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World Championships Review
The 2025 World Championships have come and gone, but will not soon be forgotten. As great as the Paris Olympics were, it’s my opinion that Tokyo was equal in excitement, competitive intensity, and results. Simply put, it was one hell of a meet. If you’re a fan of the sport, you’ve already gotten the results, so here, I’m going to review some of what I considered to be some of the best moments from these championships. Starting with Ryan Crouser. Crouser has not been seen all year. Not indoors. Not early outdoors. Not at Nationals. Not at all. He’s been at home, nursing an elbow injury dating back to last…
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US Nationals Preview
We’re days from the selection of the US team for the World Championships in Tokyo. It’s been a very long lead up to this point given we’re near the end of July, but that’s the end result of moving the World Championships to the end of the season. We’ll see how that’s worked out given that athletes have been on different and varying times lines during the course of the season. Regardless of the approach taken, American athletes must note be ready for the ultimate battle, the US Trials! July 31 thru August 3. Entries are now closed, and here are my general thoughts as we head to Eugene. In…
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Observations From Paris
It’s over. The Paris Olympic Games has ended. Easily one of the greatest Games ever, from a track and field standpoint. Just fantastic competition. We haven’t seen anything like it since the Mexico City Olympics in 1968. Which means that for a lot of fans, this is the best meet they’ve ever witnessed. My favorite events were the men’s 100m. The best field ever assembled, and just tremendous sprinting by everyone in the race. The men’s 4×4, one of the best relays of all time. Competitive from the gun to the tape. With the absolute best anchor showdown in history. The women’s 4×4. Simply a great effort by everyone on…
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Pre Paris Thoughts
August 1st, the opening day of track and field in the Paris Olympics. We’re that close. Yet with nine Diamond League events done – one left before the opening ceremony. A full NCAA season completed. Numerous meets across the globe in the books. And every country’s selection process complete. The only thing that’s certain, is that we know who’s headed to the Paris stadium. Yes, we have some very strong favorites going in. Sydney McLaughlin Levrone, Mondo Duplantis, Faith Kipyegon to name a few. But if we learned anything from the US Trials (Athing MU & Brooke Anderson), anything can happen on any given day. That is why they compete.…
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Two Weeks Until Trials
As the NCAA Championships end. The European Championships begin to hit their stride. And the New York Grand Prix is in the books. We sit two weeks away from the Olympic Trials! Usually by now, things are pretty solidified as far as who the strong contenders for Team USA are. As I look at my own notes, and graphs, etc however, I’m still hesitant on many many spots for this team. So much so that I’m also hesitant on selecting relay squads just yet! As I see a lot of spots still up in the air this late in the process. Why? Because many athletes have competed so little. For…
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A Solid US Team is Headed to Budapest
Another Championships is in the book. The American team has been selected, for this year’s World Championships and it looks to be pretty strong. Our depth across the board is pretty amazing. As we have world leading athletes in most disciplines, both men and women. In many events we will be leaving athletes at home that are capable of standing on the podium in Budapest. Making me wish for A Worlds that was not so restrictive in representation. Another conversation entirely. For now, we have what we have. In that regard, we’ll be a string as ever. Here are a few of my favorite highlights from this year’s Championships. Men’s…
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Texas and Florida Signal Start of the Season
This year’s indoor season was as good as I’ve ever seen. Personally I much prefer outdoors, but the marks that were churned out this year, were nothing short of stellar. Especially on the women’s side. This coming with most “elite” athletes either not competing at all indoors, or only making a brief appearance. Still we got WR’s from Mondo Duplantis (6.22m), Ryan Crouser (23.38m), and Femke Bol (49.26). We also got great marks from Grant Holloway (7.35), Trayvon Bromell (6.42), and Britton Wilson (49.49). Marks good enough to be outstanding outdoors! Which is where we’re finally headed. There have been a few meets already, but with the Florida and Texas…
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Sydney’s Mission, Should She Accept It
Sydney McLaughlin has become a major force in the 400 hurdles. At the tender age of twenty three, she’s won an Olympic title, a World title, and set three world records! Oh, she’s also run seven of the top ten times ever run in the event. All in the two seasons since Covid. Her most recent record of 50.68 is considered Beamonesque by most. Meaning it’s so good, that it could be decades before anyone else will be able to approach it. So, when you are that good, what do you do next? Well, prior to the World Championships, her coach, Bobby Kersee, said that if she put the record…
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2022 – One Outstanding Season
Just as the letter Z closes out the alphabet. Zurich and Zagreb have closed out the 2022 track season. And what a season it’s been. More Championships than ever in one season with NCAA’s, Nationals, Worlds, U20’s, Commonwealth, NACAC, and Europeans! That’s enough to fill an Olympic cycle, let alone one year. That’s just championship meets. There were the other usual competitions. The relay meets – Florida, Texas, Penn, MtSAC and others. The European Circuit, Diamond League, Continental Tour, and other assorted meets. With that many competitive opportunities you would expect a few exceptional results. Well we had more than a few. As several all time lists were edited in…
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Trials Preview
Now that we’ve gotten past the first big championship meet of the year (NC’s) we’re days, not weeks, away from US Trials. Days as in about 10. A meet that many consider as tough as Worlds. Given its depth and cutthroat nature. This year should be no different with several high level matchups on the horizon. In some ways that’s an understatement, because basically every event has some sort of high level matchup. This year, however, there are some matchups that seem more exciting to me than usual. For example. Trey Cunningham v Devon Allen – Men’s 110H At the start of the season, most would have predicted…