Sure Allen Johnson isn’t in the finals of the 110 hurdles but rising star David Oliver is running at an instinctual level that is unaffected by the loss of the 37-year-old American hurdling legend. Look for the heat to come from Anwar Moore, Antown Hicks, and veteran Terrence Trammell.
Oliver has been on the grind and is hoping that the hurdles are his best friend and not his worst enemy tomorrow in the finals.
“That's what's important. Whether you're first or 16th, we're all going to the semifinals and we all have a chance to make the team still," said Oliver.
Women’s 200 Final Looks Very Familiar
The main difference going into the 200-meter final is that Allyson Felix has the fastest time (22.22) run by an American this year. The 100-meter U.S. Olympic trials champion Muna Lee has the second fastest qualifying time (22.33), Shalonda Solomon put down 22.48, and Bianca Knight won the first heat in 22.53.
Felix, Lee, Lauryn Williams, Torri Edwards, and Marshevet Hooker all appeared in the 100-meter final and they are all now in the 200-meter final.
This race is simply too close to call. Felix is the favorite going into tomorrow. Hooker is motivated by not getting left home. Solomon is a beast and Knight is the picture of consistency at the half lap distance, and Torri Edwards has veteran experience that can not be underestimated.
Get your popcorn ready because this is going to be entertaining.
All content and photos by Jay Hicks.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Is It David Oliver’s Time to Shine?
Tyson Gay Injury Troubling!
Today was definitely a hard day at the office for the athletes but who would have ever thought that Tyson Gay would not be in the 200-meter final? It was hard to watch a warrior fall but after the 100s, I was wondering how much all of those sub 10 second 100-meter races took out of him.
The injury is reported as a ‘severe cramp’ and everyone should hope that is the extent of the injury. He was complaining of soreness in the hamstring during the 100-meter rounds.
The men’s 200-meter is completely wide open. Wallace Spearmon is a likely figure to win the race, but Walter Dix has been running extremely well. And don’t count out the reigning 2000 Olympic champion Shawn Crawford. The winning time will probably be under 20 seconds.
Another warrior Allen Johnson, did not make it to the finals on the 110- hurdles due to an injury.
Everything seems to be falling into place for Lolo Jones in the women’s 100 hurdles. She told me that she is feeling good and feels that she is in a good place going into the finals. The reigning Olympic champion Joanna Hayes is putting together her race through the rounds, so look for a good final tomorrow.
Check out my full coverage on TheFinalSprint.com.
By Jay Hicks.
Sights of the Day!
From Eugene, Oregon.
One of Sudan's "Lost Boys", Lopez Lomong, talks about how happy he is to be at the U.S. Olympic Trials and in the 1500-meter final.
16-year-old high school junior Jordan Hasay says that it is an honor to break the 1500-meter high school national record (4:14.50) and make the U.S Olympic Trials finals.
Bernard "Kip" Lagat says that he expects a fast beginning, slow middle, and extremely fast end to the 1500-meter final.
Alan Webb says that he can win the 1500-meter final.All photographs and content by Jay Hicks.
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Sights of the Day!
It's great to be queen for a day says Sanya Richards...
Mary Wineberg, runner up in the women's 400, tells NBC she is happy to be on the team.
It was good to be LaShawn Merritt tonight, as the clock reads 44.00.
Making it through the preliminary round was all that Jenn Stuczynski was concerned with tonight.
Winner Sanya Richards chatting it up with the press after running 49.89.
Can anyone say "sweep", says LaShawn Merrit (l) and David Neville (r).Merritt and Richards Win and Qualify for Olympic Team!
A pin drop could have been heard before the gun went off in the men's 400-meters. At this point, everyone knows that LaShawn Merritt (44.00) beat Jeremy Wariner (44.20) in the head-to-head match up. After the race, I had a chance to speak about the race with track legend Michael Johnson, who is also Jeremy Wariner's agent.
MJ said that LaShawn Merritt is a beast and a force to be reckoned with in the 400-meters. He seemed to alude to the fact that being on top means beating challengers as they arise. The current 400-meter world recorder holder also said that at this point and up to this point, Jeremy is the better 400-meter runner. He thought the race strategy in which Jeremy did not get out was the issue in the race tonight.
Simply put: Jeremy has to put his race together in order to win because Merritt did not run a time that Wariner is incapable of running.
After her race, Sanya Richards was estatic about winning and qualifying for the Olympic team. You got the impression that placing fourth at the U.S. nationals last year is something that she has thought a lot about since that race. As we predicted, Mary Wineberg made the team, and veteran Dee Dee Trotter pulled out her mojo, even with an injured knee to make the team.
Tonight was a great night for track and field.
Read my full article as it appears on TheFinalSprint.com.
By Jay Hicks.
Running Film Festival Unlike Anything Else!
