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Is Noah the US Sprint GOAT?
The New Balance Invitational was everything that was advertised. Great distance running. Some exciting field events. And some electric sprints and hurdles. Grant Holloway continued his decade long 60H winning streak. Gabby Thomas dominated over 300m, in spite of being slightly under the weather. And Mikiah Brisco looked good in her 60m win. The talk of Boston however, was the scintillating 6.44sec 60m run by Noah Lyles. Hot talk because it lowered his PB from last year’s 6.51, which in turn begged the question – how fast can Noah run in the 100m? A major conversation given that last year’s improvement to 6.51 resulted in Noah’s first World title in…
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My Favorite All Time Sprinters
It’s that time of year for lists – typically “Top Ten” lists. And I am in the process of doing research to put together my end of the year lists. While I’m doing that however – there is lots of data to go over – I thought I would start by sharing some of my “Favorites” in list form. Favorite hurdlers, middle distance runners, field event athletes, etc. Since the world’s most recognizable athletes right now are sprinters – Usain Bolt, Tyson Gay, Yohan Blake, Justin Gatlin, et al – I thought I would start with sprinters. Let me state up front, that I am not going to list anyone…
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2012 Outdoor Preview – Hurdles
If you like speed and competition then you must like the hurdles. Unlike the pure sprinters, who seem to avoid each other as much as possible until forced to toe the line for championships, the hurdlers compete often and face each other with regularity. The sprinters tend to get more publicity but of the four hurdle events three of them have legitimate shots at having WR’s broken – two by more than one individual. The hurdles are among the hottest events in the sport, with some of it’s best athletes. If you’re not watching the hurdles you’re missing some of the best competition the sport has to offer. Here’s…
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Dai Greene and the Drug Issue
It’s “Championship Week” for the indoor season, and I’m going to spend the rest of the week talking about the upcoming NCAA and World Championships. But I feel compelled today to comment on an issue that continues to destroy our sport – DRUGS – because one of the potential headliners in London has brought this topic to the forefront in a not so flattering light. Dai Greene (GBR) as the winner of last year’s World Championships 400 meter hurdles, is one of Britain’s “hometown” favorites to win a medal in London this summer. But while most of the stars of the sport are quietly going about the business of putting…
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2011 in Review – Men’s 400 Meter Hurdles
This was a very interesting event. On the one hand it had the potential to be great with athletes like Angelo Taylor, Bershawn Jackson, Johnny Dutch, and Javier Culson returning from a hot 2010 season. And with L.J. Van Zyl blazing from the late winter, it looked like this might be THE hottest event of the year. But things just didn’t pan out in 2011, which ended up being a season that fizzled more than sizzled. L.J. Van Zyl (SA) started out like a house a fire blazing 47.66 in Pretoria on Feb 25 – faster than anyone in history had ever run so early in the season! He came…
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Worlds Day Six – USA Day (Sort Of)
With three gold medals in five finals, one would have to say that it was a very good day for the United States. But in one event it was a good news, bad news day that left me a bit sad in spite of the gold medal. That event was the final of the women’s 1500, where the field lined up twelve women of fairly equal ability. And they ran like it as no one seemed to want to set the pace as the field was still bunched with 2 laps to go. At that point Morgan Uceny was back in 9th and began was has been her standard move…