2016 Olympic GamesAug 4, 2016 by Meg Bellino
Olympic Preview: Men's and Women's Hurdles
Olympic Preview: Men's and Women's Hurdles
The Olympics start next week, with the Olympic track program starting August 12. The men's 110m hurdle final will be on Tuesday, August 16, at 8:45PM CST; t
The Olympics start next week, with the Olympic track program starting August 12. The men's 110m hurdle final will be on Tuesday, August 16, at 8:45PM CST; the women's 100m hurdle final on Wednesday, August 17, at 8:55PM CST; the men's 400m hurdle final on Thursday, August 18 at 10:00AM CST; the women's 400m hurdle final on Thursday, August 18 at 8:15PM CST. Here's the rundown of those four events!
100m Hurdles
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Danielle Williams, Cindy Roleder, Alina Talay
2013 Worlds: Brianna Rollins, Sally Pearson, Tiffany Porter
2012 Olympics: Sally Pearson, Dawn Harper-Nelson, Kellie Wells
*No. 1 Keni Harrison and No. 4 Jasmin Stowers did not make the U.S. team
How are America's chances?
Really, REALLY good. Behind world record-holder Keni Harrison, who failed to advance from the U.S. Olympic Trials, the three American entries are the second-, third-, and fourth-fastest in the world this year. Last year's world champion, Jamaican Danielle Williams, failed to make the Olympic squad, and reigning Olympic champion Sally Pearson is injured.
U.S. Trials champion Bri Rollins had a fantastic 2013--she set the NCAA record and previous American record, and won the world championship. Injured in 2014, reigning champ Rollins secured entry to the 2015 World Championships as a result of her 2013 season, and entered Beijing with a 12.63 season-best. She missed a medal, but as the top American in fourth. 2016 has been outstanding for Rollins, who earned silver in Portland and ran 12.34 to win the Trials in Eugene.
Ali is the two-time defending indoor world champion in the 60m hurdles, and set her 12.48 PB back in 2013 when she finished third to qualify for her first world championships. Though some wrote her off as more of a 60m hurdler, she's coming around at the right time. So is another Olympic first-timer: Kristi Castlin. She set her PB (12.50) en route to finishing second in Eugene. She followed it up with a 12.59 third-place showing at the London Diamond League. This is Castlin's first-ever global U.S. outdoor team.
Rollins' Trials performance makes her a class above the field assembled for Rio, and with the right execution, she should win gold. Germany's Cindy Roleder (12.62 this season) and Belarus' Alina Talay (12.63) are returning medalists from 2015, and finished 1-2 at the European Championships. Sisters Cindy Ofili (12.60 PB) and Tiffany Porter could also compete for hardware. Ofili is inexperienced, but did win the NCAA 60m hurdle title this March in lane eight. Older sister Tiffany has plenty of medals, including four on the world stage. She hasn't gotten too close to her 12.51 PB this season, but her record of making global finals and being in the mix makes her a contender.
The U.S. has been dominating Diamond Leagues, and Rio should be no different: Rollins, gold; Roleder, silver; Castlin, bronze.
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Zuzana Hejnova, Shamier Little, Cassandra Tate
2013 Worlds: Zuzana Hejnova, Dalilah Muhammad, Lashinda Demus
2012 Olympics: Natalya Antyukh, Lashinda Demus, Zuzana Hejnova
*World No. 2 Shamier Little, No. 4 Georganne Moline did not make the U.S. team
How are America's chances?
The U.S. brought home silver and bronze last summer, and have had a medalist in this event at each of the last three global championships. Dalilah Muhammad made a case for gold when she annihilated her PR of 53.83 (which she set THREE years ago) by winning the Olympic Trials in 52.88--the fifth-fastest American performance all-time, and almost one full second faster than any competitor this season. She's on another planet in 2016, and we're all just waiting to see who will pick up the remaining medals.
So what about Americans Ashley Spencer and 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin? Spencer showed her resilience when she had the race of her life to finish second at the Trials in her SIXTH race of the week; she also ran three rounds of the 400m! Anyone who doesn't make one event, but can come back and make Team USA in another (hello, Brenda Martinez) deserves some award--a medal, perhaps? The interesting thing about Spencer is she's fairly new to the hurdle scene. After taking some years off to focus on the flat 400m, the former Texas NCAA champion is still coming into her own. As is McLaughlin. The 2015 World youth champion bested a field of veterans at the Trials to finish third in what she called a "sloppy" race. If that's sloppy, imagine what she could do when she hits her race plan! She's wise beyond her years, and could definitely contend for a medal.
