{"id":1022,"date":"2012-04-06T21:09:25","date_gmt":"2012-04-07T04:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1022"},"modified":"2012-04-06T21:09:30","modified_gmt":"2012-04-07T04:09:30","slug":"florida-relays-day-one-sizzling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1022","title":{"rendered":"Florida Relays Day One – Sizzling"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Demps\"<\/a>Usually I wait through the weekend to talk about the highlights, but they were running so fast in Florida that Day One was just a repeat highlight reel. <\/p>\n

Tiffany Porter (GBR) started the afternoon off with a nice 12.96 (-0.5) \u2013 fastest time this side of last week\u2019s blazer in Tuscon, and of course Sally Pearson (AUS). Then an early treat as the male hurdlers took the track. Crossing the finish line first in 13.10 (+3.0) was Ronnie Ash (USA), as he ran his way into the early hurdle conversation taking the scalps of Dexter Faulk (USA) 13.25, Dexter Faulk (USA) 13.25, Lehann Fourie (RSA) 13.31 and David Oliver (USA) 13.31. Ash\u2019s time would have been a world leader if not for the wind, but his dominance of the race was unmistakable. If he continues as he has in these early meets, he\u2019s going to make it tough on the rest of the field in Eugene. <\/p>\n

The hurdlers were just getting things warmed up as Francena McCorory (USA) toured a lap of the track in 51.56 \u2013 currently the 3rd fastest time in the world \u2013 as she continues to look like one of the top quarter milers in the US. The men went one better as last year\u2019s National champion, Tony McQuay, took a lap in 45.65 for the #2 time in the world in heat 1, followed by Dave Hyatt (JAM) who won heat 2 in 45.68.McQuay looks to be over his injury ills from last year and ready to challenge for another spot on the national team. Meanwhile, Hyatt has shown tremendous improvement this year. Only 46.73 last year, Hyatt was 2nd at last year\u2019s NCAA Div. II championships. This was his second sub 46 of the year following a 45.80 run in North Carolina last month. <\/p>\n

Next up was young Marvin Bracy in the high school section of the 100 meters. Unfortunately Bracy false started, as once again this inane rule robbed a meet of a top level athlete. At some point the powers that be at all levels of the sport will realize what a tragic waste this rule is. Sadly this could have been one of the top high school sprint match ups of the year as even without Bracy, Levonte Whitfield (Jones HS, Florida) blazed to a 10.21w (+2.3) with a barely over the allowable wind. Bracy has been getting most of the press this year, but Whitfield ran 10.31 himself last year \u2013 so he\u2019s no slouch! A match up between these two later in the season could produce some sparks as 2012 is beginning to look like one of those special high school seasons. <\/p>\n

Back on the track frosh Octavious Freeman (UCF) ran like anything but a freshman as she sizzled to a WL 11.10 (+1.1). She would come back later to take the 200 meters in 22.80 (+0.5), the #2 time in the world this year. With women like Carmelita Jeter and Marshevet Myers making the US team in the 100 will be difficult, but Freeman is improving very rapidly this year and I will be curious to see where she is come June. Jeff Demps (FL) will also be one to watch as the season unfolds. Today he clocked 10.11 (+1.1), the second fastest time in the world so far, and the fastest time by a collegian. He was pushed all the way by Kemar Hyman (FLSt) who finished in 10.14 \u2013 #3 in the world so far. Demps is looking like he\u2019s ready for another run at an NCAA championship. The question is how deep will he go into the Olympic Trials in June. <\/p>\n

The long hurdles produces a set of world leading marks, first with Tierra Brown (USA) formerly of the University of Miami, who scorched a lap in 54.88. Well up on the previous best of 55.45 as this event is now under way. The same can be said the for men\u2019s version as Bershawn Jackson (USA) took the world lead with his 48.49 win over Johnny Dutch (USA) and his 48.96 as they became the first under 49 seconds this year. Dutch had a busy day as he ran the 110 hurdles earlier in 13.73 (-0.1). Not a bad day\u2019s work for Dutch, who has been putting in a lot of double duty at meets this year. <\/p>\n

