CARSON, CA - Joanna Hayes, John Godina, Allyson Felix,
Jeremy Wariner and Bershawn Jackson each posted world-leading
marks in winning their events Saturday in front of 10,723 fans at the
2005 adidas Track Classic at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
The adidas Track Classic is the second stop on USA Track & Field's
2005 Outdoor Visa Championship Series.Hayes posts world leading mark in 100m hurdles
2004 Olympic gold medalist Joanna Hayes, who ended the 2004
season ranked #1 in the world, grabbed the lead at the gun and held on
to win the women's 100m hurdles in a world-leading time of 12.64
seconds. Michelle Perry, who gained significant ground on Hayes
towards the end of the race, was the runner-up in 12.70, with Canada's
Perdita Felicien, who owned the previous world leader (12.67) prior to
this race, finished third in 12.71.
Godina posts career best in shot put
Two-time Olympic medalist and three-time world outdoor champion
John Godina enjoyed the best performance of his illustrious career in
winning the ADT men's shot put with a lifetime best and world-leading
throw of 22.20 meters/72 feet, 10 inches.
Godina, who posted his previous career best of 22.02m/72-3 back in
1999, held the former world-leading mark this season with a toss of
21.83m/71-7.50 in winning the 2005 USA Indoor title, which earned him
the inaugural Indoor Visa Championship Series crown.
2004 Olympic Trials finalist Dan Taylor was the runner-up to Godina
with a best of 20.73m/68-0.25, with Olympic Trials fifth-place finisher
Jamie Beyer third (20.66m/67-9.50) and two-time Olympic silver
medalist Adam Nelson placing fourth (20.55m/67-5.25).
Wariner, Felix post world leaders
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Jeremy Wariner took command down
the front stretch and held on to win the adidas men's 400 meters in the
world-leading time of 44.53 seconds. Wariner, who ended the 2004
season ranked #1 in the world, defeated a terrific field that included his
fellow Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Andrew Rock, who finished
as the runner-up in 44.86. Jamaica's Brandon Simpson was third in
45.25.
In the women's 200 meters, 2004 Olympic silver medalist Allyson Felix
won going away in a world-leading time of 22.14 seconds. Felix, who
ended the 2004 campaign ranked #2 in the world in that event, faced a
strong challenge from Olympic 100m silver medalist Lauryn Williams,
who was the runner-up 22.27. LaTasha Colander, who ended the 2004
season ranked #10 in the world at 200 meters, was third in 22.39.
Jackson establishes a new personal best
2004 Olympic Trials fourth-place finisher Bershawn Jackson defeated a
strong field in posting a personal best, world-leading time of 47.62
seconds in easily winning the men's 400m hurdles. Jackson's
performance is the ninth-fastest in U.S. history. The 2003 U.S. 400m
hurdles champion, Jackson won the 2004 World Athletics Final and was
ranked #3 in the world coming into this season.
Kenneth Ferguson was the runner-up to Jackson in 48.51, with
Sherman Armstrong, who placed sixth at the 2004 Olympic
Trials,finishing third in 49.37.
Richards wins women's 400 meters
2004 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist Sanya Richards posted the
second-fastest time in the world this year in winning the women's 400
meters. Richards looked smooth the entire way running in lane five in
cruising to the victory in 50.00 seconds. Richards posted the fastest time
in the world when she ran 49.96 earlier this season.
Jamaica's Ronetta Smith was the runner-up to Richards 51.23, with her
countrywoman Novlene Williams third in 51.69.
Bell wins with U.S. leading performance
2004 Olympic finalist Kenta Bell came up with a clutch effort on his final
attempt in posting a new U.S. leading mark in the men's triple jump.
Eventual runner-up Chris Hercules grabbed the lead on his third attempt
when he jumped 16.90m/55-5.50. In a series that featured three fouls,
Bell met the challenge on his final attempt in sailing to 17.09m/56-1.
Other U.S. leading performances on Saturday were posted by Bernard
Lagat in the men's 1,500 meters, who won with a new meet record time
of 3:34.34, and Shayne Culpepper in the women's 1,500 meters, who
crossed the finish line in 4:07.08, the third-fastest time in the world this
year.
Jamaica's Veronica Campbell, who won the gold medal at 200 meters,
and the 100m bronze medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens,
easily won the women's 100 meters with a world-leading time of 10.96
seconds. Campbell got off to a good start and ran away from the field as
Olympic 200m finalist Muna Lee finished as the runner-up in 11.20.
2004 Visa Indoor Championship Series winner Angela Daigle was third
in 11.24.
More winners
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell took the lead 30
meters into the race and won convincingly in the men's 110m hurdles.
Trammell hit the finish in 13.11 seconds to win the race, with Dominique
Arnold finishing as the runner-up in 13.27, with Arend Watkins third in
13.28.
The Visa men's 100 meters was won by 2004 Olympic Trials finalist
Leonard Scott, who blasted out of the blocks and ran unchallenged the
rest of the way in equaling the fastest time by an American this season
of 10.03 seconds. Terrence Trammell was the runner-up in 10.17, with
Jason Smoots third in 10.32, and Olympic gold medalist and former
world record holder Maurice Greene fourth, also in 10.32.
In the exhibition men's discus throw, 2004 Olympic Trials champion
Jared Rome was the winner with a best of 63.64 meters/208 feet, 9
inches. 2003 USA champion Carl Brown was the runner-up with a best
of 62.24m/204-2. Elsewhere, 2004 U.S. Olympic Trials champion
Anthony Famiglietti easily won the men's 3,000m steeplechase in 8
minutes, 25, minutes, 16 seconds, with Kenya's Solomon Kandie
finishing as the runner-up in 8:40.93.
In women's events, Erin Aldrich won the women's high jump in a jump-
off over Sharon Day, with both clearing 1.92 meters/6 feet, 3.50 inches.
In the women's pole vault, Dana Buller set a new Canadian national
record with a clearance of 4.50m/14-9, with 2004 Olympian Jillian
Schwartz finishing as the runner-up in clearing the identical height.
The women's 400m hurdles had a surprise winner as Tanisha Mills, who
ended the 2004 season ranked #9 in the U.S., upset 2004 Olympic
finalist Brenda Taylor in winning the race. Mills stopped the clock in
55.57 seconds in beating Taylor (55.89) to the finish.