Big 12 Men's Indoor Preview

Charles Silmon TCU

Like the women, the men lost a conference leader in Texas A&M with their recent stronghold over the conference. Texas A&M was a well rounded program that attacked from every level. With Texas A&M gone enter in TCU. TCU will not bring the well rounded presence Texas A&M had but they will bring the prowess in the Sprints and the Jumps. The Big 12 will still be one of the best conferences in the country with the remaining programs.



DISTANCE

Yes distance first. The Big 12 boast two the best programs in the country in Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Both programs routinely compete for the Cross Country national title and produce many All-Americans.

Riley Masters of Oklahoma is one of the returning standouts for the Sooners. Masters won the 1,500 meter outdoor title in 2012 and returns as the top threat in the event now that German Fernandez of Oklahoma State has gone professional. Teammate Patrick Casey should help provide a solid 1-2 punch in the 1,600 meter race indoors.

For Oklahoma State Shadrick Kipchirchir returns at the top performer in both the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races from last outdoor season. Kipchirchir claimed the 5,000 meter indoor title in 2012. Kipchirchir is coming off a All-American Cross Country season and will see the toughest competition come from teammate Girma Mecheso. Mecheso finished 5th at the Cross Country national meet and is ready to challenge the Kenyan for the conference title.


SPRINTS

TCU may make their mark on the conference very early in this section. TCU returns a solid core of sprinters and one of the nation's best high school sprinters as well.

Senior All-American Charles Silmon should lead the way. After years of dominating the Mountain West Conference Silmon will enter this indoor season the favorite to win the 60 meter dash. Teammates Skye Dawson and true freshman Raymond Bozmans should provide admirable competition. Seniors Ian Warner of Iowa State and Everett Walker of Baylor should also be capable of challenging the headliner Silmon.

After playing second for the past several years to Texas A&M Baylor should return to being the dominant power in the long sprints. After decades of producing NCAA Champions and All-Americans in the 400 and 200 meters Baylor has had to take a back seat due to the dominance of Texas A&M. Baylor however did not go unnoticed last season with several performers in both events at the conference championships last season.

Junior Blake Heriot will lead the Baylor Bear contingent. Heriot returns as the top long sprinters in the conference. Heriot can make a strong case for a potential double but will have to fight off teammates Everett Walker and Justin Allen. Kyle Clemons of Kansas could also halt the potential double of Heriot. Clemons is the top returning performer in the 400 meters.

In the hurdles the conference lost a lot of quality performers to graduation and conference changes. Keiron Stewart of Texas by way of Jamaica and Tre' Lathan of Oklahoma are the top returning performers from last season. After an amazing freshman campaign Stewart has not been the dominant threat he was expected to be. Still a consistent performer as a senior he maybe ready to go to the top level. Lathan of Oklahoma has developed well over the years at Oklahoma. Lathan may not have the times that Stewart has but is capable of claiming the conference title himself.


FIELD EVENTS

As I have said many times before the Big 12 conference maybe the best conference in the country when it comes to developing field event athletes. So many athletes this past season competed at the London Olympics with some earning medals.

Erik Kynnard of Kansas State is one of those Olympic medalists, earning a silver medal in the High Jump. Kynnard also happens to be the defending champion in the event and will be the clear favorite to claim the title.

Marquise Goodwin of Texas is another Olympic athlete. After leading the world after a sensation Olympic Trials performance in the long jump, Goodwin's technique at the Olympics cost him a spot in the finals and out of medal contention. Goodwin may or may not compete this season due to the NFL Draft however if he does be prepared for him to remind everyone why he is considered the next big thing.

Teammates of Goodwin, Issac Murphy and Hayden Baillo will headline their respective events. Murphy in the indoor heptathlon will be a clear favorite after having a sensational outdoor season. Murphy has joined the list of great multi-event athletes from Texas and will look to earn his first conference title along with possibly earning a national title. Baillio has been a consistent All-American performer in the Shot Put for Texas. However missing from his trophy case in a conference championship. As a senior Baillio will be given one last opportunity to claim the conference title in either the Shot Put or weight throw.

