ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, February 18 — The fields may have been thin, very thin, a function of this not being a World Indoor year, as well as the modest prize money ($6000 per victory), but fans were treated to some exciting women’s contests on the final day of the USATF Indoor, topped by a near-perfect sprint from Aleia Hobbs.
Hobbs’s performance came in the meet’s penultimate race. The only American Record of the day — at least at this meet — came when Hobbs blistered the start and ran with supreme confidence to a 6.94 that took down the 6.95 that Gail Devers set 30 years ago in winning gold at the World Indoor in Toronto. Runner-up Marybeth Sant Price couldn’t get close with her 7.09.
“I knew for me to get the record I had to get out of the blocks,” said Hobbs. “In the prelim my block start wasn’t all that good so I knew I needed to just get out and finish like I usually do.” Of becoming No. 2 in world history, she said, “Unbelievable. It has been a long time coming.”
Before Hobbs took to the track, the crowd in the Convention Center saw some other fun races:
If Anna Hall felt the aftereffects of putting together history’s second-best pentathlon, it didn’t show when she stepped on the track for the 400. After winning her heat in an easy 53.66, she came back on Saturday to capture the title. She got out hard, led Na’asha Robinson at halfway 23.38–23.54, and lengthened that margin all the way to the finish, her PR 51.03 more than a second ahead of Robinson’s 52.30.
It was the first successful multi/400 double in meet history. It was harder than it looked, she said, “I was just trying to hang on for dear life.”
Patience was the key for Nia Akins in the 800. She passed halfway in a decent 59.64, but that put her dead last, as Laurie Barton (59.09) led Kaela Edwards and Samantha Watson at the front. Akins started putting herself in position over the next lap, moving up to 4th as Edwards (1:29.87 at 600) seemingly had the race in hand.
Akins and Allie Wilson both moved hard on the last circuit, and when Wilson passed Edwards, they both went wide, leaving enough room for Akins to sneak past on the inside. All three scored indoor PRs: Akins 2:00.16, Wilson 2:00.33, Edwards 2:00.52. Said Akins, “It was either be patient or make a really bold move.”
World shot leader Chase Ealey scored a comfortable win over Maggie Ewen, 65-2¼ (19.87) to 63-8¼ (19.41). For the yearly world leader it was the No. 6 U.S. performance ever.
With the effect of altitude and no pacemaking, no one expected anything but a slow start in the 1500. With Huntington frosh Addy Wiley at the front for more than 5 laps, that’s what they got. Then Sage Hurta-Klecker, who had camped on Wiley’s shoulder to that point, surged ahead with a 30.31 lap. Going with her were Nikki Hiltz and Krissy Gear.
The three battled through the bell but the best speed belonged to Hiltz, who zipped the final lap in 28.47 for a 4:17.10 win over Hurta-Klecker (4:17.26) and Gear (4:18.21). Wiley PRed at 4:18.84 in 4th.
Only two went under 8-seconds in the hurdles, but they made a good race of it, Alaysha Johnson getting the lean over Tonea Marshall, 7.83–7.85. “I’ve had a way more competitive season this year than I had last year,” said the winner.
USATF INDOOR WOMEN’S RESULTS, DAY 3
60: 1. Aleia Hobbs (adidas) 6.94 AR (old AR 6.95 Gail Devers [NikInt] ’93 & Marion Jones [Nik] ’98) (2, =4 W);
2. Marybeth Sant Price (unat) 7.09; 3. Destiny Smith-Barnett (DPillar) 7.11 =PR; 4. Mikiah Brisco (adidas) 7.12; 5. Celera Barnes (adidas) 7.13 PR; 6. Jada Baylark (unat) 7.20; 7. Taylor Anderson (TSGSTC) 7.20 =PR; 8. Brittany Brown (adidas) 7.21.
Heats: I–1. Hobbs 7.02; 2. Smith-Barnett 7.16; 3. Anderson 7.20 PR; 4. Baylark 7.23; 5. Candace Hill (Asics) 7.35; 6. Divonne Franklin (CaPa) 7.36 PR; 7. Felicia Brown-Edwards (GardStTC) 7.43.
II–1. Brisco 7.09; 2. Sant Price 7.11; 3. Barnes 7.18 =PR; 4. Brown 7.27; 5. Caira Pettway (unat) 7.39; 6. Raheema Westfall (unat) 7.54; 7. Angee Henry (unat) 7.67 PR.
400: 1. Anna Hall (adidas) 51.03 PR; 2. Na’asha Robinson (unat) 52.30; 3. Brittany Aveni (unat) 52.67; 4. Bianca Stubler (TS) 54.18; 5. Erin Dowd (unat) 55.05; 6. Simone Wilson (unat) 55.31 PR.
Heats: I–1. Hall 53.66; 2. Stubler 54.29; 3. Wilson 55.69; 4. Alexia DeHaven (unat) 57.41. II–1. Robinson 52.92; 2. Aveni 53.38; 3. Dowd 53.98 PR.
