The newly minted American Track League (ATL) held its first meet on January 24, 2021 at the Randal Tyson Indoor Center on the campus of the University of Arkansas. The ATL’s opening meet lived up to expectations with impressive performances by several American athletes including Ryan Courser (28 years), Trayvon Bromell (25 years) and Grant Holloway (23 years).
Ryan Crouser, a University of Texas graduate and the 2016 Olympic Shot-Put Champion, set an indoor world record with a throw of 22.82m (74’ 10.5”). Crouser’s mark of 22.82m beat the old record of 22.66m set on January 20, 1989 by fellow American Randy Barnes. Crouser entered this season with a personal best indoor throw of 22.60m. The ever-improving Crouser has shown steady progress over his career moving from 21.14m in 2014 to a world record of 22.82m in 2021. Incidentally, Courser has a personal best outdoor throw of 22.91m, which may now be in striking distance of Randy Barnes’ world record of 23.12m.
Trayvon is back
Sprinter Trayvon Bromell won the men’s 60m preliminary race in 6.58 seconds and returned later in the final to post a world-leading time of 6.48 seconds. Bromell’s time of 6.48 seconds is just one hundredth of a second (0.01) off his personal best time of 6.47 seconds set back in Oregon on March 18, 2016. At the ATL meet Bromell decimated the field finishing ahead of Nigeria’s Divine Oduduru (6.65 seconds) and Jamaica’s Andre Ewers (6.67 seconds). With an admirable start to his professional career in 2015, some considered Bromell to be the next great American sprinter. However, he was plagued with injuries that temporarily derailed his training. But Bromell’s recent 6.48 seconds performance at the ATL meet signaled to the entire track world that he is back. Now, Bromell is in contention to fill the void left by the suspension of world-campion Christian Coleman.
Holloway impresses
Olympic champion Grant Holloway showed his pedigree with a splendid performance in the men’s 60m hurdles clocking in at 7.35 seconds, which equals his personal best and the American national indoor record. Grant finished ahead of America’s Michael Dickson (7.54 seconds) and Trinidad and Tobago’s Ruebin Walters (7.65 seconds). Holloway, the three-time NCAA champion in the 110m hurdles, is coming off an impressive 2019 campaign that culminated in him winning World Championship gold in Qatar. In his only 60m hurdles indoor meet in 2020 (due to Covid-19), Holloway ran a swift 7.38 seconds. After posting an impressive 7.35 seconds at the ATL meet this past weekend, Hollowing is picking up right where he left off.
Other notable performances by American athletes included Fred Kerley (25 years), Quanera Hayes (28 years), Tone Marshall (22 years), Gabby Thomas (22 years) and Vashti Cunningham (23 years).
Fred Kerley won the men’s 400m with a world-leading time of 45.03 seconds ahead of Jamaica’s Christopher Taylor (45.73) and America’s Travean Caldwell (46.25).
Quanera Hayes won the women’s 400m with a time of 51.76 seconds ahead of America’s Shamier Little (52.63) and Wadaline Jonathas (53.10).
Gabby Thomas won the women’s 300m in a personal best time of 35.92 seconds ahead of Jenna Prandini (36.68) and Shakima Wimbley (36.78). Thomas’ winning time erased the old facility record of 36.33 seconds set by Allyson Felix in February 2007.
Tone Marshall won the hotly contested women’s 60m hurdles with a personal best time of 7.86 seconds ahead of America’s Christina Clemons (7.88) and Great Britain’s Tiffany Porter (7.89). Jamaica’s Brittany Anderson finished fourth in 8.06 seconds.
Vashti Cunningham won the women’s high jump with a leap of 1.90m (6-2.75), while Megan Clark took the women’s pole vault with a leap of 4.50m (14-9).
Edited by Danielle DiPalma.
Ryan Crouser photo courtesy of Joe Swift Photography
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