In the team race the road got much easier for Texas. They will be able to score in almost every event with at least two athletes. Baylor will be a strong challenger but the overall depth from Texas will likely be too much and should allow the Longhorns to claim the team title.

Big 12 Women's Indoor Preview

TRACK SEASON IS BACK!

(Hayward Field host of the 2013 NCAA Outdoor Championship)

Alas, another track season is on the horizon. This coming indoor collegiate season the Big 12 will for the first time since it went from the Big 8 to the Big 12 to welcome new members, TCU and West Virginia. The Big 12 has seen a few of it's members leave and go to the Southeastern Conference (SEC), Big 10 and Pac-12. The Big 12 will certainly miss Texas A&M who has been a stellar representative for the conference on the national scene, winning three straight outdoor national titles from 2009-2011 for both men and women. The University of Missouri was always a strong presence in the middle distance events and will be sorely missed. With A&M gone Texas looks to return to the top spot. For the Texas Women they are not that far removed from a national title in 2005 and a Indoor national title in 2006 and they return a strong veteran group.


SPRINTS

After spending a few years sitting behind Texas A&M, Beverly Kearney's Texas crew finally broke through last season with amazing results. With a strong group of sprinters the Longhorns were able to finish 2nd last indoor season. Albeit behind A&M however tremendous progress was made and for the first time in a few years Texas was a real threat.

The 60 meter dash has been an area of weakness for Texas since Marshavette Hooker left during her junior year. Allison Peter looks to change that. After a very average indoor season in the short sprint Peter proved that she is more than capable of fast times by running a time of 11.17 in the 100 meter dash last outdoor season. With an improved start and drive phase Peter is clearly has the capability to claim the conference crown.

The hurdle/sprint specialist Tiffany McReynolds of Baylor is the top returnee for 2013 and her start maybe too strong for any to catch her in the 60 meter dash. In the 200 it is quite possible that the Texas Longhorns could sweep the event. Peter, Christy Udoh and Chalonda Goodman are the top returning 200 meter sprinters from last season and only will see challenge coming from Paris Daniels of Kansas.

The 400 meter dash has been a Texas staple since the arrival of Head Coach Beverly Kearney. Even during the past four seasons were Texas A&M was the clear sprint power, Texas was able to put together championship winning 400 meter runners and 4x400 relay teams. Briana Nelson and Kendra Chambers will look to continue that legacy. It will be tough with defending NCAA Indoor Champion Diamond Dixon of Kansas in the field, look for her to defend her crown and make a strong push to defend the 4x400 relay title as well.

The hurdles will be a true clash between McReynolds of Baylor,Morgan Snow of Texas and conference newcomer Chelsea Carrier-Eades of West Virginia. Snow is coming off an amazing outdoor season for a freshman that resulted in a World Junior title. McReynolds was slightly slowed and was unable to match the amazing season she had as a freshman. Snow has the speed to match McReynolds but the question is her technique. Great technique will come from Carrier-Eades. With a personal best of 12.78 outdoors the All-American has the talent to surpass both McReynolds and Snow and not only win the conference title but threaten for the national title.


DISTANCE

Part of the reason why Texas seems almost a guarantee to win the conference title is that they are complete team. The Longhorns have always been known as an amazing sprints and hurdles program. Under their brief rebuilding period they have added serious strength in the middle distances events starting with Marielle Hall. Hall will return as the top miler after finishing 2nd last season to Laura Roxberg of Missouri. Now that Missouri is competing in the SEC expect for Hall too be the event favorite come championship time.

Nataljia Piliusina of Oklahoma State returns as one of the top 800 meter runners not only in the conference but in the country. She is the defending Big 12 champion and an NCAA All-American. Piliusina is looking to defend her title and claim the national title as well.

Betsy Saina of Iowa State is another national star competing in the Big 12 conference. Saina completed the distance double last indoor season by claiming both the 5,000 and 3,000 meter races. Saina also claimed the indoor 5,000 meter race at the NCAA Championship. Saina is the odds on favorite to defend her title and may double at the Championship meet as well.



FIELD EVENTS

The Big 12 Conference as I have stated many times before is one of the best conferences in the country for field athletes. Several athletes in this conference have competed at the Olympic Games and made it to the finals in several events.