The first annual Running Film Festival (RFF) kicked off today, July 3rd and runs until Saturday, July 5th at Columbia Hall (corner of University and 13th Street) in Eugene, OR. The film festival has met with major success from the fans and media alike.
This film festival based on running films is unlike anything else in the United States. A total of 19 movies are to be previewed, and select films have director question and answer sessions afterwards. Today, I was especially taken by Chasing Bolt, a Matt Taylor film chronicling the journey of 100-meter record holder Usain Bolt to Beijing. What is interesting is that the project was put together well before Bolt's run at the 100-meters emerged on the scene.
The Running Film Festival entrance.
Newly minted 800 Olympian Nick Symmonds (r) and RFF co-organizer Adam Jacobs (r) of TheFinalSprint.
Getting out the word on the one-of-a kind Running Film Festival.
Emmy-Award Winning broadcaster & journalist Toni Reavis & Matt Taylor, director of 'Chasing Bolt", discussing Taylor's latest film.
By Jay Hicks.
The Big 400 Meter Show down!
Tonight's show down between challenger LaShawn Merritt and reigning champion Jeremy Wariner is arguably the Olympic Trials' hottest race. The favorite at this point is Wariner, considering how well he has looked in the rounds, coupled with the fact that he has won virtually everything there is to win in the sport. But Merritt has already proved in a win over Wariner to be a formidable opponent. Merritt will probably use his speed to get out quickly the first 200, and Wariner will get out well the first 60-meters and settle into a comfortable pace. Merritt will lead going into the third curve, and Wariner will hit the gas at 250-meters. The homestretch will be about which runner is in the best position and who has the biggest will power to win.
The woman to beat at 400-meters is definately American record holder Sanya Richards. Look for Wineberg, Trotter, and Hastings to all be in contention the final 60-meters. Don't be surprised to see Wineberg challenge the race from the start, while reigning national champion Trotter has the experience to win the race. Former 400-meter NCAA champion Hastings is also a threat as she's been putting together her race well throughout the rounds.
Women's 400 M Final - Lane Assignments:
1 467 Ebonie Floyd Nike 51.49
2 564 Monica Hargrove unattached 51.88
3 423 Debbie Dunn unattached 51.79
4 1387 Mary Wineberg Nike 50.57
5 1081 Sanya Richards Nike 50.75
6 592 Natasha Hastings Nike 51.04
7 1291 Dee Dee Trotter adidas 50.90
8 610 Monique Henderson Reebok 51.07
Men's 400 M Final - Lane Assignments1 773 Lionel Larry USC 45.55
2 966 Greg Nixon Asics 45.20
3 1194 Calvin Smith Florida 45.43
4 1382 Darold Williamson Nike 45.16
5 1326 Jeremy Wariner adidas 44.66
6 891 LaShawn Merritt Nike 44.76
7 1390 Reggie Witherspoon Nike 44.99
8 959 David Neville Nike 45.03
By Jay Hicks.Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Campbell-Browns Comes Back Hard in 200!
A champion may be momentarily down, but never out for the count. Not only did Veronica Campbell-Brown win the 200, she redeemed herself by running the best 200-meters of her life, dipping under 22-seconds for the first time in her career.
After finishing fourth in the women’s 100-meters, Veronica ran like a star, driven by passion and determination to win (21.94) the women’s 200. It is amazing that an island of roughly 2 million currently has some of the best sprinters in the world.
The rest of the Jamaican sprint crew, Kerron Stewart (21.99) and Sherone Simpson (22.11) were on her heals in the quick race.
Sources at the meet have said that Usain Bolt shut it down with 60-meters and still ran 19.97 to win the men's 200. In what seemed like a practice jog, Usain Bolt completed his double with a strategy to merely qualify for Beijing.
Michael Blackwood won the men's 400 in 45.21.
In the women's 100 hurdles, Brigitte Foster-Hylton won in a very respectable 12.50 seconds.
There is a looming battle brewing between the Jamaican Olympic and U.S. Olympic teams in both the individual events and the 4x100-meter relay.By Jay Hicks.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Three Oregonians Make U.S 800 Olympic Team!
-From Eugene, Oregon
All I can say is... that might be the best 800m that I've ever witnessed. Khadevis Robinson took the race out hard the first lap (50.03). At the 600 meter mark, Nick Symmonds (1:44.10) laid down the kick that eventually won the race.
At the train wreck finish, University of Oregon runner Andrew Wheating (1:45.03) placed second, followed by Oregon Track Club runner Christian Smith (1:45.47).
Khadevis Robinson reached out in the race's final steps to keep from falling and hit Lopez Lomong.
The always friendly Robinson said, “We both fell, and I was hoping that anyone was there. If Jesus would’ve been there, I would’ve grabbed him.”
