Track & Field/Road Racing Roundup: European Season has started!

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

The European track season has begun which means there is nearly a track and field meet every day of the week (including Tuesdays).  Many U.S. athletes have traveled across the pond to sharpen their racing skills before the Olympics or chase fast races if they did not make it to the Olympics.  Here is quick wrap-up of what happened this past week and I promise to do a better job at not waiting for one more meet before writing.

2012 Aviva London Grand Prix- There was a bit of a controversy between the meet director, Ian Stewart and Lolo Jones and Nick Symmonds. Stewart did not allow the pair to race claiming they were liabilities read more here.  The meet did go on and there were plenty of good races. In the women’s 100 meters Blessing Okagbare got the best of US duo Carmelita Jeter and Tianna Madison. Okagbare won the race in 11.01 followed by Jeter in 11.03 and Madison in 11.13.  Molly Beckwith surprised the field by taking the win in 2:00.68 in the 800 meters over Kenya’s Janeth Jepkosgei Busieni (2:00.68). Geena Gall was fifth in 2:01.65.  In US heavy 1500 meters, Jenny Simpson was runner-up in 4:07.76 to Bahrain’s Maryram Yusuf Jamal (4:06.78). Anna Pierce was third in 4:08.06 followed by Morgan Unceny in fifth in 4:08.22 and Shannon Rowbury was sixth in 4:08.63. In the steeple, Bridget Franek was fourth in 9:29.53 and Ashley Higginson was sixth in 9:34.49.  In the 100 meter hurdles, Kellie Wells took the win in 12.57 over Sally Pearson in 12.59.

2012 Lignano 23rd International Meeting of Athletics-Maggie Vessey ran a 2:00:59 to come in second to Santiusti Caballero who ran a 1:59.9 in the 800 meters. Anna Pierce was third in 2:00.59. Gabrielle Anderson pulled off a win in the women’s 1500 meters in a PR of 4:04.84.  Lolo Jones won the 100 meter hurdles in 12.85.

2012 Cork City Sports Meet- Keisha Baker took the win the women’s 400 meters with a time of 51.51 over Jamaica’s Shericka Williams who ran 51.74. 5000 meter US Olympic qualifier, Kim Conley won the 3000 meters in 9:01.47. 

On tap this week will be the Monaco Diamond League - Herculis Meeting International d'Athletisme on July 20th. 

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

• Running
• Track & Field

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

View carabyrd's Full Profile