Mark Maloney on Kentucky sports

Former University of Kentucky standout Dwight Phillips was named Tuesday as USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week.

Dwight Phillips

Phillips notched the eighth-best outdoor mark ever in the men’s long jump at Sunday’s Nike Prefontaine Classic, 28 feet, 8 1/4 inches, at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore.

Phillips, 31, arrived at UK in 1997. His 400-meter time of 46.80 that season still stands as the Wildcats’ freshman record. He also competed in 1998 before transferring to Arizona State, following Darryl Anderson when the UK sprints coach was hired there.

Since then, Phillips has become a two-time World Outdoor champion in the long jump, as well as the 2004 Olympic gold-medalist. Sunday’s mark ties Phillips with Larry Myricks and Erick Walder for eighth on the all-time list of jumps, and fifth on the all-time list of performers. It was the longest jump in the world since Mike Powell’s world-record 29-4 1/2 in 1991.

Reese Hoffa

Jenny Barringer

Also at Eugene, Louisville native Reese Hoffa won the shot put with the world’s best performance of the season, 71 feet, 10 inches.

Colorado’s Jenny Barringer, the national record-holder in the steeplechase, became the third American ever to break four minutes in the women’s 1,500 meters. Her time at Eugene, 3:59.90, is a collegiate record.
 
BEST AMERICAN MARKS WEEK ENDING JUNE 7
 
MEN
 
100 – 9.94 Mike Rodgers (Nike) – Eugene, Ore., 6/7     U.S. leader
200 – 20.41 Thomas Hunter (unat) – Walnut, Calif., 6/6
400 – 45.48 Tavaris Tate (Mississippi HS) – Albuquerque, N.M., 6/6
800 – 1:45.86 Nick Symmonds (Oregon TC) – Eugene, 6/7
1500 – 3:37.19 Lopez Lomong (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7     U.S. leader
Mile – 3:53.47 Lopez Lomong (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7
3000 – 7:35.92 Bernard Lagat (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7     U.S. leader
3000SC – 8:26.55 Josh McAdams (New Balance) – Eugene, 6/7
10,000 – 28:16.81 Jorge Torres (Reebok) – Eugene, 6/6
110H – 13.29 Dexter Faulk (Nike) – Turin, Italy, 6/4
400H – 48.38 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7
HJ – 2.26/7-5 Jesse Williams (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7
PV – 5.52/18-1.25 Mark Hollis (unat) – St. Polten, Austria, 6/6
LJ – 8.74/28-8.25 Dwight Phillips (NIke) – Eugene, 6/7     World leader
TJ – 16.06/52-8.25 James Jenkins (unat) – Walnut, 6/6
SP – 21.89/71-10 Reese Hoffa (NYAC) – Eugene, 6/7     World leader
DT – 64.69/212-3 Adam Kuehl (unat) – Chula Vista, Calif., 6/6
HT – 75.28/247-0 Jake Freeman (Iron Ball AC) – West Point, N.Y., 6/5
JT – 75.96/249-2 Adam Montague (unat) – Walnut, 6/6
Dec – 7466 Curtis Beach (New Mexico HS) – Albuquerque, N.M., 6/5     HIGH SCHOOL RECORD
 
WOMEN
 
100 – 11.13 Stephanie Durst (unat) – Hengelo, Holland, 6/1
200 – 22.41 Shalonda Solomon (Reebok) – Walnut, 6/6
400 – 49.86 Sanya Richards (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7     World leader
800 – 2:00.18 Maggie Vessey (unat) – Eugene, 6/7
1500 – 3:59.90 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) – Eugene, 6/7     U.S. leader/COLLEGIATE RECORD
3000SC – 9:40.02 Lisa Galaviz (Nike) – Walnut, 6/6
100H – 12.74 Michelle Perry (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7
400H – 58.25 Jennifer Grossarth (unat) – Walnut, 6/6
PV – 4.45/14-7.25 Chelsea Johnson (Nike) – Walnut, 6/6
LJ – 6.74/22-1.5 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) – Hengelo, 6/1
TJ – 13.80/45-3.5 Crystal Manning (unat) – Walnut, 6/6
SP – 18.35/60-2.5 Michelle Carter (unat) – Walnut, 6/6
DT – 63.98/209-11 Stephanie Brown Trafton (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7
HT – 70.68/231-11 Jessica Cosby (Nike) – Eugene, 6/7
JT – 60.30/197-10 Kim Kreiner (Nike) – Walnut, 6/6     U.S. leader
Hept – 5619 Kasey Hill (unat) – Dallas, 6/7

Seven women and six men from Kentucky colleges were awarded at-large bids Tuesday to the NCAA Track & Field Championships, June 10-13, at Arkansas.