Check out the full coverage on TheFinalSprint.
By Jay Hicks
The Hardest Team to Make by Nike Is Hard to Miss!
-From Eugene, Oregon
The sights in and around Hayward Field are overwhelming figures of Nike. The place is bought and paid for Phil Knight and company.
The presence of the Beaverton, Oregon-based apparel maker is beyond strong. Many of the greater Eugene area employees from hotels, restaurants, bars, and vendors all sport the ‘08 Eugene shirts boldly displaying the Nike symbol.
The city buses have various billboards featuring the Nike swoosh, and the Hayward Stadium is plastered with the company's images. Look to buy a t-shirt with an Adidas logo, and you would be out of luck because they are not here.
Nike is reportedly a seven-figure contributor to the Olympic Trials, and most businesses are forbidden to sell any product that competes directly with Nike. Without the company's support, the best Olympic Trials ever hosted would not be possible.
Adidas has set up booths at the Villard Street Pub, which is a pub located near the track. The Adidas logo is also plastered on the feet and bodies of the Olympic Trials’ biggest stars, such as Tyson Gay and Jeremy Wariner.
By Jay Hicks.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Baylor University Shines in 400 Meters in Eugene!
-From Eugene, Oregon
What about the Baylor University 400-meter crew? Two of the four semifinal heats were won by current or former quartermilers from “The U”.
Legendary Baylor coaches Clyde Hart and Michael Ford have as much, if not more, impact than anyone in the world on influencing a single event in the entire sport.
All five runners earned automatic bids to Monday’s semifinal round. The number one 400-meter runner in the world, Jeremy Wariner ,won his heat (46.04), and Baylor senior Quentin Inglehart-Summers (45.87) also won his heat. Former 1,600-meter relay Olympic gold medalist Darold Williamson (46.00) placed third in his heat, Sophmore LeGerald Betters (45.46) from Waco, Texas finished second in his heat and former Bear Reggie Witherspoon (45.94) also finished second in his heat.
Former University of Texas alum Sanya Richards won her heat in the women’s 400-meter semifinal. She trains under Coach Clyde Hart at the Baylor University track in Waco, Texas.
Is it possible to see four Baylor runners in the Team USA 1,600-meter relay pool in Beijing?
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Gays Runs Even Faster, Dix Emerges On the Scene!
It was utter pandemonium when the stadium clock displayed 9.68 after Tyson Gay crossed the line. Track Town, USA was completely rocking for the next thirty minutes. The wind-aided time (+4.1) is still the fastest time ever run.
People sitting at home may question how six people ran under 10-seconds in one race. Similar to European track stadiums, the fans in the newly renovated Hayward Field are close to the track, and the athletes feed off of their infectious energy.
Walter Dix shut up all of the naysayers and doubters of his talent. He is headed to Beijing, and the shoe companies had better start adding some big numbers to their contract offers.
It was great to see Darvis Patton dip under 10-seconds again and qualify for the team after fighting injuries for the last couple years.
Coach Jon Drummond was ecstatic in the athlete area after the race. His athlete Tyson Gay had done it!
Check out my full article on the race as published on TheFinalSprint.com
By Jay Hicks.
Women to Watch in 400!
As we reported on TheFinalSprint.com, the women's quarterfinals heat just went down. The most impressive runners to watch are Mary Wineberg (51.46), Natasha Hastings (51.51), Shana Cox (51.69), Eboni Floyd (51.37), Dee Dee Trotter (51.97) and Sanya Richards (51.37).
Wineberg is a sleeper in this race, who has been overlooked by many. Shana Cox, the reigning 400-meter NCAA champion from Penn State, may have some gas left in her tank to get through the rounds. An injury this past year has allowed her to keep her races down during this outdoor season.
It would be surprising if University of Houston alum Eboni Floyd does not make the finals and earn a relay spot. Reigning World Champion Dee Dee Trotter has the ability to turn on her big game on a moment's notice. Sanya Richards comes in as the favorite to win it all, but the road will be hotly contested by this talented group of 400-meter runners.
By Jay Hicks.
Women's 100 World Champion Fails To Make Jamaican Olympic Team!
There are no guarantees in track and field, and even the best of the best runners have to earn an Olympic spot. In a shocking development, reigning 100-meter World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown (10.88) did not earn an automatic bid to the Olympic Games.
There was incredible sprinting Saturday night in the Caribbean. The Jamaican nationals saw four women dip under 10.90, with winner Kerron Stewart fighting to victory in 10.80.
The top three winners of Stewart, Shelley-Ann Fraser (10.85), and Sherone Simpson (10.87) will compete for Jamaica in Beijing.
Campbell-Brown will try to qualify in the 200-meters on Sunday.
