Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

Sorry guys, I would love to preview the men's events as well, but there are only so many hours in the day and frankly I know much more about the women. So rather than spend my day Googling the names of some of the men, I'm going to give you a thorough women's preview and leave the men's preview to others. I'm sure there have been excellent previews written elsewhere that include the men.

The USA Track & Field Indoor Championships take place this Saturday and Sunday in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Albuquerque Convention Center. There has been some controversy about the choice of this location for a national championship and VISA series event because Albuquerque is at an altitude of approximately one mile. This is an advantage for the sprinting, jumping and throwing events but a disadvantage for the distance events. If this were strictly a national championship event, this wouldn't matter much because the competitors in each event would be facing the same advantage or disadvantage.

But this event is also the final meet in the VISA Championship Series, in which athletes are awarded points based on the relative worth of the marks they achieve in their event at selected meets throughout the season. The series uses the IAAF Scoring Tables of Athletics to weight marks in each event. For example, a 4:28 mile is worth the same as a 22' 4" long jump.

If, at this final meet of the VISA Series, the distance runners are at a disadvantage while the competitors in the other events are at an advantage due to the altitude, then their respective marks are going to tally drastically different results than if the playing field was (literally) level.

USA Track & Field must have received a number of complaints because CEO Doug Logan released a statement on Tuesday explaining that "the relatively moderate altitude of the site was discussed extensively by USATF staff, with input from coaches and members of the sports science and sports medicine communities as well." One mile is hardly "relatively moderate" altitude. There is no doubt that it will affect the distance runners' times adversely. There is money at stake here for these athletes: the winner of the VISA Championship Series takes home $30,000. Right now, Shannon Rowbury leads the women's side with 1172 points. Odds are, Damu Cherry will be able to catch her this weekend, as she only trails by 3 points and Cherry's event is the 60m hurdles, an event that benefits from high altitude.

What I don't understand is why they can't take a page from the NCAA's book and use some conversion charts to adjust marks for altitude. These charts have been in use for decades and are the result of thorough research of extensive data. Seems like a simple solution to me.

But I digress...

On to the preview of women's events at this weekend's Championships:

Women's 60m

Carmelita Jeter showed she is in top form by running a blazing 7.05 in Stuttgart on February 6th. Chasing her will be Gloria Asumnu and Me'Lisa Barber (@lisabarber80).

Women's 400m

No Sanya Richards in this race...she has trained through the indoor season and is getting married to New York Giants cornerback Aaron Ross (@AaronandSanya) on Saturday. Check our Track & Field twitter list for tweets and pics from the guests.

What we will see is a tough 4-way battle between current US leader Natasha Hastings (@natashahastings), 200m World Champion (and Women Talk Sports member) Allyson Felix (@allysonfelix), 4x400m relay gold medalists Debbie Dunn and DeeDee Trotter.

Women's 800m, 1500m and 3000m

I've overlapped these three previews because the contenders for each are overlapping events themselves - Anna (Willard) Pierce and Erin Donohue are doubling in the 800m and 1500m and Sara Hall (@sarahall3) and Shannon Rowbury (@shannonrowbury) are doubling in the 1500m and 3000m. They also happen to be the favorites in these events. The question is, can they handle the double well or will someone who is focusing on a single event be able to snatch a win with fresh legs?

Women's 60m Hurdles

Lolo Jones (@followlolo) has had an incredible season thus far and is currently ranked #2 in the world behind Canada's Priscilla Lopes-Schliep (@gopriscilla). Should she continue that form this weekend, she will win going away. But Damu Cherry (@cherrymitchell) and Kellie Wellz (@kelliewellz) will be there fighting for the win if they can grab it.

Women's 3000m Racewalk

All I know is that the entry times are fast! Walking a 3K in 13:37? Many people can't run that fast.

Women's High Jump

Chaunte (Howard) Lowe should dominate the field, as she has already jumped 6'5" this season.

Women's Pole Vault

This will be an exciting competition to watch between Lacy Jansen and Chelsea Johnson (@chelsrosej), as both women have cleared 15 feet this season.

Women's Long Jump

What a field! Beijing Heptathlon Silver Medalist Hyleas Fountain, Funmi Jimoh who is having her best season ever, 2009 Outdoor World Champ Brittney Reese (@daljbeast) and Berlin World Team and Women Talk Sports member Brianna Glenn (@briannaglenn).

Women's Triple Jump

2009 Outdoor champ Shakeema Welsch should dominate the field. Her biggest threat will be from 2008 NCAA Outdoor champ Erica McLain.

Women's Shot Put

Jillian Camarena has thrown almost 2 1/2 feet further than anyone else in the field and is looking for her fifth indoor national title. Olympian Michelle Carter (@shotdiva) is having a great season however, coming off of her 6th-place finish at Worlds in August.

Women's Weight Throw

Amber Campbell, 2008 Olympian and 3-time Indoor National Champ, has thrown more than five feet further than anyone else in the field this season and should win her fourth indoor national title in a row this weekend.

Check out our Track & Field twitter list for live updates from athletes, reporters and fans in Albuquerque. Women Talk Sports member Joanna Hayes (@jhayes14kt) will be down on the infield with the microphone during the meet.

The USATF is hosting a live blog with commentary and results HERE.

The meet will also be shown on ESPN2 on Sunday at 7pm EST.

Support women's sports and SHARE this story with your friends!

Filed Under:  

• Track & Field
• Sports

This post is related to an event on our Calendar:

• USA Track & Field Indoor National Championships

This article was written by a WomenTalkSports.com contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own women's sports content.

View anngaff's Full Profile