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Brenda Martinez, Matthew Centrowitz Seek More Significant Performances at USATF Distance Classic

Published by
DyeStat.com   May 16th 2018, 11:28pm
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Martinez looks for sub-2 effort in 800 meters for seventh straight year; Centrowitz also returns after memorable matchup with Farah, OHare last season

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Brenda Martinez delivered one of the most impressive performances in USATF Distance Classic history last year at Occidental College’s Jack Kemp Stadium when she produced meet and stadium records in the women’s 800 meters by clocking 1 minute, 58.78 seconds.

Martinez, a Rancho Cucamonga High graduate and former UC Riverside standout, will be seeking a third sub-2 effort in five years at Occidental when she competes against another quality field Thursday, including 2016 champion Laura Roesler, at the annual event that begins at 6:15 p.m. PDT.

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Martinez, who ran 1:59.91 in 2014, eclipsed the meet and stadium records of 1:59.48 set in 2011 by Alice Schmidt. Martinez has produced sub-2 efforts six consecutive years in the 800 and has 23 sub-2 performances in her career, including a personal-best 1:57.91 in 2013 that earned her a bronze medal at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships in Moscow, Russia.

That medal was upgraded to silver last year when runner-up Russia’s Mariya Savinova was disqualified because of a doping violation. 

Ce’Aira Brown is the only American in the field and one of five athletes in the world this year to have a sub-2 performance, running a personal-best 1:59.70 on May 4 at the Henderson Invitational in Pennsylvania. Roesler enjoyed a sub-2 effort for only the second year in her career last season and the first since 2014. Her personal best remains 1:59.04 from four years ago.

Great Britain’s Lynsey Sharp, who boasts a personal-best 1:57.69, is racing in the second section, along with Canada’s Lindsey Butterworth and former Princeton standout Cecilia Barowski.

Matthew Centrowitz, the 2016 Olympic 1,500 gold medalist, is entered in both the 800 and 1,500. Centrowitz set meet and stadium records last year by clocking 3:33.41 in the 1,500 to hold off Great Britain’s Mo Farah and Scotland’s Chris O’Hare.

Along with Centrowitz, fellow Olympian Charles Jock and 2018 World Indoor qualifier Craig Engels are also entered in the 800, along with 2016 World Indoor gold medalist Boris Berian, in addition to fellow Americans Chris Low, Harun Abda and Henry Wynne.

Eric Avila, Johnny Gregorek, Kyle Merber and Leo Manzano are Americans competing in the men’s 1,500, along with Mexico’s Daniel Herrera, another sub-4 miler. Hassan Mead, the reigning USATF Outdoor 10,000-meter champion, is also entered in the first section of the 1,500.

Mel Lawrence is scheduled to return after winning the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase last season.

 



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