-
A Big Weekend on Tap from 100 to Marathon
Typically the weekend of the Penn Relays marks the coming out of the majority of those athletes not yet seen in a given season as sprinters, hurdlers, and even milers find their way on “USA v the World” relay squads. And while that most certainly will be true again this year – that we see many of the worlds’ best athletes participating at Penn – this weekend could actually begin the process early with several meets showcasing elite athletes. Take the UTech Classic in Jamaica where athletes from Jamaica’s top two track clubs – MVP and Racers – will be taking to the track to get their seasons kicked off.…
-
Women’s 1500 Trials Should be Fierce
I want to talk a bit about the false start rule, as well as some of the weekend’s upcoming meets, and Monday’s marathon – and I’m going to do that tomorrow as we head into the weekend. After putting together my early Trials favorites list however, I couldn’t help but take another look at the women’s 1500 because just like the men’s 110 hurdles, we have one of the best fields ever in US Trials history shaping up. The depth is not quite as deep as the men’s hurdles, but the quality at the top is just as good, if not better. Top Current American Women 1500 Runners 3:59.38 Anna…
-
My EARLY Trials Favorites
It’s going to be a busy week and there will be lots to talk about. We’ve got the Boston Marathon going off a week from yesterday, and I want to take a look at the field and that course – I mean how many WINDY distance races can you find? The Mt SAC Relays are in a week and it looks like they are going to have some outstanding athletes in attendance. There’re Several relay meets this week including Sea Ray, the Big West Challenge, Seminole Invitational, Spec Towns, the Jesse Owens Classic and the Rafer Johnson/JJK Invitational. And after the latest false start fiasco with young Marvin Bracy at…
-
A Crowd is Starting to Form in the Hurdles
It’s early in the season, and few of the top athletes have made it to the track yet, but the 110 hurdlers are doing what they do – compete! I love the hurdlers. For starters it’s one of the most exciting events on the track. There’s speed. The technique of the hurdles. The ebb and flow of the race. But most of all there’s the hurdlers themselves. No ducking and avoiding each other. You don’t have to wait all season to see the top guys going at it. They line up every week and compete. It reminds me of track and field back in the ‘60’s/’70’s/’80’s – when you could…
-
More Weekend Highlights
Day one of the Florida Relays was a hard act to follow, but the rest of the weekend managed to hold it’s own starting with Day Two in Florida. Focused on relay events the men’s 4×1 and the women’s 4×4 produced some outstanding times. In the 4×1 a Pure Athletics team of Mookie Salaam, Keston Bledman, Travis Padgett, and Nickel Ashmead went 38.64 to win ahead of host Florida’s 38.91. The winning time equaled the #3 time in the world while Florida became the #3 collegiate 4×1 on the season. Notable in 4th place was Star Athletics which featured Trell Kimmons to Justin Gatlin on the first two legs. Notable…
-
Florida Relays Day One – Sizzling
Usually I wait through the weekend to talk about the highlights, but they were running so fast in Florida that Day One was just a repeat highlight reel. Tiffany Porter (GBR) started the afternoon off with a nice 12.96 (-0.5) – fastest time this side of last week’s blazer in Tuscon, and of course Sally Pearson (AUS). Then an early treat as the male hurdlers took the track. Crossing the finish line first in 13.10 (+3.0) was Ronnie Ash (USA), as he ran his way into the early hurdle conversation taking the scalps of Dexter Faulk (USA) 13.25, Dexter Faulk (USA) 13.25, Lehann Fourie (RSA) 13.31 and David Oliver (USA)…
-
Big Weekend of Invitational/Relay Meets Online
Now that we’re outdoors expect this year to go whizzing by. June will be Championships month – NCAA, High Schools and assorted National Olympic Trials. July will be European Circuit month replete with the heart of the Diamond League. Then finally August will be Olympics month, dominated of course by the London Games. Before we get there, however, we have to get through April and May, and this month is Relays/Invitational month. Things opened up nicely with the Texas Relays last week and should get even hotter this weekend with several more meets on tap headlined by the Florida Relays, Oregon Pepsi Team Invitational, and the Stanford Invitational – all…
-
Will Marvin Bracy Be the Next Olympic Prep?
It’s rare that high school athletes are able to compete in the Olympic Trials, let alone the Olympic Games. While the Games in it’s infancy was able to produce a Bob Mathias – high school decathlon gold medalist in London (1948). Today’s Olympics are a “professional” affair dominated by athletes that train year round and get paid to do so. Grown men & women who have dedicated their lives to earning a living through sport. Some sports like swimming, diving, and gymnastics are dominated by teens, but in track and field it’s very rare to find the high school athlete that is able to compete against the mature bodies of…
-
Richards Ross Highlights Weekend of Speed
Speed was on display this past weekend and nowhere was it more prominent than the speedy state of Texas and the annual Texas Relays. The first sign that things were going to be fast came in the qualifying rounds of the University 4×1 when Auburn scorched the track for a 38.95 in their heat. That’s the kind of time one expects to see collegiate teams run in the semis or final of the NCAA Championships, not an opening round of the Texas Relays – one of the first runs for college teams of the season. They proved that was no fluke however, as they flew to a WL 38.30 in…