Instant Analysis: Day 2, Aviva London 2008 Super Grand Prix

Jamaicans dominate day 2 in London.

Team USA may very well win the final medal count at the of the Olympic Games, but the Jamaicans could possibly win Olympic gold in some of the marquee races. In past Olympic Games, the U.S. has grown accustomed to crushing the competition. The rest of the world may have very well caught up.

Yesterday Asafa Powell (9.94) of Jamaica ran on cruise control while winning the 100-meters. Sherone Simpson (22.80) who also represents Jamaica, managed to pull out a close win in the women’s 200 meters.

Today Bolt (19.76) blew away a field that included Wallace Spearmon (20.27) of the U.S. in the 200-meters, setting a new British all-comers Crystal Palace record. Bolt was nearly a half second ahead of Wallace Spearmon.

Afterwards Bolt said, “Looking to Beijing, I think I have a good chance in the 200m and 100m - I'd love to do both," said the Jamaican. I'm still waiting to see what will be going on with that, my coach is making that decision maybe in a week or so.”

Going into Beijing, the Jamaican sprint star has put together a body of work that gives him the "favored" status in both the 100 and 200-meters. The looming question is whether Bolt decides to attempt the elusive double.

Jamaican superstar Veronica Campbell-Brown won the women’s 100-meters in 10.86. Runner up Shelly Ann-Fraser, also from Jamaica ran 10.95. Torri Edwards who will be representing the U.S. in Beijing took fourth (11.09) in the race. Allyson Felix was scheduled to participate in the 100-meters, but she decided to pull out of the race.

In race displaying his consistency, Kerron Clement (48.36) dominated the 400-meter hurdles.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Clermont, Florida the Place to Be!

At this point, can anyone break Veronica Campbell-Brown’s strangle hold on the women’s 100? At a meet on her home track in Clermont, Florida the reigning 100-meter World Champion ran an astounding 10.88. I’m sure that premiere performance is what she and her coach Lance Braumon are looking for going into the Jamaican Olympic Trials in a couple weeks.

At the same meet, high school runner Jeff Demps ran 10.21 (+2.2) in the 100, letting any doubters know that he is ready to compete at the highest level.

The very capable Natasha Hastings won (51.45) the 400 over reigning World Champion Dee Dee Trotter (51.95) in Clermont. It’s not clear what to make of the results except that Hastings is further establishing her presence in the event. But Dee Dee is not a runner to count out because she has tremendous 400 experience.

Dyron Robles’ recent World Record in the 100-hurdles did not go unnoticed by David Oliver. Oliver won (13.10) the hurdles in his third fastest time of the year. Which shows that the top ranked American hurdler is sharp just two weeks before the Olympic Trials.

I’m ready for Wallace Spearmon to have a break out race this season in the 200-meters. He ran comfortably (20.4) to victory in Clermont but it is looking as though he will have to run sub-20 seconds to make the U.S. Olympic team in the heavily stacked event.

By Jay Hicks.

Instant Analysis—Reebok Grand Prix!

The big winner at the Reebok Grand Prix: Usain Bolt. A false start coupled with rain and followed by being called out of the blocks by the starter were not enough to cool off this hot 100-meter race. It was a star performance by the young Jamaican sprinter setting a new World Record of 9.72!

Bolt captured lightening in a bottle by assembling perfection in New York. He set the tone with a fab start, then he flew during the mid-race and through the final stages when he broke the world record and grabbed a piece of history. In the process Bolt silenced his critics that have doubted the authenticity of his times and his lack of competing against big stars in the 100.

We’ll say again that this is a meet that would normally take place in Europe. Reebok and the meet director really did a nice job with this one.

Heading in to Bejing, Bolt is the odds on favorite, but don’t count out Tyson Gay who can only be happy with his 9.85. He ran just .01 off his personal best a month before the Olympic Trials. Keep in mind that the Olympics are more about running the rounds.

Sanya Richards got back to handling her business, running 50.04 in the 400. The Texas Ex ran a great time considering the inclement weather.

It was good to be queen for a day. Veronica Campbell-Brown dropped a bomb at 10.91 to claim the world leading time at 100-meters.

Everyone was looking for Terrence Trammell to get with Liu Xiang. But Liu Xiang pulled out of the race citing a sore hamstring. That change did not interrupt Trammell from putting down 13.11, a splendid time for just his second outing of the season.

Click here for the full meet results.

By Jay Hicks.