USATF LA Grand Prix!!

[tm71]

Garry the crowd that comes up from SoCal to Clovis is surprisingly small. They get a good crowd at Buchanan, but it appears to be largely from Bakersfield and points north.

I'm going to be optimistic and say there are 6400 people at Drake Stadium. (Subsequent question will be how many Drake Dogs are sold?)

Not counting athletes, coaches, officials and media I would say 3000.

[Revenant]

Naser now also listed in the 400m. I'm really keen to see if she can do better than her last, rather disappointing outing (52.2) and more like her opener (50.8). When you've been away from an event like the 400m for so long, you have to learn to pace your race again.

[LuckySpikes]

If you haven't checked out the entry lists be prepared to be blown away. Very few DL meets are likely to match this this year.

https://results.usatf.org/LAGrandPrix23/

Very few? I think you're stretching there. (I don't know if there's been a lot of withdrawals since you posted that?)

Women's 400 and 100 Hurdles, yes, definitely DL quality. The Men's PV & Women's 100 are getting there. Otherwise, definitely not, with the result that every DL meeting will be able to exceed the quality of this meeting.

[Juicy News]

Naser vs Paulino!

[ATK]

Naser now also listed in the 400m. I'm really keen to see if she can do better than her last, rather disappointing outing (52.2) and more like her opener (50.8). When you've been away from an event like the 400m for so long, you have to learn to pace your race again.

I like the simple fact she is getting race ready again. Needs to get back in the groove of things. She literally hasn't run since before COVID started.

[Revenant]

Very few? I think you're stretching there. (I don't know if there's been a lot of withdrawals since you posted that?)

I did raise an eyebrow when I read that too....yes, some amazing US talent is competing, and certainly some international stars, but I expect a few DL meets to top this when one looks across all events

[Revenant]

I like the simple fact she is getting race ready again.

Same.
And whilst competing frequently in no way makes someone innocent (*cough* Marion Jones, par example..) I do prefer that to preparing behind closed doors and hardly/never racing.

Lane draw will be fun...who has the biggest negotiating power in this race I wonder?

It was Naser's birthday this week, and she was out late eating carbs & fat. Probably the biggest slice of chocolate cake I've ever seen (you Americans sure do have big portions..) so if she runs poorly I'm blaming it on the birthday meal.

[DET59]

And whilst competing frequently in no way makes someone innocent (*cough* Marion Jones, par example..) I do prefer that to preparing behind closed doors and hardly/never racing.

Perhaps one of the interesting impacts of COVID and the limited season(s) some athletes had was the amazing post-COVID (21 and 22) marks some athletes achieved after not doing much for the previous 18 months. Coincidence?

[TN1965]

Names that jumped out at me:

Friday: 10-Minight ET Main
.

8:15	M/W Hammer	Nowicki, Wink, Haugh, Donn, Young / Ander, Price, Kass
10:05	Women PV	Moon, Morris, Newman
10:30	Women 3000St
10:45	Men 3000St
10:30	M/W Discus	Allman, Perez, Tausaga
11:40	Women 5000
12:00	Men 5000

.
Saturday: 4-5pm ET Main
.

3:35	Women Shot Put	Ealey, T-D, Ewen, Aquilla
4:02	Women 100 heats	SCR, TaLou, Hobbs, TT, Jefferson, Akinosum
4:10	M/W Javelin
4:20	Men Pole Vault	Mondo, Sam, Nilsen, RL, KC
4:22	Men 800	Hoppel, Murphy, Jewett, JKoech
4:32	Men 400 hurdles	Rai, Rosser, CJ, Bassitt, McMaster
4:40	Women 200	Thomas, Prandini, Clark
4:48	Men 200	Bednarek, Richards
4:55	Women 100Hurdles	Amusan, C-Q, TJones, KHarr, AJohnson, Ali, Marshall
5:00	Men Shot Put	RC, JK, Walsh, Awotunde
5:03	Men 400	James
5:11	Women 1500	Welteji, Meshesha, Coburn
5:19	Women 800
5:26	Men Mile	TCher, Prakel, Hocker, Teare
5:38	Women 400	Paulino, Ellis, Irby, Cofil
5:45	Women 100	^^^
5:53	Men 100	CC, Baker

So Ajee Wilson's name did not jump out at you? ;(

[gh]

So Ajee Wilson's name did not jump out at you? ;(

what jumps oout at me (about meet in general) is lack of jumps; no HJ, LJ, TJ. On the other hand, there are 10 world-class field events even without (and most DL meets only have 5-6 jumps/throws).

As a guy who thinks of the sport as field & track, hence my exuberance about the meet as a whole.

[Atticus]

So Ajee Wilson's name did not jump out at you? ;(

It is my contention that she was added after I looked. That's my story and I'm sticking with it!!

[donley2]

The oversight anyone who dares to post a quick highlight list gives me pause to ever even consider it.

[Atticus]

The oversight anyone who dares to post a quick highlight list gives me pause to ever even consider it.

I'll try harder!!

edit - Hey, y'all been gaslighting me! I just noticed that the entry lists have changed A LOT. Scratches and adds galore. Still a stupendous meet!

[Mr. Bowie]

I will now be rooting for Britton Wilson to kick Syd's butt every time they meet.

[gm]

Duly noted...

Muted start to the hammer comps, gravity seems rather strong through round 1.

Starting to warm up a bit, DeAnna Price season best 75.45, Rudy Winkler 77.17 to lead in R2.