{"id":429,"date":"2010-12-29T05:53:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-29T13:53:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=429"},"modified":"2010-12-29T05:53:00","modified_gmt":"2010-12-29T13:53:00","slug":"goodbye-2010-the-year-of-david","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/?p=429","title":{"rendered":"Goodbye 2010 \u2013 The Year of David"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/view.picapp.com\/pictures.photo\/news\/the-new-year-celebrated\/image\/7442952?term=fireworks%2c++new+year%27s+eve\" target=\"_blank\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/view4.picapp.com\/pictures.photo\/image\/7442952\/the-new-year-celebrated\/the-new-year-celebrated.jpg?resize=380%2C247\" border=\"0\" width=\"380\" title=\"The New Year Is Celebrated Around The World\" height=\"247\" oncontextmenu=\"return false;\" ondrag=\"return false;\" onmousedown=\"return false;\" alt=\"ROTTERDAM, NETHERLANDS - JANUARY 01:  New Year's Eve fireworks display illuminates the sky over the Erasmus Bridge crossing the Nieuwe Maas river on January 1, 2010 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.  (Photo by Jasper Juinen\/Getty Images)\" \/><\/a><script type=\"text\/javascript\" src=\"http:\/\/view.picapp.com\/\/JavaScripts\/OTIjs.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Most track seasons are defined by a championship. Every four years it\u2019s the Olympic Games. For the years directly before and after the Olympics it\u2019s the World Championships. Everyone\u2019s focus is on those meets, and it is typically the performances produced in the Major that create the most lasting impressions \u2013 and define a season.<\/p>\n<p>2010 was an \u201coff season\u201d however \u2013 a season without a major. And off seasons tend to define themselves differently. 2006 saw the rebirth of the 200 meters. 2002 opened the floodgates on BALCO. 1998 saw the World Cup in Johannesburg\u2019s high altitude produce Mexico City like results. <\/p>\n<p>2010 was a very busy year. We saw the end of the two year tenure of Doug Logan as CEO of USA Track and Field. The IAAF rolled out the Diamond League as its signature set of meets. Allyson Felix gave notice that she may be the best 200\/400 woman on the planet; Chris Solinsky became America\u2019s first sub 27 \/ sub13 distance runner; and the U.S. appeared ready to get back in the game over the middle distances with Andrew Wheating, Leo Manzano, Alicia Johnson, Phoebe Wright, Morgan Uceny, and Christin Wurth Thomas all starting to come of age. <\/p>\n<p>But I will remember 2010 as the Year of David \u2013 both literally and figuratively. As three \u201cDavid\u2019s\u201d made huge noise in 2010. <\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/theviewfromthefinishline.blogspot.com\/2010\/10\/male-athlete-of-year-david-rudisha.html\" target=\"_blank\">David Rudisha<\/a><\/strong> started the year hot with a PR 45.50 over 400 in late March. He opened at 1:43.15 in his specialty on April 4th, He set his second WR at 1:41.01 on August 29th, and during the course of the year ran under 1:43.00 seven times on his way to an undefeated season \u2013 including three times under 1:42.00! His first WR run of 1:41.09 took down Wilson Kipketer\u2019s 12 year old WR \u2013 one of the sports\u2019 most hallowed marks. His outstanding set of performances made him the 2010 Athlete of the Year.<\/p>\n<p>But as good as Rudisha was his status as Athlete of the Year was not secure until he crossed the line in 1:41.09. Because another David was also having an AOY type season.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/theviewfromthefinishline.blogspot.com\/2010\/10\/us-athletes-of-year-for-2010.html\" target=\"_blank\">David Oliver<\/a><\/strong> also started his season off quickly running 13.24 in April. A 13.11 victory over WR holder Dayron Robles (13.26) in Daegu on May 19th served notice that Oliver was in form and ready to compete \u2013 and compete he did. Oliver was also undefeated; had eight marks under 13.10; and five times ran under 13.00 \u2013 twice setting American records in the process (12.90 &amp; 12.89). For most of the year it was clear that David was going to be AOY. And though Rudisha\u2019s two WR\u2019s trumped Oliver for World AOY, his two AR\u2019s and undefeated season easily made him the U.S. Athlete of the Year.<\/p>\n<p>The third David was the embodiment of the \u201cbiblical\u201d David \u2013 he that slew Goliath. As <strong>Tyson Gay<\/strong> gave life to singer Gil Scott-Heron\u2019s <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lipwalklyrics.com\/lyrics\/151910-gilscottheron-aintnosuchthingassuperman.html\" target=\"_blank\">lyrics<\/a> \u201cThere Ain\u2019t No Such Thing As A Superman\u201d, when he <a href=\"http:\/\/theviewfromthefinishline.blogspot.com\/2010\/08\/tyson-gay-defeats-usain-bolt-in.html\" target=\"_blank\">defeated<\/a> Usain Bolt in Stockholm on August 6th. The highlight of Gay\u2019s season in which he was undefeated over 100 meters \u2013 co-leading the world at 9.78. He suffered only 1 loss over 200 and set a WR 19.41 for a straight 200. And ran a PR 44.89 over 400 meters \u2013 making him the first sprinter to run sub 10, sub 20 and sub 45 with automatic timing (Steve Williams turned the trick in the \u201870\u2019s with hand timing). In any other season this would have been enough to make this \u201cDavid\u201d AOY. But in 2010 he simply becomes the third David \u2013 The Giant Killer. <\/p>\n<p>So goodbye to 2010. I\u2019m looking forward to seeing how all of our young middle distance performers do in 2011. And I\u2019m certain there is more to come from the David\u2019s. Here is a final look at the Year of David.