Jenn Stucyznski en route to another U.S. record in the Pole Vault - 4.83m in Boston (© Kirby Lee)
Pole vaulter Jenn Stucyznski has had difficulty with consistency on the indoor circuit in 2009. Records, though, have come easily.
Stuczynski cleared 4.83m in the USA Track & Field Indoor Championships at the Reggie Lewis Center on Sunday (01) for her second American record of the year.
Stuczynski eclipsed her own record of 4.82m set at the Reebok Boston Indoor Games at this same venue on 7 Feb. That effort ended the nine-year American record of 2000 Olympic champion and former World record holder Stacy Dragila.
Dragila finished second to Stuczynski on Sunday at 4.50m.
One jump different from the next
When asked to describe her record jump on Sunday, Stucyznski, 27, a former basketball player who took up vaulting in 2004, was in a quandary.
“I am all over right now,” said Stuczynski, who set the American outdoor record of 4.92m in 2008. “One jump is different from the next jump so the consistency will come and we will work on a lot outdoors. That’s how inexperienced I am I don’t know what’s going on. I am just going through the motions.”
Stucyznski had initially planned to stop after winning the competition but the 2008 Olympic silver medalist opted to continue after clearing her opening height of 4.50m and 4.60m without difficulty.
“I just ended up feeling good today and excited to keep going,” Stuczynski said.
Conditioning, however, and a long approach began taking a toll at the higher heights. Stuczynski attempted 4.86m after her American record clearance but bailed out on the first trip and didn’t have sufficient hip clearance on the second and third.
“I think that I have more in me, I am still getting in shape,” Stuczynski said. “I am training for outdoors. I’m not supposed to be in top shape yet. After a couple of jumps I start to get tired.”
The diversity of the runways on the indoor circuit hasn’t helped either. At the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, Stuczynski jumped on a portable runway that was used in the Millrose Games.
On Sunday, Stucyznski jumped on the permanent runway at the Reggie Lewis Center that she called “tricky,” but has won four of the last five U.S. Indoor titles and the last three in a row.
“It’s so technical it’s hard to enjoy (the record),” Stucyznksi said. “You’re thinking technique. Every jump is different. I am still thinking about beginner stuff - take off into the pole, swing and release the pole. Outdoors, I am pretty secure with what I am going to do.”
Trammell blazes 7.37 sec in 60m Hurdles
Terrence Trammell and Lolo Jones appeared in top form in the sprint hurdles after misfortune knocked them out of medal contention in the 2008 Olympic Games.
Trammell, who strained a tendon in his left knee in the opening round of the Olympics, won the 60m Hurdles in a meet-record and world leading 7.37sec to move into a tie for third on the all-time U.S. list, just 0.01 seconds off the American record of 7.36 shared by Greg Foster (1987) and Allen Johnson (2004).
It was the first improvement for Trammell in the 60m Hurdles since running 7.43 in 2003. Trammell said that his fitness and technique are now at the level of last season before the Olympics.
“I never got a chance to show how fit and how prepared I was to run fast last season,” Trammell said. “Literally every single day that I trained, that was my fuel.”
Rebounding from bad start, Jones cruises in hurdles
Jones won the women’s 60m Hurdles in 7.84 despite a “sloppy” start, giving her the top four times in the world this season. Jones was the world leader in the 100m Hurdles heading into the Olympic Games last August but finished seventh after hitting the ninth hurdle while leading.
“I don’t know if I am over it but that is a good thing because it will inspire me for the next four years,” Jones said. “I definitely have plenty of inspiration in workouts when the tank is running dry, definitely on the hard days when I felt tired and pushing myself. Remembering the Olympics definitely is something to help push you.”
Trammell and Jones were named the Visa Championship Series Athletes of the Meet and awarded $25,000 USD each for the top performances on the four-meet USATF Indoor Circuit.
Barber and Jelks take sprint titles
Me’Lisa Barber won her second women’s 60m title in four years with the 2006 World Champion clocking 7.15 to beat 2005 World Long Jump champion Tianna Madison (7.18) and Rachelle Boone (7.19). Mark Jelks nipped DeAngelo Cherry, 6.51 to 6.52 to win the men’s 60m.
Jamaal Torrence won the 400m in 46.37, overtaking Kelly Willie (46.59) and James Davis (46.80) in the final 150m. Intermediate hurdler Dominique Darden won the women’s 400m in 52.34 over Ashlee Kidd (52.44) and Shana Cox (53.04).
Khadevis Robinson won the 800m in 1:48.61 with a strong move on the backstretch to beat Mark Wieczorke (1:48.94). It was the eighth overall national title for Robinson, four indoors and four outdoors. In the women’s 800m, Katie Waits controlled the pace to win in 2:03.56 with 1,500m specialist Treniere Clement in second in 2:04.32.
Taylor dominates Shot Put
Dan Taylor led from the start to win the Shot Put at 20.67m over Russ Winger (20.44m) and Adam Nelson (20.08m). Taylor, who opened with a 20.62m effort, had a foul in the 22.25m range on his final attempt.
Amber Campbell and Jake Freeman were the 35-pound Weight Throw winners. Campbell threw 24.43m to win for the third year in a row. Freeman won his first national title at 23.73m to edge A.G. Kruger (23.31m) and Garland Porter (23.24m).
Elsewhere...
Brittney Reese won the women’s Long Jump with a sixth-round leap of 6.71m to defeat 2008 Olympic Heptathlon silver medalist and defending champion Hyleas Fountain (6.66m) and 2006 and 2007 champion Akiba McKinney (6.59m). Fountain also placed second in the women’s 60m Hurdles in 7.98.
Brandon Roulhac bounded 16.94m to win the Triple Jump, passing on his final two attempts to win his inaugural U.S. title. Joanne Dow won the women’s 3000m Race Walk in 13:04.28.
Anna Willard, the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials Steeplechase champion, won the 1500m in 4:17.37 after leading most of the way. Shayne Culpepper and Sara Hall, runner-up in the 3000m on Saturday, were second and third in 4:18.82 and 4:19.30, respectively.
Kirby Lee for the IAAF
