Carrie Tollefson traveled a rough road to make the USA Olympic team for the 2004 Games in Athens, and it looks like her path to this year’s Beijing Olympics won’t be any smoother.
Tollefson, 31, made it to the 2004 Games in the 1500m when she won a four-way sprint at the USA Olympic Trials over Jen Toomey, Amy Rudolph and Jenelle Deatherage. Just 39/100ths of a second separated the top four women in a race Tollefson was essentially forced to run after finishing only sixth in the 5000m final, her primary event.
But things got even weirder after that. Not a single finisher in that 1500m final had achieved the Olympic Games “A” standard of 4:05.80. Suzy Favor Hamilton had the time and ran in the prelims, but a hamstring injury forced her to scratch from the final. That meant that Tollefson had to achieve at least the “B” standard of 4:08.20 to get herself on the team, and if she achieved the “A” standard she would bring Favor Hamilton along with her (for two or more athletes to compete in an Olympic Games discipline both must have the “A” standard; only one can compete with the “B” standard).
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With the 2008 IAAF Golden League kicking off in Berlin this weekend, outdoor track is in full swing. This being an Olympic year, every major meet from here on out can offer a piece of what the final Olympic track & field puzzle might look like. The 2008 Reebok Grand Prix, which begins tonight, May 31, 2008, at at 5:00pm in Icahn Stadium on Randall’s Island in New York City, NY, is no exception. Here are some quick glimpses into many of the events that will be held tonight:
100m
Men: Fresh off a sizzling 9.76 (just 0.02 slower than Asafa Powell’s world record), Usain Bolt will face World Champion Tyson Gay, who is facing some pre-Olympic jitters. Both men are fully capable of blowing their starts, which would offer Shawn Crawford and Xavier Carter some hope. There’s an A race and a B race. That’s always a letdown, isn’t it?
Women: Loaded with stellar American and Jamaican sprinters, this race should be a preview of the Olympic final: Veronica Campbell Brown, Lauryn Williams, Allyson Felix, Torri Edwards, more.
200m
Men: Wallace Spearmon is the only man in the race to have broken 20 seconds. It’s his race for the taking.
Women: Lashauntea Moore, the 9th fastest 200m runner of 2007 (22.46) faces Muna Lee, the 2nd fastest in the world (22.30) from 2008 and Shalonda Solomon, the 7th fastest in the world (22.36) in 2006. Keep an eye out for University of Texas freshman Bianca Knight, who turned pro this year after running a fabulous 22.40.
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An eagerly anticipated 100m face off between World champion Tyson Gay of the U.S. and world record holder Asafa Powell of Jamaica has been set for the Aviva London Grand Prix on July 25-26, organizers announced.
With both sprinters gearing up for the Olympic Games, the race at London’s Crystal Palace will likely be their only face-to-face prior to Beijing.
“London will be very crucial for me,” said Gay, who last year stormed to World titles at both the 100 and 200m in Osaka. “It is one of the biggest meets of the year right now and that is where it is going down between myself and Asafa. He has the title of being the World record holder and I have the title of being the World champion, and I think that is really good for the sport.”
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After the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned a ban Friday by the International Association of Athletics Federations, double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius can compete in the Beijing Olympic Games. What does this mean for the future of track and field?
Pistorius, 21, is a South African athlete who has excelled in Paralympic competition. He holds Paralympic world records in the 100, 200 and 400-meter events. His strongest event is the 400, in which he has a personal-best time of 46.56 seconds.
The Olympic “A” standard in the 400 is 45.55 seconds. After the debate over allowing Pistorius to compete against able-bodied athletes, will he even make the team? If not, he still has a shot at the South African 4×400-meter relay team, which does not require a qualifying time. He also plans to compete at the 2008 Paralympic Games, in Beijing, Sept. 6-17.
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Today on Episode 140 of TheFinalSprint.com Running Podcast, I had an opportunity to chat with Brian Sell, the third place finisher in the US Olympic Trials Men’s Marathon who, along with Ryan Hall and Dathan Ritzenhein, will represent Team USA at the Olympic Marathon in Beijing.
