TheFinalSprint.com - Track & Field, Marathons, Racing News, Training Advice, Elite Athlete Blogs, Interviews, Podcasts, Videos and More! - TheFinalSprint.com is the Premier Destination for Track & Field, Marathon, Cross Country, Olympic and Road Racing Enthusiasts.

Lead Stories: Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The Week in the Rear View: Racing News May 26 – June 1

Posted June 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 AM by Jay Hicks

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Columns, Week in Rear View

The Week In the Rear View is a weekly column wrapping up the week’s events in running and track & field. I am normally found at PreraceJitters.com, writing about the fast life of track and field.

Everyone in the track world is talking about Usain “Lightening” Bolt. He shut ‘em down—literally! Bolt quieted his critics with a 9.72 seconds World Record performance with World Champion Tyson Gay in the race. Tyson Gay looked in good shape for this time of season running 9.85, which was good enough for second. Doesn’t that sound crazy? Bolt is now the favorite in Beijing, but two months is certainly a long time from now.

You could call it the law of averages. The Jeremy Wariner vs. LaShawn Merritt race in Berlin resulted in the end of Wariner’s winning streak that dates back to 2005. Merritt was superb. He executed a perfect race strategy to deliver the win. Before the media writes the early demise of Wariner, it should be noted that he isn’t in top shape, not yet—that will be in Beijing.

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 5/30/2008

Posted May 30th, 2008 at 11:00 AM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports, High School

IAAF May Change Doping Rules
AP writer Raf Casert has reported that the IAAF is considering the possibility if changing its doping rules in the wake of the Trevor Graham trial. Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew admitted to having doped since 1997 which would have put him beyond the reach of the current IAAF doping rules. Current IAAF doping rules stipulate that retroactive sanctions can only go back 8 years.
More: WRAL

Wariner Says Golden League Schedule Will Benefit Him
Defending Olympic 400m Gold Medalist Jeremy Wariner has mapped out an ambitious season for himself. He wants to win another gold medal or two (400m and 4×400m relay), break Michael Johnson’s 400m world record of 43.18 and, to top it all off, he wants to win the million dollar Golden League jackpot. He’s got his work cut out for himself, but, according to an article by the Press Association, the 24-year-old Waco, Texas resident believes the timing of the Golden League events will benefit him. “We felt it was a great opportunity to get some competitions in before then (the US trials and Olympics)… It will allow myself to prepare mentally and physically for both big contests.”
More: Press Association

Jordan Hasay Eyes 3200m 4-Peat
Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo, CA) junior Jordan Hasay is going for a 3-peat of the 3200m California state title this weekend. But the ambitious 16-year-old runner is already contemplating doing something no other California high schooler has ever done: winning the state title in the 3200m run 4 years in a row.
Times Press Recorder, CA
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

The Week in the Rear View: Racing News May 19-25, 2008

Posted May 26th, 2008 at 12:00 PM by Jay Hicks

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Columns, Olympics, Week in Rear View

This is my first of what will be many weekly columns wrapping up the goings on in track and field. I am normally found at PreraceJitters.com, writing about the fast life of track and field.

This week the Trevor Graham trial had the full attention of track and field. So far, the trial has been a train wreck. Angela Heredia testified how he gave multiple drugs to Marion Jones before the 2000 Games. Antonio Pettigrew testified under oath that it was EPO and HGH that allowed him to run sub-44 seconds. Consequently, Pettigrew’s testimony puts the 4×400 meter relays teams of the 2000 Olympics and 2001 World Championships in jeopardy of losing their medals. Dennis Mitchell took the stand and testified Graham injected him twice with HGH. Jerome Young also testified that he took banned drugs.

On the track, Liu Xiang flew over the 110 hurdles in 13.13 at the warm up meet held at the Bird Nest in Beijing before the Olympic Games. The time marks Xiang’s fastest of the season, and the second fastest time run overall this year.

Read the rest of this entry »

One comment, add yours | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 5/19/2008

Posted May 19th, 2008 at 2:30 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

Trevor Graham Trial to Begin This Week
The trial of Marion Jones’ former coach, Trevor Graham, begins this week in a San Francisco, CA federal court room. Several prominent names expected to take the stand as prosecution witness include Antonio Pettigrew, Jerome Young, Calvin Harrison and Dennis Mitchell.
More: HeraldNet, WA

Sebastian Coe: Get These People Out Of Our Sport
Lord Sebastian Coe, a vice-president of the IAAF and one of the best middle-distance runners of all time is not pleased with Dwain Chambers’ attempt to get back into track & field, saying, “The way we move away from it [the drugs issue] is we have got to get these people out of our sport. I don’t recognise a particularly principled stand in the last few days.”
More: Times Online, UK

Wariner Not Too Concerned About Tight Hamstring
Despite a timid start because of soreness in his hamstring, Jeremy Wariner predicts that he will be ready to “run with everybody else” by the time he toes the line at the US Olympic Trials in Eugene next month.
More: Reuters
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

TFS News Briefs: 4/14/08

Posted April 14th, 2008 at 7:39 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Marathons, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports, TFS News Briefs