Who will win or medal?
The only other women in the field that have ever run faster than Muhammad's Trials performance are reigning world champion Zuzana Hejnova and London fourth-place finisher Kaliese Spencer, but those two haven't even run under 55 seconds this season. Barring any slip-ups, Muhammad is the favorite to win gold.
Janeive Russell has two Diamond League victories under her belt, as does Eilidh Doyle, but their times are still a far cry from Muhammad's sub-53 race. In addition, Spencer and McLaughlin are rounding into form at just the right time, and both appear to still have room for improvement. I'm going Muhammad, gold; McLaughlin, silver; Doyle, bronze.
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Sergey Shubenkov, Hansle Parchment, Aries Merritt
2013 Worlds: David Oliver, Ryan Wilson, Sergey Shubenkov
2012 Olympics: Aries Merritt, Jason Richardson, Hansle Parchment
*World No. 3 Orlando Ortega, No. 4 David Oliver and No. 5 Hansle Parchment will not compete in Rio
How are America's chances?
Here's the thing about Devon Allen. He radiates confidence and poise and has blown the U.S. and NCAA away more than once now. The Oregon footballer and hurdler is a star. He set PBs in both the 60m hurdles (7.56 to win NCAAs) and 110m hurdles (13.03 to win the FREAKING OLYMPIC TRIALS!) in his first season back from an injury he sustained during the 2014 Rose Bowl. THE ROSE BOWL, PEOPLE!
If anybody is going to beat Allen, it's Omar McLeod. After dominating the NCAA last year, McLeod won gold at the world indoor championships, dipped under 10 seconds in the 100m (9.99) and under 13 seconds in the 110m hurdles (12.98). He's scary-consistent, though the back half of his season has fallen off a bit. His season looks something like this: 13.08, 13.05, 12.98, 13.06, 13.01, 16.82 (He fell in Monaco) and a DQ in Hungary. Those last two results aren't exactly confidence boosters heading into Rio, but the man is so fast. If he and Allen have clean races, we may see more than one hurdle world record fall in 2016.
Considering Allen has never competed against this level of competition, I'm going with McLeod for the win. His flat-out 100m PB of 9.99 destroys Allen's, who has only ran 10.36 for 100m. But Allen has proved time and time again that he's a winner, so I would be shocked if he didn't medal. Bascou set a PB (13.12) in Monaco and won the European title, so I'm going McLeod, gold; Allen, silver; Bascou, bronze.
400m Hurdles
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Nicholas Bett, Denis Kudryavtsev, Jeffery Gibson
2013 Worlds: Jehue Gordon, Michael Tinsley, Emir Bekric
2012 Olympics: Felix Sanchez, Michael Tinsley, Javier Culson
*World No. 1 Johnny Dutch did not make the U.S. team
How are America's chances?
Kerron Clement is rounding into form at the best possible time, so the chances of the 2007 world champion winning Olympic gold nine years after his first title are really good. He ran a season's best 48.50 to win the U.S. Trials, and lowered that to 48.40 when he won the London Diamond League over Javier Culson. Clement looks the best in the world right now; quite opposite of last year's world champion, Nicholas Bett, whose 49.31 ranks him No. 43 in the world this year.
Two-time silver medalist Michael Tinsley raced atrociously in London after making Team USA a few weeks prior, but has two Diamond League wins under his belt this season. He's not as sharp as he was in 2013—when he took home silver and ran his lifetime best of 47.70—but experience could work in his favor. The inexperienced, but uber-talented Byron Robinson of the University of Texas shocked the world by making the Olympic team after not competing at the NCAA Championships. He dipped under 49 seconds for the first time in his career to place second and followed up the performance with a 49.44 effort in Edmonton. Before the Trials, Byron's biggest accolade was Big 12 champion.
Women
100m Hurdles
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Danielle Williams, Cindy Roleder, Alina Talay2013 Worlds: Brianna Rollins, Sally Pearson, Tiffany Porter
2012 Olympics: Sally Pearson, Dawn Harper-Nelson, Kellie Wells
Team USA with 2016 season bests
Brianna Rollins (12.34), Kristi Castlin (12.50), Nia Ali (12.55)Other contenders
Cindy Roleder, Tiffany Porter, Alina Talay, Cindy Ofili2016 world leaders
Brianna Rollins, Kristi Castlin, Nia Ali*No. 1 Keni Harrison and No. 4 Jasmin Stowers did not make the U.S. team
How are America's chances?
