SEC Men's Indoor Track Preview

(Ameer Webb- TEXAS A&M)

THE NEXT SEC SPRINT KING?

Speed, speed and more speed. Just like the women the SEC is loaded with sprinters on the men's side. Depending on who you ask it may be more challenging to qualify for the finals in the SEC than in the NCAA meet. Each year majority of the finalists in the sprints, jumps and hurdles come from the SEC. This year that should not be any different.

Returning this year out of the top 13 returns 60 meter sprinters the SEC returns 7, 3 from Auburn alone. Junior Harry Adams is the front runner for this coming indoor season, with a personal best of 6.55 he looks to lead a strong Auburn contingent that could potentially create a 1-2-3 sweep in the event. Teammates, Keenan Brock and Marcus Rowland help make Auburn hard to ignore in the sprints. Senior Ameer Webb and junior Prezel Hardy of Texas A&M should provide strong challenges and make a great double threat in the 200 meter dash. The wildcard is Michael Granger of Ole Miss, Granger is a under a new coach this season. Brian O'Neal takes over Joe Walker, O'Neal spent the last few seasons developing jumpers and sprinters at the University of Florida. His teammate and 200 meter Olympian Isaiah Young should also provide a serious threat this coming season.

In the long sprints the conference headliners this season take center stage. Arkansas and Florida have earned the preseason ranking of 1 and 2 for the NCAA title. Both programs have solid depth in this event and will be key in who wins the conference title. Returning for Arkansas are talented seniors Ahkeem Gauntlett and Marek Nitt. Both sprinters are talented 200 and 400 meter runners and are ranked in the top 10 in both events. For Florida they will rely on a two talented sophomores in Hugh Graham Jr. and Dedric Dukes. Joining the two will be Arman Hall and Najee Glass who ranked in the top 5 in the country in the 400 meters last outdoor season. Expect a tight battle from these two, not just in the conference champion but at the national championship as well. Conference newcomer Texas A&M will look to 2012 Big 12 Champion Deon Lendore and true freshman Aldrich Bailey who was the nation's top 400 meter runner to challenge Arkansas and Florida.

Eddie Lovett of Florida busted onto the SEC scene as a freshman winning the 60 meter hurdles over then favorite Barrett Nugent of SEC. He know returns this season as the top man  in the conference and number 2 in the nation. Lovett has been fun to watch, the most notable asset that Lovett has is his speed. Each season I have watched as he further grasps the hurdling technique and consistently improved each year. Now his junior year maybe the year he gets to the top of NCAA. Senior Caleb Cross from Arkansas ranks number 3 and will be a strong challenge to Lovett. This battle has strong team championship implications.

The field events are another battleground for the conference title. This would be advantage Florida. Arkansas is no slouch they have quality field athletes, Florida has the most championship ready field athletes. Omar Craddock in the triple jump, Marquis Dendy in the long jump, Dwught Barbiasz in the high jump, Jeremy Postin and David Triassi in the weight throw. Craddock is the defending NCAA Champion in the triple jump and a Bowerman nominee that will lead the strong Florida contingent. Also in the long jump is Demar Forbes of LSU. Forbes represented for his native Jamaica in the London Olympic Games and is the top returning long jump athlete. However Dendy will return with a new coach who has had a history of developing NCAA Champions in Nic Petersen.

Arkansas will rely on their depth in the heptathlon and the pole vault. Kevin Lazas, Gunnar Nixon and Nathaniel Franks will likely sweep the heptathlon. Sophomore Andrew Irwin will add to the Razorbacks field depth, Irwin is the defending NCAA Champion in the Pole Vault and one of 6 athletes returning with a personal best over 18 feet and the only one in the SEC.

The Razorbacks will also put their distance depth to the test for the first time in quite a while. With conference additions Texas A&M, Missouri and a growing distance program at Florida the points will not be so easy to come by. Eric Fernandez, Solomon Haile and Anthony Lieghio will pace a very strong distance core that claimed the conference title at the Cross Country Championships. Fernandez looks to be the leader of this very strong group after earning All-American honors the past cross country season. Fernandez looks to be a fixture in the 5,000 and 3,000 meter races.