Those looking for major fire works in the men’s 100-meters will have to wait until Beijing. Usain “Lightening” Bolt jogged a 9.85 to victory, ahead of Asafa Powell (9.97) who reportedly shut it down at 80-meters.
By Jay Hicks.
Photo courtesy IAAF.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Muna Lee Sprints On Oly Team!
Wow! Who would have thought that 10.93 would not get you in the top three slots in the women's 100-meter final?
That is the time put up by Marshevet Hooker, who was slow out of the blocks. The Olympic roster is also without Allyson Felix (10.96), who finished fifth in the smoking hot race.
Fight, determination, grit are all appropriate words to describe Muna Lee's career in the sport. She overturned some of the sport's biggest names. The Kansas City, Missouri native is known as an accomplished sprinter in track circles. Lee, who attended LSU, competed in the 200-meters in the 2004 Olympic Games. We predicted that the 26-year-old sprinter would be a force to reckon with at the trials, and she definitely lived up to those expectations.
Muna Lee, Torri Edwards, and Lauryn Williams are an impressive group of runners to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
By Jay Hicks.
Tyson Gay Rewrites American 100-Meter Record in Eugene!
Tyson Gay put on a sprinting clinic during the quarterfinal heats. He set a new (9.77) American Record in the quarterfinal round heat. I’ve never seen a round of 100 heats that produced six sub-10 second times.
His time beat the previous (9.79 ) American record held by former great Maurice Greene. After the race Gay said, “If I can follow in [Greene’s] footsteps and win an Olympic medal, I’ll go down in history as one of the greatest.”
Tyson said that he nearly cried out of fear that he had not made it through the previous round when he inadvertently slowed up thinking he had reached the finish line. His coach Jon Drummond said that “champions do not do those kind of things, and you need to make up for it in the next round.”
Everyone has been just handing World Record Holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica the Olympic gold medal in Beijing. This race is indication that it will be war on the track in the men’s 100-meters in August. That, of course, is assuming that all goes as planned, and Gay qualifies for the U.S. Olympic Team. After a day like today, let’s just be clear that no assumptions can be made.
By Jay Hicks
Small Package, Big Time Results in Jamaica!
In other track news, do you remember again when we stated that Asafa Powell needs to bring the heat? Well last night the former 100-meter record holder Asafa Powell dropped 9.90 in the semifinals of the Jamaican National Championships.
Can he deliver a noteworthy performance in the finals against world record holder Usain Bolt? Powell is showing the kind of heart that his competitors have criticized him for lacking in the past.
The women’s 100-meters in Jamaica is shaping up to be a fierce competition. Kerron Stewart (10.99) ran her third career sub 11-second race at 100-meters. This makes for a huge drama in the finals as the reigning Olympic and World Champion Veronica Campbell-Brown is bringing the fire at this point in the season.
By Jay Hicks.
Team USA Olympic Uniforms Revealed!
After much anticipation and speculation, the Olympic Team uniforms have been presented for the world to see. How does the '08 gear compare to previous team uniforms?
By Jay Hicks.
Photo courtesy Image of Sport.
WCSN.com Now Universal Sports Delivers Olympic Trials Video!
U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS – TRACK AND FIELD:
Fri., June 27
Sun., June 29
Thurs., July 3
Fri., July 4
Sat., July 5
Sun., July 6
UNIVERSAL SPORTS COVERAGE: Universal Sports, a recently announced joint venture between NBC Sports and InterMedia Partners, and formerly World Championship Sports Network (WCSN), will air encore presentations of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials in the following events: swimming, track and field, gymnastics, diving, softball (USA vs. China), whitewater canoeing, men's indoor volleyball (USA vs. Argentina), women's indoor volleyball (USA vs. Brazil), men and women's marathon, wrestling, judo, women's weightlifting, rowing, men's BMX, women's water polo (USA vs. Australia), men’s water polo (USA vs. Croatia) and boxing. WCSN has been rebranded as Universal Sports. Go to NBCOlympics.com and UniversalSports.com for up-to-date schedule information.
The Amy Begley Show!
While at the Olympic Trials, the 10,000 meter run was a final event. As reported on TheFinalSprint.com, Amy Begley was arguably the story of the night. Not only did she have to place third to make the Olympic Team, but she also had to run the A standard.
The top two finishers in Shalane Flanagan and Kara Goucher had left her behind earlier in the race.
With a lap and half to go, she left nothing to spare. She accomplished the A standard and third place with just 1.4 seconds to spare, leaving her race on the track in the process.
At the press conference she said, "I looked in the stands, and my husband had a worried look on his face. I decided I had to go now or regret this the rest of my life."
Gouche and Begley are lifetime friends, and both train under the Nike's Oregon Project with coaching sensation Roberto Salazar in Portland. This morning Begley has no regrets at all.
By Jay Hicks.
