by Deji Ogeyingbo
Fred Kerley, 2021 US Olympic Trials, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Michael Norman, 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
This is the sixth column by Deji Ogeyingbo on the track happenings of the week. Lots happening as the season really starts to get exciting.
Kerley and Norman jostled it out in California, the Clayton twins help Jamaica storm to a new 4x100m U20 record and a star cast of athletes set to storm the Prefontaine Classic in May
Much has happened in the track world in the last one week and as expected, world leads were shattered as competitions continue to come in droves leading up to the summer filled with top draw championships.
Here are some of the major talking points from the last seven days!
Fred Kerley wins his latest duel with Michael Norman in USATF Golden Games classic
Just two years separates US stars Fred Kerley and Michael Norman in age, but it feels a lot closer when they take to the track to compete against each other. Prior to their latest meeting over the 200m at the USATF Golden Games at Mt SAC’s Hilmer Lodge Stadium in Walnut, they had met 11 times with their Head-to-Head at (6-5) over the sprints with Kerley leading by a hair’s breadth.
Fred Kerley, 2021 US Olympic Trials, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
Their latest showdown over the 200m just showed us who the better athlete is at the moment, with Kerley coming from behind on the home straight to take the win in 19.80, to clip his previous World lead of 20.04s.
After the race, Norman tweeted “19.83 season opener, can’t be too mad about that. Much respect for Fred Kerley but I’m going to need that rematch sometime this year.” Their rivalry dates back to 2018 when they were competing on the collegiate circuit, with Kerley winning their first three battles over the 400m.
Michael Norman, 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials, photo by Kevin Morris / @kevmofoto
That was where they cut their teeth. Two burgeoning sprinters with hopes of a brighter future. At the moment, they are amongst the best over the distance and, interestingly have both shoed their wide range of dexterity by blazing the track over the 100m and 200m. Although, it is Kerley who seems the be the more dexterous.
Kerley didn’t get the sort of publicity given to Norman in College. Maybe it’s because of the records the latter holds over the 400m and him being the joint fourth-fastest of all times.
Norman has the ability to dump one or two special performances in the course of a season, but the more vital question is if it is capable of usurping a more consistent Kerley.
A rematch, like Norman, asked for is one that shouldn’t take long to materialize, even though we are yet to know the event it might take place. One thing is however certain, we are in for a thrill on their next installment.
The CARIFTA games excite as the Clayton Twins inspire Jamaica to a new U20 World Record
The Clayton twins (Tina and Tia) have blown Jamaica’s athletics world for the last year. And that’s using these terms loosely considering how the Island nation is crazy about the sport. It’s usually difficult to please them.
As usual, they seem to have a new set of gems that would continue to put them on the top echelon of the sprinting world. It’s their natural resource, and they sure know how to maximize it.
Just over a week after the Boys and Girls Champs which brought Kingston to a standstill, Jamaica hosted the CARIFTA games at the National stadium. Their new jewels, Tina and Tia, were in scintillating forms.
Tina was the first to catch the World’s attention when she stormed to the Junior World title over 100m in Nairobi last summer, running a then Personal Best of 11.09s. Eights months later, she was doing the same on home soil in front of a demanding crowd. Tina didn’t bulge under the pressure as she won comfortably ahead of twin sister Tia- (11.22-11.30).
Tina’s win didn’t come as a surprise, though. The noise levels went a notch higher when the Claytons alongside Serena Cole and Brianna Lyston broke the women’s world U20 4x100m record with a 42.58 clocking, surpassing their own record of 42.94 from the last World Juniors.
You don’t need to be clairvoyant to know how special these girls are. At just 17, they have the world at their feet. And yes, it’s a known recital that elite sports can be very brutal as youngsters transitioning from Junior level to senior level can be up in the hair. Ask Brianna Williams. However, it seems the Claytons are on the right trajectory after their latest exploits at the CARIFTA Games.
Peres Jepchirchir proves her mettle once again in Boston
We’ve seen Eluid Kipchoge dominate the marathon circuit in the last eight to ten years, and the conversation is always how much better and faster he can run. Every single race for the Kenyan is a testament to how consistent he has been on the circuit.
Despite his dominance over the distance, the East African nation couldn’t boast of a female marathoner that can match Kipchoge’s achievements over the years. The wait seems to be over as Peres Jepchirchir is gradually making the women’s marathon a cakewalk.
On the 50th anniversary of the Boston Marathon allowing women to race as official entrants, Jepchirchir celebrated the occasion with a memorable race finish, winning a sprint finish down beat out Ethiopia’s Ababel Yeshaneh.
With the 2:21:01 win, Jepchirchir can now reasonably claim the title of best women’s marathoner in the world right now, as she became the first person in history to win an Olympic Gold, New York Marathon and the Boston Marathon.
Prefontaine Classic promises to give us a prelude of what to expect in Eugene as they put together a galaxy of stars
A range of sports has what excites viewers always. It might feel like a mirage, but the governing bodies, agents, and organizers always found a way to ensure the creme de la crème of their sports find a way to lock horns against each other.
That’s what the Prefontaine Classic has just done in athletics when a couple of days ago they announced a star-studded cast of athletes for the men’s 100m and 400m field ahead of the track meet slated for May 28 in Eugene, which coincidentally is the venue for this year’s World Championships.
The men’s 100m has all three medalists from Tokyo over the distance (Marcel Jacobs, Kerley and Andre De Grasse), all three medalists from the 200m (De Grasse, Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek) and all three medalists from this year’s 60m final in Belgrade (Jacobs, Christian Coleman and Ronie Baker) in the field. How about that for a field?
Michael Norman, Michael Cherry and Kirani James will race the 400m, too.
The potential outcome of this matchup is in two folds. One is the excitement is toned down a bit after we all see the outcome of the race, largely if a record is broken or no upset happens. Also, we might get to see a plot twist to the whole narrative and like Jacobs, in Tokyo, last summer, tear up the script and makes us wonder what to expect at the world champs in July.
By right these are some of the best sprinters you will find on this side of the planet and putting them in a race that is not a World Championship nor an Olympic final doesn’t do justice to the stage.
What will they be running for? Time, bragging rights or ego? By and large, it’s the medals and championships that count. On paper though, it’s a cast that the producers will enjoy selling to advertisers and help propel the Prefontaine classic to greater heights.
