Special to Irish Runner.com by Steve Vaitones
The adidas Boston Indoor Games kicked off the winter Golden Spike Tour of USA Indoor Track & Field events, and Irish runners had mixed success at the Reggie Lewis Center located in Boston, Massachusetts on 1st February.

The women's 3000m saw 18 runners to the line, with the Ethiopian trio of Defar, Ejigu, and Dibaba immediately in the controlling positions. The two starting barrels merged after two bends, and Sinéad Delahunty-Evans found herself mid-pack. Through lead splits of 68.0 and 2:22.2, and 2:59.81, she was within two seconds of the front running 8, and content with her position. Amy Rudolph challenged, and then local favorite and collegiate cross-country champ Shalane Flanagan, a local Massachusetts high school product, took the lead. Passing 2000 in 6:05.75 (Delahunty-Evans 6:06.8), the pace quickened significantly at 2400 meters putting Evans 3 seconds arrear in on lap, still 8th but working hard. She was unable to make up the gap, as the pace accelerated even more to the tape and produced an Ethiopian sweep, all under 9:00. Delahunty-Evans lost one more position in the final lap, completing the race in ninth in 9:12.27. She appeared less at ease than the previous week at Boston University where she bided her time in second and made precisely the right move to win.

With World and American bonus money on the line and Regina Jacobs in town, a fast race was assured in the 1500. Jacobs has a history of running to records on the east coast, and this would be no exception. Shooting to the front in 62.3, the American found neither pacesetter nor anyone to share the work; behind her, Geraldine Hendricken was sixth with a split of 64.2.

The 14-woman field was already stringing out and the pace likely threw off a few race plans. Jacobs was 20 meters clear of the competition at 2:06.2, and 2:38.8; Hendricken clocked 2:13.4 and 2:49.3 at the same marks, dropping one spot in the process. A 1200 time of 3:12.0, and the buzz intensified with the expectation of at least an American record. The volume increased through the bell lap, and the crowd brought her in to what was clearly a fast time. Moments later the official FinishLynx image confirmed an historic race; 3:59.98 for a new World record and first sub 4:00 indoor 1500. Hendricken faded a bit in the ultimate lap, not looking particularly fresh and placing ninth at 4:19.25 in her tough test of the new year.

The Providence College Distance Medley Relay was up against several teams, which should figure in the point scoring at next month's collegiate nationals, and were unfortunately not a factor in the race.

After the first two legs, the Friars found themselves racing Dartmouth for the last spot, as Arkansas, Michigan, Villanova, and Kentucky fought it out for the top honors.

In the 800-meter leg, Liam Reale clocked 1:51.8, and Paul Reilly, usually a 5k runner, anchored the team in 4:11.2, contributing to the 9:52.96 total.

Daniel Caulfield (Dublin City Harriers) was aggressive but not to a fault in the 800. Starting in the outside barrel, he established himself in third at the merge, not following Otukile Lekote's pace of 24.9 and 51.83 (26.1 / 53.5). Running with confidence, Caulfield moved up to second by 600 with 5 meters on those behind him. Down the backstretch he was steadily eating into the Botswanan's lead. But behind him, Derrick Peterson was gaining on both at an even faster rate. The all converged just before the home stretch, Peterson's momentum sparking a response by Lekote and Caulfield now chasing two to the line.

The picture showed that Lekote had held on for a 3/100ths win over Peterson in 1:48.07, with Caulfield clocking a credible 1:48.62 for his work.

The best performance for the Irish was saved for last, as Alistair Cragg toed the line in the meet's final race, the 3000.

As the impressive field sorted itself out in the first few laps, Craig was fifth behind Noah Ngeny, World Junior champ Markos Geneti of Ethiopia, Kenyan Sammy Mutai, and Arkansas teammate Daniel Lincoln. Runners in single file were led through an opening kilometer of 2:35.85. Reaching the midpoint, Craig smoothly moved up to third behind Mutai and Ngeny; Mutai left the track after passing 2000 in 5:13.51, leaving Cragg on the heels of the Olympic champ, appearing to almost be holding back. With three laps to go, Geneti made a move up to Cragg's shoulder but the Razorback moved out to avoid being boxed, and with 400 left, Cragg himself challenged for and then quickly took the lead. By the bell he had three strides on Ngeny, and that gap increased with 150 left.

Cragg broke the tape at 7:45.22, which was announced as a new NCAA Collegiate record, and a time that approaches Frank O'Mara's Irish National record of 7.41.14 set in Seville on 10th March 1991. Overshadowed by Cragg's brilliant run was St. Malachy's Gareth Turnbull's 14th place in 8.09.97.