by USATF Statistician Glen McMicken

In addition to the USA Track & Field Classic, here is a recap of last week's action:

LAGAT SMASHES 5K AR AT MILLROSE GAMES

The venue may have changed for the storied Millrose Games, but the talent on the track and in the field was stellar at the Armory as Bernard Lagat smashed the indoor American Record in the 5, 000 meters, chopping more than four seconds off the previous standard with his 13:07.15.

The owner of the previous record? Galen Rupp, who a thousand miles away at the USATF Classic at Arkansas snatched away Lagat's two-mile AR on the same evening.

Hot miles were also on tap, with 2011 World outdoor 1500 bronze medalist Matthew Centrowitz notching a PR 3:53.92 to move atop the '12 U.S. list. Behind him, BYU's Miles Batty broke the collegiate record with a 3:54.54 clocking.

The women's 1500m was a triumph for '11 World outdoor champ Jenny Simpson, who won with a world-leading 4:07.27 PR, just ahead of Shannon Rowbury's PR 4:07.66 in second.

Defending Olympic 400 champion LaShawn Merrit stepped up a tad bit in distance to claim the 500m title with a world-leading 61.39 PR, and David Oliver ran a world-leading 7.01 for the 55 hurdles en route to a 7.51 win in the 60H.

Sanya Richards-Ross raced to her second straight WL in the 400 at 50.89, and Kristi Castlin's 7.37 55H en route to a 7.91 60H win was also the fastest in the world this season.

The top field performance went to World outdoor high jump champ Jesse Williams, who cleared a U.S.-leading 2.32m/7-7.25.

CLAYE, TAYLOR PUT ON TJ SHOW AT TYSON INVITATIONAL

Christian Taylor won the world outdoor title in 2011, but former Florida teammate and Daegu bronze medalist Will Claye stole the show at the Tyson Invitational in Fayetteville with his world-leading 17.39/57-0.75. Taylor, jumping from a very short approach run, spanned
16.88m/55-4.75 for second. Claye also tied for the world lead in the long jump with a leap of 8.24m/27-0.5.

Former Oklahoma star Frankie Wright was a revelation in the 400, zipping to a PR 45.72 in a solo effort that trimmed a half second off his previous indoor best.

RUTT, SCHAPPERT GET MID-DISTANCE AL'S AT BOSTON

Michael Rutt rolled to a 1:47.11 in the 800 and Nicole Schappert won the mile in 4:33.16 to establish U.S.-leading marks (on a regulation-size track) at the Valentine Invitational at Boston University.

HOOSIERS SOLO WL IN DMR

Indiana's men's distance medley relay used a low-key home meet to speed to a world-leading 9:29.12, featuring a 3:56.9 anchor 1600 by Andrew Bayer. The time moved them to =4th on the all-time collegiate list.

ROBERTS RED-HOT AGAIN IN 200/400

Texas Tech redshirt Gil Roberts, a 2009 World Championships qualifier in the 400, returned to Albuquerque to turn in another stellar long-sprint double with his 20.58/45.39 in the 200/400 at the Kirby Invitational.

English Gardner of Oregon, who claimed the American Junior Record in the 100 last year, ripped to a 7.17 in the women's 60, and 2008 Olympian Erica McLain continued her return from an horrific leg injury with a season-best 13.56m/44-6 in the triple jump.

WASHINGTON'S XL TRACK YIELDS MORE SUPERB TIMES

Dempsey Track at the University of Washington has become a mecca of sorts for fast distance racing on the indoor circuit, and the generous 307-meter oval once again yielded some superb performances at the Flotrack Husky Classic.

North Carolina State's Ryan Hill won the 3000 in 7:43.08 to edge Northern Arizona's Diego Estrada, who was second at 7:44.63, both among the fastest all-conditions clockings ever by American collegians.

Katie Flood's 4:28.48 in the mile gave the home fans something to cheer about, while Cal's Deb Maier lopped almost 30 seconds off her lifetime best with a 15:29.24 in the 5K.

Similar excellence came in the men's 5K with Hassan Mead of Minnesota
(13:33.42) and Trevor Dunbar of Oregon (13:36.86) moving into the all-conditions American collegiate all-time top-10.

US HURDLERS HOPPING IN GERMANY

Lolo Jones (7.94), and Danielle Carruthers (7.95) dipped under 8.00 in the 60H at the Dusseldorf meet in Germany on Feb. 10, and Yvette Lewis joined that group with a 7.98 win at Karlsruhe two days later.

Former UCLA ace Kevin Craddock won at Dusseldorf in a PR 7.53, while Jeff Porter dropped his PR to 7.54 to win at Karlsruhe.

THROWERS TAKE IT OUTSIDE DOWN UNDER

Russ Winger won his third straight discus meet in Australia's "winter"
season, spinning a season-best 65.46m/214-9 at Perth on Feb. 11. It was the second best throw of his career.

2008 Olympic champ Stephanie Brown Trafton took top honors in the women's discus at 61.71m/202-5, and American Record-holder Kara Patterson grabbed gold in the javelin with a toss of 59.18m/194-2.