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|  Regina Jacobs Runs Sub-4 1500M World Record for Jacobs, American Record for Pole Vaulter Stacy Dragila Courtesy of USATF February 1, 2003 Boston, MA Photos by Victah Sailer
A Fast and Lofty Start to the Indoor Track Season
They left having witnessed a world record courtesy of Regina
Jacobs photo above and an American record by Stacy
Dragila at the first stop
on USA Track & Field's 2003 Indoor Golden Spike Tour. The 39-year-old Jacobs broke 4 minutes for 1,500 meters for the
first time in her storied career on Saturday, running 3:59.98 to
break Romanian Doina Melinte's world record of 4:00.27, set in
East Rutherford, N.J. in 1990. Elena Iagar of Romania was second
in 4:09.91. A 22-time U.S. champion at various distances, Jacobs broke Mary
Slaney's American record of 4:00.8, set in 1980, with her
performance. Having studied how the world's best male 1,500-
meter runners run their races, Jacobs went out fast early,
running splits of 62.3 for 400m, 2:06.2 for 800m and 3:12.0 for
1,200m. "I've always run fast here," said Jacobs, who ran her American
record of 2:35.29 in Boston in 2000 and also ran a world best
9:23.38 for two miles here in 2002. "The crowd is amazing, and
it's a great track. I had 16 weeks of the best training I've
ever had. I knew it was possible, but you have to get up and
hope the track gods are with you." The track gods also were with Dragila, who cleared 4.71
meters/15 feet, 5.50 inches to beat her own American record of
4.70/15-5 in the Visa women's pole vault. It was a tremendous
beginning for Dragila, who last year lost her indoor world
record to Svetlana Feofanova of Russia while Dragila nursed a
foot injury. On Saturday, Dragila missed at her attempts to break Feofanova's
WR of 4.75/15-7, but she feels the record is well within her
grasp. "I felt like I was close," Dragila said of her world record
attempts. "I think I came off the pole too soon. But today I
felt very aggressive at take-off." American athletes were feeling aggressive throughout the meet,
if their performances were any indication. Led by Maurice Greene, Americans went 1-3 in the Verizon mens'
60m dash. Greene got out of the blocks so quickly that he found
himself hesitating early in the race. He came on to win in 6.52
seconds, with Jon Drummond second in 6.56 and Tim Harden third
in 6.57. Americans also swept the 200, where 2002 U.S. indoor and outdoor
runner-up Darvis Patton outran 2000 Olympic Trials winner and
American indoor record holder John Capel. Patton ran 20.73 to
overtake Capel, who was second at 20.91. Godfrey Herring was
third in 21.52. Americans went 1-2 in the women's 60m hurdles. Jenny Adams won
in a time of 8.04 seconds over fellow American Melissa Morrison
(8.05). Alice Schmidt won the StretchRite women's 800m run in
2:05.75. In other events, Tonique Williams of the Bahamas won the women's
400 in 52.57 seconds, Savatheda Fynes of the Bahamas won the
women's 60m in 7.16, double World Junior Championships gold
medalist Meseret Defar of Ethiopia won the women's 3,000m
(8:57.22), Otukile Lekote of Botswana won the men's 800
(1:48.07), and Bernard Legat of Kenya won the adidas men's
1,500m (3:38.15). Another record came in the men's 3,000m run, with Irishman
Alistair Craig of the University of Arkansas won in 7:45.22 to
set a collegiate record. Photo below: Stacy Dragila enjoyed the evening and her
American Record vault of 15'5.5"
Quotes from Athletes
Stacy Dragila, women's pole vault winner, AMERICAN RECORD
4.71m/15-5.5: "I think my speed was doing it for me tonight. I
was aggressive on the last two steps of my approach, which
allowed me to be on a bigger pole. It gave me a lot of
confidence to come out here, knowing what I've been doing in
training. This is where I want to be." Maurice Greene, men's 60m winner, 6.52: "I'm getting the
rust out. I think it was a pretty good race for being my first
real competition of the year. I kind of scared myself at the
start (because he got out of the blocks so quickly), then I
hesitated, so I had to pick it up in the middle. I was next to
JD (Jon Drummond) and he's one of the best starters in the
world. I couldn't believe I got out of the blocks like that. I
scared myself." Darvis Patton, men's 200m winner, 20.73: "I knew he (John
Capel) was coming. He's the American record holder, but I just
had to run my race. I didn't expect to run this fast this early." Savatheda Fynes, women's 60m winner, 7.16: "This was my
first race. I felt it was a solid race. I was hoping to run
7.17. I'm definitely happy with it." Angela Williams, women's 60m runner-up, 7.19: "I was
nervous. I have been nervous all day. There's so much anxiety
built up because it's my first race of the year, and I was
racing some of the best in the world. I felt prepared with the
new group I work with (H.S.I.). Each race, we're trying to
perfect something. I'm happy to run 7.19, it's very good
starting out, so I know I'll be ready later in the year. I got a
good start." Jenny Adams, women's 60m hurdles winner, 8.04: "I think
everything went OK. I just had a lot of jitters, with Melissa
Morrison next to me and it being a fast field. Being under a
different coach (Gary Winckler), we have a different philosophy -
indoors is getting me ready for outdoors. I'm not as tuned in
as I usually am." Photo below: David Krummenacker hung tough to finish third in 3:39.04
behind fast Kenyans
Bernard Lagat, winner in 3:38.15, and 2nd place finisher Laban
Rotich, 3:38.34.
adidas Boston Indoor Games Results
Women 60 Meter Dash ===================================================================== Name Team Finals ===================================================================== 1 Savatheda Fynes BAH 7.16 2 Angela Williams USA 7.19 3 Chryste Gaines USA 7.27 4 Torri Edwards USA 7.29 5 Myriam Mani CMR 7.37 6 Aleen Bailey JAM 7.38 7 Inger Miller USA 7.42 8 Monique Tubbs USA 7.48
Photo: Amy Rudolph placed 4th in the 3000M run behind three Ethiopian women. Her time was 9:00.06; Meseret Defar posted a winning time of 8:57.22.
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