Tia Brooks of Oklahoma might as well be the headliner of this talented conference. Brooks who qualified for the shot put was one of the many talented youngsters competing in the throwing events for the United States. She was unfortunately unsuccessful in achieving an Olympic Medal . However Brooks is the defending Outdoor Champion at the NCAA Championships and should easily defeat the competition.

The jumping events are were Texas is expecting to score major points. The Longhorns produced four all conference high jumpers and return two in Shanay Briscoe and Alicia Peterson. Briscoe is one of the few athletes in the conference that can surpass the 6'0 barrier and has already claimed a conference title in her career. She will have defeat defending indoor champion Alyx Treasure of Kansas State. Treasure competes for native Canada and brings strong championship experience with her this season.

The Long jump and Triple Jump will be a Kansas affair. Francine Simpson and Andrea Gouble both are champions in each the respected horizontal jumping events, Gouble the champion in the latter. A'Lexus Brannon of Texas will make things interesting in the long jump, however Gouble should have no challenge defending her title in the triple jump.

The pentathlon took a big hit due to graduation. The top three athletes from last season were all seniors. However with the addition of West Virginia All-American Chelsea Carrier-Eades should dominate the event. Carrier-Eades has great speed and hurdle technique along with great jumping ability. Lindsay Vollmer of Kansas the top returnee from last season will be the main challenger and should improve substantially from last season her freshman year.



Our first track post in preparation for the 2012-2013 Indoor and Outdoor Season. This should be a good season, let's hope some historic records fall this season. The next post will be the men's preview.

News That You Can Use

I apologize for being away for so long. I decided that I want the focus of this blog and future website (shh) to be fully focused on collegiate track and field.  With it currently being the cross country season I decided to not do any posts on a part of the sport I personally do not follow enough to even give an opinion on. I will not pretend to know something that I don't, like the major networks do when it comes to our sport it just isn't right.

The indoor season is fast approaching and I will soon be preparing indoor previews. I expect to provide to you 7 Indoor Previews. The previews will start at the end of the month and continue through December. I also hope to be able to acquire interviews of a few collegiate athletes. The first post will be on the SEC Conference including its two newest members Texas A&M and Missouri.



SPORT NEWS
 
Kentucky's newest head coach Eldrick Floreal has added the final piece to the puzzle in regards to his staff. Roderick Dotts was selected to lead the sprints/hurdles portion of the program. Dotts was previously a volunteer coach at the University of Oregon, his alma mater; assisting now head coach Robert Johnson. The sprint program at the University Oregon has seen dramatic improvements over the past few years and Dotts should bring that same success to Kentucky.

                                                             (Kentucky Speed)

This past summer Floreal shocked the track and field world by leaving his position at Stanford University where he had been extremely successful. He helped to develop Stanford into a national power and won multiple Pac-10 titles. His new position does not come with as much scrutiny but that should allow Floreal the time to develop Kentucky into a serious SEC contender. Floreal will need to learn to not only recruit like Florida, LSU and Texas A&M but he will have to develop his athletes at the same level as those programs.

Olympics Review

Sanya Richard Ross (USA)

400 Meter Gold Medalist

This past Olympic Games had some of the best performances we have ever seen in track and field. Every event was so competitive and had it's on back story. As usual the sprinters were the headliners of the meet but with a great hometown distance performance every race was a spectacle to see. Let's recap some of the best performances of the meet.


MEN'S 100 METER DASH

Everyone practically handed the Gold medal to Yohan Blake of Jamaica. After Blake's sounding victory over his countrymen Usain Bolt at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. It seemed the world was ready and willing to forget about Usain Bolt, after all no one had ever repeated the sprint double. As expected the world doubted Usain Bolt.

Unfortunately for them Usain Bolt refused to listen to their expert analysis. In the 100 meter sprint Justin Gatlin of the United States was the first out of the block and led for the first 30 or so meters of the race. The charging beast of Yohan Blake was next to lead for a few meters before Bolt crashed the party the last 40 meters of the race claiming gold in a winning time of 9.63 a new Olympic Record. Bolt said the victory was even more sweet because everyone doubted him.

