Merritt and Richards Win and Qualify for Olympic Team!

A pin drop could have been heard before the gun went off in the men’s 400-meters. At this point, everyone knows that LaShawn Merritt (44.00) beat Jeremy Wariner (44.20) in the head-to-head match up. After the race, I had a chance to speak about the race with track legend Michael Johnson, who is also Jeremy Wariner’s agent.

MJ said that LaShawn Merritt is a beast and a force to be reckoned with in the 400-meters. He seemed to alude to the fact that being on top means beating challengers as they arise. The current 400-meter world recorder holder also said that at this point and up to this point, Jeremy is the better 400-meter runner. He thought the race strategy in which Jeremy did not get out was the issue in the race tonight.

Simply put: Jeremy has to put his race together in order to win because Merritt did not run a time that Wariner is incapable of running.

After her race, Sanya Richards was estatic about winning and qualifying for the Olympic team. You got the impression that placing fourth at the U.S. nationals last year is something that she has thought a lot about since that race. As we predicted, Mary Wineberg made the team, and veteran Dee Dee Trotter pulled out her mojo, even with an injured knee to make the team.

It was a great night for track and field.

By Jay Hicks.

The Big 400 Meter Show down!

Tonight’s show down between challenger LaShawn Merritt and reigning champion Jeremy Wariner is arguably the Olympic Trials’ hottest race. The favorite at this point is Wariner, considering how well he has looked in the rounds, coupled with the fact that he has won virtually everything there is to win in the sport. But Merritt has already proved in a win over Wariner to be a formidable opponent. Merritt will probably use his speed to get out quickly the first 200, and Wariner will get out well the first 60-meters and settle into a comfortable pace. Merritt will lead going into the third curve, and Wariner will hit the gas at 250-meters. The homestretch will be about which runner is in the best position and who has the biggest will power to win.

The woman to beat at 400-meters is definately American record holder Sanya Richards. Look for Wineberg, Trotter, and Hastings to all be in contention the final 60-meters. Don’t be surprised to see Wineberg challenge the race from the start, while reigning national champion Trotter has the experience to win the race. Former 400-meter NCAA champion Hastings is also a threat as she’s been putting together her race well throughout the rounds.

Women’s 400 M Final - Lane Assignments:

1 467 Ebonie Floyd Nike 51.49

2 564 Monica Hargrove unattached 51.88

3 423 Debbie Dunn unattached 51.79

4 1387 Mary Wineberg Nike 50.57

5 1081 Sanya Richards Nike 50.75

6 592 Natasha Hastings Nike 51.04

7 1291 Dee Dee Trotter adidas 50.90

8 610 Monique Henderson Reebok 51.07

Men’s 400 M Final - Lane Assignments

1 773 Lionel Larry USC 45.55

2 966 Greg Nixon Asics 45.20

3 1194 Calvin Smith Florida 45.43

4 1382 Darold Williamson Nike 45.16

5 1326 Jeremy Wariner adidas 44.66

6 891 LaShawn Merritt Nike 44.76

7 1390 Reggie Witherspoon Nike 44.99

8 959 David Neville Nike 45.03

By Jay Hicks.

Three Oregonians Make U.S 800 Olympic Team!

-From Eugene, Oregon

All I can say is… that might be the best 800m that I’ve ever witnessed. Khadevis Robinson took the race out hard the first lap (50.03). At the 600 meter mark, Nick Symmonds (1:44.10) laid down the kick that eventually won the race.

At the train wreck finish, University of Oregon runner Andrew Wheating (1:45.03) placed second, followed by Oregon Track Club runner Christian Smith (1:45.47).

Khadevis Robinson reached out in the race’s final steps to keep from falling and hit Lopez Lomong.

The always friendly Robinson said, “We both fell, and I was hoping that anyone was there.  If Jesus wouldn’t been there, I would’ve grabbed him.”

Jay Hicks

The Hardest Team to Make by Nike Is Hard to Miss!

-From Eugene, Oregon

The sights in and around Hayward Field are overwhelming figures of Nike. The place is bought and paid for by Phil Knight and company.

The presence of the Beaverton, Oregon-based apparel maker permeats the place. Many of the greater Eugene area employees from hotels, restaurants, bars, and vendors all sport the ‘08 Eugene shirts boldly displaying the Nike symbol.

The city buses have various billboards featuring the Nike swoosh, and the Hayward Stadium is plastered with the company’s images. Look to buy a t-shirt on-site with an Adidas logo, and you would be out of luck because they are not here.

