Upload a Photo Upload a Video Add a News article Write a Blog Add a Comment
Blog Feed News Feed Video Feed All Feeds

Folders

 

 

15 Must-Follow Athletes at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials

Published by
DyeStatPRO.com   Jun 27th 2016, 6:13pm
Comments

Felix, Kovacs, Harrison Only a Few of the Top Stars to Follow

By Scott Bush

Loaded with talent across every single event, the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials offer eight full days of non-stop action. With so much star power to keep an eye on, we break down 15 must-follow athletes.

Allyson Felix (200/400)

It was supposed to be a year that defined Allyson Felix as one of the best sprinters of all-time, if not the best. It was supposed to be a celebration of her incredible talent, drive and longevity atop of the sport. While all of that and more could still happen for Felix, her 200/400 double is all the more challenging having to deal with injury this season.

Have raced sparingly thus far, Felix may have a relatively easy go in the 200m event, which isn’t all that strong at the moment for the U.S., but the 400m is loaded with young and hungry talent looking to earn their spot in Rio. For Felix, it’s time to prove her fitness and prove her greatness. As one of the faces of the Olympics, Eugene is her first step towards what could be a glorious year.

Joe Kovacs (shot put)

The men’s shot put is simply loaded, with a half dozen American men ranked in the world top 12. The man at the top is Kovacs and as the reigning World Outdoor champion looks to defend his U.S. title, don’t be surprised to see the him go after something special. Kovacs is the only putter in the world this year to throw over 22 meters, having done it twice. He owns the top two marks in the world this year and three of the top four, having found his rhythm after a slow start to the season.

Kovacs has said numerous times that he knows it’s going to take a bit, 22+ meter effort at the Trials to make the team and fans should expect nothing less.

Keni Harrison (100m hurdles)

One would be hard pressed to find an athlete who is more dominant against top competition this season than Harrison. The former University of Kentucky standout broke the American record in the 100 meter hurdles at the Prefontaine Classic, besting rival Brianna Rollins’ mark with a 12.24 clocking. She has her eyes set on the world record, but don’t expect that to come in Eugene, having to run rounds and all.

However, it’s not unrealistic to see a sub-12.40 finish for Harrison, considering she’s run faster than that time twice this season and two other times at or under 12.46. She’s the only hurdler in the world to go sub-12.50 this year and the fact that she’s done it four times is simply amazing.

Trayvon Bromell (100/200)

Believe it or not, Trayvon Bromell ranks 32nd in the world at the moment, having not broken the 10 second barrier even once this season. Does that spell disaster for the 20 year old or is he just playing it safe leading into the Trials?

Bromell will have his hands full in both the 100m and 200m against such notable competition as Justin Gatlin, Mike Rodgers, Tyson Gay and Ameer Webb, but as expected, the fan favorite will certainly put himself in contention to vie for a top three spot in each event.

Last year, competing at the NCAA level, pushed Bromell into the USATF Outdoor Championships race sharp and round tested. Going pro and taking a more strategic focus this year leaves him in a much different position as the 100 meter rounds approach in the first few days of the Trials.

Donovan Brazier (800)

Just as fans wonder if Nick Symmonds will run at the Trials and whether or not Duane Solomon can make another Olympic Team, Brazier came out of no where this year to give American middle distance fans another athlete to cheer for (in addition to Boris Berian). Brazier set the world on fire with a 1:44.99 clock indoors for the 800m, only to follow it up with a 1:43.55 record-breaking effort at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

Having turned pro, Brazier now sets his sights on making the Olympic Team. He’ll have more competition, at least in depth, through the rounds, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure, but he’s come up big time and again this season and fan excitement will certainly fuel his efforts each round.

Tori Bowie (100/200)

While Allyson Felix tends to get much of the media attention these days when it comes to the spotlight on American sprinters, and deservedly so, Bowie is the next woman up with regards to challenging for the world’s fastest woman title. Bowie dealt with injury a bit last year, but fully healthy this time around, she’s running lights out as the Trials approach.

Bowie is one of only three sprinters in the world this season to dip under the 11-second barrier for 100m twice this season, with 10.80 and 10.91 efforts to her name. The 10.80 time was her dominating win at the Doha Diamond League, beating Dafne Schippers. To follow that up, Bowie beat reigning world 200m champion Schippers over her marquee distance at the Prefontaine Classic, running a world number two mark of 21.99 to edge Schippers, who finished second in 22.11. Bowie clearly has the talent and continues to show she’s one of the best in the world. Mark it down, she’s the easy favorite in both events in Eugene.

Boris Berian (800)

Talk about a dramatic build-up to the Olympic Trials. Having finally had the legal issues brought against him from Nike, Berian, we assume, feels like a free man. Now, having not raced in quite some time, Berian hits the ground running, this time entering the Olympic Trials as the pre-race favorite to win the men’s 800m.

