Ashmeade definitely can't be ruled out after he beat Powell and Blake at the Racers Grand Prix. Zika virus has hindered Bailey-Cole's prep too. Who knows what we will see?

I don't think SAFP will end up bothering. Based on what I've seen this season, I could see VCB finishing ahead of her in the 100m too.

One solid prediction I'll make is that Janieve Russell beats Kaliese Spencer to the national title.

Ashmeade certainly looks dangerous in the 100m and could well finish ahead of both Blake and Powell, leaving them fighting it out for 3rd spot. Could see him making the 200m too ahead of Weir too who hasn't been particularly impressive over 200m thus far and is doubling for some strange reason. Still very curious to see where Blake is at as his "comeback" has been fairly inconsistent thus far. KBC wasn't looking great even before contracting the Zika virus. Bolt should sweep both events though, barring a disaster.

As for the women, VCB looks great, but the young sensation Thompson looks slightly better to me in both events. SAFP's ability to bring her A game to major championships is astonishing (a bit like Chrissie O in that regard), so I wouldn't bet against her for Olympic gold unless she actually fails to make the team, which I can't see happening as she already seems to be rounding into form. She's down to compete in the 200m at trials too, and has a better doubling record than most, but with her toe issue it remains to be seen what she actually does. Probably interesting to note that she hasn't lost the 100m at trials since coming 2nd in 2008, and hasn't lost the 200m there since coming 2nd in 2009. I guess right now she's a bit of a wildcard.

Funnily enough, the event I might be most looking forward to at the Jamaican trials isn't a sprint event, but rather the men's 110m hurdles. I'm a big McLeod fan and I've predicted that he could challenge the WR very soon. It was at last year's trials where he ran his 12.97 PB, and I'm expecting him to go even faster here. I view Hansle Parchment as a bit of a sleeping giant who could drop something incredible to challenge McLeod or even steal the win. He is the NR holder with a 12.94 PB and their only Olympic or World Championship medallist to date. It should be a dogfight to the finish.

Michael Rimmer – 1:44.93 UKL in Barcelona today

(this is not a troll )

And Allyson Felix seems to dampening down expectations / getting excuses in first. She's just posted this on Instagram,


BTW our boy Mr. Rimmer only went and ran 1:44.93 in Barcelona this evening, another A standard.

Hes exceptionally yummi...

Fair play to Rimmer. After trials I thought it was highly unlikely he'd be selected for Rio but he's given himself every chance now of being on the plane

I wonder if there'll be any late drop outs for the Europeans. I have a feeling some of the already qualified Rio athletes may drop out

Ah, but this is what makes Rimmer special. You can't got out in the first round year after year unless you qualify for the first round.

Here's the link for results from 12 (!) days of the US Olympic Trials.

MASSIVE drama at the Jamaican trials. After looking sluggish in his semi-final, Bolt picked up an injury and was unable to compete in the 100m final. He'll be able to apply for medical exemption if he demonstrates that he is in good form before a certain deadline (sometime this month but I'm not sure exactly when) because he's in the top 3 this year over the distance. If not, he's out in theory, but I can't see that happening. The bigger issue is, he hasn't actually run a 200m yet, so an exemption wouldn't (or, at least, shouldn't) apply for the 200m sprint because he's not top 3 there. So, even if does fully recover and regain top form, he may be restricted to only one individual event in Rio unless he's able to compete in the 200m rounds later today, or some strings are pulled.

Speaking of strings being pulled, Nickel Ashmeade was permitted to run under exemption after apparently false starting in the 100m final. He was originally given a red card but there were massive protests from the crowd and his fellow athletes, and in the end the officials relented. He went on to come 2nd to Yohan Blake, who won in 9.95, but I suspect there is some uncertainty about his place on the team until the situation is fully sorted.

Some major upsets too. Powell is off the team after finishing 4th in the final, just pipped at the line by youngster Jevaughn Minzie. Relay squad only for Asafa, which might be a blessing as it's where he performs at his best, whereas an individual slot might have been 'wasted' had he crumbled again. Track veteran VCB is also off the women's 100m team after being beaten by another youngster, Christiana Williams. Again, this is probably a blessing as it encourages her to concentrate on her better event, the 200m.

Elaine Thompson ran won the women's 100m in an incredible 10.70, tying SAFP's NR, which was easily the performance of the night. In spite of her injury woes and poor form, SAFP came through for 2nd in a sub-11 SB, a testament of her will. She was physically limping after the final, as indeed she was after the earlier rounds, but now she's bought herself extra time to recover and (hopefully) approach top form. However, even a top form SAFP would have her hands full with Thompson, and I hope we do get to see a showdown when they're both at their best.

Some huge shocks at the American trials too. Duane Solomon and college phenom Donavan Brazier both out in the 800m heats. Bernard Lagat is out and SRR pulled up, although neither was particularly unexpected. Felix qualified 2nd in her 400m heat looking fairly sluggish, so it seems that ankle is still an issue. With all the crazy happenings in track right now, it's not inconceivable that she fails to make the team in either event.

Awesome.
Will bookimark!

Thanks for this!
Very interesting

The ranking period supposedly begun in April 2015 - make of that what you will.

Results in the Kenyan OT men's 10,000m:

If fit Bolt is on Rio for both sprints, let's not kid ourselves otherwise.

I too thought Felix didn't look wholly convincing. Okolo looks set to win there. Another casualty not mentioned is Kurt Roberts in the Shot. Ranked 3rd in world and winner of Doha Diamond League he didn't even make final.

Thanks for your detailed Jamaican trials report that preceded the quoted.

Laura Roesler also out in the Women's 800m heats at Eugene. She would have been expected to make the team.

A sad end for Sanya RR pulling up injured in her 400 heat. Best of luck to her in whatever she does next (I think she has a fashion business?)


Hoffa and Whiting out of the places too. Seems like a changing of the guard.

I knew Reese Hoffa was "old" and has been around 'forever' but I didn't realise that he's 38.

The one and only solid prediction I made didn't come to fruition as Janieve Russell used the same medical exemption Bolt will be using to skip trials. In the end, Kaliese Spencer was badly beaten and if Russell proves fitness, Spencer will not be in Rio at all! But Kaliese has not looked good since 2014.

Another casualty at the USATF Olympic trials was Vernon Norwood not finishing in the men's 400m. He was definitely a contender for at least a relay spot. Is everyone ready for some more carnage? Men's 100m starts at 9:01 our time.

Amazing performance by Emily Infeld to make the 10,000 team (2nd behind Huddle in 31:46). She hasn't raced at all in 2016 and only returned to training at the end of April after suffering another stress fracture.

Today's race was her 4th career 10,000m and she's run all 4 in the 31:38 - 31:46 range.
Marielle Hall took the 3rd place.

The House of Run podcast are doing a daily half-hour episode throughout the US Trials. A good way to catch up with events if you're not able to watch.

Good God - Brittney Reese wins the women's long jump with a 7.31m (+1.7m/s) WL & PB!!

That's the longest jump for 12 years and makes her just the third woman to break 7.30+ with a legal wind this century. It's also the first time (believe it or not) that she's jumped further than JJK did during that heptathlon WR in Seoul 1988.

That is an amazing jump from Brittney Reese.

I was watching, but didn't realise it was that far as they only gave the distance in feet and inches.

Is there a live stream for the US trials? I can't seem to find one

I thought that the defending Champions in Olympic events automatically qualified for the next Olympics

Was I dreaming this ?

Think that's only at world championships.