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Armory Follows 10 IAAF World Championships Competitors: IntroPublished by
The 15th IAAF World Championships are final here and we’ll be following 10 athletes who have made major impacts at The Armory as they compete within the Bird’s Nest in Beijing, China. This is not to say we won’t be mentioning others, but the 10 listed below will be the main focus for our recaps, which will be posted on August 23, 25, 27, 29 and 30. All times listed are EST.
David Verburg: 400m David Verburg wasn’t too far off The Armory’s 400m collegiate record of 46.01 when he ran 46.26 at the 2013 Armory Collegiate Invitational. He’s since then made a name for himself by helping several Team USA 4x400m relays teams to victory, including an indoor world record at the 2014 World Indoor Championships. At this past June’s USATF Championships, Verburg made a major move during the final meters of the 400m to earn his first US title. Verburg will likely need to improve his personal best of 44.41 if he wants to take home an individual medal from Beijing, a feat he says he’s up for. Competition schedule: Heats on August 22 at 11:10pm, semi-finals on August 24 at 8:05am and finals on August 26 at 9:25am.
Erik Sowinski: 800m Three years ago Erik Sowinski began his professional track and field career at The Armory and broke the 600m indoor American record. He was a part of the world record breaking DMR team at this past indoor season’s Armory Track Invitational and punched his ticket to World Championships by finishing second in the 800m with 1:44.83 at USATF Championships. Sowinski, Clayton Murphy and Casimir Loxsom will compete for USA in their first ever World Championships. Competition schedule: Heats on August 21 at 11:50pm, semi-finals on August 23 at 8:15am and finals on August 25 at 8:55pm.
Matthew Centrowitz: 1500m Mathew Centrowitz earned his second NYRR Wanamaker Mile title this year with an impressive 3:51.35. Centrowitz took bronze in 2011 and silver in 2013’s World Championships, but if he wants to continue his progression toward gold he’ll have to top a field that includes Kenya’s Asbel Kiprop, who is the 2013 world champion and recently became the third fastest 1,500m runner of all time. Competition schedule: Heats on August 26 at 10:35pm, semi-finals on August 28 at 7:55am and finals on August 30 at 7:15am.
Evan Jager: 3,000m Steeplechase We can’t say for sure if it’s his awesome hair or speed that gets Evan Jager the cheers whenever his name is announced at the NYRR Millrose Games, but one thing’s for sure, with 3:32 1,500m speed, he is fast. Jager nearly ran under the eight-minute barrier at the Paris Diamond League meet, but had an unfortunate fall over the final barrier and finished in 8:00.45. The time was good enough to break his own American record and ranks him second in the world behind Kenya’s Jairus Birech, who won Paris in 7:58.83. Fellow Kenyan Ezekiel Kemboi, who is the event’s reigning champion, has the year’s third fastest time with 8:01.71. Competition schedule: Heats on August 22 at 10:25pm and finals on August 24 at 9:15am.
Omar Craddock: Triple Jump The flashy, yet humble Omar Craddock showed The Armory some showmanship this past winter. This will be his second World Championships experience. He failed to make the event’s final during 2013, but he's been on a roll this year, winning both USATF Indoor and Outdoor Championships. Craddock’s biggest competition will come from fellow former Florida Gators Will Claye, Christian Taylor and Marquis Dendy, as well as Cuba’s Pedro Pablo Pichardo. Having both jumped over 18 meters this year, Taylor and Pichardo are expected to steal the show on the runway, but don’t overlook Craddock who jumped 17.53m at USAs. Competition schedule: Qualification on August 26 at 10:00pm and finals on August 27 at 7:10am.
Sharika Nelvis: 100 Hurdles This is Sharika Nelvis’ first year as a professional track and field athlete and she’s certainly making the most of it. She won the 60m hurdles at the NYRR Millrose Games, placed third in the 100m hurdles at USATF Championships and currently owns the event’s fastest time with 12.34. The two other fastest short hurdlers in Beijing are fellow American’s Dawn Harper Nelson and Kendra Harrison. Competition schedule: Heats on August 26 at 11:15pm, semi-finals on August 28 at 7:25pm and finals on August 28 at 9:35am.
Phyllis Francis: 400m Phyllis Francis owns the American indoor 400m record and won the event at this year’s NYRR Millrose Games. Though Sanya Richards-Ross and Francena McCorory, two of the 400’s fiercest competitors, didn’t make the individual team for USA, Francis will still have to contend with the likes of eight-time world champion Allyson Felix, defending champion Christine Ohuruogu and a very fast Shaunae Miller. Competition schedule: Heats on August 23 at 10:45pm, semi-finals on August 25 at 7:05am and finals on August 27 at 8:40am.
Brenda Martinez: 800m If you’ve visited The Armory during the last few years, you would’ve likely noticed the huge banner featuring Brenda Martinez near the homestretch. She’s won plenty of races here, but made history when she took third at 2013’s World Championships, becoming the first American woman to ever medal in the event with a blazing 1:57.91. She’ll probably need to run near that or faster to medal in Beijing with a field comprised of seven ladies who have run under 1:59, three of whom under 1:58. Competition schedule: Heats on August 25 at 10:25pm, semi-finals on August 27 at 8:05am and finals on August 29 at 7:15am.
Shannon Rowbury: 1,500m She may have stumbled a bit toward the end, but Shannon Rowbury took this year’s NYRR Wanamaker Mile in 4:24.32. 1,500m world record holder Genzebe Dibaba of Ethiopia is the clear favorite, but it will be interesting to watch Rowbury and fellow American Jenny Simpson race. Both have and can earn medals at World Championships. Both can break the American record, which Rowbury holds at 3:56.29. Simpson held off Rowbury at USATF Championships with 4:14.86 to 4:14.99. Competition schedule: Heats on August 21 at 11:15pm, semi-finals on August 23 at 8:45am and finals on August 25 at 8:35am.
Jeneva Stevens: Shot Put Jeneva Stevens is the reining NYRR Millrose Games champion in the women’s weight throw. She primarily competes in the hammer throw during the outdoor season, but started focusing more on the shot put after making the 2014 World Indoor Championships team. This will be Stevens' third time competing at a World Outdoor Championships. Competition Schedule: Qualification on August 21 at 10:10pm and final on August 22 at 8:05am.
Find live results here: Find viewing information here: http://worldchampionships.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?event_id=744&do=news&news_id=362146 By Justin Gaymon // Photos by John Nepolitan and Victah Sailer More news |
