In the lead-up to the World Track & Field Championships, which begin tomorrow in Moscow, all the news has been about who's not going to be there. For one reason or another, be it injuries or high-profile doping suspensions or murder trials, the biggest names from last year's Olympics in London, many of whom were going to be among the favorites, are out of the World Championships. As a result, a lot of what's going to happen is completely up in the air. And this unpredictability is somewhat refreshing.
Fortunately for the organizers, the biggest name in the sport is in Moscow and he's healthy. Usain Bolt IS track & field. Any meet will get its due attention as long as he's there. After his historic triple in Beijing, he went to Berlin for the World Championships the following year and repeated his brilliance. Then at the 2011 Worlds in Korea, he was disqualified in the final of the 100. So, as if he needed it, that gives him a little extra motivation heading into this year's World Championships. Thanks to repeating his Olympic feat in London, Bolt's place in history is already secure. In Moscow, he wants to further prove he's among the sport's all-time greats.
Bolt was originally expected to face a tough challenge in Moscow. But that was before Tyson Gay was hit with a drug suspension and Yohan Blake had to withdraw due to injury. That three-way duel would've been amazing to watch. As it is, Bolt's only real challenger now will likely be himself. That's OK, though. Because with Usain Bolt, anything is possible. I really have a feeling we're going to see something special in Moscow. Perhaps another world record three-peat.
As for Team USA, simply attending these World Championships is historic. With all these moronic suggestions that the U.S. should boycott the upcoming Sochi Olympics (I'm not sure what people think it would prove), it brings back the harsh reminder of the only other time the Olympics were in Russia--when the U.S. didn't go to the Summer Games in Moscow in 1980. It's a different time, but the historical significance of an American team finally competing in a major international sporting event on Russian soil, 33 years later, isn't lost on anybody. And the fact that it's in Moscow seems only fitting.
Like the Olympics, the Americans have traditionally been the dominant team at the World Championships. I don't expect that to change here. The U.S. has the largest and deepest team of everybody, and there are 206 countries competing. Some of the usual suspects are there, but there are a lot of newcomers getting their first World Championships experience. In fact, if I had to pick one word to describe Team USA, it would be "young." The U.S. Nationals were definitely a changing of the guard. I can't wait to see what they do on the world stage.
Some of these American youngsters can make a definite splash, too. The sensational Mary Cain, of course, has become a media darling. It's her first senior international meet. I'm curious to see how she does. Two Americans won high jump silvers in London--then went back to college. Well, Brigetta Barrett and Erik Kynard are both professionals now, and they've both got a chance of winning a World Championship.
Then there's Brenda Martinez, who's had a breakout season in the 800 meters. It wouldn't shock me at all if she left Moscow with a medal. Or if Georganne Moline, who finished fifth in London, does in the 400 hurdles (in that event, Zuzana Hejnova of the Czech Republic is one the biggest favorites of the Championships). Brianna Rollins went right from Clemson to the world lead in the women's 100 hurdles. Same thing with English Gardner in the 100. She left Oregon a year early because she had nothing left to prove collegiately. A medal at Worlds would further validate that decision. Ashley Spencer, who recently transferred from Illinois to Texas, won the 400 at World Juniors last year. Sanya Richards-Ross didn't make the team, so Spencer is the top American medal threat in that event.
Don't worry, I didn't forget about the men. Arman Hall just finished his freshman year at Florida. He made the team in the 400. The triple jump team consists exclusively of Gators, with Omar Craddock joining the Olympic gold and silver medalists Christian Taylor and Will Claye. Two of the decathletes--Jeremy Taiwo and Gunnar Nixon--are still in college, too. And it's not like Ashton Eaton is exactly what you'd consider "old" either.
This could also be the chance for some of the veterans to finally make their World Championships breakthroughs, as well. I'm not talking about the Allyson Felixes or Justin Gatlins or LaShawn Merritts. I'm talking Nick Symmonds. This might be his best chance to finally win a global medal in the 800. Same could be said for Shalane Flanagan. She won the bronze in the 10,000 in Beijing, and this might be her best chance to do it (or more) again. Galen Rupp won the silver in the 10,000 last year. Can he do it again? The same question can be asked about Matt Centrowitz, the surprise bronze medalist in the 1500 in 2011, and Jenny Simpson, who shocked everyone by winning the World Championship in the 1500 two years ago. Likewise, Jenn Suhr, who's never been a World Champion, won the gold in the women's pole vault in London, but she's going against the queen of the event, hometown favorite Yelena Isinbayeva, who's announced she's retiring after Moscow.
All these injuries and withdrawals have made these World Championships so unpredictable that it's difficult to even pick favorites in some events. Which I think only guarantees one thing. We're going to witness one hell of a track meet over the next nine days.
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