As we approach another World Championships I am once again struck by the fact that it will not be in the United States. Nor are we among the nations that are preparing bids to host any of the upcoming editions of the world’s biggest track and field event. Once again demonstrating that we have a big black hole in this country when it comes to hosting competitions outside of your standard “relay” meet. Don’t get me wrong, we do have Track Town USA. The Oregon burb of Eugene that is host to one of the world’s top meets in the Prefontaine Classic – one of the best meets in the…

With just about a month until the big dance, it’s time to start putting together predictions. Phase One is identifying what I think it will take to win gold. As we get closer to the meet – about two weeks out – I will add my thoughts on medalists. Most teams have been selected, so we have a pretty good idea who will be in attendance. The hard part, however, is that this has not been quite the stellar season that one may have expected. There have been lots of injuries and under performing athletes making it more challenging to predict performances – but I’m going to try. The biggest…

That’s the question I was asking myself this weekend as the final game of the FIFA Women’s World Cup came to an end. With Team USA a contender from the opening of the tournament, America was watching. ESPN showed our matches, and Americans across the country watched. And as Team USA advanced to the semifinals and then to the final game, living rooms and sports bars were packed to watch Team USA go for the FIFA Championship! If only I could say that the same would be true come August 27th through September 4th. But alas you and I both know that it won’t be. The real question is: why…

It doesn’t seem like it’s been nearly 28 years since the first World Championships. Yet twelve versions of the Championships are in the books, and Daegu will make it a bakers dozen. Not quite the 115 years the modern Olympics have been around, but rapidly closing in on the number of events that have been held – London will be the 30th (XXX) Olympiad. It would seem, however,  that there have been enough renditions of the World Championships to start looking at who the top performers have been. So I have come up with my Great Eight. Four men and four women that I feel have been the ultimate performers…

For most of the World Championships’ quarter century run, the “metric mile” (1500 meters) has seen some truly elite “super” milers rule. The first edition in 1983 was won by Steve Cram (GBR) over an all star field that included Steve Scott (USA), Said Aouita (MOR), and Steve Ovett (GBR) – almost as a prelude to his WR in ‘85. 1991 saw Noureddine Morceli (ALG) win as a preface to his own WR in ‘92, before going on to win again in ‘95 – as well as set another WR in ‘95. In ‘97 the mantle was passed to Hicham El Guerrouj (MOR) who repeated in ‘99, ‘01, and ‘03…

Sounds like directions in a math class, but I’m actually talking about the 400 meters and the World Championships. Since the beginning of the World Championships in 1983, the men’s 400 has seen some very dominant athletes. From initial champion Bert Cameron; through Michael Johnson’s reign from 1993 thru 1999; and the dual reign of Jeremy Wariner & Lashawn Merritt from 2005 thru 2009 this has been an event with little to wonder about as far as who would be standing on the podium. Except in years ending in the number “1”! Because. for some reason, “1” is not only the loneliest number, it also seems to signify a changing…

Last year Allyson Felix was undefeated – in two events! She won the Diamond League series in both the 200 and 400 meters – setting herself up for a potential run at a double in 2011. Since the end of 2010 the most oft question asked of Ms. Felix has been: are you going to double in Daegu? Of course, Felix has been playing it close to the vest and has not yet committed to whether she will attempt to double or not. But she does have the opportunity to do so as she won the 400 at the U.S. Trials for Daegu, and has the bye in the 200…

Ten days after her surprising win in Lausanne, Morgan Uceny once again took to the track against a world class field. And just as in Eugene and Lausanne she came away with another victory. Actually the word victory doesn’t adequately describe the masterful piece of work that Uceny engineered on her way to once again dominating a class field as she is proving to be perhaps the best tactician in U.S. middle distance running today. Only Bernard Lagat shows the kind of skilled running tactics currently being displayed by Morgan. In Birmingham Uceny settled in over the first two laps and let the pace get established. Then on the third…

You know the Apollo Theatre in New York – where some of the best acts in the world go to test themselves on their way to the big time – and even after. That’s how I felt watching the stream of the Paris leg of the Diamond League. A lot of great talent, most of which I really liked with some expected crowd pleasers; some unexpected talent; and an act that I wanted to have taken off the stage.  The act that I wanted taken off the stage came in the men’s 400. Who would ever have thought to see Jeremy Wariner’s name listed in FOURTH place in a 400…

At the beginning of this track season the most anticipated race in Daegu was the men’s 100 meters featuring Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt – the two fastest men in history. Their showdown was to be THE story of the year. Unfortunately that story will never make it to press, because the new story of the year is the end of Gay’s season to injury and the surgeon’s scalpel. Ah, but that is not the end of the stories yet to be spun in this high profile event. You see the men’s 100 almost always is full of narratives and backstories. Injuries such as Tyson Gay’s are usually the most…