800: 1. Nia Akins (BrkB) 2:00.16 PR; 2. Allie Wilson (AtlTC) 2:00.33 PR; 3. Kaela Edwards (adidas) 2:00.52 PR; 4. Brenna Detra (unat) 2:01.94; 5. Laurie Barton (BrkB) 2:02.03; 6. Sammy Watson (adidas) 2:03.04.
Heats: I–1. Detra 2:02.26; 2. Barton 2:02.61; 3. Kristie Schoffield (NBal) 2:04.96 PR; 4. Michaela Meyer (NikeUAC) 2:08.80; 5. Ashley Lewis (PenDC) 2:12.37; 6. Sara Van Dyke (CalCTC) 2:13.21.
II–1. Wilson 2:04.11; 2. Mckenna Keegan (Nike) 2:04.52; 3. Mallory Lindaman (TS) 2:05.55; 4. Aaliyah Miller (On) 2:08.46.
III–1. Edwards 2:02.52; 2. Akins 2:02.55; 3. Watson 2:04.12; 4. Presley Weems (AtlTC) 2:05.76; 5. Anna Connor (TS) 2:07.68 PR.
1500: 1. Nikki Hiltz (Lulu) 4:17.10; 2. Sage Hurta-Klecker (OAC) 4:17.26; 3. Kristlin Gear (Hoka) 4:18.21 PR; 4. Addy Wiley (Hunt) 4:18.84 PR; 5. Abbe Goldstein (NM) 4:20.22; 6. Abby Nichols (Hoka) 4:21.96 PR; 7. Emily Mackay (NBalB) 4:22.01; 8. Molly Sughroue (TS) 4:24.40; 9. Katie Camarena (unat) 4:25.72 PR; 10. Eleanor Fulton (unat) 4:26.09; 11. Allison Cash (Asics) 4:27.17; 12. Melissa Lodge (RITC) 4:27.51.
60H: 1. Alaysha Johnson (unat) 7.83; 2. Tonea Marshall (Nike) 7.85 PR; 3. Amber Hughes (unat) 8.01 PR; 4. Cha’Mia Rothwell (unat) 8.08; 5. Avery McMullen (Co) 8.33; 6. Birgen Nelson (GAd) 8.42; 7. Jada Green (Co) 8.49;… dnf—Taliyah Brooks (Asics).
Heats: I–1. Johnson 7.96; 2. Brooks 8.02 PR; 3. Cha’Mia Rothwell (unat) 8.06; 4. Birgen Nelson (GAd) 8.33 PR. II–1. Marshall 7.92; 2. Hughes 8.07; 3. McMullen 8.33; 4. Green 8.61; 5. Anna Cockrell (Nike) 9.76.
Field Events
PV: 1. Katie Moon (Nike) 15-9 (4.80) (14-9½ [2], 15-3½, 15-9 [2], 16-¾ [xxx]) (4.51 [2], 4.66, 4.80 [2], 4.90 [xxx]);
2. Emily Grove (unat) 15-3½ (4.66) PR; 3. Bridget Williams (unat) 15-1½ (4.61); 4. Kristen Brown (unat) 14-9½ (4.51); 5. Hana Moll (WaHS) 14-9½ (x, =3 AJ, HS; in/out: x, =3 HS; x, =4 AJ); 6. Gabriela Leon (Puma) 14-9½; 7. Rachel Baxter (unat) 14-9½; 8. Amanda Moll (WaHS) 14-9½ (x, =3 AJ, HS; in/out: x, =3 HS; x, =4 AJ); 9. Sydney Walter (unat) 14-5½ (4.41); 10. Marissa Kalsey (unat) 14-5½ PR;… nh—Kristen Leland (unat), Kortney Oates (unat).
TJ: 1. Keturah Orji (Miz) 46-11½ (14.31) (46-11½, f, 40-11, 46-3¼, f, 45-9¾) (14.31, f, 12.47, 14.10, f, 13.96);
2. Imani Oliver (TS) 43-1 (13.13); 3. Cierra Pulliam (unat) 42-7½ (12.99); 4. Makenzy Mizera (Lib) 41-4½ (12.61); 5. Kayla Bushey (unat) 39-5¾ (12.03); 6. Stephanie Mattson (BosNTC) 38-9½ (11.82) PR.
SP: 1. Chase Ealey (Nike) 65-2¼ (19.87) (x, =6 A) (64-1¼, f, 61-8¼, 64-8¾, 62-9½, 65-2¼) (19.54, f, 18.80, 19.73, 19.14, 19.87);
2. Maggie Ewen (Nike) 63-8¼ (19.41); 3. Jessica Woodard (IronW) 57-11¾ (17.67); 4. Felisha Johnson (unat) 57-6¼ (17.53); 5. Rachel Fatherly (GarS) 57-3¾ (17.47).