Brian talks about the adjustments he has had to make after turning 30-yrs old in April, future plans for his running career - including what he hopes will be continued success in the marathon, why that is his ideal distance, the importance of not dwelling on his qualifying performance at the Trials, and how the conditions in Beijing ‐ especially the heat and humidity ‐ are going to affect his training and racing.
Download the podcast to hear Brian discuss these topics, as well as, competing on Saturday for his third title and trying to gauge the progress of his Olympic preparations at the USA 25k Championships, his teammates at the Hanson-Brooks Distance Project, his hobbies, advice for young runners and much more!
TO DOWNLOAD: Right click here and select “Save As”
Host: Jimmie Markham | Guest: Brian Sell
Producers: Greg Cherniet, Adam Jacobs
Music: Ryan Ahlwardt & Darnell Perkins
File size: 19.5 MB | Length: 00:28:25
Episode Sponsored By: U.S. Army Special Forces
If your measure of success goes way beyond the mainstream, if you think limits are something to be pushed, if your greatest motivation is doing the impossible, we may have a career for you.
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Visit goarmy.com/specialforces.There’s strong and then there’s Army Strong.
Tyson Gay To Face Usain Bolt In May
Now that Usain Bolt is the owner of the 2nd fastest 100m time in history, he is set to race world champion Tyson Gay. They will compete on May 21st at the Reebok Grand Prix. Now if the organizers could only get Asafa Powell…
More: IAAF
Athens Bronze-Medalist To Miss Beijing Marathon
Brazilian marathoner Vanderlei de Lima will not defend his Olympic Marathon Bronze medal from Athens in Beijing. Because of injuries, the 38-year-old will not be able to run in Prague this weekend in a last-ditch effort to get a top-3 qualifying time for Team Brazil.
More: guardian.co.uk, UK
Michigan Journalist Lists Favorites for US 25K Championships
Howie Beardsley of the Grand Rapids Press lists the favorites for the 31st edition of the Fifth Third River Bank Run, which also serves as the USA Track & Field 25K championships. Among the favorites are Brian Sell and Peter Gilmore. Katherine Koski wears the #1 bib for the women.
More: The Grand Rapids Press
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Bryan Clay Faces Risky Combination of Beijing Pollution and Asthma
The Honolulu Bulletin features an article about native son, Athens Olympic silver medalist Bryan Clay, and the challenges he faces in dealing with asthma, challenges which could be compounded in the polluted air of Beijing.
Read more at: [Honolulu Star-Bulletin]
Canadian Equivalent of Hanson’s-Brooks Running Project
The Hanson’s-Brooks Running Project has its equivalent up in Canada and it’s called Brooks Canada Marathon Project. Husband-and-wife team members Andrew Smith and Tara Quinn-Smith, who won the men’s and women’s Canadian Half Marathon Championships, and other Brooks Canada runners are featured in an article by the Toronto Sun.
Read more at: [Toronto Sun]
Hamburg Marathon Preview
German correspondent Jörg Wenig has written a preview of the Hamburg Marathon for the IAAF. He spotlights Spaniard Julio Rey, who has won the race four tines and Kenyan Wilfred Kigen, who has won three times, as the favorites in the men’s race. Compatriot Ulrike Maisch, the 2006 European Champion, is the favorite in the women’s race. She told Wenig that “I will definitely have to run 2:29 to qualify for the Olympics. But I believe that I can achieve 2:28.”
Read more at: [IAAF]
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Three-time Flora London Marathon champion Martin Lel (Pictured) and reigning world marathon champion Catherine Ndereba will head a strong Kenyan Olympic squad announced by Athletics Kenya today.
Lel, who took down the London course record with his career best 2:05:15 10 days ago, will be joined by Robert Cheruiyot and Sammy Wanjiru.
Cheruiyot, 33, cruised to his fourth Boston Marathon victory on Monday while Wanjiru, 21, the world record holder for the half-marathon at 58:33, finished second behind Lel in London last week in 2:05:24, also a career best.
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Welcome to the official blog of top U.S. distance runner Dathan Ritzenhein! Check back every other Tuesday for Ritz’s latest entry at http://dathanritzenhein.thefinalsprint.com/ as he prepares to represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics!