Joseph Maina (EKU photo)

From Eastern Kentucky, Joseph Maina was added to the men’s 5,000-meter field.

From Kentucky, Rondel Sorrillo made it in the men’s 100, Emily Strot in the women’s discus.

From Louisville, Steve Hnat was added in the men’s shot put; Josh Greenwald and Andrew Hackney in discus; Matt Hughes in the steeplechase. U of L additions to the women’s field are Chinwe Okoro and Khadija Abdullah in the shot put, Rachel Gehret in the high jump and Seidre Forde in the triple jump.

From Western Kentucky’s women’s team, Miaie Williams was added in the 100, Janet Jesang in the 5,000.

The at-large recipients will join automatic qualifiers at Arkansas. Automatic berths went to the top five in individual events and top three in relays at the Mideast Regional, held Saturday at U of L.

Here’s what the combined at-large and automatic lists from Kentucky schools look like, with NCAA seeding; a = at-large berth; q = automatic qualifier.

MEN

Rondel Sorrillo

Gavin Smellie

100 meters — 24 a, Rondel Sorrillo (UK).

200 — 3 q, Gavin Smellie (WKU); 5 q, Rondel Sorrillo (UK).

5,000 — 26 a, Joseph Maina (EKU).

3,000 steeplechase — 2 q, Cory Thorne (U of L); 14 a, Matt Hughes (U of L).

4-by-100 relay — 6 q, Kentucky.

4-by-400 relay — 11 q, Western Kentucky; 12 q, Kentucky.

Shot put — 8 q, Rashaud Scott (UK); 17 a, Steve Hnat (U of L).

Rashaud Scott

Chase Madison

Discus — 1 q, Rashaud Scott (UK); 7 q, Chase Madison (UK); 16 a, Josh Greenwald (U of L); 17 a, Andrew Hackney (U of L).

Long jump — 7 a, Mandhla Mgijima (WKU).

High jump — 9 q, Tone Belt (U of L).

Long jump — 16 q, Tone Belt (U of L).

WOMEN

Tarah McKay

Janet Jesang

100 — 19 a, Miaie Williams (WKU).

1,500 — 24 q, Tarah McKay (U of L).

5,000 — 6 a, Janet Jesang (WKU).

4-by-100 relay — 12 q, Western Kentucky.

Shot put — 10 q, Jere’ Summers (U of L); 20 a, Chinwe Okoro (U of L); 23 a, Khadija Abdullah (U of L).

Kristin Smith

Ashley Trimble

Discus — 4 q, Ashley Muffet (UK); 6 q, Jere’ Summers (U of L); 17 a, Emilee Strot (UK).

High jump — 19 a, Rachel Gehret (U of L).

Triple jump — 24 a, Seidre Forde (U of L).

Heptathlon (entries based on pre-regional results) — 11. Ashley Trimble (UK).

USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week: Tyson Gay

The third-fastest 200-meter dash of all time makes Tyson Gay the USA Track & Field choice for athlete of the week.

From Tyson Gay's facebook photo gallery

Gay, a Lafayette High School graduate who later starred for Arkansas, uncorked a 19.58-second 200 Saturday at the Reebok Grand Prix, in New York’s Icahn Stadium. Only a pair of Olympic champions have ever run faster: Michael Johnson (19.32) and Usain Bolt (19.30).

Gay swept the 2007 World Championships in the 100 and 200 meters, and also ran on the gold-medal 4-by-100 relay.

After winning the 100 in American-record time at last year’s U.S. Olympic Trials, Gay suffered a severe hamstring injury during preliminaries of the 200. He went on to run the 200 at the Beijing Olympics, but the missed practice time left him far off his usual form. A dropped baton in the 4-by-100 put a disappointing end to his Olympic experience.

Saturday’s result, his first 200 since the Olympics, means Gay now has the third- and fourth-fastest 200s ever. No. 4 is 19.62, his winning effort at the 2007 USA Outdoor Championships.

Saturday’s runner-up, Gay’s former training partner and Arkansas teammate Wallace Spearmon, finished in 19.98. Former LSU standout Xavier Carter was third in 20.27.