Finally we saw a nice pair of 200\u2019s. I already mentioned Octavious Freeman who doubled back after the 100 to win in 22.80. She had to run that fast as Chalonda Williams (USA) was right there with her. The men\u2019s race saw Florida State senior Maurice Mitchell blaze a 20.08w (+3.1). Mitchell won last year\u2019s NCAA title at this distance and got some relay duty in Daegu. He looks in fine form and ready to defend his NCAA title \u2013 and if he keeps running like this may get a spot in the deuce for London, especially with no Tyson Gay to contend with. <\/p>\n

Like I said, enough highlights from Day one to cover a normal weekend of activity! The first day in Florida revolves around the individual events, tomorrow will highlight the relays. And if today was any indication, the relays could be off the hook!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Usually I wait through the weekend to talk about the highlights, but they were running so fast in Florida that Day One was just a repeat highlight reel. Tiffany Porter (GBR) started the afternoon off with a nice 12.96 (-0.5) \u2013 fastest time this side of last week\u2019s blazer in Tuscon, and of course Sally Pearson (AUS). Then an early treat as the male hurdlers took the track. Crossing the finish line first in 13.10 (+3.0) was Ronnie Ash (USA), as he ran his way into the early hurdle conversation taking the scalps of Dexter Faulk (USA) 13.25, Dexter Faulk (USA) 13.25, Lehann Fourie (RSA) 13.31 and David Oliver (USA) 13.31. Ash\u2019s time would have been a world leader if not for the wind, but his dominance of the race was unmistakable. If he continues as he has in these early meets, he\u2019s going to make it tough on the rest of the field in Eugene. The hurdlers were just getting things warmed up as Francena McCorory (USA) toured a lap of the track in 51.56 \u2013 currently the 3rd fastest time in the world \u2013 as she continues to look like one of the top quarter milers in the US. The men went one better as last year\u2019s National champion, Tony McQuay, took a lap in 45.65 for the #2 time in the world in heat 1, followed by Dave Hyatt (JAM) who won heat 2 in 45.68.McQuay looks to be over his injury ills from last year and ready to challenge for another spot on the national team. Meanwhile, Hyatt has shown tremendous improvement this year. Only 46.73 last year, Hyatt was 2nd at last year\u2019s NCAA Div. II championships. This was his second sub 46 of the year following a 45.80 run in North Carolina last month. Next up was young Marvin Bracy in the high school section of the 100 meters. Unfortunately Bracy false started, as once again this inane rule robbed a meet of a top level athlete. At some point the powers that be at all levels of the sport will realize what a tragic waste this rule is. Sadly this could have been one of the top high school sprint match ups of the year as even without Bracy, Levonte Whitfield (Jones HS, Florida) blazed to a 10.21w (+2.3) with a barely over the allowable wind. Bracy has been getting most of the press this year, but Whitfield ran 10.31 himself last year \u2013 so he\u2019s no slouch! A match up between these two later in the season could produce some sparks as 2012 is beginning to look like one of those special high school seasons. Back on the track frosh Octavious Freeman (UCF) ran like anything but a freshman as she sizzled to a WL 11.10 (+1.1). She would come back later to take the 200 meters in 22.80 (+0.5), the #2 time in the world this year. With women like Carmelita Jeter and Marshevet Myers making the US team in the 100 will be difficult, but Freeman is improving very rapidly this year and I will be curious to see where she is come June. Jeff Demps (FL) will also be one to watch as the season unfolds. Today he clocked 10.11 (+1.1), the second fastest time in the world so far, and the fastest time by a collegian. He was pushed all the way by Kemar Hyman (FLSt) who finished in 10.14 \u2013 #3 in the world so far. Demps is looking like he\u2019s ready for another run at an NCAA championship. The question is how deep will he go into the Olympic Trials in June. The long hurdles produces a set of world leading marks, first with Tierra Brown (USA) formerly of the University of Miami, who scorched a lap in 54.88. Well up on the previous best of 55.45 as this event is now under way. The same can be said the for men\u2019s version as Bershawn Jackson (USA) took the world lead with his 48.49 win over Johnny Dutch (USA) and his 48.96 as they became the first under 49 seconds this year. Dutch had a busy day as he ran the 110 hurdles earlier in 13.73 (-0.1). Not a bad day\u2019s work for Dutch, who