Sanya Richards Leads U.S. Women to 1,600-Meter Relay Victory
August 24, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Relays performances often times tell you a great deal about an athlete. The biggest factor in running is not statistics or splits–it’s heart.
Sanya Richards showed major heart when she got the stick seven meters behind Anastasia Kapachinskaya of Russia and quickly made up that ground in leading Team USA to victory.
The relay is the first gold medal for Richards and Allyson Felix at these games.
Mary Winberg (51.0), Allyson Felix (48.55), Monique Henderson (50.06), and Sanya Richards (48.93) brought home the gold in 3:18.55. It should also be noted that Natasha Hastings ran in the qualifying heat and will share in the gold medal victory.
By Jay Hicks.
U.S. Win Silver & Bronze In 110-Hurdles
August 23, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Payne & Oliver Shine in Hurdles.
The U.S. hurdlers had dreams of getting on the medal stand. And it wasn’t an easy task while watching hurdling standouts Liu Xiang and Terrence Trammell, see their dreams end in the qualifying heats.
They stayed focused and kept their eyes on the prize. David Payne (13.17) earned silver, while Howard University alum David Oliver (13.18) captured the bronze. Cuba’s Dayron Robles (12.93) won the gold.
It certainly was not easy, but the U.S. hurdlers achieved this on a day when both the men’s and women’s 400m relays dropped the baton in the wet conditions but then again that’s what champions do.
Bungled Handoffs Derail U.S. Relay Hopes
August 22, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
-Beijing - It was the worst thirty minutes of the Olympic Games for Team USA. The rain probably didn’t help matters much and neither did the limited practice time typically committed to relay handoffs before the Olympics.
Somebody needs to find Tyson Gay and give him a hug. His Olympic Games were officially labeled a nightmare for the 2007 World Champion at 100 and 200-meters. Doc Patton’s handoff to Tyson Gay on the anchor leg ended up bouncing around the track.
The bobbled exchanged between Torri Edwards to anchor leg Lauryn Williams was met the same result. Williams picked up the baton and finished the race, but it didn’t count. Both U.S. teams were disqualified from their respective races.
This makes back-to-back Olympic Games that the women have dropped the baton. These results are a continuation of past errors that beg for a look at restructuring the Olympic team process.
USA Track and Fields needs to take a page out of the USA Basketball book because the current Olympic system dates back to the Cold War era and fails to represent the best that the country is capable of delivering.
Merritt Wins Big Over Wariner In U.S. 400 Sweep
August 22, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Merritt Upset Wariner’s Effort to Win Gold
-Beijing-LaShawn Merritt did something that many weren’t sure he could pull off. He upset defending Olympic champion Jeremy Wariner.
As I have written, in the past it has been Wariner the runner putting up the race of his life to win big in August. This time it was a brilliant race by Merritt at the perfect time that drew the world’s attention.
Only four runners, have bested the 43.75 that Merritt blazed in the finals. Wariner came off the turn in the lead but faded big time down the stretch finishing second in 44.70.
David Neville clocked 44.80 seconds and secured Team U.S.A. the bronze.
By Jay Hicks.
Usain Bolt Wins 200M Gold In World Record Time
August 20, 2008 by · 1 Comment
Usain Bolt delivered another jaw dropping moment to add to his 100-meter gold.
-Beijing-Michael Phelps may be the darling of NBC but Usain Bolt is a rising international superstar that demands your attention.
Usain Bolt has put his signature stamp on the 2008 Beijing Games and the 200-meter world record performance established him in history amongst the greatest sprinters to ever lace up spikes such as Carl Lewis, Michael Johnson, and Lee Evans.
Bolt’s time of 19.30 eclipsed Michael Johnson’s 12 year-old world record by .02. The 6 foot, 5 inch sprinting phenom is the first sprinter to set two world records at an Olympic Games.
Bolt has answered all questions about what his 200m race would look like if he ran from the start.
The sport was in dire need of story that blows away the cloudy issues of doping and scandal. The precocious Jamaican is a rare, brilliant sprinter that combines a long stride with blinding foot turn over and a passion for racing to deliver mind blowing results.
“Incredible,” Michael Johnson said. “He got an incredible start. Guys of 6-5 should not be able to start like that. It’s that long, massive stride. He’s eating up so much more track than others. He came in focused, knowing he would likely win the gold and he’s got the record.”
Shawn Crawford took silver, and Walter Dix was awarded bronze after teammate Wallace Spearmon and Churandy Martina were both disqualified for running out of their respective lanes.
The more you watch Bolt run that more it becomes evident that he can run much faster and that he may reign supreme in the sport for a long time to come.
Sanya Richards Winds Up With Bronze
August 20, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
The finish line was in sight. She had run past her doubts, run past her health issues, and had out run past previous disappointments.
Richards is the fastest American to run the one lap race and had the fastest time in the world. But she didn’t have a major championship gold.
Then with 75 meters to go Sanya Richards hamstring tightened up on her. She struggled to cross the line in third place behind the winner Christine Ohuruogu of Great Britain and Shericka Williams of Jamaica.
“My right hamstring grabbed on me, Richards said. ” I just couldn’t move it anymore. I tried to hold them off, and I just couldn’t. I’m so disappointed because I’ve never had anything like that happen. I was totally out of control on the straightaway. I was all over the lane.”
