Track Ledger

08 July 2015

Asafa Powell goes up against America’s best in Lausanne

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Former 100m world record-holder Asafa Powell will line-up against the American trio of Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Mike Rodgers in the men’s 100m race at the Lausanne Diamond League. The meet is set for Thursday, July 9, 2015 in Switzerland. Powell, who has the 2nd fastest time in the world this year at 9.81 seconds (+1.3mps), behind Gatlin’s 9.74 seconds (+0.9mps), is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance this season. After going through a tumultuous few years that involved banned-substances and suspension, the 32 year-old Jamaican has resurfaced this season with a sense of purpose and confidence. Perhaps ....

25 June 2015

Q&A Candace Hill, the new junior record-holder

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At the Brooks PR Invitational Meet held on Saturday June 21, 2015 in Seattle, Washington, 16 year-old Candace Hill made history in the 100m. Candace, a sophomore at Rockdale County High School in Conyers, Georgia won the 100m in a blistering time of 10.98 (+2.0 mps). Candace becomes the first high school girl to go sub-11 seconds in the 100m. She is now the new world junior and American junior 100m record-holder. Candace, the two-time Georgia State Girl Athlete of the Year has been improving with each race that she competes in. She now has her eyes set on the making the USA team to the 2015 IAAF World Youth Championship set for Cali, Columbia on July 15-19, 2015. Barring injury, she should be the overwhelming favorite to claim her first global sprint title in Cali. At the Adidas Grand Prix (NYC Diamond League) held in N....

19 June 2015

Hurdler Sharika Nelvis Aiming for Fast Times at USA Trials

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“I feel great about the victory because training is going really really good,” said Sharika Nelvis in her post-race interview. Sharika, the former NCAA champion, won the women’s 100m hurdles title in 12.65 seconds (-1.7 mps) at the 2015 Adidas Grand Prix Meet (New York Diamond League) held last Saturday, June 13 at Icahn Stadium on Randall Island. Sharika finished ahead of Britain’s Tiffany Porter (12.81), Jamaica’s Danielle Williams (12.89) and American Lolo Jones (12.95). After running into a headwind of 1.7mps, Sharika said “I never really felt the wind in my face and I always tell my coach that I prefer to run into the wind than having the wind behind me, so I was very comfortable with the race, I don’t know why, but I [feel] I’m a strong athlete, so the wind didn’t really affect me as much,” Sharika, the Arkansas State graduate, who was undefeated during her 2014 NCAA outdoor season, is winning....

17 June 2015

David Oliver ready to defend his title

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At the Adidas Grand Prix meet eld on Saturday June 13, 2015 in New York, American 110m hurdles champion, David Oliver, won the sprint hurdles race in a time of 13.19 (-1.2mps) ahead of countryman Jason Richardson (13.26) and France’s Garfield Darien (13.32). Oliver, the defending world champion in the event, was visibly happy with his performance but was undecided about competing at the USA Trials. Oliver, who ran a season best time of 13.14 seconds (3rd fastest time in the world) in Eugene on May 30, said that he is ready to defend his world title in Beijing.....

17 June 2015

Deedee Trotter happy for the victory

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At the 2015 Adidas Grand Prix Meet held last Saturday June 13 at Icahn Stadium in New York, Deedee Trotter took the women’s 400m B race in 51.96 seconds ahead of Britain’s Shana Cox (52.62) and Jamaica’s Anastasia Le-Roy (52.80). In her post-race interview, the injury-plagued Deedee expressed relief for her victory, “I am not sure what’s being going on. I have been doing everything in my power to get healthy and I just wasn’t making a lot of grounds. I have been asking people for prayers, but today God showed how powerful he is and I was able to go out and have an improved and victorious race. That [race today] allowed me to gain confidence in my last 200m.” Deedee has her eyes set on the USA Trials at the end of June in the hope of making the USA World Championship team. ....