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px\" id=\"scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:9665f2a8-15c8-4655-b6f5-94127fc3e80c\" class=\"wlWriterEditableSmartContent\">\n<div id=\"e34fcbc4-fc93-44ee-8561-0de6ece60f00\" style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;\">\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_of87fPA6fg\" target=\"_new\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lh3.ggpht.com\/_q69RXDGKhjE\/TRs9SjFx1mI\/AAAAAAAAAF4\/G4oAvjmW9_w\/video4042ca2a8d58%5B16%5D.jpg\" style=\"border-style: none\" galleryimg=\"no\" onload=\"var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('e34fcbc4-fc93-44ee-8561-0de6ece60f00'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = &quot;&lt;div&gt;&lt;object width=\\&quot;429\\&quot; height=\\&quot;258\\&quot;&gt;&lt;param name=\\&quot;movie\\&quot; value=\\&quot;http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/_of87fPA6fg?hl=en&amp;hd=1\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/param&gt;&lt;embed src=\\&quot;http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/_of87fPA6fg?hl=en&amp;hd=1\\&quot; type=\\&quot;application\/x-shockwave-flash\\&quot; width=\\&quot;429\\&quot; height=\\&quot;258\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/embed&gt;&lt;\\\/object&gt;&lt;\\\/div&gt;&quot;;\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width:429px;clear:both;font-size:.8em\">Rudisha sets first WR<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px\" id=\"scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:01d99b58-723b-449f-98fd-12ee9866c3eb\" class=\"wlWriterEditableSmartContent\">\n<div id=\"86bedbef-3b8a-4cbd-9b25-27ccd5f51aab\" style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;\">\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=GftoPBZ_5V4\" target=\"_new\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lh6.ggpht.com\/_q69RXDGKhjE\/TRs9Sz5_5gI\/AAAAAAAAAF8\/_fa1ecjz79A\/video14716d7c07a3%5B16%5D.jpg\" style=\"border-style: none\" galleryimg=\"no\" onload=\"var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('86bedbef-3b8a-4cbd-9b25-27ccd5f51aab'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = &quot;&lt;div&gt;&lt;object width=\\&quot;425\\&quot; height=\\&quot;255\\&quot;&gt;&lt;param name=\\&quot;movie\\&quot; value=\\&quot;http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/GftoPBZ_5V4?hl=en&amp;hd=1\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/param&gt;&lt;embed src=\\&quot;http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/GftoPBZ_5V4?hl=en&amp;hd=1\\&quot; type=\\&quot;application\/x-shockwave-flash\\&quot; width=\\&quot;425\\&quot; height=\\&quot;255\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/embed&gt;&lt;\\\/object&gt;&lt;\\\/div&gt;&quot;;\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width:425px;clear:both;font-size:.8em\">Oliver dominates<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px\" id=\"scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:208224de-444e-43c4-b73d-25621bd441cd\" class=\"wlWriterEditableSmartContent\">\n<div id=\"636e958d-c4ba-4de6-93ef-0e298d2d9e11\" style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;\">\n<div><a href=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1N7HCkc7q8k\" target=\"_new\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lh5.ggpht.com\/_q69RXDGKhjE\/TRs9Tkkf4aI\/AAAAAAAAAGA\/N06SHxAlaiM\/video67591b40c97f%5B16%5D.jpg\" style=\"border-style: none\" galleryimg=\"no\" onload=\"var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('636e958d-c4ba-4de6-93ef-0e298d2d9e11'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = &quot;&lt;div&gt;&lt;object width=\\&quot;423\\&quot; height=\\&quot;254\\&quot;&gt;&lt;param name=\\&quot;movie\\&quot; value=\\&quot;http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/1N7HCkc7q8k?hl=en&amp;hd=1\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/param&gt;&lt;embed src=\\&quot;http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/1N7HCkc7q8k?hl=en&amp;hd=1\\&quot; type=\\&quot;application\/x-shockwave-flash\\&quot; width=\\&quot;423\\&quot; height=\\&quot;254\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\\\/embed&gt;&lt;\\\/object&gt;&lt;\\\/div&gt;&quot;;\" alt=\"\"><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"width:423px;clear:both;font-size:.8em\">No such thing as a Superman<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most track seasons are defined by a championship. Every four years it\u2019s the Olympic Games. For the years directly before and after the Olympics it\u2019s the World Championships. Everyone\u2019s focus is on those meets, and it is typically the performances produced in the Major that create the most lasting impressions \u2013 and define a season. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_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-429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa3DCY-6V","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429","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=429"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/429\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/trackchill.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}