What Is Going On In The 200?

It is utterly shocking that so far this season, not one runner has cracked 20 flat. This after last season saw five runners broke the 20 second barrier almost at will. Last season Tyson Gay (19.62), Xavier Carter (19.63), Wallace Spearmon (19.65), Walter Dix (19.69), and Usain Bolt (19.75) all made a major impression on the 200’s all-time list.

Tyson Gay holds the world leading time this season at 20 flat from his performance at the Jamaican Invitational. The 20.08 that Gay ran at the Adidas Track Classic was run into a -1.2 headwind. Which means he could have possibly dipped under 20 seconds had it not been for the twister blowing during the race.

Usain Bolt has not run a 200 this year and who can you blame him? Meet directors have been showing him the money to run the 100 ever since running the impressive 9.76. The 21-year-old Jamaican is set to run his first 200m at the Golden League Meet in Ostrava, Czech Republic, on June 12. You can look for Bolt to be in the mix this season when it counts.

The most surprising name not on this list is that of Walter Dix, the reigning NCAA 200-meter champion. He has been sidelined most of the indoors and outdoors with injuries. So far this season Dix’s fastest time has been 20.90, which he ran in Atlanta on May 18.

This time has to be a disappointment to Dix after last season when he burned up the track with a 19.69. That time set the new NCAA outdoor record at 200-meters. But don’t count him out. Dix is a tremendous talent and has the ability to summon his entire being to beat a talented NCAA 200-meter field led by Brendan Christian of LSU, who has already run a 20.21 this season.

Top 10 World Performance List Courtesy IAAF

20.00 Tyson Gay, 5/3/2008
20.08 LaShawn Merritt, 5/09/08
20.08 Tyson Gay, 5/18/08
20.12 Brendan Christian 5/08/08
20.17 Churandy Martina 4/12/08
20.21 Brendan Christian 5/17/08
20.25 Xavier Carter 4/12/08
20.29 Gerald Phiri 5/18/08
20.30 Xavier Carter 5/18/2008

Jay Hicks for Prerace Jitters.

Usain Bolt Nears World Record in Jamaica!

The times coming of the Jamaican Invitational are jaw dropping. Incredible. Jamaica’s Usain Bolt redefined this seasons outlook for the 100-meters. He won in 9.76 with 1.8 wind, nearly breaking his countrymen Asafa Powell’s world record of 9.74. The time is stunning. The performance is sure to get Tyson Gay, Asafa Powell, and the world’s attention.

Second in the race was America’s Wallace Spearmon in 10.08 and Antiguan Daniel Bailey placed third in 10.12.

Sanya Richards crossed the line first at the 400-meters in 50.60. The top three finishers ran personal best times in the women’s 100. Kerron Stewart wons the women’s 100m in 10.96, Marshavett Hooker ran second in 11.01, 18-year-old Bianca Knight took third in 11.11. The wind measured +.9 during the women’s 100 making it a legal race.

Kerron Clement won the men’s 400 hurdles in 47.79. In another amazing race, newcomer Bianca Knight won the women’s 200 in 22.62 in her first professional meet. Knight beat veteran Veronica Campbell on her home turf. Campbell placed second in 22.9.

American champ Tyson Gay continued his winning steak taking the men’s 200-meters in 20.00.

Jay Hicks

Men’s 4 x 400 Relay: USA vs. The World

The United States has arguably the top eight one lap runners in the world, and it showed at the Penn Relays at the US fielded two all-star teams. The USA Blue team had LaShawn Merritt, Wallace Spearmon, Darold Williamson, and Jeremy Wariner. However, the USA Red team extremely good as well, with Xavier Carter, Bershawn Jackson, Kerron Clement, and Angelo Taylor.

Merritt blasted out the hole with a 44.9 leg to give the Blue team the lead. A strong second leg by Bershawn Jackson put the Red team close again with Jamaica just back in third.

The most exciting part of the race was on the third leg as Kerron Clement tried to pass veteran relay runner Darold “D Will” Williamson. Clement couldn’t seal the deal. Williamson made him swing wide and then rolled pass Clement to hand off to Jeremy Wariner in the lead. Wariner ran an unconscious 43.88 anchor leg with a comfortable lead to secure victory for the Blue team at 2:59.71. A stupid time ran in the cold April air!

Click here for the final results.

Jay Hicks

Wallace Spearman Jr. Eyes World Record!

Prerace Jitters is excited to announce that at the Tyson Invitation on February 15, Wallace Spearman is looking to break the World Indoor Record at 200-meters!

The record of 19.92, currently held by Frankie Fredericks, is sick. That’s not running—that’s teleporting!

Sources tell PRJ that, at this point, Spearman’s training is ahead of schedule. Wallace thinks he is in the best shape of his life.

Spearman couldn’t find himself at a more ideal facility to break the record than the Tyson Invitation on the University of Arkansas campus. The 200-meter banked mondo track is one of the highest quality and fastest indoor running surfaces in the world.

Within the last three years, the 400-meter world indoor record and 4 x 400 meter relay indoor U.S. record have also fallen in Fayetteville.

Wallace set the 300-meter world indoor record on this track in 2006. This ain’t his first rodeo.

All eyes will be on Wallace Spearman!

Jay Hicks

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