17 June 2015

Ajee Wilson proving she’s the best in the 2-lap event

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Neptune, New Jersey product, Ajee Wilson, continues to exercise her dominance in the women’s 800m. The 21 year-old Wilson posted a time of 1:58.83 to take a comfortable victory over Kenya’s Janeth Busienei (1:59.37) and American Chanelle Price (1:59.47). Wilson’s time of 1:58.83 is the 4th fastest time in the world this year - at just under one second slower than her season’s best 1:57.87 performance at the Prefontaine Classics on May 30, 2015. When asked how she felt about her performance, Wilson said, “I am real happy to get a win. I don’t take it for granted. I am real happy that I was able to do what I had to do to win the race.” When asked how she felt about being a top 800m contender this year, Wilson responded, “just thinking where I was two years ago, when I first signed [to go pro], it’s definitely a blessing. I am grateful to be where I am [right now].” Last season, Wilson....

13 June 2015

Francena McCorory runs 400m World Lead (49.86)

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“I feel great, I feel really blessed and I am extremely excited,” said Francena McCorory after winning the women’s 400m at the adidas Grand Prix in New York this afternoon. McCorory won her pet event in convincing fashion in a world leading time of 49.86 seconds. Bahamas’s Shaunae Miller was second in 50.66 followed by Jamaica’s Stephanie Ann McPherson (50.84). McCorory, the Hampton University graduate, race a well-executed and used the stretch run to put daylight between herself and the rest of the field. “It was a bit windy, but I tried not to focus on the elements. I just focus on my race today and I finished strong,” “Training is going well and I am in the best shape I have ever been in… I am more focus and I just feel blessed” In terms of the upcoming USA Trials, McCorory continue “I feel very confident and I just want to continue to work on my race to get better and better… trai....

13 June 2015

Usain Bolt ran a Lackluster 200m in New York

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“This is probably the worst 200m I have ever run in my life” was Usain Bolt assessment of his performance at the 2015 adidas Grand Prix held this afternoon at Icahn Stadium in New York. Bolt ran a pedestrian 20.29 seconds to win the men’s 200m ahead of a fast finishing, Zharnel Hughes (20.32) and Julian Forte (20.46). Panama’s Alonso Edwards was 4th in a time of 20.62 seconds. Bolt was very slow out of the blocks and ran an average curve. “After I came off the curve I knew that it wasn’t going to be a good race for me. I just pretty much wanted to get home.” Bolt slowed in the final 20m but picked up the pace after feeling the pressure of Hughes. Bolt in his post-race press conference was visibly disappointed. “I guess I just have to go back to the drawing board with my coach to see what we did wrong, I actually felt good before the race because training is going good… I just don’....

12 June 2015

adidas Grand Prix Preview – Men

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With just about two weeks to go for the USA, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago National Senior Track and Field Championships, athletes are gearing up to make their national teams to the Beijing World Championships. So it is no coincidence that the 2015 adidas Grand Prix set for this Saturday, June 13 at the Icahn Stadium, Randall Island New York has attract several elite athletes, who are set to factor Beijing. On the men’s side, the Meet is headlined by the 6-time Olympic gold medalist, Usain Bolt; American record-holder Tyson Gay and 800m world-record holder Kenya’s David Rudisha. Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter is schedule to compete in the men’s 200m. Bolt will seek to improve on his season best time of 20.13 seconds when he goes up against countrymen Rasheed Dwyer and Julian Forte. Panama’s Alonso Edward so far is having a good season and the talented Zharnel Hughes of Racers Track Club is also set to match strides with Bolt. The rece....

12 June 2015

Fearless Bolt says will silence Gatlin

New York - Usain Bolt says he is not yet ready for a duel with Justin Gatlin but is looking forward to silencing the confident American in a Beijing sprint "explosion" at the world championships in August...... http://www.sport24.co.za/OtherSport/Athletics/International/Fearless-Bolt-says-will-silence-Gatlin-20150612....