New era in 100 women's hurdles!

[Stonigut]

Girl Rollins just run 12.26! Revolution, total takeover!

Bye Lolo bye Kelli Wells

[Mosiah]

US Trials?

Cho!

[Stonigut]

You know how it go, it free!

[Historian]

Lol

US Trials?

Cho!

Lol Lol. I agree. Iowa or Oregon; the results are always the same.

*[this is my shortest post ever]*

[Stonigut]

Historian, I am disappointed in your post, you of all people as a history man should acknowledge tectonic shifts regardless of where it comes from. The 100 hurdles will be of significant interest to me inMoscow, very interested in seeing how Pearson meets this challenge, does she go deep and emerge stronger? This young lady seems to be unaffected by the stage, destroying the American NCAA record and more on her biggest stage to date first occasion, that is almost Bolt like!!

[Historian]

My Misplaced Sarcasm

Historian, I am disappointed in your post, you of all people as a history man should acknowledge tectonic shifts regardless of where it comes from. The 100 hurdles will be of significant interest to me inMoscow, very interested in seeing how Pearson meets this challenge, does she go deep and emerge stronger? This young lady seems to be unaffected by the stage, destroying the American NCAA record and more on her biggest stage to date first occasion, that is almost Bolt like!!

Please accept my apology, Stoni. I was simply being sarcastic, and my sarcasm is based on the performances we generally see in Eugene, Oregon. (Of course, the championships are being held this year in Iowa.)

My post was not meant in any way to personally belittle Brianna Rollins or her amazing 12.26 performance today!! How can I when the young lady almost smashed the world record? If she manages to maintain her form going in to the finals in Moscow, then Sally Pearson’s world record may well be history! Like you suggested, it will be very interesting to see how Sally performs/ responds to this new threat!

The truth is I respect Brianna and recognized her quality even before her record-breaking 100-meter hurdles performance earlier this month in the NCAA finals. I hope she maintains her present form going into Moscow.

There are people who feel that NCAA success, after the long collegiate season, often fail to translate to similar success at that year’s global meet. However, this is not always true; to just cite one example, Richard Thompson’s silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics refutes this theory. Thompson, as you will recall, was also NCAA champion in 2008.

By the way, Brianna has undoubtedly made the 100-meter hurdles one of the most anticipated events this summer for track fans around the globe.

[Stonigut]

Good stuff, thanks. Yes, I have always wondered why the NCAA results never seem to translate second for second at the higher level, except on a few occasions.

One that has always baffled me and we have discussed this in the past I believe is Simone Facey who had a couple runs in the 10.9's, but that has never really translated into runs with similar times or any kind of progression beyond that for Jamaica, very unusual.

[Historian]

Re: Simone Facey

Good stuff, thanks. Yes, I have always wondered why the NCAA results never seem to translate second for second at the higher level, except on a few occasions.

One that has always baffled me and we have discussed this in the past I believe is Simone Facey who had a couple runs in the 10.9's, but that has never really translated into runs with similar times or any kind of progression beyond that for Jamaica, very unusual.

Stoni, interesting reference point, although I’m sorry you brought up Simone Facey. You see, she and Sonita Sutherland are my biggest heart-breakers in 21st century Jamaican athletic performances. (Of course, there are one or two lesser heart-breakers, like Sheryl Morgan.)

Like you, I’ve wondered (for many years) what could have gone so wrong with Simone!

You see, a decade ago I was sure that Simone would have transitioned to become Jamaica’s fastest 100-meter female sprinter. I also find it a bit interesting to idly compare her evolution with that of Usain Bolt. She had won the gold medal in the Under-17 Girls’100-meter dash at the same 2001 Carifta Games in Barbados which saw Usain Bolt win the 200-meter silver in the Under-17 Boys’ race behind the Bahamas’ Grafton Ifill. (Bolt, of course, was just 14 years old then.)

Compare the careers of Simone and Usain today. Now, if you think the comparison with Usain does not have much merit (and in my mind it really does not), consider the much more relevant comparative example below:

In a post I made here a couple of years ago, I examined that Jamaica girls’ 4x100-meter relay team that won the gold medal at the 2002 IAAF World Junior Championships in Kingston. A reminder of the makeup of that team and where each lady is today perfectly illustrates the tragedy of Simone:

Lead-off: Sherone Simpson
Backstretch: Kerron Stewart
Curve: Anniesha McLaughlin
Anchor: Simone Facey

Think about the careers of all four girls from 2002 to the present time. See what I mean?

My consolation is that Simone, like Asafa Powell, has a global relay gold medal (she ran the lead-off leg in the finals of the women’s 4x100-meter relay at the 2009 IAAF World Championships).

Like another promising young athlete of shortly before that era, Nadine Palmer, Simone will always have a special place in my heart. At least, unlike Nadine who simply disappeared completely (much like Lisa Sharpe before her), Simone achieved some success at the college and senior level.

[Twan]

Nadine Palmer "reappeared" at this years' trials, but wasnt good enough to make the team.

[Willi]

Donkova time this.

Technique is flawless.