USA Olympic Trials 18th-27th June

[LuckySpikes]

OK, here are my dark horse picks to finish top 3 in the distance events ...

Men's
800 - The main contenders for the 3rd place behind Brazier & Hoppel would probably be Murphy, Harris & Rhoads; I'll go for NCAA champ Isaiah Jewett as my dark horse - he looks like a beast.
1500 - Centrowitz & Engels might be the favourites here but otherwise it's hard to know who the outsiders are. Does Cole Hocker qualify as a dark horse? I'll trust his wicked kick in a slow-ish final.
3000SC - H Bor, McGorty, Ferlic & Updike are the favourites here. So, my dark horse is Dan Michalski - he's on the upswing I think.
5000 - Lomong, Fisher, Chelimo & E Bor look to be the favourites here (possibly Kincaid too?). So, I'll go for Eric Jenkins to spring a mild surprise.
10,000 - As marginally the slowest of the 7 athletes with the Olympic standard, I'll go for Joe Klecker as my dark horse.

Women's
800 - Mu & Ajee Wilson are the clear favourites here, maybe with Kate Grace or Sabrina Southerland the other favourites to finish top 3 (Rogers & Green haven't been great this year). Many of the next group are doubling in the 1500 as well so, how's Michaela Meyer as a big dark horse? The new NCAA champ, she seems like a very smart racer and maybe against the pros she could take a big step up.
1500 - With Purrier, Osika, Cranny & Simpson being the clear favourites I'm going for Heather McLean, despite her most recent race being poor. She's got good 800 speed which will serve her well I think.
3000SC - Coburn & Frierichs are the two hot favourites and even though Colleen Quigley hasn't raced for an age I'd say she's still a favourite to make top 3. So, my dark horse is Marisa Howard - I like her aggressive style of racing that could pull her clear of the chasing pack
5000 - There's probably 5 clear favourites here - Purrier, Schweizer, Norris, Cranny & Schneider. For my dark horse, I like the look of Allie Buchalski. Having watched her recently I think there's plenty more in the tank there and she's got decent 1500 speed (4:06).
10,000 - Schweizer, Cranny & Sisson look like the top 3 favourites here then a next group of Infeld, Schneider & Monson. Am I allowed to pick Alicia Monson as my dark horse? She's got loads of upside. I'm not sure she qualifies as a real dark horse but if all 6 of those athletes are racing I can't see anyone outside of them finishing in the top 3. I'd really love to see Natosha Rogers do it but I think she's likely to be done for finishing pace in the last kilometre.

5 of my 10 dark horses for the top 3 in the distances made the top 3! A brilliant result!

Men's:
800 - Jewett 3rd
1500 - Hocker 1st
3000SC - Michalski 4th
5000 - Jenkins 10th
10,000 - Klecker 3rd

Women's:
800 - Meyer 4th
1500 - MacLean 3rd
3000SC - Howard 5th
5000 - Buchalski 5th
10,000 - Monson 3rd

Only one finished outside the top 5!

Even though she finished 4th the one I'm most proud of is Michaela Meyer in the 800. Of all the starters in the first round she was ranked 12th by PB! There was something in the NCAA final that alerted me to her potential, a little move she made with 170m remaining to get on the leaders' shoulders. It looked so effortless. That, plus she's got a pretty wicked kick in the last 60m or so - with 80m to go last night she was 8th.

[Ursus]

The hammer was held on another field which I think doubles as the warm-up track.

Hope that was just due to scheduling or other issues for these champs. Would be furious if that happened for the WC.

[MysteryBrick]

I don't think it is doping (for the most part, there will be a bit). I think it is 35 degree heat and a brand new superfast track. I don't think many will ever replicate what they have just done, and definitely not in Tokyo.

[SprintRelayFan]

Does anyone feel a bit weird about some of the American results, especially given the increasing number of high profile doping cases coming out of there? Mu and Syd have been phenomenal since kids, but some of the others..

[Grassmarket]

Out of superlatives. What’s that, 2 WR, 1 wJR and several 2nd best evers? Oh well, at least Holly set an NR.

The infield has a bizarre layout. Is there enough space for the high jumpers with longer, more angled runs? Hopefully they’ve also done their maths properly for the hammer cage.

The hammer was held on another field which I think doubles as the warm-up track. But it’s strange to see a stadium that exists purely for athletics.

Anyway, I think we can conclude that there aren’t going to be many British or even European medals from the sprints in Tokyo, sadly.

[Ursus]

Out of superlatives. What’s that, 2 WR, 1 wJR and several 2nd best evers? Oh well, at least Holly set an NR.

The infield has a bizarre layout. Is there enough space for the high jumpers with longer, more angled runs? Hopefully they’ve also done their maths properly for the hammer cage.

[Occasional Hope]

Mu was stunning.

Fantastic WR from Sydney McLaughlin.

Cole Hocker has a great kick.

[SprintRelayFan]

Thanks for posting that. Bless her, she seems so overwhelmed

[LoveSprints1]

Sydney's 400mH WR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uW1yY9e-Cg

[LoveSprints1]

Mu is just a phenom. That being said, we almost saw what could be her biggest threat happen - people tripping over each other. If she can stay safe from that over the first lap, I'm struggling to see who will beat her over the last 200m.

McLaughlin and Muhammad are just pushing each other faster and faster. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see that WR beaten again next month. Their 4x4 team could be terrifying.

Lyles proved his class again.

The 1500m will be interesting. Suggestions that Hocker will be high enough for a quota place without the time. Great kick but not convinced he could live with someone like Jakob if they take it out hard.

Harrison winning both HJ and LJ in one day is pretty spectacular.

Harrison will be a double medallist at the Olympics if he has space between the events. Just watch Athing and Sydney. Both unbelievable. Here's Mu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUQVQHRW2k4

[marra]

Mu is just a phenom. That being said, we almost saw what could be her biggest threat happen - people tripping over each other. If she can stay safe from that over the first lap, I'm struggling to see who will beat her over the last 200m.

McLaughlin and Muhammad are just pushing each other faster and faster. Wouldn't be at all surprised to see that WR beaten again next month. Their 4x4 team could be terrifying.

Lyles proved his class again.

The 1500m will be interesting. Suggestions that Hocker will be high enough for a quota place without the time. Great kick but not convinced he could live with someone like Jakob if they take it out hard.

Harrison winning both HJ and LJ in one day is pretty spectacular.

[LoveSprints1]

1:56.07 from Athing Mu!

Wonderous.

[SprintRelayFan]

Well I got the right top 3 in the 200 albeit second and third the wrong way.
Kerleys only chance now the 100…
syd amazing!

[Ladyloz]

Sydney McLaughlin with a new World record 51.90. It was coming. Great to see Muhammad in better form. Little misses out after stumbling at the 8th hurdle with Anna Cockrell clinching the final spot.

Mu looked imperious. I do think she is the favourite for Tokyo. The only factor against her is inexperience at that level.

Hocker best Centrowitz to win 1500m. NBC must hate the World Rankings as much as the rest of us. No auto Q so they couldn't put the Olympic Rings next to his name in the results.

And Lyles got it done looking the best he has all year in the 200m. Bednarek 2nd and the High School kid Knighton in 3rd.

Not enough hype from NBC for Harrison's HJ/LJ double. Can't wait to see how he goes in Tokyo

[Ladyloz]

One of the Heptathletes fainted. It was getting dangerous.