Archived Homepage For June 19, 2021
Archived Homepage For June 19, 2021
2020 US Olympic Trials
2020 US Olympic Trials

The first world record at the newly-renovated Hayward Field has fallen on the first day of the 2020 US Olympic Track and Field Trials -- and it was set by an Oregon native. Ryan Crouser crushed the men's shot put world record by 25 centimeters (9+ inches).
*MB: RYAN MF CROUSER - 23.37 WR!!!!!!!

The Bowerman Track Club ended a rough week on a high note, with Woody Kincaid and Grant Fisher making their first Olympic teams, along with the On Athletics Club's Joe Klecker. The three kicked away on the final lap of the 10k on the first day of the 2020 Olympic Trials.

We tell you everything you need to know about qualifying in the all the running events on Day 1 at the Trials.

Previous Trials Event Previews
Previous Trials Event Previews

Donavan Brazier is the reigning world champ but he's never made an Olympic team. Bryce Hoppel was 4th at Worlds in 2019 but just was a DNS in Boston.

Purrier, who is the only American woman under 4:00 this year, seems like close to a lock. After her and Shannon Osiksa (4:00), it's wide-open as 10 women including Jenny Simpson have run between 4:04-4:05 this year.

The women's steeple has been the most predictable event at USAs in recent years. Will that continue in 2021, or will there be a changing of the guard? Colleen Quigley hasn't run a steeple since 2019.
*MB: Will Colleen Quigly make the Team? Will she even line up?

Karissa Schweizer is the second-fastest American ever but her most recent race didn't go great. Does that mean her Bowerman TC teammate Elise Cranny is the favorite?

BTC's Lopez LomongGrant Fisher, and Woody Kincaid have the three fastest seed times, but Emmanuel BorJoe KleckerEric Jenkins, and Ben True are lurking. Do we predict a BTC sweep?

RIP Coach

 "He was one of those people you could learn from by just observing. He treated everyone with respect. He always seemed to do the right thing because he had an incontrovertible moral compass. He shaped countless careers and changed so many lives. Those of us who had the privilege to experience it will be forever grateful," said Frank O'Mara. *MB: Excellent read: 5 Hog legends - Joe Falcon, Ruben Reina, Frank O'Mara, Eric Henry & S. Lassiter -remember Coach John McDonnell You can even watch a replay of his funeral rosary.

The Kenyan Trials Are Here

Rodgers Kwemoi was 2nd in 27:05.51 as the two claimed the first two automatic slots for Tokyo. Weldon Kipkirui came in third in 27:24.73 as Rhonex Kipruto was a DNF and Edward Cheserek was nearly lapped.
*MB: King Ches is nearly lapped in Kenyan Trials, where does he go from here?

The Women's 100 Runners Are Blazing Fast This Year
The Trials Start Friday (Sponsored By On)

We talked to Dathan Ritzenhein about the OAC athletes' final Trials preparations and he raves about Alicia Monson's fitness, “I think she was ready to run under 14:40, actually,” before he gives his take on whether the latest Michigan teen prodigy - Hobbs Kessler - should go pro out of high school.

NCAA News
LetsThrow.com
The Latest Houlihan News

"The thing to understand about CAS is that it’s more royally inbred with WADA than Queen Victoria’s grandchildren with the czar," she writes. But Jenkins does get one key fact wrong as she writes that Houlihan provided CAS "with a food log that showed she ate a pork burrito from a food truck the day before her drug test." That's not true. She provided them with a food log that showed she ate at a food truck that serves pork burritos.

Plus Gault reveals two huge facts that weren't previously known that work in opposite directions. 1) Christiane Ayotte, who was proven to have provided false testimony in the Jarrion Lawson case, was the one who labeled Houlihan's test as a positive. 2) Houlihan didn't actually order a pork burrito  - she ordered carne asada.

More Pre-Olympic Trials Coverage
The Trials Return To Hayward Field
UK News
Even More Houlihan Ban News
More Recent Results
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Other Championship News
Tokyo 2020 COVID Craziness
Shelby Houlihan Gets 4 Year Ban
Shelby Houlihan Gets 4 Year Ban

The American record holder in the 1500 and 5000 meters will miss the Olympic Trials and the next two Olympics after her appeal was denied. Houlihan is the latest high-profile American track star to test positive for low levels of a banned substance, joining Ajee' Wilson, Jarrion Lawson, and Will Claye. But unlike those three, the CAS did not accept her explanation of contaminated meat.

"To the AIU and WADA. Shame on you. Shame on you for not caring about the truth. ...It’s not ok to be right 9 times out of 10 when you decide to execute someone’s athletic life and dreams."

"I want to be very clear. I’ve never taken any performance-enhancing substances."

Is Shelby Houlihan:

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Watch All NCAA Women's Distance Races (Cued To The Final 400)
Watch All NCAA Women's Distance Races (Cued To The Final 400)
WSteeple
W800
W1500
W5k
W10k
Watch All NCAA Men's Distance Races (Cued To The Final 400)
Watch All NCAA Men's Distance Races (Cued To The Final 400)
Men's 800
Men's 1500
Men's Steeple
Men's 5000
Men's 10k

Your latest American stars share their insights.

Three legends of the sport.

One of the greatest US runners ever.

We chatted with Frank on the 50th anniversary of his Olympic Marathon gold

American Record Holders
American Record Holders

Keira D'Amato, the new American record holder in the marathon, was joined by Deena Kastor, who held the record for 15 years.

Sisson was the guest on the LetsRun.com Track Talk podcast after she became the first American to go sub 67 in the half marathon on a record-eligible course. Podcast highlights above. Full pod here.

Woody Kincaid joined us after he broke the American record indoors at 5000. He talks above why he left the Bowerman Track Club. Podcast highlights and link to full podcast here.

Coogan's New Balance Boston team had 3 Olympians in 2021 and 2022 could be the biggest year yet for the program with 2 new additions and the TRACK at New Balance coming on March 1st.

Danny Mackey has taken the Brooks Beasts from an unproven club to the Olympic podium in its first decade.

Dathan Ritzenhein is the first of the top pro coaches to sit down and talk about his club heading into the 2022 campaign.

Best of Jon Gault
Best of Jon Gault
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Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level
Take Your Love of LetsRun to the Next Level