#5 | Performance of 2015

#5 | Performance of 2015

#5 | Performance of 2015No. 5 | No. 4 | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 12015 was QUITE the year for track and field. While it may seem like there is a black cloud of d

Dec 24, 2015 by Meg Bellino
#5 | Performance of 2015

#5 | Performance of 2015


No. 5 | No. 4 | No. 3 | No. 2 | No. 1

2015 was QUITE the year for track and field. While it may seem like there is a black cloud of doping scandals, corruption and heartbreak hanging over our sport (which unfortunately, there totally is), this is the place where we will recall the five performances of 2015 that made us proud to be crazy followers of track and field.  (Hey there aren't that many of us. We gotta stick together.) From the countless number of U.S. high school records, to the summer of World and national records being shattered by the pros, track and field had a great year. As someone who got the opportunity to sit in the Bird's Nest in Beijing and witness these moments, it's truly a week I will never forget. And if you were so lucky to be at the Monaco Diamond League, well whatever I'm super jealous of you.

With that, I give you #5... 
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?Alysia Montano Wins Sixth U.S. 800m Title Less Than One Year After Giving Birth


Alysia Montano gave birth in August of 2014, then won her sixth U.S. Outdoor 800m title on June 28, 2015. ThatÂ’s right — in less than one year after giving birth Montano beat the fastest woman in the world in 2014, Ajee Wilson, the 2013 World Bronze 800m Medalist Brenda Martinez, as well as several of the worldÂ’s fastest half milers to win another championship and advance to Beijing. 



“WhatÂ’s given me this championship is just being able to have perspective and faith in my ability to just compete,” Montano said in her post-race interview. 

The womenÂ’s 800m was billed as one of the most difficult U.S. teams to make and prior to the competition Montano had only run 2:01. Her winning time of 1:59:15 (over MartinezÂ’s 1:59:71) was her fastest time since finishing second in the 2013 Zurich Diamond League.

Though she suffered an unfortunate fall in the 800m prelims at the world championships, MontanoÂ’s U.S. performance will go down as one of the most memorable performances of 2015.

Check back for the rest of the list throughout the day...