Sacramento Running News

Simpson wins in 4:04.96! (Photo courtesy of painani.org)

Quiet has settled on Hornet Stadium. The fans are gone. The races and jumps are over. Now the post-event analysis can commence.

All in all, I think the event was a tremendous success. USATF is reporting final attendance numbers of 32,700, which doesn’t include the crowds that showed up for the shot put at the State Capitol. This far exceeded the promised minimum 22,500 that Event Director John Mansoor had promised to USATF in pitching Sacramento as host for the event.

The race of the weekend would have to be the women’s 400 meters, where Francena McCorory  edged out Sanya Richards-Ross in the last 100 meters and won in 49.48, which is the 5th fastest time by an American.

Or maybe it was the Women’s 1500, where we got to watch a super talented women’s field duke it out, Morgan Uceny fall down again, and Jenny Simpson win decisively, but not easily, over the surging Mary Cain and the tenacious Katie Mackey.

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Jenny Simpson winning the 1500World Championship in 2011 (Photo by Victah Sailor/PhotoRun.net)

We at the Sacramento Running News have long enjoyed an appreciation for 1500 meter world champion  Jenny (Barringer) Simpson. The expression on Simpson’s face as she crossed the finish line in Daegu and won the 2011 World Championship stands out in my mind as one of the great images from the sport.

Her expression was a deer in the headlight look of amazement and delight.

Simpson’s post race interviews showed her to be charming and gracious–something this sport needs–showing humility and heaping praise on all the people who had helped her get to that podium.

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