Outside of Carl Lewis no male sprinter has ever been able to defend his Olympic title in the 100 meter dash. Bolt has certainly cemented his legendary status with two sensational Olympic Games and being one of only two to go back to back.

MEN'S 10,000 METER RUN 

Great Britian was ready to see one of its biggest stars claim the Olympic Gold Medal  in a running event. Mo Farah the Somalian-born Englishman was the countries best hope for a Gold Medal in the event. The United States was counting on Galen Rupp to become the first Olympic Medalist in this event in 48 years. Their main challenge was two time defending champion Kenenisa Bekele of Ethiopia.

Bekele has been the king of long distance racing dating back to his first Championship Gold medal in Paris 2003. Bekele's legendary status had already been sealed with the two previous Olympic Gold medals but a third would take him over the top.

A traditional game of cat and mouse took place in the long distance event with several lead changes through the race including eventual bronze medalist and brother of Kenenisa, Tariku Bekele. Tariku led for the last few final laps of the rap. However on the final lap of the race using the roar of the distance crowd Mo Farah took the lead after sitting back behind Tariku. Using his devastating finishing kick on the home stretch claiming to gold with Rupp behind him for silver.


WOMEN'S 400 METER DASH

In Beijing in 2008 Sanya Richard-Ross of the United States was the favorite to win the Gold medal. After having a record setting 2006 she was poised to finally get a championship title. Ross ran a poor tactical race going out way too fast. Coming down the home stretch in the final 100 meters Ross began to fade and was passed by Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britian the eventual winner and Shericka Williams of Jamaica.

This time around Ross decided to be a lot smarter about her race. Again Ross came in withe golden expectations but not as world number 1. The number 1 runner was Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia. Unlike 2008 Ross ran the race more reserved taking a steady even pass. Krivoshapka on the other hand went out hard passing Ross on the back-strech, in the final 100 meters Ross would surge to lead as Krivoshapka faded. Ross would claim the Olympic title with a time of 49.55 and finally get her long awaited Gold medal. 


WOMEN'S 4X100 RELAY

16 years, that is how long it was been since the United States women have claimed the 4x100 relay title. With a team of Chryste Gaines, Gail Devers, Inger Miller and Gwen Torrence Team USA claimed the women's title in 1996 with a time of 41.95. The Olympic Games following that have been a huge disappointment. In 2000 poor passes resulted in an bronze medal and a Gold medal for the Bahamas, in 2004 Marion Jones and Lauryn Williams were unable to connect resulting in no finish. In 2008 Lauryn Williams again was unable to connect with Torri Edwards resulting in a dropped baton.

After the embarrassment that was the Beijing Olympics Jon Drummond was hired by the United States Track and Field organization to fix the  relay problems of both men and women. Entering in the Olympic Games Jamaica seemed to have the team to beat. A solid quartet of runners including Shelly Ann Fraser Pryce, Sherone Simpson, Veronica Campbell-Brown and Kerron Stewart. They were still no match for what Drummond had put together. Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, Bianca Knight and Carmelita Jeter had nearly perfect passes, add to the that a strong first leg from Madison resulted in a Olympic and World record time of 40.82. Team USA became the first country to have a women's team break 41 seconds.

Olympic Preview (Men's Sprints)

(Will it be a Jamaican Party in the short sprints?)
(Left: Usain Bolt, Right: Yohan Blake)


What a toss up. That's the feeling I get when I think about the men sprinting events. Each event has multiple potential winners and great stories behind each of them.

100 Meter Dash

This has always been the main event of the Olympics. Who is the world's fastest human? In the past the world title was dominated by the US. With the recent development of Jamaican sprint stars there has been a strong challenge against that. Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell could complete an American sweep. The US does not have as much depth as they did in the past. Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay will have to carry the torch for Team USA, youngster Ryan Bailey does not have the top end speed to keep up with the talented core of Jamaicans. Also competing in the race is Richard Thompson and Keston Bledman of Trinidad and Tobago.