Really, REALLY good. Behind world record-holder Keni Harrison, who failed to advance from the U.S. Olympic Trials, the three American entries are the second-, third-, and fourth-fastest in the world this year. Last year's world champion, Jamaican Danielle Williams, failed to make the Olympic squad, and reigning Olympic champion Sally Pearson is injured.U.S. Trials champion Bri Rollins had a fantastic 2013--she set the NCAA record and previous American record, and won the world championship. Injured in 2014, reigning champ Rollins secured entry to the 2015 World Championships as a result of her 2013 season, and entered Beijing with a 12.63 season-best. She missed a medal, but as the top American in fourth. 2016 has been outstanding for Rollins, who earned silver in Portland and ran 12.34 to win the Trials in Eugene.
Ali is the two-time defending indoor world champion in the 60m hurdles, and set her 12.48 PB back in 2013 when she finished third to qualify for her first world championships. Though some wrote her off as more of a 60m hurdler, she's coming around at the right time. So is another Olympic first-timer: Kristi Castlin. She set her PB (12.50) en route to finishing second in Eugene. She followed it up with a 12.59 third-place showing at the London Diamond League. This is Castlin's first-ever global U.S. outdoor team.
Who will win or medal?
Many thought last year's U.S. squad of Rollins, Harrison and Dawn Harper-Nelson would bring home a medal. Many were disappointed, including the hurdlers themselves, when they returned empty-handed from Beijing. But that doesn't mean the U.S. won't clean up this year--they are hungry for some hardware.Rollins' Trials performance makes her a class above the field assembled for Rio, and with the right execution, she should win gold. Germany's Cindy Roleder (12.62 this season) and Belarus' Alina Talay (12.63) are returning medalists from 2015, and finished 1-2 at the European Championships. Sisters Cindy Ofili (12.60 PB) and Tiffany Porter could also compete for hardware. Ofili is inexperienced, but did win the NCAA 60m hurdle title this March in lane eight. Older sister Tiffany has plenty of medals, including four on the world stage. She hasn't gotten too close to her 12.51 PB this season, but her record of making global finals and being in the mix makes her a contender.
The U.S. has been dominating Diamond Leagues, and Rio should be no different: Rollins, gold; Roleder, silver; Castlin, bronze.
400m Hurdles
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Zuzana Hejnova, Shamier Little, Cassandra Tate2013 Worlds: Zuzana Hejnova, Dalilah Muhammad, Lashinda Demus
2012 Olympics: Natalya Antyukh, Lashinda Demus, Zuzana Hejnova
Team USA with 2016 season bests
Dalilah Muhammad (52.88), Ashley Spencer (54.02), Sydney McLaughlin (54.15)Other contenders
Janeive Russell, Eilidh Doyle, Zuzana Hejnova2016 world leaders
Dalilah Muhammad, Janeive Russell (53.96), Ashley Spencer*World No. 2 Shamier Little, No. 4 Georganne Moline did not make the U.S. team
How are America's chances?
The U.S. brought home silver and bronze last summer, and have had a medalist in this event at each of the last three global championships. Dalilah Muhammad made a case for gold when she annihilated her PR of 53.83 (which she set THREE years ago) by winning the Olympic Trials in 52.88--the fifth-fastest American performance all-time, and almost one full second faster than any competitor this season. She's on another planet in 2016, and we're all just waiting to see who will pick up the remaining medals. So what about Americans Ashley Spencer and 16-year-old Sydney McLaughlin? Spencer showed her resilience when she had the race of her life to finish second at the Trials in her SIXTH race of the week; she also ran three rounds of the 400m! Anyone who doesn't make one event, but can come back and make Team USA in another (hello, Brenda Martinez) deserves some award--a medal, perhaps? The interesting thing about Spencer is she's fairly new to the hurdle scene. After taking some years off to focus on the flat 400m, the former Texas NCAA champion is still coming into her own. As is McLaughlin. The 2015 World youth champion bested a field of veterans at the Trials to finish third in what she called a "sloppy" race. If that's sloppy, imagine what she could do when she hits her race plan! She's wise beyond her years, and could definitely contend for a medal.
Who will win or medal?
The only other women in the field that have ever run faster than Muhammad's Trials performance are reigning world champion Zuzana Hejnova and London fourth-place finisher Kaliese Spencer, but those two haven't even run under 55 seconds this season. Barring any slip-ups, Muhammad is the favorite to win gold. Janeive Russell has two Diamond League victories under her belt, as does Eilidh Doyle, but their times are still a far cry from Muhammad's sub-53 race. In addition, Spencer and McLaughlin are rounding into form at just the right time, and both appear to still have room for improvement. I'm going Muhammad, gold; McLaughlin, silver; Doyle, bronze.