has been putting in a lot of double duty at meets this year. Finally we saw a nice pair of 200\u2019s. I already mentioned Octavious Freeman who doubled back after the 100 to win in 22.80. She had to run that fast as Chalonda Williams (USA) was right there with her. The men\u2019s race saw Florida State senior Maurice Mitchell blaze a 20.08w (+3.1). Mitchell won last year\u2019s NCAA title at this distance and got some relay duty in Daegu. He looks in fine form and ready to defend his NCAA title \u2013 and if he keeps running like this may get a spot in the deuce for London, especially with no Tyson Gay to contend with. Like I said, enough highlights from Day one to cover a normal weekend of activity! The first day in Florida revolves around the individual events, tomorrow will highlight the relays. And if today was any indication, the relays could be off the hook!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[270,267,205,42,277,81,275,249,47,51,276],"class_list":["post-1022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ash","tag-bracy","tag-demps","tag-dutch","tag-freeman","tag-jackson","tag-mccorory","tag-mcquay","tag-mitchell","tag-porter","tag-whitfield"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa3DCY-gu","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1033,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1033","url_meta":{"origin":1022,"position":0},"title":"A Crowd is Starting to Form in the Hurdles","author":"CHill","date":"April 9, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s early in the season, and few of the top athletes have made it to the track yet, but the 110 hurdlers are doing what they do \u2013 compete! I love the hurdlers. For starters it\u2019s one of the most exciting events on the track. There\u2019s speed. The technique of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"110 Hurdles\"","block_context":{"text":"110 Hurdles","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=110-hurdles"},"img":{"alt_text":"Hurdle Trio","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Hurdle-Trio_thumb.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1014,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1014","url_meta":{"origin":1022,"position":1},"title":"Big Weekend of Invitational\/Relay Meets Online","author":"CHill","date":"April 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Now that we're outdoors expect this year to go whizzing by. June will be Championships month - NCAA, High Schools and assorted National Olympic Trials. July will be European Circuit month replete with the heart of the Diamond League. Then finally August will be Olympics month, dominated of course by\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 2 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 2 comments","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1014#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sprint Start","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Sprint-Start_thumb.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Sprint-Start_thumb.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/Sprint-Start_thumb.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":899,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=899","url_meta":{"origin":1022,"position":2},"title":"Memories of the Games – The 110 Hurdles","author":"CHill","date":"March 1, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"We\u2019ve got a bit of breathing room until the NCAA and World Indoor Championships get rolling next weekend, so I thought I would take another trip down memory lane to past Olympic Games. Looking over at my current poll where the men\u2019s 110 hurdles is clearly winning as the WR\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"110 Hurdles\"","block_context":{"text":"110 Hurdles","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=110-hurdles"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rod Milburn Munich","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/03\/Rod-Milburn-Munich_thumb.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1206,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1206","url_meta":{"origin":1022,"position":3},"title":"Back to Code for Some After Ostrava","author":"CHill","date":"May 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Well, that wasn\u2019t quite what I expected! Let\u2019s start with the obvious, Usain Bolt (JAM) 10.04 - the slowest 100 meter final of Bolt\u2019s professional career! That\u2019s what I said. He ran 10.03 (0.7) in Rethymno in\u00a0 his pro debut at the distance in 2007. 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