Bolt has looked more human in the past two seasons compared to 2008 and 2009 when he set the world on fire with his rip roaring speed. Yohan Blake is the next in line for Jamaica and seems to have better habits than that of his country men. He has been more focused and is out to prove that his win over Usain Bolt at the Olympic Trials was not a fluke. Justin Gatlin is also a guy to keep an eye on, Gatlin won the 2004 Olympic Gold Medal his 9.80 at the US Olympic Trials was nothing to sneeze at especially since it cold and wet that night. Bolt will still enter as the heavy favorite but there are plenty of others in the race that can defeat him.


200 Meter Dash

Compared to last season the times have been a little bit pedestrian. The current top time is 19.80 ran by Blake. This event in my opinion maybe the most open event yet.

Without Justin Gatlin, Tyson Gay and Walter Dix the US is very thin in event and have only one true athlete capable of earning a medal. Wallace Spearmon who has been on the American sprint scene since 2005 with his 20.10 indoor world record. In 2004 he finished 2nd behind Usain Bolt but was disqualified for stepping outside his lane. Spearmon has been on a path for a redemption and has generated some positive marks this season. His 19.82 ran the US Olympic Trials was barely wind-aided and would have converted to 19.83 without the wind. Blake is the favorite in this event and has not lost to anyone all year, it will take a season's best to defeat a charging Usain Bolt and upset minded Wallace Spearmon.


400 Meter Dash

My personal favorite event. The US hopes to continue the winning streak in this event that has lasted since 1984 took a serious hit. At a meet prior to the Olympic Games defending champion Lashawn Merritt slightly tweaked his hamstring. Merritt believes he will be ready for the Olympics but a hamstring issue is not an injury you can return from quickly.

NCAA Champion Tony McQuay will have to carry the flag for team USA. Teammate Bryshon Nellum is a long shot to medal and Kirani James the defending World Champion just became the heavy favorite to win it all. Another young talent Luguelin Santos from the Dominican Republic has the second best time behind Merritt. It looks as if the US dominance in the 400 is in serious jeopardy.

110 Meter Hurdles

Aries Merritt has been the world's most consistent hurdler this season. Merritt claimed the 2012 World Indoor Title and has beaten Liu Xiang of China and Dayron Robles of Cuba. Xiang and Robles have dominated the event in recent years but with Merritt's 12.93 performance three times this season, he may be the man to beat. Fellow US teammate Jason Richardson claimed the World Championship title last summer in Daegu and has also dipped under 13 seconds this season.


400 Meter Hurdles

In this event it is quite possible that Angelo Taylor could win his third Olympic Gold Medal. He will face a strong challenge from the hometown hero in and defending World Champion in David Greene and this years number one performer Javier Culson of Puerto Rico. Culson has been on fire this season but will see the best of Taylor, Greene and the talented 2009 World Champion Kerron Clement.

Clement has been seriously underrated. After having multiple surgeries and injuries he has been out of the world scene as of late. He returned back to his coach Mike Holloway, the man who coached him to an indoor world record in the open 400 meters back at the University of Florida. His personal best of 47.24 puts who amongst the best ever but a gold medal is seriously needed in his legacy. Clement made the Olympic team by hundredths of a second but do not count him out of contention just yet.

4x100 and 4x400 Relay

This will be US vs Jamaica as was always meant to be. Jamaica has dominated the US since 2008 and does not appear to be looking back. Jamaica currently has the world's best time and will be looking to run 36 seconds and set a new world record, but without Asafa Powell there chances of winning are severely dim.

In the 4x400 relay the US is heavy favorites as usual with a solid core of athletes are capable of running sub 45 and some capable of running sub 44. The final two medal positions are currently up for grabs between Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Bahamas, host Great Britain and South Africa. This race will require all four legs of Team USA to split a personal best to continue the streak.

Olympics Preview (Women's Sprints)

(Allyson Felix looking to win Olympic 200 Gold)

(SI Photo)

It is finally here. The Olympic Games 2012 in London. Every four years the sport of track and field is on display in the greatest athletic competition in the world. For the sport of track and field this meet is where legends are made. This when we saw Flo-Jo, Evelyn Ashford, Michael Johnson, Carl Lewis, Hicham El-Geroug, Maria Mutola, Quincy Watts, Maurice Greene, Usain Bolt, Merlene Ottey, Gail Devers and countless others. This is the opportunity to permanently right yourself into the history books. The past few World Championships has helped to fuel a highly competitive meet.

