U.S. Indoor Track and Field Championships

The USA Indoor Track and Field Championships took place over the weekend in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I recorded the footage on Sunday and watched it the other day. Only the top two finishers will be heading to the IAAF World Indoor Track and Field Championships in March.

The events I was interested in were the men's and women's 800m, 1500m and 3000m.

The men's 3000m was won by Bernard Lagat followed by Lopez Lamong and Galen Rupp. Rupp was leading Lagat and Lamong with a few laps to go. At 700m to go, Lagat and Lamong passed Rupp. Lagat and Lamong ran together until the bell lap. Lagat then outkicked Lamong and quickly left him behind. Lagat ran the final 200m in 26 seconds. Lagat finished in 7:47.54.

Jenny Simpson was the winner in the women's 3000m. Simpson took the lead with six laps to go and finished in 9:19.15. Jackie Areson passed Sara Hall in the final 100m to finish second in 9:20.61.

The men's 1500m was won by Leo Manzano in 3:48.05. Manzano was able to outkick Matthew Centrowitz and Galen Rupp in the final straightway. Rupp was leading the pack until the last 100 meters when he was passed by Centrowitz and Manzano.

In the women's 1500m, Jenny Simpson was able to hold off Brenda Martinez to win in 4:15.04. Simpson had a huge lead on the final lap until Martinez was able to close the gap. Martinez finished in a close second behind Simpson in 4:15.11. Sara Vaughn finished in third.

In the women's 800m, Erica Moore jumped out to a big lead and was able to hold on. Moore won the 800m in 2:01.08. Moore beat her training partner, Phoebe Wright (one of my favorite runners) by two seconds (2:03.07). Moore's time was a season best and the top American time for the indoor season.

These athletes will be heading to the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey on March 11-13. Leo Manzano and Jenny Simpson will not be going to Turkey to represent the US. Since they are not going, the second and third place finishers will be on the team. Filling in for them will be Galen Rupp in the 1500m, Jackie Areson and Sara Hall in the 3000m and Brenda Martinez and Sara Vaughn in the 1500m.