It has been a tough run for Richards. Last year she was diagnosed with Behcet’s disease, a rare chronic inflammation of the blood vessels throughout the body. The illness hijacked her training, sapped her energy, and caused her to miss qualifying for the World Championships.
Richards blasted out of the blocks, shot down the backstretch, and was held a commanding lead coming off the turn. Then the unthinkable occurred down the final stretch.
“I knew that gold was mine. I knew I was going to run 48 seconds. I felt so good. I was already getting elated coming off the turn because I knew how my races had been going. My hamstring just really let me down. I just feel like I’ve worked so hard in vain.”
“Once again, just major disappointment. Every major championship I’ve been to I’ve come up short. It’s not for a want of trying. I mean, I go out there with every intention of trying to run my best race and I always come into the race very prepared. So once again to lose a championship and not just any major championship – the Olympic Games. And thinking of waiting for four more years is just way too much.”
The time 49.62 was her fastest time of the season but it’s probably of little solace to Richards.
Bolt Inching Towards History
August 19, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Usain Bolt is the man to beat in the 200-meters. He is still riding high off of his 100-meter world record and hoping to become the first man since Carl Lewis to win the 100 and 200 double.
The men semi-finals took place in the evening after the athletes ran opening rounds in the morning.
Bolt (20.29) narrowly edged out Shawn Crawford (20.42) to win his semi-final heat. Walter Dix (20.27) worked a little harder in the final 30 meters than he probably wanted to while finishing second in his heat.
When will Wallace Spearmon start running the turn?
He poured it on down the stretch to take second in his heat with 20.39. If Spearmon doesn’t improve at the first half of the race, he may very well find himself too far out of position to contend for a medal in the finals.
At this point, Dix and Bolt have run a total of six races. With that, it is unlikely that we will see Michael Johnson’s world record of 19.32 fall in the finals.
Never before has Bolt come into the finals of a championship race with a full round of 100-meter runs under his belt. The best strategy to challenge Bolt in the finals is for Dix or Crawford to get out the first 30 meters like they have junk yard dogs on their tail.
It is lights out in the finals if Bolt comes off the turn with lead.
By Jay Hicks.
Wariner & Merritt Move Forward to Semi-Finals
August 19, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Drum beats of athlete battle.
-Beijing-The 400-meters have not seen any surprises, yet. All three U.S. runners ran well qualifying but everyone is waiting to see the battle looming for the finals. Right now, it is the calm before the storm.
Reigning champion Jeremy Wariner advanced in 45.23 for the semi-finals along with rival LaShawn Merritt in 44.96. Both easily winning their respective heats.
Merritt is ready to battle:”It’s time to go, time to showdown and throw down. I went home, got my confidence up and mentally got ready to perform. I train to win and when I do it gives me a good boost.”
The third place finisher at the U.S. Olympic Trials, David Neville who finished second in his heat in 45.22 to advance said “You know I thought I’d be able to run a little slower. I did what I had to do to make it through. For me, I’m just going out there and doing the best I can do. I’m representing the U.S. to the best of my ability.”
Jeremy Wariner whose wants is the world record to fall in Beijing but goal is winning a second medal in the event said the following after the race: “We have a chance to get top three. It will take a lot of work but anything is possible.”
Anything less than a U.S. sweep of the event would amount to a colossal failure. The Prerace Jitters Predictions for the 400-meter finals are as follows:
1st: Jeremy Wariner – 43.35
2nd: LaShawn Merritt – 43.80
3rd: David Neville 44.63
Isinbeyeva Raises the Roof In Beijing
August 19, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Yelena Isinbayeva
-Beijing—The women’s pole vault unfolded with an air of predictability at the Birdnest. The venerable Yelena Isinbayeva of Russia jumped and produced yet another world record of 16 feet, 6.75 inches. This is her third time this season to improve on her world record.
If it is any indication, nearly half of the field was out of the competition before Isinbayeva took her first jump.
Jennifer Stucynski (15 feet, 9 inches) of the U.S. did everything she needed in order to earn a well-deserved silver medal. Afterword she said, “I couldn’t ask for anything more than to come to my first Olympics and get a medal, a silver no less. It’s beyond words to have people in there cheering for you. I made a lot of jumps and I’m feeling it right now.”
The clearance by Isinbayeva was so large it leads me to think that will be raise her record again before the end of this outdoor season.
By Jay Hicks.
Yeah, Yeah: Angelo Taylor Leads U.S. Sweep of 400-Hurdles!
August 18, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
A big-time U.S. performance highlights the day.
-Beijing-Don’t call it come back—he’s been here for years. Going into Beijing a bulk of the attention was focused primarily on Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson. Today, Angelo Taylor won Olympic gold over the two aforementioned U.S. runners.
Angelo the champion from the 2000 Sydney Games is no stranger to thrilling races, having won his first gold medal out of lane 1. In 2004, an illness hindered the Albany, Georgia native from getting out the semi-final heats in Athens.
This time around the supremely talented Taylor ran the fastest time (47.25) of his life.
Just when people were beginning to get down on the Team USA, the U.S hurdles ran extremely well as Kerron Clement (47.98) and Bershawn Jackson (48.06) dominated a very talented field.
Stephanie Brown Trafton might have also saved the day for the U.S. in winning a gold in the women’s discus.
By Jay Hicks.
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