The Adidas Track Classic is an American track and field athletics meeting which has taken place annually in Carson, California, since 2005. The meeting forms part of the USA Track & Field Visa Championship Series and is also one of the few area meetings where athletes can earn points to qualify for the World Athletics Final.[1] The event has its roots in the Oregon Track Classic, which was sponsored by Adidas until 2005 and was forced to close that year due to lack of funding.[2]

Top athletes from the North America, Central America and Caribbean (NACAC) area compete at the event and a number of national and area records have been set at previous editions. The event is usually held in mid-May at The Home Depot Center, part of the Adidas Performance Institute. Athletes who are part of the Adidas track team often feature prominently and World Champions and Olympic medalists often participate in the event.[3][4] The competition is broadcast on television in the United States.

Previous editions

After winning the 100 metres at the 2004 edition, Olympic Gold Medalist Maurice Greene walked back to the finish line and took off his shoes as if they were on fire. As part of the planned stunt Allen Johnson rushed onto the track with a real fire extinguisher to put out the shoes,[5] in one of the more famous showboating incidents.

At the 2008 Adidas Track Classic Tyson Gay won both the 100 and 200 meters races,[6] while Megan Metcalfe and Ethiopian Ali Abdosh set world leading times in the 3000 and 5000 meters respectively. Shannon Rowbury won the 1500 meters with the fastest time by an American woman in five years and Jeremy Wariner set the 400 meters meeting record.[6]

In the 2009 edition Anna Willard ran the fastest 3000 meters steeplechase to have been run in the United States and Hazel Clark set a new track record in the 800 metres. LaShawn Merritt, Jenn Stuczynski aka Jenn Suhr, Aheza Kiros and Kerron Clement won their events with world-leading times but Clement's 400 meter hurdles world leading time was disqualified due to a misplaced hurdle. Second-placed Angelo Taylor struck out at the meet organisers for their mistake, saying he would never compete again at the event.[1]

Meet records

Records are correct as of May 17, 2009.

Men

Men's meeting records of the Adidas Track Classic
EventRecordNameNationDateRef.
100 m9.94Maurice GreeneUnited States2003
200 m19.91Wallace SpearmonUnited States2007
400 m44.42Jeremy WarinerUnited States18 May 2008[7]
800 m1:45.23Khadevis RobinsonUnited States2006
1500 m3:32.34Rashid RamziBahrain2006
3000 m7:38.11Markos GenetiEthiopia2005
2 miles8:19.61Markos GenetiEthiopia2006
5000 m13:08.64Ali AbdoshEthiopia18 May 2008[7]
110 m hurdles13.17Terrence TrammellUnited States2007
400 m hurdles47.62Bershawn JacksonUnited States2005
3000 m steeplechase8:25.16Anthony FamigliettiUnited States2005
Pole vault5.60 mToby StevensonUnited States2004
Long jump8.39 mHussein Taher Al-SabeeSaudi Arabia2003
Triple jump17.09 mKenta BellUnited States2005
Shot put22.35 mChristian CantwellUnited States2004
Discus throw65.09 mJarred RomeUnited States18 May 2008[7]
Javelin throw90.71 mBreaux GreerUnited States2007

Women

Women's meeting records of the Adidas Track Classic
EventRecordNameNationDateRef.
100 m10.90Torri EdwardsUnited States2007
200 m22.14Allyson FelixUnited States2005
400 m49.62Ana GuevaraMexico2003
800 m2:01.40Hazel ClarkUnited States16 May 2009[1]
1500 m4:01.61Shannon RowburyUnited States18 May 2008[7]
3000 m8:37.69Meseret DefarEthiopia2007
2 miles9:10.47Meseret DefarEthiopia2007
100 m hurldes12.58Ginnie PowellUnited States2007
400 m hurdles55.57Tanisha MillsUnited States2005
3000 m steeplechase9:26.85Anna WillardUnited States16 May 2009[1]
Pole vault4.90 mJennifer StuczynskiUnited States18 May 2008[7]
Long jump6.68 mGrace UpshawUnited States18 May 2008[7]
Triple jump13.82 mYvette LewisUnited States16 May 2009[1]
High jump1.98 mTisha WallerUnited States2004
Chaunte HowardUnited States18 May 2008[7]
Discus throw64.71 mAretha HillUnited States2003

References

  1. ^ Lee, Kirby (2009-05-17). "World leading marks by Merritt, Willard, Stuczynski and Kiros in Carson". IAAF
  2. ^ Oregon Track Classic canceled, lacks sponsor. USA Today (2005-04-19). Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
  3. ^ Middle and long distance duels announced, while Olympic champion Harper joins the hurdles start list in Carson. IAAF (2009-05-06). Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
  4. ^ Painter, Jill (2009-05-16). Felix gets back up to speed at Adidas Track Classic Archived June 3, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
  5. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NvXhb52bAk How to mock your rivals
  6. ^ Gay wins 100, 200 titles at Adidas Track Classic Archived December 3, 2008 at the Wayback Machine. AFP (2008-05-18). Retrieved on 2009-05-17.
  7. ^ Kirby, Lee (2008-05-19). "Stuczynski soars to 4.90m American Record in Carson". IAAF. Retrieved 2009-05-17.