{"id":383,"date":"2010-08-18T08:14:00","date_gmt":"2010-08-18T15:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=383"},"modified":"2010-08-18T08:14:00","modified_gmt":"2010-08-18T15:14:00","slug":"whats-going-on-in-the-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=383","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s Going on in the Field?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"float:left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/view.picapp.com\/pictures.photo\/sports\/track-and-field-36th\/image\/9285545?term=kara+patterson\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/view2.picapp.com\/pictures.photo\/image\/9285545\/track-and-field-36th\/track-and-field-36th.jpg?resize=234%2C176\" border=\"0\" width=\"234\" title=\"Track and Field: 36th Prefontaine Classic\" height=\"176\" oncontextmenu=\"return false;\" ondrag=\"return false;\" onmousedown=\"return false;\" alt=\"Jul 3, 2010; Eugene, OR, USA; Kara Patterson won the women's javelin at 216-2 (65.90m) in the 36th Prefontaine Classic at Hayward Field. Photo by Image of Sport Photo via Newscom\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"clear:left;height:0px;overflow: hidden;\"><\/div>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/view.picapp.com\/\/JavaScripts\/OTIjs.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>With this season heading into the final month or so of competition, it\u2019s time to start looking forward to next season. After all the World Championships are literally just about one year away. <\/p>\n<p>US forces have had some nice surprises this year. Andrew Wheating, Leonel Manzano, Morgan Uceny, Phoebe Wright, and Alysia Johnson have emerged to bolster a growing middle distance corps. Jeremy Wariner is regaining form and Tyson Gay has found good health in the later stages of the season. Marshavet Myers seems ready to join Caarmelita Jeter in the sprint wars, and Allyson Felix is showing that she is a threat over 400 as well as the deuce. David Oliver and Bershawn Jackson are solid gold medal threats in the hurdles as are Lolo Jones and Lashinda Demus for the women. Chris Solinsky and Bernard Lagat, have added to what Dathen Ritzenhein and Matt Tegenkamp started last year in the distances. And Kara Patterson (Discus) and Chaunte Howard Lowe (HJ) have emerged as serious medal threats to go along with Christian Cantwell (Shot), Dwight Phillips (LJ), and Brittney Reese (LJ).<\/p>\n<p>But, aside from this handful of stars, it\u2019s the field where we seem to continue to underperform, and where we have so much more potential to improve our medal count in Daegu, London and Moscow. Very surprising since we have produced some of the greatest names in history in events where we currently are sorely lacking. In the triple jump for example, we are the country that produced Willie Banks, Mike Conley, and Kenny Harrison. Not too long ago, Hollis Conway and Charles Austin were as good as it got in the high jump. And while it\u2019s nice that Phillips is in contention in the long jump, once upon a time we could boast being three deep with 28 footers \u2013 or at least a third that was 27 high! Similar story in the discus where we were once as deep there are we are currently in the discus with athletes like Ben Plucknett, John Powell, Anthony Washington and John Godina (in his second event).<\/p>\n<p>If we are going to get anywhere near our stated goal of thirty medals in a major , we must get improved performances from the field. We will have to get some of our young talent like Christian Taylor (TJ), Dusty Jonas (HJ) and Andra Manson (HJ) over the hump and injured stars like Jenn Suhr (PV) and Breax Greer (JAV) back to good health. But most of all we have to find a way to improve our overall development in areas like the triple jump, discus, and hammer where we\u2019ve just stopped being competitive. <\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t expect to see any new talent emerge in these final few meets, but hope that our leadership at USATF can find a way to pull together our resources \u2013 monetary and coaching wise \u2013 to get our down events back up to a competitive level. It\u2019s a challenge that must be met if we are to improve our medal count in the upcoming trifecta. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With this season heading into the final month or so of competition, it\u2019s time to start looking forward to next season. After all the World Championships are literally just about one year away. US forces have had some nice surprises this year. Andrew Wheating, Leonel Manzano, Morgan Uceny, Phoebe Wright, and Alysia Johnson have emerged to bolster a growing middle distance corps. Jeremy Wariner is regaining form and Tyson Gay has found good health in the later stages of the season. Marshavet Myers seems ready to join Caarmelita Jeter in the sprint wars, and Allyson Felix is showing that she is a threat over 400 as well as the deuce. David Oliver and Bershawn Jackson are solid gold medal threats in the hurdles as are Lolo Jones and Lashinda Demus for the women. Chris Solinsky and Bernard Lagat, have added to what Dathen Ritzenhein and Matt Tegenkamp started last year in the distances. And Kara Patterson (Discus) and Chaunte Howard Lowe (HJ) have emerged as serious medal threats to go along with Christian Cantwell (Shot), Dwight Phillips (LJ), and Brittney Reese (LJ). But, aside from this handful of stars, it\u2019s the field where we seem to continue to underperform, and where we have so much more potential to improve our medal count in Daegu, London and Moscow. Very surprising since we have produced some of the greatest names in history in events where we currently are sorely lacking. In the triple jump for example, we are the country that produced Willie Banks, Mike