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Early Season Track Q & A
Finally. The indoor season is done and we’re outdoors. We’ve had Penn, Texas, and Florida. The World Relays just ended, and the Diamond League is ready to begin. Time to look at a few questions facing the speed events as we get serious outdoors. So, I’m going to address some questions I’ve seen floating around on the internet, as well as some issues raised at the close of l last year. Is Botswana now the team to beat in the 4×4 relay? The answer is no. Botswana is definitely a global power in the event, having run 2:54 in two different seasons. They also pulled off a rare win over…
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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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Five to Watch in ’25
As fireworks around the world signaled the beginning of 2025, the road to the Tokyo World Championships also began. Starting this year, the annual competitive calendar will end with the World Championships as the final competition of the year, scheduled to begin on September 13th in 2025. Between now and then much will happen. Indoor competition culminating in indoor championships for the NCAA and World Athletics. Followed by Relay meets, various Invitationals, the Diamond League, national championships, and assorted other competitions on the way to Tokyo. Along the way we’ll have the privilege of watching the world’s best athletes run, jump, and throw as they compete to become the world’s…
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2025 Men’s 100m Preview
It’s about a week after Christmas. Two days before the New Year. Which means we’re about to get more track and field! It’s only been a few months, but Paris seems so far away. Of course, indoors is a tad different. Half the track size. Shortened straight away races. But for true fans of the sport, we’re looking forward to the journey to Tokyo and the World outdoor championships. While I’m looking forward to literally every event to see if we can get anything close to the full excellence of Paris, I’m really looking forward to the men’s 100m. Always one of the most anticipated events of any competition, the…
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My Favorite Moments From Paris
There was a lot of anticipation leading up to the Paris Olympics. That happens when an Olympics follows a Games where something notable has occurred. Like when Munich followed Mexico City. After all the record breaking that had occurred in Mexico. It was impossible to live up to that. Then there was Los Angeles following the boycotted Moscow Games. Where western countries hadn’t competed for eight years. This year Paris got to follow Tokyo which had the misfortune of being an Olympics devoid of fans due to Covid. It had been eight long years since we’d had a “normal” Olympics, and you could see and feel it in the stadium.…
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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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Early Paris 100m Preview
You know, it’s funny how quickly things can change in track and field. In May many “fans” were complaining about how “slow” this year was! I said at the time that there was no reason for athletes to be running fast in April, or May. Not with Trials in late June and the Games a month after that. Yet the mumbling and grumbling continued. Now here we are in July – between the Trials and the Games – and the event lists are burning up! Suddenly, the men’s 100m in Paris is looking like it could be one of the best (I.e. fastest and deepest) ever. As there are two…
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Story Lines Heading to Paris
We’re finally ready to go play outside! As exciting as this year’s indoor season was, outdoors is always better. If that’s the case, this is going to be a season for the ages. Especially the ending with Noah Lyles running the 4×4 and others saying, yo I wanted to do that! That is what Olympic seasons are about. The Ultimate in competition, combined with stories of all types. Success, failure, close finishes, rising stars. In many ways it’s the stories that make the Olympics. So today I’m going to throw some potential story lines out into the ether. Something to follow on the road to and during the Paris Games.…
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Men’s 200m Outlook, 2024
So, with the 100m in the books, as well as a discussion on the relay, let’s take a look at the 200m. I’ll start by saying that we have the fastest/deepest group that the event has ever seen! Three of the six fastest ever (four of ten) are currently competing. With ten of the top twenty all time running on the track this year. This is incredible depth. The list of current competitors includes seven national record holders and the World U20 record holder. It also includes the defending Olympic champion and the last three World champions – who all happen to be the same individual. As a matter of…
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Men’s 100m Outlook, 2024
The annual post season “break” is almost over. That period of time after the final meet of the year when elite athletes go on vacations, rest, and recharge their batteries. Anywhere from a few weeks for some, to a couple of months for others. Recovery from the wars of the season, before beginning preparation for the next season, which in this case will be an Olympic year! Ah yes, the Olympics. One of the grandest sporting spectacles on the planet. And as crazy as it sounds, we’re less than 300 days away from the big event! This is why I want to start looking ahead to what I feel will…