This week I went looking to trade in our truck for a more eco-friendly, family-friendly vehicle. While I thought I found something I liked, it wasn’t quite what my wife had in mind. Apparently a coupe isn’t as practical as a sedan when kids are involved. While we were there I was asked my occupation by the salesman. I always hesitate when answering this question because responding with “professional runner” isn’t a typical, run-of-the-mill occupation. Even here in Eugene, track town, USA, I still get odd looks and unusual responses to that answer. Such as, “You run for fun? What kind of job is that?” or “Wow! You must have a lot of time on your hands if all you do is run!” Well, I thought I would answer that response first by saying, I’m actually very busy, and secondly I will give a common play-by-play of my daily life.
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As he sets out on his quest for double Olympic gold this summer, Bernard Lagat will have plenty of supporters. Among them is the man whose achievement he’ll be hoping to emulate in Beijing: world record holder and reigning double Olympic champion Hicham El Guerrouj.
“Bernard proved in Osaka, thanks to determination and passion, that he can do it,” El Guerrouj, the finest middle distance runner of his generation, said of his long-time rival, last fall.
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Shocker! Big Brother Backs Gag Order
Who would have thought it? The Beijing Olympic organizing committee agrees with the British Olympic Committee’s zero-tolerance gag order on political protests. Free speech bad. Big Brother good.
Read more at: [Citizen, South Africa]
Dwain Chambers Controversy Intensifies
British sprinter Dwain Chambers, banned for 2 years for doping but now trying for a […]
The marathon promises to be one of the marquee events in women’s track and field in 2008. Among the highlights will be an epic showdown in London, a thrilling U.S. Olympic Trials, and Paula Radcliffe’s last chance at Olympic glory in Beijing. These and a few other huge races should provide many memorable […]
Race director David Bedford has beefed up his already robust field for the 2008 Flora London Marathon by adding two of the sport’s most promising marathon stars: Ryan Hall (Pictured) of Big Bear Lake, Calif., and Samuel Wanjiru of Kenya. The 28th edition of the race is scheduled for Sunday, April 13.
Hall, 25, is […]
Welcome to the official blog of elite American middle-distance runner Nick Symmonds. For more information about Nick please visit: www.nicksymmonds.com
Well, it is December 31st and it is a momentous day for me for several reasons.
First of all, I turned 24 yesterday. Normally birthdays come and go for me and I don’t spend […]
Welcome to the official blog of rising U.S. track & field star
Jon Rankin; the inaugural member of TheFinalSprint.com’s
Elite Athlete Blog Series. Make sure to check back every other Wednesday for Jon’s latest entry.
Hi everyone. I hope this entry finds all of you happy and healthy this holiday season. I am writing this entry […]
World, national and course records, thrilling finishes, more than 300,000 participants, and a championship race that went down to the final day highlighted the inaugural 2006-2007 World Marathon Majors Series, and ushered in a brand new era of growth and excitement in the sport.
After a six month break, the excitement will continue at the 2008 […]
Martin Lel, the only man to ever win the Flora London and ING New York City Marathons in the same year, headlines London’s field for next April, race director Dave Bedford announced today.
The 29 year-old Lel, who won both the London and New York races in sprint finishes over Moroccan Abderrahim Goumri, also won London […]
Possible ‘Doomdsay’ Scenario for Honolulu Marathon Results
Honolulu Marathon Association president Jim Barahal admitted that hundreds or even thousands of runners may have been given incorrect split and/or finish times. Even worse (and he called it the “doomsday scenario”) up to 3,500 runners may not have been recorded at all. The errors may have been caused […]
In lieu of a cold, harsh indoor season, world and Olympic 400m champion Jeremy Wariner will begin his 2008 Olympic-season campaign outdoors in Australia. Although he usually begins racing in March, he is set to begin his season next year in February, a warm summer month in the Southern Hemisphere. He will be joined in […]
X-Man Moves to Gainesville To Train for Beijing
Xavier “X-Man” Carter, history’s 2nd alltime fastest 200m runner, has moved to Gainesville, FL to train with his coach Mike Holloway and to focus on qualifying for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. Read more at: [Total Sports Management]
Asafa Powell To Begin 2008 Campaign in Australia
Enthused by the […]
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