Conley, and Kenny Harrison. Not too long ago, Hollis Conway and Charles Austin were as good as it got in the high jump. And while it\u2019s nice that Phillips is in contention in the long jump, once upon a time we could boast being three deep with 28 footers \u2013 or at least a third that was 27 high! Similar story in the discus where we were once as deep there are we are currently in the discus with athletes like Ben Plucknett, John Powell, Anthony Washington and John Godina (in his second event). If we are going to get anywhere near our stated goal of thirty medals in a major , we must get improved performances from the field. We will have to get some of our young talent like Christian Taylor (TJ), Dusty Jonas (HJ) and Andra Manson (HJ) over the hump and injured stars like Jenn Suhr (PV) and Breax Greer (JAV) back to good health. But most of all we have to find a way to improve our overall development in areas like the triple jump, discus, and hammer where we\u2019ve just stopped being competitive. I don\u2019t expect to see any new talent emerge in these final few meets, but hope that our leadership at USATF can find a way to pull together our resources \u2013 monetary and coaching wise \u2013 to get our down events back up to a competitive level. It\u2019s a challenge that must be met if we are to improve our medal count in the upcoming trifecta.<\/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":[],"class_list":["post-383","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa3DCY-6b","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":380,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=380","url_meta":{"origin":383,"position":0},"title":"Bolt Cuts Season Short \u2013 Still Plenty to Watch","author":"CHill","date":"August 12, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The word this week on just about every media outlet available \u2013 track and field web sites, major newspapers, even USA Today and ESPN \u2013 is that Usain Bolt is calling it a season. Within days of his loss to Tyson Gay in Stockholm, Bolt announced that due to lower\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"July 17, 2010 - 06183190 date 16 07 2010 Copyright imago Panoramic Athle Meeting Areva Stade de France David Oliver 110m Haies  PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRAxITAxBEL Athletics Meeting Areva IAAF Diamond League Paris men Action shot Vdig 2010 horizontal premiumd.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/view1.picapp.com\/pictures.photo\/image\/9367747\/sports-news-july-2010\/sports-news-july-2010.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":429,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=429","url_meta":{"origin":383,"position":1},"title":"Goodbye 2010 \u2013 The Year of David","author":"CHill","date":"December 29, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Most track seasons are defined by a championship. Every four years it\u2019s the Olympic Games. 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(Photo by Jasper Juinen\/Getty Images)","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/view4.picapp.com\/pictures.photo\/image\/7442952\/the-new-year-celebrated\/the-new-year-celebrated.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":321,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=321","url_meta":{"origin":383,"position":2},"title":"Dix and Culson Highlight Weekend Action","author":"CHill","date":"May 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"With Doha and the start of the Diamond League a week away, and no big meets on tap this weekend not a lot was expected in terms of upper level times. 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And while the team\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Batson\"","block_context":{"text":"Batson","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?tag=batson"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sprinter Shadow","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/Sprinter-Shadow_thumb.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":409,"url":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=409","url_meta":{"origin":383,"position":4},"title":"Male Athlete of the Year \u2013 David Rudisha","author":"CHill","date":"October 14, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"With the 2010 season now officially over in my book with the closing of the Commonwealth Games, I think it\u2019s safe to dole out major accolades for the season. I started earlier with a look at the Top Breakthrough Americans this year and hope to continue with other segments of\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 2 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 2 comments","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=409#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"BERLIN - AUGUST 22: David Lekuta Rudisha of Kenya celebrates the victory and the new world record in the men's 800m during the IAAF World Challenge ISTAF 2010 at the Olympic Stadium on August 22, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. 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So\u2026","rel":"","context":"With 8 comments","block_context":{"text":"With 8 comments","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=1720#comments"},"img":{"alt_text":"Me for Blog pic","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/trackchill.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Me-for-Blog-pic_thumb.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=383"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/383\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=383"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=383"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=383"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}