For the third consecutive year, the Albuquerque Convention Center welcomed the nation’s best and presented a chance to punch their ticket to Istanbul, Turkey, for the World Indoor Championships. It was the fourth and final stop of this year’s indoor VISA Championship Series.
Kirby Lee
Also grabbing notable wins during the meet’s first day, Jenn Suhr seized her sixth national indoor title in the pole vault (4.67m/15-3.75) and Jesse Williams picked up his third national title in the high jump (2.31m/7-7).
Day Two JESSE WILLIAMS
The largest roar from the crowd Sunday came in the women’s high jump. On her final attempt at the height after two narrow misses, Chaunte Lowe established a new American record in the high jump with a height of 2.02m/6-7.5. Sanya Richards-Ross celebrated her birthday and wedding anniversary with a meet record in the 400m in 50.71 while Trell Kimmons and Justin Gatlin blazed to the two fastest times in the world in the 60m, respectively.
Day One
In what many considered to be the most anticipated race of the night, Bernard Lagat won his third consecutive USA Indoor 3,000m title ahead of Lopez Lomong (7:51.75). In the men’s triple jump, Will Claye jumped the third best indoor mark in American history to win the event in 17.63m/57-10.25, Amber Campbell won her sixth USA Indoor title in the hammer throw (24.78m/81-3.75) and improved her own USA Indoor Championships record from 2010, and A.G. Kruger earned his seventh USA Indoor title with a lob of 24.57m/80-7.5 in the weight throw.
Kirby Lee
Galen Rupp and Lowe highlighted the final day of the competition as they claimed the 2012 Indoor Visa Championship Series titles. In front of a near sell-out crowd, both the men’s and women’s championship titles remained in question until the day’s final events. Rupp first appeared on the leader board after his American record effort in the two-mile at the USATF Classic, and he was able to protect his lead in a narrow win over Trell Kimmons. Meanwhile, Lowe needed every centimeter of her American high jump record to grab the three-point win over Amber Campbell.
FROM LEFT: GALEN RUPP, CHAUNTE LOWE & AMBER CAMPBELL