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2011 in Review – Men’s 110 Meter Hurdles
This was supposed to be one of those “super events” with the three fastest men in history going head to head for hurdle supremacy in 2011. And for a quick minute it seemed like that was going to be the case – but at the end of the day things weren‘t quite what we had anticipated. David Oliver (USA) started things off hot once again running a WL 13.16 to open up his season on Apr 9th. Then he went to Daegu to test things out at the Pre Worlds competition on May 12th– the result a swift 13/24. Then three days later in Shanghai, we would get a peek…
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John Smith Reboots w/ Dix & Bailey!
The last time U.S. sprint fortunes were in the precarious position we are now was coming off the 1996 Olympics. Yes, Michael Johnson won the long sprint double – the 200 in WR time. But for four straight Majors (’92, ’93, ’95 & ’96), we had lost the men’s 100 meters – and Donovan Bailey (CAN) took possession of the WR with his ’96 win. In ’95 & ’96 we lost the 4×1 relay as well – botched handoff in ’95, poor personnel management in ’96. Sound familiar? Early during that same time frame, Coach John Smith was nurturing quarter milers Steve Lewis, Danny Everett and Quincy Watts who won…
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2011 in Review – Women’s 800 Meters
At the end of the day this became a very difficult event to rank, as Daegu results would not mirror the season in total. The year would get off to an extremely slow start taking us up to June and the Prefontaine Classic before we would see someone go under two minutes, as Kenia Sinclair (JAM) went crashing through at 1:58.29 – easily the world leader to that point. In the process she beat a sterling field that included Caster Semenya (SA), 1:58.88), Janeth Jekoskgei (KEN, 1:59.15), Alysia Montano (US, 1:59.40) and Yulia Rusanova (RUS, 1:59.59). That WL would be short lived, as on the next DL stop in Oslo,…
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2011 in Review – Men’s 800 Meters
Just as in 2010, David Rudisha (KEN) was the story of the 800 in 2011 – this time carrying the heavy mantle of WR holder. And, just as in 2010, the question on the table was whether or not Abubaker Kaki (SUD) would find a way to upset his rival. Rudisha wasted no time putting the target squarely on his back as he went out during the Australian summer season and scorched a 1:43.88 WL in Melbourne on Mar 3rd – a mark that only 5 men would get under the rest of the year! Another quick 1:44.80 in Sydney on Mar 19thand we wouldn’t see Rudisha again until the…
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2011 in Review – Women’s 400 Meters
This was a very intriguing event, and one of the top stories in 2011, as it featured one half of the double sprint attempt of Allyson Felix (USA). Nothing of note happened here in the spring, but once May hit everyone got busy. Felix started the month off blazing, opening up in Doha at 50.33 (May 6) before scorching 49.81 in Rome (May 26) to end the month. Both times she set world leads, beating Amantle Montsho (BOT) in Doha, then Monstsho, Richards Ross (USA) and Mc Corory (USA) in Rome – her Rome victory demonstrating her strength in the stretch. Prefontaine would start the month of June, and would…