The Good and Bad from US Trials

[optimistic]

Most Impressive - sorry Ashton, but this goes to Allyson for me. She broke a 24 yr old Flo Jo record and she roasted a high caliber field to do it. The dec world record is broken every few years.

Least Impressive - Has to be between Batman and Oliver. Batman may have -mentally- been effected by Taylor hitting his hurdle because he was a mess after that. So I will go with Oliver. He's got to race better in the big races. He dominated the year the other hurdlers were 'missing' and there was no major. Jesse Williams gets a mention here as well...dude almost missed the team!

Most Encouraging - The distance events (men and women). I can't pick one, but I am encouraged by our distance running teams. For the first time, I expect several of them to make the final. We may even sneak away with more than one medal in the 800-10000. I like how Rupp didn't settle for making the team and took down Lagat. Distance running takes guts and I am starting to see guts.

Least Encouraging - The mens 200 because the talent is there, it just didn't show up. Hopefully Mitchell is one of the future stars of the event, but this event was underwhelming at best.

Surprise Performance - Chelsea Hayes in the long jump and Lance Brooks in the discus. Potential may have been there before the trials, but we all know of athletes that never reach their potential.

The Bad
-Men's long jump
-Women's triple jump

The Ugly
-USATF and the tie
-the mens hurdling events (literally, those were some ugly races during the trials)

What would be yours?

[guru]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

The dec world record is broken every few years.

Huh? :?

[dupontred]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

I am just so impressed with the overall depth.

We may not have had a lot of the superstar performances (Felix and Eaton notwithstanding), I think from top to bottom, other than maybe two events, the Americans will do well in London.

In addition to medals, I hope USATF is aiming high on the Placings Chart.

2011 - 251 points
2009 - 231 points
2007 - 249 points

Not sure about 2008 or earlier champs, but I think we could set a modern record in the placing table.

[Dave]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

I think Eaton's performance in pretty marginal conditions was the high point in a very positive trials. The fun part about watching him is his strongest events are the first two and if those go well, you know something fantastic is going to happen.

I really appreciated that the m1500 was a much more respectable race than other years.

mPV and mLJ have been discussed ad nauseum. Weather, down cycle, and other factors led to pretty pedestrian results.

Galen Rupp. Dare we hope for a medal here?

Justin Gatlin. I am now pretty sure either he or Gay will medal if everyone is healthy.

[j-a-m]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

World class performance not receiving that much attention - Aries Merritt

And for most encouraging I'd go with the wLJ.

[odelltrclan]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

You cannot have an event with a world record being set without that being the top mark, especially in less than stellar conditions. That was the performance of the year for all of track unless he tops it in London. The guy (besides the WR) runs decathlon records in the 100 and LJ and hits 27'! That was truly an amazing performance!

Other highlights for me.
W200 - Felix performance was one for the ages
M5k & 10k - Rupp, the only double champion of the meet, coming of age (beating Lagat for first time) starting to believe in himself on the big stage. Nice redemption story for Ritzenhein after a near miss in the marathon trials.
WHJ - Two over 6-7 in less than ideal conditions.
M110H - Our future is looking very bright in this event.
WLJ - Great results from strong team.

Lowlights:
WTJ & MJT - Are we ever going to have athletes who can compete in these events again?
M200 - Apart from Spearmon, where have we gone?

[j-a-m]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

And here's my top 5 of most spectacular performances:

1. Ashton Eaton
2. Allyson Felix
3. Chelsea Hayes
4. Aries Merritt
5. Chantae McMillan

[optimistic]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

The dec world record is broken every few years.

Huh? :?

LOL. Its the 4th time the dec WR has been broken in 20 years and if you look at the top 10 list of all time, many of the marks are from the last 20 years. For the womens 200, the only mark post '92 is Marion Jones. So its just my opinion that Felix's is more impressive, but I won't argue with anyone that says Ashton's is.

[optimistic]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

World class performance not receiving that much attention - Aries Merritt

And for most encouraging I'd go with the wLJ.

So true on both accounts.

[Dave]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

The dec world record is broken every few years.

Huh? :?

LOL. Its the 4th time the dec WR has been broken in 20 years and if you look at the top 10 list of all time, many of the marks are from the last 20 years. For the womens 200, the only mark post '92 is Marion Jones. So its just my opinion that Felix's is more impressive, but I won't argue with anyone that says Ashton's is.

Any guesses whose mark will be improved first? Felix's or Eaton's?

[bruce3404]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

From a spectator standpoint, after Eaton's WR, I most enjoyed (in no particular order):
1. Borman's last WJT Throw
2. Ditto Brooks in MDT
3. Ryan Bailey makes the team in M100.
4. Rupp outkicks Lagat.
5. Nellum makes team in M400
6. Wheating and Centro go to London in M1500

Maybe I just enjoy the unexpected shaking things up, since items 1-5 were all unexpected.

[FredM]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

I've been following track for about 50+ years and this may one of the weakest U.S. teams ever. Where are the young sprinters? Gatlin and Spearmon have been around for years. Gay is our only hope if he can regain his form of two years ago. 400 hurdles? Very unimpressive times. Merritt and Richardson have an outside chance in the highs. 800-10,000? The Africans will dominate as usual. Should win the 400 and 4X400. We have a chance in the 4X100 id they can get the baton around. That's a big if.
Field events. SP guys look good but they always look good in the trials and then choke in the Olympics. We haven't had a good discus man since Mac Wilkens. We have a chance in the HJ, TJ and LJ. Decathlon looks good.
Women look better.Good chance in the 100, 200, 400, 1500 and 400 hurdles. Should win both relays. LJ and Discus possible.
Maybe I'm pessimistic. I just don't see the young blood.

[bruce3404]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

e.
Maybe I'm pessimistic. I just don't see the young blood.

See items 1-6 above.; lots of new (or at least newer, blood).

[bruce3404]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

I guess I could post this as the dumbest comment I heard at the Trials. While walking back to my car, I heard a guy well into his 50s state: "The US has never been good in the pole vault at the Olympics".

[j-a-m]

Re: The Good and Bad from US Trials

There's more good than bad. Period.