Nike is reportedly a seven-figure contributor to the Olympic Trials, and most businesses are forbidden to sell any product that competes directly with Nike. Without the company’s support, the best Olympic Trials ever hosted would not be possible.

Adidas has set up booths at the Villard Street Pub, which is a pub located near the track. The Adidas logo is also plastered on the feet and bodies of the Olympic Trials’ biggest stars, such as Tyson Gay and Jeremy Wariner.

By Jay Hicks.

Baylor University Shines in 400 Meters in Eugene!

-From Eugene, Oregon

What about the Baylor University 400-meter crew? Two of the four semifinal heats were won by current or former quartermilers from “The U”.

Legendary Baylor coaches Clyde Hart and Michael Ford have as much, if not more, impact than anyone in the world on influencing a single event in the entire sport.

All five runners earned automatic bids to Monday’s semifinal round. The number one 400-meter runner in the world, Jeremy Wariner ,won his heat (46.04), and Baylor senior Quentin Inglehart-Summers (45.87) also won his heat. Former 1,600-meter relay Olympic gold medalist Darold Williamson (46.00) placed third in his heat, Sophmore LeGerald Betters (45.46) from Waco, Texas finished second in his heat and former Bear Reggie Witherspoon (45.94) also finished second in his heat.

Former University of Texas alum Sanya Richards won her heat in the women’s 400-meter semifinal. She trains under Coach Clyde Hart at the Baylor University track in Waco, Texas.

Is it possible to see four Baylor runners in the Team USA 1,600-meter relay pool in Beijing?

Gays Runs Even Faster, Dix Emerges On the Scene!

It was utter pandemonium when the stadium clock displayed 9.68 after Tyson Gay crossed the line. Track Town, USA was completely rocking for the next thirty minutes. The wind-aided time (+4.1) is still the fastest time ever run.

People sitting at home may question how six people ran under 10-seconds in one race. Similar to European track stadiums, the fans in the newly renovated Hayward Field are close to the track, and the athletes feed off of their infectious energy.

Walter Dix shut up all of the naysayers and doubters of his talent. He is headed to Beijing, and the shoe companies had better start adding some big numbers to their contract offers.

It was great to see Darvis Patton dip under 10-seconds again and qualify for the team after fighting injuries for the last couple years.

Coach Jon Drummond was ecstatic in the athlete area after the race. His athlete Tyson Gay had done it!

By Jay Hicks.

Women to Watch in 400!

-Eugene, Oregon - The women’s quarterfinals heat just went down. The most impressive runners to watch are Mary Wineberg (51.46), Natasha Hastings (51.51), Shana Cox (51.69), Eboni Floyd (51.37), Dee Dee Trotter (51.97) and Sanya Richards (51.37).

Wineberg is a sleeper in this race, who has been overlooked by many. Shana Cox, the reigning 400-meter NCAA champion from Penn State, may have some gas left in her tank to get through the rounds. An injury this past year has allowed her to keep her races down during this outdoor season.

It would be surprising if University of Houston alum Eboni Floyd does not make the finals and earn a relay spot. Reigning World Champion Dee Dee Trotter has the ability to turn on her big game on a moment’s notice. Sanya Richards comes in as the favorite to win it all, but the road will be hotly contested by this talented group of 400-meter runners.

By Jay Hicks.

Tyson Gay Rewrites American 100-Meter Record in Eugene!

Tyson Gay put on a sprinting clinic during the quarterfinal heats. He set a new (9.77) American Record in the quarterfinal round heat. I’ve never seen a round of 100 heats that produced six sub-10 second times.

His time beat the previous (9.79 ) American record held by former great Maurice Greene. After the race Gay said,”If I can follow in [Greene's] footsteps and win an Olympic medal, I’ll go down in history as one of the greatest.”

Tyson said that he nearly cried out of fear that he had not made it through the previous round when he inadvertently slowed up thinking he had reached the finish line. His coach Jon Drummond said that “champions  do not do hose kind of things, and you need to make up for it in the next around.” 

Everyone has been just handing World Record Holder Usain Bolt of Jamaica the Olympic gold medal in Beijing. This race is indication that it will be war on the track in the men’s 100-meters in August. That, of course, is assuming that all goes as planned, and Gay qualifies for the U.S. Olympic Team. After a day like today, let’s just be clear that no assumptions can be made.

By Jay Hicks

Team USA Olympic Uniforms Revealed!

After much anticipation and speculation, the Olympic Team uniforms have been presented for the world to see. How does the ‘08 gear compare to previous team uniforms?

By Jay Hicks.

Photo courtesy Image of Sport.

PreRaceJitters.com Interview—Matt Scherer: Living By the Moment!