“It made me very, very happy; 19.5 had been one of the goals I had, but to do that in the first race is very pleasing,” Gay told reporters. “I wanted to work on my reaction and my start. Then I just ran. I ran for my life. When I came toward the finish line, I got kind of tight and I just wanted to bring it on in. I tried to push all the way through, just to see where my body is at.”

Several of the week’s leading national marks were turned in on Louisville’s Cardinal Park facility, site of the NCAA Mideast Regional.

Cory Thorne

Louisville’s Cory Thorne had the fastest 3,000-meter steeplechase of the week (8:36.98).

Three winners in men’s field events ranked No. 1 for the week: Kentucky’s Rashaud Scott in the discus (216-2); LSU’s Walter Henning in the hammer throw (231-6), and Arkansas’ Mychael Stewart in the long jump (25-10 3/4).

And two of the women’s field event champions at Louisville led the nation: Purdue’s Kara Patterson in the javelin (192-1), and Indiana State’s Lauren Martin in the triple jump (44-4 3/4).

BEST MARKS BY AMERICANS FOR WEEK ENDING MAY 31
 
MEN
 
100 – 10.04 Jacoby Ford (Clemson) – Greensboro, N.C. 5/30
200 – 19.58 Tyson Gay (adidas) – New York, 5/30     World leader
400 – 44.75 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) – New York, 5/30
800 – 1:46.00 Khadevis Robinson (Nike) – New York, 5/30
1500 – 3:34.14 Leo Manzano (Nike) – New York, 5/30     U.S. leader
3000SC – 8:36.98 Cory Thorne (Louisville) – Louisville, 5/30
5000 – 13:03.06 Bernard Lagat (Nike) – New York, 5/30    U.S. leader
110H – 13.12 Terrence Trammell (TSA) – New York, 5/30
400H – 48.52 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) – New York, 5/30
HJ – 2.25/7-4.5 Scott Sellers (Kansas State) – Norman, Okla., 5/29
PV – 5.56/18-3 Jason Colwick (Rice) & Maston Wallace (Texas) – Norman, Okla., 5/30
LJ – 7.89/25-10.75 Mychael Stewart (Arkansas) – Louisville, 5/29
TJ – 16.81/55-2 Will Claye (Oklahoma) – Norman, Okla., 5/30
SP – 20.99/68-10.5 Ryan Whiting (Arizona State) – Eugene, Ore., 5/29
DT – 65.90/216-2 Rashaud Scott (Kentucky) – Louisville, 5/30
HT – 70.56/231-6 Walter Henning (LSU) – Louisville, 5/30
JT – 80.34/263-7 Chris Hill (Georgia) – Greensboro, N.C., 5/29
Dec – 8516 Trey Hardee (Nike) – Gotzis, Austria, 5/31     U.S. leader
  
WOMEN
 
100 – 11.04 Shalonda Solomon (Reebok) – New York, 5/30
200 – 22.34 Lauryn Williams (Nike) – New York, 5/30     World leader
400 – 50.50 Allyson Felix (adidas) – New York, 5/30     World leader
800 – 1:59.29 Anna Willard (Nike) – New York, 5/30     World leader
1500 – 4:03.96 Christin Wurth-Thomas (Nike) – New York, 5/30     U.S. leader
3000SC – 9:26.20 Jenny Barringer (Colorado) – Norman, Okla., 5/30     World leader
5000 – 15:32.39 Jen Rhines (adidas) – New York, 5/30
100H – 12.88 Seun Adigun (Houston) – Norman, Okla., 5/30
400H – 55.44 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) – New York, 5/30
HJ – 1.93/6-4 Sharon Day (Asics) – Havana, Cuba, 5/29
PV – 4.81/15-9.25 Jenn Stuczynski (adidas) – New York, 5/30     World leader
LJ – 6.72/22-0.75 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) – Belgrade, Serbia, 5/29 & Brianna Glenn (adidas) – New York, 5/30
TJ – 13.53/44-4.75 Lauren Martin (Indiana State) – Louisville, 5/30
SP – 18.43/60-5.75 Michelle Carter (unat) – New York, 5/30
DT – 63.97/209-10 Stephanie Brown Trafton (Nike) – New York, 5/30
HT – 69.76/228-10 Amber Campbell (Mjolnir) – Havana, Cuba, 5/30
JT – 58.56/192-1 Kara Patterson (Purdue) – Louisville, 5/30
Hept – 6,063 Sharon Day (Asics) – Havana, Cuba 5/30     U.S. leader

From USA Track & Field …

World Championships silver medalist Chaunte Howard is USATF’s Athlete of the Week, having cleared 2 meters (6 feet, 6.75 inches) Sunday to win the women’s high jump at the Rieti (Italy) Grand Prix.

