Bekele the most underrated athlete today
December 18, 2009 by Jay Hicks · Leave a Comment
Name the most underrated track athlete? Underrated how you ask. Doesn’t get recognized by his critics? Rarely gets awards? Is beloved by a cult but unknown by the masses?
None fit this better than Kenenisa Bekele. So much so that to prove he also a great runner Bekele challenged Usain Bolt to middle-way distance challenge.
Say what?
Bekele tops the list because he is underappreciated. Fans have overlooked Bekele for years. He is the currently world record holder at 5000 meters, 10,000 meters and is the reigning two-time Olympic champion.
Watching Bekele at 36 years of age put together ridiculous splits while running 26:46.31 to gold at the World Championships was like listening to Jay Z rhyme over a bone crushing beat. It was a thing of magic and we got the full appreciation of how good Bekele was this past season.
Over his career, the Ethopian hero has dominated the courses with strength and displayed flawless down speed on the track. His trademark kick can cover the final lap in 54 seconds. In 2008, Bekele scored the 5,000 and 10,000 double gold medal feat at the Beijing Games.
With cross country and track under his control, what else is there left for the great Kenenisa Bekele to accomplish?
PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show, Episode #40
September 15, 2009 by Jay Hicks · Leave a Comment
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
The World Athletic Finals (WAF) provides to be a successful venture for the U.S. envoy. Is Sanya Richards latest feat good enough for her to be considered the greatest 400 meter runner ever? Which performance was more impressive? Kenenisa Bekele or Usain Bolt had impressive performances at the World Athletic Finals.
Send an email to comments@preracejitters.com to have your comments and questions discussed on the show.
PreRaceJitters’ Track & Field Radio Show…where the real playas come to hang out!
Sanya Richards named USATF Athlete of the Week
September 9, 2009 by Jay Hicks · Leave a Comment
INDIANAPOLIS - Sanya Richards has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of the Week after winning a share of the $1,000,000 Golden League jackpot with her win Friday at the Memorial Van Damme in Brussels, Belgium.
The reigning world 400m champion, Richards dominated her signature event in leading from start to finish before crossing the finish line in a world-leading 48.83 seconds, which is her second best effort ever.
Richards’ performance equaled the second-best time ever by an American first posted by National Track & Field Hall of Famer Valerie Brisco-Hooks in winning the gold medal at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The nearest competitor to Richards in Brussels was 2008 Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu, who finished 1.6 seconds behind in 50.43.
Richards split the $1,000,000 Golden League jackpot with Yelena Isinbayeva (RUS) and Kenesia Bekele (ETH), who also won their respective events in Brussels. For Richards, this is the third time in her career she has won a share of the Golden League jackpot, having already earned shares in 2006 and 2007.
Now in its eighth year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website. Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous week.
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27, German Fernandez; February 3, Ashton Eaton; February 10, Shalane Flanagan; February 17, Galen Rupp; February 24, Dexter Faulk; March 3, Terrence Trammell; March 10, Diana Pickler; March 17, Galen Rupp; March 24, Sumi Onodera-Leonard; March 31, German Fernandez; April 7, Cyrus Hostetler; April 14, Curtis Beach; April 21, Kara Goucher; April 28, Mason Finley; May 5, Chris Derrick; May 12, Natalie Willer; May 19, Will Claye; May 26, Nadine O’Connor; June 2, Tyson Gay; June 9, Dwight Phillips; June 16, Galen Rupp; June 23, Kami Semick; June 30, Dawn Harper; July 7, Raevyn Rogers; July 14, Ryan Crouser; July 28, Anton Krupicka; August 11, Rita Hanscom; August 19, Christian Cantwell; August 26, Trey Hardee; September 1, Dathan Ritzenhein; September 9, Sanya Richards.
BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING SEPTEMBER 6
MEN
100 - 9.94 Doc Patton (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 8/31
200 - 20.19 Wallace Spearmon (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
400 - 44.94 Jeremy Wariner (adidas) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
800 - 1:47.16 Nick Symmonds (OTC Elite) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
1500 - 3:33.33 Leo Manzano (Nike) - Rieti, ITA 9/6
3000 - 7:36.68 Bernard Lagat (Nike) - Gateshead, GBR 8/31
3000SC - 8:14.69 Dan Huling (Reebok) - Brussels, BEL 9/4 U.S. leader
5000 - 12:58.56 Matt Tegenkamp (OTC Elite) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
110H - 13.39 Joel Brown (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
400H - 48.83 Bershawn Jackson (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 8/31
HJ - 2.33/7-7.75 Andra Manson (Nike) - Gateshead, GBR 8/31
PV - 5.70/18-8.25 Derek Miles (Nike) - Gateshead, GBR 8/31
LJ - 8.39/27-6.5 Dwight Phillips (Nike) - Gateshead, GBR 8/31
TJ - 16.49/54-1.25 Brandon Roulhac (HPC Elite) - Rieti, ITA 9/6
SP - 22.16/72-8.5 Christian Cantwell (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 8/31 World leader
DT - 62.11/203-9 Ian Waltz (Nike) - Helsingborg, SWE 9/5
HT - 71.09/233-3 Mike Mai (US Army) - Portland, OR 9/6
JT - 76.13/249-9 Mike Hazle (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
WOMEN
100 - 10.88 Carmelita Jeter (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
200 - 22.73 Debbie Dunn (Nike) - Rieti, ITA 9/6
400 - 48.83 Sanya Richards (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4 World leader
800 - 1:59.14 Anna Willard (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
1500 - 4:03.46 Shannon Rowbury (Nike) - Rieti, ITA 9/6
3000 - 9:02.08 Jen Rhines (adidas) - Gateshead, GBR 8/31
3000SC - 9:37.53 Lisa Galaviz (Nike) - Rieti, ITA 9/6
100H - 12.57 Dawn Harper (Nike) - Dubnica, SVK 9/6
HJ - 1.97/6-5.5 Chaunte Howard (Nike) - Brussels, BEL 9/4
PV - 4.47/14-8 Stacy Dragila (Nike) - Dubnica, SVK 9/6
LJ - 6.70/21-11.75 Funmi Jimoh (Nike) - Rovereto, ITA 9/1
TJ - 13.48/44-2.75 Erica McLain (Nike) - Zagreb, CRO 8/31
DT - 59.35/194-8 Aretha Thurmond (Nike) - Rieti, ITA 9/6
JT - 55.04/180-7 Rachel Yurkovich (Oregon) - Gateshead, GBR 8/31
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States. USATF encompasses the world’s oldest organized sports, some of the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.
For more information on USATF, visit
www.usatf.org2008: 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.
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