100 Meter Hurdles

This event is one of my favorite events to watch female athletes. Solid technique is required to become a champion in this event however unlike the men this event requires serious speed from the women. Very few female hurdlers have been able to win this event on the Olympic Games level without world class sprint speed.

In 2008 Dawn Harper of the United States shockingly upset the favorite LoLo Jones to win the event in 12.54. Jones race ended in heartbreak after being the leader of every hurdle then clipping the final hurdle to stumble to 7th. Harper has yet to claim the world number 1 ranking since her gold medal in Beijing 2008, but she has been able to medal at the world championships. Last season in Daegu she earned a bronze medal clocking in at 12.47 her personal best. This season Harper is a candidate for the Olympic Gold medal buy winning the U.S Olympic Trials title. Nonetheless Sally Pearson of Australia is the one to beat.

In 2008 Pearson a young 22 year-old finished second by Harper to earn the silver medal. In 2011 Pearson took the world number 1 ranking from LoLo Jones and did not slow down. At the World Championships in Daegu the star clocked in at 12.28, the fourth fastest time in world history and better than the American record of 12.33 set by Gail Devers in 2000.


100 Meter Dash

As expected the queen of the sprint world will likely be decided by the two dominant sprint powers of the world, USA and Jamaica. After a jaw-dropping sweep in the women's 100 meter's in 2008 Jamaica's sprint queen Shelly Ann Fraser-Pryce returns. Pryce set a Jamaican record clocking in at 10.70 at the Jamaican Olympic Trials. The always consistent Veronica Campbell-Brown of Jamaica continued her world class consistency in the 100 meter dash finishing second and would like to avenge herself after missing the team in 2008.

Although Campbell-Brown has been the most consistent sprinter at every World Championships including a gold medal at the Indoor World Championships this year she seems to be out of it for the gold. The race is expected to come between Carmelita Jeter of the United States and Pryce. No other American female sprinter can keep up with Jeter, Pryce or Campbell-Brown. Still, you should not count out Campbell-Brown she is always capable of great performances.


200 Meter Dash

Allyson Felix of the United States and Campbell-Brown of Jamaica have dominated this event together since 2004. No other female sprinter has won either the World Championships in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 or the Olympic Games in 2004 and 2008 besides those two. Felix owning three world titles in '05,'07' and '09 while Campbell-Brown has the titles for the previous two Olympic Games and the World Championships in 2011.

At the Olympic Trials Felix proved this may finally be her time to win the Gold medal away from Campbell-Brown. Felix ran a very strong race that ended with a new trials record time of 21.68. Felix's time is the fastest time ran at this distance since 1997 when Marion Jones ran 21.65. No other female athlete has been under 22 seconds this season. Campbell-Brown barely made the Jamaican team, Pryce is new to the event and Jeter does not have the strength to finish. This event has Allyson Felix all over it.


400 Meter Dash

Sanya Richards-Ross of the United States has been the most famous female 400 meter runner since Ana Guevara of Mexico. Like Guevara, Ross is lacking an individual gold medal. Due to a string of injuries she has not been able to completely put together a healthy season. In 2009 she earned her first individual title clocking in at 49.00, just 0.30 seconds shy of her American record 48.70. In 2011 she was returning from a injury plagued 2010 season, Ross had her moments but was unable to medal at the World Championships.

This season however, those injuries seem like a distance memory. Her time of 49.28 at the U.S. Olympic Trials reminded us of the Sanya Richards-Ross of old. With only one defeat to her name Ross seems in prime position to finally earn an Olympic Gold Medal individually. Her prime competition will come from 2011 World Champion Amantle Montsho of Botswana, Novlene Williams of Jamaica and world number 1 of Antonina Krivoshapka of Russia.


400 Meter Hurldes

Melaine Walker of Jamaica and Lashinda Demus of the U.S. have been rivals for many years. Both had phenomenal high school seasons, collegiate seasons and now professional seasons. Walker is the defending Olympic Champion but has been behind a surging Demus in recent years. Last season capped off Demus's best season in her history. Setting an American record with 52.47, the third fastest time in history. Walker will need a personal best to beat Demus and claim the gold.