Leading marks by Americans for the week ending Sept. 7

MEN

100 – 9.92 Walter Dix (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

200 – 20.54 Wallace Spearmon (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

400 – 43.98 LaShawn Merritt (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

800 – 1:45.33 Nick Symmonds (Oregon TC) – Rieti, ITA 9/7

1500 – 3:32.75 Bernard Lagat (Nike) – Rieti, ITA 9/7 U.S. leader

3000 – 7:47.03 Chris Solinsky (NIke) – Rieti, ITA 9/7

5000 – 13:25.71 Matt Tegenkamp (Nike) – Brussels, BEL 9/5

10,000 – 28:28.44 Meb Keflezighi (Nike) – Brussels, BEL 9/5

110H – 13.02 David Oliver (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

400H – 48.29 Kerron Clement (Nike) – BrusseLls, BEL 9/5

HJ – 2.27/7-5.25 Jesse Williams (Nike) – Moscow, RUS 9/6

PV – 5.85/19-2.25 Derek Miles (Nike) – Berlin, GER 9/7

LJ – 8.21/26-11.25 Miguel Pate (Nike) – Rieti, ITA 9/7

TJ – 16.85/55-3.5 Walter Davis (Nike) – Dubnica, SVK 9/7

SP – 21.39/70-2.25 Christian Cantwell (Nike) – Dubnica, SVK 9/7

DT – 60.14/197-4 Ian Waltz (Nike) – Paris, FRA 9/6

WOMEN

100 – 11.09 Marshevet Hooker (adidas) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

200 – 22.52 Carmelita Jeter (Nike) – Rieti, ITA 9/7

400 – 50.86 Mary Wineberg (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

800 – 1:59.67 Alice Schmidt (adidas) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

1500 – 4:01.97 Shannon Rowbury (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

Mile – 4:20.34 Shannon Rowbury (Nike) – Rieti, ITA 9/7 U.S. leader

3000SC – 9:45.28 Lindsey Anderson (Nike) – Paris, FRA 9/6

100H – 12.60 Dawn Harper (unat) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

400H – 55.65 Tiffany Williams (Reebok) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

HJ – 2.00/6-6.75 Chaunte Howard (Nike) – Rieti, ITA 9/7 U.S. leader

PV – 4.40/14-5.25 Jillian Schwartz (Nike) & Erica Bartolina (unat) – Brussels, BEL 9/5

LJ – 6.63/21-9 Grace Upshaw (Nike) – Lausanne, SUI 9/2

SP – 17.04/55-11 Kristin Heaston (Nike) – Paris, FRA 9/6

DT – 58.96/193-5 Aretha Thurmond (Nike) – Paris, FRA 9/6

BEIJING — David Freeman, a personal trainer at the Lexington YMCA and a former University of Kentucky standout, finished 10thin his heat of the Olympic men’s 1,500 meters Friday night.

Freeman, running for Puerto Rico, turned in his best time of the season, 3:39.70, but it wasn’t enough to move on. Only the top five finishers in each of three heats automatically advance.

Mehdi Baala of France won the first heat in 3:35.87. Then came Nicholas Willis of New Zealand, Daham Naim Bashir of Qatar, Tarek Boukensa of Algeria and Deresse Mekonnen of Ethiopia. Sixth, but qualifying on time, was Leonel Manzano of Team USA.

World champion Bernard Lagat of the U.S. cruised in the second heat, which went to Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop in 3:41.28. Second was Canada’s Nathan Brannen, followed by Spain’s Juan Carlos Higuero. Lagat took fourth in 3:41.98, followed by Antar Zerguelaine of Algeria.

Freeman’s heat was won by Juan Van Deventer of South Africa in 3:36.32. Also qualifying from the heat was U.S. flag bearer Lopez Lomong, who finished fifth.

While Lexington’s Tyson Gay pulled out of the 100 meters in order to nurse his sore hamstring, plenty of other Beijing-bound athletes put on a show Friday at the Aviva London Super Grand Prix.

