Monday, April 2, 2018

Track World - post Usain Bolt

Today, I'm planning to burn some calories with a good long ride on the mountain bike, then weights tonight.  2 weeks now off the track, at least one more week.

Not being a competitor, these past few weeks, I've been really blown away by some of the new elite young tracksters on the scene ... and the season is young.

Many said track would never be the same after Bolt retired, but this season indicates that track is in good hands.  Here's some highlights so far:

  • Christian Coleman, 22, ran under the world record in the 60m THREE times this indoor season: 6.34, 6.37, 6.37 
  • Michael Norman, 20, broke the indoor world record in the 400m - 44.52 . Two other college athletes have also run under 45 indoors:  Akeem Bloomfield and  Bralon Taplin.  No one in the world has broken 45 yet this outdoor season. 
  • Sydney McLaughlin, 18, ran 50.07 in the 400m at the FL Relays ... in the rain.  A world leading time.  Her 22.39 200m is #2 in the world. 
  • Three college teams ran under the world record in the 4x400m relay: USC, TX A&M, and Florida.  All three faster than the World Champion/ WR team from Poland. 
  • Elijah Hall-Thompson ran a collegiate record in the indoor 200m - 20.02, the second fastest indoor 200m ever. 
  • Clarence Munyai, 20, ran a 19.69 200m, breaking Van Niekirk's record.  
  • Briana Williams, a 15 yr old Jamaican who has run 11.13 in the 100m, breaking Marion Jones WR for that age.   She may be the next Flojo. 
  • Mondo Duplantis, 18, cleared 19'5" to break his junior record.  I think he's clearly on his way to a WR in the coming years.  He may be the next Sergi Bubka.

I think the sport is in good hands and I really think that we'll see Bolt's records broken in the coming decade.


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