US Olympic Trials Review
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, depending on who you were cheering for to make the USA 2016 Olympic team in the four hurdling events. It was a tough meet for me to watch, as two of my former athletes, Keni Harrison and Johnny Dutch came to tragic ends. But my aim here with this article is to take an objective look back at the hurdle races. Despite my personal disappointment, there were some thrilling races and some electrifying performances last week.
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Instead of providing an event-by-event analysis, this time I’m going to point out certain athletes who stood out to me.
Let me start with Dawn Harper-Nelson. Although she didn’t make the finals in the women’s 100 meter hurdles, her contributions to the event need to acknowledged. Since emerging as Olympic champion in 2008, she has performed at a higher level, more consistently, than any other woman in the event. And that includes Sally Pearson. I don’t know if these Trials will prove to be her swan song, but if so, we should all be grateful to her for her dedication to her craft as well as for the enthusiasm she has brought to the sport. I do not know her personally, but the athletes I know who do all say she is one of the nicest, most warmhearted athletes on the circuit.
Along the same lines, David Oliver, in the men’s 110 meter high hurdles, is another one we all need to applaud. Unlike Harper-Nelson, Oliver was having a solid season up to this point and looked primed to earn a spot on the team, if not win the event. But I’m sure your reaction was the same as mine when you saw him grab his hamstring after winning his semi-final heat – “Uh oh, he’s done.” And with the finals being later that evening, he was. I’ve met Oliver a few times and had a lengthy conversation with him at a coaching clinic a few years ago, and I can say without a doubt that he is truly one of the good guys of the sport. He is thoughtful, and his insights about hurdling and life are exceptionally thought-provoking. Like Harper-Nelson, he’s been very good for a very long time. He has been the most consistent American for a good ten years now, dating back to the Liu Xiang / Dayron Robles era.
Sticking with the 110’s, Devon Allen is the real deal. A big-time competitor, he always comes up big in big meets. His finals race was masterfully executed. He maintained his rhythm, kept his technique in a tight box, and was not distracted at all when others around him made mistakes.
Allen on the way to a round one victory.
I was looking for Jarrett Eaton to do something big as well, and he seemed to be well on his way to finding a spot on the team before stumbling coming off one of the later hurdles, and that was it for him. Congrats to Ronnie Ash and Jeff Porter for making the team. Condolences to Aries Merit for coming within .01. While it’s true that he is a living miracle just by being out there competing at all after undergoing a kidney transplant a year ago, I’m sure he is disappointed not to make the team when having come so close.
One of the more impressive performances was Brianna Rollins’ 12.34 in the women’s 100h final. She dominated that race from start to finish. Her aggression, her confidence, was palpable. If there is one thing that Keni Harrison lacks right now, despite her enormous talent and personal integrity, it would be self-confidence. At least the kind needed to fight through the rounds at this level in such a pressurized environment.
Rollins rolls to an impressive victory in the 100m hurdles.
The grand old man award of this meet – at least from a hurdling perspective – definitely goes to Kerron Clement, winner of the men’s 400 meter hurdles. Though the time (48.50) wasn’t spectacular, the victory was. As with Allen and Rollins, some athletes have a knack for coming up big when the moment requires them to. Meanwhile, add Bershawn Jackson to the list of older athletes who may have made his final stand. He’s had a great career; I’ll never forget that 47.30 in the rain back in 2005. But it’s looking like his best days are now behind him.
Clement gets it done in the semis.
Probably the biggest hurdle story of the trials is the third-place finish of Sydney McLaughlan in the women’s 400 meter hurdles. My goodness. She’s only SIXTEEN. She’ll be returning to HIGH SCHOOL after the Games are over. But you could never tell by watching her run. Three rounds against the best competition the nation has to offer, and it didn’t faze her one bit. This young lady is on her way to revolutionizing the event. From what I can see, she has the temperament, poise, and humility to be an all-time great. I’m not saying that to put any pressure on her; I’m saying that because she’s a beast. Her rise was coupled with the fall of Shamier Little, the two-time NCAA champion who recently turned professional. Little, usually a very strong finisher, looked like she ran out of gas at the end of her semi-final race. Track and field is an unforgiving sport, and the hurdles are unforgiving events. But Little is young, and she’ll be back.
For me, the meet MVP in the hurdles is Dalilah Muhammad, the winner of the women’s 400 meter hurdles in 52.88. What a monster race. It puts her in rarefied air, making her the fifth fastest American ever, and the thirteenth fastest ever in the world. But more impressive than the time was the way she went out there and took over the race from them opening gun. No strategizing, no conserving energy, just all-out ballin. Hands high, knees high, efficient hurdling, hips pushing forward. Phenomenal.
Muhammad’s determination and focus are on full display here.
Overall, it was an exciting four days of hurdle action at the US Trials. I certainly would like to see the hurdles spread out more instead of having all four events crammed into the last four days. Even though doubling in both hurdle events isn’t likely to happen, I would like to see the possibility for it. I know Keni Harrison was thinking about doubling until she saw the schedule. Besides that, I found myself waiting patiently for a whole week before any hurdle events started. Though I enjoy watching other events as well, the hurdles are my thing.
I’m looking forward to seeing how the Americans do in the Games in August in Rio. The US is sending a strong contingent in all the hurdle events. A lot of people think our best chance to dominate will be in the women’s 100 meter hurdles, and I would agree with that assessment. The 110’s look like a relative weakness, but we’ll see. Allen is a competitor, Ash has ungodly potential, and Porter has plenty of experience. The women’s 400h team is looking very strong. Does anyone know, by the way, what happened with Georgeanne Moline? She didn’t compete at all at the Trials. And the men’s 400h has two guys with loads of experience, so I like our chances for some kind of medal there.
But good luck to all athletes at the Games, not just the Americans. I just want to see some exciting hurdle races.
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