Zurich’s Weltklasse invitational lived up to it’s storied tradition with some outstanding races on the track. In a meet with several standout events, the men’s 400 was especially sweet because, for me, it marked the true return to form of Jeremy Wariner. Now THAT is how Jeremy Wariner is supposed to look. Fluid, flowing in rhythm and running away from his competitors looking effortless. That’s the race that Wariner ran in Zurich as Jermaine Gonzales (44.51) did everything right in the first 300 meters, but just couldn’t hold off the final stretch charge of Wariner. The race was reminiscent of gold medal runs in Athens, Helsinki, and Osaka and with…

The Weltklasse has been one of the world’s most elite competitions as far back as I can remember – and that’s a long time! Often called, “The Olympics in a Day”, the Weltklasse (Zurich) is known for some of the best field’s every year even before the Diamond League, or Golden League, came along. This year’s version will be no exception. Especially given that those in competition to become Diamond League champions in their events must compete in order to be eligible. With that being the case every event will be loaded and the competition fierce. However there are a few events that should stand out a bit from the…

With this season heading into the final month or so of competition, it’s time to start looking forward to next season. After all the World Championships are literally just about one year away. US forces have had some nice surprises this year. Andrew Wheating, Leonel Manzano, Morgan Uceny, Phoebe Wright, and Alysia Johnson have emerged to bolster a growing middle distance corps. Jeremy Wariner is regaining form and Tyson Gay has found good health in the later stages of the season. Marshavet Myers seems ready to join Caarmelita Jeter in the sprint wars, and Allyson Felix is showing that she is a threat over 400 as well as the deuce.…

While wet damp conditions in London hampered many of the events at this weekend’s Diamond League meet, Tyson Gay blazed his way to a world leading 9.78 in the first day’s highlight event. Looking very confident following his previous week’s defeat of Usain Bolt, Tyson once again started well, which meant that the race was effectively over by 30 meters. Only Walter Dix was with him at that point, but some 20 meters later Dix’ body gave out under the pressure as Tyson shifted gears and went on to his world leading mark – well clear of the field. In second Yohan Blake (JAM), set a new personal best of…

Well, we’re rounding the final turn on this season, with three meets left in the inaugural Diamond League season. On tap will be the biggest of the DL meets as London will contest all of the events on the slate over the course of two days – the only DL meet to do so. While it won’t be held in the upcoming Olympic stadium, it will take place in the city that will play host to the Games, giving those competing an idea of what the weather could be like come 2012. As I check the weather reports, the prediction for the upcoming two days is temperatures in the mid…

The word this week on just about every media outlet available – track and field web sites, major newspapers, even USA Today and ESPN – is that Usain Bolt is calling it a season. Within days of his loss to Tyson Gay in Stockholm, Bolt announced that due to lower back pain he will be calling it a season. With Asafa Powell also complaining of lower back pain following his losses to Gay and Bolt, this ensures that 2010 will have had only 1 showdown each among the world’s top three sprinters. Leaving the sport with almost as much publicity over Bolt’s end of the season as we’ve had regarding…

Early yesterday morning I got a text message telling me that Antonio Pettigrew had been found dead. As the day progressed details began to fill in. He was in his car. Involved an overdose of sleeping pills. As I read the various articles that came out over the course of the day, I almost came to believe that Pettigrew had a short athletic career that began and ended with the Sydney Olympics in 2000. Because almost everything that was written detailed his admission of doping between that season, and how he and his teammates were stripped of their relay medals from the Sydney Olympics as a result. But I remember…

In the days since Tyson’ Gay’s “upset” victory over Usain Bolt, much has been written and said. From message board arguments, to newspaper articles, to other bloggers. Everyone has been trying to “figure out” and/or “explain” how the “unbeatable” Usain Bolt lost to Tyson Gay. I’ve seen everything from “Bolt didn’t take Gay seriously”; to “Bolt wasn’t trying”’ to Bolt was out of shape”; to “the race didn’t matter”. I’m going to chalk up most of the post race chatter to either youth – haven’t been watching the sport very long). Nationalism – we all like to think “our” athletes are unbeatable). Fanaticism –  fans sometimes get so wrapped up…

Now we officially have a sprint rivalry with Tyson Gay’s defeat of Usain Bolt (9.84 to 9.97) in the Swedish city of Stockholm. It was Bolt’s first defeat over the distance since July 22, 2008 when he lost to countryman Asafa Powell on this same track. It was also Gay’s first win over Bolt, although they had only met over this distance on two other occasions. A stat that has gone somewhat under the radar as Bolt has run roughshod over the rest of the world over the past two seasons. With Usain Bolt setting three WRs in the event over the past two seasons (9.72, 9.69 & 9.58) and…

Late Wednesday came word that Asafa Powell (JAM) was pulling out of the Stockholm Showdown with Usain Bolt (JAM) and Tyson Gay (US). While I was disappointed when I got the text message alerting me to the news I was not entirely surprised. One because the trade mark of elite sprinting in the New Millennium has been the lack of top level match ups in the men’s short sprints (100/200). The other because the history of Asafa Powell is rife with missed/avoided big races. Powell became a blip on the sprint radar in 2003. That season was his first under 10.10 as he ran to a PR 10.02 in Brussels.…