2008: Heroes and Heartbreaks
December 28, 2008 by Jay Hicks · Leave a Comment
This year was another success on the track, highlighted by incredible performances delivering fast times and fierce competition.
Which races will you be talking about in 20 years?
Usain Bolt, Young At Heart
It’s no stretch to say that Bolt was as much a dominant force as a sprinter in track this year as Wilt Chamberlin was a scorer in basketball. The 22-year-old Jamaican was so hot that he accelerated global warming.
Yelena Isinbayeva, High Flying Act
The pole vault final in Beijing matched up reigning champion Yelena Isinbayeva and challenger Jennifer Stuczynski. Facing down each other, freshly minted American Record Holder Isinbayeva soared over the bar at 16 feet, 7 inches, increasing her own world record while securing her second Olympic gold.
Liu Xiang, Failure To Launch
Can you imagine the sight of Liu Xiang lined up in 110-meter hurdles in front of his countrymen? Fans were so shocked after the defending Olympic and former world record holder walked off the track after that false start.
Angelo Taylor, Leads Sweep
Team USA got off to a slow start, however in exactly 47.25 seconds, the 1-2-3 finish changes their fortunes. Taylor regaining the 400-meter hurdle title ahead of Kerron Clement and Bershawn Jackson after taking gold in 2000 Sydney revived the spirits of Team USA.
Lolo Jones, Top of the Class
Dignity is not something easily imitated or duplicated. Lolo maybe the top athlete that fans are rooting for after running into the hurdle. She left the games champion, no one showed more class than Lolo Jones in Beijing.
Bryan Clay, Larger Than Life
The 5 foot, 10 inch and 185 pound Hawaiian may have been overshadowed by Michael Phelps and the Jamaicans, but his timing could not have been more on to achieve the status as the ‘World’s Greatest Athlete’. Battling through asthma in winning the decathlon gold.
Stephanie Brown Trafton, Season’s Biggest Surprise
There is no coronation in track & field, you play to win the competition. Brown Trafton surprised everyone in Beijing in becoming the first U.S. woman in 76 years to win the discus.
Dayron Robles, Solid Gold Performance
A ruthless competitor over the hurdles. The Cuban hurdle star rolled 12.87 in Ostrava, Czech Republic establishing a new 110 meter world record.
Kenenisa Bekele, Double The Pleasure
Reassuring proof that the Ethiopians have a stranglehold on the distance events. Bekele led all the way, sprinting to an Olympic record over 5,000 meters, just days after winning the 10,000 meters.
American Women’s 4×400-meter relay, Thrilling Come-From-Behind Victory
After the come-from-behind victory over the Russians on the anchor leg, the scene could have ended with Sanya Richards being carried off the track on the shoulders off Mary Wineberg, Allyson Felix and Monique Henderson.
Run Away Track MVP?
November 12, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Usain Bolt
Does a scenario exist that does not involve Usain Bolt as track and field’s most valuable athlete? The Jamaican star is running this time for the prestigious IAAF World Athlete of the Year Award to be named during the 2008 World Athletics Gala, which takes place in Monaco, on 23 November 2008.
How do you top three world records and three gold medals?
Bolt finished a magical season that saw him set the 100-meter world record on two occassions and the 200-meter world record fall at feet. Oh, and then there is the business of Bolt’s pivotal third leg on Jamaica’s world record setting 4×100-meter relay in Beijing.
Don’t forget about Dayron Robles of Cuba - he can’t be denied either. He rolled 12.87 over the 110-hurdles in Ostrava, Czech Republic on June 12, immediately establishing himself as the man to beat. Robles dizzing place delivered gold in Beijing.
Ethopia’s Kenenisa Bekele has taken distance running to another level. His gold medal performance in the 10,000-meters finals was a new Olympic Record (27:01.17) - bettering the time he ran in 2004.
Bekele let it rip over the final 400-meters, unleashing a lethal pace that competitors found too much to match, solidifying his place in history among the all-time greats.
Bolt’s career is far from finished. He has proven himself to be a brilliant performer and the next test of his young career is longevity. Meaning can he reign on top of the game for a decade, dominating a generation of sprinters - like Michael Johnson and Carl Lewis?
Stay tuned.
Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.
Instant Analysis - Oliver Knocks Off Robles, Powell Gets Faster In Lausanne
September 3, 2008 by · Leave a Comment
Powell Produces Fastest Times Out of Major Competition.
With nothing on the line, you can bet that Asafa Powell improved his 100-meter time to 9.72. Good enough to be the second fastest time in history-behind Usain Bolt of course. The consistent Walter Dix was close to his personal best time in 9.92.
Powell said, “Who knows? Maybe I’m not the guy for those big championships but just the guy to compete in the Grand Prix and Golden League meetings. It’s just unfortunate.”
It was only a matter of time before David Oliver bested Olympic champ Dayron Robles again over the 110-meter hurdles. A fast closing Oliver (13.02) got the best of Robles (13.17), marking the second that this season that Oliver has beaten the Olympic champion and world record holder from Cuba.
The 200-meter record is in jeopardy to fall anytime Usain Bolt laces up his Pumas. Tonight Bolted equaled the stadium record in Lausanne ,as the Jamaican lite up the track in 19.63.
Without Jeremy Wariner on the track, LaShawn Merritt dipped under 44 seconds producing 43.98. What will be interesting is to see which runner holds the fastest time at seasons end.
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