Former world record-holder Asafa Powell, fresh off a win over fellow Jamaican and current (pending ratification) record-holder Usain Bolt, prevailed in the 100.

After a 10.06 qualifying win, Powell zipped a 9.94 finals, trailed by Marc Burns of Trinidad and Tobago (9.97). Jamaica’s Michael Frater took third (10.00), a hundredth ahead of Burns’ countryman Richard Thompson.

Olympic Trials winner and two-time World Outdoor champion Allyson Felix had a bad start and finished a stunning fourth in the women’s 200 (22.70). Jamaica’s Sherone Simpson won (22.70), ahead of Bianca Knight (22.79).

Felix will come back Saturday in the 100 vs. Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown, among others.

Other notables included World Outdoor champion Reese Hoffa. The defending meet champion and Louisville native topped two-time Olympic silver-medalist Adam Nelson in the shot put, 69-4 to 69-1.5. Tomasz Majewski of Poland took third (68-9.75), with Christian Cantwell (67-4) giving the U.S. a 1-2-4 finish.

David Oliver, just as he did in the Olympic Trials, snared the 110-meter hurdles (13.20), leading a U.S. sweep of the top four spots. Anwar Moore (13.52), Antwon Hicks (13.58 ) and Aries Merritt (13.61) followed Oliver. World record-holder Dayron Robles of Cuba was missing, apparently because he didn’t apply for a visa.

Kenya’s Shadrick Korir nipped Great Britain’s Andrew Baddeley in the mile, 3:54.68 to 3:54.76. Bernard Lagat, who will run the 1,500 and 5,000 for the U.S., was third in 3:55.20, only the second defeat of the season for the world champion. Australia’s Craig Mottram, last with 150 meters left, came on strong to bag fourth in 3:55.40.

The women’s 1,500 went to Britain’s Lisa Dobriskey (4:08.97).

Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva, the world record-holder and reigning Olympic gold-medalist, defeated American record-holder Jenn Stuczynski in the women’s pole vault, 16-2 to 15-9 1/4.

Roisin McGettigan of Ireland set a stadium record in the women’s steeplechase (9:33.76).

Tyson Gay’s personal coach, Jon Drummond, says that the Lexington sprinter is “doing very well and I feel very good about where we are and where we’ll be by the time we get to the (Olympic) Games.”

Gay, a graduate of Lafayette High School in Lexington, suffered a strained left hamstring during the 200-meter dash quarterfinals of the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at Eugene, Ore.

Although that ended world champion’s chances of competing in the 200 at the Beijing Summer Olympic Games, Gay already had won the Olympic Trials 100. He set an American record of 9.77 seconds in the quarterfinals. His 9.68 clocking in the finals does not count as a record because it was wind-aided, but nevertheless is the quickest 100 of all time under any conditions.

Gay has not run since going down at Eugene, but is recuperating in Germany. Drummond, still stateside, will join Gay soon. Drummond says the plan going into the Trials was to take a 10-day rest afterwards. Following doctor’s instructions, Gay is taking an extra four days off, 14 total.

Drummond says that plans are for Gay to compete once before the Olympics, July 25 at London.

At the Olympics, Gay would have to run four rounds to win the 100 meters. Drummond says the rounds are not a concern.

“He ran eight rounds last year and it wasn’t a problem,” Drummond said, referrring to the World Championships. “I don’t foresee any reason why it would be a problem this year. In fact, he’s in much better shape than he was last year, obviously by the way he performed at the Trials.”

The Olympics open Aug. 8. Track and field gets underway Aug. 15, when the first two rounds of the men’s 100 are scheduled. Semifinals and finals are set for Aug. 16.

If healthy, Gay also would run on the 4-by-100 relay.

The Team USA track and field roster was made official Monday. The roster includes 15 Olympic medalists, 31 World Outdoor Championship medalist and 11 individual outdoor American record-holders.

Joining Gay in the men’s 4-by-100 relay pool are Walter Dix, Darvis Patton, Travis Padgett, Rodney Martin and Leroy Dixon. Also, anybody else already on the Team USA roster in an individual event is eligible for consideration.

* High-jumper Amy Acuff is the most experienced Olympian on the roster, this being her fourth Olympic team. On the men’s side, shot-putter Adam Nelson is in his third Olympics. Bernard Lagat, in the 1,500 and 5,000, also will be in his third Olympics, although his previous two came for his native Kenya.