A typically low key Easter weekend except for some sprinters and hurdlers that are obviously taking the season quite seriously.

Most notable was Walter Dix who opened up his season at the Seminole Invitational in Tallahassee. Last week I said there was no need to panic over US sprinting and on queue Walter opened up at 10.00 (-1.1) to take over the world lead in the 100 meters. Given that Dix has only a few sub 10’s to his credit this is a very noteworthy opening and indicates that we should see great things from Dix this year. No longer in college, and without injury for the first time in several years, it looks like Dix is ready to pair with Tyson Gay to form a very formidable duo in the 100/200! Especially given that, like Tyson, he is a very tenacious competitor.

Across the country at the Jackie Joyner Invitational in Los Angeles, Carmelita Jeter showed that quietly running open 400’s this spring is going to pay dividends as she opened up in the 200 with a world leading 22.59 (+0.0). Jeter lead the 60 indoors at 7.11 to show improvement in her start. Now she is showing improved speed endurance. At this rate she will be ready to step up and improve both her PR (10.97) in the 100 as well as her bronze medal from the ’07 World Championships. Jeter was an emerging talent in ’07. This year could be her real coming out party.

The Miami Elite meet also found a couple of vets sprinting well early as Lauryn Williams 11.11 (+0.9), and Marlon Devonish 10.11 (+0.5) had notable times. Notable because Lauryn doesn’t typically run this fast this early and Devonish was only .06 off of his PR! Both seem to be looking to improve on disappointments from ’08 .

Also looking good in Miami was Ronnie Ash (Bethune Cookman) who ran 13.58 (+0.1) in the 110HH’s and continues to look like the best collegiate hurdler this year as well as a potential emerging talent in the event.

The most anticipated meet this weekend was the Arcadia Invitational, an elite HS Invitational. Cool weather seemed to keep things slower than usual this year, as this meet is usually blazing hot. Still there were some nice marks turned in as Reggie Wyatt (La Sierra) turned in another National Leader with his 36.01 win. Not the HSR that he was hoping for, but he’s still easily the class of the event this year and has several opportunities left to try and lower the mark.

There was also a nation leading hurdle double from Kori Carter (Claremont) 13.67/41.09 and a nice 4:08.51 mile from soph Elias Gedyon (Loyola). But the mark of the meet was turned in on the field as Anna Jelmini (Shafter) became #3 all time in the discus at 185′ 5″.

Once every Blue Moon high school athletes take the spotlight in this sport. This weekend is one of those Blue Moons here in California as The Arcadia Invitational takes center stage in Southern California.Once just a small local invitational meet, the Arcadia Invitational has grown to become the mid season "Preview" to the State High School Championships every year, as the top high school athletes from all over the state gather for early season bragging rights Read More...

Now that the season is truly under way, it seems like a good time to look ahead at what the season may hold in store. But to look ahead I am going to take a glance backward, because it seems that a lot of unnecessary panic was generated after Beijing.Panic because we did not do as well as we thought we would Read More...

I was hoping that these two meets would kick off the season, and kick it off they did! If yesterday was hot (and it was) today's action was blazing. Florida got things going in fine fashion as the host Gators sizzled to a nice early season 39.22 in the 4x1 - sending notice to the other would be contenders for June's national title notice Read More...

With the Texas and Florida Relays starting mid week we already have results starting to roll in - and it finally seems like the season is getting under way!In Texas we got some nice runs in the prelims of the men's 4x1 with Florida State (39.51), Texas AM (39.60), LSU (39.67) and Baylor (39.77) turning in quality times Read More...

As more information has become available it appears that a shortfall of $100,000 sits at the heart of the delay. Now $100K is not a small amount of change to be sure, but there are meets in Europe that have negotiated $100K as a payout to a SINGLE athlete! So to hear that a meet is not being held because of the lack of that amount of money seems almost like a slap in the face as we sit here in the wealthiest state in the wealthiest nation on the planet Read More...

Just got word a little while ago that there will be no Modesto / California Relays this year. The meet had been held in the Central California town of Modesto for some 67 years, and was scheduled to move to Sacramento and Sac State's Hornet Stadium this year - home of the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Trials Read More...

Another relatively quiet weekend on the track. I'm still waiting for that "break out" weekend when the competition gets HOT. I thought we were going to get there this past weekend as there were some good programs entered in the Florida State Relays. But horrible weather lead to several stoppages, athletes dropping out of many events, and poor conditions keeping most marks under par Read More...

We've become accustomed to technological advances in our world `making things better. But every once in a while I think that "old school" may have been better. For example, while microwave popcorn does have its place, nothing beats fresh, "real popped" popcorn. That's one reason most everyone loves to order popcorn at the movies - its just better than micro waved Read More...

A very low key weekend with few sterling results. On the track, Texas A&M ran collegiate leaders in both the men's and women's relays with efforts of 39.32 and 43.67 respectively at the Trojan Invitational in Southern California. On the field, defending collegiate champion Rashaud Scott of Kentucky, became the =8th all time collegiate thrower in the discus with his 212' 9" (64 Read More...