season, and there is no doubt that Rupp can take the record back. Chelanga may have to beat Rupp in order to keep his record, something he has been unable to do thus far. Both ran under the indoor 5k record, so the outdoor record of 13:08 is in sight. Rupp also lost his American Junior 5k record to Chris Derrick and German Fernandez, who ran 13:29 and 13:31, respectively. You can expect that record to be chipped away at more before the summer is over. Fernandez, the Junior World record holder for the mile should be looking to add an outdoor American junior record over 1 mile/1500m to his resume, but has he says, you can’t have every junior record. Fellow freshman Luke Puskedra should also have his eyes on an American junior record of 28:15 over 10,000m. He has already run 28:34 this season.

Women’s Sprints: Texas A&M was 0.09 seconds off the NCAA record at last year’s championship. They currently have 2 of the top 3 and 4 in the top 25 for the 100 in the NCAA right now and they ran a 0.4 off the record over a month ago. The 4x100 has a lot of variables and anything can happen. Last year the LSU women had 3 girls in the 100m final at NCAAs, but only finished 2^nd in the 4x100! If everything clicks, the Lady Aggies have a legitimate chance to get down under that 42.50 mark.

Women’s Distance: She already owns the CR in the Steeple and the 5k to go with her indoor records. Jenny Barringer is a threat to take any, or all, records from the 1,500m through 5k. With Susan Kuijken and Sarah Bowman running like that have, there are 3 girls that could make a run at the 1,500 record of 4:05.81. As for the steeple and 5k, Barringer could lower her current records, with the former event being the most certain record to be broken of the upcoming months on any level.

Professional:

Men’s Sprints: Everyone knows Bolt will be riding this wave of success he is on, but the question is what can a healthy Tyson Gay do? His wind aided 9.66 and 9.77 American Record last year was followed by a season hampering hamstring injury. He seems healthy so far this year, running a 46 and a 45 for the open 400. This shows Gay is focusing on strength and will definitely show improvements in his 200. Two other guys will also be shooting for a sought sprint after record. Jeremy Wariner and LeShawn Merritt have both made it clear they want Johnson’s 400 WR of 43.18. If Wariner can get back to his 2007 form and Merritt can improve upon a fantastic 2008 and superb 44.50 ’09 opener, the two could flirt with the record this year. Both men are faster than Johnson was for their current ages, but this may not yet be the year as both has a few tenths to drop. That being said, the pair along with Angelo Taylor and a 4^th have a great shot of breaking the 4x400 WR of 2:54.29. The trio paired with Darold Williamson to run the #2 AT in 2007 and then improved one that last year with David Neville. There are 4 Americans out there that can break that record, but it is a matter of having all 4 legs being on the top of their game while presumably running alone.

Men’s Distance: A rarely run event, the 4xMile has been a major topic of discussion this season because Oregon has pronounced that it is looking to take down some records. Michigan ran a 16:04, the NCAA record, 4 years ago with a team that had well under 16 potential when looking at PRs. In a relay this long, however, a record breaking team is often running out in front, as was the case for Michigan. Oregon is inviting a field that includes a pro team from OTC. If the race comes together perfectly, we may see a new world record (15:49), but new American and collegiate records are more likely. AJ Acosta red-shirting the season will hurt Oregon, but Matt Centrowitz’ recent 3:36 performance bodes well, as they also have Olympians Rupp and Andrew Wheating. With Rupp’s indoor 5k American Record, many are speculating that he is fit enough to assault the American 10k record of 27:13 and that is the likely case as long as he can get in the right race. The AR in the 2-mile is always in peril. Matt Tegenkamp took it from Webb in 2007 running 8:07 and if run at a meet like the Pre Classic, runners such as Bernard Lagat, Chris Solinsky and Ian Dobson, all have a shot at it. ** Update: Oregon ran 16:03 for a new CR this past weekend**

Women’s Sprints: The women’s American 400m is the only sprint record that looks like there is any chance it will come down this season. Sanya Richards was the youngest women to break 49 seconds for 400m, setting the American record of 48.70 at the age of 21. The following year, Richards struggled with illness and began to return to form in 2008. She has done it before, which means she can do it again this year if healthy. She is not the only contender, either. Richards may be pushed by Allyson Felix who has focused on the 200 in the past, but threw down a sub-50 performance last year in May which held up as the fastest American time through August. Felix also had the only sub-50 second 400 split at the Penn Relays by a field of women that included Richards.

Women’s Distance: At each level of American women’s distance running there seems to be one dominant figure this year. At the professional level, that woman is Shalane Flanagan. She holds almost every AR for distance events on the track and based on her outstanding 14:47 indoor 5k, her outdoor record of 14:44 will be lowered considerably this year. She has mentioned getting into the mid-low 14 minute range as a season goal. The only question is ‘how will she respond to the coaching change?’ In the 1,500m, Shannon Rowbury seems untouchable on the national level, but the AR of 3:57 will be a tough egg to crack this year. First she will have to bust through the 4:00 barrier, but given her improvements last year, it is not out of the question. Also, you can expect the 9:22 AR in the steeple to have some significant time chopped off by either Anna Willard or Barringer.

Many of these will not ever come to fruition, but those mighty attempts that fall just short can be just as exhilarating. Additionally, some people and records not listed will be big stories this year that take us by surprise and that is the great thing about track and field. At any given meet a record could be broken, you just need to know where to look.