(Eric Fernandez- Arkansas)

Can he lead Arkansas to another conference title?

Henry Lelei of Texas A&M will give Fernandez serious chase after earning All-American honors this past cross country season as well. Sean Obinwa of Florida is looking to lead a young Gator squad. Obinwa returns as the 3rd best 800 meter runner in the nation and the best in conference. After missing last outdoor season due to injury, expect for Obinwa to make up for lost time by adding an individual SEC Championship to his trophy case.

This should be an interesting conference championship with Texas A&M and Missouri added. Pat Henry will attempt to recapture the conference title magic he had during his years at LSU.

SEC Preview (Women)

(Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU)

Having LSU as the headliner of your conference has to be a bit intimidating, all those National Championships and Individual Champions. However this is the SEC, there are several national contending programs along with them individual champions in their own right. Over the past several years the conference has grown to be more an more competitive in every section of track and field. This was at one point a conference known just for speed. With the addition of Arkansas in the early 90's, a focus on distance became important, there was consistent growth and improvement in the field events as well. Now the conference is a powerhouse for all events.

This coming season looks to be an exciting one, especially in the sprints. Now that Texas A&M has joined the conference things have heated up even more. Senior Kimberlyn Duncan of LSU is one of the rising young stars for USA Track and Field. Duncan a known 200 meter specialist has shown steady improvement each year in the 100 meters while at LSU. She will need her best to fend off freshman star Shayla Sanders of Florida and  Ashley Collier of Texas A&M.

Florida being no slouch will bring a bevy of talented runners to the competition this season. The Lady Gators have a strong core of 400 meter runners in Ebony Eutsey, Lanie Whitaker and freshman Robin Reynolds. Eutsey was highly sought after recruit in 2010, although she has yet to win a SEC title she is poised for a breakout year. 

Her teammate Cory McGee leads a strong distance contingent that had a solid cross country campaign under first year coach Paul Spangler. McGee is the top returning 1,500 meter runner from last outdoor season and will look to claim her first conference title and continue the success of Florida distance running. Laura Roxberg of Missouri was the Big 12 Champion last season and will look to challenge McGee for the the crown as the conference newcomer. Natosha Rogers of Texas A&M another newcomer will be in the mix for the long distance titles in the 5,000 and 10,000 meter races after claiming both events at the Big 12 Championships last season.

The hurdles are always an intriguing event in the SEC. This season the top three performers from last outdoor season all return, defending champion Jasmine Stowers of LSU, Ivanique Kemp of Arkansas and Ugonna Ndu of Florida. All three have the speed for major improvement this season with their time and will face a strong challenge from conference newcomer Donique Flemings of Texas A&M the 2012 Big 12 Champion. This event should be very exciting this season, if Stowers wants to defend her title she may have to run a personal best to do it.

In the field events the jumps usually takes all the press for this conference. It is quite understandable with recent and pass Olympic and NCAA champions it is hard to not consistently look at all the great talent in the conference year in and year out. This year the throws takes another step to match the jumpers. Sophomore Tori Bliss of LSU and  Junior Hileen James of Georgia look to headline the throwing events. Bliss ironically from a jumping powerhouse in LSU is part of growing throws program at LSU that has had recent NCAA Champions and All-Americans on the men's side and looks to repeat the success on the women's side.

Ciarra Brewer of Florida returns for her second season after a successful freshman campaign that saw her claim All-American honors in the triple jump and the SEC Outdoor title. Brewer will be under a new coach Nic Petersen who guided Whitney Gipson to NCAA titles both indoors and outdoors in the long jump last season. Expect for Petersen to continue the jumping success at Florida and improve Brewer's long jump performance as well. She will face a heavy challenge from Colleen Felix of rival Georgia and Felix's teammate Maria Augutis.

This season SEC Track and Field may have one for the history books, with the addition of Texas A&M and Missouri this should be one of the most competitive seasons ever for the SEC in almost every event.

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.