Olympic Trials Recap Part 1

 (ASHTON EATON

Decathlon Winner)

This past weekend started one of the more tense and competitive track and field meets in the world. The United States has the toughest rules to qualify for the Olympics. In most countries they allow a wild card or select the team all together depending on whether or not an athlete qualifies for the "A" standard. Each country is only allowed three individuals per event.


In the United States instead of having a wild card only the top three finishers in each event represent the country. To me, this is still questionable. I believe the top two, but I would leave a wild card spot open for third to allow a top athlete to compete in the event that they are injured. However the US Olympic Committee does not seem like they are changing their rules anytime soon so we must deal with the system currently in place.


The first weekend of the trials always catches my attention personally. Not only is the 100 meter dash held but also the 400 meter dash. This year many professional Americans have had up and down performances heading to the trials. Carmelita Jeter has the world's number 1 time in the women's 100, however she has lost two recent competitions and both performances were over 11.00 seconds. Her most recent defeat came at the Adidas Invitational in New York at the hands of Shelly Ann Fraser.


Jeter did not let her recent performances phase her. Running out of lane 6 the strong competitor from California ran a solid race to win 10.92 over Tianna Madison in 10.96. The event however would still not be without controversy and intrigue. The third position as it currently stands is shared. Both Allyson Felix and Jeneba Tarmoh are tied for the third position.


No decision has been made on how the tie-break will be made, however the Olympic rules will stand only three competitors in each event per country. In my opinion I would select the athlete who has the best overall potential to represent the US, Allyson Felix.


The men's 100 meter dash had the intrigue but no controversy. 2011 World Silver Medalist Walter Dix pulled up in the semi-finals with what seemed like a hamstring injury. Running out of lane 8 in the finals it was clear the Dix sustained the injury verified by the heavily bandage thigh.


Justin Gatlin who begin the competition with a bang ran a sensational race clocking in at 9.80 in cool temperatures. Gatlin had a strong start, solid drive phase and an amazing finish. His time is only second to Usain Bolt and makes him the best hope to win the 100 meter dash against Bolt. Tyson Gay proved that he was in good form, Gay clocked in at 9.86 to earn the second spot. Ryan Bailey completed the team with a of 9.93 over Michael Rodgers who finished fourth in 9.94.


Sanya Richards lived up to expectation by winning the 400 meter dash in dominating fashion. Running out of lane 5 Richards pushed the pace to about the 140 meter mark. She then ran a relaxed 110 meters and put the meter to the medal in the final 250 meters to clock in at 49.28. Her time in the 400 ties Chandra Cheesebourgh trials record set back in 1984. DeeDee Trotter and Francena McCrory will join her. Trotter clocked in at 50.02 to finish 2nd while McCrory finished third with a time of 50.43.


LaShawn Merritt has ran with a target on his back and plenty of scrutiny since returning from his drug suspension towards the end of 2011. The defending Olympic Champion claims to not be drug cheat since the substance was solely being used for his personal growth in a rather private area. Nonetheless, he still carried that burden. Merritt looked his usual powerful self running a solid well rounded race out of lane 6 to win in 44.12. Merritt used superior strength and speed down the final stretch. McQuay the NCAA Champion from Florida ran a new personal best in 44.49, while Bryshon Nellum of USC finished third in 44.80.


Nellum's story is a great one. To see an athlete who has experienced so much adversity over his career earn a spot on the team was special. The race was not special for the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Jeremy Wariner. After beginning the season with so much promise Wariner's lack of speed is what caused him to fail. He was out-kicked in the final 100 meters and finished sixth to miss the qualification for the team. This maybe the last we see of the great 400 meter runner, his career is still an exceptional one.

The hope of American distance fans everywhere rest on the shoulders of prodigy Galen Rupp. The multiple NCAA Champion from the University of Oregon put on quite a show in the men's 10,000 meter run. Rupp set a meet record with a time of 27:25.33. The record was held by the great Meb Keflezighi who set in 2004. The even better news is that all three qualifiers met the "A" standard. Rupp will be joined by Matt Tegenkamp and Dathan Ritzenhein. 

With all the great performances this weekend none more special than Ashton Eaton. Eaton is next in line to join the greats from the United States in the decathlon. Their is Rafer Johnson, Dan O'Brien, Bruce Jenner, Bryan Clay and others who have claimed the gold. Eaton set a world record scoring a total of 9,039 points in the decathlon after the crowd carried him in the mile. Eaton an Oregon alum, certainly made them proud with a awe-inspiring performance. 

The defending champion Clay was unable to qualify for Team USA after his disqualification in the 110 high hurdles after a mis-step. Clay still ended the meet with class and dignity by finishing the competition. Joining Eaton will be Trey Hardee and Florida All-American Gray Horn. 

Our next recap will focus more on the field and distance events. Congratulations to all that have qualified for the London Olympics, please represent USA well.

NCAA Championship Review

 (University of Florida 2012 NCAA Outdoor and Indoor NCAA Champions)

(Photo belongs to the Orlando Sentinel)

So the year for collegiate athletes for the most part has ended. For many seniors it was their last meet as an athlete forever, for a small and blessed few it was a step into the professional circuit. This past season majority of the top programs experienced a myriad of up and downs, based on a single injury or two teams dropped out of the top three discussion into a bottom feeder. No team faced more adversity this outdoor season than the University of Florida.

