Thursday, July 8, 2010
Prerace Jitters |
| Oliver named USATF Athlete of the Week Posted: 07 Jul 2010 01:53 PM PDT David Oliver sizzling performance stands out. INDIANAPOLIS- David Oliver has been named the USA Track & Field Athlete of the Week after he equaled the American Record in the men’s 110m hurdles at the 2010 Nike Prefontaine Classic at historic Hayward Field on campus of the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore. Oliver, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in the 110m hurdles, tied the American record of 12.90 set by Dominique Arnold on July 11, 2006 in Lausanne. That time is the third-fastest time ever in the event. One week before the Prefontaine Classic, Oliver won his second national title in the same event at the 2010 USA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Oliver’s winning time of 12.93 is the fastest winning time at the championships since Allen Johnson won in 12.92 in 1996. Oliver is the 2010 World Indoor Championships bronze medalist and USA Indoor championships runner- up in the 60m hurdles. Now in its ninth 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. Winners: January 13, Jen Clayton; January 20, Shalane Flanagan; January 27, Nolan Shaheed; February 3, Bernard Lagat; February 10, Bernard Lagat; February 17, Shalane Flanagan; February 24, Amber Campbell; March 3, Amber Campbell; March 10, Phil Raschker; March 17, Ashton Eaton; March 31, Lisa Koll; April 7, Queen Harrison; April 14, Magdalena Lewy Boulet; April 21, Bershawn Jackson; April 28, Phoebe Wright; May 5, Chris Solinsky; May 12, Walter Dix; May 26, Cory Martin; June 2, Chaunte Lowe; June 9, Bernard Lagat; June 16, Queen Harrison; June 30, Kara Patterson; July 7, David Oliver. BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING JULY 4 MEN 100 - 10.19 Mike Rodgers (Nike) - Reims, FRA 6/30 WOMEN 100 - 10.83 Carmelita Jeter (Nike) - Eugene, OR 7/3 U.S. leader
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| Posted: 07 Jul 2010 06:36 AM PDT Track and field was mainstream now it’s….soccer. Fans Cheering on Team USA It’s a reminder. As the old school hip hop lyrics go…”back in the days when I was young, I’m not a kid anymore. But some days I sit and wish I was a kid again.” No less than a decade ago, track was still a big deal in this country. In fact, I think back to the days when soccer and track were pretty much at very similar levels. Recently fans draped themselves in U.S. flags, congregated at bars and have pretty much toasted the national team’s efforts. Sports fans of any persuasion including yours truly watched the matches with great anticipation. It was a nerve racking affair. Would Team USA win the match and move on past Algeria? Athletes delivering gut-wrenching performing, making sick moves in the nick of time. Does it make track fans miss 1996? Track and field once commanded the sort of attention that I could talk to most anyone and they knew would held the world’s fastest man title. Back in the day when Michael Johnson was flaunting his gold shoes on Jay Leno. Carl Lewis earning his ninth Olympic gold with signs of gray in his whiskers. People came to the water cooler to talk about Gail Devers hitting the track just inches before the finish line. The fact is however that I can not think of scenario that track and field captures the nation’s attention again. In 2008, Olympic television coverage shifted to swimming and gymnastics while track failed to dominant headlines for even a week. That is despite Boltmania sweeping the 400 meter oval. Everthing went right. All of the ingredients for a perfect story. An athlete little known outside of the die-hards moved from the background just in time for track, Jamaican and quite honestly the United States. Boltmania provided a temporary energy boost but I can’t see a track event that draws millions to Twitter like has been seen during the World Cup. Track was once mainstream at least every four years and as soccer is now. What happens if Bolt is not in a race or even gasp he retires? It will happen at some point. Another thought is that maybe the answer does not lie in winning over more bandwagon mainstream fans that are track fans every four years. And instead catering more to existing die-hards. We have niche fans that follow track and field regardless of the headlines. Track remains one of the world’s most popular sports because of it’s accessibility. Is this real talk? In an age when colleges are slashing budgets and shuttering track and field programs faster than Usain Bolt can dance hall the 100 meters. Most everyone grows up running. It’s built into the country’s dna. Track is the old school hip hop joint that you love. You want everyone to know about the cut. But in reality if million immediately flocked to the group you probably wouldn’t like the group quite the same if they
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