Men
110m Hurdles
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Sergey Shubenkov, Hansle Parchment, Aries Merritt2013 Worlds: David Oliver, Ryan Wilson, Sergey Shubenkov
2012 Olympics: Aries Merritt, Jason Richardson, Hansle Parchment
Team USA with 2016 season bests
Devon Allen (13.03), Ronnie Ash (13.18), Jeff Porter (13.21)Other contenders
Omar McLeod, Dimitri Bascou, Pascal Martinot-Lagarde2016 world leaders
Omar McLeod (12.98), Devon Allen, Dimitri Bascou (13.12)*World No. 3 Orlando Ortega, No. 4 David Oliver and No. 5 Hansle Parchment will not compete in Rio
How are America's chances?
Here's the thing about Devon Allen. He radiates confidence and poise and has blown the U.S. and NCAA away more than once now. The Oregon footballer and hurdler is a star. He set PBs in both the 60m hurdles (7.56 to win NCAAs) and 110m hurdles (13.03 to win the FREAKING OLYMPIC TRIALS!) in his first season back from an injury he sustained during the 2014 Rose Bowl. THE ROSE BOWL, PEOPLE! If anybody is going to beat Allen, it's Omar McLeod. After dominating the NCAA last year, McLeod won gold at the world indoor championships, dipped under 10 seconds in the 100m (9.99) and under 13 seconds in the 110m hurdles (12.98). He's scary-consistent, though the back half of his season has fallen off a bit. His season looks something like this: 13.08, 13.05, 12.98, 13.06, 13.01, 16.82 (He fell in Monaco) and a DQ in Hungary. Those last two results aren't exactly confidence boosters heading into Rio, but the man is so fast. If he and Allen have clean races, we may see more than one hurdle world record fall in 2016.
Who will win or medal?
In a crazy twist of fate, no medalists from 2012, 2013 and 2015 will be in the field. Hansle Parchment was a late scratch due to injury, Russian Sergey Shubenkov was not cleared to compete as a neutral athlete, and the rest didn't make the U.S. team—including Aries Merritt, the current world record-holder and reigning Olympic gold medalist, who hasn't yet returned to peak form after a kidney transplant in 2015.Considering Allen has never competed against this level of competition, I'm going with McLeod for the win. His flat-out 100m PB of 9.99 destroys Allen's, who has only ran 10.36 for 100m. But Allen has proved time and time again that he's a winner, so I would be shocked if he didn't medal. Bascou set a PB (13.12) in Monaco and won the European title, so I'm going McLeod, gold; Allen, silver; Bascou, bronze.
DEVON ALLEN
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) July 10, 2016
He wins the men's 110m hurdles with a blazing 13.03! More highlights: https://t.co/s8sasnBSYw https://t.co/LuPeshQnvV
400m Hurdles
Last three podiums
2015 Worlds: Nicholas Bett, Denis Kudryavtsev, Jeffery Gibson2013 Worlds: Jehue Gordon, Michael Tinsley, Emir Bekric
2012 Olympics: Felix Sanchez, Michael Tinsley, Javier Culson
Team USA with 2016 season bests
Kerron Clement, Byron Robinson, Michael TinsleyOther contenders
Yasmani Copello Escobar, Javier Culson, Annsert Whyte2016 world leaders
Kerron Clemen, Yasmani Copello Escobar, Javier Culson*World No. 1 Johnny Dutch did not make the U.S. team
How are America's chances?
Kerron Clement is rounding into form at the best possible time, so the chances of the 2007 world champion winning Olympic gold nine years after his first title are really good. He ran a season's best 48.50 to win the U.S. Trials, and lowered that to 48.40 when he won the London Diamond League over Javier Culson. Clement looks the best in the world right now; quite opposite of last year's world champion, Nicholas Bett, whose 49.31 ranks him No. 43 in the world this year. Two-time silver medalist Michael Tinsley raced atrociously in London after making Team USA a few weeks prior, but has two Diamond League wins under his belt this season. He's not as sharp as he was in 2013—when he took home silver and ran his lifetime best of 47.70—but experience could work in his favor. The inexperienced, but uber-talented Byron Robinson of the University of Texas shocked the world by making the Olympic team after not competing at the NCAA Championships. He dipped under 49 seconds for the first time in his career to place second and followed up the performance with a 49.44 effort in Edmonton. Before the Trials, Byron's biggest accolade was Big 12 champion.