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Lead Stories: Friday, November 21, 2008

SoundOFF: Was the US Olympic Team a Disaster?

Posted August 24th, 2008 at 6:01 PM by Jesse Squire

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, SoundOFF, Columns, Olympics

In a piece for Sports Illustrated’s online Olympic coverage titled “Putting U.S.’ so-called ‘disaster’ Games in the proper context“, Tim Layden lays out the numbers. His conclusion: “It is clearly stretching the truth to call Beijing a disaster for USA Track and Field. It is also stretching the truth to call it a success.” Other writers, such as USA Today’s Dick Patrick, ESPN’s Luke Cyphers, and the Washington Post’s Amy Shipley have all commented on a percieved underperformance.

The final numbers: seven gold medals, 23 total, and 40 top-eight finishes. How does this compare with the USA’s historical numbers? (1983 Worlds are substituted for the ‘84 boycott games, and the Sydney numbers are before BALCO-related sanctions.)

While it’s not a true low point in terms of gold medals, remember that there were many fewer women’s events in 1972 and ‘76, and the USA women contributed zero golds and just three medals to the team totals in each of those Olympics. All things considered, it’s probably the weakest outing ever, but not by much. So why the general perception of failure? Several reasons spring to mind.
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Team USA ties gold medal record; Lagat and Felix make history

Posted September 2nd, 2007 at 10:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

It was a night of firsts, and one of history, for Team USA Sunday night in the final session of competition at the 2007 IAAF World Outdoor Track & Field Championships.

With victories in the men’s and women’s 4×400m relays, the United States became the first country to sweep all four relays at a World Outdoor Championships.

Bernard Lagat became the first man to win the 1,500/5,000m double at Worlds, and the first American ever to medal in the 5,000.

Allyson Felix became the second woman in history to win three gold medals at a single World Championships, as the relay team of Dee Dee Trotter, Felix, Mary Wineberg and Sanya Richards ran the fastest time in 14 years.

The men’s 4×400m relay of LaShawn Merritt, Angelo Taylor, Darold Williamson and Jeremy Wariner ran the third-fastest time in history.

Breaux Greer became the first American since the inaugural World Championships in 1983 to win a medal in the men’s javelin.

At the close of competition, Team USA tied the all-time World Championships record for gold medals with 14, matching its feat from 2005, and tied the American all-time medal tally at a World Outdoor Championships with 26. Team USA led a medal table in which a record 46 countries won medals; Kenya had five gold and 13 overall, and Russia had four gold and 16 overall. The other occasion on which the United States won 26 medals, in 1991, just 29 countries were on the medal table.

Not a bad night.
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Looking ahead … and Team USA medal count update

Posted August 31st, 2007 at 12:11 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

After five events in the decathlon, 2003 World Outdoor Champion Tom Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) was in fifth place with 4,147 points, posting marks of 10.96 in the 100 (870 points), 7.44m/24-5 in the long jump (920), 16.31m/53-6.25 in the shot put (870), 2.03m/6-8 in the high jump (831) and 49.22 (851) in the 400.

Paul Terek (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) was in 10th with 4,174 points and marks of 10.95 (872), 7.26m/23-10 (876), 14.81m/48-7.25 (778), 2.0m/6-6.75 (803) and 49.34 (845). Jake Arnold (Santa Rosa, Calif.) was in 14th with 4,103 points and marks of 11.14 (830), 6.86m/22-6.25 (781), 14.73m/48-4 (773), 2.06m/6-9 (859) and 49.02 (860).

Defending gold medalist Bryan Clay (Glendora, Calif.) [Pictured] was in second place heading into the high jump, but he suffered an apparent pull of his right quadriceps while attempting to clear 2.0m and withdrew. Although he was in third place after the high jump with 3,558 points, with marks of 10.62 (947), 7.65m/25-1.75 (972), 15.51m/50-10.75 (933), 1.97m/6-5.5 (776), he could not continue.
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Remaining finals packed
with Americans

Posted August 30th, 2007 at 8:03 PM by Jamal Walker

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Special Features, Live Race Coverage

In qualifying action, Americans once again advanced multiple athletes to several finals.

Team USA uniforms will fill half the lanes in Friday’s women’s 200m final. Coming off the curve strong, defending gold medalist Allyson Felix (Santa Clarita, Calif.) looked easy in winning Thursday’s first semifinal, running 22.21 to Olympic gold medalist Veronica Campbell’s 22.44. 2003 World Outdoor silver medalist Torri Edwards (Corona, Calif.) was third in 22.51 to advance as well. Sanya Richards (Austin, Texas) won Heat 2 in 22.50, with LaShaunte’a Moore (Akron, Ohio) fourth in 22.73 to advance.

Team USA’s distance runners continued to achieve more “firsts,” with three Americans qualifying for the men’s 5,000m final for the first time in World Championships history. Bernard Lagat (Tucson, Ariz.) showed no fatigue from his gold-medal performance in Wednesday night’s 1,500m final, easily advancing by placing third in Heat 1 of the 5 km semifinals in 13:46.57. In Heat 2, Matt Tegenkamp was third in 13:35.05 to automatically qualify, and Adam Goucher made in on time, placing eighth in 13:41.65.

A pair of Americans will be in Friday night’s final of the men’s 110m hurdles. Having arrived in Osaka Tuesday night as a last-minute replacement, David Payne (Cincinnati, Ohio) continued to amaze. The fourth-place finisher at the 2007 AT&T USA Outdoor Championships won the first of three men’s 110m hurdles semifinals in 13.19, earning a prime lane in Friday’s final. Leading from the gun, national champion Terrence Trammell (pictured) easily won Heat 2 in 13.23. David Oliver (Orlando, Fla.) was fourth in Heat 3 in 13.42 and did not make the final.
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