Run Away Track MVP?

Does a scenario exist that does not involve Usain Bolt as track and field's most valuable athlete? The Jamaican star is running this time for the prestigious IAAF World Athlete of the Year Award to be named during the 2008 World Athletics Gala, which takes place in Monaco, on 23 November 2008.

How do you top three world records and three gold medals?

Bolt finished a magical season that saw him set the 100-meter world record on two occassions and the 200-meter world record fall at feet. Oh, and then there is the business of Bolt's pivotal third leg on Jamaica's world record setting 4x100-meter relay in Beijing.

Don't forget about Dayron Robles of Cuba - he can't be denied either. He rolled 12.87 over the 110-hurdles in Ostrava, Czech Republic on June 12, immediately establishing himself as the man to beat. Robles dizzing place delivered gold in Beijing.

Ethopia's Kenenisa Bekele has taken distance running to another level. His gold medal performance in the 10,000-meters finals was a new Olympic Record (27:01.17) - bettering the time he ran in 2004.

Bekele let it rip over the final 400-meters, unleashing a lethal pace that competitors found too much to match, solidifying his place in history among the all-time greats.

Bolt's career is far from finished. He has proven himself to be a brilliant performer and the next test of his young career is longevity. Meaning can he reign on top of the game for a decade, dominating a generation of sprinters - like Michael Johnson and Carl Lewis?

Stay tuned.

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.

Instant Analysis - Oliver Knocks Off Robles, Powell Gets Faster In Lausanne

Powell Produces Fastest Times Out of Major Competition.

With nothing on the line, you can bet that Asafa Powell improved his 100-meter time to 9.72. Good enough to be the second fastest time in history-behind Usain Bolt of course. The consistent Walter Dix was close to his personal best time in 9.92.

Powell said, "Who knows? Maybe I'm not the guy for those big championships but just the guy to compete in the Grand Prix and Golden League meetings. It's just unfortunate."

It was only a matter of time before David Oliver bested Olympic champ Dayron Robles again over the 110-meter hurdles. A fast closing Oliver (13.02) got the best of Robles (13.17), marking the second that this season that Oliver has beaten the Olympic champion and world record holder from Cuba.

The 200-meter record is in jeopardy to fall anytime Usain Bolt laces up his Pumas. Tonight Bolted equaled the stadium record in Lausanne ,as the Jamaican lite up the track in 19.63.

Without Jeremy Wariner on the track, LaShawn Merritt dipped under 44 seconds producing 43.98. What will be interesting is to see which runner holds the fastest time at seasons end.

By Jay Hicks.

U.S. Win Silver & Bronze In 110-Hurdles

Payne & Oliver Shine in Hurdles.

-Beijing-David Payne and David Oliver accomplished what they came to do.

The U.S. hurdlers had dreams of getting on the medal stand. And it wasn't an easy task while watching hurdling standouts Liu Xiang and Terrence Trammell, see their dreams end in the qualifying heats.

They stayed focused and kept their eyes on the prize. David Payne (13.17) earned silver, while Howard University alum David Oliver (13.18) captured the bronze. Cuba's Dayron Robles (12.93) won the gold.

It certainly was not easy, but the U.S. hurdlers achieved this on a day when both the men's and women's 400m relays dropped the baton in the wet conditions but then again that's what champions do.

By Jay Hicks.

Aviva London Super Grand Prix, IAAF World Athletics Tour—Preview

Catch the Aviva London Super Grand Prix broadcast on WCSN.com and WCSN TV.

The big draw of Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay at 100-meters, will have to wait until Beijing. As a precaution, Gay has cancelled his appearance in the 100-meters, just to make sure he does not re-injury himself before the Olympic Games.

According to meeting director Ian Stewart: “Tyson gave himself absolutely every chance to be fit for the Aviva London Grand Prix – and I know he was absolutely desperate to run here. But at the end of the day the meeting has come just a fraction too soon for him and I understand the reasons why he has had to pull out.”

But don’t discount the London Aviva Super Grand Prix because the meet, which has been expanded to a two day format boasts an impressive line up.

First starters, Usain Bolt has promised something ‘special’ for his appearance in the 200-meters, after dropping 19.67 last Friday in Rome. Might that something 'special' be a run at Michael Johnson’s World Record of 19.32?

If it is somehow possible, the women’s 100-meters continues to add drama. U.S. Olympian Lauryn Williams will face Jamaica’s Veronica Campbell-Brown and Allyson Felix of the U.S.

Williams, who qualified at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100-meters with a third place finish, will definitely bring the heat on Friday against two formidable opponents just three weeks before the Olympic Games.

Timing is everything, especially in the hurdles. If David Oliver beats Cuba’s Dayron Robles, then track and field may have yet another new rivalry. Robles the reigning World Record holder in the 110-meter hurdles is a beast right now.

Can Lolo Jones continue her winning ways? Former Olympian Joanna Hayes and Jamaica’s Brigitte Foster-Hylton make for an exciting precursor to Beijing.

Going into Beijing, the question mark on Kerron Clement in the 400-meter hurdles, is whether the 2007 World Champion can establish consistency in the grueling one lap race. Fridays race may provide some indication of how consistent Clement is running since his lost to Bershawn Jackson at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

By Jay Hicks.

