The defeat of Usain Bolt at the Jamaican Trials has not changed the Olympic 100 meters. Why? Because as I've said before Bolt has always been beatable. It's not easy to do, and not everyone has the ability, but it's always been possible. It requires two things: a sprinter with serious top end speed and a killer finish; and an average/typical start by Bolt Read More...
The CHill Zone of T&F: Conway's View From the Finish Line
Trials Day 6 – Prelude to the Weekend
Jun 30th, 2012
7:49 am PDT
7:49 am PDT
There were only two finals today, as the bulk of today's activity involved heats and semis that will lead to the crescendo that is the final two days of the Trials. So let's talk about those finals then move on to the day’s action. The women's shot was one of those easy to predict events with AR holder Jill Camarena Williams and Michelle Carter in the field Read More...
Blake Upsets Bolt at Jamaica Trials!
Jun 29th, 2012
8:18 pm PDT
8:18 pm PDT
Before I get to our Trials, everyone had been waiting on the Jamaica Trials to see what the sprinters there are doing. Well, London is going to be hot in the short sprints. In the women's 100, Shelly Ann Fraser wins in 10.70 (+0.6) over VCB (10.82), Kerron Stewart (10.94), and Sherone Simpson (11.01) Read More...
Trials Day 5 – More Rupp
Jun 29th, 2012
8:07 am PDT
8:07 am PDT
On Thursday we got more rain, more qualifying, and more Rupp. I must admit I'm a bit tired of the rain. And I was hoping to get to see some of the 1500 heats - but NBC gave me nothing. But I'm starting to really like this Rupp dude! I'll probably get booed, but one of the reasons I'm not a huge fan of holding major meets in Eugene is the weather Read More...
Trials Part II Gets Started Today
Jun 28th, 2012
8:40 am PDT
8:40 am PDT
Finally the "break" is over! The longest two days in recent memory - I must be a track junkie! So what do we have to look forward to? Well Today is going to be star studded. We have prelims in the 1500s and that means our first look at Morgan Uceny, Jenny Simpson, Anna Pierce, and Shannon Rowbury Read More...
How the U.S. Team Looks at the Break
Jun 27th, 2012
7:39 am PDT
7:39 am PDT
So with the first half of the Trials in the books, it’s time to start looking ahead to London and how this US team is beginning to shape up. I have to say that we have lost some talent - some folk that have gone to the mat for us in the past and come home with hardware. So we will miss Bryan Clay, Adam Nelson, Dwight Phillips, Lauryn Williams and Walter Dix - though we have yet to see if Walter will be back to attempt to make the 200 squad Read More...
Trials Day 4 – Half Way to London
Jun 26th, 2012
8:11 am PDT
8:11 am PDT
Heading into the midway break, Monday was the first really "quiet" day of the Trials. But then, how do you compete for headlines with Eaton's WR, Dead Heat Gate, and the returns of Justin Gatlin & Tyson Gay? After all that excitement Monday was rather tame. With most of the London berths in the day's field event finals already decided based on limited numbers of individuals with "A" standards, the"drama" for the day was produced by the two 800 finals Read More...
Trials Day 3 – Redemption Sunday
Jun 25th, 2012
8:06 am PDT
8:06 am PDT
Today's agenda was short but sweet - 8 events, 7 finals and 1 semi. But when the names involved include Cantwell, Hoffa, Gay, Gatlin, Richards Ross, Merritt, Wariner, and Suhr you're talking about one high powered afternoon. Not to mention a lot of athletes looking for redemption - and most got just that Read More...
Trials Day 2 – Ashton Eaton, 9039 WR
Jun 24th, 2012
7:51 am PDT
7:51 am PDT
Excitement and drama. That's standard when talking about the Olympic Trials. And while there were only three finals, Day Two just might be one of the most exciting and dramatic Trials days ever! Let's start with the decathlon, since it did start the day off. Ashton Eaton entered the day with a score of 4728 pts, putting him on WR pace as he, Trey Hardee, and Bryan Clay looked to be on their way to sending the greatest trio of decathletes ever to the Games Read More...
Trials Day 1 – Rupp Rules
Jun 22nd, 2012
11:05 pm PDT
11:05 pm PDT
Day one of the Trials is in the book, and if today's results are any indication this is gonna be a humdinger! Because in spite of the rain that came down during most of the competition, the athletes were nothing short of competitive! After all, THIS is the Olympic Trials - go big or go home! Let's start with the days' two finals, the men & women's 10,000 meters - which did and didn't run to form Read More...