No Guinness World Record For 101 94-Year Old Marathoner
According to several sources, Guinness World Records is refusing to accept Buster Martin’s record of being the world’s oldest marathoner, saying that the French-born Brit “has applied to us but he has not been able to present sufficient evidence for us to verify his age for the record”. For his part, Martin is sticking to his claim that he is indeed 101, not merely 94.
Read more at: [Google News]

Joan Samuelson To End Where She Started
An article on Boston Globe offers an in-depth profile of running legend Joan Samuelson during the build-up to this weekend’s US Olympic Marathon Trials. Samuelson said she wants to “end my career where I started my career.”
Read more at: [Boston Globe]

New Olympic Trials T&F Website
Eugene, OR, the home of American track & field, has a running friendly (and savvy) media, the best of which is The Register Guard. Their Sports Editor, Ron Bellamy, also happens to head up the Track & Field Writers of America. It’s no surprise, then, that they have a new website that is devoted strictly to covering the 2008 US Olympic Track & Field Trials, which (of course) will be held in Eugene, OR. Enjoy!
Read more at: [Road To Eugene ‘08]
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

Gatlin Doping Ban Reduced to 4 Years; Ineligible for 2008 Olympic Title Defense

Posted January 1st, 2008 at 3:03 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

Earlier today The Washington Post reported that American sprinter Justin Gatlin’s doping ban had been reduced by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency to four years.

Although the 25-year old sprinter had originally faced a possible eight-year ban, the reduction will not be enough to make him eligible to defend his Olympic 100m gold medal in Beijing.

The USADA announced that the ban, which had been reduced as a result of Gatlin’s help with the federal investigation of former coach Trevor Graham, will expire on May 24, 2010. Gatlin needed the ban reduced to two years in order to compete in the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials this June in Eugene, OR.

One comment, add yours | Permalink

Marion Jones’s Letter to Friends and Family

Posted November 24th, 2007 at 4:30 PM by Adam Jacobs

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

Dear family and close friends,

I hope this letter finds all of you well. I know some of you must be wondering where the pictures are that I so often attach to my emails. Unfortunately, this is a much different type of letter. I write this letter to all of you for a few reasons.

The first is simply because I love you all. Some things will be happening in the next week that I want you all to know about from me FIRST. You deserve this because you have been there for me from the very beginning. You have supported me throughout the many struggles that I have had in my life and continue to do so to this day. You deserve to hear about Marion from Marion and not from the USA Today or CNN.

The second reason is because I finally want to shed much baggage that has been tearing me down for a long time. I want to share with you all my humanness. The fact that I have made mistakes in my life, made bad decisions, and have carried a great amount of pain and hurt throughout my life.
Read the rest of this entry »

7 comments, add yours | Permalink

Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones admits to steroid use

Posted October 4th, 2007 at 7:50 PM by Martha Jones

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Olympics, Drugs In Sports

According to an article published this evening on WashingtonPost.com:

“Track star Marion Jones has acknowledged using steroids as she prepared for the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and plans to plead guilty tomorrow in New York to two counts of lying to federal agents about her drug use and an unrelated financial matter, according to a letter Jones sent to close family and friends.”

One comment, add yours | Permalink

On the Road & Around the Track: TFS News Briefs September 19, 2007

Posted September 19th, 2007 at 4:06 PM by Jimmie R. Markham

Section: News & Results, Announcements, TFS News Briefs

Chicago’s New Olympic Logo Unveiled
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley unveiled the new Olympic logo today at a ceremony at the Walt Disney Magnet School in Lakeview, IL. The new logo features a six point star. Each point represents the following values: Hope, Respect, Harmony, Friendship, Excellence , Celebration. Read more at: [Chicago Business]

Catherine Ndereba’s Running Earns Her Job Promotion
Catherine Ndereba of Kenya, two-time winner of the world champioships marathon, has earned a promotion because of her victory in Osaka. She works as a prison officer in Kenya. Read more at: [SuperAthletics]

Track Stars to Become Prosecution Witnesses in Balco Trial?
Former track & field stars Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, CJ Hunter, Alvin and Calvin Harrison, among others, could testify for the federal government in the Balco doping scandal trial. Coach Trevor Graham will go on trial in November. Read more at: [Washington Post]
Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink

European track ban considered for Marion Jones; other Graham athletes

Posted December 4th, 2006 at 4:03 PM by Jennifer Lipman

Section: News & Results, Track & Field, Drugs In Sports

After winning five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Marion Jones has faced an onslaught of accusations regarding performance-enhancing drugs. Her “A” sample tested positive for EPO earlier this summer and even though her “B” sample turned up negative, her life is still under an increasingly intensifying microscope. Jones’ past connections to Tim Montgomery, Steve Riddick, Trevor Graham, CJ Hunter and Victor Conte of BALCO only make matters worse.

Some officials at the Euro Meeting believe that Jones and other athletes connected to coach Trevor Graham are bad for the sport’s reputation and don’t want to get tangled up in their mess. Therefore, they are considering a resolution that would recommend banning them from all European circuit track and field events. Read the rest of this entry »

Comment on this post | Permalink