The Final Lap: Around the Globe in 60 seconds

With all of the excitement and preparation for this week’s upcoming U.S. indoor national championship meet. Let’s not forget about the great week that was had in track & field.

Athletes will compete at the AT&T USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on Sunday to win a national title and a roster spots for Team USA roster spots for the 2008 IAAF World Indoor Track & Field Championships on March 7-9 in Valencia, Spain.

You can tell it’s an Olympic year because no one wants to get left at home. This last week in track & field has produced a lot of impressive performances.

• Steven Spielberg rolled out! The Chinese are looking to save face after the maker of Schindler’s List resigned his Olympic duties in protest of the China's support of the human rights abuses in Darfur.

• Watch out Stuczynksi! American outdoor record holder Jenn Stuczynski has been served notice. Russian Yelena Isinbayeva improved her own world indoor record in the pole vault to 4.95m (16-2 3/4) in Donetsk, Ukraine.

• I won’t say I Told You So but..Carmelita Jeter, one of PRJ’s preseason picks to watch closed another big race in 60-meters at Tyson Invitational. That’s three major wins indoors, but who is counting, right?

• Big Poppy gets crazy! Adam Nelson is adding mad sportsmanship and attention to the men’s shot put. Oh, by the way, he’s number three all-time indoors after belting a throw of 73 feet, 6 inches.

• Who said distance runners can’t sprint? Kenenisa Bekele ran a smoking last 200-meters in 27.9 seconds to break the world 2mile record in Birmingham. Bet that bonus check spends nicely!

  
  

By Jay Hicks, a.k.a. Track Evangelist