The season began for the Florida Gators as expected. They were the top ranked program with a solid of group of individual athletes that combined to form a great team. The first major loss of the season was the reigning SEC Champion in the decathlon in Gray Horn. Horn injured himself at the indoor NCAA Championships and that garnered a DUI right before the SEC Outdoor Championships and was suspended from the team.

Jeff Demps the top collegiate sprinter and headliner of the Florida Gators suffered a hamstring strain before the SEC Championships and could not go. After the preliminary round Demps was suffering again from hamstring issues and ended his senior season. The other bad news was that the 4x100 relay was unable to get the baton around at the NCAA preliminaries and dropped the baton to be disqualified.

History seemed like it was going to repeat itself. Florida had been in this position all too often. They begin the season only to stumble across the finish line and miss the gold. Florida has been 2nd at the NCAA meet three straight years in a row. It seemed hopeless, they had to be picture perfect in order to win the title and have a little help along the way.

Tony McQuay the teams most outstanding performer continued to impress. McQuay ran a solid 400 meter race finishing with a strong kick to clock in 44.58 to win the NCAA title and give 10 much needed points to the Florida Gators. The LSU Tigers did not make it easy on the Gators by scoring heavily in the short sprints, including another 4x100 relay victory with a time of 38.38. The team consisted of Barret Nugent, Aaron Earnest, Keyth Talley and Shermund Allsop.

The triple jump proved to be another key event for the Gators. Junior leader Omar Craddock claimed the nations top mark in the Triple Jump leaping to a mark of 55-6 1/4. Fellow jumper freshman Marquis Dendy was unable to score in either the long jump and triple jump leaving the Gators worried because points were at a premium.

Meanwhile the Lady Tigers of LSU made a serious statement. They were reminding everyone that they are the greatest women's track and field program in NCAA history and hears why. The sprints were the teams bread and butter and usually. Star Kimberlyn Duncan again finished second in the women's 100 meter dash running into a strong headwind to clock in at 11.16. Sophomore sensation from Oregon English Gardner lead the way in the 100 clocking in at 11.10. In the 200 Duncan would again display that powerful finish clocking in at 22.85 running into a strong headwind. Duncan also carried the 4x100 relay team to victory in a time of 42.75.

Similar to that of the women's program the LSU men were looking to score major points in the sprints. Freshman Aaron Ernest lead the way, scoring big points in the 200 meter dash by finishing 5th earning four points. Both the Gators and Tigers entered the 4x400 relay event with a chance to win the meet. The Gators had a total of 40 points and LSU had 42 points. If Florida won and LSU finished 2nd they would share the title. If Florida finished less than LSU in any position the Tigers win the title. In order for Florida to win the event outright they had to finish two positions ahead of LSU.

That was going to be a challenge for the Gators since LSU had a formidable 4x400 relay squad that challenged Florida in every meet. However thanks to a solid anchor by Tony McQuay the relay squad set a school record clocking in at 3:00.02 and USC surpassing LSU for 2nd place. This allowed Florida to score a total of 50 points to 48 points score by LSU. The Gators had finally won the title and broke the 2nd place curse.

The Lady Tigers just continued to pour it on. The gathered their top 400 runners and put together a school record breaking 4x400 relay squad. However that was not enough to win the event but enough to add the icing on the cake for another team title. Oregon claimed the event in a meet record of 3:24.54, the quartet including four amazing sophomores in English Gardner, Laura Roesler, Chizoba Okodogbe and Phyllis Francis. With so many graduating from LSU, Oregon seems like the next program to break the 2nd place curse. The Ducks also watched as Brianne Theisen again claimed the title in the heptathlon just shy of the NCAA record.

Other memorable performances from a great meet include Cameron Levins of Southern Utah who out-kicked Paul Chelimo of UNC-Greensboro and Lawi Lalang of Arizona with the top time of 13:40.05. Charles Jock of UC-Irvine led wire-to-wire in the 800 meter run to claim the title in 1:45.59. Brigetta Barrett of Arizona won the high jump with a mark of 6-4 and had a great clearance over the bar, expect for Barrett to earn a personal best this season and make the Olympic team.

Although the meet had all the bells and whistles of great television. There were many dissapointements for me. It was upsetting to know the meet would be placed on ESPNU and no longer on CBS. While on CBS the meet was given  fair airtime and was available on a national television network that everyone has access to with a television. Not only is ESPN cable but ESPNU is premium cable further shrinking the audience to watch such a spectacular meet and taking away an important meet to those who cannot afford ESPNU.

Finally it was disappointing that the NCAA committee again selected Des Moines, Iowa to host the meet. Again the stands look empty and the people of Iowa look disinterested. I hope that the NCAA will open up their eyes and start having the meet placed a track and field location not a football stadium. Locations such as Eugene Oregon Hayward Field, Icahn Stadium in New York, Percy Beard Track at the University Florida and a host of others. Hopefully the committee will wise up and keep the track and field fan's interest at heart and not their hopeful wallets.

(LSU 2012 Women's NCAA Outdoor Champions)