Since he came on the pro scene in 2007, Matt Scherer has been making a name for himself on the U.S. 800-meter scene. The former 400, now 800 runner is currently the fourth-ranked American and is taking it moment by moment as he is poised to contend to make the U.S Olympic Team. In this exclusive Q & A with PreraceJitters.com, Scherer reveals what it is like to live and train in Eugene with the Olympic Trials coming to his home town in less than one week.

PRJ: What is the best thing about living and training in Eugene, Oregon, a.k.a. Tracktown, USA? Is it as interesting as it seems?

The best thing is by far the people. It may be because I went to college here but it is really cool to be recognized at the grocery store or at the mall by real track fans. I don’t know of anywhere else where track athletes are recognized out in public. The fans in Eugene make track seem like a big-time sport.

PRJ: Who did you look up to while running track as a youth? And is there anyone that you pattern your race after?

Through high school and college I always seemed to look up to my peers/competitors. I didn’t follow the pro circuit much. I would look up to a runner until I beat them and then found someone else to take their place as my ‘idol’. I think that’s where my competitiveness on the track comes from; I like to beat people. Some names that come to mind are Adam Steele, Craig Everhart, Christian Smith, and Marc Sylvester.

PRJ: You had a stellar career at the University of Oregon that included a personal best of 45.19 in the 400. Why did you decide to move up from the 400 to the 800?

To me it seemed like a logical move to have my best chance at Beijing. Even though I’d had success at the 400, I really wasn’t that fast in terms of speed. I was always the last out of the blocks but finished well. My 200 time wasn’t anything special either. My best workouts were always the longer, harder ones. It’s also been a new challenge for me. I love taking on new things and this has been one of the biggest, but it may also have the biggest reward in the end.

PRJ: Take us back to the decision making process to move up to the 800. Who did you consult during this process and what pushed you over the top to make the move?

I talked to my coaches Dan Steele and Vin Lannana quite a bit about the decision. Dan was supportive of whatever decision I made and Vin (being on the distance side) was excited about the possibility of moving up because not many people at my level had done so. But what tipped the scales was Frank Gagliano and the opportunity of the Oregon Track Club. I had talked to several pro athletes while in college and the theme seemed to be that it was very difficult to transition to the pro athlete life because so many things change. So the opportunity to stay in Eugene and keep training at my home track with a coach that I was very comfortable with actually made the decision to change events very easy.

PRJ: What time are you shooting for at the U.S. Olympic Trials and how difficult to you anticipate the rounds to be?

My first goal is to run under 1:45.50 and past that I’m shooting for the 1:44’s. I’ve typically done well with rounds, especially mentally, and so am not very concerned about running 3 rounds. And having a day off before the final is awesome. Typically in meets like this (in college) I would be running 6 or 7 races in 4 days. Now I only have to run 3 (hopefully!).

PRJ: Your seasons best time of 1:46.11 puts you in the mix going into the Trials, what would making the Olympic Team mean to you?

First, I’m just excited to be in the mix; to have my name mentioned in people’s discussions about who has a chance to sneak into that 3rd spot. At this point I really don’t think I can even comprehend what making the team would mean to me or even feel like. I guess with the Trials next week I should start visualizing that… haha. But the only experience I’ve ever had with the Olympics is watching on TV. I don’t have anything that I can compare what the feeling might be. But at the same time that just means I have less to worry about. If I make the team I’ll be ‘that guy’ that people say, “He should act like he’s been there before.” I’ll be out there on tv acting like a fool.

PRJ: Do you feel there is additional pressure to make the U.S. Olympic Team squad because you live and train where the Olympic Trials are to be held?

No, not at all. The only pressure I have is what I’m putting on myself. Everyone around me (teammates, family, and the community) are just happy that I’m doing so well after changing events. That’s been nice to not feel any pressure from them. I’ll leave that to the Nick Symmonds’ of the group. I feel much more comfortable being a dark horse than being the one that is expected to make the team. Now, I will say that eventually I’d like to be in that position but for now, and in this situation, I’m perfectly fine where I am.

PRJ: What has been the biggest difference you have noticed in the training regimen for the 800?

Hands down – tempo runs. Those were a new concept for me. It seems like I start out running hard and keep getting faster until I die. Over the past 2 years I’ve gotten better at them almost every time, literally. Most everything else I can compare in some way to something I did as a 400 runner, but tempo runs were something else. Note: and I usually only do 3 mile tempo runs so you know it must be hard for me. Meanwhile, other OTC guys are doing like 8 mile tempo’s. I don’t envy those guys!

