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Pre Trials, Trials, Next the Games
This has been one of the most exciting years ever for track and field. Thank you Covid-19. After all, the Covid virus has had an affect on everything that has happened on this planet for the better part of a year and a half – and continues to do so! It basically shut down the 2020 season of track and field. In effect forcing everyone to have a much longer “pre-season” to 2021 than normal. While the initial feelings by all were of sadness and despair, the unintended consequences seem to be the creation of stronger and better bases for training. The ultimate result being a season so far that…
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Happy 202One
I’ve started several posts to be ready for the new year, because I think that on the heels of 2020, we’re all going to find joy in what transpires in 2021! There’s no need to replay last year. It only takes one word to describe 2020 – Covid. Because it defined the entire year. Enough said. With that, my first post of the year is going to be about the things that I’m looking forward to in the world of track and field this year. Because this year is going to be HOT. I can feel it in my bones. So, let’s start with: The Vaccine Roll Out – This…
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Track & Field’s Most Exciting Event
Track and field is blessed to have some of the greatest athletes ever competing today. Nearly every event has individuals that are either in the top 3-5 all time in their event or are a world record threat! And that’s not counting the events where the present works record holder is competing! As a matter of fact, there are events where all of the aforementioned are currently competing! It’s a great time to be a fan of this sport from a purely competitive perspective. Ironically, the most exciting event is often treated as a “step child” by the sport. But then, many of the sports’ events are treated that way…
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No Excuse for What Happened to Tarmoh
I’ve hesitated on saying anything about "Dead Heat Gate" not because I don’t have an opinion but because I’ve felt there were far to many opinions out there already. But the more I read, the more I’m angered that the villain in all this comes back to Tarmoh. Don’t get me wrong, personally I say a warrior competes. That’s what you live for. It’s what you train for. And when something as precious as a championship berth is on the line at any level – high school, collegiate local regional, and definitely the Olympics – you do what you gotta do. Wrap up a muscle; beg for a lane; plead…
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Trials Final Weekend
After over a week of action, the Trials wrapped things up in nice style this weekend. There were only 2 finals on the track on Saturday, but 5 on Sunday. With 2 field finals each day. One would almost think they could have had single day “finale” and did it up right for the fans. Still there was some great action over the final two days. There were only four finals on Saturday, but they were something else. In the field we got what we expected in triple jump with Christian Taylor and Will Claye setting the pace. They did it early with Taylor hitting 17.32m/57’10.25” and Claye 17.55m/57’7” in…
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Trials Day 6 – Prelude to the Weekend
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.They’re easily our best puters and performed that way going 1,2. In the steeple Colorado’s Emma Coburn took over midway, controlled the race and easily won by some 30+ meters. Bridgett Franek stayed in 2nd for most of the race and out kicked Coburn’s…
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Trials Day 5 – More Rupp
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. Eugene and Des Moines get bad weather as often as not – and this Trials has been inundated with bad weather. I still have memories of Xavier Carter going down to a knee injury on a wet track…
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Trials Part II Gets Started Today
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. Christin Wurth Thomas is NOT on the start list. I was so looking forward to her front running style leading this race. That’s a big loss in my opinion – not sure the race will go off as fast without her. In that event the race becomes more tactical and possibly opens…
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How the U.S. Team Looks at the Break
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. The most difficult of those to replace, based on these Trials, is Phillips in the long jump. The…
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Trials Day 4 – Half Way to London
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. Alysia Montano took the guess work out of who would win the women’s race as she went immediately to the front; opened up a sizeable lead; and cruised home to…