Another Exciting Weekend in Track & Field

Another exciting weekend in Track & Field! Last night’s Guadelupe meet kicked it off with USA’s Lashinda Demus (great article on Demus raising twins while training to make the 2008 US Olympic team here) running a world-leading time of 54.17 to win the 400m hurdles. The US women swept the top 3 places in the 100m Hurdles, and Cuba took home victory in the 400m dash and the long jump. (Full Results)

At the Jamaica International meet this evening, Sanya Richards will take on a slew of Jamaican women in the 400m, including Olympic 400m hurdles champ Melaine Walker and multiple national champion Novlene Williams-Mills. The 100m will be fast and furious, as Beijing silver medalist Kerron Stewart of Jamaica will take on countrywoman and Beijing gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser. Marshavet Hooker of the US is having a strong season and looks to challenge Stewart and Fraser. The meet starts this evening at 6:30pm CST in Kingston at the National Stadium. Look for results here.

While the sprints are the focus of the Jamaica International, the distance races will star at the Payton Jordan Invitational at Stanford this evening. You can watch the meet live thanks to Flotrack starting at 5:15pm PST here: http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/234940/live (also check out this link for the meet schedule and heat sheets)

We should finally see a very competitive and fast steeplechase, with world-leader and US Olympian Lindsey Anderson taking on former UK record holder Barbara Parker, current NCAA-leader Bridget Franek of Penn State and US Olympic Trials 4th-place finisher Nicole Bush of Michigan State. As long as the weather cooperates, this race could see a handful of women under the 9:50 mark, and possible the 9:40 mark. Anderson’s current world-leading time is 9:46.56. For the top 20 lists in the world so far this season, click here.

The US’s top two steeplechasers are competing at the Payton Jordan, but not in the steeple. Colorado’s Jenny Barringer, who is having quite the year, setting indoor 3000m and mile records, is entered in the 5000m. Barringer ran a 15:01 5000m indoors with virtually no competition, so look for her to break the 15-minute barrier tonight and possibly be pushed by Beijing 10K Olympian Amy Begley.

Anna Willard is proving that her recent coaching and residence change has gone smoothly, as she won the indoor US 1500m title and the recent Boston Athletic Association Mile against 10K Olympic Bronze Medalist Shalane Flanagan. She is entered in the 1500m tonight and will go head-to-head with former NCAA superstar Sally Kipyego of Kenya, US Olympian Jen Rhines, and current NCAA star Susan Kuijken of Florida State. This should be one of the night’s most exciting races, with the top runners possibly dipping under the World Championships “A” standard of 4:06.50. And let’s not forget that high school superstar and University of Oregon-bound Jordan Hasay is entered in the race. While Hasay may be in a little over her head in terms of the front runners on the heat sheet, she is well-deserving of a spot on the starting line, with a solid PR of 4:14. Check out this Flotrack interview with Hasay as she discusses tonight’s race, dealing with some setbacks this season, competing against her idols, and her plans for the rest of the spring and summer: