(Christian Coleman-Tennessee)
What a year it has been for the men. Old records broken and
champions dethroned. This meet promises to be exciting, engaging and yes cold.
With the wet and cold weather headed to Eugene this week one wonders whether we
will see the record-breaking performances at the meet this year. Then you have
to remember this is the National Championships and you recognize there have
been great performances this year regardless of weather.
SPRINTS
The sprints have been hot this year. It has never happened where
we have had all three barriers broken, 10 seconds for the 100, 20 seconds for
the 200 and 44 seconds for the 400. There has also never been this much depth
in the sprints. In the 100-meter dash alone there are eight gentlemen that have
season and or personal bests under 10 seconds. Christian Coleman of Tennessee
and Cameron Burrell of Houston look to lead that group.
The 100-meter dash regardless of time promises to be quite
the race. Burrell of Houston has come on strong as of late. He has run sub 10
seconds twice this season and shows capability of going faster. Coleman has
dominated this event all year long. He has yet to lose and does not look like
he will this coming weekend. If the weather acts right, we may see a sub 9.9
performance.
Coleman is equally strong in the 200-meter dash. His season
and personal best of 19.85 is 2nd all-time to only Walter Dix of
Florida State. Coleman completed the sprint double this past indoor season and
should do the same this weekend. Senior Nathaneel Mitchell-Blake of LSU and
Jereem Richards of Alabama will give him quite the challenge as they too have
run under 20 seconds.
Senior Fred Kerley of Texas A&M has been sensational
from the very beginning of the indoor season. His tall powerful frame is
appropriately being used to his advantage. He wowed the home crowd at the
indoor championship with a time of 44.85. He wowed the nation at the West
Regional Preliminary when broke the NCAA record with a time of 43.70. He is
currently ranked number one in the world and is a big piece of Texas A&M’s
team title hopes. Kerley has never failed to put on a show this season and that
looks to continue this weekend.
DISTANCE
True freshman Emmanuel Korir of UTEP has been the face of
the 800 all season long. He has shown his blazing 400-meter speed that resulted
in a 43.4 split and has already run 1:43 this season. With his speed, it is
quite possible we might have back to back freshman NCAA Champions and record
breakers. Korir is one of the many talented distance runners residing at UTEP.
With speed like his it is quite possible we may get blessed with a 1:42
performance.
In the 1,500 Josh Kerr of New Mexico is the top entrant with
his season best time of 3:35.99. New Mexico has recently had a string of great
distance runners and Kerr seems to be next in line for the New Mexico Lobos.
Craig Engels of Ole Miss challenged Kerr early in the season at the Bryan Clay
Invite and will likely do it again this weekend.
Senior Edwin Kibichiy of Louisville claimed the top entrant
after a great race at the East Regional Preliminaries. His time of 8:32.91 is
almost four seconds ahead of closest competitor and confirms that he is the one
to beat.
In the 5,000 we will be without Oregon star Edward Cheserek.
Cheserek ended his season a few weeks ago with due to a minor back injury and
then signed to compete professionally. Cheserek had one of the greatest careers
in NCAA history, he left the college game better than he found it along with a
hoard of national championships.
Justyn Knight of Syracuse has already beaten Cheserek this
season and claimed the top spot in this event at the Payton Jordan Invitational
with a time of 13:17.51. His time is now 17 seconds ahead of his closest
competition. With Cheserek out of the competition Knight will now have an even
easier opportunity to win his first individual NCAA title.
Alfred Chalenga of Alabama began the season with a time of
28:04.95 in the 10k at the Stanford Invitational. He has maintained his hold on
the number one ranking all season long. He arrives this weekend with hopes of
continue his dominance by cementing his status at the top long distance runner
in the nation.
HURDLES
Senior Aaron Mallet was slightly under the radar majority of
the outdoor season. Then at the East Regional Preliminary he reminded everyone
of his greatness. That talented senior from Iowa earned the top time in the
NCAA with a mark of 13.36. He beat Indoor Champion and true freshman Grant
Holloway of Florida. Holloway was the favorite majority of the season until
losing at the SEC Championships proved that he was a freshman and still human.
Add Chad Zallow of Youngstown State to the mix you have a quality field that is
likely to produce an outstanding time.
In the 400 hurdles defending champion Eric Futch of Florida enters
the meet not as the favorite. Some even predict he is likely to get 3rd
or 4th. There are currently four individuals with personal best
better than his this season. Byron Robinson of Texas who is ranked number one, Kenny
Selmon of North Carolina and Kemar Mowatt of Arkansas who beat Futch at the SEC
Championships.
Futch proved his raw speed earning individual All-American
honors indoors in the open 400-meter dash.
Futch along with his teammate TJ Holmes are being relied
upon for team points in the team title hopes. Futch entered the meet last year
not the favorite and still shows signs that his technique could still use some
work. I personally believe the loss has humbled him and expect for him to be at
his best this weekend.
FIELD EVENTS
LONG JUMP- Keandre Bates of Florida arrives as the favorite
to win this event and is a big part of Florida’s team title hopes. Bates who
won the event Indoors has lost two highly anticipated match ups. Once during the
regular season against Charles Brown of Texas Tech and a surprise loss at the
SEC Championships to freshman Ja’Mari Ward of Missouri. Both of those athletes
will not be competing this weekend due to injury. Bates returns to the driver’s
seat and a key clog in the Florida engine.
TRIPLE JUMP- Bates is also one of the top entrants in the men’s
triple jump. He has few mishaps at the East Regional Preliminary and was able
to qualify to nationals. He has the 2nd best jump in the nation with
a mark of 54’9 and routinely shows up at major meets. Eric Sloan of USC
launched to a mark of 55’6 ¼ to lead the entrants after a great showing at the
West Regional Preliminaries. Sloan arrived to the meet last season as one of
the favorites and was unable to live up to the hype. Expect for him to give
Bates all he can handle and finish at the top this go around.
HIGH JUMP- Defending champion Randall Cunningham of USC was
unable to qualify out of the West Regional Preliminaries leaving room for a new
NCAA Champion. Tye Williams of South Carolina and Keenon Laine of Georgia are
the top entrants with personal bests of 7’4 ½. Laine beat Williams one on one
at the SEC Championships and is a part of that great jumping program at
Georgia. The Georgia Bulldogs always seem to perform well at this meet Laine
should be no different.
POLE VAULT- True freshman Chris Nilsen of South Dakota has
led the Pole Vault all year long. He won the Indoor title and looks to continue
his success outdoors.
SHOT PUT- Mostafa Hassan of Colorado State is the top
entrant in the shot put. He leads with a mark of 69’11. Hassan is dangerously
close to the 70-foot mark and should break it this weekend pending weather. He
is a full 2 feet ahead of his closest competitor.
DISCUS- Brian Williams of Ole Miss proves that they not only
have great women throwers but great men as well. Williams leads the NCAA in the
discus with a throw of 213’8. Williams has almost four feet on his closest
competitor but in an event like the discus that could easily be made up.
Williams should win the event but will still find great challenge in his
competitors.
HAMMER THROW- Gleb Dudarev of Kansas is top entrant with a
mark of 243’5 almost 8 feet ahead of his closest competitor. Although a true
freshman Dudarev has already proven himself by winning the big 12 Championship
against veteran competition.
JAVELIN- Ioannis Kriyazis is a huge piece of Texas A&M’s
championship hope. The star javelin thrower has a 30-foot lead on his
competition and is clearly in the driver’s seat heading into the championship
this weekend.
DECATHLON- Senior Lindon Victor of Texas A&M will break
the NCAA record again. That is my prediction and I am stick to it. Although he
enters as the headliner let us not leave out Devon Williams of Georgia. He has
quietly sack back in the 2nd position while improving his
performance in several areas most notably the 110 high hurdles where he won the
SEC Championship. Victor will most certainly be pushed this weekend expect a
great competition.
RELAYS
4X100- Although Houston took a huge hit with Eli Hall
getting injured I still believe that Houston possess a capable enough team to
win the NCAA title in this event. LSU is still strong but I am betting on
Cameron Burrell having a solid relay leg but I would not be surprised if LSU
came out on top.
4x400- Texas A&M has not been challenged at all this
season and with Fred Kerley on their relay I expect much of the same. However,
Auburn has the luxury of having two freshmen that run under 45 seconds keep an
eye out for them.
TEAM BATTLE
It is between Texas A&M, Florida and Arkansas. Texas
A&M historically has shown up at this meet and performed very well under
head coach Pat Henry. Florida surprised everyone last year by winning and
certainly have the horses to do so. I am going with Texas A&M because I
believe they possess the strong team.
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