USATF Championships

Other sites will give a better news account (AP - IAAF - Tim Layden - David Woods) or discussion of the meet. I'm simply going to give my fan's impression of the whole shebang.

Best meet management move:
The sales tent and autograph area were moved into the main stadium. Last year, they were located well away from the action, and many people didn't even know they were there.

Thing I missed and wish I hadn't: Breaux Greer's new javelin AR.


This was on Thursday, and I couldn't get to Indy until Friday.

Biggest breakthrough: Tyson Gay.He flat-out stomped the field in the sprints. We already knew he was good, but this was tremendous.

Biggest upset: Women's 400.



Best stretch drive: Men's 1500.I sense a rivalry developing, and I like it.

Most overhyped race: Men's 200.


This was supposed to be a true Clash of the Titans. Instead, Walter Dix scratched, Xavier Carter got hurt in the semis, and the race between the remaining two superstars wasn't close at all. A great performance to be sure, but not a great competition per se.

Most underhyped race: Men's 110 Hurdles.The final featured all eight of the nation's best hurdlers and six of the world's top ten. But no one was talking it up and you can't find the video on YouTube.

Best showman: Reese Hoffa.

Best junior: Emily PendletonI'm biased--she lives about 15 miles away from me. Chanelle Price, seventh in the open 800, is the logical choice. But my choice isn't a bad one. Pendleton is just barely 18 years old and currently ranked 13th in America in an event dominated by older athletes; only four collegians even qualified for the senior nationals and none made the final rounds. Nor do athletes peak early in the disc; national champ and AR holder Suzy Powell also holds the high school record Pendleton is chasing.