A Quality World Championships for PSU Track Alumni (Golfers)* and a Brief Lesson in Physics.

*The golf is always optional, but highly recommended.

Three PSU Track Alumni ventured to the rainbow-averse Moscow IAAF World Championships, coming away with a Silver Medal, a Bronze Medal and an appearance in the Semi-Finals.  Not a bad performance overall.

• Ryan Whiting (USA) - Shot Put
• Shana Cox (Great Britain) - 4x400 Relay
• Aleesha Barber (Trinidad) - 100M Hurdles               

Shana Cox, Great Britain.  Photo from IAAF.

And here is a brief video that will teach you more about Physics than all of high school ever did!

BBC Science Club - Physics from Asa Lucander on Vimeo.

Nittany Lions in the "Post-Season"

NCAA Indoor Championships, Boise, Idaho.

1. Robbie Creese -  Mile
2. Casimir Loxsom - 800 M
3. Mens 4 x 400 M  (Aaron Nodolsky, Brannon Bennett-Green, Casimir Loxsom, Brady Gehret)*
4. Evonne Britton - 60 M Hurdles

IAAF World Indoor Championships, Istanbul, Turkey.

1. Ryan Whiting** - Shot Put
2. Ryan Foster (Australia) - 1500 M
3. Dominique Blake (Jamaica)  - 400 M (?)
4. Aleesha Barber (Trinidad-Tobago) - 60 M Hurdles
5. Shana Cox (Great Britain) - 400 M

* The four who set the qualifying mark.
** Honorary PSU Track Alumni Golfer and Volunteer Assistant Coach

Here's Joe Kovacs at the USATF Indoor Championships with a PR and almost qualifying for IAAF.

European Circuit Winds Down For Penn Staters

Many PSU Track Alums spread out over the European Continent this year representing Dear Old State.  I caught up with Fawn Dorr as she made her way back to the States following an exciting taste of Pro running.  She relates she "won a few and lost a few". She sounds upbeat and invigorated for next year's travails.  She also agreed to be one of the featured photos on the 2011 PSU Track Alumi Golf Calendar which will be on sale in the group store (there's a 20% off t-shirt sale until 8/26/10!) some time after I have the time to put it together.  You won't want to miss the finest track and field photo ever!  And at least 11 others.

Fawn also brings word that Shana Cox won a big 400 race in Yugoslavia recently, despite running in the slow heat (51.8)!  Aleesha Barber has one more race to go at the end of September or early October.  Bridgit Franek finished her grueling Steeplechase season and is now safely ensconced in Oregon to begin a new training phase.

Nittany Lions at The Championships of the World

PSU was well represented at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin last week. Four Lady Lions laced them up in Germany representing three Countries and Dear Old State.

Aleesha Barber placed 7th in the semi-finals of the 100 M hurdles for Trinidad and Tobago, while Toyin Augustus placed 6th in her heat in the same event for Nigeria.

Shakeema Walker-Welsch placed 9th in the prelims of the Triple Jump for the good ole USA. Also, the USA was well repreented by Bridget Franek with 12th in the prelims of the 3000 M Steeplechase.

Berlino, the mascot has been deemed by our Blog Laureate as the best mascot ever, and my arguments for the Philly Phanatic fell on less than deaf (in fact profanity laced!) ears. I may have to put up a poll on the subject, and we all know how accurate our polls are! He certainly was the fastest mascot I have seen, especially considering the size of his head and feet.

Ich bin ein Berlino!

The Vacation Continues!

First New York City, then Toronto, and now on to Ocean City, New Jersey! (With a two-day work week in-between each of them.) But now it's time to catch up on some miscellaneous Blog items.

First up, PSU alums continue to impress in Europe:

• Shana Cox finished second in the 400 M at the London Grand Prix.
• Toyin Augustus finished 2nd in two 100 Meter Hurdle races in France.
• Jake Bartholomy won a silver in the 5000 M and the 4 X400 (!) and a gold in both the 800 M and 1500 M in Copenhagen, Denmark. Quite a weekend there!
  

And three Nittany Lions (or former Nittany Lions) will be competing at the World Championships in Berlin next week.

• Bridget Franek, 3000 M Steeplechase.
• Aleesha Barber, 100 M Hurdles (for Trinidad andTobago).
• Shakeema Welsch, Triple Jump.

Keeper of the Beer and Founder Clark Haley supplies this great link for a golf tip most of us can really use. (Not like the tips on swings and grips that we usually get but can't possibly use because we stink too bad!) How to Throw a Golf Club. No references to Gary Black are intended or implied.

Championship Week

A second and two-third place finishes topped the indoor season for PSU at the NCAA Meet. The Women placed 7th overall, first among the Big Ten.
Gayle Hunter set a school record in the Pentathlon with 4342 points. Ryan Fritz placed third in the high jump to lead the Men.

Others garnering All-American Honors included Bridgit Franek in the 5000 M, and the Women's 4 X 400 M Relay squad with Fawn Dorr, Aleesha Barber, Shavon Greaves and Gayle Hunter. The Men's Distance Medley quartet just missed 8th place by less than 2/10ths of a second.

In the USATF 15 K Championships, James Carney placed 10th in 44:13 and honorary PSU Track Alum Golfer Rebecca Donaghue placed 8th in 51:05.

Addendum: Odds for a hole-in-one at our tourney have been figured at (40 X 4/12,750) or 1 in 78. Good luck, and you can't win if you don't play!