PRJ: You recently ran 1:46.11, and ran the “A” standard for the Olympic Trials. How did that feel?

That race felt really good actually. I finally got a chance to try something I’d been wanting to for a long time, which was going out in 49 in a fast race. My last 100 wasn’t very good but after a 49 most people’s aren’t. But I was glad to have felt how that pace feels and learned a lot about what my optimal race is. As for the time I was very confident that I would run a 1:45 that day. And even though I PR’d by half a second I was actually a little disappointed that I wasn’t .11 faster. And on the positive side of that it is still keeping me very hungry to get that first 1:45.

PRJ: Have you had a welcome to the professional circuit moment? A situation or moment when you realized “wow, I am running with pros?” If so, can you share with fans how that went down?

The first time that feeling hit me was shortly after graduating from Oregon. I was in Europe to run a couple races that summer and at my first meet I had to start from the blocks with a starter that wasn’t speaking English. In fact, I didn’t even know what language he was speaking. And I remember being in the set position before the gun thinking, “This is pretty cool, I can’t believe I’m racing in Europe…hmmm…I hope that last word meant set (I then look at the guy behind me to see where he was in the blocks).”

PRJ: Your times have been incredible this year, how have you been able to drop your times so effectively in the relatively short amount of time of running the 800-meters?

I’ve always been a big fan of the “naive” mentality. By that I mean having a mentality that is oblivious to the typical limitations that people have. As far as I am concerned, it shouldn’t be a big deal to go run 1:43 at the trials. It’s only a couple seconds off my PR. Most people would say that is impossible for me right now to me its in the realm of possibilities because in my mind I don’t even know how good that is. Andrew Wheating of Oregon is a perfect example of that. The kid just goes out and runs and has no idea of what his current times mean. He just shrugs it off and says, “That was fun.” I love that attitude and have been using it since high school. As a freshman I ran 49.4 and had no idea why people were amazed. I was actually disappointed because I lost. Now I at least realize that 49 is good for a 9th grader but I still carry the same idea into my mental training now.

PRJ: As you are maturing in the 800-meters, are you relying less on your speed and more on race strategy?

To be honest, I still have no clue about what I’m doing in an 800. I learn so much about the race every single time out. My speed is my greatest asset though so I have to utilize that to my advantage. The big difference between this year and last is that I have a lot more strength now which only allows me to use my speed in the first half of the race. It is a misconception (at least for me) that people have that since I have speed they think I should be able to close the last 200m. But it is really the opposite, at least for now. I use my speed to go out in 50-point and feel more relaxed than everyone else even though they are 51 or 52. That gives me a head start for the strength portion of the race: the last 200. That’s why people like Nick Symmonds are so good with 100 to go. Nick has the most strength out of anyone I know.

PRJ: What is your go-to music to get you in the groove before you hit the track for meets?

I actually don’t listen to any music. I usually am on my computer working on websites or sending emails right up until I leave for the track. I am one of those people that has to keep busy. I don’t like to have a lot of time to think. Even warming up I often stop to talk to people or am joking around. Thinking too much about the race is a negative for me. I step up to the line just trusting that my body is ready and am focused on hitting those couple of key objective points of my race. But if I did listen to any music it would be Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw.

PRJ: I know you are an integral part of Runnerspace.com, how often do you post and update your profile?

Definitely not as often as I should. I am usually busy with other parts of the site, making sure content is getting up or helping plan coverage for events. Oh and I play the arcade games quite a bit. I may actually be more competitive in those little flash games than on the track. Haha. We’ve all played those games before – pacman, frogger, kick-ups – but RunnerSpace keeps track of your scores and ranks them against other members. Its one of those things that you get addicted to because you want to get one of those trophies the top 3 people get. Oh, and I’m pretty good at them and challenge anyone to my best game: F/A-18 Hornet. (and the overall winner of the arcade each month wins $100).

PRJ: You have your own company FastRunnerZ.com and Emerald Valley Marketing. Between that and Runnerspace.com, do you think you’ll go into that stuff full-time when you retire from running track?

I hope to. I’ve taken the last few years to learn as much as I can about the internet business and web design. All that “mumbo jumbo” code seems to make a lot of sense to me and I absorb it very easily. Right now web design is one of my side jobs that I hope to develop into a career when I’m done running. And I’ll always be involved in RunnerSpace in some capacity. Its just too good of an idea to fail and has the back end site operations that hasn’t been seen in the track world.

PRJ: Thank you for taking the time out to sit down with us. Good luck at the Olympic Trials and the rest of your season.

By Jay Hicks.

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