DN Galan in Stockholm, Sweden--Preview

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How many world records will drop?

The DN Galan, a Super Grand Prix status meet on the 2008 IAAF World Athletics Tour, takes place on Tuesday.

Breaking the world record is a culmination of timing and destiny. The DN Galan takes places in venerable old Stockholm Stadium, which was built in connection with the 1912 Olympics. Through the years, no fewer than 83 world records have taken place at this venue, more than at any other stadium in the world.

There will not be a Jeremy Wariner match up against LaShawn Merritt, but Wariner will face David Neville, who finished third at the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Will the 100-meters world record get lowered on Tuesday for the second time this season?

The world will be watching the 100-meter match up between Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell. The race is almost guaranteed to produce some sparks. Powell is running in his first race since experiencing a groin injury earlier this month in Rome.

Earlier in the season, it was Bolt who brought the world's attention to the 100-meters as he set the new World Record at 9.72 seconds, breaking Powell's world record. The favorite going into the meet is Usain Bolt, and since he has a flair for the dramatic, don't be surprised to see a new world record at the end of the race.

Get Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva angry, and anything can happen. After watching Jennifer Stuczynski lower her own American record at the U.S. Olympic Trials, Isinbayeva was so angry that she broke her World Record in her first competition of the outdoor season. Look for sparks to fly tomorrow when the two meet head-to-head. Right now, Isinbayeva is riding the hot hand and is the favorite going into the meet, although this competition will be fierce.

Just call it the calm before the storm. There is a looming clash in the 110-meter hurdles between World Record holder Dayron Robles of Cuba and David Oliver, the U.S. Olympic Trials champion. Dayron's precision is nearly flawless, and Oliver is precise and physical at this point in the season. This race is simply too close to call, but we can expect the winning time to hover around 12.88 or so, which is .01 off the current world record.

By Jay Hicks.

Who Will Win Wariner vs. Merritt IV?

When Jeremy Wariner sat down before the season with his agent Michael Johnson and his coach Michael Ford, it was recognized that LaShawn Merritt would be a foe to be dealt with in the ’08 season.

Not that Wariner could have ever forgotten the man he had to run down in final 30-meters in Osaka to win the 400-meters at the 2007 World Championship.

What could not have been anticipated before the season is the hamstring injury suffered by Wariner on May 9 in Doha, Qatar, that slightly set back his conditioning and training. The tightness in the right hamstring is a recurring injury dating back to his Baylor days and is a recurring issue from time to time.

Another unforeseen development is LaShawn Merritt currently leads the matchup 2 to 1 over Jeremy Wariner this season. In the first show down Merritt won over Wariner in Berlin, Germany on 1 June, at the opening leg fixture of the ÅF Golden League 2008. Their tussle could not have been much tighter - 44.03 to 44.07. In a big upset Merritt (44.00) edged Wariner (44.20) at the the U.S. Olympic Trials.

There is a certain feeling in being a marked man. The freshly minted World Record holder Dayron Robles (12.87) is running with a bulls eye on the back of his uniform in the 110-meter hurdles. Rising U.S. star David Oliver ran close to the world record at 12.87 with a +3.2 wind at the Olympic Trials, making the head-to-head match interesting. Oliver is running with tremendous confidence making this one of the highlight events of the meet.

The women’s 100-meter hurdles promises to be thrilling on Friday. Fresh off a U.S. Olympic Trials championship Lolo Jones (12.29 with +3.8 wind) is poised to take on the red hot Brigitte Foster-Hylton (12.50). The heat will also come from Josehine Onyia (12.50) Delloreen Ennis-London (12.54) in the race.

The women’s 200 is another loaded event. The dominant Kerron Stewart of Jamaica comes into the meet with the second fastest time in the world in 21.99. The third fastest time of 22.11 in the world is owned by Jamaica's Sherone Simpson, who will also be in the race. Sanya Richard is dropping down from 400-meters again to work on speed but she may very well have met her match in these two runners. The U.S. Olympic Trials champion at 400-meters ran her seasons best time of 22.49 last week in Rome.

By Jay Hicks.

When Athletes Blog—David Oliver!

David Oliver is in the driver’s seat heading into the U.S. Olympic Trials. But that doesn’t mean the standout hurdler doesn’t have a lot on his mind.

David took to his blog to share his gracious thoughts with fans. Here is what the America’s top ranked hurdler had to say about Cuba’s Dyron Robles new World Record in the 110-hurdles.

“Today in Ostrava, the guy who I have proclaimed as the best 110 hurdler since 2006, came through with the best performance in the history of the event. A World Record run of 12.87 seconds. Bettering Liu Xiang's performance of 12.88 seconds set in Lausanne in 2006. It was the most amazing race I have ever seen. Congratulations to Robles and his camp for running the record and once again showing the world again how the 110 hurdles is the best event in track and field to watch.

This race has caused me to undertake some changes to my site, as I had Mission: 12.87, now I have had to lower it down to 12.85. I think I should put it at 12.75 because then I might be able to hold on to that title without changing it for a while. I'm sure 12.85 will be surpassed by someone here in the next coming months.”

Click here to read David Oliver’s full blog.

By Jay Hicks.