Berian has run 1:44.20, the second fastest time in the field behind Brazier. While he clearly struggled with the rounds last year at the USATF Outdoor Championships, the reigning World Indoor champion is more experienced, has competed stride-for-stride with the world’s best and seems to be ready to take on all-comers in Eugene.

Molly Huddle (5k/10k)

Huddle narrowly lost out on a World Outdoor medal last year, placing fourth, narrowly losing to fellow American Emily Infeld at the line. With that memory long gone, Huddle has focused ahead and is ready to earn another spot (or two) on the U.S. Olympic Team.

Huddle is scheduled to run both the 5,000m and 10,000m and enters each as the easy favorite. Infeld has had a very quiet outdoor season and isn’t showing the same form heading into the Trials in the 10k, while Huddle has a 16 second seasonal best lead over her closest competition in the 5k. It’ll be fun to watch what type of tactics she’ll use in Eugene, but regardless it could be a very memorable week for the Providence-based star.

Ben True (5k/10k)

The Olympic journey continues to build for Ben True and if everything goes well in Eugene, True will claim his first Olympic berth. True ran 13:12.67 for 11th place at the Prefontaine Classic earlier this season, competitive for a top five finish until the final two laps. That closing speed seems to be coming into form, considering he ran a new personal best of 3:36.05 only two weeks ago.

While true has yet to declare whether he’ll run the 5,000m and 10,000m or both (as of publication), he seems poised to make a strong challenge to qualify in both events and enters each as a pre-race top three favorite.

Devon Allen (110m hurdles)

Two years ago, Allen surprised the track and field world by winning the U.S. title in the 110m hurdles over the all-star field. After a ligament injury knocked him out of action in 2015, Allen came back with a vengeance this season, winning another NCAA title and dominating the competition as he heads into the Olympic Trials.

Allen will have the Hayward Field faithful cheering him on, as the University of Oregon star seeks to make the Olympic Team. While his times don’t necessarily stand up to his main competitors just yet, it doesn’t seem unreasonable to think he can lower his seasonal best of 13.32 rather significantly when pushed. It’s going to be a fight to the finish in the men’s 110m hurdles, but Allen may just pull off the victory once again.

Michelle Carter (shot put)

You know you’re good when you can open your season at USATF Indoors, win, then go on to win the World Indoor title. That’s exactly what Carter did this year, which was incredible. She’s been equally as quiet outdoors, finishing second in the shot put to fellow American Tia Brooks at the Drake Relays, but not competing much since then. Brooks on the other hand has dominated the season, with five of the top 16 best throws in the world this year and currently ranks second best in the world this season.

It’s going to be fun to see these two square off in the women’s shot put. Carter v. Brooks will be a preview in what we can only hope be an American-led Rio final. Carter is taking a long-term approach to the season, training hard, competing seldom and showing up when it matters most.

Christian Taylor (triple jump)

Triple jump Diamond League victories in Doha, Stockholm and Eugene show Taylor is poised and ready to simply dominate in Rio. Before then, the reigning Olympic gold medalist needs to attack the runway in Eugene, as he’ll have plenty of competition from a deep field. Taylor currently holds the top two marks in the world this season, with his 17.76m Prefontaine Classic victory leading the way.

While it’ll be fun to see how close to the 18-meter barrier he can get, what fans should keep an eye on is how he treats all of his jumps and how early he can pop a mark that puts him into the lead position. From there, only good things can happen.

Marquise Goodwin (long jump)

If there’s one athlete who could literally leap across into the sporting mainstream discussion this summer, it’s Goodwin. The NFL wide receiver and kick returner, who last season played for the Buffalo Bills, is showing he’s arguably the best long jumper in the world in 2016. Goodwin owns the top two marks this year with 8.45m and 8.42m efforts, while winning big at the Birmingham Diamond League meeting in early June.

Shannon Rowbury (1500)

It’s been a strange season for Shannon Rowbury, so far. After some good results indoors, the Nike Oregon Project athlete has raced fairly sparingly outdoors. She did pop a 4:04.65 tenth place effort over 1,500m at the Prefontaine Classic, but after a less-than-sharp 800/1,500 double at the HOKA ONE ONE Middle Distance Classic, can the two-time Olympian and World Outdoor medalist be considered an underdog? We’ll never count her out, but she’s not as certain of a lock compared to years past…at least not yet.

Jenn Suhr (pole vault)

Will the reigning World Indoor champion and indoor world record holder be in full form at the Trials? Suhr has had an up and down outdoor campaign, dealing with injury. However, she seems to continually monitor her efforts, preparing herself physically to push through the pain in Eugene. It helps that her chief competition, Sandi Morris and Demi Payne, are both struggling with their own injuries. As expected, Suhr should contend for the title, another spot on Team USA and use the Trials in her build-up to the ultimate prize, an Olympic gold medal.



More news

History for U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field
YearResultsVideosNewsPhotosBlogs
2024     1    
2023 1 358 24 1367  
2022 1 415 23 1503  
Show 22 more
 
+PLUS highlights
+PLUS coverage
Live Events
Get +PLUS!