4x100 Relay

This is event was once dominated by the United States. In 2000 the Bahamas changed all that. The Golden girls upset the strong US team with phenomenal passing and a strong anchor in Debbie Ferguson. The US has not won the Olympic Gold medal since 1996. This has all been due to poor exchanges. This year we hope to be different after being disqualified in 2008 due to a dropped baton.

Jamaica has perhaps the best group of sprinters in Kerron Stewart, Sherone Simpson, Pryce and Campbell-Brown. The US should provide a challenge with Tianna Madison, Felix, Jeter and Jeneba Tarmoh. However the recent mishap in Monaco should serve as a warning that they need to practice more.

4x400 Relay

I really wish I could say that the US are the favorites but they are not. The usually consistent Russians are the clear favorites to win this event. Russia has three current female athletes running under 50 seconds. No other country in the world can say that. They have very solid core of 400 runners that includes a few athletes who run at the 50 second level. Other than Ross the only female athlete from the US with a personal best under 50 seconds in DeeDee Trotter. This event will be a challenge like in 2008. The US is counting on a strong relay leg from Allyson Felix and youngster Francena McCrory.

Professional Development

(David Oliver)

(American Record Holder)

The summer season for track and field fans are reserved for two groups, professional athletes and track clubs. This is the time when high school sprinters spend time with their AAU Coaches or trainers and sharpen the skills that there high school coaches cannot. Collegiate athletes use this time to heal or personal improve to better prepare themselves for the next season. For professional athletes it's go time. They all push towards the championship meet that season or continue to improve there change of making their countries team by competing.

For professional athletes it is truly a challenge to make a living. To compete on the international stage it requires for athletes to train for 6 to 8 hours a day to simply develop the ability to compete at a high level. Improving is not always going to happen and may require some getting used to for some athletes. Every four years the Olympics are held and remain the biggest event in track and field history. The length of time between the Olympic Games makes it hard to defend your Olympic title, some do not even try. With two IAAF World Championships in between the four years new athletes are always rising, whether due to drugs or shear hard work. A great example is David Oliver.

Since Oliver's graduation from Howard University in 2004 he has steadily improved with the help of his coach Brooks Johnson. Johnson has held historical success in the sports dating back to the 70's. Oliver was more a sprint style hurdler during his days at Howard. With the direction of his coach he was able to improve upon technique and use his speed to help propel to a high level in track and field.

In 2006 the United States was becoming familiar with Oliver. His chiseled physique stood out against most hurdlers, the formal football player never let the weights slide. He busted onto the world scene winning a Golden League meet in Berlin, Germany. He won the USA Indoor Championships in 2007. That outdoor season he finished third to qualify for the World Championships in Osaka, Japan. In 2008 he earned a bronze medal at the Olympic Games and set a personal best of 12.95 joining the sub 13 club in the men's 110 meter hurdles.

In 2009 Oliver sustained a calf injury which forced him to miss another World Championship medal. Oliver would not be dismayed coming back in 2010 to by earning a bronze medal at the World Indoor Championship. That outdoor season Oliver set a American record in the hurdles by clocking in at 12.89. He would go on to have his most successful season in 2010 by defeating Liu Xiang of China and Dayron Robles of Cuba several times.

However in 2011 the competition stiffened. His hurdling started to seem a little shaky and the competition started to get much better and began refining their technique. His performances were up and down. He would again defeat Xiang at the Prefontaine Classic with a time of 12.94. Oliver would ride that momentum to the USA Outdoor Championship winning the event over Aries Merritt and Jason Richardson with a time of 13.04. At the World Championships however Oliver was not able to use his early season success finishing in a disappointing 5th place, behind Dayron Robles and fellow American Jason Richardson. This past season we watched as three younger athletes all qualified for Team USA for the Olympic Games.

I am not counting Oliver out for the future even though he is 30. If anything Oliver has proven how difficult it is to be a professional track and field athlete. Every four years a new crop comes in even more hungry and ready than before. The United States has plenty of talented young athletes that will look to carry Team USA for the future. Oliver will have to get back to his great in 2010 to be able compete for a spot on Team USA.


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